“Wait, do not look just yet.” Xiang Bei abruptly reached out.

Observing Tai Yin’s sudden recoil, a defensive posture etched upon his face, Xiang Bei felt increasingly bewildered. “What troubles you?”

Tai Yin offered a dry chuckle. “Nothing, nothing at all. Just… not knowing what you wish me to see makes me a little nervous.”

Xiang Bei, with a single hand, pressed a soul array diagram into the air. He affixed it to Tai Yin’s right eye and pressed gently, the array diagram vanishing.

“Use this eye to look,” he explained. “You will not be detected.”

Tai Yin likely grasped the meaning then. He knew Xiang Bei possessed the ability to “perceive all beings, detect all presences,” and that this ability stemmed from the development of his soul power.

He paused slightly, ensuring the distance between himself and Xiang Bei was sufficient for a reaction, before finally leaning towards the single-lens round mirror.

And thus, he saw the lava lake, and the figure bathing within it.

“Jiang Wang isn’t dead?!”

Tai Yin was clearly more astonished than Xiang Bei, for he was more certain of his own judgment. At that time, Jiang Wang’s trace had indeed dissipated.

Either the person was dead, or their traces had been scattered.

In reality, these were one and the same. If all existing traces were scattered, how could a person still live? Could those Huo Dou truly save someone?

Yet now, a clear image lay before him—

Jiang Wang lived, and his complexion appeared quite good.

“What is going on?” Tai Yin asked, his disbelief evident. “Are the Huo Dou planning to wash him clean, cook him thoroughly, and then eat him?”

Xiang Bei replied, “If they merely wished to eat cooked food, so many days have passed, he should have been cooked long ago…”

“Then why?” Tai Yin was genuinely perplexed. “Stripped naked, not wearing an inch of thread, soaking in a lava lake. Could it be to wait for some grand festival to enjoy him?”

“Unless we can communicate with the Huo Dou, and they are willing to explain to us, we will forever be unable to understand their thoughts,” Xiang Bei said slowly. “But what is most important to us now is… since Jiang Wang is not yet dead, the Ju Song Yu Bi must still be on his person.”

“And we need that piece of jade bi,” Tai Yin continued.

“So, only one problem remains,” Xiang Bei’s thoughts were exceedingly clear. “Now, the enemy is in the light, we are in the dark. The enemy is few, we are many. Can the two of us, acting together, in the shortest possible time, eliminate him and seize the jade bi?”

Before initiating the plan, he was cautious and unwilling to gamble lightly.

But once the plan was set, he held no further doubts. No matter what adverse situation arose, he would single-mindedly pursue the objective.

This, precisely, was the quality of a renowned general—

Apart from a somewhat arrogant and easily angered temperament.

Tai Yin pondered in silence, speaking aloud, “With your and my combined strength, plus a sneak attack, this should not be an issue. The greatest difficulty now is how we can escape after alarming the Huo Dou clan. No matter what the Huo Dou intend by placing Jiang Wang here, I doubt they will be overly tolerant of intruders in their lair.”

All things leave traces.

He was highly skilled at observing. Observing matters, observing people.

In the past, it was merely a hobby, the leisurely pursuit of an aristocratic noble son looking down from above, gaming in the human world, enjoying the superior feeling of insightful observation of life’s various states. After his uncle, Grandfather Tai Hua Zhenren, fell in battle, this became an exceedingly important ability.

He had to accurately judge which people were hesitant and two-faced, which harbored ulterior motives, which were willing to assist their Tai clan, and which sought to step on the Tai clan to its ruin…

Xiang Bei was, of course, his friend, but Xiang Bei was also the person he most wanted to accurately gauge.

Because Xiang Bei was personally designated as the heir by Xiang Long Xiang, in the future, he would hold sway over the entire Xiang family. As the top family in an overlord nation, the Xiang family, even with its current decline in momentum, was still far beyond the Tai clan’s comparison.

He could provide the Tai clan, and him personally, immense assistance…

Making friends with a utilitarian heart was naturally ill-advised. But in the increasingly subtle atmosphere and increasingly tense resources of Xia country, how could the Tai clan, having lost its greatest reliance, maintain a steady foothold? How many connections could they leverage?

The paths available were truly few!

“Do not underestimate Jiang Wang.”

At this moment, Xiang Bei’s expression was very serious, even staring at Tai Yin. He spoke slowly, “Though I have fought him, I have never forced him to reveal his limit. I advise you not to first consider how to cope with the Huo Dou, because the matter of killing Jiang Wang is itself a very significant problem.”

He recalled the sword that pierced his palm while Jiang Wang evaded the tearing bites of the Huo Dou king beast…

Subconscious neglect, or perhaps instinctive self-justification… the choice of a weak person.

“I think you are right,” Tai Yin sincerely admitted his mistake. “I should not have underestimated a person with such a glorious record. From this moment on, I am determined to approach this battle with the attitude of facing the strongest enemy of my life. We will exert all our efforts together to bury this respectable opponent.”

“I believe a heaven’s pride such as he would also be unwilling to live so shamefully and muddledly in the Shan Hai Realm,” Xiang Bei said. “It is time to help him find liberation.”

Human joys and sorrows are never truly shared.

Jiang Jue Ye, immersed in the lava lake, meticulously sorted through his own body.

The astonishing heat of the deep-sea lava, under the illumination of the San Mei True Fire’s divine light, was exceptionally gentle, carefully refining his already formidable body.

And the development of the Tong Tian Sea, Wu Fu Sea, and Zang Xing Sea, the three seas of the human body, was a long-term endeavor.

This, while seemingly a tedious process of grinding effort, was also not something anyone could achieve.

He had only a rough understanding of how to utilize the Tong Tian Sea after cultivating the Dragon Tiger realm. To truly comprehend it, he would have to wait until the four seas of the human body were connected in the Shen Lin Realm.

Jiang Wang would never slacken in cultivation, in any direction. As long as he could do it, he would strive for perfection.

At a certain moment, the black and white divine ability seed in his second inner mansion suddenly leaped.

His entire second inner mansion was stirred.

Shaking the Wu Fu Sea.

Like a heart that had been calm for a long time, suddenly palpitating.

Jiang Wang’s entire being, propelled by this sudden tremor, leaped high into the air.

Leaping three zhang high.

Turning back to look at the lava lake.

Beneath him, the originally calm surface of the lake was already brimming with killing intent.

The surging lava, controlled by unseen hands, had condensed into a variety of weapons—knives, guns, swords, halberds—abruptly colliding, vaguely forming a kill array, yet in the moment it took shape, it fell utterly empty!

This array was named the Hundred Soldiers Kill Array.

Once ensnared, the killing momentum was continuous and endless.

Jiang Wang’s leap was undeniably thrilling.

That tremble of the divine ability seed in the second inner mansion was the Wrong Path Divine Ability’s reminder in a moment of extreme crisis—

Reminding you that you had already entered the wrong path!

His body was in the Huo Dou’s lair, and he had convinced himself that he was already familiar with the Huo Dou, having established a preliminary relationship of mutual trust and assistance, thus completely relaxing his vigilance… forgetting where he was!

This killing intent-laden Shan Hai Realm was never solely inhabited by himself and the Huo Dou…

How negligent!

Jiang Wang instantly shed all unnecessary emotions, allowing himself to return to the battle itself. Although he had avoided the first round of attack under the warning of the Wrong Path Divine Ability, he knew very well that the crisis was far from resolved.

His beautiful, muscular body, clad only in calf-length trousers, leaped through the air, the streamlined muscle lines instantly taut, like a fully drawn powerful bow!

Those scars, everywhere, were the glory of a warrior, and also the history of battle.

This bow, bent like a crescent moon, with its sword pointed in eight directions!

Jiang Wang had already raised his guard to twelve points, opening the Voice Hearing Immortal State. For the nineteen breaths that followed, he would meticulously observe the subtle details, his sword poised to strike the enemy’s skull and spill blood.

And at that same moment, in the high sky behind him, a patch of air was torn open—or, to be more accurate, the array disk disguised as air, at this moment, canceled its concealment.

Tai Yin, at some unknown point, had been hiding here. As Jiang Wang successfully evaded the Hundred Soldiers Kill Array, his attention likely still focused on the surface of the lava lake, Tai Yin abruptly appeared!

Just as he completed the Dao Jue with both hands, he pressed down.

Roar! Roar!

Dragon roars erupted, wind howled, thunder roared.

Supergrade Dao technique, Five Dragons Seal Heaven!

At this moment, Jiang Wang, like a fully drawn powerful bow, his excess-fleshless warrior figure perfectly displayed in the air.

Long Xiang Si was the arrow on the string, his sword momentum about to erupt.

Beneath him, witnessed by him, was the boiling lava lake, the Hundred Soldiers Kill Array suddenly striking.

In the high sky behind him, five elemental force dragons formed a giant umbrella.

In front, knives, guns, swords, and halberds; behind, divine techniques like a waterfall.

This was a carefully prepared attack, causing him to fall into crisis from the very beginning!

No matter who the attacker was, since they dared to strike at this moment, they must have made full preparations—this was Jiang Wang’s first thought.

His mind raced, and he immediately pressed down with one hand, executing an Eight Sounds Burn Sea. A tide of angry sound poured down, suppressing the lava-formed knives, guns, swords, and halberds.

His body had already turned.

A blazing light gradually illuminated his chest and abdomen, the Tian Fu body instantly manifesting.

He back-slashed with his sword, supporting the sky with his figure!

Directly confronting the roaring Five Dragons Seal Heaven Dao technique.

His body followed the sword’s rush, crashing directly into the waterfall-like Five Dragons divine technique.

A single sword against a flowing waterfall!

His eyes seemed about to split as he charged towards the core of the Five Dragons divine technique waterfall, intending to directly confront Tai Yin.

Yet, mid-charge, he suddenly and abruptly turned.

The Ping Bu Qing Yun immortal technique made his turn so elegant, and the roaring sword intent easily breached the flow of the divine technique waterfall, causing him to instantly swap positions with Tai Yin.

Confronting Tai Yin head-on was a feint; avoiding the opponent’s subsequent ambush was the true objective.

But…

It was still a little late.

A heavy halberd broke through the lava, and amidst the collision of Eight Sounds Burn Sea and the Hundred Soldiers Kill Array, it leaped out of the lava lake!

Completely disregarding the residual waves of the Dao technique and array formation, entwined with black ghost qi, it descended so abruptly and so naturally… falling upon Jiang Wang’s body.

Splitting open the light of the Five Divine Abilities, the tip of the Cover World Halberd, from the area of Jiang Wang’s lower back, pierced him through!

Tai Yin and Xiang Bei’s attack in this place covered several rounds consecutively.

The sudden eruption of the Hundred Soldiers Kill Array was merely a layer of deception.

Once Jiang Wang detached, Tai Yin, hidden in the high sky with a concealed array disk, would fiercely strike.

But Tai Yin’s own strike constituted another layer of deception.

Leading Jiang Wang to believe the hidden danger was centered around Tai Yin.

But the true killing move was still buried at the bottom of the lava lake, precisely beneath the already exposed Hundred Soldiers Kill Array!

At this moment, on the surface of the surging dark red lava lake.

Weapons condensed from lava and flame sparrows condensed from fire yuan bombarded each other.

In the chaotic flow of yuan force and lava, Xiang Bei, over a zhang tall, thrust his single halberd towards the sky.

Black smoke qi entwined with the majestic Swallow Thief Tyrant Body, the arrogant and domineering Cover World Halberd, its tip, renowned throughout the world, pierced through, blood splashing across the long sky!

And above the Yellow River leader, who had suddenly suffered a severe injury, five majestic yuan qi dragons, their tails interlocked, formed a divine technique giant umbrella, sprinkling divine techniques like a waterfall.

Above the giant umbrella was none other than Tai Yin, born into a renowned family in Xia country.

And the sounds and light shadows within the lava lake were all already covered.

An eight-sided black-brown array disk quietly stood on the shore. At first glance, it was easily overlooked.

It was the Shadow Vanish Sound Ban Array.

The reason the Huo Dou near the lava lake were unable to detect this battle was entirely due to its credit.

In the eyes of the surrounding Huo Dou, Jiang Wang was still lying peacefully in the lava lake at this moment, nothing at all having happened.

Two heaven’s pride sons, joining hands to launch an attack on Jiang Wang, had naturally rehearsed various situations long ago, arranging a plan that could not be said to be anything but thorough.

After several exchanges, as fast as a rabbit rising and a falcon descending, Jiang Wang was already suspended in the air.

But neither Xiang Bei nor Tai Yin relaxed.

Because the injury to Jiang Wang’s waist and abdomen, while looking terrifying, was not fatal. Moreover, he had still avoided the core area of the Five Dragons Seal Heaven technique.

Xiang Bei, observing for a long time with the Dragon Demon Perform Soldier Diagram, seized the opportunity in battle and rushed towards the sky with a single halberd, indeed heavily injuring his opponent.

But Jiang Wang still used the frontal confrontation with Tai Yin as a feint, deceiving his landing point, and timely avoiding a vital area.

The Cover World Halberd was originally intended to shatter the great dragon of Jiang Wang’s spine, but in the end, it only pierced his body from the left waist, breaking open the left abdomen. This flesh-piercing injury was undoubtedly serious, but a self-chosen injury and a passively suffered injury were completely different concepts!

Boiling fresh blood flowed down the edge of the halberd; this was the price Jiang Wang paid for his laxity in the Huo Dou’s lair.

But look throughout the world, among all cultivators below the Shen Lin Realm, count them one by one.

Who could only make Jiang Qing Yang pay a price while not paying any price himself?!

The spear tip pierced out from his abdomen.

Jiang Wang’s hand, surrounded by the light of the Five Mansions, had already tightly grasped the cold light-flowing edge of the halberd!

Sword light flowed and shone in his pupils, containing an immortal red-gold color.

Red fire flowed outside his body, and a frost cape floated behind him!

The Sword Immortal’s state returned to the Shan Hai Realm, gathering intent and momentum, force and Dao, integrating all, evolving into the absolute peak Qing Shan sword!

This sword was an earthly stab towards a perilous sky peak.

This sword was the entirety of his learning, a question of life and death.

Roaring sword intent and sword momentum, caged with the fluttering frost cape, enveloped Jiang Wang. Just like this, facing the Five Dragons Seal Heaven technique, he charged straight towards Tai Yin.

He actually grasped the halberd edge that pierced his abdomen with one hand, bringing the hot blood that splashed across the long sky, bringing the Cover World Halberd, and also bringing Xiang Bei, who was at the other end of the Cover World Halberd, with an absolutely unyielding sword momentum, together charging towards Tai Yin in the high sky!

Blood splashed like rain, drenching Xiang Bei’s entire body.

“Ah!”

Xiang Bei’s eyes were about to crack and split. At this moment, he shook the Cover World Halberd, wanting to cut off Jiang Wang’s tightly grasping fingers on the halberd edge. But the light of the Five Divine Abilities was one whole, and Jiang Wang’s left hand, grasping in his abdomen, was like cast iron!

He drummed the power of the Swallow Thief Tyrant Body, trying to pull the Cover World Halberd downwards. Yet, he was still helplessly carried towards the high sky by this stock of unyielding sword momentum.

It was not that his physical strength had such a large gap with Jiang Wang’s, but that Jiang Wang, at this moment, was in the midst of his strongest sword momentum.

His halberd momentum, however, had completed its mission after piercing the opponent’s physical body.

Jiang Wang’s choice to counter-charge was precisely timed to a terrifying degree. He used his own injury and pain as a node in the battle!

High above, Tai Yin still manipulated the Five Dragons Seal Heaven technique, bombarding with thunder, electricity, wind, and rain.

But that bare-chested figure, Jiang Qing Yang, with a giant wound in his abdomen, stared fixedly at him, a single sword piercing the sky, his angry voice like the clang of a long sword: “Tai Yin, you little one, let us decide life and death!”