When Jiang Chen said this, Elder Kongyun and the Silver Sand Guest exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with complex emotions. Clearly, their apprehension had not lessened in the slightest.
According to this young man, Miao Gongzi was nothing more than a minor pawn — and the Cuihua Pavilion Master might not even be the final mastermind behind it all.
If that was the case, then none of the people who had entered this Collapsing Cloud Mountain today could truly escape.
A mere pawn was already this terrifying — so how incomprehensibly frightening must the hand behind the curtain be?
"That Demon-Cloud Blood Fiend — what kind of Divine Ability is it, exactly? The moment you get close, your spiritual consciousness starts to waver, your entire body's blood and qi feel dreadfully uncomfortable, and you can barely breathe."
"It's a long story. Now is not the time to go into details. Just remember this: don't let the Demon-Cloud Blood Fiend touch you, and protect your spiritual consciousness as best you can. Among all the branches of the Demon Race, the Demon-Cloud Blood Fiend is one of the most aggressive." Jiang Chen actually knew a fair amount about this particular technique.
The Demon Race had many branches, and the Demon-Cloud Blood Fiend belonged to the Blood Demon clan.
The Blood Demon clan was the most bloodthirsty, the most savage, and carried the heaviest reek of slaughter. They loved killing above all else.
Back in the Ancient Sealing Ground, Jiang Chen had encountered the Shadow Demon clan and the Wood Demon clan, but he had never run into the Blood Demon clan during his time there.
Who would have thought that here, in the vast and untamed Collapsing Cloud Mountain of the Scarlet Cauldron Middle Domain, he would cross paths with the formidable Blood Demon clan?
If that Demon Emperor truly awakened and devoured so many sovereign-realm powerhouses, he would surely recover to his peak state in a very short time.
When that happened, even Jiang Chen himself would face enormous trouble.
"All right, the two of you — though this place has been sealed off, in every desperate situation there is always a sliver of hope. But finding that sliver is up to us."
Having said this, Jiang Chen wasted no more time. He transformed into a streak of flowing light and vanished into the void.
Elder Kongyun and the Silver Sand Guest exchanged another look, both silently at a loss for words.
"Brother Silver Sand, I never imagined we'd been deceived by the Cuihua Pavilion Master. This time we've truly gotten ourselves into a mess." Elder Kongyun sighed. "If we manage to escape alive this time, I swear I'll never involve myself in worldly affairs again."
The Silver Sand Guest smiled bitterly. "Let's hope a miracle happens. But as our friend just said, we have to find that chance ourselves. Sitting around here waiting will get us nowhere."
"Find it? How?" Elder Kongyun said in frustration. "That fellow's words were half-true at best, leaving everything shrouded in fog. I'm starting to think he might have been deliberately exaggerating to frighten us."
The Silver Sand Guest shook his head. "I don't think so. If he meant us harm, he wouldn't need to resort to empty scare tactics. Honestly, with his strength, he has no need to recruit us to his side. Since he neither wants to harm us nor asks anything of us, there's simply no reason for him to resort to fearmongering."
The Silver Sand Guest's mind was, after all, a bit sharper than Elder Kongyun's.
"Regardless, I've decided to go in and have a look. Know thyself and know the enemy — only then might there be a sliver of hope." The Silver Sand Guest made his decision.
Elder Kongyun hesitated for a moment but did not agree. Instead he said, "Brother Silver Sand, the deeper in you go, the closer you get to that nest of danger. Going in of your own accord — aren't you just delivering yourself on a platter?"
The Silver Sand Guest replied with a solemn expression, "The formation has already been sealed. Since we can't get out, there's little difference between being closer to the center or standing farther out. If that Demon Emperor truly revives, would standing a bit farther away really keep us safe?"
Elder Kongyun's face darkened. "Well, it's still better than actively walking into the lion's den!"
"Not necessarily! If we all went together to stop it, united in purpose, we might actually be able to prevent the Cuihua Pavilion Master from succeeding. I believe that young man — he's heading there to stop the Cuihua Pavilion Master," the Silver Sand Guest said.
"Him?" Elder Kongyun was still somewhat irritated. "If he were truly so noble, why didn't he invite us to come along?"
"Perhaps he doesn't think our strength is worth inviting," the Silver Sand Guest said with a bitter smile. After all, in the battle just now, they hadn't been of any real help.
"Hmph! He's only a half-step sovereign at the end of the day. If not for all those treasures from the great sects, dealing with Miao Gongzi wouldn't have been so easy for him!" Elder Kongyun snorted coldly. "When you get right down to it, I suspect he has his own selfish motives."
The Silver Sand Guest was somewhat dismissive of Elder Kongyun's words. He frowned and said, "Brother Kongyun, he did save our lives in the end. Surely we shouldn't be badmouthing him behind his back?"
Elder Kongyun's expression soured. "Brother Silver Sand, if you insist on going in, then I won't be accompanying you."
The Silver Sand Guest saw that Elder Kongyun was dead set in his ways and understood that those who walk different paths cannot make the journey together. He let out a soft sigh and cupped his fists. "In that case, let us part ways here. Our task of serving as protectors for the Cuihua Pavilion Master has effectively ended ahead of schedule. We're no longer in the same camp."
The Silver Sand Guest's tone had turned cool as well. Clearly, he was somewhat disappointed by Elder Kongyun's lack of resolve.
With the way Elder Kongyun was behaving now, he was no different from Golden Needle Granny. Seeing the Demon Race run rampant and not even having the courage to go investigate — no matter how great Elder Kongyun's reputation might normally be, it was hard for the Silver Sand Guest to truly respect him.
……
"Chen Shao, eighty li to the southwest, there's a deep valley where a large number of people have gathered. The valley has a vast mealith forest, and that powerful earthen pulse seems to be originating from that area." The Gold-Munching Mouse King had scouted out the latest intelligence.
Jiang Chen nodded upon hearing this. "Good. That's where we're headed."
He pressed on without a moment's rest, flying toward the region indicated by the Gold-Munching Mouse King. Along the way, he spotted many cultivators — some of whom even attempted to attack him.