The cave dwelling of Dharma King Xunfeng, though equipped with certain defensive restrictions and formations, was clearly nothing spectacular in terms of power.
One could say these formations and restrictions served at most as an early warning system — against a mediocre opponent, they might buy some time by stalling an assault.
But as a line of actual defense, they were far from sufficient.
That said, the Wind Cloud Sect Master had dispatched several Heavenly Stellar and Earthly Fiend elders to assist Dharma King Xunfeng, making the garrison here appear reasonably well-staffed.
"Daoist Jingyun, since the Sect Master sent you here to help, why don't you take a look around and point out any gaps in the defenses? I have the utmost respect for your eye for detail." Dharma King Xunfeng was surprisingly courteous.
Jiang Chen feigned nonchalance and asked, "Where are those captives being held?"
Dharma King Xunfeng laughed. "Follow me."
Jiang Chen showed no emotion and trailed behind the Dharma King as they wound through several turns into a dim, shadowy area.
"They're locked up in here. The ambient spiritual energy has been completely sealed off. Even if that Jiang Chen fellow has extraordinary Divine Abilities, he won't be able to sense them here." Dharma King Xunfeng grinned proudly.
Jiang Chen nodded. "Excellent. It seems the Sect Master chose the right person for this task — his judgment is impeccable indeed."
He offered praise while his mind raced to formulate a plan.
Now that he was actually here, there was no rush. As long as the real Dharma King Jingyun didn't show up for the time being, his disguise wouldn't be exposed.
"Daoist Jingyun, please do a thorough sweep and see if there are any other vulnerabilities. I've heard that Jiang Chen brat is cunning as a ghost — like a fly that can sniff out stinks from miles away." Dharma King Xunfeng spoke with what seemed like genuine admiration for Dharma King Jingyun.
There was even a hint of deliberate goodwill in his tone.
Jiang Chen's heart stirred. The man was practically handing him an opportunity. Still, he cursed inwardly: The nerve of this bastard, comparing this young master to a fly. Utterly detestable.
Though anxiety gnawed at him, Jiang Chen refused to appear impatient.
He knew that acting too eager at this point would only arouse suspicion.
"I'll have a look around. This place really is quite well-chosen. Daoist Xunfeng need not worry so much. Didn't Jiang Chen only send a handful of giants? Those lumbering oafs are fine for brute force brawling, but delicate work like this is beyond them. Besides, the Sect Master and Senior Shu have already gone to deal with those big lunks."
His tone, his mannerisms — every last detail was a perfect imitation of the Purple Nether Great Emperor.
Dharma King Xunfeng nodded. "Go ahead and inspect the area, Daoist. I'll do a sweep outside. We must ensure everything is airtight."
Jiang Chen was genuinely delighted that the man was leaving him alone here.
The Wind Cloud Sect truly lacked the institutional depth of an established power. Most of these Dharma King-level experts were rogue cultivators who had joined the cause, and their discipline showed — they couldn't compare with a proper major faction.
Otherwise, even if the captives were entrusted to Dharma King Xunfeng's charge, no amount of trust would justify leaving Dharma King Jingyun unsupervised in a restricted area.
Jiang Chen suppressed his elation and gave a calm nod. "Very well, see to your duties. Don't worry about me."
He watched the heavy gate of the prison area close with a soft click, knowing that pushing through it would lead directly to the cells. But he didn't move right away. Instead, he adopted an air of casual inspection, clasping his hands behind his back and strolling around as if examining the surroundings.
Though Dharma King Xunfeng had walked out, who could guarantee he wasn't watching from somewhere hidden? This was the man's own territory — monitoring every corner wouldn't be remotely difficult.
Jiang Chen's mind was weighing his options, running through possibilities.
Do I go in first and rescue them? Or take out Dharma King Xunfeng and his men first?
He was actually quite confident. If he made proper use of the Nine Palaces Maze Formation and the Mesmerizing Puppets, killing Dharma King Xunfeng and those few subordinates would be far from difficult.
After all, each of those Mesmerizing Puppets was a Heavenly Seat-level combatant. After some period of exploration and refinement, Jiang Chen had grown increasingly adept at wielding them.
Killing those men — he had close to perfect confidence. But killing them without raising the slightest alarm — that, he could only manage at sixty or seventy percent certainty.
This was, after all, the enemy's own cave dwelling. Who knew what hidden cards they still hadn't revealed?
If Dharma King Xunfeng had no ability whatsoever, would the Wind Cloud Sect Master trust him so much? Would he hand over such an important task?
Jiang Chen pondered as he continued his pretense of scouting the area.
Time ticked by, second by second. After his charade of careful inspection, he finally prepared to push open the gate and enter.
But then — without warning — a sudden ripple of unease surged through his heart.
This inexplicable jolt of premonition caused the chain seal in his spiritual sea to blaze with an overwhelming sense of danger.
The crisis came from nowhere.
Just when Jiang Chen had felt victory within his grasp, this warning arrived with shocking abruptness — and with terrifying intensity.
His hand, reaching toward the gate, froze in midair.
In the next instant, his body transformed into a streak of radiant light and shot outward at full speed.