Chapter 36: The Crisis Hidden in the Shadows

Two days later, at dawn, the weather was clear, and a light mist rose into the air. Qin Lang and his companions awoke early and set out together, leaving Mutian City behind. No sooner had they left the city walls than Qin Lang found himself the focus of countless eyes—those belonging to the demon clan, who were passing along messages.

Yet Qin Lang, Liu Man, and the others paid this no mind. In their hearts, they silently prayed that these pursuers would keep close to their trail. Above all, they needed the hidden Liu Qingyao to follow relentlessly; only then would they have the opportunity to make their move.

As they walked along a narrow mountain path, Qin Lang spoke in a low voice, “Brother Liu, do you think, by doing this, Liu Qingyao and her group will chase after us?”

“They will, without a doubt,” Liu Man replied with utmost confidence, as if it were a foregone conclusion.

Qin Lang frowned, a trace of worry clouding his features. “Brother Liu, aren’t you being a little too sure of yourself? If things go wrong, won’t we all be in trouble?”

He couldn’t help his apprehension—the last thing he wanted was to die. Though he had arrived late, he was not foolish; he knew full well that he was being used as bait. But as bait, he had no intention of sacrificing his own life.

The true strength of the demon experts at Liu Qingyao’s side remained a mystery, and this uncertainty made him all the more cautious. He needed everyone to tread carefully; otherwise, disaster was certain. The others could take their risks—he simply refused to die with them.

“Don’t worry. With you by our side, they will definitely come,” Liu Man asserted, brimming with confidence, as though victory were already in their grasp.

The demon clan dreamed of nothing more than killing Qin Lang; and now, with their party making for the direction where the demons were rumored to be plotting with Prince Pingnan, it would only hasten the demons’ pursuit. If Qin Lang survived, not only would their plans fall apart, but the entire demon force might be wiped out. That was why Liu Man was so certain their movements had already been exposed, and that their pursuers were on their way.

Qin Lang was speechless. These people truly saw him as nothing more than bait. But what they didn’t know was that he was no ordinary decoy—push him too far, and none would fare well. Perhaps, in the past, he might have feared both humans and demons; but times had changed. He was now, without a doubt, a cultivator. Though only a novice, he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Time passed slowly. As the sun set and dusk gave way to darkness, Qin Lang and his companions continued on their way, untroubled by any demon ambushes. Sometimes they flew by sword, sometimes they traveled on foot. The reason was simple: they wanted the demons shadowing them not to fall behind—otherwise, they would lose their chance to catch Liu Qingyao.

After burning an incense stick’s time on the road, nightfall enveloped the land. Qin Lang and his party ceased their sword-flight and descended to the ground.

Liu Man gazed up at the clear night sky, stars scattered across the heavens, the full moon drifting overhead. “Zimo, go look around and see if there’s a cave nearby where we can rest for a while.”

“Alright.” Wang Zimo nodded lightly and turned away.

Liu Man then looked to Hua Manlou beside him. “Manlou, scout around as well, and see if anything seems out of place.”

“Understood.” Hua Manlou nodded in agreement before heading off.

Having just landed, Qin Lang glanced about, then made his way to the edge of a clear river and splashed water on his face. After enduring the relentless sun while flying at high altitude, he felt parched and uncomfortable, as if his skin were about to crack. The cool river water was soothing, leaving his face refreshed, as though he had applied a healing balm.

After washing up, Qin Lang took a few gulps from the river, quenching the thirst that had plagued him.

“If only I’d thought to bring a bigger water flask before setting out,” he muttered to himself. After hours without a drink and being baked by the sun, he could only sigh at his own oversight. His water flask held little, and after the sun’s merciless heat, he had quickly drained it. He silently resolved that, in the future, he would always carry enough water, no matter where he went.

Watching Qin Lang both wash and drink from the river, Su Momo frowned. “You just washed your face—how can you drink that water as well? Don’t you find it dirty?”

“Dirty? Why would I? Compared to the water in the dungeon, I’d much rather drink from this river,” Qin Lang replied calmly.

Though the dungeon water was supposedly spring-fed, he still found the river water far superior—sweet and crisp, unlike the faintly fishy taste of the spring in the dungeon that made every meal hard to swallow. In the dungeon, all food and drink was prepared with that spring water; the taste was so offensive that it was difficult to eat.

Su Momo fell silent at this. She had never tasted dungeon water herself, but she’d heard it carried a faintly unpleasant tang. It might be tolerable for a short while, but over time, it became almost impossible to stomach.

…

Five kilometers away from Qin Lang and his companions, beneath the bright moon, five figures in black appeared atop an ancient tree, fifty meters tall. Their gazes were cold, eyes brimming with murderous intent, and their auras surged restlessly within. Beneath their cloaks, they seemed like primeval beasts, capable of unleashing devastating power at any moment.

They stood silently on the massive branches, eyes fixed on the direction of Qin Lang’s group, as though deep in thought.

Suddenly, two of them glided down like shadows, each alighting on a lower branch.

The largest of the men, standing atop the highest bough, looked ahead with a frosty stare. “What have you learned?”

“Through our investigation, the demon clan plotting against the young master is now gathering ten kilometers from here,” the man on the lower left responded.

“We’re already watching them. Should we kill them now?” asked the man on the lower right.

“No. Our identities must remain hidden. We cannot intervene. We are only here to protect the young master from the shadows,” said the man with his hands behind his back. “Moreover, the young master’s identity must never be exposed, especially not to that person. Otherwise, he will send someone powerful to kill the young master.”

Eighteen years before, a traitor had emerged in their ranks. When that person learned of the young master’s birth, he betrayed their lord’s whereabouts to the enemy, leading to the annihilation of their master and all his followers.

Now, they could allow no one to learn the young master’s identity nor let it be revealed. This time, apart from the young master himself, everyone who had seen the wolf totem—including Liu Man and his group—had to die. Even the Qingtian Guards could not be spared.

“Yes, sir,” the others replied in unison.

The leader, his face grave, looked ahead. “How far are the commanders from our position?”

“Ten days’ journey.”