189: Chapter 189: Conspiracy

While the various factions were engaged in fierce combat with the Yao Race...

Xiao Ran, however, was sprinting all the way toward the southwest. Along the way, he encountered several waves of low-tier Yao Beasts, which he dealt with effortlessly.

He didn't linger in battle; his target was deeper in.

After running for about an hour, the other Cultivators had vanished, leaving only desolate wind and sand.

Ahead, a massive rift valley lay across the wasteland.

The rift was bottomless and about a hundred zhang wide, its rock walls on both sides as smooth as mirrors, as if split by a sharp blade.

On the opposite side of the rift was a stretch of grayish-black land, the air thick with dense Demonic Qi.

That was the Ten Thousand Demon Plains, the heart of the Yao Race territory.

Xiao Ran stopped his pace and stood at the edge of the rift.

This was the death line, the threshold of the vacuum zone.

He looked around to confirm that no one from the Human Race or Yao Race was watching, then took out the human emperor banner from his sleeve.

A flash of black light erupted, and a white figure rushed out from the banner.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox landed on the ground, her nine tails swaying gently.

She took a deep breath, her face full of enjoyment.

"Refreshing. The scent of home."

Xiao Ran turned his head to look at her: "I promised you. I'm setting you free."

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox looked at him, a flicker of complexity in her eyes.

"You're really letting me go?"

She thought she would leave eventually, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"Otherwise? Keep you in the banner to celebrate the New Year?"

"Besides, you aren't exactly well-behaved in there, hitting the barrier every day and giving me a headache with the noise."

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox gave a cold snort: "This old lady was just stretching her limbs!"

Xiao Ran waved his hand: "Enough, just go."

"Go back to your Yao Race, and don't let me run into you on the battlefield in the future."

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox said no more, turning directly toward the rift valley.

Ultimately, she transformed into a streak of white light and disappeared into the depths of the rift.

Xiao Ran watched her departing figure, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

Freedom?

What he gave the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was never true freedom.

Xiao Ran had long ago planted the Heart-Devouring Gu Poison in her body; as long as he wished, he could make her wish she were dead at any moment.

But that was a last resort.

Right now, he needed her to stir up trouble within the Yao Race and leave him a path of retreat.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ran turned and sped off in another direction.

This time, he no longer hid his strength.

The Guixu Demonic Light operated at full power, with grayish-black vortices swirling around his body.

Wherever he passed, low-tier Yao Beasts were devoured one after another.

Nascent Soul Early Stage scorpions, Nascent Soul middle stage sand worms, Late Nascent Soul Stage Stone Demons... he refused none, turning them all into nutrients for his body.

The ten thousand poison bead heated up slightly in his palm, greedily absorbing the toxins from the air.

Xiao Ran went on a killing spree, moving toward the direction of Li Changsheng and Su Qinghan.

Time passed bit by bit.

The sun rose from the east to the zenith, then slid from the zenith toward the west.

After half a day of hunting, every Cultivator had made some gains.

In the Grey Stone Wasteland, corpses of Yao Beasts lay everywhere.

Some were frozen into ice sculptures, some were sliced into pieces, and some were burnt to charcoal.

The air was thick with the smell of blood, attracting vultures from afar.

Captain Zhao, the leader of the Monster Hunting Team, sat atop a Black-Scaled Tiger with a solemn expression.

Beside him, several squad leaders were reporting their results.

"First Squad: killed one Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beast and twenty-three Nascent Soul Stage beasts."

"Second Squad: killed two Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beasts and eighteen Nascent Soul Stage beasts."

"Third Squad: killed one Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beast; one member sustained light injuries."

"Fourth Squad..."

As Captain Zhao listened, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

He raised his hand to interrupt the reports.

"Old Liu, what was the cultivation level of that giant bear your Third Squad encountered?"

Old Liu thought for a moment: "Late Stage of Soul Transformation. It had thick hide and tough flesh; it was very difficult to deal with."

Captain Zhao nodded and asked the other squad leaders: "Did you encounter many high-tier Yao Beasts?"

The squad leaders looked at each other and shook their heads.

The First Squad leader said: "Not many. In our area, there were quite a few Nascent Soul Stage ones, but only one Soul Transformation Stage beast."

The Second Squad leader also said: "Same here."

Captain Zhao fell silent upon hearing this.

Something was wrong, very wrong.

In past monster hunting operations, there would be at least a dozen Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beasts in the Grey Stone Wasteland, and sometimes even Void Refinement Stage Yao Kings would appear.

But today, after half a day of killing, the Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beasts they encountered added up to less than ten.

"It's too easy."

Captain Zhao said in a heavy voice.

Old Liu was startled: "Captain, are you saying..."

Captain Zhao nodded: "The Yao Race is intentionally feeding us. They might be planning something."

He looked up toward the distant rift valley, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Notify everyone to assemble!"

The members of the Monster Hunting Team quickly gathered, and the Loose Cultivators also arrived one after another.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, most of the Cultivators were standing before Captain Zhao.

Captain Zhao scanned the crowd and noticed some were missing, but he didn't plan to wait.

Instead, he spoke directly in a heavy tone.

"Today's monster hunting operation ends here. Everyone, retreat to the Great Wall."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

A Soul Transformation Stage Loose Cultivator couldn't help but ask: "Captain Zhao, it's only been half a day. Why are we retreating?"

Captain Zhao glanced at him without explaining.

"Those who don't want to die, retreat. Those who want to die can stay."

The Loose Cultivator's expression changed, and he didn't dare speak further.

The group began to retreat toward the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Li Changsheng and Su Qinghan were mixed in the crowd. Suddenly, Su Qinghan stopped and looked toward the distant rift valley.

"Junior Brother Li, don't you think something is wrong?"

Li Changsheng was taken aback: "What's wrong?"

Su Qinghan frowned: "The Yao Beasts we encountered along the way are too few, and they're all low-tier. There are almost no high-tier ones."

Li Changsheng thought about it; it was indeed the case.

They had been killing for half a day, and the strongest was only an Early Stage Soul Transformation frost wolf.

This defied common sense.

"You mean..."

Su Qinghan nodded: "The Yao Race is intentionally feeding us to make us lower our guard."

Li Changsheng's expression changed, and he immediately sent a message to Xiao Ran through their Soul link.

"Xiao Ran, retreat quickly! The Yao Race has an ambush!"

Xiao Ran was in the middle of slaughtering a group of Nascent Soul Stage sand worms when his hand shook upon receiving the message.

"What ambush?"

"Captain Zhao ordered a retreat. He suspects that a Yao King might be planning something."

Xiao Ran fell silent.

A Yao King? He remembered the thick Demonic Qi he had felt at the edge of the rift valley earlier.

"Understood. I'm retreating immediately."

He withdrew his Guixu Demonic Light and sprinted toward the Sword Qi Great Wall.

At the same time.

Deep in the rift valley, at the edge of the Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

Inside a massive cave, three figures sat around each other.

The leader was a giant tiger, entirely golden, ten zhang long, covered in golden scales. A 'King' character pattern was on its forehead, radiating a suffocating pressure.

Overlord Tiger, a Void Refinement Stage powerhouse, possessing the ancient White Tiger Bloodline.

To its left was a pitch-black giant python.

Dozens of zhang long, its scales were covered in dark red patterns, and its vertical pupils were as cold as frost.

Netherworld Python, a Void Refinement Stage powerhouse, possessing the Netherworld Bloodline.

To its right was a snow-white giant wolf, five zhang long, with silver fur, emitting a bone-chilling coldness.

Frost Wolf King, also a Void Refinement Stage powerhouse, possessing the Frost Bloodline.

Three Void Refinement Stage Yao Kings were gathered here.

The Overlord Tiger spoke, its voice low like rolling thunder.

"The humans have already taken the bait."

The Netherworld Python hissed: "A pity we only killed one squad. That old man Zhao was too cautious and retreated so quickly."

The Frost Wolf King said coldly: "No rush. They can't run."

The Overlord Tiger nodded.

"Proceed as planned."

"I will make those humans never return."