Chapter 171

Chapter 171: Knowing It’s a Trap and Still Jumping In?

Liu Qingyun recently got his hands on a treasure map.

He treated it like a priceless treasure.

Because the map revealed the location of an Earth Immortal’s cave.

They hadn’t left Nine Heavens City, planning to find Xiao Yang and ask him to explore this Earth Immortal’s cave together.

Liu Qingyun was quite self-aware; given his and his disciple Ling Xian’er’s abilities, going to explore this cave would be like jumping into a death trap.

The Earth Immortal’s cave was bound to be extremely dangerous.

You have to understand, such crucial locations are filled with traps and mechanisms.

At that moment, they stood outside an inconspicuous little valley.

Liu Qingyun stood on a large rock, holding the treasure map in his hands.

It was a treasure map made from animal skin.

This skin looked a bit worn.

“It should be here.”

Liu Qingyun said, handing the treasure map to Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang took the map.

“Hmm?”

He reached out and touched the animal skin, his powerful spiritual sense quickly penetrating into it.

“Indeed…”

Xiao Yang chuckled.

This was a treasure map that had been artificially aged.

Someone had used special methods to age it.

On the surface, the map seemed old, but under the surface, the animal skin was still quite new.

For someone as shrewd as Liu Qingyun to miss this detail was surprising.

Xiao Yang glanced at Liu Qingyun, realizing that despite being at the pinnacle of the Divine Ability Realm, he hadn’t yet cultivated his spiritual sense. No wonder he couldn’t see the truth of this treasure map.

This was a trap.

Xiao Yang pondered while looking at the treasure map in hand.

Soon, he recalled an incident from his previous life that happened deep in the mountains near Nine Heavens City.

In his last life, a disciple from Divine Sword Manor was discovered dead in a little valley.

Who wanted both him and Lu Fusheng dead?

In this life, the only ones he had offended were Qin Fei and Chu Guiyuan.

But this wasn’t the work of the Demon Sect.

Could it be Chu Guiyuan?

Just as Xiao Yang hesitated about whether to enter the little valley, a figure emerged from the woods.

Dressed in white, holding an ancient long sword, the person was tall and handsome.

But he wore a cold expression, as if everyone owed him a lot of money.

Prideful and aloof.

“What is this…?”

Liu Qingyun and Ling Xian’er were both taken aback.

They hadn’t expected anyone to be in the nearby woods.

“Is that Sword Disciple Lu Fusheng?”

Xiao Yang remarked coolly as he looked at the visitor.

“You know me?”

Lu Fusheng looked up at Xiao Yang, maintaining his cold demeanor.

Xiao Yang smiled slightly and said nothing; the main character had arrived.

“So it’s you, the Sword Genius of Divine Sword Manor, Lu Fusheng?”

Liu Qingyun stared at the newcomer in shock.

Ling Xian’er was also sizing him up.

“You have a map too?”

Lu Fusheng noticed the treasure map in Xiao Yang’s hand, asking calmly.

“Do you have a map as well?”

Liu Qingyun instantly sensed something was off.

He was the top hustler of the Northern Region, incredibly sharp, and immediately realized this was a setup.

Who set this trap, and who were they targeting?

“Lu bro, have you offended anyone recently?”

Xiao Yang suddenly asked.

Because this trap was meant for Lu Fusheng.

But the one hidden in the shadows aimed to deal with them all.

“I’ve offended plenty of people.”

Lu Fusheng replied coldly.

Xiao Yang chuckled but didn’t ask further.

“Should we go in or not?”

Liu Qingyun was cautious; being a conman in the Northern Region for hundreds of years wasn’t down to luck, but carefulness.

“Old man, I think we should leave!”

Ling Xian’er, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.

Clearly, this little valley was a trap.

Knowing it’s a trap and still jumping in? That’s not just foolish; that’s plain stupid!

Xiao Yang watched Lu Fusheng.

He saw him embrace his sword and walk directly into the valley.

“Truly bold with skills like that!” Liu Qingyun sighed.

The disciple of Divine Sword Manor had impressive sword skills that could rival the Holy Sons from other sects.

You have to understand, Divine Sword Manor had produced Sword Saints in the past.

And it was among the top ten powers in the Northern Region.

Fuyiao Sword Sect, Guiyuan Martial Sect, Zhenwu Immortal Sect, Qingyang Sword Sect, Refining Sect, Heavenly Medical Sect, Dan Ding Sect, Shifang Qimen, Divine Sword Manor, Beast Control Manor.

These ten sects were the strongest forces in the Northern Region.

Fuyiao Sword Sect was undoubtedly the number one, that was beyond dispute.

Guiyuan Martial Sect has held the second position for a millennium, unshakeable.

Zhenwu Immortal Sect third.

Beast Control Manor fourth.

Divine Sword Manor fifth.

While Dan Ding Sect ranked sixth, Qingyang Sword Sect was seventh.

Refining Sect eighth, Heavenly Medical Sect ninth, and Shifang Qimen tenth.

Divine Sword Manor ranked above Qingyang Sword Sect.

This was Xiao Yang’s first encounter with Lu Fusheng after his rebirth.

The sword energy radiating from Lu Fusheng was concealed, not showing any signs of its true strength; his skill was indeed above his peers.

“Jumping into a trap while knowing it’s a trap? What a fool!” Ling Xian’er scoffed.

Lu Fusheng’s figure quickly disappeared from their sight.

That Earth Immortal’s cave was nothing but a setup.

Meanwhile, not far from the little valley, at the foot of a mountain, three figures stood under a large tree.

It was none other than the Holy Son of Guiyuan Martial Sect, Chu Guiyuan, and his furnace companion, Liu Ruxian.

The third person was Ye Feiyang, a disciple of Beast Control Manor.

The Ye family of Beast Control Manor was undoubtedly the top cultivation family in the Northern Region.

Founded by the Ye family, Beast Control Manor was incredibly powerful, ranking fourth in the region.

“Brother Chu’s slight maneuver can eliminate both the Holy Son of Qingyang Sword Sect and that Sword Disciple of Divine Sword Manor, killing two birds with one stone. I’m in complete awe!” Ye Feiyang laughed.

“Those who offend me must pay the price, and I will make sure they don’t know how they died,” Chu Guiyuan sneered.

“Good thing I’m not on your enemy list,” Ye Feiyang said with a smile, yet he felt a sense of wariness rise within him.

Chu Guiyuan was known for his retaliatory nature, and he had plotted for months, preparing such a trap just to eliminate Lu Fusheng, the Sword Disciple of Divine Sword Manor, merely because Lu Fusheng ignored him when greeted previously—what a loss of face!

With all the effort Chu Guiyuan put into this, including Earth Immortal’s caves and treasure maps, he aimed to lead Lu Fusheng into his carefully laid killing trap.

However, now there was an unexpected variable—Xiao Yang.

Chu Guiyuan wanted to eliminate rivals before the upcoming competition.

Killing Xiao Yang and Lu Fusheng was ideal, as it meant they would face two fewer strong opponents in the competition.

If Xiao Yang and Lu Fusheng survived, they could still deal with them in the competition.

After all, fatal accidents were common during competitions.

Xiao Yang knew he had to act, or Lu Fusheng would meet his doom in the valley.

And soon enough, sharp sword energy ripples started emanating from within the valley.

“Don’t go in!” Xiao Yang hesitated but then decided to act.

In his previous life, Lu Fusheng had been assassinated, causing Divine Sword Manor to be ousted from the top ten in the competition, allowing a power secretly controlled by the Demon Sect to break into the top ten.

Xiao Yang didn’t want to give the Demon Sect an easy time.

If Lu Fusheng died, the manipulated force wouldn’t have made it to the top ten.

“I’m telling you, son-in-law, don’t do anything foolish!” Liu Qingyun urged anxiously.

Xiao Yang grinned and said nothing, charging into the valley.

“What the…?”

Liu Qingyun was stunned.

“Fool!” Ling Xian’er was also a bit anxious.

Though she appeared cold and indifferent towards Xiao Yang, she had been discreetly glancing at him all along.

She felt something towards Xiao Yang that she couldn’t quite comprehend.

In her eyes, both Lu Fusheng and Xiao Yang were fools.

Upon entering the valley, Xiao Yang secretly released his two ninth-level spiritual beasts from his arms.

The ninth-level spiritual beasts excelled at transformation.

The Fire Lin Beast and Ice-Bound Profound Python shrank down and disappeared into the woods.

Meanwhile, nearby on the mountain ridge, Chu Guiyuan and Ye Feiyang saw Xiao Yang dashing into the valley and thought he had lost his mind, knowing it was a trap yet still jumping in.

They hadn’t seen him releasing two ninth-level spiritual beasts in the woods.

“The Holy Son of Qingyang Sword Sect isn’t very bright, is he?” Chu Guiyuan scoffed.

“How could such a fool ever defeat Li Xingyao?” Ye Feiyang also looked incredulous.

Inside the valley, there really was a large expanse of ruins.

This was a true ancient site.

Of course, it wasn’t the Earth Immortal’s cave.

While it wasn’t as exaggerated as an Earth Immortal’s cave, it was clearly a hidden place of an ancient powerful being.

However, this place had long been abandoned.

As Xiao Yang passed through the woods, he was startled by the sight before him.

There was Lu Fusheng, the Sword Disciple of Divine Sword Manor, bound by glowing ropes that shot up from the ground, suspended in mid-air.

A figure in dark clothing leapt up, aiming a sword at the bound Lu Fusheng.

Just as Lu Fusheng seemed about to be pierced through the forehead and meet his end, a flash of sword light like divine fire streaked across the void, directly striking the mysterious person’s sword.

Taken by surprise, the mysterious person’s sword transformed into a beam of sword light, launching towards Lu Fusheng again.

“Clang!”

That flame-like sword light flew back to block the mysterious person’s flying sword.

The mysterious person spun around sharply to look at Xiao Yang.

In the next moment, Xiao Yang felt a tightness in his feet.

Looking down, he realized his feet were bound by golden ropes.

“Binding Immortal Rope?”

Xiao Yang was taken aback; he exerted force to try and break free from the golden ropes.

However, rather than loosen, the golden ropes seemed to tighten even further.

“Binding Immortal Formation, activate!”

The mysterious person called out lightly, and suddenly, countless golden ropes burst forth from the ground of the valley, weaving quickly in mid-air, completely enveloping the entire valley.

Soon, the valley resembled a massive golden cocoon.

Xiao Yang and Lu Fusheng found themselves trapped within this golden cocoon.

“You’re an array master?” Xiao Yang looked at the cloaked figure in shock.