Chapter 2604: Stone Cup, Blood Wine, Severed Fingers (1)

Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Crack!”

“Crack, crack!”

Several fissures split the void, and out stumbled three… white-clothed people?

They could be called white-clothed people, for Jin Ren had seen their faces before.

They were among those captured by Zhu Yike’s “Jumping Paper” technique, sealed within sheets of paper, and cast into the spatial fragment.

Yet now, they did not seem like white-clothed people at all!

Because at this moment, each was wearing a white robe drenched in fresh blood, their bodies covered in wounds. One of them even had an eyeball missing.

They looked more like red-clothed people!

Literally, red-clothed people who had just been through a bloody battle!

“Hallmaster Dao?”

“What? Hallmaster Dao? It’s really Hallmaster Dao!”

The two Higher Voids who first saw the impeccably dressed Dao Qiongcang upon breaking through the spatial fissure initially reacted with suspicion.

Only afterward did they confirm Hallmaster Dao’s identity through definitive signs such as the Divine Sinan, Divine Puppet, and the surroundings of Qingyuan Mountain.

Dao Qiongcang’s furrowed his brow at their words.

Jin Feng, a Higher Void of the gold attribute, had served as a white-clothed for thirty-two years, known for his absolute offensive prowess, famously wielding the formidable Heaven-Piercing Golden Spear.

Huang Zhao, a Higher Void of the earth attribute, had served as a white-clothed for forty-six years. For the first twenty-three years, he was renowned for his impenetrable defense, earning a reputation akin to an immovable old turtle. His combat record was relatively average compared to other white-clothed people.

In the latter half of his life, he partnered with Jin Feng. Together, their combined offensive and defensive abilities multiplied several times over, able to fend off attacks from teams of ten other white-clothed people, even surviving a blow from a demi-saint. They were famously known as the “Jin Huang Duo.”

This pair was the strongest combination among the white-clothed people dispatched in this mission.

But after being sealed in the “Jumping Paper” and thrown into the spatial fragment…

Who could have injured them so grievously in such a short time?

Not even hundreds of Higher Voids could inflict such damage by sheer numbers!

Had they encountered a demi-saint?

But if it were a saint, no matter how strong the Higher Voids were, how could they have any chance of survival?

If they had met a saint, how could Dao Qiongcang have remained oblivious, still engaged in a leisurely conversation with Xu Xiaoshou at Qingyuan Mountain?

Dao Qiongcang’s gaze swept over the two anxious men who were about to speak, but instead of addressing them, his eyes settled on the one-eyed Cutting Path cultivator.

“Ah, ugh, ah…”

“Get lost! Get away from me!”

This person’s mental state seemed unstable, gasping intermittently and suddenly shouting at the air in front of him.

His remaining eye was filled with panic, fear, and utter confusion.

Dao Qiongcang scrutinized his decaying scalp and recognized him…

Du Liang. He hadn’t reviewed detailed information about him, as he was merely a Cutting Path cultivator.

The distinguishing feature was his unique commanding attribute, where his spiritual source could become commands, forcibly controlling all things, excelling in manipulating both the living and the dead. He was known for his extreme lasciviousness.

He had some talent and originally looked quite handsome, but now his face was rotten, and his hair had fallen out, leaving only a few sparse, frail strands…

In the information’s portrait, he had been a tall, handsome man with black hair!

As for his cultivation level, his energy reserve was now broken, his foundational roots collapsed, and his life was undoubtedly nearing its end.

Clearly, he had suffered severe injuries!

Such precise attacks on the energy reserve couldn’t be the result of the chaotic spatial fragment alone—it had to be intentional!

“Only you three are left?”

Dao Qiongcang glanced around. The spatial crack had been mended and restored to its original state.

He hadn’t seen a fourth white-clothed emerge.

Out of fifty or sixty people thrown into the spatial fragment, only three had found their way back in this short time, with one gravely injured.

At this point, Dao Qiongcang could guess that they had encountered something or someone at a demi-saint level, but not quite a demi-saint, something bizarre.

“What happened?”

He didn’t further agitate Du Liang and instead turned to Jin Feng and Huang Zhao.

“Reporting to Hallmaster Dao, we were sealed into a special space by that wretch and were resisting together…”

Jin Feng’s anger flared as he pointed at the unconscious Zhu Yike on the ground, giving him a vicious kick.

“Pfft!”

The unconscious Zhu Yike spat out a mouthful of blood, woke up in pain, and then fainted again.

“Old Jin, stop!”

Huang Zhao hurriedly restrained his partner.

This Red Flower Bandit was already unconscious, with a weapon prohibition order hung around his neck. Hallmaster Dao must have kept him alive for a reason, and killing him now was not an option.

Jin Feng, still fuming, controlled his anger and reported:

“Somehow, that space suddenly collapsed, and we saw a figure… it should have been a person!”

Should have been?

A person?

Dao Qiongcang nodded slightly, signaling with his eyes for him to continue.

“We couldn’t see him clearly.”

“At that time, we were trying to break through that special space…”

Dao Qiongcang had experienced the “Jumping Paper.”

It was a special, extremely oppressive sealed space.

He could transform Xiao Qi into Yu Zhiwen and hide himself because he had already comprehended the Golden Gate Technique and could break through at any time.

The other white-clothed people, however, had to endure the enclosed period he had previously experienced in Changde Town, which was difficult to overcome.

That space, unless Zhu Yike was promptly sealed outside, would be nearly impossible to escape from, even if those inside fought with all their might.

But Zhu Yike…

Dao Qiongcang glanced at the unconscious man on the ground, knowing he had sealed him in time.

Jin Feng and the others should have returned quickly from the spatial fragment to Qingyuan Mountain.

And they did.

Yet, something went wrong.

He anticipated that the spatial fragment might kill one or two Cutting Path cultivators under extremely unusual circumstances.

After all, among white-clothed people, Cutting Path cultivators were battle-hardened and experienced in dealing with the dangers of spatial fragments.

Yet, only three returned…

After a deep breath, Jin Feng continued.