The Gu Diao’s Frenzy and a Hidden Agenda

This space was desolate, its earth barren and sky devoid of color. Chi Qiu and her companion had journeyed for hundreds of li with the cultivators’ army, yet no other living creatures emerged, truly a picture of utter desolation.

Shriek—

Moments later, a monstrous roar ripped through the air. This shriek, originating from a great demon, was both frenzied and enraged, chillingly resembling a baby’s cry, utterly unnerving.

Upon hearing it, the surrounding cultivators’ expressions subtly shifted.

“It sounds like a great demon driven mad,” Su Hanxing commented, a hint of sympathy in his voice as he assessed the beast’s roar. “And rightly so, having been trapped here for countless years, it’s only natural for it to lose its mind.” His face, however, betrayed no hint of panic.

Chi Qiu nodded, though a faint tension now gripped her. After all, this colossal beast was a Dharma Manifestation Realm great demon. Even with so many God Concealing stage cultivators joining forces to besiege it, casualties were inevitable, and she was determined not to be among them.

“Fellow Daoists—the colossal beast lies ahead!” Gong Lingfeng soared into the air, his voice booming. “Let us unite our strength to slay it, and afterward, we shall enter the Treasure Hall to seek our individual fortunes!”

With that declaration, he charged directly towards the source of the beast’s roars.

“Kill—”

The many cultivators roared in unison, immediately activating their movement techniques to follow Gong Lingfeng’s charge.

Chi Qiu narrowed her eyes slightly. Her vision, honed by cultivation, now allowed her to discern a massive Treasure Hall standing hundreds of li away. This hall, hundreds of zhang tall, shimmered with precious light, its grandeur clearly visible even from such a distance.

Before the Treasure Hall, a colossal beastly shadow loomed. This avian great demon, with wings spanning over a thousand zhang, was covered in dense, dark feathers that gleamed with a chilling light, presenting a truly ominous sight.

As the group drew nearer to the Treasure Hall, the colossal beast’s form became increasingly distinct. It was, in fact, a gigantic eagle. Its beak was hooked like a crescent moon, radiating a piercing cold light. Twin horns, resembling cast gold and stone, protruded from its forehead. Its blood-red eyes burned with a desire to devour humans. Truly, it was an ancient, utterly mad, colossal beast.

“It’s a Gu Diao, and it’s incredibly fast. Little Chi, you must be careful,” Su Hanxing cautioned, his expression turning grave. He moved closer to Chi Qiu, whispering his warning.

Chi Qiu nodded. Drawing the Azure Frost Sword from her waist, she channeled her true qi throughout her body, instantly entering a state of battle readiness.

Soon, Gong Lingfeng stood before the Gu Diao. With a sweeping gesture, boundless true qi erupted from his form. Then, with a single pointed finger, the very heavens and earth seemed to shift. A colossal peak, conjured from true qi, materialized out of thin air, descending directly to suppress the Gu Diao.

This man’s strength is truly formidable, Chi Qiu thought, watching the true qi peak bear down. To unleash such powerful attacks with a mere flick of his hand—no wonder he dared to lead the charge and engage the Gu Diao first. She couldn’t help but look on with admiration.

“Hmph, hmph… A minor trick,” Su Hanxing scoffed, despite the serious expression on his face. His words, however, were anything but forgiving.

Chi Qiu cast a sidelong glance at Su Hanxing, puzzled by his apparent disdain for Gong Lingfeng. She recalled that when she had first inquired about Gong Lingfeng’s identity, Su Hanxing had been unstinting in his praise.

Shriek!

The true qi peak, possessing astonishing power, was about to crush the Gu Diao’s head. But then, the Gu Diao let out a mournful shriek, and a wave of sound, almost corporeal, spread outwards, instantly dissolving the colossal peak.

“This…”

Witnessing the immensely powerful true qi peak so easily negated by the Gu Diao, everyone froze for a moment in stunned silence.

“There’s no need to worry, everyone. This Gu Diao is an ancient ferocious beast, most adept at using its cries to bewitch people. That last shriek was its most potent ability.”

Gong Lingfeng showed no fear despite the destruction of his peak. With a sweep of his hand, a long shuttle appeared. He wielded it, effortlessly deflecting the remaining shockwaves.

“This Gu Diao is confined by a grand formation within a hundred-li radius of the Treasure Hall,” Tan Xiao, whose face had been grim, finally spoke up. “We can jointly resist its sonic attacks, then slowly deplete it with long-range assaults. Once its demonic power is exhausted, it will be like fish on a chopping block, ripe for the taking.”

This strategy was originally developed by his Gate of Wonders sect to slay this beast, yet now it served to benefit others.

This method is quite safe, Chi Qiu realized. No wonder Gong Lingfeng dared to confront the Gu Diao alone. It seems he already knew this and was confident in his ability to block the sonic attacks.

“He has always been steady; he wouldn’t take such a risk otherwise,” Su Hanxing said with a knowing smile. It appeared Gong Lingfeng’s actions were precisely as he had anticipated.

As soon as Tan Xiao finished speaking, he circulated his true qi and gestured. Immediately, two yin-yang fish, one black and one white, materialized in the air. They coiled and chased each other, swiftly forming a yin-yang diagram that spun as it flew towards the Gu Diao under Tan Xiao’s control.

The scarlet glow in the Gu Diao’s eyes intensified. It spread its wings and soared skyward. However, before a single breath passed, a golden light flared, blocking its path. This golden light, like a formidable city wall, halted the Gu Diao while remaining utterly unmoving itself.

The Gu Diao, as if struck by a heavy blow, its wings drooping limply, slowly plummeted from the sky to the ground.

“It truly is so…”

“Let us also contribute more of our strength.”

Witnessing this scene, the cultivators finally relaxed. They erected their defenses, then unleashed their various long-range secret techniques, launching a concerted assault on the Gu Diao.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing did the same. Streaks of Flying Haze Sword Qi, accompanied by the arrows Su Hanxing periodically unleashed, precisely struck the Gu Diao’s body. Each hit caused the beast to tremble in pain.

These two’s strength is truly extraordinary…

Gong Lingfeng, who had retreated from mid-air, had been secretly observing Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing. Just moments ago, he had received a reply from the clan’s powerful experts.

Chi Qiu was indeed a rogue cultivator, and her name was not concealed, currently ranking seventh on the Daqi Heavenly Pride Rankings. However, her appearance had changed significantly since her transformation, which was why the clan had required considerable investigation to confirm her identity.

This news greatly pleased Gong Lingfeng. Firstly, Chi Qiu was a rogue cultivator and, contrary to what she had previously stated, had not joined a sect, making her an excellent prospect for recruitment. Secondly, Chi Qiu’s willingness to reveal her true name and other information without concealment indicated her goodwill towards him and the Gong family.

As for Chi Qiu having once been a man? Gong Lingfeng simply didn’t care, nor did his clan. They had merely instructed him to recruit Chi Qiu into the clan by any means possible. If necessary, using more forceful methods to bring her into the Gong family’s territory was not out of the question.

Gong Lingfeng, having received his orders, was now discreetly observing Chi Qiu’s movements. His only remaining question was how Chi Qiu had managed to enter this Yinglong Tomb. Rogue cultivators typically lacked the means to access it, yet clan intelligence also stated she hadn’t joined any other sect. It was truly perplexing.

And the man beside Chi Qiu… his strength is surprisingly formidable as well.

Gong Lingfeng’s gaze shifted from Chi Qiu to Su Hanxing. He watched as Su Hanxing drew his bow and nocked an arrow, each shot possessing immense power, no less potent than Chi Qiu’s unleashed sword qi.

With Gong Lingfeng’s discerning eye, he could naturally tell that the great bow Su Hanxing wielded was merely a mid-grade magical artifact. Such artifacts offered minimal augmentation to the power of arrows. Thus, the immense destructive force of these arrows stemmed entirely from Su Hanxing’s own strength.

The clan couldn’t ascertain this man’s identity either; he must have changed his appearance, Gong Lingfeng mused. Their relationship seems extraordinary. I’ll need to find a suitable time to either dispatch him or eliminate him altogether…

A fierce glint flashed in Gong Lingfeng’s eyes. He had already made his silent decision, intending to act as soon as this expedition concluded.