Chapter 160: Ensnared in One's Own Web

"Qin Feiyang, what are you doing?"

Feng Ling'er was equally baffled by Qin Feiyang's sudden and inexplicable actions.

"Shh!"

Qin Feiyang gestured for silence.

Outside.

The burly man and the others scanned their surroundings in bewilderment and suspicion.

Where did they go?

How could they have vanished into thin air?

Could the two of them possibly use teleportation?

Li Kui asked, "Brother Meng, do you have any idea where they went?"

The burly man shook his head.

Wang Ke frowned and said, "Do you think he caught wind of our motives?"

"Impossible. We didn't show the slightest flaw after we returned."

The burly man resolutely shook his head, his expression shifting uncertainly.

"Meng Ming, what motives?"

"What are you all talking about?"

The others looked at the three of them in confusion.

"It's nothing."

Meng Ming snapped impatiently, seating himself beside the campfire. In the flickering firelight, his face was etched with sheer hostility.

Inside the ancient castle.

"What motives?"

Feng Ling'er, Ling Yunfei, and the Wolf King stared at Qin Feiyang with the same perplexed expressions.

"How would I know? Whatever it is, it certainly isn't anything good."

Qin Feiyang sneered.

As for the others, he couldn't be entirely certain.

But Meng Ming, Wang Ke, and Li Kui undoubtedly harbored malicious intentions.

Feng Ling'er said, "Should I go out there and slaughter them?"

"No need."

"There are still two dangerous areas before we reach the Desert of Death. We might as well make good use of them."

"Besides, their combat strength is not to be underestimated. Given your current abilities, wiping them out entirely won't be an easy task."

Just as Qin Feiyang finished speaking, he noticed a subtle shift in Feng Ling'er's expression. He added helplessly, "Don't get me wrong. It's not that I lack confidence in you; I simply don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh? Since when do you care about me?"

Feng Ling'er couldn't hide her surprise.

"Consider that unsaid."

Qin Feiyang's face twitched. He walked over to the iron box and resumed transcribing the Character of Return.

Feng Ling'er asked, "Little wolf, what on earth is Qin Feiyang writing? Is there any point to messing around with that thing?"

"Nonsense. Would he waste his time on something pointless?"

The Wolf King glared at her irritably before lowering its head to resume dozing.

Feng Ling'er reached out and grabbed its ear, asking curiously, "Then tell me, what is the point of it?"

The Wolf King snapped angrily, "My temper is short these days! Do you really believe this wolf won't bite you?"

"Go ahead and bite me then!"

Feng Ling'er glared at it menacingly.

"A good wolf doesn't stoop to fighting with women."

The Wolf King shot her a look of utter disdain and replied calmly, "Let me put it to you this way: if he weren't spending time writing that stuff, his cultivation level would have surpassed yours long ago."

"Huh?"

Feng Ling'er was struck dumb.

"Compared to him, your so-called talent is barely better than garbage," the Wolf King said with open contempt.

"How dare you compare me to garbage, you little wolf cub! You're really asking for a thrashing!"

Her eyes flashing with rage, Feng Ling'er pinched down hard with her delicate hand, instantly twisting the Wolf King's ear out of shape and causing it to bare its teeth in pain.

"This wolf is asking for a thrashing, so what are you going to do about it? Have you got the guts to come bite this wolf's balls?"

The Wolf King roared.

"Shameless, vulgar, despicable!"

Feng Ling'er was so angry her teeth practically itched.

Seeing the girl and the wolf going at it tooth and nail, Ling Yunfei, standing to one side, could only shake his head helplessly.

However, he firmly believed the Wolf King's words.

Qin Feiyang's martial talent was indeed vastly superior to Feng Ling'er's.

One could even say that looking across the entire Yan County, not a single person could rival him.

...

That very evening, Feng Ling'er made a breakthrough.

Shamelessly begging Qin Feiyang once more, she managed to squeeze out another supreme-grade Scarlet Fire Glazed Pill.

In a single bound, she stepped into the realm of a Five-Star Martial Ancestor!

As for Qin Feiyang, he now had only six supreme-grade Scarlet Fire Glazed Pills left in his possession.

The next morning.

The rain not only failed to stop, but grew heavier still.

Meng Ming and his group packed their gear, ready to move out.

Qin Feiyang lowered his arm, closed the iron-covered book, and looked at Feng Ling'er and Ling Yunfei. "Act as if nothing is amiss. Feng Ling'er, try not to reveal your true strength too early."

"I know how to handle myself."

Feng Ling'er rolled her eyes at him, as if chastising him for meddling.

Ling Yunfei shrugged with a smile. "As far as we're concerned, we don't know a thing anyway."

Qin Feiyang chuckled, sparing no further words for Feng Ling'er as he brought the two of them back out to the safety zone.

"Huh?"

"They've appeared out of thin air again?"

Meng Ming and the others, who were just preparing to set off, nearly popped their eyes out of their sockets at the sight of the three figures.

Ghosts were hardly this elusive!

"Ahem!"

Wang Ke gave a dry cough and tugged at Meng Ming's sleeve.

Meng Ming snapped back to his senses, hurried over to the three of them, bowed respectfully, and cast a puzzled glance at Ling Yunfei. "My lords, who is this?"

Qin Feiyang smiled faintly. "He is also an inner disciple of the Martial King Palace."

"Greetings, Milord."

The group immediately bowed.

"Mm."

Ling Yunfei gave a faint, indifferent nod.

Meng Ming put on a flattering smile. "My lords, as you can see, the road ahead is fraught with danger. Why don't we travel together so we can look out for one another?"

"Very well."

Qin Feiyang considered it for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Overjoyed, Meng Ming asked, "When shall we set off?"

Qin Feiyang looked up at the sky. Layer upon layer of dark clouds obscured the heavens, and there was no telling when the rain would cease. Deciding there was no point in waiting, he opted to leave immediately.

And so, the party braved the rain as they pressed forward.

With five people clearing the path ahead, five guarding the rear, and three securing the flanks on either side, Qin Feiyang and his two companions found themselves walking safely in the center with nothing to do.

Meng Ming slashed down a fierce beast with a single sweep of his blade, turned his head to look at Qin Feiyang, and asked with a smile, "My lord, where did you go last night? Seeing you vanish so suddenly had us worried sick."

"Thank you for your concern."

Qin Feiyang replied with a faint smile, deftly avoiding the question altogether.

Meng Ming turned back around, a frown crossing his face. Without looking back, he asked, "Is this the three lords' first time heading to the Desert of Death?"

"Yes."

Qin Feiyang nodded.

"That makes things much easier."

Meng Ming sneered inwardly, raising his voice to shout, "Everyone, keep your wits about you! Let's push hard and reach the second safety zone before nightfall!"

"Understood!"

Wang Ke and the others roared in response.

The narrow path during daylight hours was considerably safer, with only the occasional ferocious beast blocking the way. Given the formidable strength of everyone present, those obstacles were easily cleared.

As evening approached.

Meng Ming, leading the vanguard, suddenly raised a hand and called out in a low voice, "Everyone, halt!"

"What is it?"

Someone asked.

"Nothing. I'm simply a bit thirsty and would like a drink of water."

Meng Ming produced a waterskin, tilted his head back to take a swallow, and then turned to the group with a smile. "Does anyone else need a drink?"

Even as he spoke, he exchanged an imperceptible glance with Wang Ke and Li Kui.

The two men gave subtle nods in acknowledgment.

"Brother Meng, thank you."

"With all this rain, we've had more than enough water to drink. Who could possibly be thirsty?"

"Let's get moving again!"

The others laughed.

"Huh?"

Qin Feiyang's pupils contracted.

That was true!

With rain pouring all around them, why would Meng Ming need water?

Something was amiss!

He raised his eyes to examine the path ahead.

Flanking the narrow trail were dense, overgrown jungles.

Yet it was eerily, unnaturally quiet!

Along the journey so far, though they had encountered few fierce beasts, the sounds of roars and insects chirping within the jungle had never ceased.

Here, however, there wasn't even the sound of an insect, let alone a beast's roar.

It could only be described as deathly still!

He carefully observed the terrain around them, and sudden realization dawned upon him—this was the second danger zone!

Since this was a hazardous area, why hadn't Meng Ming warned them?

At that moment, Meng Ming had already stowed away his waterskin and smiled, "Everyone, we're only half an hour away from the safety zone. We should be able to make it before dark. Let's move!"

The group resumed their march.

However.

Meng Ming, Wang Ke, and Li Kui had quietly drifted back into the middle of the formation without a sound!

The others noticed, but harbored no suspicions.

Qin Feiyang, however, now knew exactly what was going on.

He gave Ling Yunfei's sleeve a subtle tug. Understanding instantly, Ling Yunfei used the same discreet method to warn Feng Ling'er beside him.

The danger zone was right upon them!

Meng Ming and his two cohorts instinctively placed their hands over the interspatial bags at their waists.

Finally!

The entire group stepped fully into the danger zone!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Instantly, streaks of bloody red light surged out from the grass in a dense, overwhelming wave. At a glance, it looked like a sea of blood—utterly horrifying!

"What in the world is that?"

The crowd turned pale with shock.

Even Qin Feiyang, who had been mentally prepared, felt the color drain from his face when he saw the true identity of those crimson streaks!

"These are blood leeches!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Blood leeches!"

Hearing the name, every single person's face instantly went deathly pale.

All desire to fight vanished, replaced entirely by despair and helplessness!

Right at that moment!

Meng Ming and the two others revealed their murderous intent. Drawing daggers from their interspatial pouches, they lunged straight at Qin Feiyang and his companions.

"So the foxes finally show their tails?"

Qin Feiyang sneered. His hand, concealed within his sleeve, flashed outward like lightning. The peerless edge of the Cangxue blade struck, and the three daggers snapped cleanly in half on the spot!

Simultaneously.

Feng Ling'er unleashed three consecutive palm strikes, her true qi rolling forth like a tidal wave.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Meng Ming and the other two coughed up mouthfuls of furious blood as their chests violently caved inward.

Immediately following this!

Qin Feiyang and his companions lunged forward with powerful grabs, each seizing one of the men to use as human shields as they blasted wildly ahead.

Swarm upon swarm of blood leeches descended upon Meng Ming and his companions, frantically burrowing into their flesh!

The others were likewise instantly swallowed up by the horde of blood leeches.

Shrieks of agony echoed endlessly!

Without looking back, Qin Feiyang and the other two charged straight through, discarding the broken bodies of Meng Ming and his men after running another dozen meters. Only then did they turn around to look back at the group.

Those blood leeches were about the size of a thumb, entirely crimson, and utterly repulsive!

Even someone as fearless as Feng Ling'er turned pale at the sight of them.

"My lords, save us!"

"Ah, it hurts so much! They've burrowed inside my body, they're sucking my blood!"

Meng Ming and his accomplices wailed in agony as they rolled on the ground, their entire bodies covered in blood leeches that could neither be swatted nor shaken off.

Qin Feiyang sneered, "You racked your brains trying to murder us, and now you expect us to save you? Do you take us for fools?"

"What?"

"They actually figured it out?!"

Meng Ming's face warped in shock as he cried out in disbelief, "My lord, what are you talking about? We never had any such intentions!"

Qin Feiyang replied calmly, "If you had no such intentions, why didn't you warn us that this was the second danger zone?"

"How could you possibly know? Isn't this your first time here?"

Meng Ming shrieked in utter disbelief.