Chapter Eight: An Ambush on the Journey Home

The shadows of the trees danced, and the stream murmured as it flowed. From time to time, the roar of wild beasts echoed through the woods, imbuing the dense forest with a wildness reminiscent of a primeval wilderness.

Yet the lands of Lingzhou were far more than a simple primeval forest. Large carnivorous beasts, spirit beasts of various ranks, and cunning, cultivated monsters roamed freely here. Ordinary mortals dared not set foot within, and even cultivators risked death with every step.

Song Luding and his companions wished not to tarry on the road, so they traveled swiftly, never once pausing. Yet, among the swaying, shifting shadows of the trees, figures clad in black robes had quietly formed a dragnet, prepared to swallow them whole.

Song Changsheng seemed to sense something amiss. He frowned and surveyed his surroundings, then whispered to Song Luding at his side, “Uncle, I have a bad feeling. It’s as if unseen eyes are fixed upon us.”

“Is that so?” Song Luding’s heart sank. A cultivator’s intuition was rarely wrong. Though he noticed nothing unusual for now, he chose to trust Song Changsheng.

Silently, he drew a yellowed talisman from his spatial pouch and said in a low voice, “If anything happens, take the children and leave at once. We’ll hold them off.”

“No, as a son of the Song clan, I cannot flee the battlefield. I’ll stand and fight with you,” Song Changsheng refused firmly. He could never become a deserter.

“Foolishness! These children are the future of the clan. You must ensure their safe return home—this is an order!” Song Luding growled, his face darkening.

Song Changsheng’s expression shifted several times before he finally nodded in reluctant acceptance.

Only then was Song Luding satisfied. In truth, he had left one thought unspoken: Song Changsheng was the most important among them. As long as he could return safely, it mattered not if Luding’s old bones fell here.

In the gloomy shadows, the masked man’s lips curled into a chilling smile. He shouted, “Now!”

A crimson light instantly enveloped Song Changsheng and his companions from above, like a sea of blood suspended overhead, brimming with murderous intent.

Song Luding had long been prepared. At the first sign of danger, he activated the talisman in his hand. The yellowed paper turned to ash in an instant, and a dazzling sword light burst forth, splitting the sea of blood above them in two, dispersing it into nothingness.

“A second-tier, lower-grade Heavenly Sword Talisman? This old man actually carries such treasures!” The masked man’s face twisted with anger as his carefully laid ambush was shattered.

With the ambush failed, brute force was the only option.

Black-robed figures emerged from all directions, the murderous aura they exuded sending flocks of birds scattering from the forest.

“Demonic cultivators…” Song Luding’s heart sank like a stone as he watched them close in.

Their enemies numbered ten, with four at the late stage of Qi Refining. The masked leader was at the peak of Qi Refining. They were hopelessly outmatched.

The group had long since exchanged knowing glances, so no one panicked—except for the children, who huddled together in terror, having never witnessed such a scene.

“Brother, what do we do now?” Song Luzi drew his long sword, his expression grim.

“I’ve already sent a plea for help to the Fifth Elder. We’ll hold these devil cultivators off; Changsheng, take the children and go.”

Song Luzi said nothing, only nodded solemnly.

Changjiu and Changying exchanged glances, both seeing the fear in each other’s eyes, but at this moment, they had no other choice.

“Brazen fiends! The Song clan’s Foundation Establishment elder is only two hundred miles away—do you wish to die?” Song Luding shouted.

“The Song clan is nothing,” the masked man sneered, waving his hand dismissively.

“Kill them!”

The black-robed figures charged like tigers descending the mountain, unleashing a barrage of spells and magical weapons.

Song Changsheng immediately summoned the Water-Fire Gourd, spewing blazing flames that forced several enemies back.

“Changsheng, don’t linger! Go, now!” Song Luding, a giant cauldron hovering above his head, fended off the masked man while shouting urgently.

Song Changsheng cast one last, unwilling look at the battlefield, swept his sleeve, and enveloped the dozen or so children in spiritual power, fleeing at top speed through the opening.

“Catch them!” the masked man barked.

Five of the black-clad pursuers broke off, chasing after the escaping group.

“No! Stop them!” Song Luding cried, desperate.

But they were already at a disadvantage; to block these devil cultivators was near impossible. Song Luzi managed to hold off a Qi Refining Eight layer cultivator at the cost of his life, but could only watch helplessly as the other four gave chase.

Song Luding was consumed by rage and panic, but the masked man’s vicious attacks left him no room to break away.

Song Changsheng raced through the forest with the children, cursing his lack of strength—his very first journey down the mountain, and he was being hunted like a stray dog.

As the pursuers drew ever closer, Song Changsheng knew he could not outpace them while burdened by so many.

“One at Qi Refining Nine, one at Qi Refining Eight, and two at Qi Refining Four. They must think highly of me,” Song Changsheng muttered bitterly.

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the talismans he’d exchanged for before leaving, sending them hurtling at the devil cultivators behind him.

He didn’t expect these talismans to defeat them—only to slow them down.

Sure enough, the barrage of over a dozen talismans threw the pursuers into disarray. Seizing the opportunity, Song Changsheng used a Swift Step Talisman to widen the gap between them.

The scenery flashed by in a blur as he racked his brain for a solution. At last, he decided to make a final stand—if he could set up a formation, perhaps he still had a chance.

Sweeping his divine sense ahead, he finally found a cave. He quickly ushered the fourteen children inside, warning gravely, “No matter what happens, do not leave this place or make a sound. Understand?”

He left them all his food and water, then took out formation flags and swiftly arranged a first-tier, top-grade Concealment Formation at the cave mouth.

Below the peak of Qi Refining, none would be able to detect it. If he could hold out just a little longer, his mother would arrive, and they would be safe.

Once everything was ready, Song Changsheng ran in the opposite direction, and as expected, was quickly discovered by the devil cultivators.

“You’re quite the runner, aren’t you? Now, tell us—where are the children?” the Qi Refining Nine layer devil cultivator demanded coldly.

“Hmph, I have nothing to say!” With a sweep of his sleeve, Song Changsheng deployed a dozen formation flags, embedding them in the ground in a mysterious pattern.

Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he stepped with precision, each pace causing an array pattern to flicker and vanish beneath his feet.

“He’s setting up a formation! Kill him first!” shouted the leader.

He swung a pitch-black chain, which transformed into a venomous serpent, striking straight at Song Changsheng’s face.

The others followed suit, unleashing their magical weapons at his vital points.

In the face of the onslaught, Song Changsheng produced a silver-white shield—a mid-grade, first-tier artifact known as the Water Origin Shield. When activated, it became a gigantic water barrier, absorbing all attacks.

He then summoned his treasured gourd again, unleashing blazing fire and turning the surrounding woods into a sea of flames, throwing his foes into chaos.

His own movements remained calm and unhurried. As his figure shifted and flickered, the formation lines gradually connected all the flags. He flung ten spirit stones into precise positions.

With a blinding flash, the first-tier, top-grade Blazing Sun Formation was complete!