Chapter 149: Sealing the Soul Essence

"Watch out!" I blurted out.

Tuer moved with agility, spinning to the side to dodge as a series of whistling sounds echoed, and the incoming ice-bone needles embedded themselves into the wall.

I glared at Guo Sangong with bitter resentment. This old bastard was determined to take our lives! Ha, he could even abandon the employers who had paid to bring him here; indeed, there was nothing he wouldn't do!

His sinister, aged face sneered at me, malice and wickedness radiating from his eyes and brows, making him no different from the possessed Yun Mutian. Truly, the look of a person reflects their heart. Although Old Man Ma was also covered in wrinkles and had a vulgar appearance, he was by no means like this.

"Hmph! And you still claim it's not a forbidden spell! That blow just now was undeniably a forbidden spell!" He said, turning to me, "Do you really know the method? Don't you dare try to fool me, you brat! I can snuff out your life without even using a single finger!"

I stared at him coldly. Yun Mutian, who had been blown backward, had already recovered and stood to one side. Tuer's move just now hadn't truly managed to injure him; that creature was even more formidable than imagined. I feared that even if Old Man Ma were here, he might not necessarily be its match. I had no idea how this old bastard Guo Sangong managed to control it.

This old bastard's abilities were also exceptionally profound, and a direct confrontation would not work.

"I do know it. If you want me to tell you, you have to agree to one condition," I said.

Guo Sangong sneered, "You still want to negotiate terms with me! You really have no idea what you're up against, kid!"

"Heh, if I don't speak, the only one down here who knows is Old Ma, but getting him to talk is even more impossible. You could try to figure it out yourself, but you don't have the time, and relying solely on yourself, you simply can't do it," I said.

The old man narrowed his eyes to appraise me, his entire face revealing crafty cunning. From the fact that he had been aware of everything around him all along and could hear what I said without stopping Yun Mutian, I knew this old bastard was not someone who could be easily threatened—even though he had acted like a cowering tortoise in front of Old Ma earlier.

That was why I had added that final sentence.

"Oh? Do tell, why can't I do it by myself?" he asked skeptically.

I remained calm and composed, "Because the only one who can accomplish this is him."

I pointed at Tuer.

Tuer looked at me in bewilderment, not understanding what I meant.

Guo Sangong sneered, "Didn't you say he doesn't know? He himself clearly and explicitly said he didn't know."

"He truly doesn't know the method," I said, "but the only one here who can pull it off is him. Just as you suspected earlier, although I don't know this fellow's background, I understand his capabilities."

Guo Sangong scrutinized me, not entirely convinced. I didn't elaborate further; saying too much would only arouse suspicion. Besides, this old bastard was no simple character—the more I said, the more flaws he would find.

Cries of alarm echoed from afar. I had no idea what the situation was like over at Old Man Ma's end. Relying solely on himself, I feared he wouldn't be able to handle those two-headed snakes, let alone protect so many people. People like Yang Guangyu really were birds of a feather; they went looking for an old scoundrel like Guo Sangong, only to end up destroying themselves in the end!

After a long silence, Guo Sangong said, "I'll trust you for now. Begin."

I didn't move an inch. Looking at him with a trace of a smile, I said, "What's the rush? I haven't stated my condition yet!"

He let out a cold snort, "You really have a death wish, kid! Tell me your condition. If this matter is handled well, I'll agree to it."

I sneered and shook my head, "If I handle it well, will you still spare my life? You have to agree to my condition first before I start!"

The way this old bastard looked at us was as if he were looking at corpses; he had intended to take our lives from the very beginning!

"You certainly know how to calculate. It seems your body is frail, but your mind is quite agile. That old fellow taking you on as a disciple is somewhat justified. Tell me, what is your condition?"

His words sounded like "praise" for me, but his gaze grew even colder. To think that he was once part of Old Man Ma's lineage. I used to think the reason for his departure was somewhat pitiful, but now it seemed that the moment he chose to leave, his heart had already strayed onto a crooked path!

"Tell me where the exit is!" I said.

The place where we fell was already crawling with dense swarms of two-headed snakes, making a return journey along the same route impossible. Since this old man had intended from the start to lure the two-headed snakes down to stall Old Man Ma, it meant he had already prepared another escape route. Moreover, it definitely couldn't be the original way out; otherwise, not only would he run into the snakes, but he would also bump into Old Man Ma, which would spell absolute disaster.

Furthermore, because the ground had collapsed, we had fallen straight down, and there had been no exit or anything of the sort up above initially. The human body possessed by the three-headed snake went into the mountains every night, so there had to be another path. Since it couldn't leave this place, that exit was very likely right around here! It was precisely because Guo Sangong had discovered this path that he dared to be so arrogant!

Guo Sangong sneered, "Hehehe, not bad, you really do have some wits about you. But do you truly know the method? What if I tell you the location and you run off?"

"You know we can't run," I said.

"Since you can't run, what's the point of knowing the location?" he retorted.

"You can't put it that way. Knowing you're bound to die sooner or later, would you just give up all hope of survival? Besides, my master is still down here. Even if I'm doomed, I still have to look out for him."

"You really are a good disciple!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

He pointed to a dim corner beside the long-haired female corpse, "The exit is right there. Whether you can get out alive is something I can't guarantee."

I looked in the direction he pointed. Beside the long-haired female corpse was clearly a sealed mud wall; where was any exit?

I looked at Guo Sangong. He glanced contemptuously toward the side, and following his cue, I looked up toward the upper part of that corner. There, amidst the darkness, was abruptly a passage sloping upward!

That spot was too secluded; I really hadn't noticed it before! Despite the limited and pitch-black light of the smartphone, I could still vaguely perceive that the passage was exceptionally well-dug—an escape route deliberately constructed.

"I've already told you. It's time to keep your end of the bargain! Exactly how do you seal the possessed spirit so that it completely breaks away from the snake's body and attaches to a human body?" Guo Sangong demanded coldly.

I glanced at him, then looked over at the black wooden stake acting as the focal point of the formation, and said, "The key lies right there."

Guo Sangong followed my gaze to the black wooden stake, "There?"

While gesturing for Tuer to walk toward the wooden stake, I said, "Precisely. The array formation down here is immensely useful. Did you really think the person who forged it didn't foresee future events? In fact, right from the beginning, that person had arranged everything. He also knew this thing couldn't be completed in his lifetime; this contraption was built for future generations from the very start."

Guo Sangong was not entirely convinced and looked at me suspiciously, "You kid know quite a lot, yet that old fellow acted completely clueless at first!"