Chapter 309 - 283: Luring to Kill

Chapter 309: Chapter 283: Luring to Kill

To prevent this from happening.

The middle-aged Cultivator had specially set up an early-warning Array and used a Sound Transmission Talisman beforehand to test Liang Fan.

If Liang Fan’s father hadn’t already been in touch with him, then Liang Fan would come to investigate.

If Liang Fan’s father had already contacted him, then Liang Fan would understand that this Sound Transmission Talisman was a trap and wouldn’t come at all.

Even Liang Fan’s father probably wouldn’t come either.

After all, they would know it was a trap. Besides, without knowing the number of people in the ambush or their strength, only a fool would risk coming over.

As for his presence and intentions having been discovered by Liang Fan.

The middle-aged Cultivator didn’t believe such a thing could happen.

He prided himself on his clandestine methods, convinced that his every move was as elusive and unpredictable as a phantom.

The hideout he chose within the Sun Clan’s territory was extremely remote and hidden. The early-warning Array he set up around it was a high-grade item he had carefully selected.

Any attempt to pry or approach would trigger the Array and set off an alarm.

All this time, the Array had guarded his secrets like an impenetrable fortress, without a single lapse.

Whenever he stepped out of the Immortal City to carry out an assassination, he was even more cautious, proceeding with extreme care.

He would only strike when he was certain the time was ripe and success was guaranteed, ensuring the operation was swift and efficient.

After each mission, he would employ a set of flawless cleanup methods, not only completely destroying the body but also erasing every single trace at the scene that could possibly expose him.

On top of that, he had mastered a special, little-known Magic.

This Magic was specifically designed for evading the clan’s pursuit, allowing him to silently slip away from their tracking and searches after an assassination.

This Magic had never failed him. To this day, it still held a flawless record; no one had ever been able to detect his presence or true intentions.

...

The middle-aged Cultivator felt something and looked into the distance.

He saw Liang Fan hurrying over from afar, Flying with a Magical Artifact, his face etched with anxiety.

He kept looking around from time to time, as if terrified of being spotted.

A sharp glint appeared in the middle-aged Cultivator’s eyes.

’As expected, Liang Fan really came!’

Then he sighed to himself.

’In the end, Liang Fan is just a teenager. He’s too young, completely clueless about the evils of the world.’

’Even with a fortuitous encounter, if you’re not cautious, you’ll just end up as fish on a chopping block.’

’Even if I didn’t make a move today, Liang Fan would probably just get killed for his treasures by someone else down the line.’

SIGH!

The middle-aged Cultivator let out a feigned, mournful sigh.

’Oh, well.’

’I’ll be a good person today and teach Liang Fan a proper lesson about the evils of the world.’

’Hopefully, in his next life, Liang Fan will remember today’s lesson and won’t be so easily deceived again.’

Immediately, a vicious glint appeared in his eyes as he watched Liang Fan slowly, bit by bit, approach the Grand Array he had laid.

This Grand Array was purchased specifically for ambushes and had cost him a great deal.

It was called the Soul-locking and Spirit-Trapping Array.

It could ensure that any Cultivator who had not yet developed Divine Sense would be completely unable to escape once trapped by the Array.

Although it was a Tier Two Array, it wasn’t very effective against Foundation Establishment Cultivators; it was an Array specifically designed to deal with Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage.

A strange aura permeated the area around the Soul-locking and Spirit-Trapping Array. Faint, ethereal Runes flickered at the Array’s edge, like a pair of invisible hands ready to seize any target that stepped within.

The space inside the Array was twisted and distorted, like a life-devouring black hole. Once fallen inside, it was like being stuck in a mire—the more one struggled, the deeper one sank, with no hope of escape.

The middle-aged Cultivator waited patiently, full of confidence.

He carefully examined every detail of the Array, confirming there were no flaws, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.

Even if Liang Fan were exceptionally clever, he could never have predicted that such a deadly trap awaited him.

And once Liang Fan was trapped in the Array, he could be killed with ease, leaving no loose ends.

As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the middle-aged Cultivator logically shouldn’t have needed to be so cautious when dealing with a Qi Cultivation Cultivator, let alone buy an Array that specifically targeted the mind.

But he had no choice. The risk was too great if they escaped.

Every Cultivator could be hiding their own trump card, especially those who’ve had fortuitous encounters. One couldn’t afford to be careless.

You never knew which one of them might have a way to escape from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Liang Fan moved timidly, and just as he was about to enter the area covered by the Array, he slowly came to a halt.

The middle-aged Cultivator’s eyelid twitched. He was very nervous.

’Don’t tell me this little brat has discovered something’s wrong here?’

’No, that’s not it.’

’He probably hasn’t noticed anything. Otherwise, he would’ve run off long ago instead of looking around like this.’

’He probably thinks he’s arrived at the location, which is why he stopped.’

HISS—!

’Just a few more steps!’

’Come on, take a few more steps!’

’Didn’t I tell you to go thirty li west?’

’The spot where you stopped isn’t thirty li yet! Don’t tell me you have no sense of direction?’

The middle-aged Cultivator was so furious he ground his teeth, wishing he could just go out and shove Liang Fan into the Array.

Just as he was wondering whether he should go out and drag Liang Fan in, Liang Fan suddenly took a step and entered the Array.

The middle-aged Cultivator was stunned for a moment, then overcome with ecstasy.

In a flash, his figure flickered and vanished without a trace.

Within the surrounding Array, at a thought from the middle-aged Cultivator, the seemingly calm and tranquil space abruptly underwent a strange transformation.

In the hazy light, invisible chains seemed to materialize from the void.

They were entwined with abstruse runic patterns and floated silently in mid-air, emitting a cold and powerful aura.

These chains seemed to have a life of their own, twisting their bodies with agility and speed like pythons hunting prey, aiming straight for the seemingly defenseless Liang Fan!

Without a doubt, the chains instantly bound Liang Fan tightly.

Some of the chains even plunged directly into Liang Fan’s head.

Liang Fan didn’t even seem to notice before he was immobilized by the chains.

He remained in the same posture as when he had just entered, completely motionless, his expression unchanged, as if frozen in time and space.

"Tsk, tsk, this Soul-locking and Spirit-Trapping Array is truly bizarre, targeting the soul directly. Without Divine Sense, anyone can only be a fish on the chopping block."

The middle-aged Cultivator sighed and shook his head, about to end Liang Fan’s life with a single palm strike.

But he didn’t see that behind him, a seemingly lazy and listless Exotic Insect had appeared.

It was huge, half the height of a man. It stretched its wings, which glowed with a faint light, each one covered in intricate, tiny patterns.

These patterns seemed to break free as if they were alive, twisting and deforming in the air, transforming into countless thumb-sized Sub-Insects.

These Sub-Insects moved swiftly and silently, like a black torrent, pouncing on the unsuspecting middle-aged Cultivator.

Just as he was focusing his energy on controlling the Array to deal with Liang Fan, the swarm of Sub-Insects descended upon him like a storm.

Caught completely off guard, the middle-aged Cultivator let out a heart-wrenching scream, his wide eyes filled with shock and terror at the sudden attack.

In an instant, his clothes were covered by the countless Sub-Insects. The tiny but ferocious creatures opened their small, sharp teeth and mercilessly sank them into his skin.

The Spirit-Devouring Insects possessed a rare and terrifying Spirit Devouring Skill; any Defense Techniques were rendered pale and powerless before them.

Whenever the middle-aged Cultivator tried to channel the Spiritual Power in his body to form defensive barriers, those techniques would have all their Spiritual Power greedily devoured by the Sub-Insects the moment they formed, collapsing instantly like sandcastles against the tide.

Even though he continuously unleashed all sorts of defensive measures with all his might, he could only barely slow the Sub-Insects’ relentless corrosion.

In just a few moments, the middle-aged Cultivator’s once-intact skin had been gnawed clean by the Sub-Insects. Parts of his bones were even exposed, still flecked with scraps of flesh and blood that had not yet been fully consumed.

But before the Spirit-Devouring Insects could press their advantage and devour him whole, they suddenly found that their bites met with no resistance.

The Spirit-Devouring Insects looked, and were all dumbfounded.

Their prey had vanished without a trace.

’Where’s the person?’