Urban Divine Doctor Descends the Mountain Chapter 2730 - 2729: Trap!

Upon hearing the plea from the Dragon Country warrior Gao Yang, Lin Dong hesitated briefly before ultimately nodding in agreement.

Two reasons led him to this decision.

Firstly, the man stood before him as a fellow Dragon Country warrior.

Within the dangerous Extraterrestrial Battlefield, Lin Dong held to the principle of lending a hand whenever possible to his countrymen who found themselves in dire straits.

Secondly, Lin Dong had been actively hunting for the Demon Emperor himself. Having the location served to him on a silver platter was an ideal turn of events.

It spared him the tedious labor of traversing the wilderness in search of his target.

Nevertheless, Lin Dong felt it prudent to clarify the situation. "What exactly is the cultivation level of this Demon Emperor you mentioned?"

Gao Yang gave a helpless shrug. "I haven't the slightest clue. All I know is that it is a Demon Emperor."

Lin Dong offered a simple nod.

Given that Gao Yang only possessed the strength of an Earth Realm martial artist, it was only natural that he could not discern the precise power level of such a formidable beast.

It reminded him of his own past encounters with figures like the inspector and Yun Ruoxian back when he was at the Earth Realm; he simply lacked the sight to judge their true depth.

Only after attaining the status of a Heavenly Realm martial artist would he gain the ability to peer through an opponent's veil of concealment.

"Lead the way; I shall accompany you to assess the situation. If your comrade still draws breath, I will do everything in my power to rescue him. Should he have already perished at the hands of this beast, I will settle the account in his name."

"After all, we are all brothers from the Dragon Country!"

The revelation that Lin Dong would assist him caused Gao Yang to swell with joy. He bowed deeply, exclaiming, "My deepest gratitude, Master Lin!"

With that, the two departed from their current position.

...

The Sky Cloud Mountain Range was a spectacle of shrouded mist and jagged, looming peaks, resembling an exquisite landscape ink painting.

Yet, disguised beneath this breathtaking veneer lay a web of lethal perils and hidden challenges.

Lin Dong maintained his pursuit of Gao Yang as they navigated through the thick forest. Sunlight fractured through the canopy of leaves, scattering dappled light across the ground and wrapping the silent woods in an eerie, mysterious atmosphere.

Gao Yang maintained a frantic pace, his demeanor radiating palpable anxiety.

Every so often, he would glance back at Lin Dong, his expression a mixture of profound gratitude and frantic hope.

"Master Lin, the location is just ahead. I pray that my fellow disciple has managed to survive," Gao Yang remarked, pointing toward a deep valley. His voice carried a faint tremor.

Lin Dong inclined his head, his face hardening as he grew more serious.

He could sense a dense, aggressive demon energy radiating from the mountain valley ahead.

This aura felt significantly more oppressive than that of any demon beast he had crossed paths with thus far.

"This is no ordinary demon beast. Even the Four-Star Demon Emperor I eliminated previously seems pale in comparison to the presence here." Deep in thought, Lin Dong’s eyes narrowed, shielding his true intentions.

The duo approached the entrance of the valley with extreme caution, only to discover massive fissures in the stone, as if a colossal monstrosity had violently rent the earth asunder.

Fragments of tattered robes and smears of blood adorned the broken terrain, leaving no doubt that a desperate, savage struggle had occurred.

"This Demon Emperor is not to be underestimated," Lin Dong murmured. His gaze swept the area with sharp precision, scouting for potential tactical entry points.

Gao Yang’s fists clenched, and a curious, chilling glint flickered across his eyes.

Taking a steadying breath, he goaded, "Master Lin, you currently hold the sixth position on the Five Elements Stele and have claimed the lives of fourteen Demon Emperors. Surely you aren't trembling before this one? Let us venture inside."

Lin Dong signaled his assent, and together they plunged into the belly of the valley.

Within the valley, the air was dim and heavy, punctuated only by the occasional, distant growl of prowling beasts.

They navigated a narrow, cramped path hemmed in by wicked, thickets of thorns and twisting vines.

These vines were lined with needle-sharp barbs, and disturbingly, they seemed to shift with a life of their own.

One wrong step could see a traveler ensnared; any low-ranked martial artist caught in such a trap would eventually have their essence drained dry.

Truthfully, for anyone lacking the status of an Earth Realm martial artist, the Sky Cloud Mountain Range was little more than a graveyard. The very flora was enough to claim the lives of the weak.

Even as a Ninth Stage Martial Arts Grandmaster—a figure of significant renown outside these borders—Gao Yang moved with painstaking care, his senses stretched to their limit.

Lin Dong, while vastly more powerful, remained just as vigilant. He refused to let his awareness lapse, sensing that the bait the Demon Emperor was dangling for him held secrets beyond a simple hunt.

Finally, they stood before a gargantuan cave.

A massive monolith blocked the entrance, deeply gouged by claw marks that bore witness to the creature’s immense power.

Clearly, these were the signatures of the Demon Emperor.

Gao Yang stared at the rock, his face momentarily twisting with a look of firm resolve.

"Master Lin, this is the lair. My comrade and I were merely here to prospect for treasures."

"Who could have predicted that we would stumble upon the lair of a true Demon Emperor instead? A pity..." he sighed heavily.

Lin Dong simply nodded, channeling his internal force into his palm before delivering a crushing blow to the boulder.

With a thunderous explosion, the stone shattered into fine dust under the force of the strike.

The darkness inside the cave was absolute.

But as their eyes acclimated, they caught sight of two crimson lights burning in the gloom.

Those eyes shimmered like terrifying stars against the oppressive blackness of the lair.

"Excellent. The offering you have brought today possesses such rich Qi and blood. I am truly satisfied with his bloodline!" A voice boomed from the shadows the moment they crossed the threshold.

The speaker was clearly the possessor of those crimson, glowing eyes.

His voice was deep and resonant, radiating a potent, blood-soaked aura.

As he spoke, the previous emanations of 'demon energy' completely dissipated.

It was obvious now that this crimson-eyed entity was far removed from the standard Demon Emperor that Gao Yang had described.

Lin Dong realized his mistake immediately; his heart plummeting as the truth of the trap set for him became crystalline.

He turned a icy gaze upon Gao Yang, finding the man hiding behind the crimson-eyed figure. Gone was the appearance of respect; Gao Yang’s face was deathly pale, and his shifting eyes betrayed his treachery.

"Gao Yang, I think you owe me a very detailed explanation," Lin Dong said. His voice was deathly cold, each syllable grinding through his teeth with suffocating intensity.

Gao Yang shuddered uncontrollably, struggling to form a coherent response.

Before he could stutter an excuse, the crimson-eyed master interrupted with a sneer.

"An explanation? Such trivialities are for the dying." The creature grinned, showing no care for the warrior’s hesitation. "The only fact that matters is that your unique bloodline is a priceless fruit for my cultivation."

"Consider it an honor to nourish my path on the Martial Way!"

In that moment, Lin Dong’s full focus snapped onto his opponent, realizing the origin of the familiar, suffocating aura.

It was a sensation he had encountered in a previous life!

"You... you are a member of the Extraterritorial Blood Clan!" Lin Dong finally spat out, recognizing the entity for what it truly was.

This was no mere Demon Emperor, but a monster belonging to the dreaded Extraterritorial Blood Clan.