Chapter 53: Demonic Shadow

Half a day after Song Qingming and his two companions departed, the sky gradually darkened, and a dozen dark shadows happened to pass by this small hill.

These cultivators all exuded a strange and eerie aura, led by an old man completely shrouded in black robes.

After crossing the hill, the black-robed old man suddenly stopped and spoke to the several other cultivators beside him, who were also dressed in black.

"How strange. When we passed through here a few months ago, there was a Flame Rat on this mountain. Why can I not sense the aura of that demon beast today?"

A pale-faced young cultivator nearby hurriedly stepped forward to reply, "Second Senior Brother, this place is quite desolate and the spiritual vein grade is not high. Perhaps the beast has left this place to find a new cultivation site."

The black-robed old man shook his head and said, "The migration of demon beasts in this vicinity usually occurs during spring and autumn. It is currently midsummer, so there must have been some other change. Yuan Tai, go up the mountain and see if anyone has been here."

The green-robed cultivator wanted to say something more, but seeing that the old man's expression had soured, he quickly swallowed his words, nodded, and vanished into the night.

After about fifteen minutes, the green-robed cultivator returned in a state of urgency and spoke respectfully to the black-robed old man.

"Second Senior Brother, you were right. That Flame Rat was indeed hunted. Judging by the scene, it happened within the last day or two. The attackers were likely several mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. The spiritual herbs in the cave have also been stripped bare. It seems a hunting team from Guiyun Workshop has arrived in the vicinity."

Upon hearing this news, the black-robed old man's brow furrowed instantly. They were currently at a critical moment in their Master's refinement of that Dharma treasure, and unexpected variables had arisen.

This black-robed old man was named Gu Liangshan. He was originally a rogue cultivator from Gulong County in Donglin Prefecture, located in the southern part of the State of Wei. Decades ago, when his path to immortality seemed hopeless, Gu Liangshan happened to encounter a demonic Foundation Establishment cultivator passing through the state.

Under the coercion of that demonic cultivator, Gu Liangshan joined his sect, was implanted with a restriction, and began practicing demonic cultivation methods, becoming a demonic cultivator devoid of freedom.

Most demonic cultivators are insidious and cunning; they rarely truly trust others, even their own kin or disciples.

The fellow disciples beside Gu Liangshan had also been implanted with restrictions by their Master. If they failed to complete assigned tasks on time or dared to harbor thoughts of betrayal, their eccentric Master could activate the restrictions within them at any time, inflicting excruciating, bone-deep pain. At such times, even seeking death would be a difficult task.

Implanted with these restrictions, these demonic cultivators were denied freedom for almost their entire lives, forced to obey their Master's commands at any time and place. Only upon the death of the one who implanted the restriction, or if they could break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and achieve success in their cultivation, would they have the power to break the restrictions and regain their freedom.

After pondering for a moment, Gu Liangshan spoke: "We are not far from the altar. Everyone must be careful. We must not alert anyone. If we disturb a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Xiaoyao Sect and ruin Master's great undertaking, we will all suffer the consequences."

"Second Senior Brother, you are being too cautious. They are just a few mid-stage Qi Refinement rogue cultivators; what trouble could they possibly stir up? If we do run into them, we can just bring them to Master as extra numbers. These past few years, we brothers have practically worn out our feet helping Master collect cultivator souls, leaving us no time even to cultivate," another middle-aged demonic cultivator nearby said dismissively of Gu Liangshan's cautious demeanor.

"Junior Brother Qin, let us not cause unnecessary trouble. Let us hurry on; Master is still waiting for our news," Gu Liangshan said, waving his hand and leading the group quickly away from the small hill.

Meanwhile, about a thousand miles away on a desolate hill, a demonic cultivator radiating a Foundation Establishment aura sat cross-legged atop an octagonal altar. A blood-colored long saber floated above his head in the center of the altar.

Not far below the altar, several black-robed disciples slowly walked onto the platform, dragging several Qi Refinement cultivators whose Dantians had been suppressed.

Once the captives were brought to the top of the altar, the blood-colored saber above the demonic cultivator's head suddenly emitted a humming sound and flew toward them rapidly.

After several screams, these cultivators, whose magical powers were bound, were quickly killed by the blood saber.

After the deaths, several faint souls drifted up from the corpses. These were the souls of the cultivators, which were preparing to flee into the ground to enter the Netherworld.

At that moment, a burst of blood light erupted from the blood saber, firmly enveloping the souls and quickly sucking them into the blade.

The blood saber began to emit waves of soul wails, and many silhouettes appeared to be struggling within the blood light.

With a wave of the hand from the demonic cultivator on the altar, the blood light flashed, and the blood saber flew back into his hand.

Caressing the blood saber, Yang Wuqi let out an excited laugh. Seeing their Master so pleased, the disciples below the altar felt some of their worries subside.

Just then, the blood saber in Yang Wuqi's hand suddenly flew into the air, and a streak of blood light slashed toward a massive boulder several miles away.

With a loud bang, a boulder about ten feet wide was sliced in half, and a black-robed cultivator jumped out in a panic.

"Hmph, where did this little insect come from? Such audacity, to dare disturb Ancestor's blade sacrifice!"

Seeing that someone was peeping from a distance, the seven or eight demonic disciples below the altar quickly surrounded the fleeing Feiyun Guard cultivator, trapping him firmly in the center.

Seeing that the newcomers were hostile, the black-robed cultivator hurriedly explained, "Hehe, fellow Daoists, do not misunderstand! I am a Feiyun Guard from Guiyun Workshop, sent here to investigate information on demon beasts. I was merely resting here and had no intention of disturbing you all."

This Feiyun Guard was also a rogue cultivator who had been active in Guiyun Workshop for many years. He naturally knew that encountering these demonic cultivators today meant certain death. Now that he was alone and powerless to escape, his only hope for survival was that these demonic cultivators might respect his identity as a Feiyun Guard and let him go.

"Oh, a Feiyun Guard? Seeing as your cultivation is not low, it just so happens that I need a small favor today. I shall borrow your soul to refine my precious saber."

Hearing the man reveal his identity, the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator holding the blood saber did not seem to care. He gave a strange laugh, and the blood light on the demonic blade flashed again as it slashed toward the cultivator.

Seeing the blood saber approaching, the Feiyun Guard scrambled backward, releasing a unique Feiyun Guard distress signal talisman as he ran. A white spiritual talisman quickly shot into the sky, flying rapidly toward the distance.

Simultaneously, the demonic saber reached him. Seeing that he could not dodge, the man steeled his heart and released a shield Dharma treasure, attempting to block the strike.

Unfortunately, he had underestimated the power of the blood saber. The defensive treasure he released was like a thin piece of tofu, sliced clean through the middle by the blade, cutting both his treasure and his physical body in two.

After a final scream, another faint soul was soon added to the blood light atop the demonic cultivator's blade.

(End of Chapter)