"Cult Master, the cultivators and demonic beasts near Luoshui Town have almost all been plundered by us. What are our next steps?"
Inside a gloomy stone chamber, a sharp-featured middle-aged man clad in black-and-red robes bowed and spoke.
He was the Right Protector of the Heavenly Demon Cult, and sitting on the stone chair directly in front of him was a young man similarly dressed in black robes.
This man possessed an alluring yet sinister appearance, his entire body radiating an unsettling aura. He was none of them other than Ye Shang, Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
"Release word that a Profound Heaven Realm demonic beast has appeared in the Demonic Beast Forest; that should attract more cultivators to come."
"This seat is currently at a critical juncture in breaking through to the Spirit Sovereign Realm Early-stage. Unless there is an urgent matter, do not come to disturb this seat afterward!"
"...Understood!"
The Right Protector retreated with trembling steps.
Upon stepping out, the Left Protector walked up to him:
"Old Right, what did the Cult Master say?"
"Once we blood-sacrifice this batch of cultivators and demonic beasts, we're to find a way to lure more people to the Demonic Beast Forest. He is cultivating for a breakthrough these days and told us not to disturb him."
"That's fine too. Once the Cult Master breaks through to the Spirit Sovereign Realm, our Heavenly Demon Cult won't have to endure humiliation and keep such a low profile anymore!"
With that, the two of them walked into a dim stone chamber.
The moment they entered the chamber, an extremely heavy stench of rot and blood assailed their senses.
Lying inside the stone chamber were over a dozen human cultivators and more than a dozen demonic beasts.
Though their species differed, their plight was equally perilous at this moment.
Their limbs were all bound by iron cuffs made of a special material that could suppress spiritual power and demonic might.
Bound by these cuffs, even cultivators or demonic beasts were left utterly helpless.
The instant the two stepped through the door, a man wearing yellow immortal robes burst into fierce cursing:
"You demons, scum, garbage! You'll definitely meet a karmic retribution!"
This man was named Xuan Yu, his delicate face covered in dust and his hair disheveled—a look that clearly showed he hadn't cleaned up in a long time.
Though his whole body was stained with blood, judging by his condition, he appeared to be the one with the best mental state among all the prisoners.
"Hehe, brat, you're at death's door and yet you still have the energy to yelp. When the blood sacrifice begins in a moment, you'll be the very first one we take the knife to!"
The Right Protector looked at Xuan Yu with a gloomy expression.
What he hated most in this life were these lucky bastards with natural talent.
If he hadn't accidentally entered the Heavenly Demon Cult and elevated his cultivation through the blood-sacrifice formation, he feared he never would have broken through to the Profound Heaven Realm in this lifetime.
Yet now, both his and the Left Protector's cultivations had broken through to the Profound Heaven Realm Late-stage, and he imagined that in the future, there was even a possibility of breaking through to the Spirit Channeling Realm.
Presently, the Heavenly Demon Cult did not yet have many followers, but one day, the cult would surely continue to grow and become the number one demonic sect within the East Hill Domain. That day was close at hand.
Just thinking of that day filled the Right Protector's heart with incomparable excitement:
Who says my spiritual roots are impure and unsuited for cultivation? My fate is up to me, not the heavens!
As the two conversed, the Left Protector had already activated the blood-sacrifice formation on the ground.
A strange red hexagon appeared on the floor, covered entirely in eerie patterns within. Just looking at it stirred an inexplicable fear.
Upon these lines remained dark red traces, the evidence of past victims who had suffered in the previous blood sacrifices.
"Alright, Old Right, stop wasting breath on the dying. The blood-sacrifice formation is already activated. As long as it absorbs this batch of nourishment, our Heavenly Demon Art can advance further."
Xuan Yu continued his tirade:
"Bah! Garbage! Still dreaming of advancing your cultivation—sooner or later you'll suffer a backlash from the demonic arts and explode into bloody pulp!"
These words were thoroughly inauspicious, leaving both the Left and Right Protectors with deeply displeased hearts:
"Since you're in such a rush to die, we'll grant your wish first!"
With that, the Right Protector extended his right hand, pulling Xuan Yu's body uncontrollably toward him as his grip locked firmly around the youth's neck.
Choked by the throat, Xuan Yu could only produce muffled, gurgling sounds, though they remained piercing to the ear.
Despair filled his inner heart as well; this was his final struggle before death.
Since he was dead either way, he might as well curse his fill right now.
Boom!
Right at that moment, the stone door was suddenly cleaved entirely apart.
"Who?!"
The Left and Right Protectors looked outward simultaneously. Standing at the very front was a peerless, stunning woman in blue robes, her hand held in the shape of a chopping blade.
It was glaringly obvious that the stone door just then had been split open by her bare hands using a wind blade.
Standing behind her were four more cultivators and a three-tailed fire fox.
Seeing the cultivators and demonic beasts lying inside the stone chamber, Qu Shengwen's fury ignited:
"I kept wondering how so many cultivators could go missing near Luoshui Town. So it was you demonic sect scoundrels making trouble!"
Qu Zhuowen was equally angry, her small face puffed out in indignation:
"You actually dared to lay a hand on Asking Dao Valley disciples! If Master and the others find out, you're definitely finished!"
At those words, the Right Protector smiled with sinister malice:
"I was just worrying we had no fresh nourishment, and a bunch of blind little brats deliver themselves right to our doorstep."
"As long as we finish off the lot of you right now, your so-called Master won't be able to find us either. Hahahaha..."
The Left Protector frowned:
"This is the critical moment for the Cult Master's breakthrough. I fear complications—let's finish this swiftly!"
Xia Wantang was able to gauge the cultivation levels of the two men and spoke rapidly:
"Their cultivations are both at the Profound Heaven Realm Late-stage. Everyone, be careful!"
As she spoke, she waved her right hand, and several wind blades shot urgently toward the Left and Right Protectors.
Pity that her current body lacked a suitable weapon; the Ice Luan Sword was meant to be used by Xia Wantang's own body in the future, and employing it now would easily give away clues to the Sons of Destiny.
Still, her current cultivation stood at the Spirit Sovereign Realm Early-stage, making it quite easy to deal with two protectors.
At this very moment, she felt exceptionally glad that she was using Tang Wan's identity.
Since both the Left and Right Protectors of the Heavenly Demon Cult possessed Profound Heaven Realm Late-stage cultivations, one could easily imagine how strong the Cult Master must be.
If she had used her other identity, she truly would have ended up leading Yan Wen and his party to their deaths.
Forget about finishing off the Cult Master—just resolving these two protectors alone would have required taking a bitter beating!
"Old Right, wait—this female brat's cultivation—"
The Left Protector barely managed to warn the Right Protector, but before he could finish speaking, he was struck by the deceptively simple wind blade and vomited a mouthful of blood.
As he collapsed onto the ground, in the final moment of his life, he cried out in incredulous terror:
"M-my cultivation has been completely wiped out—?!"
The Right Protector's eyes bulged wide. Just as he wanted to flee and notify the Cult Master, in the next instant, a wind blade instantly severed his head, separating his corpse from his neck.
Watching Xia Wantang effortlessly resolve the two protectors, Qu Shengwen's eyeballs nearly popped out of his head:
Good grief, Fellow Daoist Tang is too fierce! She truly isn't some heroine this humble one could ever presume to aspire to.
Yan Wen's gaze deepened:
With his own cultivation at the Profound Heaven Realm Late-stage, coupled with the three-tailed demonic fox, he could also easily deal with two protectors, but certainly not with the effortless speed displayed by Fellow Daoist Tang.
One had to bear in mind that she hadn't even used a weapon.
Just what kind of strength did she possess? If she truly was only twenty years old, such power was simply too startling.
Before you continue