"Ahem, cough cough, many thanks to you fellow Daoists."
After Xia Wantang and her group resolved all the coming Heavenly Demon Cult members, they untied the handcuffs of all the captured cultivators and spirit beasts.
Among the human cultivators, apart from Xuan Yu, the others' conditions were not looking good, leaving Xia Wantang with no choice but to take out a few healing medicinal pills to distribute to them.
The spirit beasts were all doing relatively fine, and Xia Wantang had already instructed the Three-tailed Fire Fox to take them away quickly.
"My name is Xuan Yu, from the Crimson Sun Sect of the South Plains Domain. I wonder how you benefactors address yourselves?"
Xuan Yu's condition was fairly good, and after recovering, he bowed and thanked Xia Wantang and the others.
After the few of them introduced themselves, Qu Zhuowen looked somewhat puzzled:
"You're from the South Plains Domain? And from the South Plains Domain's number one sect—the Crimson Sun Sect?"
"Then how did you run all the way out here to train in the East Hill Domain?"
Hearing this, Xuan Yu smiled bitterly:
"I'm just someone who loves running around blindly, and look—trouble found me."
"It's a good thing you all came, otherwise I really would have perished here today."
Changing the subject, he grew extremely curious about Xia Wantang's identity:
"Fellow Daoist Tang, I never expected you to be a rogue cultivator, and yet you are so young that you make me feel thoroughly ashamed of myself. How on earth do you cultivate?"
Xia Wantang lightly diverted the topic:
"This is not the time to let down our guard yet. Didn't they say the cult leader is in secluded cultivation? We must hurry and deal with the cult leader."
According to the normal development of the plot, Xuan Yu was doomed to die today, being a character who had never appeared in the novel.
She didn't know how much impact her own appearance would bring to the subsequent plot, but fortunately this identity did not need to appear often, and even if others were curious about her, they wouldn't be able to find her even if they dug three feet into the ground.
Hearing this, Xuan Yu slapped his own forehead:
"That's right, that's right, we still need to deal with the Heavenly Demon Cult leader."
"Take me with you. The other cultivators' conditions are not optimistic; let them leave first."
Hearing this, those cultivators who had just recovered their strength thanked Xia Wantang and the others before leaving in a staggered manner.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult leader is cultivating in seclusion in the very last stone chamber. The left and right protectors mentioned this earlier."
While leading the way, Xuan Yu introduced the situation:
"I heard that the Heavenly Demon Cult leader already possesses the cultivation base of the peak Spirit Channeling Realm, and is just a single step away from breaking through to the Spirit Sovereign Realm."
"Right now is the critical moment of his breakthrough."
Hearing this, Qu Shengwen was startled:
"Peak Spirit Channeling Realm... then it seems we might not be his opponents after all."
Ling Xuan also frowned:
"I didn't expect these cult members to have ordinary strength, yet the left and right protectors and the cult leader are stronger than the last. Are demonic arts really this powerful?"
Yan Wen shook his head:
"Although demonic arts advance quickly, they are ultimately opportunistic shortcuts with unstable foundations, making it difficult to endure long-term."
"I only fear that although this Heavenly Demon Cult leader possesses the cultivation base of the peak Spirit Channeling Realm, his actual strength should be around the Great Circle of the Spirit Channeling Realm."
Hearing this, Qu Zhuowen wore a bitter melon face:
"Even with strength at the Great Circle of the Spirit Channeling Realm, we still aren't his opponents. Holy Son Yan Wen, your cultivation is only at the late-stage Profound Heaven Realm!"
Xuan Yu blinked and looked toward Xia Wantang:
"With Fellow Daoist Tang's cultivation... she should be fine, right?"
Although she hadn't made another move afterward, those two casual wind blades earlier had been enough to instantly kill the left and right protectors, so her cultivation base should at least be around the late-stage Spirit Channeling Realm.
Hearing this, Ling Xuan and the other three looked at each other, feeling somewhat uncertain:
Fellow Daoist Tang indeed possessed a cultivation base above the Spirit Channeling Realm, but given that she was so young, it would be hard for her to reach the Great Circle of the Spirit Channeling Realm, right?
Hearing this, Xia Wantang could only say:
"If we all join forces, coupled with the fact that I know some array formations, it shouldn't be difficult."
Even so, she would definitely charge at the very front.
Everyone present, aside from herself and Yan Wen, had strengths hovering around the late-stage Mystic Martial Realm, and rushing to the front meant courting death.
For some reason, Xia Wantang's words carried exceptional persuasiveness, and the others set their minds at ease.
Naturally, a sense of frustration existed as well.
Because these people were all heaven's chosen ones within their respective sects, originally thinking they were already outstanding leaders among their peers.
Yet Xia Wantang, a mere rogue cultivator, possessed such high cultivation, delivering a heavy blow to their past confidence and sense of superiority.
Yan Wen held the best mentality among them, having always believed that there were always people better than oneself, just as there were heavens beyond the heavens.
Although he was always called the number one pride of the East Hill Domain, he had never truly considered himself as such.
He merely harbored more curiosity and suspicion regarding Xia Wantang's identity:
With such strength, talent, and appearance, why had Fellow Daoist Tang always remained obscure in the East Hill Domain, never having been heard of before?
Tang Wan gained 5 favorability from Yan Wen, current favorability 45, exchanged for 50 faith points.
Huh? How did Yan Wen's favorability rise again, Host, you didn't even do anything.
Xia Wantang: On one hand it's because this older sister is strong, and on the other hand he's become even more curious about me.
Vaguely understanding.jpg
Before long, the few of them arrived at the entrance of the stone chamber where Ye Shang was in secluded cultivation.
Xia Wantang said in a low voice:
"Don't rush, let me set up the defense formation first."
As she spoke, the tip of her finger pointed in the empty air, and Yan Wen and the others saw a beam of light illuminate around them.
The spiritual energy fluctuations within the light barrier were noticeably different from before.
"Whoa, Sister Tang, you are too amazing! Not only can you break formations, but you can also set up such powerful formations!"
"The threshold for your 'knowing a thing or two' is simply too high!"
Xuan Yu didn't understand the meme about "knowing a thing or two." Although he wore a blank expression, he still praised:
"Fellow Daoist Tang is simply proficient in everything!"
Having finished setting up the formation, Xia Wantang wore a solemn expression:
"After I split open the stone gate, do not leave my side; just use long-range spells to attack."
The Heavenly Demon Cult leader's cultivation might not match hers, but it far exceeded everyone else present.
If the opponent launched a sudden surprise attack, she truly might not be able to protect the others.
The rest of them nodded solemnly, naturally aware of the severity of the situation.
"Boom!"
Following a loud crash, the stone gate was sliced directly in half by the sharp wind blade.
Ye Shang, who had been engrossed in his cultivation within the stone chamber, opened his eyes. Sensing that all the Heavenly Demon Cult members had been wiped out, his expression distorted like that of a ghostly Asura:
"You're courting death!"
Finished speaking, he soared into the air, and a stream of black spiritual energy assailed Xia Wantang and the group.
Xia Wantang waved her sleeve, and a wind blade cleanly slashed the black spiritual energy apart, causing it to fall to the ground and transform into a few droplets of filthy water stains.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I never expected the Heavenly Demon Cult leader to possess a Water Spirit Root."
"It's just that why did your water element turn black... Could it be that you suffered a backlash from cultivating demonic arts?"
Upon seeing Ye Shang, Xia Wantang knew the opponent was no match for her.
Although Ye Shang possessed the strength of the peak Spirit Channeling Realm, his exterior was strong while his interior was hollow. Due to practicing demonic arts, his Dao heart was extremely unstable, and the demonic Qi showed signs of faintly backlashing against him.
If things continued this way, even if Ye Shang managed to break through to the Spirit Sovereign Realm, he would still suffer a demonic Qi backlash, completely lose his sanity, and become a puppet controlled by demonic Qi.
No wonder in the original text, when Xiao Rui encountered Ye Shang, the latter's appearance was already neither human nor ghost.
Judging by his current state, it seemed to be holding up fairly well, and he even looked slightly handsome.
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