Half a day after Song Qingming's group left, the sky gradually darkened. A dozen or so black shadows happened to pass by this small hill.
Every cultivator in this group exuded an eerie aura. Leading them was an old man wrapped head to toe in black robes.
After crossing the hill, the black-robed elder suddenly stopped and spoke to several cultivators beside him who were likewise dressed in black.
"Strange indeed. When we passed through here a few months ago, there was still a Flame Rat on this mountain. Why can't I sense that demon beast's aura now that we've arrived here today?"
A pale-faced young cultivator in the distance hurried forward and replied, "Second Senior Brother, this place is rather desolate, and its spirit vein is of low grade. Perhaps that demon beast left and found a new place to cultivate."
The black-robed elder shook his head. "The demon beasts around here generally migrate in spring or autumn. It is still midsummer now, so some other change must have occurred. Yuantai, go up the mountain and see whether anyone has been here."
The green-robed cultivator had wanted to say something more, but seeing that the black-robed elder's expression had already darkened, he hurriedly swallowed the words on his lips. Nodding, he quickly vanished into the night.
Only after half an hour did the green-robed cultivator return in some haste. He respectfully said to the black-robed elder,
"Second Senior Brother, you were right. That Flame Rat really was hunted down. Judging by the scene, it happened within the last day or two. The attackers were likely several Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivators. The spirit herbs in its cave were also searched clean, so it seems a demon-hunting team from Guiyun Marketplace came through this area."
Upon hearing this news, the