Demonic Cult Attacks, Another Provocation!

In the dead of night, danger was approaching.

Yet, in this mountain forest, most people were still immersed in the atmosphere of drinking and merrymaking.

Although many of them had brought guards who were keeping watch around them, no one noticed the abnormality nearby.

Xia Wuji was traveling with these people simply because they shared the same destination.

But at this very moment, in a sense, he was tied to them.

He had no idea what the lurking danger from the shadows was. If he tried to break through the encirclement alone, he would instantly become the target of everyone's attention.

He had to rely on the strength of these people to form a resistance, only then could he figure out the enemy's situation. It was easier to catch fish in troubled waters and slip away in the chaos!

Therefore, Xia Wuji immediately had an idea.

He raised his hand and grabbed, a stone the size of a fist flew into his hand. With a flip of his wrist, this stone, enveloped by his Sword Essence, cut through the darkness and heavily smashed onto the head of a guard keeping watch nearby!

Although the force could only inflict a minor superficial wound on the guard, it was enough!

"Bang!"

"Ah!"

The guard whose head was smashed let out a scream.

"Enemy attack!"

Instantly, the other guards, like startled birds, shouted, drew their swords, and stood ready.

The young talents who were drinking and merrymaking also jolted, waking up from their drunken stupor.

Some quickly circulated their energy to clear the alcohol.

Some quickly swallowed Precious Pills to sober up.

Some immediately summoned their guards to their side, just in case.

And at that moment.

"Swish!"

"Swish swish swish!"

From the darkness, sharp whistling sounds of air being pierced rang out!

Dense arrows shot from all directions, like a heavy rain.

"Protect the Young Master!"

"Protect the Miss!"

The guards of each family shouted.

A volley of arrows fell towards Xia Wuji's location, but he moved with a profound footwork, easily weaving through the gaps between the arrows, as casually and freely as strolling in a leisurely garden.

"Brother Xia, be careful!"

At this moment, a shout rang out.

It was Huang Hu, who rushed over with his guards.

Huang Hu's guards blocked the remaining arrows aimed at Xia Wuji.

Huang Hu said, "It seems we were careless, but the problem shouldn't be too big. After all, we're not far from Qingyun City, so the guys in the shadows wouldn't dare to be too arrogant!"

"Brother Xia, it's inconvenient for you to be alone. Why don't you come with me? We can look out for each other."

Xia Wuji looked at Huang Hu and said, "Brother Huang, listening to you, it seems you know the origin of the people shooting arrows from the dark?"

Huang Hu nodded and said, "It's not that I know who they are, but I can guess their nature. They're nothing more than some cult villains."

"Cult members speed up their cultivation by consuming the vital blood or souls of living people, and they particularly favor the vital blood and souls of young geniuses."

"During the Azure Star Academy's assessment, young talents from all sides will be heading to the assessment location. The scoundrels of the cult are very active during this period. They just need to wait at some fixed routes, and a continuous stream of young talents will fall into their clutches."

"This is also why almost everyone has guards with them, to avoid encountering such trouble halfway."

"I thought we would reach Qingyun City tomorrow, and the cult fanatics wouldn't dare to appear so close to Qingyun City. Now it seems we've underestimated the audacity of these cult fanatics!"

"Brother Xia, although we're not too familiar with each other, I hope you can believe me. I have no ill intentions towards you. I just like making friends. Come with us, let's make a hasty retreat, shake off these scoundrels, and head straight into Qingyun City!"

In this short period, some of the young talents going for the assessment had already been hit by arrows and fallen to the ground.

If it weren't for the stone Xia Wuji had quietly thrown to alert them, facing that volley of arrows in their previous state, the casualties would have been several times worse!

"Alright!" Xia Wuji agreed.

He didn't want to be the first bird. He decided to stay within the crowd and act according to the situation.

Instantly, escorted by a group of guards, Xia Wuji broke through with Huang Hu.

Volleys of arrows continued to shoot.

When the arrow attack could no longer cause effective damage.

A cold shout suddenly rang out.

"Kill!"

In an instant, from the darkness, figures in black clothes wearing ghost masks rushed out.

"It's people from the Bloodfire Demonic Cult!" Huang Hu shouted, "Brother Xia, be careful!"

Huang Hu's guards were quite skilled. Among them was a middle-aged martial artist at the peak of the Sea of Qi Realm. This person gripped a long spear, flicked the tip, and condensed spear shadows, stabbing an enemy to death!

These black-clothed figures wearing ghost masks were numerous and extremely brutal. In just a moment, several of Huang Hu's guards had already fallen.

A fifth-level Sea of Qi Realm martial artist from the Bloodfire Demonic Cult successfully approached Huang Hu, swinging a massive axe fiercely towards his head.

"Seeking death!"

Huang Hu roared. He was a sixth-level Sea of Qi Realm cultivator. In an instant, he swung the long saber in his hand, deflecting the axe aimed at his head. His moves then shifted, and a saber glow swept out, slicing open the demonic cult martial artist's chest horizontally.

The demonic cult martial artist cried out in pain and was sent flying backward. But even so, he flicked his arm, and numerous poisoned needles shot towards Huang Hu!

Cold sweat broke out all over Huang Hu's body!

At this moment, he had just unleashed a full-power saber strike. His momentum was transitioning, and he had no time to dodge.

"Clang clang clang!"

Just then, sword light flashed, and all the poisoned needles were blocked by Xia Wuji's sword.

Huang Hu, still shaken and recovering from his shock, immediately cupped his hands towards Xia Wuji, "Brother Xia, thank you!"

"Break through as quickly as possible!" Xia Wuji's expression was very solemn. Because in just that instant, his spiritual power, which could already leave his body, had detected an extremely powerful aura.

There was a Core Formation Realm expert from the Bloodfire Demonic Cult watching from the shadows!

The Qi Gathering Realm, True Essence Realm, Sea of Qi Realm, and Primal Energy Realm were all merely about honing the foundation. Only upon reaching the Core Formation Realm could one truly be considered to have pushed open the door of martial arts!

"With the strength of a Core Formation Realm expert, why would they need to go through so much trouble to assassinate this group of young talents participating in the Azure Star Academy assessment?"

Xia Wuji was certain that there was a hidden motive behind tonight's events.

Now, they had to retreat quickly before the Bloodfire Demonic Cult's Core Formation Realm expert made a move.

Huang Hu grunted, grabbed his saber, and charged forward with his guards.

Xia Wuji, within the group, also made moves, doing his best to avoid drawing too much attention.

After a moment, they finally broke through the encirclement of the Bloodfire Demonic Cult scoundrels and sped through the night.

Along the way, they encountered several more ambushes by the Bloodfire Demonic Cult scoundrels.

"We should be safe now!" After fighting through multiple battles, Huang Hu was on the verge of collapse, his face pale. There was a bloody wound on his arm.

More than half of Huang Hu's guards were dead, and those who survived were almost exhausted.

Xia Wuji's spiritual power silently spread out, sensing the slightest traces around them. If there were any anomalies, he could react immediately.

"What exactly does that Bloodfire Demonic Cult Core Formation Realm expert want to do?" Xia Wuji mused in his heart, unable to figure it out.

"Brother Xia, you saved me three times at critical moments on our way out. Thank you!" Huang Hu said, gasping for breath, cupping his hands towards Xia Wuji.

Three times, he had felt the aura of death.

But precisely these three times, Xia Wuji had happened to be nearby, helping him resolve the crisis.

Xia Wuji replied, "Brother Huang, you're too kind. If it weren't for your guards, I wouldn't have been able to break through."

"Brother Xia, this is an Essence Restoration Pill. It's made with a secret family recipe and is very effective at restoring primal energy."

"Our current condition is not suitable for continuing our journey. We all need to rest for a while, tend to our injuries, restore our primal energy, and then set off."

"We absolutely cannot delay any longer. We must push on and reach Qingyun City in one go!"

Huang Hu said, grabbing the jade bottle containing the pills and handing it to Xia Wuji.

Xia Wuji did not refuse. He took the pill, swallowed it, and sat cross-legged, circulating his energy to refine the pill's energy and restore his strength.

Half an hour later, Huang Hu's remaining guards were in much better condition, and they set off again.

But it wasn't long.

Figures flickered ahead.

"Prepare for battle!" Huang Hu shouted, as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Brother Huang, no need to be nervous, it's me!" A voice came from the darkness.

Immediately after, Zhang Xiao arrived in front of Huang Hu with a group of guards.

"Brother Zhang, that's great, you broke through successfully too!" Huang Hu said, sounding somewhat excited.

Zhang Xiao cupped his hands, "Fortunately, I was lucky. This danger came too suddenly, and I almost didn't make it out alive."

"By the way, Brother Huang, I discussed it with a few friends, and we felt that rushing directly to Qingyun City might still be very dangerous. Therefore, we've arranged for people to go to Qingyun City to seek help from the Azure Star Academy's experts."

"And during this time, we'll hide and wait for rescue!"

"Brother Huang, the people around you are also in very poor condition. Why don't you come with us?"

Huang Hu was about to reply.

Xia Wuji suddenly said, "Brother Huang, I think we should still proceed according to the original plan."

The Bloodfire Demonic Cult having a Core Formation Realm expert behind the scenes was a huge threat.

Now that they had broken free from the Bloodfire Demonic Cult's blockade, it was time to quickly leave this place of trouble.

As for Zhang Xiao's plan, Xia Wuji also saw issues with it.

If he wanted to hide and wait for rescue from Azure Star Academy, why was Zhang Xiao brazenly leading people out?

He was either stupid or malicious!

Zhang Xiao's brow furrowed instantly, and he stared at Xia Wuji. "I've found you displeasing from the start. On Brother Huang's account, I've been too lazy to argue with you."

"But I warn you, know your place!"

"You have no right to speak here. Shut your mouth, do you understand?"

As he spoke, he even drew his sword and pointed its tip at Xia Wuji, threatening, "If you dare to babble again, I'll cut out your tongue!"