The Demonic Cult!

In a hidden mountain peak behind the beast tide.

Two cultivators at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining gazed at the distant beast tide, their expressions utterly cold.

"Chen Feng! You promised me! As long as I drive this beast tide, you... you will return that 'Shadow Gu' recording jade slip to me!"

A young disciple wearing the robes of the Beast Taming Sect, his face etched with anxiety and struggle, growled at the swirling black mist before him, his voice trembling with agitation.

He gripped a beast-control flute tightly, his knuckles white from the force.

He was the Beast Taming Sect disciple, Zhang Tie!

The black mist slowly receded, revealing a pale, sinister face with a mocking sneer at the corners of its mouth—it was the demonic sect disciple, Chen Feng.

He made no effort to conceal the demonic energy fluctuations of his Great Perfection of Qi Refining realm, pressing down on Zhang Tie until he could barely breathe.

"Junior Brother Zhang, calm yourself."

Chen Feng's voice was hoarse, carrying the playful tone of a cat toying with a mouse. "The jade slip, naturally, will be returned to you. After all, it records the spectacular scene of you using the 'Heart-Devouring Gu' to secretly ambush your fellow disciples and seize their opportunities. If that were to leak out, the sect rules of the Beast Taming Sect... heh heh."

Zhang Tie's face turned as pale as paper in an instant, his body trembling slightly; it was his greatest nightmare and leverage.

Chen Feng savored the sight of his fear and continued in a slow, measured tone: "However, merely inciting a beast tide is not enough merit to trade for your clean future. Our target is not just this tiny Qingyang Market."

He turned his gaze toward the direction of Qingyang Market, his eyes flashing with madness and ambition: "Ye Lingshuang! You must have heard that woman's name, right? A newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Spring Autumn Sect, and rumored to be a direct descendant of that old monster! Her talent is astonishing; if she is allowed to grow, she will surely be a great threat to our Sacred Sect!"

"This beast tide is the bait prepared for her! Once the Spring Autumn Sect learns that this place is under siege by a massive beast tide, they will certainly dispatch Foundation Establishment cultivators to rescue it. According to intelligence from our mole, the leader is highly likely to be Ye Lingshuang, who has just reached Foundation Establishment and needs to consolidate her cultivation through experience!"

A ferocious smile appeared on Chen Feng's face: "If she doesn't come, we will watch as everyone in this market dies, crushing her spirit and shattering her Dao heart! If she does come..."

He clenched his fist tightly, black demonic energy coiling around his fingertips: "I will ensure she never returns! As long as she is killed, it will be a great achievement! By then, never mind your recording jade slip—even helping you reach Foundation Establishment would not be out of the question!"

Zhang Tie listened, his heart pounding with terror, his voice dry: "Kill... kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Senior Brother Chen, we are only at the Qi Refining stage..."

"Hmph! Idiot!"

Chen Feng interrupted him with disdain. "Since I dared to plan this, do you think I would be unprepared?" He subconsciously touched his storage bag, which clearly contained an extremely terrifying trump card.

"You only need to control that stupid wolf well, make the beast tide's offensive fiercer, and force out their Foundation Establishment cultivator. As for the rest, leave it to me!"

Zhang Tie looked at Chen Feng's mad and confident eyes, a deeper chill settling in his heart. But with his leverage held firmly in the other's hands, he had no way out and could only grit his teeth: "I understand. The Moon-Howling Wolf King has been temporarily controlled by my secret medicine and flute music; it will follow my commands to intensify the attack."

"Very good."

Chen Feng nodded with satisfaction. "Go, make this feast of slaughter even more lively! Remember, you and I are now grasshoppers tied to the same rope."

Zhang Tie took a deep breath, the struggle in his eyes finally turning into a gray, desperate resolve. He raised the beast-control flute and blew a more urgent, murderous melody once again.

The beast tide broke through the market's defenses, instantly turning into a destructive torrent that swept inside.

The defensive line formed by low-level cultivators and rogue cultivators collapsed at the first touch. Screams, roars, the clashing of magical artifacts, and the sound of collapsing buildings mingled together, turning Qingyang Market into a living hell.

Zhao Kun led several outer sect disciples in forming a formation to struggle and hold on, but they could barely protect themselves. As they fought and retreated, disciples were constantly dragged away and torn apart by the violent demonic beasts.

Li Qingshan mingled with the chaotic crowd, appearing to dodge the beasts' lunges in a disheveled manner, but in reality, his movements were elusive, always avoiding fatal attacks at the very last second.

He did not use his full strength; on one hand, he did not want to expose his strength too early, and on the other, his divine sense remained locked on the Moon-Howling Wolf King at the rear of the beast herd.

"Something is wrong..."

Doubts grew in Li Qingshan's heart.

Although the beast tide was fierce, the Moon-Howling Wolf King had not personally entered the fray; instead, it seemed to be... waiting for something?

"I can't worry about that now! With a Tier 2 demonic beast present, Qingyang Market is completely finished. I must leave first!"

A sharp glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes, and he instantly darted toward the distance.

While he had the strength to contend with a Foundation Establishment Moon-Howling Wolf King, he could not withstand this tide of thousands of beasts.

He could not save so many people, and acting rashly would only expose himself.

Therefore, he did not hesitate in the slightest and chose to flee.

It just so happened that the direction he fled in was the very direction where the Beast Taming Sect and demonic sect disciples were located.

Maintaining the aura of a third-layer Qi Refining cultivator, Li Qingshan wove through the numerous demonic beasts in an incredibly disheveled state, escaped the range of the beast tide, and headed rapidly toward the mountain forest ahead.

"Heh, another old fellow delivering himself to my door. Third-layer Qi Refining? How weak, but unfortunately, you must die!"

Chen Feng sneered when he saw Li Qingshan fleeing toward him, his tone cruel.

With a casual wave of his hand, a condensed strand of black demonic energy shot out like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Li Qingshan's heart, clearly intending to silence him in passing.

In his eyes, an old servant at the third layer of Qi Refining, nearing the end of his life, was no different from an ant.

However, facing this sudden, fatal blow, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in the panicked old man's eyes!

Li Qingshan stumbled in what appeared to be a clumsy manner, his body twisting subtly by a hair's breadth. The sharp demonic energy grazed his clothes and struck the bluestone ground behind him with a "puff," corroding a deep pit.

"Hm?"

Chen Feng let out a soft sound of surprise, the black mist shrouding him flickering with astonishment.

It was absolutely impossible for a third-layer Qi Refining cultivator to dodge his casual strike!

Zhang Tie also sensed the anomaly and looked toward Li Qingshan with vigilance.

Li Qingshan cursed inwardly, never expecting that two cultivators at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining would be hiding behind the beast tide.

In an instant, he realized that the beast tide must have been inextricably linked to these two men.

Furthermore, the pair were so alert and ruthless that they intended to silence him without a second thought.

It seems I have no choice but to strike!

A cold glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes, and he immediately prepared to activate the Crimson Dragon Sword to slay the two men.

But just at that moment.

"Audacious demonic spawn, how dare you trespass on the territory of the Spring Autumn Sect!"

A crisp, icy rebuke rang out from the horizon, sounding like profound ice from the nine heavens, instantly drowning out the clamor between heaven and earth!

A blazing cyan sword light descended from the sky like a meteor, slashing toward Chen Feng with pinpoint accuracy!

Before the sword light even arrived, its peerless, sharp sword intent caused the demonic energy surrounding Chen Feng to churn violently!

Following closely behind, another even more majestic spiritual pressure of the Foundation Establishment Realm descended with a boom. The figure of a middle-aged cultivator wearing the robes of a Spring Autumn Sect deacon appeared, roaring, "I was wondering why there was a beast tide at Qingyang Market; so it was you who incited it? Demonic cultists, die!"

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a magnificent golden seal of light, shrouding both Chen Feng and Zhang Tie.