The Demon's Trace Appears

The power of a single sword strike cleared the swarm of bats.

The entire Ancient Bat Cave fell into silence, leaving only the sound of dripping water against the rock walls and the heavy breathing of the group.

Faxiang withdrew his golden light barrier, which was now covered in cracks, and looked at Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi with eyes full of admiration.

"Amitabha. Brother Li and Sister Lu, your combined strength possesses such divine might; this monk is impressed."

The faces of Li Xun and Yan Hong were etched with shock and jealousy.

They asked themselves if even the strongest Daoist arts of Incense Burning Valley could achieve such a clearing effect.

Qi Hao's expression was ugly to the extreme.

He watched Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi standing side by side like a perfect couple, and the fire of jealousy in his heart nearly burned away his reason.

Qi Hao realized that the gap between himself and Li Xiaoyu had not narrowed; instead, it was widening further.

This sense of powerlessness drove him mad.

Li Xiaoyu paid no mind to the reactions of the others, sheathing his Autumn Water Sword as he gazed solemnly into the depths of the cave.

"Everyone, do not lower your guard. The true threat likely lies ahead."

He could feel that the source of that bloody, evil aura was located in the deepest part of the cavern.

Hearing this, the group set aside their distracting thoughts, braced themselves once more, and continued deeper into the cave.

The ground was carpeted with a layer of bat carcasses and black slime, which crunched with a sickening sound underfoot, making one's scalp tingle.

After walking for another incense stick's time, the space ahead suddenly opened up.

A massive underground karst cave appeared before them.

The dome of the cavern was incredibly high, reaching a hundred zhang, and was hung with strangely shaped stalactites.

In the center of the cavern stood an artificially constructed altar.

The altar was built from black stone and carved with eerie, blood-colored runes that exuded an ominous aura.

Surrounding the altar were several black banners, upon which twisted ghostly faces flickered in and out of existence, emitting silent wails.

On the altar, several figures sat cross-legged, seemingly performing some kind of ritual.

The leader was a burly man with a thick, tangled beard.

Beside him stood several others, their auras equally powerful and evil.

There was a handsome but effeminate youth dressed in white, holding a folding fan.

There was a beautiful young woman with a seductive figure.

There was also a tall, thin man with a sinister gaze.

Behind them stood a large man with a peculiar appearance, carrying a gray Fang Club on his back.

Blood Refining Hall!

Upon seeing these people, the name flashed instantly through the minds of Li Xiaoyu and the others.

There was no doubt that these individuals were the core members of the Blood Refining Hall of the Demon Sect.

Just as the group discovered them, the people on the altar discovered the group as well.

"I didn't expect the little rabbits of the righteous path to have such sharp noses, actually finding their way here."

The burly, bearded man slowly stood up and turned around, his copper-bell-like eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty red light.

His gaze swept over the group, finally landing on Li Xiaoyu.

"You are the leader of the Green Cloud Sect, Li Xiaoyu?"

His voice was like a booming bell, echoing through the empty cavern.

"I am the Hall Master of the Blood Refining Hall, Nian Laoda!"

He announced his name, and the pressure of an Upper Purity Realm expert erupted, crashing down upon the group.

The expressions of Faxiang, Li Xun, and the others changed; they felt as if a mountain were pressing down on their hearts, making it difficult to breathe.

They had not expected the Hall Master of the Blood Refining Hall to be such a formidable expert!

His cultivation was only a step away from the masters of their respective sects!

Li Xiaoyu stood at the very front, bearing the brunt of the pressure alone.

He felt a tightness in his chest, but his expression remained unchanged as the spiritual energy of his Taiji Profound Clarity Path circulated automatically, easily neutralizing the pressure.

"Hall Master Nian, you evildoers of the Blood Refining Hall are stirring up trouble and harming living beings here. Today, we have come to act on behalf of Heaven and wipe you all out!"

Li Xiaoyu's voice was cold, and the Autumn Water Sword in his hand was drawn once more, pointing directly at Nian Laoda on the altar.

"Hahahaha!"

Nian Laoda looked up and laughed wildly, as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"Act on behalf of Heaven? What a fine 'act on behalf of Heaven'!"

His laughter ceased, and his expression turned ferocious.

"Do you few wet-behind-the-ears brats really think you can spout such nonsense before me?"

"Don't think that just because you beat back some mindless beasts, you're truly invincible!"

"Today, I shall let you witness the true methods of the Blood Refining Hall!"

He let out a loud shout, issuing orders to the few people beside him.

"Lin Feng, Liu Gao, go deal with that brat from Incense Burning Valley and the monk from Heavenly Sound Temple!"

"Beautiful lady, go and meet that little beauty with the blue divine sword!"

"As for this leader who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth," Nian Laoda's gaze locked onto Li Xiaoyu, a cruel smile curling his lips, "I shall handle him personally!"

"Yes, Hall Master!"

The few beside him replied in unison, then transformed into several streaks of light, lunging fiercely toward the righteous sect members.

The white-clad youth named Lin Feng unfurled the folding fan in his hand, and instantly, a gale arose, the wind carrying countless sharp blades of air as it swept toward Li Xun and Faxiang.

Meanwhile, the thin and tall Liu Gao summoned a yellow flying sword; its light was eerie, specifically targeting the lower body with extreme treachery.

The beautiful young woman let out a coquettish laugh, and a red Immortal Binding Rope appeared out of thin air in her hand, coiling toward Lu Xueqi like a spirit snake.

A great battle erupted in an instant!

Li Xun and Faxiang joined forces to take on Lin Feng and Liu Gao.

The flames of Incense Burning Valley and the Buddhist light of Heavenly Sound Temple mingled, temporarily holding off the opponent's attacks, but it was clear they could not gain the upper hand.

On Lu Xueqi's side, she had fallen into a bitter struggle.

The beautiful woman's Immortal Binding Rope was extremely bizarre; not only was it tough, making it difficult for the Tianya divine sword to sever it, but it also emitted a fragrance that disturbed the mind.

Lu Xueqi could only rely on her profound cultivation and the spirituality of Tianya to barely protect herself, finding herself tightly entangled by the opponent.

Qi Hao and Zhang Xiaofan were intercepted by the Wild Dog Daoist, who brandished a Fang Club.

Although the Wild Dog Daoist's cultivation was not as high as the others, the Fang Club in his hand was heavy and powerful, each strike carrying the force of a thousand jun. Qi Hao's Ice Sword energy could not fully withstand it, and he was forced to retreat again and again.

Zhang Xiaofan brandished his Fire Poker, relying on the bizarre nature of his magic treasure to provide support from the side, yet he was still in constant peril.

The entire battle situation was extremely unfavorable for the righteous side.

And this was not the worst of it.

The worst part was on Li Xiaoyu's side.

He had to face the Hall Master of the Blood Refining Hall, Nian Laoda, whose cultivation reached the ninth level of the Jade Purity Realm!

"Brat, are you ready to die?"

Nian Laoda sneered, walking toward Li Xiaoyu step by step.

With every step he took, the entire cavern seemed to tremble.

He did not use any magic treasure, simply raising his fist and throwing a punch toward Li Xiaoyu.

This punch appeared plain and unadorned, yet it contained the power to collapse mountains and snap ridges.

Before the fist wind even arrived, Li Xiaoyu felt a pressure capable of grinding him into powder rushing toward his face.

To take it head-on meant certain death!

Li Xiaoyu's pupils constricted sharply; without hesitation, he stepped out the Seven Stars pattern and flashed to the side.

His figure became blurred the moment the fist wind reached his body, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

"Boom!"

Nian Laoda's fist slammed heavily into the spot where Li Xiaoyu had been standing.

The hard rocky ground was like tofu, blasted into a giant pit several zhang deep.

Gravel splattered everywhere, and dust filled the air.

"Hm? You actually managed to dodge?"

A flash of surprise crossed Nian Laoda's eyes, immediately replaced by cruel excitement.

"Interesting. It seems you have some secrets on you, brat."

"However, in the face of my absolute power, any technique is futile!"

He roared again, his fists raining down upon Li Xiaoyu like a downpour.

For a time, the entire cavern was filled with fist shadows, the booming sounds incessant.

Li Xiaoyu's figure was like a lone boat in a raging sea amidst the sky-filling fist shadows, constantly dodging and shifting, teetering on the brink of disaster.

The situation was critical to the extreme!