The blood-red demonic clouds over Myriad Demon Valley weighed down so heavily that it was hard to breathe. The rank fumes rising from rotten leaves mingled with the whispers of vengeful souls, lingering among the towering ancient trees.
Han Li and Zi Ling led two trembling Enforcement Hall disciples deeper into the valley along the hidden path indicated by the skeletal remains.
Ever since their rescue, the two disciples had been as silent as cicadas in winter. Following behind, they kept glancing at the Crystal-Spike Formation Flags at Han Li's waist, their eyes filled with both awe and unconcealed greed.
Han Li stopped on a secluded stone platform surrounded by enormous poisonous mushrooms. Turning around, he condensed crystal-core spiritual power into a silver thread in his palm and pressed it lightly against the lead disciple's brow.
"Tell me the real reason Elder Mo Canglan sent you here, and what you discovered in Myriad Demon Valley." Han Li's voice was even, but carried an unquestionable pressure.
Cold sweat seeped from the disciple's forehead as he stammered, "S-Senior Brother Han... we... we were ordered by Elder Sun to protect Elder Mo Canglan in secret... He said he wanted to find a long-lost spirit herb here and told us to follow at a distance, in case anything happened..."
"Protect him?" Han Li sneered. The silver thread quivered, and the disciple instantly cried out in pain. "Then why did your Storage Bags contain a fragment of the Blood Soul Pill Recipe and a Demon Tribe contact token?"
The other disciple could not help blurting out, "Those... Elder Mo gave those to us! He said the pill could suppress the backlash of the Blood Soul Curse and told us to keep them safe at all costs..."
Han Li and Zi Ling exchanged a glance, doubts