The words "fiendish energy infusion" exploded like thunder in the minds of every cultivator in the square! Before anyone could react, the dark-red torrent of fiendish energy pouring from the crack in the Profound Fiend Power Heaven-Piercing Hall surged toward every person present with unerring precision, as though it were alive!
This fiendish energy was utterly unlike that outside. Not only was it a hundred times purer, but it also carried an incomparably domineering pressure of will, as though it intended to crush everything! An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely crumble at its touch!
"This is bad!"
"Block it!"
Cries of alarm rang out! Everyone unleashed their abilities, summoning protective artifacts, casting defensive spells, or transforming into streaks of light to evade it. Yet the torrent seemed to ignore distance itself, reaching them in an instant!
"Pfft!" One itinerant cultivator at the Foundation Establishment middle stage had his protective Spiritual Light torn apart like paper. Fiendish energy flooded his body, and his eyes instantly turned crimson. He let out an inhuman howl as his body swelled as though inflated, then burst into a cloud of blood with a bang! His soul was annihilated!
Several others with weaker cultivation or inadequate defenses followed, their bodies exploding one after another! A thick stench of blood filled the square in moments.
The instant the fiendish energy reached him, Han Li knew evasion was useless. A fierce gleam flashed in his eyes. Rather than retreat, he drove the Profound Fiend Asura Art at full power. The Profound Fiend True Core in his dantian spun madly, generating a powerful suction!
"Just what I wanted! Watch me devour you!"
The dark-red torrent slammed into his body! A violent energy far beyond anything he had imagined pierced his meridians like billions of steel needles, battering his dantian and sea of consciousness! The domineering will within it crashed into his soul like a heavy hammer!
"Urgh-!" Han Li groaned, his face turning deathly pale. Blood seeped from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and his body shook violently, as though he might follow the others to his death at any moment!
[Warning! Highly concentrated Profound Fiend Power Origin intrusion! Energy level too high! Host's body is on the verge of collapse!] [Emergency activation! Overclocking the Profound Fiend Asura Art! Maximizing fiendish energy refinement efficiency! Reinforcing the spiritual sense protective barrier!] [Channeling energy to strike the bottleneck! Danger! High reward!]
There was a hint of madness in the system's shrill alarms! Han Li clenched his teeth until they cracked, desperately guarding the last shred of clarity in his mind. Relying on a tenacious will far beyond others of his level and the system's assistance, he forcibly channeled the destructive energy along the prescribed pathways of the Profound Fiend Asura Art, circulating and refining it furiously!
His meridians cycled between tearing and repairing, while the sea of energy in his dantian was forcibly expanded. Like stubborn iron thrown into a furnace, his Profound Fiend True Core was continuously tempered through destruction and rebirth! Meanwhile, the Spirit-Nurturing Stone and the mental barrier constructed by the system struggled to withstand the assault of that domineering will!
The process was agonizing and perilous beyond measure! Tainted blood and impurities continuously seeped from Han Li's pores, while countless little snakes seemed to writhe beneath his skin, giving him a hideous, terrifying appearance. Yet the light in his eyes grew ever brighter!
Hold on! Refine it!
He roared inwardly, pushing the resilience forged through two lifetimes to its limit!
Many others faced the same ordeal. Feng Yue of Heavenly Tower Fort blazed with golden light, as though cast from gold. He endured the fiendish energy head-on, blood spilling from his mouth and nose, yet refused to retreat a single step! The green-robed elder of the Spirit Controlling Sect merged with the Demon Python, demonic energy clashing fiercely with fiendish energy! The sinister young man of the Ghost King Sect summoned a Ten-Thousand-Soul Banner. Countless Vengeful Ghosts wailed as they devoured the fiendish energy, making the banner ripple violently! Cool moonlight surrounded Nangong Wan of the Covering Moon Sect, forming a cocoon that slowly dissolved the fiendish energy. She seemed composed, but the cocoon trembled faintly. The little fox on Han Yunzhi's shoulder spat out its inner core, casting gentle white light over its mistress.
Dugu Jian became one with his sword, annihilating the fiendish energy with razor-sharp sword intent! The honest-looking fat cultivator's body, meanwhile, was like a bottomless pit, actually absorbing the fiendish energy slowly. A trace of greed flashed deep in his eyes!
Elder Feng of the Black Fiend Cult and the members of the Feng Family were in far worse straits. Their cultivation arts did not share an origin with this pure Profound Fiend Power, making resistance exceptionally difficult. Elder Feng even spat out a mouthful of blood.
Time crept by, each breath stretching as long as a year. Cultivators continued to succumb, their bodies bursting apart. The number of people in the square dwindled rapidly.
After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, the torrent pouring from the hall finally began to weaken, then slowly dissipated.
Thud! Thud!
Most of the survivors collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Their faces were deathly pale and their auras feeble; clearly, they had suffered serious injuries. Of the nearly thirty people who had been there, fewer than fifteen remained! Every one of them was the cream of the crop!
Han Li slowly straightened and wiped the blood from his face, brilliant light flashing from his eyes! Though he looked bedraggled, spiritual power surged within him. His aura had not weakened-instead, it had become deeper and more immense! With the system's assistance, he had successfully refined part of the Profound Fiend Power Origin, firmly consolidating his cultivation at Foundation Establishment Late Stage. His Profound Fiend True Core had grown more solid, and his control over fiendish energy had reached an entirely new height! The Profound Fiend Asura Art had even begun to brush against the threshold of a higher realm!
[Ding! Successfully survived "fiendish energy infusion"! Physical strength increased by 20%, meridian resilience increased by 15%, Profound Fiend True Core quality improved, affinity with Profound Fiend Power Origin greatly increased! Reward: Slaughter Points +8000.]
The system's notification confirmed what he felt.
His gaze swept across the square. Nangong Wan, Han Yunzhi, Feng Yue, the green-robed elder, the sinister young man, Dugu Jian, the fat cultivator, and several others had all survived. Though their conditions varied, their eyes had all grown sharper. Elder Feng of the Black Fiend Cult and the Feng Family members had survived as well, but their injuries were severe. They looked at Han Li with eyes full of venomous resentment and fearful shock.
"You have passed the first trial. You may enter the inner hall." The thunderous voice rang out again, and the heavy doors slowly opened, revealing the shadowy hall beyond.
Everyone's spirits lifted. They struggled to their feet, swallowed pills, and briefly regulated their breathing before rushing eagerly toward the doors. With opportunity right before their eyes, who would willingly fall behind?
Han Li was in no hurry. He walked at the rear, scanning the hall's interior warily. The space inside was vast, with dozens of enormous pillars carved with images of demonic gods. Jet-black jade paved the floor, and pure fiendish energy filled the air, though it was much gentler than before. Deep within the hall, three gateways glowing with different lights were faintly visible.
Three doors? Do they represent three different trials or opportunities? Han Li's thoughts raced.
Just as most of the group had rushed into the hall and were trying to choose a glowing gateway, another sudden change occurred!
"Heh heh heh... A pack of fools. Thank you for opening this inheritance ground for me!"
An eerie cackle came from outside the hall! Before the words had finished, several black figures swept inside like phantoms. Their leader was a pale-faced young man with sinister eyes, dressed in an elaborate black robe. His aura had actually reached the False Core realm! Behind him followed four Black-Clad Guards with vacant eyes and auras comparable to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection!
"The Black Fiend Cult's young master?!" the sinister young man from the Ghost King Sect cried out in shock!
"The Shadow Killer Sect will have its share, too!" On the other side, the honest-looking fat cultivator's figure shimmered, revealing his true appearance. He was actually a gaunt-faced old man whose unfathomable aura had likewise reached the False Core stage! Two shadowlike assassins appeared silently beside him!
"It's you! You were lying in wait outside all along!" Feng Yue roared.
"Only figured it out now? Too late!" The Black Fiend Cult's young master grinned viciously and swept his hand forward. "Kill them! Leave no one alive!"
The four Black-Clad Guards and the two Shadow Killer Sect assassins lunged at the group in an instant! Their attacks were ruthless and vicious, aimed straight at vital points!
"Form up! Engage the enemy!" Nangong Wan cried sharply, and the Covering Moon Sect disciples swiftly formed a battle formation. Feng Yue, the green-robed elder, and the others also attacked with furious shouts!
A chaotic battle erupted inside the hall in an instant!
Han Li's eyes were cold. He had sensed something was wrong long ago. The moment the Black Fiend Cult's young master appeared, he had used Shadowless Escape, silently concealing himself behind an enormous pillar.
You want to be the oriole waiting behind the mantis? You'll need the strength to pull it off! His gaze locked onto the False Core elder of the Shadow Killer Sect who was lunging toward Nangong Wan and Han Yunzhi. The Shadow Blade slipped silently into his palm, and pseudo core flame danced at his fingertips.
A Fiend Shadow Clone silently took shape.
The hunt had begun.
Before you continue