"Hmm, my mind and spirit were shaken just now, but now that I feel this evil qi again, why does it feel so comfortable?" a disciple said in some surprise.
"Me too. I've noticed my true qi circulating a little faster. Ah, my true qi has become more concentrated too."
"Quick, quick, quick! Hurry and sense this evil qi. It can increase our strength!"
And so, the disciples nearby all tried to absorb some of the evil qi erupting from the vortex to increase their internal power.
Unfortunately, before they could enjoy their delight for long, several screams rang out.
Those who screamed died on the spot, blood pouring from all seven orifices.
"Stop! Get back! Is this evil qi something you can absorb directly?" Old Kong shouted.
Although the remaining disciples had not died, all of them showed signs of trouble to varying degrees and appeared seriously injured.
After hearing Old Kong's shout, the disciples who were still alive struggled desperately to retreat, frantically trying to expel the evil qi they had inhaled as they did so.
But as they retreated, quite a few more fell.
In the end, probably only a third of those disciples managed to retreat several dozen yards. The others had either died immediately or perished along the way.
The surviving disciples stared at the vortex with lingering fear. They had never imagined that what they had thought was a tremendous opportunity for them would turn out to be a nightmare.
Still, inwardly, they counted themselves lucky. Though their injuries were serious, they were alive after all.
Compared with those who had died, they were countless times more fortunate.
"Did you feel the formation shaking?" Old Kong asked, delighted.
Old Chen nodded quickly, equally delighted. "I felt it. It works. It really works."
With