Liang Province, Chu Kingdom, west of the battle line.
Night hung heavy, and rain poured down.
This place was still some distance from the main battlefield at Red Maple Plain. Most righteous cultivators had gathered near Red Maple Plain, leaving few traces of people here.
The moon hid among the clouds.
At the foot of Crane Rock Mountain, two figures wearing bamboo hats walked slowly into the depths of the mountain beneath the moonlight.
Both were at the late Qi Refining stage. Behind them, specially made chains bound a female cultivator in tattered robes.
The woman seemed to have just survived a fierce battle. Blood covered her, her face was pale, and her steps faltered.
Yet her expression held no timidity or fear, only towering hatred.
The downpour had soaked her gauze skirt completely. The fabric clung tightly to her body, outlining the young woman's graceful figure.
Yet she used no Spiritual Power to ward off the moisture, as though she did not care at all.
She merely concentrated on listening to the two figures talking ahead.
The thunder and rain were loud, but she could still hear them clearly.
"After killing all those people and each abducting a few righteous female cultivators to bring back for their pleasure, those bumpkins ought to settle down for a while..."
"Luckily, we've handled things fairly cleanly these past few times. Otherwise, we might get dragged down with them."
The speaker was thin. When he mentioned those Chu Kingdom cultivators who had betrayed the righteous side and joined the Demon Ruins camp, his tone dripped with disdain.
The other man was somewhat taller and more muscular. "Brother Bin, when exactly can we launch a full-scale attack?"
"How would I know?"
For this invasion, the Demon Ruins cultivators had established their main base in