The Silver Demon Guard explicitly stated that the killing would begin once the incense burned out.
She even deliberately provided a buffer period.
This quarter of an hour.
Most people's first reaction was either to form cliques or to attach themselves to stronger individuals. Being part of a group always made one feel more secure.
However.
Li Shuang also noticed.
Those who actively gathered small groups were mostly the people on Ye Zhaozhao's list.
Among these 251 people, 23 had already joined the Heavenly Venerate Society. They must have experienced such a ritual once before.
In this ritual, the victors undoubtedly gained immense benefits, so they participated a second time. But to participate a second time, they couldn't do so without paying some price, could they?
Li Shuang thought for a moment, then suddenly walked towards the man from earlier.
The man looked at Li Shuang with some surprise: "What, have you suddenly changed your mind?"
Li Shuang shook her head. She merely pointed to the two seventeen or eighteen-year-old youths beside the man: "These two resemble you somewhat."
The two youths immediately showed nervous expressions.
The man, however, was quite calm: "Fellow Daoist has good eyesight. These are my two nephews. Our Song family happened to have two children with spiritual roots. Although their aptitude is ordinary, cultivation is still better than being mortals. So I brought them with me to teach them carefully."
Nephews...
Li Shuang's expression remained unchanged.
She then walked towards a woman.
That woman was also on Ye Zhaozhao's list, someone who had already entered the demonic path. Standing with her were two friends she had known for ten years.
Li Shuang then looked at Liu Bai and Ye Qing'er.
They were even more obvious.
Liu Bai and Ye Qing'er were likely Daoist companions.
A glimmer of understanding dawned in Li Shuang's mind.
Those who had won a killing once and wanted to participate a second time.
Their entry ticket was their closest and dearest, those they cared about most.
These twenty-three "ghosts" used their relatives' and friends' trust to drag them into this abyss.
Only then could they gain the opportunity to become stronger!
And those who became stronger through such means, even if it was out of necessity at first, would soon lose their humanity and become true devils!
Truly!
What a Heavenly Venerate Society!
A cold light flashed in Li Shuang's eyes.
She felt a rare urge to destroy everything.
Now.
Those who had been deceived still didn't know the true nature of the people around them, thinking that their companions were victims just like themselves.
Little did they know!
They were consciously pushing their closest and dearest into the abyss.
Of course.
Perhaps they thought they had rich experience, and under their protection, their relatives and friends would surely survive.
But... they themselves might not even succeed 100%, so how could they have the spare energy to protect others?
Even if they survived the killing together.
What about the future?
Would they continue to deceive the next batch of people into joining?
If this cycle continued, no one who reached the higher echelons of the Heavenly Venerate Society would be innocent; they would all be individuals who had lost their humanity!
These people deserved to die!
The quarter of an hour was almost up.
Small circles had already formed in the arena.
Li Shuang and her group did not join any small group. On the surface, they were still seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, a force not to be underestimated.
Immediately, everyone's gaze subtly turned towards them.
"Once the incense is lit, we'll unite and eliminate those seven first."
"Otherwise, if we leave them alone, and they suddenly attack after we've both suffered losses, we'll be in a passive position."
"Good. Let's get rid of them first."
The small groups communicated with each other, and in the end, they decided to target Li Shuang's group, who had refused to interact.
Liu Bai licked his lips.
The true blood of Foundation Establishment cultivators tasted much better than that of Qi Condensation cultivators.
Killing these seven people would greatly elevate the quality of this batch of true blood, and he would receive more rewards.
At a time like this, those people were still being aloof. If not them, then who should be killed first?
The others were even more eager.
One less person for others to kill meant one less for them. Focusing fire on those seven first would at least give them a greater chance of survival.
"See?" Sheng Yuan sneered. "You actively tried to talk to them, yet their first target is still us. What you did was completely useless."
Li Shuang didn't bother to explain anything to Sheng Yuan, merely shifting her gaze indifferently.
Sheng Yuan felt annoyed, and his grip on his sword tightened. Li Shuang was still so self-righteous! Was everything she did always right? Were others' words always wrong?
He would show her. He was not inferior to her.
"Time's up." Suddenly, the Silver Demon Guard's lazy voice rang out.
She gently blew a breath, and the incense stick beside her instantly ignited.
After a brief silence.
Most of the remaining people charged towards Li Shuang and her group. Li Shuang and her companions were fearless. Although they only used the power of the Foundation Establishment stage, the first few people who charged forward were instantly reduced to dust under the sword light.
The Silver Demon Guard watched silently, a strange light flashing in her eyes. She glanced at the Bronze Demon Guard beside her: "You were supposed to return three days later. Your return seems to be a few days early this time."
The Bronze Demon Guard's heart trembled, and he whispered: "I was eager to complete the task assigned by the Heavenly Venerate, so I returned early."
"Is that so?" The Silver Demon Guard smiled, speaking softly: "You are indeed loyal to the Heavenly Venerate."
The Bronze Demon Guard quickly said: "Without the Heavenly Venerate, I wouldn't be where I am today. For the Heavenly Venerate's great cause, I am willing to give everything."
The Silver Demon Guard looked at him: "Including your life?"
The Bronze Demon Guard said resolutely: "Including my life!"
The Silver Demon Guard nodded: "That's good."
The Bronze Demon Guard was about to further express his loyalty when suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in his chest.
He looked down, somewhat incredulously, at his chest.
His heart, in his chest, had been brutally dug out and was now slowly beating in the Silver Demon Guard's hand.
The Bronze Demon Guard's mouth hung open. He asked with difficulty: "Wh-why..."
Before he could finish, the Silver Demon Guard's fingers transformed into sharp claws, piercing his Dantian.
His last breath completely escaped him.
The Bronze Demon Guard's eyes were wide open as he fell stiffly to the ground.
The Silver Demon Guard looked at his corpse expressionlessly.
The Heavenly Venerate's plan had succeeded, and there was no need to keep this Bronze Demon Guard anymore.
The fish... had all taken the bait.
It was time to wrap things up.
In the center of the crowd.
Luo Mingyue suddenly opened her eyes.
Heavenly Venerate?
She seemed to have...
Found it!
A powerful spiritual energy surged, and Luo Mingyue swung her sword towards the main hall!
As the main hall was split in two, a blood-red, eerie heart rose from the ground. This heart actually entered the Bronze Demon Guard's body directly.
The aura on the Bronze Demon Guard's body surged, and in an instant, it had reached the Nascent Soul stage!