The demonic cultivators looked on in horror, petrified by the sudden death of one of their members and the appearance of a second Foundation Establishment cultivator.
A single newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator might prove to be a tough opponent for 10 Qi Refinement cultivators at their peak, however fighting against 2 at once was merely suicide.
"Run!"
They tried to scatter in different directions in a desperate attempt to increase their chances of survival, only to make one fatal miscalculation.
They did not consider the possibility of there being more people with the duo.
A voice called out from above, "Five Lights Sealing Array!"
A five colored dome materialized, sealing the 9 remaining demonic cultivators inside. Initial panic turned into despair, as the group quickly realized that no matter what attacks they threw at the barrier, nothing could break through.
Zhang Yun Guang jumped down and regrouped his companions. A single look at the snake tattoos around the necks of the demonic cultivators was all that he needed to see before he clenched one fist.
The barrier shrunk down, forcing the demonic cultivators to get closer and closer, their shouts muffled and desperate.
Making a hand seal, the dome shined a vibrant red, before a violent torrent of flame bloomed from within the barrier.
A few seconds later, the scholarly young man snapped his fingers, dispersing both the flames and the dome barrier.
The nine Qi Refining demonic cultivators had disappeared, leaving only piles of aches and storage pouches.
Bai Hu walked over and crouched over the headless corpse, his handiwork, "Couldn't we have questioned one of them?"
Cheng Xia shook his head, "They were all marked with a binding curse, which can be seen by the tattoos each of those heretics had on their necks"
The boy thought back to the snake tattoos on the necks and how they seemed almost alive.
"How do these curses work?"
Zhang Yun Guang cleared his throat, "The demonic path is well versed in these sorts of techniques, often featuring brands on the body or soul. These brands act as contracts, in which if they are violated, results in the gruesome death of the cultivator"
Bai Hu tilted his head, "Couldn't we have gotten some clues before they died though?"
The scholar shook his head, "The curse is instant and acts the moment the thought of going against the terms of contract surface"
The boy frowned, disgusted by the cruel methods of the demonic cultivators. Naturally, the righteous path also had similar methods, but none he has heard of reached such levels of cruelty and gruesomeness.
Gathering up ten storage pouches, the trio looked through its contents to loot and glean some clues.
Spirit stones, talismans, and other regular treasures were found, none of which were corrupted by the foul energy of the demonic path.
They split these things, adding a few drops to their wealth. While Qi Refinement cultivators are unlikely to surpass a Foundation Establishment cultivator's reserves, for newly advanced ones such as them, it was still a decent amount of wealth.
It is no wonder why killing is so frequent in the cultivation world, in both righteous and wicked paths. Quick and easy profits is enough of an allure for cultivators who are racing against time itself, needing to cultivate to raise their strength and lifespan.
After sorting and looting, what remained were the demonic items which the demonic cultivators carried.
From vials of blood and souls to magic treasures emanating a wicked feeling in the hearts of onlookers, there was no shortage of them. Not to mention, books and tomes containing demonic techniques.
Zhang Yun Guang flipped through the books and confirmed they were indeed demonic techniques, following sect rules and destroying everything with a fireball.
This is not just to prevent the techniques from falling into the hands of other cultivators and mortals, but also to prevent orthodox cultivators from turning to these techniques. These such cases were rare, but have happened in the past regardless, leading to some tragic events.
Fwoosh!
Bai Hu put out the flames with his qi, before waving his sleeves to scatter the ashes with wind.
There were no instructions that may lead to why the demonic cultivators were in Spirit Sect territory, but whatever the case, the few exchanges Bai Hu had heard was enough for them to know that something was wrong.
Cheng Xia sighed, "Alas, there is not much we can do here. We can only hope for the best and grow our strength. Our current priority though is to get through this damned forest and the plains"
This was met with agreement from Bai Hu and Zhang Yun Guang, who both wished they could get out of discomfort and danger.
-
Over the course of a month, Bai Hu, Cheng Xia, and Zhang Yun Guang made rapid progress through the Grand Beast Forest.
Avoiding stronger Second Stage beasts, whilst feasting upon fire grilled magical beast meat, the trio sustained themselves through thick and thin over the course of a month.
Finally, their path ahead brightened significantly, opening up to wide plains with tall green grass.
Thump!
Bai Hu plopped down on the soft grass, his sore arms splayed outwards as he rested his tense muscles. His companions did the same, their dirty robes stained with grime. While qi could easily cleanse the dirt, the constant movement and vigilance left no time for such luxuries.
From now on however, it was smooth sailing, as the plains outside the Grand beast Forest contained close to no magical beasts. The few that inhabit it were no stronger than the first stage.
Additionally, the terrain was much smoother, allowing for quicker travels. At most, it might only take them a week to get to the main city of the Hei Long Province.
After a few minutes of rest and cleaning up the dirt from their robes, the trio began to move, making great strides thanks to the flat terrain of the plains and the lack of troubles. Any beast that was around shrunk away in fear, for their Foundation Establishment aura was in full display.
Suddenly, after 3 days of smooth sailing, Bai Hu raised a hand to signal a stop, his expression dark as his superior Divine Sense probed on ahead. His killing intent seeped out as he cursed.
"Tsk, these damned demonic cultivators. They actually dared to set up a stronghold in these plains under the Spirit Sect's domain"
They got closer, enough for Cheng Xia and Zhang Yun Guang to get a good look at what Bai Hu saw. When they did see, their killing intent burst out in a similar fashion.
In the middle of the vast plains, a newly built stone fort had been erected, jutting out against the grassy field. Three meter tall stone walls surrounded the perimeter, keeping beasts out of roughly a dozen hastily built huts.
Additionally, Formation flags have been planted, setting up a concealing Formation that could not hide from the senses of talented Foundation Establishment cultivators.
They could see roughly a dozen demonic cultivators, simply sitting around and cultivating as if they were waiting for something.
None surpassed the ninth level of Qi Refinement, and the trio had already made up their minds to destroy every trace of the establishment.
A few hours passed, and night blanketed the plains, the moon covered by a blanket of thick clouds.
Inside the settlement, a dozen Qi Refinement cultivators left for their huts, ready to retire for the night. Their days seemed dull, and their lack of attentiveness while in enemy territory would cost them.
As lights from spirit stones dimmed, the Formation that concealed the settlement suddenly collapsed.
Crack!
A loud sound reverberated across the plains as the misty barrier shattered like glass. Before any of the demonic cultivators could react, the aura of 3 Foundation Establishment cultivators exploded forth, suppressing everyone where they were.
No one could see what was happening, much to their despair, but a voice that echoed from above sealed their fates.
"Five Lights Sealing Array!"
A multi colored dome surrounded the entire perimeter, and qi of the 5 elements enveloped everyone within the dome.
Up in the sky, Zhang Yun Guang stood midair with his hands formed in a hand seal. By his side were Bai Hu and Cheng Xia, who lacked attacks that targeted a large range.
Zhang Yun Guang chanted, metal qi gathering for a moment, before his eyes turned cold.
"Die"
Down below, metal pikes shot from the ground, dozens each piercing the bodies of the immobilized demonic cultivators, their frail bodies unable to resist. Screams were cut short, and soon enough the camp went silent.
Moments later, the bodies and their possessions were gathered in a pile, while much of the settlement had been torn down with brute force.
Zhang Yun Guang scratched his head as he sorted through the possessions of the demonic cultivators, before shaking his head and letting a fireball burn everything.
"Nothing on them gives us any clue as to what they are here for," he grumbled.