Chapter 98: A Large-Scale Cult Slaughterhouse
The smell made Fang Li's vision go black and her stomach churn.
The scene behind the stone gate made her scalp tingle instantly!
In the center of the secret chamber, a blood-red magic array was slowly operating! The intricate and twisted array patterns writhed like living things.
Inside the magic array, there was a mountain of pitch-black powder.
Even more chilling was the sight of dozens of emaciated figures bound tightly to the edge of the magic circle by thick black chains!
There were ordinary people in tattered clothes, as well as low-level cultivators with weak auras and tattered robes.
The life force within their bodies was being forcibly extracted by the magic array and channeled into its core!
Each face was contorted in agony, yet no sound could be uttered. The only sound was the soft rattling of the chains as they struggled in pain, like the death knell of hell!
At the center of the formation, a palm-sized token floated in mid-air. The token was black and red, made of neither gold nor wood, and its surface was engraved with a ferocious totem resembling a wolf's head and claws, radiating a chilling demonic aura!
Fang Li's pupils constricted sharply, and she screamed inwardly, "Holy crap! A massive cult slaughterhouse?! System! Scan! Record!"
System: [“Beep! SSS-level Netherworld energy detected! Demon Refining and Transformation Array! Operating at full power! Sacrificial offering's life points plummeting! That token… is the core energy source! Totem features detected… linked to the Northern Frontier! Host! Get out of here!”]
Shocked, Fang Li subconsciously took a step back, but accidentally stepped on a hidden rune on the ground!
Buzz—!
The entire secret chamber erupted in a burst of crimson light! The previously slowly flowing demonic energy instantly transformed into a surging black tide, roaring as it rushed towards Fang Li!
The chains binding the living beings trembled violently, emitting a piercing grinding sound! The dying sacrifices seemed to suffer even greater pain, letting out heartbreaking, wailing cries from their throats!
"Trespassing! Die!" Two furious shouts rang out from the shadows! Two dark figures rushed out like ghosts! Their eyes glowed with a terrifying red light, and their bodies were filled with surging demonic energy. Fang Li subconsciously sensed their cultivation level and found that they were at the Golden Core stage!
Two demonic claws, shrouded in the aura of death, tore through the air and aimed straight for Fang Li's vitals!
Fang Li's pupils contracted sharply, her mind went blank, and her survival instinct was instantly triggered!
She reacted almost instinctively.
She suddenly channeled her spiritual power into the hairpin, which she was holding tightly in her hand. The hairpin suddenly burst forth with azure light! A cyan light shield enveloped her within it!
They managed to block the first wave of surging demonic energy!
At the same time, the "Traceless Silk" talisman attached to her body was instantly activated! The talisman transformed into a nimble silver snake of light, coiling around the ankle of the black-robed man who had flung out the chain!
The black-robed man's forward momentum suddenly halted! The chain's trajectory shifted!
Taking advantage of the moment when the light shield blocked the demonic energy and the chains were slowed down, Fang Li rolled to the side with all her might! She narrowly avoided the chains' fatal piercing! The cold chains grazed her temples, pulling up a few strands of hair!
A ruthless glint flashed in Fang Li's eyes! She gritted her teeth, channeled all her spiritual power, and lightning crackled in her right palm as a lightning talisman shot out, striking the black-robed man whose ankle was bound by the "Traceless Silk"!
boom!
Lightning exploded! Blinding electric snakes slithered wildly across the black-robed man's protective demonic aura!
The black-robed man's protective demonic energy vibrated violently, and he let out a muffled groan. His movements were once again hindered, but no real damage was caused.
Fang Li's heart sank: "The Golden Core is this hard?! System! Help!"
The system screamed: [“Host, hold on! Reinforcements are on their way! Use the hairpin! Poke him! Anything from the secret realm is bound to be top-notch! Maybe it can break through his defenses!”]
The black-robed man, disturbed by the lightning talisman, roared, his scarlet eyes blazing with ferocity! He jerked violently, and the silver light snake on his ankle snapped off inch by inch! At the same time, another black-robed man's demonic claws slammed into Fang Li's cyan light shield!
*Sizzle!*
The protective shield shattered instantly, turning into specks of blue light that vanished!
Another chain of demonic energy, like a venomous snake turning its head, once again lunged at Fang Li's unsuspecting throat!
Fang Li's pupils reflected the deadly tip of the chain, and her hand instinctively reached for the jade pendant given to her by the Immortal Venerable in her bosom. But it was too fast! There wasn't even time to take it out!
Right at this critical moment!
"Step back!"
A sharp shout rang out!
A frost-covered sword aura tore through the darkness of the secret chamber, precisely striking the demonic energy chain that was devouring Fang Li's throat!
The chains snapped instantly! The demonic energy dissipated!
Shen Yunzhou's figure, enveloped in overwhelming sword intent, stood in front of Fang Li! His black robes fluttered as he locked onto the two men in black robes!
Almost simultaneously!
A flash of silver light appeared before Fang Li! A silver light shield composed of countless intricate runes materialized out of thin air! It forcefully blocked the still-powerful claws of the other black-robed man after he had shattered the light shield!
Bang!
The demonic claws collided with the light shield, producing a dull thud! The light shield flickered violently, absorbing most of the impact!
Xie Chen appeared at the entrance of the secret chamber right after Shen Yunzhou. The spiritual light at his fingertips had not yet dissipated, and he reactivated the "Traceless Silk" talisman attached to Fang Li, forming this second light shield!
"You dare touch my junior sister! You're asking for death!"
A deafening roar exploded! Half of the stone wall collapsed with a crash! Ji Qianqiu, like a ferocious humanoid beast, clad in golden armor and wielding a battle axe, charged in, accompanied by a gale! He disregarded everything, his battle axe carrying the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, fiercely cleaving towards the black-robed man who had been forced back by Shen Yunzhou's sword energy! His power was savage, and his aura astonishing!
"Ice and Fire Twin Lotus Binding!"
In the corner, Mo Yun and Ling Shuang attacked simultaneously! Mo Yun's fingertip talisman transformed into ice-blue chains, while Ling Shuang's divine sense activated a blazing red lotus! Ice shards and flames intertwined and bound another black-robed man who was trying to pounce on Fang Li! Although they couldn't completely imprison him, they successfully controlled him briefly, creating an excellent opportunity for Shen Yunzhou and Ji Qianqiu to attack!
I'll beat you up!
Tie Pan roared and charged in! He looked around but couldn't find a suitable weapon, so he picked up a heavy stone lock from the corner of the secret chamber and slammed it with all his might against a blood-red rune node on the edge of the magic circle! He tried to destroy the array's foundation and create chaos!
However, the two black-robed men at the Golden Core stage, empowered by the demonic array, were fearless. Their eyes shone brightly with red light, and their demonic energy became even more violent. They were willing to exchange their lives for each other and use a wicked technique to perish together!
Just then!
Space froze without warning!
The surging demonic energy, the bursting blood light, the wielding battle axe, and the shooting sword energy were all frozen in time!
A figure descended like a cold moon from the heavens! Ye Wuyang's black robes fluttered, and the annihilating sword intent surrounding him swept across the entire secret chamber in an instant!
The surging demonic energy instantly dissipated and vanished without a trace! The blood-red light of the Demon Refining and Transformation Array also shattered, the runes broke apart inch by inch, and it completely collapsed!
The two black-robed men, who were bursting with demonic energy and desperately trying to fight, were struck as if by a heavy hammer. They spat out mouthfuls of black blood and flew backward like broken sacks, crashing heavily into the stone wall. The sound of their bones breaking could be clearly heard. Their auras instantly weakened, and they were seriously injured and on the verge of death!
The black and red token floating at the core of the formation also began to tremble violently, and the blood-red light on its surface rapidly dimmed, as if it were being suppressed by some kind of force!
The might of the Celestial Venerable! Suppressing Heaven and Earth! All things submit!
In the secret chamber, only the figure in the black robe remained, standing alone, along with the crowd who had survived the ordeal and were still shaken.
Fang Li gazed up at that familiar figure, a mix of lingering fear and indescribable complex emotions churning within her. A powerful, awe-inspiring shout escaped her lips: "Immortal Venerable! Amazing! A god descended to earth! So incredibly cool!" Then, a surge of self-reflection washed over her: "Sigh…Immortal Venerable saved me again…If my senior brothers hadn't arrived in time, I wouldn't have survived a single blow. The Thoughts of Return Hairpin, though powerful, is ultimately an external object. My current cultivation… is still too weak! No! When I get back, I'll put in the same effort I did for the college entrance exam and level up like crazy! I'll crush them!"
The leader echoed incoherently in her mind:
"Host! I support you! Roll! Roll like crazy!"
Shen Yunzhou, who was standing to the side, stopped his forward momentum, sheathed his sword and stood still. The veins on the back of his hand holding the sword were bulging. He looked up at the figure with a complicated and unreadable expression.
Xie Chen's fanning motion completely stopped, a deep glint of light flickered in his eyes, which eventually turned into silence. He bowed and respectfully greeted the figure.
Ji Qianqiu also sheathed his battle axe, scratched his head, and looked at the devastating scene before him. After a long pause, he could only utter a few words: "Holy crap... Immortal Venerable... Awesome!"
Mo Yun, Ling Shuang, and Tie Pan were all deeply shaken and bowed their heads in reverence.
Ye Wuyang ignored everyone. His cold gaze swept over the collapsed magic array, over the pitiful creatures who were on the verge of death and whose life force had been drained, and there was only coldness in his eyes.
He raised his hand and grabbed at the dim token at the center of the formation.
The token flew effortlessly into his palm. It was icy cold to the touch, carrying a strong, sinister aura.
He ran his fingertips along the ferocious wolf head and claw totem on the token, his eyes thoughtful, as if confirming something.
Just then, the dim token flickered faintly! A sense of resonance seemed to point towards the distant north.
Ye Wuyang's gaze narrowed slightly.
He didn't linger. With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle force shielded the still-shaken Fang Li beside him. He coldly swept his gaze across the chaotic, wailing room and uttered only one word: "Go."
No one dared to delay and immediately followed. As Xie Chen passed the pile of Soul-Eating Grass powder, he subtly swept it with his jade fan and quietly collected a sample.
As they retreated from the secret chamber and disappeared at the end of the passage, Li Yan stood there at the entrance, his face ashen. He stared at the collapsed formation, the critically wounded and dying black-robed confidant, and the complete mess inside. His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his eyes filled with anger and resentment! His pawns had gone out of control, and his conspiracy had been completely exposed!
The group had just left the Prince's residence area when they stopped at a secluded alley corner. Ye Wuyang didn't even glance at it, casually tossing the black and red token, which exuded an eerie aura, to Fang Li beside her.
"Keep it safe." The voice remained cold and indifferent.
After saying this, before anyone could react, his figure transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.
Fang Li instinctively caught the chilling token, still reeling from the Immortal Venerable's sudden act of throwing something away.
In his mind, the system's exclamation exploded: ["Host! This token...something's wrong! When the Immortal Venerable was holding it just now, it seemed...it seemed to be secretly absorbing the Immortal Venerable's immortal energy?! Although it was only a tiny bit! But it definitely was! Has this GPS become sentient?!"]
Fang Li's heart skipped a beat, and she looked down at the strange token in her hand.
Behind her, the eyes of several people instantly focused on the token in her hand.
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