Chapter 257 - 263: Blood Water

Words : 1297 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

But Li Zhirui and the multitude of cultivators, following Sect Master Wen to the edge of Wind Corruption Prefecture, only began to arrange their troops and establish their formation hundreds of miles apart, and soon afterward, the teams were assigned. Because it was extremely straightforward and rough, each family's Golden Core cultivators would lead a team, forming a squad of no more than fifty people, charging into the domain of Yin Wind Cave, immediately engaging in combat upon sighting any demon cultivators. "I will lead the charge, Shiren, Shiting, you two guard the flanks, Zhirui, and Zhixuan, you take the rear," Li Shiqing said after distributing the teams, taking the most dangerous position for himself. "Uncle, let me do it," Li Zhirui shook his head, stepping forward to say, "Don't forget, I have Da Qing with me." Moreover, even without Da Qing, his strength was superior to Li Shiqing's; it was only fitting that he should be the one to lead the charge. "All right then," Li Shiqing could only nod in agreement under Li Zhirui's firm gaze, swapping positions with him. Teams like that of the Li family, banding together, were quite common, after all, these were all trusted family members, and by joining hands on such a perilous battlefield, there was a greater chance of survival. Shen Leishan also did not intervene to stop them; no matter what means you used, as long as you could eradicate Yin Wind Cave, it was acceptable. Why were they forming teams? Mainly to conveniently absorb some loose cultivators into the various families' squads. This way, Shen Leishan could cut down some expenses since, despite their vast resources, even they would find it taxing, and during this prolonged battle, there might arise a shortage or insufficiency of spiritual objects, so saving wherever possible mattered. Li Zhirui looked at the twenty-something loose cultivators standing beside him, meek and silent, and after a moment of thought, said, "Don't worry, your treatment will be the same as everyone else's daily. We won't deliberately skimp on you." Of course, they needed to pay a certain price, such as scouting for intelligence at the forefront, or, for example, when the group assembled to move forward, they would have to stand in the hazardous periphery. Yet Li Zhirui's approach, in the midst of all the powers gathered, didn't seem cruel but rather somewhat gentle. Other forces wouldn't waste spirit pills on loose cultivators and would instead press them hard, sending them to their deaths, to dangerous areas for reconnaissance. Even so, this did not make them feel any happier, because no matter what, it was still sending them to their deaths. "Hmm, if any of you save the life of a member of the Li family, we will provide a subsidy in private, which can include spiritual objects, or even protection for your offspring, and even a Foundation Establishment Pill is not out of the question!" Seeing the cold expressions of the people, Li Zhirui added some rewards. Upon hearing this, their expressions finally became lively, as a Foundation Establishment Pill was an incredibly tempting lure for them! Despite the stringent conditions and considerable risks, it was nonetheless a way to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, or at the very least protect their descendants, or receive spiritual object rewards. The loose cultivators immediately livened up, a stark contrast to their previous disinterest, with some even volunteering to scout ahead. Li Zhirui naturally would not refuse this, allowing those few to leave the team and proceed into Wind Corruption Prefecture first. The final few hundred miles was not a long journey, but because of concerns about ambushes from demon cultivators, they proceeded with utmost caution. It wasn't until the final dozen miles that those loose cultivators hadn't returned; Li Zhirui grieved for them momentarily, then transmitted a message, "We're about to enter Wind Corruption Prefecture, everyone be cautious!" No sooner had his voice fallen than he saw several dark figures rushing forward in the distance. Unable to discern their identities, he could only shout a low warning, "Prepare yourselves, someone's coming!" But as they came closer, they turned out to be the very loose cultivators he had thought perished, so he asked, "What have you been doing?" "Elder Li, we just delved nearly a hundred miles into Wind Corruption Prefecture and didn't detect a single trace of a demon cultivator," one of the loose cultivators promptly said. "Hmm?" Li Zhirui raised an eyebrow. Were the demon cultivators retreating without a fight, or were they luring the enemy in deeper to ambush them? Of course, it was also possible that the demon cultivators were hiding too well, and these loose cultivators were unable to detect their presence due to their level of cultivation. "In that case, let's slow down a bit, no rush." Letting the other cultivators test the waters for them. There were not a few cultivators who shared Li Zhirui's thoughts, and the large troop promptly came to a halt. But there were always some who marched to their own drum, either impatient for success or confident in their own abilities. They stepped out from the crowd and entered the Wind Corruption Prefecture with their followers. "It looks like the demon cultivators have truly retreated!" Li Zhirui whispered as he saw them walk for miles without encountering any ambush from the demon cultivators. Consequently, more cultivators entered. Seeing the crowd swelling, Li Zhirui reluctantly ordered everyone to stay put and wait before going in. Unexpectedly, it was because of this that they avoided a disaster! After a large number of cultivators had entered the Wind Corruption Prefecture, the demon cultivators concealed deep underground unveiled their disguises and burst forth suddenly. In an instant, Spirit Light shone from all directions, and a huge formation materialized in a moment, encompassing all the cultivators within. "This is..." A formation master from Shen Leishan shouted in an anxious voice, "Not good! This is the Blood Sea Genesis Grand Array! Everyone must strike with all their might, we must break the Great Array before it activates!" Li Zhirui and the others didn't know what kind of formation this was, but the urgency and fear in the person's voice were clear. Immediately, a surge of spells, Divine Powers, and various magic artifacts appeared, forming a brilliant and colorful torrent, smashing towards the formation. But they were still a step too late! The moment before the torrent touched the formation, it had already begun to operate, and the ground suddenly collapsed, with a dense cloud of blood mist emerging at the center, spreading rapidly. "Aaahhh!" "What is this thing! Why can it penetrate magic artifacts?!" A series of shrill screams echoed within the formation. It felt as though billions of ants were crawling inside one's body, an itch so unbearable that scratching furiously couldn't alleviate it; instead, it only intensified the sensation. Even Golden Core cultivators struggled to resist, but their willpower was stronger, allowing them to control their bodies without being overwhelmed by the pain. Therefore, as soon as the formation broke, they hastily fled the range of the blood mist. Before long, bloody scratches were forcibly made on those cultivators' bodies, and the blood mist, like cats drawn to the scent of fish, swarmed in and entered through their wounds. Then a horrific scene unfolded. The cultivators melted like burnt-out candles into clumps of red and white flesh, falling into the pit below. In just a few breaths' time, about sixty to seventy percent of those Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment cultivators had dissolved! And the originally empty pit had now filled up nearly halfway with blood!

Chapter 257 - 263: Blood Water

Comments (0)