107: Chapter 107 No Talking, Just Slaying! A Golden Core Demon Descends to Earth!

[ You sit at the table, staring at the ink circle on the map all night. ]

[ When dawn breaks, you close the map; a complete plan has already taken shape in your mind. ]

[ Thirty-two years old. February 17th. Noon. ]

[ The sect tavern. ]

[ You push the door open and enter. Huo Quji is sitting alone in a corner gnawing on spirit beast ribs, with six empty bowls in front of him. ]

[ You sit across from him. ]

[ "There is something." ]

[ "Speak." He doesn't even lift his head, chewing the bones with a loud crunch. ]

[ "Xuanyin Valley is making moves in Broken Bone Ridge. I found out they are colluding with the Northern Domain demon race in secret." ]

[ Huo Quji stops gnawing on the bone. ]

[ He drops the bone and looks up at you. ]

[ "Confirmed?" ]

[ "Eighty percent. Need to go to the site to get physical evidence." You look at him, "Are you interested in taking a trip with me, to investigate, and by the way—" ]

[ You don't finish your sentence. ]

[ Huo Quji slams the ribs onto the table, bone shards flying across half the table. ]

[ "By the way, beat them up, right?" ]

[ "Correct." ]

[ "When are we leaving?" ]

[ "Tomorrow." ]

[ "Done." Huo Quji stands up and packs the remaining ribs, "I'm going to sharpen my sword." ]

[ He walks three steps and then turns back. ]

[ "What is Elder Mo Han's cultivation level?" ]

[ "Foundation Establishment Level 7." ]

[ Huo Quji grins and pats the chiyan sword at his waist. ]

[ "Perfect, it has been a long time since I sparred with an expert." ]

[ — — ]

[ February 18th. Before departure. ]

[ You bring up the interface. ]

[ Name: Shen Ji ]

[ Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Level 5 ]

[ Current Luck Value: 292 ]

[ Equipped Traits 7/7: Wealth Returns After Being Spent (Gold), Supreme Sword Bone (Gold), Phantom Raid (Purple), Thirteen Gale Strikes (Purple), Sword Mastery (Blue), Array Formation Beginner (Green), Greased Soles (White) ]

[ This is enough. ]

[ You put away the interface and meet with Huo Quji at the east gate of the sect. ]

[ Two rays of escaping light pierce the sky and head east. ]

[ — — ]

[ February 20th. Outskirts of Broken Bone Ridge. ]

[ Broken Bone Ridge stretches across the border between the Eastern Domain and the demon race, with craggy mountain ridges and murky spiritual energy; occasionally, the howls of demon beasts can be heard from afar. ]

[ You and Huo Quji hide on a high cliff on the west side of the ridge. ]

[ Below the cliff is a deep trench dug by human hands. ]

[ At the bottom of the trench, hundreds of ragged commoners are bending over, chiseling stone. ]

[ Spirit ore. ]

[ Large veins of ice-blue spirit ore are exposed on the trench walls, with a quality no lower than Grade 3. ]

[ Your gaze sweeps across the mining site. ]

[ Three Xuanyin Valley disciples stand on the edge of the trench, holding spirit whips, guarding the laborers. ]

[ An old man, so thin he is nothing but a skeleton, kneels beside a pile of ore. His hands are a bloody mess, all his fingernails have fallen off, and the frostbite on his palms is intertwined with cuts from the ore. ]

[ Beside him, a seven or eight-year-old child is curled up, with black cloth wrapped around their knees, from which dark red pus and blood ooze. ]

[ The spirit whip lashes down. ]

[ A bloody gash splits open on the old man's back, and he collapses to the ground with a muffled groan. ]

[ The child lunges over to protect the old man but is whipped away two zhang, rolling into the pile of rubble without a sound. ]

[ "Move faster! If you don't dig enough for today, there will be no water tonight." ]

[ Huo Quji's knuckles crack as he clenches his fists. ]

[ You press down on his shoulder and shake your head. ]

[ "Wait longer." ]

[ — — ]

[ February 22nd. Nightfall. ]

[ The third day of staking out. ]

[ You and Huo Quji see the thing you truly wanted to see. ]

[ In the dense forest on the east side of the mining site, three black figures sweep over from the direction of the demon race border. ]

[ The leader is a shapeshifted demon cultivator, with a human body and fox ears, exuding a dense demonic aura from head to toe. ]

[ Elder Mo Han goes out to greet them personally. ]

[ The two meet at the edge of the dense forest and converse in low voices for a while. ]

[ The fox-eared demon cultivator takes out a black jade box from his sleeve and hands it over. ]

[ Elder Mo Han takes it to inspect, then retrieves three pieces of high-purity spirit ore from his storage bag to give in return. ]

[ The transaction is completed, and the demon cultivator turns and vanishes into the night. ]

[ You withdraw your spiritual sense. ]

[ Huo Quji presses his hand on his sword hilt. ]

[ "Privately mining spirit ore, enslaving commoners, colluding with the demon race." He presses his hand on his sword hilt, "These animals have committed all three major crimes." ]

[ "We act tomorrow." You say, "There are too many commoners in the mining site; we need to lure Elder Mo Han out." ]

[ — — ]

[ February 23rd. 7-9 AM (Chen Hour). ]

[ You set up a trap in a cliff valley three miles northeast of the mining site. ]

[ The valley is surrounded by walls on three sides, with only one entrance; the terrain is narrow, so large-scale formations cannot be deployed. ]

[ Huo Quji captures an outer disciple of Xuanyin Valley and dumps him at the intersection outside the mining site, intentionally leaving behind traces of Tianxuan Sect's aura. ]

[ Half an hour later. ]

[ Elder Mo Han leads eight disciples in pursuit. ]

[ The leader, Elder Mo Han, is in his early forties, dressed in a grey-black robe, with a bone token hanging from his waist. ]

[ The spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment Level 7 crushes over the valley. ]

[ Behind him follow two Foundation Establishment Level 6 elders, as well as six Foundation Establishment Level 4 disciples. ]

[ They step into the valley. ]

[ Phantom Raid is activated. ]

[ Your figure completely vanishes into the shadows of the cliff wall. ]

[ Huo Quji appears in front of the valley entrance, the chiyan sword unsheathed, flames billowing. ]

[ "Everyone from Xuanyin Valley, is the mining of spirit ore in Broken Bone Ridge going smoothly?" ]

[ Elder Mo Han stops abruptly. ]

[ "Tianxuan Sect?" ]

[ His reaction is extremely fast; his right hand behind his back quickly forms hand seals, his spiritual power activating a protective magic treasure. ]

[ A layer of dark green light shield pops out from his body. ]

[ Thirteen Gale Strikes is activated. ]

[ You break out of invisibility, appearing out of thin air three zhang behind Elder Mo Han. ]

[ The first breath. ]

[ Seven golden sword beams explode in succession, carrying the First Rainbow Sword Intent, striking directly at the tail of the formation. ]

[ The outer layer of the dark green light shield shatters. ]

[ The protective spiritual light of two Foundation Establishment Level 4 disciples is instantly torn open. ]

[ Blood mist explodes. The two disciples are heavily injured on the spot and collapse, losing their combat capability. ]

[ The remaining Elder Mo Han, two elders, and four disciples quickly close ranks. ]

[ "Xuanyin Annihilation Finger!" ]

[ Elder Mo Han turns around, a black finger beam shooting straight at your face. ]

[ Greased Soles is activated. ]

[ Your figure shifts sideways by two zhang. ]

[ The finger beam shatters the afterimage you left behind, corroding a pitch-black deep hole into the cliff wall. ]

[ In the direction of the valley entrance, Huo Quji has already killed his way to close range. ]

[ "Fire-Stepping Dash!" ]

[ The chiyan sword's waves of fire roll, tightly entangling a Foundation Establishment Level 6 elder. ]

[ "Form the formation! Seven Kill Formation!" ]

[ Following Elder Mo Han's angry shout, the seven people quickly shift positions, stepping into the misplaced positions of the Big Dipper. ]

[ The Seven Kill Formation rises. ]

[ Seven thick pillars of black baleful energy shoot up into the sky. ]

[ The baleful energy connects and interlocks in mid-air, transforming into a black domain of baleful energy, completely swallowing the light within the valley. ]

[ A power of confinement crushes down from above. ]

[ Your movement technique stutters. ]

[ You glance at the formation. ]

[ The formation eye is in the southeast position; it is the Foundation Establishment Level 6 elder who is currently fully resisting Huo Quji's fire waves. ]

[ Army-Breaking Explosive Killing Array, rise! ]

[ Twelve gang-patterns explode from your dantian, and pale golden gang-qi appears, clinging to your body. ]

[ Thirty breaths pass. Phantom Raid is activated again. ]

[ Your figure merges into the black baleful domain, completely avoiding the perception of the baleful energy. ]

[ Inside the baleful domain, Elder Mo Han shouts: "Protect the formation eye!" ]

[ You have already appeared half a chi behind the elder at the formation eye. ]

[ You raise the jinhong sword high. ]

[ Guided by the Supreme Sword Bone, the twelve Break Army Explosive Kill gang-patterns completely detonate the First Rainbow Sword Intent, and all your spiritual power pours into the sword body. ]

[ One sword slash falls. ]

[ Crack! ]

[ The golden sword beam shatters the elder's protective shield, and the gang-qi forcibly shreds the spiritual energy barrier. ]

[ The Sword Intent pierces through the body. ]

[ The head of the elder at the formation eye flies off on the spot. ]

[ Boom——! ]

[ The formation eye collapses, and the seven pillars of baleful energy backfire simultaneously. ]

[ The remaining six controllers of the formation spew blood simultaneously. ]

[ The black baleful domain disintegrates inch by inch. ]

[ Huo Quji stomps his feet on the ground, and all his spiritual power pours into the chiyan sword. ]

[ "Rain of Fire Across the Sky!" ]

[ The sword beams transform into fireballs that rain down, completely submerging the injured Xuanyin Valley disciples. ]

[ The sea of fire clears the field in an instant. ]

[ Smoke fills the valley, with only Elder Mo Han left, leaning against the cliff wall, blood spilling from the corners of his mouth. ]

[ He watches you approaching step by step. ]

[ "Wait! Shen Ji... you cannot kill me!" ]

[ You keep advancing with your sword, the First Rainbow Sword Intent flickering on the jinhong sword. ]

[ "I have a secret in my hands! It concerns the life and death of your Tianxuan Sect!" Elder Mo Han screams, "As long as you spare me, I will tell you who that traitor is!" ]

[ The sword in your hand does not pause. ]

[ "I will investigate the traitor myself." ]

[ "Your life, first take it to pay the debt to the commoners of Broken Bone Ridge." ]

[ Greased Soles. ]

[ The jinhong sword pulls out a golden arc of light, smoothly slicing across Elder Mo Han's neck. ]

[ "Your Tianxuan Sect... sooner or later..." ]

[ Elder Mo Han's head flies high into the air. The spurting blood dyes the grey-white rock wall red. ]

[ You land steadily and catch the bone token that fell from his robes. ]

[ You flick the blood droplets off the sword blade and lean down to remove the storage bag from his waist. ]

[ Your fingertips just touch the edge of the storage bag. ]

[ A powerful and absolute pressure slams down from the eastern horizon, enveloping the entire cliff valley. ]

[ Huo Quji is forced to retreat three steps by the violent aura, and the firelight on the chiyan sword is forcefully extinguished. ]

[ "Shen Ji... this aura is..." ]

[ You lift your head abruptly, and the Supreme Sword Bone emits a violent trembling resonance. ]

[ In your spiritual sense perception, the clouds in the distant sky are violently torn apart. ]

[ A giant black shadow with a wingspan exceeding ten zhang is revealed. ]

[ A Golden Core stage flying Great Demon! ]

[ The Great Demon's spiritual sense sweeps across the valley, precisely locking onto the corpses of the cultivators on the ground. ]

[ Screech——!! ]

[ The long cry cracks the surrounding rock walls, and gravel falls down from the sky. ]

[ A violent wind whips up the stench of blood and demonic aura. ]

[ The Golden Core Great Demon flaps its wings violently, and with the intent of absolute killing, dives crazily toward your location. ]