12: Chapter 12: There's a Demonic Aura

Deep within the mining area, in a temporarily constructed stone house.

Xiao Ran sat in the seat of honor, while Zhao Ying and the other two stood below, not daring even to breathe loudly.

They had witnessed the battle just now with their own eyes.

Although Junior Martial Uncle ended up slightly injured, he had actually managed to suppress the Saint of the Dao Palace throughout the entire fight.

One must know that Saint Li was also at the Foundation Establishment Mid Stage, just like Uncle Xiao.

(Li Changsheng had reached a Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Mid Stage on his way here.)

In a battle between those of the same level, especially when both were geniuses, being able to maintain a steady suppression showed just how powerful Xiao Ran's talent was.

"Junior Martial Uncle, your injury..."

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing asked in a low voice.

"It's nothing."

"It's just a superficial wound. Zhao Ying, go and find out who has gone missing in the mining area recently, when they disappeared, and where they were last seen."

Xiao Ran waved his hand and gave the order.

"Yes!"

Zhao Ying accepted the command and left.

"Tieshan, go around the mining area and see if there's anything unusual. Pay special attention to the Old Mine Shafts in the southeast corner mentioned in the mission details."

"Understood!"

Tieshan also left.

Only Xiao Ran and Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing remained in the room.

"Junior Martial Uncle, then I..."

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing asked.

"Set up a few Warning Formations around the house."

"I feel like this matter isn't that simple."

Xiao Ran said.

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing gave an affirmative response and began her work.

After sending the three away, Xiao Ran closed his eyes and established a Soul connection.

"Changsheng, how are you? Is your injury serious?"

"I'm fine, it's just a minor injury."

Li Changsheng's voice came through.

"I just sent my subordinates to gather information. What about you? Are there any clues from the Loose Cultivators?"

"A few."

Li Changsheng said, "I just asked some local Loose Cultivators and some of our local subordinate Sects. They said those who went missing recently were all veterans with mining experience, and... they had all visited one place before disappearing."

"Where?"

"Ghost Crying Cave in the southwest corner of the mining area."

Li Changsheng paused for a moment and continued.

"I heard that ghostly wails often come from that cave, and no one dares to enter. But those missing Loose Cultivators seem to have discovered some... good things in there."

"Good things?"

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes.

"Also, Xiao Ran."

Li Changsheng's voice became serious. "My dao protector just sensed a very subtle aura in the mining area... it's very strong, at least at the Golden Core Stage."

"And it doesn't seem like the aura of a devil Cultivator."

"Not a devil Cultivator?"

Xiao Ran frowned. Were the waters here really this deep?

"Yeah, he said it's more like... Demonic Qi."

"I felt it too. The Demonic Qi is very faint, but it couldn't escape the perception of my Innate Dao Embryo,"

Li Changsheng said.

"Demonic Qi?"

A thought flashed through Xiao Ran's mind.

"Changsheng, do you think it's possible... that the disappearances weren't caused by the devil Sects or the Dao Palace, but by... a third party?"

"A third party?"

Li Changsheng was taken aback.

"Right."

"For example, some Yao Beast hiding in the shadows, or... the Yao Race."

Xiao Ran said slowly.

"The Human Race Agreement states that once the Human Race encounters the Yao Race, both the Daoist Sects and the devil Sects must set aside their differences and resist the Yao Race together."

"This is the only principle that both sides have had to follow for thousands of years."

"In short, the righteous and devilish factions can squabble normally, but they must unite against the enemy in a war between humans and Yao."

Both fell silent at the same time.

If that was truly the case, then things had become complicated.

"Xiao Ran, then we..." Li Changsheng sounded a bit panicked.

"Follow the original plan."

"You continue investigating the missing Loose Cultivators, and I'll continue investigating the anomalies in the mining area. But remember to keep in touch at all times. If we really encounter a member of the Yao Race at the Golden Core Stage... we'll have to join forces."

Xiao Ran said after thinking for a moment.

"Join forces?"

"That makes sense. The Human Race must present a united front against outsiders."

Li Changsheng said.

"Alright, that's all for now. I'm going to check out Ghost Crying Cave."

"Be careful."

Ending the connection, Xiao Ran stood up.

Just then, Zhao Ying returned.

"Junior Martial Uncle, I've found out."

"A total of three hundred and seventy people have gone missing in the mining area over the last three months. Three hundred were miners, and seventy were guards from the Blood Fiend Sect. They all disappeared at night, and... before they vanished, people saw them heading southwest."

Zhao Ying's expression was grave; he felt that the situation was becoming increasingly difficult to handle.

This mission seemed to be a bit beyond the scope of what Foundation Establishment Cultivators could handle.

"Southwest..."

"Ghost Crying Cave is in the southwest, right?"

Xiao Ran looked out the window and said calmly.

Zhao Ying was stunned. "How did you know, Junior Martial Uncle? I was just about to tell you that."

"I guessed."

"Where's Tieshan?"

Xiao Ran didn't explain further.

"Senior Brother Tieshan hasn't returned yet."

Xiao Ran frowned.

Tieshan went to the Old Mine Shafts in the southeast corner; he should have been back long ago.

"Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing."

"Here!"

The female Disciple who was setting up the Formation looked up.

"Is the Formation ready?"

"It's done. Three Warning Formations and one Trapping Formation."

"Alright, you stay here. Zhao Ying, come with me to the southeast corner to take a look."

"Yes!"

The two left the stone house and headed toward the southeast.

The mining area was vast, with intricate and complex paths.

The further they went, the fewer people they saw, and the Devilish Qi around them became denser.

Halfway there, Xiao Ran suddenly stopped.

"Junior Martial Uncle?" Zhao Ying asked.

"There's a smell of blood."

Xiao Ran looked around cautiously.

Following the scent, he turned into a fork in the road.

At the end of the path was the entrance to an abandoned mine shaft.

Scattered at the entrance were a few blood-stained rocks and... half of a broken sword.

It was Tieshan's sword.

"Something happened."

Xiao Ran's face darkened.

He walked to the entrance and looked inside.

The cave was pitch black and seemingly bottomless.

A heavy smell of blood wafted out, mixed with a... faint Demonic Qi.

It was just as Li Changsheng had described.

"Junior Martial Uncle, how about we go back and get help first?"

Zhao Ying's voice trembled slightly.

Tieshan was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage; in terms of cultivation, he was the highest among them on the surface, not to mention his defensive power, which was his specialty.

Now that even Tieshan had met with misfortune, Zhao Ying naturally didn't dare to proceed.

"There's no time."

Xiao Ran shook his head and said, "If Tieshan is still alive, he might be waiting for us to save him inside. If he's dead..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning was clear.

Tieshan was someone he had brought out; if Tieshan died on their first mission, he could forget about being the Devil Son.

If you can't even protect your subordinates, who would dare to follow you in the future?

"You stay and guard the entrance."

"I'm going in to take a look."

After saying that, Xiao Ran prepared to head inside.

"Junior Martial Uncle!"

"It's dangerous inside!"

Zhao Ying became anxious.

"It's because I know it's dangerous that I have to go in." Xiao Ran patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Xiao Ran took a step into the mine shaft.

Darkness instantly swallowed his figure.