Translator: Anubis Translations
Gu Feng looked at the two teams. The once mighty group of four to five hundred people had now dwindled to just over a hundred. The mission to eradicate the evil had taken a heavy toll on the various sects of Cloud Prefecture.
On the path of cultivation, one never knows whether tomorrow or death will come first. Gu Feng felt a heaviness in his heart, but his resolve grew even stronger. He knew he must overcome the heavenly tribulation and reach the pinnacle.
Perhaps due to Zhu Tao's behind-the-scenes manipulations, after Gu Feng and his group joined the team, they clearly felt the disdainful glances from the others. Some cultivators even pointed and whispered, and faint words like "coward" could be heard, causing Yu Ying and the others to grit their teeth in anger.
"Black is black, and white is white. There's no need to argue with those fools!" Gu Feng smiled faintly, not letting it bother him. His mental fortitude was strong enough that Zhu Tao's petty tricks couldn't affect him.
Along the way, Zhu Tao and Shen Wei, the two leaders, walked side by side, quietly discussing something. From time to time, a ruthless glint flashed in their eyes.
Behind the bushes, a swamp appeared. The group broke off tree branches to make simple sleds and managed to cross the swamp without incident.
Once out of the swamp, the air was thick with tension and an uncomfortable aura. Everyone knew that the base of the evil man controlling the Corpse Warriors was in the valley ahead.
Proceeding cautiously, they killed the occasional Corpse Warrior that appeared, gradually closing in on the valley.
Outside the valley, the trees were withered and contaminated, the grass turned yellow, and a foul stench assaulted their senses, making them gag.
Gu Feng led Yu Ying and the others, hiding behind a large rock several hundred meters away from Zhu Tao, observing the movements in the valley.
"Gu Feng, the aura here is so evil. Are you confident we can handle it?" Yu Ying asked with concern, looking at the blood pool in the valley.
"It's manageable," Gu Feng replied calmly.
At that moment, a figure cloaked in black slowly emerged from a cave, followed by a group of similarly cloaked figures.
Gu Feng immediately recognized the leading figure, who walked with a limp. Being from the Gu family of Cloud Dwelling City, it could be none other than Third Uncle Gu.
A realization flashed in Gu Feng's mind. The reason Third Uncle was still alive was likely because after the failed attempt to kill him, Third Uncle was afraid of being scolded by Gu Tianba and stayed outside, not returning in time, thus narrowly escaping the family's massacre.
"His luck is really good. He even managed to obtain such an evil secret technique," Gu Feng thought to himself.
"Do you know that person?" Yu Ying whispered.
"Relatives, my Third Uncle," Gu Feng replied. From his tone, Yu Ying could tell that his relationship with his Third Uncle was strained, so she didn't ask further.
"Qi Refinement seventh layer, can you handle it?" Chao Yuan crept over and asked with concern.
Although the difference between the sixth and seventh layers of Qi Refinement is just a small realm, one is in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, and the other is in the late stage. The difference in power is significant.
"Dealing with a seventh-layer Qi Refinement expert isn't certain. But if you give me some motivation, it won't be a problem," Gu Feng said with a frown.
Hearing this, Guo Renkai and the others rolled their eyes. They knew exactly what Gu Feng meant by "motivation"—Spirit Stones.
"Boss, don't look at us five brothers. We're broke," Xiong Da said, trembling slightly under Gu Feng's gaze.
"If you can kill the evil man and help us complete the mission, 100,000 Spirit Stones are yours!" Chao Yuan declared boldly.
"I'll add another 100,000. It's our first mission; we can't start with a failure. This amount is worth it," Guo Renkai followed up.
"I'll add 100,000 too!" Wu Qi said succinctly.
With a swish, Gu Feng and Guo Renkai's group turned their gaze towards Yu Ying and her companions, who twitched their eyelids.
"I'll represent our sisters and contribute 200,000, as long as you lead us to complete the mission."
Yu Ying came from the prominent Yu family of Cloud Prefecture, and 200,000 Spirit Stones was nothing to her.
Hearing this, Gu Feng chuckled inwardly, giving Chao Yuan and the others an appreciative glance. His brothers knew him well; they didn't need to communicate to play along.
If Yu Ying knew that Wu Qi and the others were Gu Feng's plants, she would probably be furious.
Of course, Gu Feng wasn't just randomly swindling people. He had noticed Yu Ying's attire and weapons, which clearly indicated she was a wealthy young lady, and thus orchestrated this scheme with Wu Qi and the others.
Wealthy people should naturally help the poor.
Third Uncle Gu lifted his black cloak, and from his gaunt face, Gu Feng could vaguely see the traces of the man he once knew.
Seeing the figures behind Third Uncle, Gu Feng was momentarily stunned but then understood.
The appearance of Gu Tianba and the others was expected. Third Uncle had initially controlled their corpses, gradually building his current strength. He had somehow boosted Gu Tianba and the others to the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, just a step below Third Uncle himself.
Several hundred meters away, Zhu Tao and Shen Wei also sensed the cultivation levels of the black-cloaked figures and felt uneasy. With their current lineup, the chances of victory were slim.
"What should we do?"
"Follow the original plan. Incite a battle between the two sides, and we'll take the opportunity to sneak into the cave and retrieve the Storage Pouches."
"Agreed. Then we escape immediately!" the two whispered.
Apart from their close confidants, no one knew that Zhu Tao and Shen Wei had long realized that with their current strength, killing the evil man was an impossible task.
The reason they had endured so much hardship and risked their lives to come here was to obtain the Storage Pouches of the fallen cultivators.
The wealth of several hundred Qi Refining disciples was enough to make them take the risk.
"The commotion we've caused has already angered the sects of Cloud Prefecture. After today, the evil man will surely leave this place.
Our actions must not be exposed. We'll wait at the mountain pass and kill anyone who comes, leaving no witnesses!" Zhu Tao said gravely.
"Of course!" Shen Wei replied with a sinister smile.
The two secretly contacted their confidants, waiting for the best moment to act. Meanwhile, the cultivators hiding further away were still foolishly waiting for Zhu Tao and Shen Wei's signal to attack, unaware of the impending danger.
As the sun set, the already dim valley was shrouded in darkness.
Gu Feng wasn't afraid to act; he was waiting for Zhu Tao and the others to make their move.
As the last traces of red disappeared from the sky, a sudden rustling sound approached the valley at an alarming speed.
At the same time, the ground near Gu Feng cracked, and Corpse Warriors emerged from below. Third Uncle Gu glanced towards Gu Feng's hiding spot, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"We've been discovered!" Gu Feng whispered, and Yu Ying and the others became alert.
"Protect yourselves. I'll go kill him!"
With that, Gu Feng shot out like an arrow released from a bow!
Almost simultaneously, Zhu Tao and Shen Wei gave the signal to attack!
Over a hundred cultivators shouted and charged towards the valley!
The two sides clashed in an instant.
In the chaos of the battle, even Gu Feng didn't notice that Zhu Tao, Shen Wei, and their dozen confidants didn't join the fight. Instead, they bypassed the fierce battle and sneaked into the cave.
Third Uncle Gu's lips curled into a sinister smile. Everything was going according to plan.
He knew that to completely kill Gu Feng and obtain the treasures on him, he would have to sacrifice something.
The Storage Pouches of the fallen cultivators were the bait he used to lure Zhu Tao and Shen Wei.
As expected, Zhu Tao and Shen Wei, upon obtaining the Storage Pouches, didn't hesitate and immediately fled, leaving the others to fight.
"Zhu Tao, you scoundrel!"
"I curse your ancestors for eighteen generations!"
"Shen Wei, you bastard! I was blind to follow you!"
"If I survive this, I'll hire storytellers to spread your shame day and night!"
"..."
Watching the rapidly retreating figures, the cultivators left behind cursed with red eyes.
"Jie Jie Jie, the meddlers are finally gone. My little treasures, become my Corpse Warriors! None of you will escape!"
Third Uncle Gu laughed maniacally, his face becoming even more hideous. He threw out a formation plate, enveloping the entire valley and all the unprepared cultivators.
Faced with the overwhelming number of Corpse Warriors, the cultivators' legs went weak, and despair filled their hearts.
Shen Wei and Zhu Tao had taken the strongest fighters, leaving these underlings behind. How could they resist these evil men?
They were utterly hopeless. Some even lost the will to fight. The strongest among them was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, facing a seventh-layer evil man—it was like an egg hitting a rock, with no chance of survival.
Third Uncle Gu walked into the midst of the field, relishing the look of despair on their faces. He wondered if his elder brother had looked the same when he died.
"Third Uncle, you've practiced an evil secret technique, but did you have to change your laugh too? 'Jie Jie Jie' is so unpleasant. I really don't understand why villains always laugh like that!"
Just as all hope seemed lost, Gu Feng stepped forward, fearless, with a faint smile on his lips.
His steps were steady and powerful, each stride perfectly measured, resonating with a thumping sound that stirred the hearts of those who heard it. An invincible aura radiated in all directions.
"Quick, everyone gather together! With Gu Feng here, we still have a chance to survive!" Yu Ying shouted, rallying all the cultivators to form a defensive position using a depression in the terrain.
(End of the Chapter)
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