Chapter Twenty-Two: A Sea of Crimson Light

"Senior brother, Master is being too cruel. Not only did he punish the two of us harshly, he’s also sent us here to kill the Blood Bat Fiend. We’re only at the Qi Refining stage—even with superior spiritual treasures to protect us, we might not be a match for that creature," came a voice of complaint. Two figures approached from the distance, and from their attire, Zhang Xiao, hidden in the shadows, immediately recognized them as members of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect—not mere outer disciples, but rather, distinguished ones. Their aura revealed both as formidable Qi Refining practitioners. To Zhang Xiao, however, Qi Refining posed little threat; a single Soul Devouring Curse would be more than enough to deal with them. Just as he was about to act, one of the middle-aged men spoke:

"You haven’t a clue. Master is actually helping us. If the Headmaster discovered we’d been secretly practicing the Blood Transformation Technique, we’d be stripped of our cultivation and expelled from the inner sect. Master sent us to kill the Blood Bat Fiend so we could retrieve its inner core. That way, the core’s power will neutralize the blood aura on us. As long as we refrain from using the Blood Transformation Technique in the future, even the Headmaster won’t notice."

The younger man’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Is it really that miraculous? I had no idea." The middle-aged man glanced around to ensure no one was listening and replied, "Master told me long ago. That Blood Bat Fiend, after the Heavenly Change, obtained a trace of primordial aura and cultivated a Blood Fiend Golden Core. Master originally wanted to deal with it himself, but the fiend had just formed its core, and its energy was unstable. Master feared wasting the treasure, so he waited until now for us to collect the core. Rest assured, Master left a hidden trap on the beast. With it, we can severely wound the fiend—then, together, we’ll surely succeed in killing it."

Blood Fiend Golden Core—a prized item. Zhang Xiao had heard of it before. While not exclusive to Blood Bat Fiends, any demon could cultivate one, provided they obtained a trace of primordial aura. Zhang Xiao had always thought such a thing impossible to find, yet now he’d stumbled upon news of this core. With that in mind, he decided not to kill the two men yet, choosing instead to observe quietly from the shadows.

The two disciples stood at the entrance of the bat cave, apparently waiting for something. Before long, a group of people arrived along the mountain path.

"Qi Wei, you’re so slow! Zhao and I have been waiting for ages." The young man’s tone was impatient as he watched the group approach.

"My apologies, brothers. But as mere outer disciples, we can hardly compare to Brother Kang and Brother Zhao. Your cultivation is profound—far beyond ours," replied Qi Wei, a man in his thirties with shrewd, triangular eyes, respectfully addressing the two.

Kang Jie’s expression softened at Qi Wei’s words, though arrogance lingered as he regarded the other outer disciples as though they were ants.

"Enough, Brother Kang. Let’s enter the cave. Qi Wei, bring your disciples and follow behind us. Everyone, activate the team invitation—this way, experience will be shared," Zhao Ying said, wasting no time. She opened the team invitation and grouped everyone together.

"Wow! The senior brothers are already level thirty!" Once grouped, everyone could see basic information about their teammates. Upon seeing Kang Jie and Zhao Ying’s levels, exclamations of awe erupted. Two young, stylish girls gazed at Kang Jie and Zhao Ying with stars in their eyes. Zhao Ying seemed indifferent, but Kang Jie, full of youthful pride, felt immensely flattered by their admiring stares. Led by Zhao Ying, the group entered the bat cave.

After walking for some time, Zhang Xiao finally slipped from the shadows. He chuckled to himself, counting at least twenty people in the group. Most were at the Qi Introduction stage, only Qi Wei had reached Qi Refining. The Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s strength now faintly surpassed that of Maoshan—Maoshan had only a few Qi Refining practitioners, while Zhang Xiao had already spotted three among the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Unfortunately for them, tonight they would die. The Ten Thousand Demons Sect and Maoshan were mortal enemies—one demonic, the other Taoist. Killing the opposition earned sect contribution points, which could be exchanged for pills, spiritual treasures, magical artifacts, and secret techniques. Besides the points, their equipment would drop randomly—a lucrative opportunity.

With a smile, Zhang Xiao summoned Iron-armored Corpse No. 1. The corpse’s yin aura blended seamlessly with that of the bat cave. Together, he slipped inside; none would notice his presence. Employing Corpse Armor Technique, Zhang Xiao fused himself with the iron-armored corpse and followed stealthily. The moment they entered the cave, bone-chilling yin energy enveloped them. Zhang Xiao felt invigorated—this yin energy was highly nourishing for the iron-armored corpse. Layers of yin energy cloaked him, making him even less conspicuous in the already dim cave. No one noticed a human-corpse following behind.

Suddenly, someone stumbled, and a startled cry echoed through the cavern, stirring a commotion.

"Senior brother, look!" Countless red dots lit up in the darkness above. Zhao Yi exclaimed, "Quick, form up! Those are blood bats!" No sooner had he spoken than a torrent of blood bats swooped down with a roar. The group’s faces changed instantly. Though the exact number was unclear, the sheer volume, like a flood, was terrifying.

"Fiends, witness my treasure!" Kang Jie brandished a small flag embroidered with a strange blue flame. He waved it, and a blue fire dragon surged forth. Oddly, instead of brightening the cave, the dragon’s arrival darkened the space, and the temperature plummeted. The blood bats struck by the fire dragon froze instantly, shattered into powder upon hitting the ground. The group cheered, but Zhao Yi and Qi Wei’s faces remained grim. Blood bats were low-level, weak creatures, but this cave was designated a trial ground by the sect—it wouldn’t be so simple.

Just as the group relaxed, Zhang Xiao noticed the surrounding yin energy shift violently, intense waves rushing toward them. He frowned and peered into the distance. Though the cave was dark, the iron-armored corpse’s vision was unaffected. Soon, a crimson glow flickered far away.

Zhang Xiao’s expression changed; he bolted, cursing the fools under his breath. In moments, the distant crimson glow became a sea of red. The turbulent yin energy meant a massive swarm of blood bats had been stirred. Zhang Xiao realized that if so many blood bats charged, even he would have no hope of survival.

A blast of wind struck suddenly, scattering Zhao Yi and the others before they could react.

"What’s going on?" Qi Wei shook his head and stood, looking at the scattered disciples in confusion. "Senior—" A disciple struggled to speak, pointing at Qi Wei, but before he could finish, his eyes rolled back and he fainted. Qi Wei’s expression shifted; a streak of red light shone from behind him. Instinctively, he turned—and nearly died of fright. An ocean of crimson surged forth, illuminating the cavern as a tide of blood bats swept over them.

"Run!" Qi Wei yelled, then turned to flee. He had underestimated the others’ reactions; before his shout ended, the disciples had already left him far behind. Furious, Qi Wei wished he could slap them all dead—if only this weren’t the wrong moment.

The sea of blood bats rushed forward, sweeping up slower disciples and carrying them into the swarm.

"Help! Save me!" came desperate, heart-wrenching screams, but within moments, the cries ceased, and only bones fell from the swarm. Qi Wei and the others paled—barely five seconds had passed, and a living person had become a pile of white bones. Though resurrection was possible, such a death was chilling.

Qi Wei cared for nothing else, striding forward and leaving the others behind, heading toward the cave’s exit. Though an outer disciple, he’d been selected from the inner sect, his strength beyond ordinary disciples. Anyone blocking his path was struck aside with his spiritual treasure.

"Ah!" One of the young girls at the front tripped over a stone and fell. Before she could rise, other disciples trampled her without hesitation. In this moment, notions of brotherhood, romance, or chivalry were worthless—nothing mattered compared to one’s own survival.

With a roar, the blood bats tore her apart in an instant.

After the Heavenly Change, the moon was large and bright; despite the night, the entire Canglang Mountain was bathed in silvery light, a scene once beautiful, now tinged with deadly chill.

Qi Wei and the survivors fled the bat cave and continued down the mountain, not daring to linger. Of the original twenty disciples, only five or six escaped. Qi Wei cursed his own foolishness—had he not agreed to help Zhao Yi restrain the Blood Bat Fiend, he would never have ended up in this predicament. Now, his branch’s strength would suff