Inside the Demon Cavern.
The group of five walked across a grassy plain. Contrary to expectations, they weren’t in a dark cave but beneath a bright, expansive sky. Above them, a shimmering, wave-like light moved, vast and boundless.
The ground resembled the outside world, with mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees.
Now, they were walking at the edge of a forest, where a pillar of light pierced the heavens in the far distance.
Within the glow, it seemed like stars were falling—a breathtaking spectacle.
“The core of the Demon Cavern,” Jiang Hao thought to himself.
According to sect records, the core was a sealed area forbidden to anyone.
“This is my first time in the Demon Cavern. I didn’t expect such a pleasant environment,” Xin Yuyue of Thunderfire Peak remarked with amazement.
“Indeed, the environment here is surprisingly good, but it’s equally dangerous,” Lou Feng from Tianhuan Pavilion said, glancing at Jiang Hao with a faint smile.
“I’ve heard that if someone dies here, the Law Enforcement Hall won’t even bother to investigate.”
Jiang Hao lowered his eyes. Lou Feng was clearly threatening him.
He remained calm. In situations like this, staying composed and finding an opportunity to resolve the crisis was crucial.
The first step was to find a demon and kill it.
Cultivating spiritual herbs and slaying beasts both produced bubbles. Beast kills yielded immediate rewards, so Jiang Hao wanted to confirm what demon kills would yield.
“It’s eerily quiet,” Zheng Shijiu of Bingyue Valley remarked, frowning as he scanned the surroundings.
“Indeed, it’s unusually calm. Normally, we’d encounter plenty of demons by now,” Qing Xue from Tianhuan Pavilion added.
Despite their individual motives, none of them were willing to take risks lightly.
The group pressed forward into the forest, remaining vigilant. Jiang Hao’s perception was second only to Qing Xue’s, but he kept that fact hidden.
Suddenly, Jiang Hao turned his gaze to the left.
“They’re coming,” Qing Xue announced.
Whoosh!
A massive boulder hurtled through the air, crashing into the ground and leaving a deep crater.
Before it landed, the group scattered in all directions.
At that moment, a surge of flames shot toward the source of the attack.
Boom!
An explosion erupted.
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It was Xin Yuyue who attacked, her power immense. Jiang Hao realized she was close to advancing to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Roar!
A furious roar echoed as three hulking figures charged toward them.
As they approached, Jiang Hao saw their forms clearly. They resembled gorillas, covered in fur, with twisted and feral faces.
Without hesitation, Jiang Hao rushed forward. Judging by their aura, they were only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.
Drawing his long blade, he leaped into the fray, slashing down.
Clang!
Sparks flew, but the blade failed to pierce the demon’s skin.
“So tough?”
Shocked, Jiang Hao abandoned the blade and spun around, pulling out a dagger and driving it into the demon’s neck.
Squish.
The dagger sank in with difficulty, and blood began to flow.
Roar!
The demon howled in rage, but Jiang Hao struck the hilt of the dagger, driving it fully through its neck.
The demon fell lifelessly to the ground, and two blue bubbles emerged from its body.
They instantly merged into Jiang Hao.
[Blood Qi +1][Cultivation +1]
“Two bubbles?”
This was the first time he had seen such a yield from killing a beast. He glanced at the other two demons, who were already dead but left no bubbles behind—just as he had anticipated.
Earlier, he had considered delivering the final blow to ensure he got a share of the rewards.
“It seems Junior Brother has a knack for targeting necks,” Lou Feng said with a smile, having just sliced a demon in half.
“You’re joking, Senior Brother. These demons have tougher hides than expected. Their necks are slightly weaker,” Jiang Hao replied softly.
Although the records provided information about demons, their actual toughness exceeded expectations.
Reviewing the earlier fight, Jiang Hao concluded that using his Demonic Sound Slash technique would be an effective way to bypass the demons’ defenses.
Against one or two demons, it might not matter much, but larger groups would be a significant threat.
Moreover, Jiang Hao had another pressing concern—he needed to kill fifty demons to ensure his survival upon leaving the cavern.
Otherwise, the two Tianhuan Pavilion disciples would never let him walk out alive.
“So their necks are weak points,” Xin Yuyue remarked, stabbing her sword into a demon’s neck. “It’s really easier to wound them there.”
“We need to stay alert,” Zheng Shijiu cautioned. “The fact that they attacked us on sight means they see this as their territory. Since they came in threes, it’s likely most groups nearby will be three or four strong.”
“Perfect. Let’s clear them out. Once we’ve dealt with the groups, we can hunt the stragglers,” Qing Xue said coldly, leading the way.
The others followed, Jiang Hao included.
He contemplated how to kill more demons as quickly as possible.
Soon, they encountered another group of demons—four this time, with one at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Without hesitation, Jiang Hao avoided the mid-stage demon and focused on the other three.
In quick succession, he killed two demons with his dagger, earning three bubbles.
[Cultivation +1][Blood Qi +1][Blood Qi +1]
“It seems the rewards aren’t consistent. I’ll need to increase the kill count,” Jiang Hao thought grimly.
He fought even more fiercely, determined to harvest as much as possible.
A month passed this way. During this time, the group stuck together, keeping Jiang Hao relatively safe. The Tianhuan Pavilion disciples wouldn’t openly harm a fellow sect member with others present—unless they killed everyone else, which would absolve them of guilt.
[Cultivation +1]
Watching another demon fall before him, Jiang Hao grew increasingly uneasy.
After a month of daily battles, he had initially gained many bubbles, but now they were dwindling.
Not only were there fewer demons, but Lou Feng also seemed determined to outdo him, intercepting his kills at every opportunity.
Lou Feng had even stopped concealing his advanced cultivation.
As the demon numbers thinned, the group would soon have to split up.
Jiang Hao still wasn’t ready.
His progress was close, but not enough:
[Blood Qi: 95/100 (Ready to Cultivate)][Cultivation: 96/100 (Ready to Cultivate)]