"Form the hand seals!"

The master of Feixian Peak gave the order once again.

On the flying boat, the disciples immediately began forming hand seals and casting spells. Shadows of swords and fireballs materialized one after another, ready to be unleashed.

Wen Jiu mimicked them, pretending to form seals as well, but the only spell he actually knew was Mana Finger Flick. So, he simply prepared to fire off two shots downward.

In mere moments, as the flying boat descended further, the master of Feixian Peak commanded again. Instantly, over eight hundred spells rained down like a storm, engulfing the Chen Clan's estate nestled within the crimson maple forest.

Houses exploded in an instant. A maidservant, who had just been carrying a tray of fruits, was immediately consumed by the flames.

Yet, at the very heart of the Chen estate, a formation suddenly emerged, blocking the onslaught of spells.

Observing from a distance, Wen Jiu saw numerous people rushing out of the buildings. When they spotted the Feixian Peak flying boat, their faces were filled with shock—some were panicked, others simply stunned, as if they couldn't believe Feixian Peak had actually come to attack.

At that very moment, the master of Feixian Peak took the lead, controlling his sword as hundreds of sword shadows roared through the air toward the Chen estate. The seven elders followed closely behind, sending the entire Chen Clan into chaos.

Just then, a figure emerged from within the Chen estate. The moment he appeared, it was as if an anchor had been dropped amidst turbulent waves—the panic within the Chen Clan instantly subsided. The man was wrapped in a sinister, ghostly aura that surged forward like a tidal wave.

A chilling laugh rang out.

With just a glance, Wen Jiu recognized him—it was the Bloodclad Tower expert who had injured the master of Feixian Peak that night.

"You actually tracked me down? Looks like the layers of restrictions I placed on the corpse weren't enough to erase the spiritual imprint you left behind... But you dare to come here even after being struck by my Soul Devour Curse? How utterly reckless!"

As his voice fell, the Bloodclad Tower survivor raised his hand and hurled out a ghastly, demonic head. The head rapidly swelled, then morphed into a massive lotus, dark purple and black, just like that night. It surged menacingly toward the master of Feixian Peak—Ji Qiubai.

The moment the dark lotus appeared, the people of the Chen Clan steadied themselves and charged toward the seven elders of Feixian Peak.

But just as the battle was about to erupt, Ji Qiubai's aura suddenly skyrocketed.

In an instant, there was no sign of his previous injuries.

Instead, his energy had reached an unprecedented peak—so overwhelming that it completely crushed his opponent's presence.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he summoned a massive sword. With a deafening rumble, it ascended into the sky at breakneck speed and came slashing down upon the black lotus.

Boom!

With a single strike, the ghostly head and black lotus shattered completely. The once-arrogant Bloodclad Tower survivor, who had been untouchable that night, was sent crashing into the depths of the Chen estate.

"Retreat!"

"It's a trap!"

Coughing up mouthfuls of blood, the Bloodclad Tower survivor instantly realized the truth.

Without hesitation, he stomped down, shattering the stone tiles beneath his feet, revealing a massive underground passage.

He darted inside at once. The others, no longer as composed as before, snapped back to reality. Panic overtook them as they scrambled to follow.

"After them!"

Ji Qiubai sneered, sword in hand, and led the charge into the underground passage.

The Feixian Peak disciples, who had yet to jump down from the flying boat, were momentarily stunned. But then their spirits soared.

So everything had been part of the master's plan all along!

He wasn't injured!

It had all been a deception!

Yet, while the other disciples were filled with awe, Wen Jiu remained unimpressed. After hopping off the flying boat, he didn't rush into the underground passage like the others, who were brimming with battle fervor and eager to exterminate every last member of the Bloodclad Tower and the Chen Clan.

But Wang Nian did.

He was the first to charge forward—faster than anyone else.

As he ran, he shouted excitedly, "We're gonna strike it rich! We're gonna strike it rich!"

Wen Jiu had no choice but to let him go. He himself, however, deliberately held back, staying at the rear of the group.

He couldn't shake the feeling that the enemy might also be acting.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Truth and falsehood.

Illusions within illusions.

Who could truly tell what was real?

So, Wen Jiu decided to stay outside and deal with the Chen Clan members alongside the Night Patrol Division disciples. After all, killing one Chen Clan member earned him twenty lower-grade spirit stones.

He wasn't looking to hit the jackpot.

Just wanted a steady profit.

"Old Black, go!"

Wen Jiu commanded his black ghoul and stormed into the burning Chen estate.

Any Chen Clan member that dared charge at him was effortlessly taken down with a single Mana Finger Flick. He then severed their right thumb as proof for claiming his reward.

"Twenty!"

"Twenty!"

"Twenty!"

In just moments, he had earned a hundred lower-grade spirit stones.

This was the benefit of being in a sect.

A rogue cultivator wouldn't get such perks for killing enemies.

But despite the easy profit, one question nagged at him.

Why was the Chen Clan involved with the Bloodclad Tower survivors?

As Wang Nian had mentioned, the Bloodclad Tower and the Chen Clan had a grudge. Even if they weren't fighting to the death, they should at least be enemies on sight.

Clearly, only one thing could explain it.

Profit.

What kind of benefit could possibly make someone forget their family feud and instead collude with their enemy?

As this thought crossed his mind, Liu Xiao's voice exploded in midair: "Night Patrol Division disciples, swiftly eliminate all members of the Chen family! Then search the surroundings for any other exits—do not let a single remnant of the Blood Robe Tower escape!"

Following the sound, one could see Liu Xiao standing with his spear, steady in midair above the blazing buildings. But before him knelt an elderly member of the Chen family, face covered in tears. He, too, was at the third level of Qi Refinement. It was clear Liu Xiao had spoken those words for him to hear.

The old man was visibly enraged by Liu Xiao's words. His eyes, filled with unwillingness and sorrow, burned with fury as he roared, "Fei Xian Peak... Damn you, Fei Xian Peak! The Chen family is finished! Our three-hundred-year foundation has been completely destroyed!"

Liu Xiao's voice remained ice-cold: "Chen Feng, the moment you betrayed Fei Xian Peak, you should have been prepared for this outcome. Not only will I kill you, but I will also wipe out your entire Chen family! Even your clansmen who are outside will not be spared!"

Chen Feng let out a furious roar, his entire body erupting with blood energy. "Then today, you will die with me!"

With that, he shot forward like a meteor.

As he raised his hand, a crimson ghostly claw materialized and slashed viciously at Liu Xiao. Liu Xiao met it head-on with his spear.

The moment they clashed—

Liu Xiao was sent flying backward, retreating a full ten zhang before stabilizing himself.

His expression changed instantly.

"To think that the mighty head of the Chen family, the eldest grandson of the former Peak Lord, has fallen to the path of demonic cultivation—practicing with blood, cultivating the Blood Ghost Claw of the Blood Robe Tower!"

Chen Feng howled in defiance. "To restore the Chen family's former glory, to no longer be trampled under Fei Xian Peak's feet—what demonic path? Strength alone determines the righteous path! It's just a pity... my Blood Ghost Claw has only reached the third stage before you came..."

As he finished speaking, he lunged at Liu Xiao again.

Wen Jiu watched all this unfold, yet made no move to intervene.

He could sense that the atmosphere of the Chen family estate was shifting. Blood energy was rising into the air, growing denser by the second.

Perhaps an even greater problem was about to emerge.

And sure enough—

The next moment, beneath the burning ruins, a horde of fiends burst forth from the ground, attacking both Night Patrol disciples and members of the Chen family alike. They slaughtered everyone in their path.

Just thirty zhang away, several Night Patrol disciples and Chen family members, still locked in battle, barely had time to react before they were pounced on by multiple fiends. Sharp teeth sank into their necks.

With a violent shake of their heads, the fiends ripped their victims apart, sending heads and limbs flying. The sight sent many Night Patrol disciples retreating in terror. A single fiend wasn't a threat—but dozens? That was a nightmare.

Wen Jiu backed away as well.

It wasn't just the sheer number of fiends—they were also incredibly strong. Each one had a body as tough as a second-stage Body Refinement cultivator.

Even a third-stage Qi Refinement cultivator would struggle to handle them, let alone the ordinary second-stage Night Patrol disciples.

And around him, there were at least five or six of them!

Fortunately, he had his Black Ghoul.

Not a single fiend could get near him.

Yet Wen Jiu felt no relief.

"So my guess was right—the remnants of the Blood Robe Tower weren't entirely unprepared."

Perhaps they had foreseen this day long ago.

At that moment, Wen Jiu noticed something—when the Black Ghoul's claws tore through a fiend, thick, concentrated blood energy seeped out from its wounds.

That immediately reminded him of something.

Blood energy.

Demonic flesh and blood.

And refining Corpse Blood required demonic flesh and blood.

Wasn't this the perfect source?

Ranked fiends weren't easy to find.

And they were expensive.

Just a single jin of demonic flesh cost a lower-grade spirit stone.

But these beast-shaped fiends—each weighed at least a hundred jin!

Realizing this, Wen Jiu immediately commanded the Black Ghoul to go all out in slaughtering the fiends.

A high-rank Black Ghoul, combined with a third-stage Blood Transformation Body, made tearing apart ordinary ranked fiends effortless. Each one that approached was instantly shredded.

In just a short moment, three fiends had fallen at the hands of the Black Ghoul.

That was nearly three hundred lower-grade spirit stones saved.

And saving was earning.

He had basically just gained three hundred lower-grade spirit stones.

At that moment, Wen Jiu no longer regretted coming here. It was dangerous, yes—but in just this brief time, he had earned over ten years' worth of salary.

Raising his hand, he used his Corpse Eye to absorb and devour the demonic essence, then continued leading the Black Ghoul to hunt.

However—

The more they killed, the more fiends appeared.

Wen Jiu finally noticed something. Beneath the Chen family estate, fiends kept emerging as if there was a nest underground.

"A fiend nest?"

Wen Jiu was stunned.

Instinctively, he glanced down at the ground beneath him.

Could there really be one?

The fiends kept coming. Their numbers had already surpassed a hundred, chasing and tearing into both the Chen family members and the Night Patrol disciples.

In an instant, Wen Jiu understood—this was the Blood Robe Tower's final gambit. They had indeed anticipated this day.

Savage.

Truly ruthless.

"I need to retreat."

The Black Ghoul was powerful, but even it couldn't hold off a dozen fiends attacking at once.

Rather than let its corpse energy be drained in a futile battle, it was better to withdraw.

With that thought, Wen Jiu glanced at Liu Xiao—who now had an ally and was beginning to gain the upper hand—confirmed that he didn't need help, then fended off a few incoming fiends before slowly retreating.

He moved beyond the Chen family estate.

Into the crimson maple forest.

After cutting down the three fiends that had pursued him, Wen Jiu climbed to a higher vantage point and silently observed the battle at the Chen estate.

It was then that he saw—

Chen Feng suddenly produced a talisman.

A palm-sized blood talisman, made from fiendskin.

Even from a li away, Wen Jiu could sense its extraordinary nature.

A blood talisman.

An even more sinister method than Yin talismans.

Yin talismans were at least drawn through conventional means—but blood talismans? They were forged using the blood essence of cultivators.

A single blood talisman required the sacrifice of multiple cultivators.

And the more powerful the talisman, the stronger the cultivators that had to be slain.