Almost simultaneously, Little Strong transformed into a black shadow and merged into the Ancient Ring of the Insect Emperor in Alaric Ye's hand.
Alaric Ye didn't know the difference in cultivation levels between Little Strong and this woman, but he understood that if the woman had been on guard, Little Strong would never have succeeded in such a stealthy attack.
Little Strong could only achieve a sure-kill by launching a sudden close-range ambush!
Alaric Ye didn't panic and flee. He cast a cold glance at the woman, then quietly slipped into another grove dozens of meters away.
The scene was chaotic now, making it a poor time to escape; he might fall into the sight of some demonic cultivator.
At this moment, he could only wait, dragging out time as much as possible to avoid being caught!
Once the Top Xuan Sect reinforcements arrived, the demonic cultivators would scatter like birds and beasts, and he would be completely safe.
As for how to explain the woman's death, Alaric Ye could feign ignorance. After all, no one had directly seen Little Strong, and no one had sensed the Ancient Ring of the Insect Emperor.
"What a pity. The Universe Bags of cultivators are always filled with treasures, but picking it up now would surely alert the Top Xuan Sect, exposing Little Strong and the Ancient Ring."
Alaric Ye knew that greed often led to death, so he didn't take the Universe Bag from the ugly woman's waist.
After waiting for dozens of breaths, Alaric Ye saw two figures quickly approaching. This time, it was two demonic cultivators!
"What a strong smell of blood, it seems to be a cultivator's. Could it be that a Top Xuan Sect cultivator fell to their death?" One of the men in a blood-colored robe murmured with a frown.
The other said, "I just saw that ugly woman go over there. Why can't I sense her presence now?"
Hearing this, the two demonic cultivators became very cautious, slowly approaching the grove where the woman's body was hidden. They lifted the foliage and discovered the woman's corpse!
"Not good, the ugly woman is dead!"
"The ugly woman was at least a Qi Refining stage five cultivator. How could she die here without a sound?"
"This wound looks like it was caused by a blunt weapon-type artifact, likely an ambush. It seems there are other cultivators on the flying boat, but they shouldn't be strong; otherwise, they would have fled long ago. Let's be careful and find them."
"Damn, this rainstorm has covered many scents. Otherwise, our man-eating bats would have found them instantly!"
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Alaric Ye held his breath. At this moment, his heartbeat seemed to slow down. He hid in a dense cluster of leaves, watching the two demonic cultivators slowly approach.
"The smell of blood is strong here; he must be hiding nearby!"
Alaric Ye gritted his teeth, trying not to make any noise. He was injured, and Little Strong's attack had splattered blood all over him.
Alaric Ye didn't panic. He held his breath, ready to release Little White and Little Strong for another ambush. But this time, whether it would succeed was entirely uncertain!
These two were on guard.
Moreover, he had just released Little Strong. Releasing both Little White and Little Strong again might be too much for his spirit to handle.
Just as the two demonic cultivators were only two zhang away, a streak of light suddenly flashed across the sky. Alaric Ye felt a terrifying aura descend!
"Demonic scum of the Blood Shadow Sect, how dare you ambush the reception flying boat of my Top Xuan Sect! Prepare to die!"
Almost simultaneously, a blood-colored light shot into the sky.
"Hmph, why wouldn't we dare! You all, retreat quickly; I'll hold off this Mysterious Spirit Daoist!"
The two demonic cultivators who were about to find Alaric Ye sensed the arrival of a Top Xuan Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator. Their expressions changed slightly. Hearing the retreat order, they exchanged glances. One grabbed the woman's corpse and jumped onto a flying sword, while the other glanced at the tree where Alaric Ye was hiding, then also jumped onto a flying sword.
The two demonic cultivators turned into blood-colored streaks and disappeared into the dense forest.
Phew...! Alaric Ye gasped for air.
His face had turned pale from holding his breath, almost suffocating himself!
***
In the sky, a Top Xuan Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator in a light blue robe was fighting a Demonic Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator in a blood-colored robe. With Alaric Ye's current cultivation level, he could only see a blue shadow and a blood-colored shadow clashing continuously. The intense sound of artifacts colliding echoed, and lightning occasionally struck the blood-colored shadow, which was always deflected by a thick spirit power shield.
The two fought for dozens of breaths without a clear winner. Alaric Ye could vaguely see that the Top Xuan Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator had the upper hand, while the Demonic Sect cultivator dodged repeatedly.
Once all the demonic cultivators on the ground had retreated, the Demonic Sect cultivator no longer lingered in battle.
"Mysterious Spirit Daoist, we'll meet again. Soon, I'll reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and then I'll come to settle the score with you!"
The Demonic Sect cultivator spat out a mouthful of blood and turned into a blood-colored streak, disappearing from Alaric Ye's sight.
The cultivator known as Mysterious Spirit Daoist frowned deeply, looking at the devastation on the ground. He gritted his teeth and muttered, "Such wickedness! One day, I will storm your Blood Shadow Hall and avenge every fellow cultivator who died tragically!"
Not long after, several more streaks of light arrived, but they were all Qi Refining stage cultivators from the Top Xuan Sect. They stood on their flying swords and respectfully saluted the Mysterious Spirit Daoist.
"Uncle Master Mysterious Spirit!"
The Mysterious Spirit Daoist sighed deeply, "We came too late. I couldn't stop the demonic scum from escaping. Search the area; I sense there are survivors. Also, collect the bodies of our fallen comrades, cremate them, and place their ashes in the Top Xuan Tower for burial!"
"Yes, sir!"
***
The rain finally stopped, the clouds dispersed, and the blood-red sunset illuminated the chaotic forest.
After confirming there was no danger, a pale-faced Alaric Ye emerged from the woods.
He saw the tragic, half-clothed corpses of two female cultivators, their eyes filled with despair and pain.
He saw the head of Senior Brother Wang, who was responsible for detecting Spiritual Roots, his body nowhere to be found.
He saw the young masters and ladies, who had been full of hope for the future and whose enthusiasm hadn't been dampened by the rain, crushed by the flying boat's wreckage, their limbs scattered everywhere.
The Demonic Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator had led a large number of Qi Refining stage cultivators to ambush three Qi Refining stage cultivators from the Top Xuan Sect. Once the flying boat was destroyed, there wouldn't be much of a fight.
As soon as the flying boat crashed, the two outer sect female cultivators were controlled, and the highest-ranked inner sect Senior Brother Wang was instantly killed. What followed was the demonic cultivators' frenzy.
They took all the surviving children and violated the two female cultivators!
Alaric Ye clenched his fists.
In the morning, they were revered Upper Immortals, but now they had become wandering spirits, subjected to untold humiliation before death!
"So this is... the Cultivation World?" Alaric Ye murmured.
A young female cultivator in a light blue robe forced a smile at Alaric Ye.
"Yes, this is the Cultivation World. To be alive is already a great fortune!
You haven't officially joined our Top Xuan Sect yet. According to the sect rules, you can choose not to join. We will send a flying boat to take you back.
Are you afraid?"
Alaric Ye shook his head.
"Senior Sister, I'm not afraid. I've already experienced things more cruel and heartbreaking than this."