Shi Xiaoleâs current internal power is no inferior to that of an ordinary Qi Absorption fourth-tier peak master. Once it is wielded through the Purple Light Divine Skill, its power is not weaker than that of an early-stage fifth-tier master.
Here the term âordinaryâ refers to martial artists who practice third-rate internal power. If they were practicing second-rate inferior internal power, the gap would be much smaller and it would not be possible to span two to three tiers.
The Infant Eating Great Method practiced by Yintong, although stronger than ordinary internal power, is fundamentally still a third-rate superior internal power. In the situation where their internal power is not vastly different, his moves are completely crushed and naturally he can only constantly retreat.
"How did this mongrel make such a startling progress?"
Yintongâs immature face is filled with surprise. Coupled with the long sword mark, it gave people a feeling of near-madness.
"Before you kill someone, have you carefully investigated the target?"
Shi Xiaole stepped on the Tianluo footwork, swung his Qingfeng sword and said while having capacity to spare.
Hearing this, Yintong was so angry that he almost bit his tongue. He was left wide open in his embarrassed anger and was stabbed several times by Shi Xiaole.
"Hehehe, go to hell for me!"
After dozens of moves, a smirk suddenly appeared on Yintongâs face.
A surge of Devil Path internal power, like a raging tide, erupted from his body and blasted the snow on the ground into the sky almost instantly.
Internal power left the body!
Last time at the Meihua Village, although Yintong could also do this, he still couldnât show his power because his injury was not healed. Now, seeing Shi Xiaoleâs overconfidence, he thought he had found an opportunity and used this well-concealed killing move at once.
The somewhat sinister Devil Pathâs internal power passed through and almost in an instant reached the front of Shi Xiaoleâs eyes.
Yintong seemed to have seen the tragic scene of his opponentâs bloody mouth and powerless fall, and his whole body was trembling with excitement.
"Internal power leaving the body, I can do it too."
Shi Xiaoleâs lips curled into a slightly upward arc as he advanced instead of retreating. The purple internal power, like a sturdy cotton wad, surged towards all sides.
Bang...
The two types of internal power slammed into each other with no tricksiness, causing the sky to seem as if it was trembling.
Due to his cultivation limitation, Yintongâs use of internal power was only a partial projection. As for the Purple Light Divine Skillâs projection of internal power, while it could only be maintained for a few moments, it was a projection of all internal power.
The result was clear.
"Wah!"
Yintongâs eyes almost popped out of his sockets from shock, and with a loud scream, blood sprayed from his mouth as if it were worthless. His body fell to the snow like a kite with a broken string, and he didnât get up for a while.
Sheathing his sword and slowly calming his surging internal power, only then did Shi Xiaole walk forward.
"Donât kill me. I am from Demon Sound Valley, the deputy altar master of Bloody Red Altar. If you lay a hand on me, Demon Sound Valley will not let you go."
Yintong, unable to get up, could only speak threateningly.
He had only recently found a sect, now regretting that he should not have come alone for the sake of saving his face.
"Demon Sound Valley?"
With a thought in his heart, Shi Xiaole suddenly pulled out his sword and kept on hacking at Yintong. The alarming wind of the sword made the latter scream continually, as if he could see his own bones being picked clean.
Suddenly, the sword wind stopped.
Yintong was met with a pair of mysterious eyes. He was so frightened that his mind was directly captured.
"What kind of organization is Demon Sound Valley?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
"A secret Devil Path organization, subordinate to Sun Demon Palace."
Yintong answered unconsciously.
Sun Demon Palace?
There are two large Demon Palaces, three large gangs, four major families, and eight sects in Qingxue State. And the Sun Demon Palace is one of the two major Demon Palaces.
Legend has it that the Sun Demon Palace is extremely powerful with numerous masters. However, due to the conflict between righteousness and the Devil Path six hundred years ago, the Devil Path forces were defeated. Thus, they hid away, and no one knows their whereabouts.
Shi Xiaole didnât expect that the Demon Sound Valley, where Yintong is from, has such a big background.
"What is Demon Sound Valley planning to do?"
"Upon the summons of the Holy Master, we are preparing to secretly attack some Righteous Path forces in the near future, preparing for a large counterattack in a hundred years."
As one question after another was asked, they all received answers. However, the more Shi Xiaole heard, the more shocked he became.
It turns out that Demon Sound Valley had secretly moved into Cloud Triangle a few years ago. Their goal is to slowly devour the righteous sects of the Cloud Triangle, using the method of boiling a frog in warm water.
There are some questions that Yintong canât answer due to his status, but Shi Xiaole can guess that if even the Cloud Triangle has been invaded by the Devil Path, wouldnât other areas have the same issue?
The Devil Path, which has been dormant for several hundred years, seems to be gradually becoming restless.
"Demon Sound Valley is divided into twenty-five altars, each dealing with a city in Cloud Triangle. The Bloody Red Altar that I belong to is preparing to secretly attack the two major forces, the Golden Phoenix Tower and the Knife Assistance Gang, in Feiyan City in half a month."
Upon hearing this, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Shi Xiaoleâs eyes.
The Soul Transfer Great Method dispersed, and Yintongâs consciousness returned. When he thought of what had just happened, both anger and fear arose. He shouted, "Let me go, I can work for you like an ox or a horse, I am willing to..."
Before he could finish his words, there was a spray of blood, and a sword light chopped off his head and dropped it in the snow.
Shi Xiaole searched Yintongâs body, taking several dozen silver bills and a red iron plate etched with a drop of blood. Then, he left.
Since the Bloody Red Altar is preparing to deal with the Golden Phoenix Tower, he naturally couldnât sit by and do nothing.
...
At the easternmost point of Cloud Triangle, there was a hidden valley.
On both sides of the valley, blood-red flowers were planted. A rugged stone path about ten meters wide extended down the middle of the valley, reaching the base of a towering stone wall.
At first glance, the valley seemed extremely desolate.
But the next moment, something astonishing happened.
Several men, dressed in red and wearing fabric of the same color on their heads, pushed open a door in the stone wall on the left side of the valley and came out from inside.
"Young Leader, weâve kidnapped all the boys and girls from the nearby dozen villages. Where else can we go?"
A man asked with a furrowed brow.
Due to the upcoming âconquestâ plan of Demon Sound Valley, they had been instructed not to operate in any towns or cities, in order to avoid detection and not raise alarm among the Righteous Path.
However, the Bloody Red Altar was quite remote. To find other villages would take considerable time, and any delay might disturb the training of the Altarâs Master, which could lead to disaster.
"This time we are not kidnapping boys and girls, but only **** virgins."
The squint-eyed Young Leader responded, laughing in a creepy tone.
The men around him were a bit shocked. One of them realized, "Has the Altarâs Master broken through the highest level of the Infant Eating Great Method, and started practicing the Woman Devouring Great Method?"
The Young Leader chuckled but didnât say anything, which exhilarated the group of men even more.
The stronger the Altarâs Master became, the higher their chances of success in conquering the Golden Phoenix Tower and Knife Assistance Gang. Then, they wouldnât have to stay put in such a desolate place all day long.
A few days later, a casual figure in a blue shirt approached the Bloody Red Altar.
It was Shi Xiaole.
"Though I have the Bloody Red Order, Iâm unfamiliar with this place. Itâs unwise to rush in. Better to wait nearby for a lead."
After pondering for a moment, Shi Xiaole didnât rush into the Bloody Red Altar, but hid and waited for prey to lead the way.
From what Shi Xiaole gathered from Yintong, âRed-faced Demon Leaderâ Qiu Wunan was an expert at the pinnacle of the Fifth Tier in Qi Absorption, so Shi Xiaole wasnât particularly intimidated.
Two days passed quickly.
One day, footsteps could be heard from afar.
"Damn it, what are you all dilly-dallying about, hurry up."
"You little girl, if you dare to cry again, believe it or not, Iâll have you right here and now!"
Arrogant threats, scolding, along with the cries of many women, drifted into Shi Xiaoleâs ears.
He leapt down from a tree and saw dozens of 17-18-year-old girls, squeezed together in terror and despair, being driven around mercilessly by several men.
Some men were touchy-feely, taking joy in their inappropriate actions towards the girls.
Shi Xiaoleâs expression turned cold.
"Boy, who are you and why are you here?"
Several men noticed Shi Xiaole and one of them barked.
The girls looked up hopefully, but once they saw Shi Xiaoleâs face, they showed disappointment. This young man was so young, how could he save them?
"Young warrior, which faction do you belong to and did you come here alone?"
The Young Leader, with squinted eyes, asked insincerely.
"I belong to no faction and I am alone."
Hearing Shi Xiaoleâs reply, the Young Leader clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
They were close to the Bloody Red Altar. If there was a large group approaching, they would be on high alert.
For instance, during the last incident, thankfully the Master returned from outside and arrested a group of young warriors who had been snooping around. Otherwise, if the news had gotten out, the Bloody Red Altar would be doomed.
Since Shi Xiaole was alone, it seemed he was just a blind cat running into a dead rat, stumbling upon this place by accident.
With this thought, the Young Leader felt no need to be wary.
The Young Leader signaled, and several red-clad men sneered, swiftly encircling Shi Xiaole.
"Young warrior, remember, donât trespass where you shouldnât. It could cost you your life."
The Young Leader gave a nod, and the red-clad men simultaneously charged at Shi Xiaole.
Judging from the aura they were exuding, these men were at the first tier of Qi Absorption and their vicious attack styles far exceeded the average Martial World standards.
Even the underlings were this powerful, it was easy to imagine how strong the Bloody Red Altar would be. If they attacked the Golden Phoenix Tower, Shi Xiaoleâs aunt would not be able to resist them with her current power, and the outcome would be unthinkable.
Killer intent rose in Shi Xiaoleâs heart. With a slight tap of his left foot, the Shattered Snow Blade struck out a circle around his body.
Swish!
Without even having the chance to scream, several heads were sent flying into the air.
"What?!"
The Young Leader and the remaining men looked horrified, almost unable to believe their eyes.
But before they could snap out of their shock, the young man in the blue shirt had already charged at them, slashing with his blade.
As they froze in their tracks, unable to act, they were cut down.
"My lord, spare my life, please donât kill me."
Almost peeing his pants with fright, the Young Leader immediately knelt on the ground.
"If you donât want to die, thatâs fine too. Bring me to the Bloody Red Altar."
Shi Xiaole said coldly.
"Of course, I promise you anything, my lord."
As Shi Xiaole disappeared with the Young Leader, the group of young girls stood still, dazed.
So it was over, they were free?
Only at this moment, they remembered that they had forgotten to ask their saviorâs name.
After moving a large stone door and walking through a corridor, Shi Xiaole entered the Bloody Red Altar with the Young Leader. As the guards outside the corridor were about to speak, they were instantly slain.
"Whereâs Qiu Wunan, take me there."
Shi Xiaoleâs words left the Young Leader aghast. Who exactly was he, that he seemed to set his eyes on the Master without any fear.