Chapter 198 - 114: Horse Bandits and the Demon Sect
Stepping out of the temple, Fang Xing and his three companions arrived under an old locust tree outside of town.
They secretly gathered their True Qi, eager for action and ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Using his formidable Mental Power to scan the area, Fang Xing sensed the Vampire Horse Thieves approaching like the wind.
These Vampire Horse Thieves cultivated demonic techniques, making them half-human, half-demon.
There were only one to two hundred Vampire Horse Thieves in total, but they were exceptionally powerful.
Ninety percent of them were Neutralizing Force Martial Artists.
It was difficult to reach the Neutralizing Force Realm through normal cultivation, but their demonic techniques allowed them to improve by directly plundering the Essence Qi of the living.
This allowed the Vampire Horse Thieves’ strength to grow with incredible speed.
But they didn’t live long.
While these Demonic Evil Skills could rapidly increase their power, it came at the cost of their lifespan.
This fact was also recorded in meticulous detail in the mission files.
The Demonic Evil Skills of the Vampire Horse Thieves originated from the Blood Demon Sect, a Demon Path Upper Sect.
The Blood Demon Technique!
Of course, compared to the core Divine Skill of the Blood Demon Sect, the Demonic Evil Skill the Vampire Horse Thieves cultivated was just a mere fraction.
It wasn’t the core technique.
After all, this band of Vampire Horse Thieves had only been cultivated by their masters to plunder the Essence Qi of their victims.
If they died, another batch could be created.
The Vampire Horse Thieves were just a front. Their true targets, besides the thieves themselves, were the hidden members of the Demon Sect manipulating them from behind.
The group’s plan was simple: once the Vampire Horse Thieves appeared, they would kill most of them and then track the survivors.
Finding the lair and destroying it completely—that was the core of the mission.
...
"They’re here!"
After waiting for a short while under the old locust tree, Bahuang Yi and the others felt a disturbance.
Under the cover of night, a dense mass of figures was rapidly approaching.
They were riding blood-red Demon Horses.
Moving like the wind!
Fang Xing also readied himself to strike.
’This group of Vampire Horse Thieves,’ Fang Xing thought, ’is prime "Resources"!’
Seeing the Vampire Horse Thieves less than a hundred zhang away, the group shared a tacit understanding and struck simultaneously.
Unleashing the Zongyi Ascension Step, Fang Xing was the first to charge toward the Vampire Horse Thieves.
HUMMM!
His Cyan Flame Transformation Sword Qi, long since gathered, was unleashed. Waves of cyan Flame Sword Qi suddenly burst forth.
SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!
The Flame Sword Qi swept out with irresistible force, felling one Vampire Horse Thief after another in an instant.
Unmatched against a crowd!
In a single strike, Fang Xing had slain ninety-eight percent of the Vampire Horse Thieves.
A massive amount of crimson energy flowed into his body.
In the span of a single breath, his Enhancement Points surged by tens of thousands.
The corpses of countless Vampire Horse Thieves and their Demon Horses fell to the ground.
Of the nearly two hundred Vampire Horse Thieves, only three leaders at the True Qi Realm remained in the blink of an eye.
BOOM!
His three companions’ attacks each slammed into a leader, sending them flying.
"Run!"
This sudden turn of events left the three leaders pale with fright. Without a second thought, they transformed into three streaks of blood-red light and fled.
Fang Xing didn’t move to kill them. ’These three leaders are the bait we need to find their lair.’
"Don’t be too fast. Just keep them on the line," Fang Xing said via a True Qi voice transmission. The other three understood.
They followed at a leisurely pace.
With Fang Xing tracking them within the range of his Mental Power, they weren’t worried about any mishaps.
...
On the desolate plains under the cold night sky, three streaks of bloody light sped frantically onward.
Not far behind, Fang Xing’s group of four gave chase.
They kept a careful distance—not too close, not too far—making it seem as though they were on the verge of losing their quarry.
This gave the three leaders hope that they could escape.
The three Vampire Horse Thieves fled at full speed, not hesitating to burn their own blood essence to go even faster.
After an hour of frantic flight, the three Vampire Horse Thieves arrived outside a village.
Just then, Fang Xing’s powerful Mental Power swept over the village. He sensed several powerful auras within, and his eyes lit up.
"My lord, save me!"
Reaching the village entrance, one of the leaders hurriedly cried out for help.
SLICE!
But the words had barely left his mouth when a dozen-zhang-long Flame Blade Qi shot out. A head flew into the air as blood gushed forth, and the Vampire Horse Thief leader was instantly slain.
The two remaining leaders were scared out of their wits. They accelerated toward the village, but they were a step too slow.
The Void seemed to burn as two more Flame Blade Qis followed, and the bodies of the last two leaders crumpled to the ground.
"Bastards!"
Just then, an enraged voice boomed from within the village.
It was like a clap of thunder, and an overwhelming wave of power swept out.
’Two at True Qi Great Perfection... plus a Top-Notch Great Demon and a High Realm Great Demon.’
Fang Xing’s expression turned grim. He used a True Qi transmission to relay the details to his companions.
Hearing Fang Xing’s message, the faces of the other three also grew heavy.
’A Top-Notch Great Demon... that’s equivalent to three cultivators at True Qi Realm Perfection.’
Zhou Yu’s heart sank.
Their enemy’s strength was greater than the intel suggested, by the equivalent of one fighter at True Qi Perfection.
The air cracked like thunder.
Four figures appeared before them in the darkness.
Two were middle-aged men in blood-red robes. The other two were Great Demons.
The aura of one of the Great Demons was the most terrifying; it had reached the level of a Top-Notch Great Demon.
In comparison, it was even more frightening than the two Martial Artists at True Qi Great Perfection.
It was a Top-Notch Great Demon—a Cyan Lion. Behind it stood a High Realm Great Demon—a Black Wolf.
The Top-Notch Great Demon, the Cyan Lion, had already reached the Transformation stage.
It had the head of a lion and the body of a man!
Their gazes met, and a thick killing intent saturated the air.
"It seems these are men from the Court," the Cyan Lion Great Demon said.
"The Court moves quickly. It seems they aren’t all useless fools after all."
The Black Wolf Great Demon beside him watched Fang Xing’s group with a mocking gaze.
"Their blood essence is strong. They should taste quite good."