Chapter 62

The Cult Leader's Scheme

In a dim, secret chamber, five figures gathered, their faces exuding a terrifying aura, as they leaned in to discuss. The one seated at the head of the table spoke.

"Perhaps we should make another preparation just in case."

"What kind of preparation do you mean...?"

"How many reanimated corpses have been completed so far?"

"289."

"Will that be enough?"

"Heh heh, these are not ordinary reanimated corpses but the Thousand Spirit Corpses (穿靈屍) created by the Blood Cult's secret techniques. Even if he is as powerful as he claims, it will be difficult for him to return alive."

"But I still feel that it is insufficient..."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Prepare the Great Thousand Demon Array (大千惡魔羅陣) within a ten-li (approximately 4 kilometers) radius of the trap."

At this, all of them were momentarily speechless, their faces filled with shock. The Great Thousand Demon Array was a formation that had been researched and created over a long period of time and used only twice. It was so terrifying that the Law of the Heavenly Demon Sect prohibited its use unless the sect was in danger of being destroyed.

The most recent use of the Great Thousand Demon Array was when the son of the Great Hero of the District, District Hero Gu Tian, attempted to destroy the Demon Sect. The Heavenly Demon Sect had set up the array over nearly 30 li, lured the enemy in, and activated the formation. The evil aura and demonic energy were so terrifying that even the members of the Demon Sect had never felt anything like it before.

The Demon Sect and the First Gate of the World (天下第一門) engaged in a fierce battle within the formation. The evil aura and demonic energy had opposite effects on both sides: those who practiced righteous martial arts were overwhelmed and unable to perform at their best, while the members of the Demon Sect received a boost and displayed even greater power. With the help of the Elders, they managed to destroy the First Gate of the World without incurring significant losses.

"But, but... shouldn't we reconsider this...?"

"You're right. The Great Thousand Demon Array is a forbidden formation according to the Law of the Heavenly Demon Sect. It seems too extreme..."

"Heh heh heh, the Great Thousand Demon Array not only has an incredible destructive power but also grants evil strength to evil demons. As reanimated corpses, the Thousand Spirit Corpses will naturally maximize this power and surely send him to the other world. However, this is our last resort."

"What do you mean by 'last resort'?"

"We are setting up multiple layers of traps to deal with him. If he manages to escape all of them, we will have no choice but to use it. He is very curious, and if we let him off easily, he might come back to finish us. Instead, we must not let his subordinates know it's a trap. He is very perceptive... so we must be careful, very careful."

"Understood!"

Another figure in the darkness spoke up.

"Speaking of which, there is a problem with the girl we captured this time..."

"What is it?"

"It seems... the Soul Capturing Technique of the Demon Spirit (魔靈攝魂沁法) doesn't work on her."

"Impossible?"

"It seems she has learned the Void Spirit Heart Method (太虛無靈心法). All the techniques he taught to others were this one. Therefore, we cannot control her mind..."

"Heh heh heh, I see. We'll think about that later. If he is definitely coming here, we can torture her to destroy her sanity and then cast a spell on her... There's no need to worry about it now. Just keep her locked up somewhere until we are more certain."

"Understood!"

An Eye for an Eye

Mo Xiang, who was known as the Blood Demon, had a profound conversation with the strongest practitioner, Zhang Zhen, and was deeply moved by his life of seclusion and penance for a mistake he could not remember. Mo Xiang, who was far from the concept of penance, felt a deep respect for Zhang Zhen's perseverance.

While talking, Mo Xiang mentioned that he was going to Luoyang to meet his adopted daughter. Zhang Zhen advised him to give up the trip for her sake, as righteousness and evil cannot coexist. Mo Xiang, feeling regretful, returned to the Black Dragon Sect, as he found it difficult to find a valid reason to defy Zhang Zhen's advice.

Mo Xiang was pleased with the new sign hanging at the entrance of the old Black Dragon Sect. The old sign "Black Dragon Sect (黑龍門)" was removed, and a new one was put up as per his instructions, which read:

"Heavenly Demon Sect Shaanxi Branch (天魔神敎陝西分打)"

When Mo Xiang returned, Xue Wuzhi brought a stack of documents he had processed.

"The first document records the hierarchy of the members of the branch and the salaries, equipment, and other provisions they receive. The second document records the expansion of our business during your absence, and the third document records the current financial status of the branch."

"Hmm..."

Mo Xiang briefly flipped through the documents and then set them aside, asking:

"The Black Wind Gang should have arrived. How did you handle them?"

"Yes, for direct matters, you should hear from Captain Guan. However, it seems best to keep them separate, so I arranged a separate place for them to stay. After consulting with Captain Guan, we named them the Black Wind Corps, and their hierarchy is under his command. The cost of purchasing new weapons, clothing, and equipment for them is..."

"Ah, let's stop talking about money. It gives me a headache. I've already entrusted that to you, haven't I?"

"Yes."

"What new business did you start?"

"Yes, when the Black Wind Gang arrived, it turned out they were incredibly powerful... I didn't need to control them, so I used some of them to start a security and bodyguard business. With the help of the Prince of Yan, we eliminated all the small gangs in the area and began collecting a certain amount of money. We also acquired eight inns, three brothels, five gambling dens, and twelve pawnshops."

"Was there any problem acquiring them?"

"It was handled quietly and smoothly."

"Is the income good?"

"Since we are close to the capital, when our strong practitioners demonstrated their skills to wealthy merchants and high officials, they were all satisfied and requested our protection. They don't mind spending money as long as their safety is guaranteed. The security business has also stabilized after absorbing three nearby security companies."

"Good, good. You can handle everything."

"Understood! However..."

"What is it?"

"Someone has come to see you, refusing to reveal their purpose and has been staying here for a week. Would you like to meet them?"

"Where are they from?"

"From Dashi (大山)."

"Alright, bring them in."

A little later, a figure exuding demonic energy entered and prostrated himself before Mo Xiang.

"Are you well, Deputy Leader?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"I have come to deliver a message from the Leader."

The strong man who led him in handed the letter to Xue Wuzhi, who then passed it to Mo Xiang. Mo Xiang read the letter expressionlessly and then handed it to Xue Wuzhi, asking:

"What do you think?"

Xue Wuzhi's face turned pale with anger after reading the letter.

"We cannot follow this."

"Why?"

"It's clearly a trap. They are holding your adopted daughter hostage to harm you. We cannot fall for their trick."

"But if I don't go, they will kill her, right?"

"Even then, we cannot go. We can take revenge later... If we follow their demands now, your life will be in danger."

Mo Xiang, who had been serious until now, suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha."

"..."

"Your thoughts align perfectly with mine. In fact, I have no intention of going there. Why should I risk my life for a girl I barely remember? Ha ha ha, now even the Leader is trying to amuse me. Write a letter for me."

"Yes, I'm ready. Please dictate."

"You can write the formal greetings and such, but the main point is this: 'If you kill my adopted daughter, I have no intention of stopping you. Frankly, it is very difficult for me to kill the Leader. Not only is the Leader's martial arts formidable, but there are many guards around him. However, it is much easier to kill the Leader's family, who are weaker in martial arts. If you kill my adopted daughter, I will systematically kill your children, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and granddaughters, in that order. It won't be difficult... Since I have nothing to lose, let's see who can kill more.' Write this, seal it with the jade seal, and give it to him."

"Understood."

Xue Wuzhi wrote the letter, sealed it with the jade seal Mo Xiang gave him, and handed it to the strong man, who then passed it to the figure exuding demonic energy. After receiving the letter, the figure tucked it into his robe and bowed to Mo Xiang before turning to leave.

At this moment, Mo Xiang called out to him.

"Wait!"

The figure turned, and Mo Xiang, with a mocking smile, said:

"You brought such a dirty message to me, don't you think the gift is insufficient?"

The figure, without blinking, immediately gathered energy in his right hand and used the hand knife technique to sever his left hand. After the hand fell, he pressed several acupoints to stop the bleeding and said expressionlessly:

"Do you need more?"

Mo Xiang smiled faintly and replied:

"No, that's too much. A martial artist would find it very inconvenient to lose a hand, so just one ear would have been enough. Since you took the initiative to cut off your hand, there's nothing I can do. Have a safe journey back to Dashi."