Chapter 77

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"Young man, fear not being captured, fear not being interrogated, fear not acting on impulse, and fear not harboring illusions. The greater your heart, the greater your dreams. Even if the road ahead is rugged and you are consumed by flames, the only thing to truly fear is losing your fiery spirit and becoming a slave in heart and soul."

An elder spoke, his voice earnest and weighty, the oldest in the stone chamber, about sixty years old.

In Su Qignian's eyes, the seventy or eighty people in the stone chamber seemed to have few good backgrounds. Judging by their muscles and skin, even the one with the deepest cultivation, whose mental power could reflect his vital energy, only had the strength of a fierce horse, still falling short of the power of a precious blood-sweating horse.

Most importantly, there was no sign of Qing Yu in the stone chamber.

"Are they numb? Not a single word, at this age, they probably haven't even seen the blood of a monster, truly a headache."

A few more people spoke, and no one paid attention to Su Qignian anymore. The only oil lamp in the stone chamber was almost extinguished, and the breaths of dozens of people could be heard, a stifling atmosphere permeating the air.

"I don't want to die, I have a wife, children, and elderly parents at home!"

When the lamp went out, someone finally couldn't bear it and growled, his voice thick with sobs.

"I shouldn't have been greedy, but in this world, without martial power, it's hard to survive. The county town has a garrison guarding the checkpoints, but with many people and little land, we can't afford to live there. In ordinary villages, we have to be constantly on guard. Every year, patrol officers in the town's police station die in the line of duty, and they can't ensure the safety of the people. I just wanted to lay the foundation. If I could just lay the foundation, I only ask for a third-rate Kai Tian realm, enough to protect my family and live out these few decades. I don't ask for peace and happiness, only that everyone is safe."

"Ten years ago, the demon race was still in hibernation, only a few appearing occasionally to cause trouble. But now, just ten years later, demon energy fills the sky. No matter how many Dragon Guards the Dragon Protection Manor has, they can't kill them all. Not to mention demon soldiers, even an ordinary demon with a common bloodline is hard for a martial artist who has perfected the seventh level of the 'Rushing Horse Technique' to resist."

Some of the rough-looking martial artists, who Su Qignian had initially seen as mere ruffians, now spoke words that moved him deeply.

Indeed, if not for being forced, who would risk their lives so recklessly? It wasn't about seeking wealth in danger, but about seeking survival, just to protect their loved ones. They were not entirely driven by greed.

The stone chamber was pitch black, but Su Qignian's mental power enveloped it, making it as clear as daylight. He was lying in wait, waiting for the right moment. No matter how hidden the soul-shattering technique was, with his current mental power, the range of the illusion was limited and couldn't cover the entire underground cave. Therefore, he only had one chance to strike. He wasn't afraid of ordinary demons, but he had to find the right moment to strike the demon soldier Zhao Xueshan, who guarded the cave. If he exposed himself, the demons, who had been plotting for a long time, would surely have various contingencies in place, and he couldn't afford to be unprepared.

...

Eighty-second! Eighty-third! Eighty-fourth…

Another hour passed, and four more people were added to the stone chamber. One of them had most of his body torn apart and died within half an incense stick's time after being thrown into the chamber.

A young man, about seventeen or eighteen years old, died in great pain, his chest torn open by sharp claws. From the wound, it was clear that a wolf demon had attacked him, and he had no chance to resist.

Even until his death, this young man did not shed a single tear. He gritted his teeth and stopped breathing in a low, guttural roar.

"What a fierce spirit!"

"A young man with such blood and will, if he hadn't died and had a good master, even in a third-rate sect, he would have a good chance of laying the foundation and overcoming distractions."

Many people in the stone chamber sighed, another young life had withered. Some people's gazes swept over Su Qignian, their disdain even more pronounced.

Su Qignian's mental power saw everything, but he didn't care. He even absorbed these emotions, integrating them into the realm of the 'Xiuming Dao.' He was building up his momentum, accumulating strength, and once he struck, it would be a thunderous blow.

Eighty-nine… Ninety-one, Ninety-two…

Another two hours passed, and it was almost dawn. There were only eight spots left to reach the number one hundred that the demon soldier Zhao Xueshan had mentioned.

Unfortunately, so far, the highest cultivation among those captured was still not at the foundation stage. The strongest was the ninety-second person captured, a young man. Under Su Qignian's mental power, his vital energy was like a furnace, with the strength of a precious blood-sweating horse, but he had been defeated, his vital energy dim, his right arm torn, exposing white bone fragments, severely injured.

"He is a disciple of the Divine Fist Sect, Yu Hu, the great hero Yu Da."

At this moment, someone, taking advantage of the dim light from the door opening, vaguely recognized the young man's identity.

"Indeed, it is me. I am ashamed to have fallen into this underground cave and been captured. Why are you all here?"

The young man was surprised. Soon, he learned the truth from the others and was both shocked and angry, wondering how many traps the great demon Moke had set in the Moyun Mountains, and how many lives would be lost.

"The Divine Fist Sect is a third-rate sect in Zhangwan County, known for its second-rate martial art, the 'Hundred Steps Divine Fist.' Its foundation cultivation technique, the 'Heart Fist Sutra,' has eight levels of heart methods. When perfected, it can grant the strength of a precious blood-sweating horse."

Su Qignian's mind stirred, and the notes and travel diaries he had read in the scripture hall floated to the surface, containing various written records about the Divine Fist Sect. However, because it was only a third-rate sect, there wasn't much detailed description.

Ninety-five… Ninety-seven, Ninety-eight, Ninety-nine…

In the next half hour, seven more people were captured and thrown into the stone chamber.

Su Qignian raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss.

...

In the hall where the demon soldier Zhao Xueshan was, he put down the 'Tao Te Ching' he was reading and frowned. "How did so many people suddenly appear?"

"Lord Zhao Xueshan, we are just one person short of one hundred," the leopard demon flattered, "It's your great fortune that so many humans have fallen into our trap. We are likely the first to fill our burial pit with one hundred people."

"Oh," the demon soldier Zhao Xueshan seemed pleased and nodded. "You have read some books, and you've even learned to use such grandiose rhetoric. You are teachable, yes, very teachable."

Wait!

Suddenly, the demon soldier's eyes flickered, becoming sharp. His body flashed, swift as the wind, and he snatched a stack of sheepskin maps from the leopard demon's arms.

"Lord Zhao Xueshan."

The leopard demon and the wolf demon were startled, the sudden change filling them with a sense of foreboding.

Ignoring the two demons, Zhao Xueshan rubbed the sheepskin maps with his hands, and they began to burn. One of the maps produced a blood-red flame, crimson and vivid, emitting a strong demonic aura, while the others burned with ordinary orange flames, producing wisps of smoke.

Fake!

At this moment, even the confused demons understood. Only one of the sheepskin maps was real, and the others were forgeries.

"Lord Moke, the demon lord, has planned this meticulously. These maps all contain a drop of demon blood hidden by special techniques. Unless burned, the demonic aura won't be released, and even a first-rate Hanyuan realm expert would find it hard to detect," the demon soldier Zhao Xueshan said solemnly. "Immediately transfer all the prisoners, we can't stay here any longer!"

"Too late!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the end of the tunnel, footsteps approaching. A few moments later, six figures appeared before the three demons.

The six figures were led by a young man, dressed in black robes, about twenty years old, with a chiseled face and sharp, stern eyes. He held a fine steel longsword, its blade gleaming like snow, with blood droplets falling from the tip, and a faint demonic aura dissipating.

Behind him, the other five were also young, not yet thirty, but they all followed the black-robed youth, lagging slightly behind, with various injuries on their bodies.

"They are all dead."

The demon soldier Zhao Xueshan's tone was certain. He glanced at the six and immediately understood, sneering, "Do you think you can rescue anyone from my hands?"

"Ridiculous!" One of the five immediately rebuked, "Demon! Look clearly, the one before you is a candidate Dragon Guard of the Great Han Dragon Protection Manor, the eldest disciple Qi Su of Luoxia Sect in Zhushan County!" (First update of the day, please give recommendations and add to your favorites, we are about to break ten thousand.)