Qingzhou City’s Refugees

Over ten powerful warriors appeared and quickly eliminated the ones chasing Le Ji’an and Feng Zhiqun. Both were surrounded by the blood of their enemies.

Everyone stared at the direction of the Ghost Ox Sect, where a tower of blood had risen, with serious faces.

“It’s time to move,” said Qin Huai, revealing himself. He had just killed an enemy, the remains of which were falling from the sky.

Le Ji’an, seeing this, did not show any sign of discomfort. “You’ve gotten a lot stronger since we last met, haven’t you, Zhou?” He thought they were equally matched, but now it was clear that he was lagging behind.

Feng Zhiqun, who had fought alone and was severely injured, thanked everyone for saving him, saying, “Thanks for your help!”

“Next, we’ll head to the Blue Sea Pavilion,” said Qin Huai, leading the way.

Their journey was marked by the corpses of their defeated enemies from the Sacred Heart Sect and the demon followers. The former had used a powerful charm to corrupt ambitious martial artists in fifty years, while the demons had been a part of this land for thousands of years. As they moved along, Qin Huai was concerned about the bodies that would momentarily float into the sky and dissolve into the blood tower. He wondered if the blood tower was powered by the deaths they caused.

Qin Huai also felt something ominous about the red cloud that loomed over the city. He felt there was a secret waiting to be uncovered.

While they were moving, Qin Huai asked about the current state of the Ghost Ox Sect.

Le Ji’an replied calmly, “I believe it’s only me and Elder Feng who are not in cahoots with the Sacred Heart Sect and the demons. The sect master and those loyal to him, as well as some of the others, either joined the cult or were killed. The sect is divided into two factions now.”

Xiang Mingfeng expressed his relief, “We’re lucky you came on time, or our Wuji Mountain would’ve faced the same fate.”

The group then discovered that even small towns had been infiltrated by the Sacred Heart Sect and the demons. After a brief stop to deal with a cult member causing trouble, Xiang Mingfeng shared his realization, “These two factions have not only infiltrated the higher ranks of major sects but also have reached these small towns.”

“The most terrifying thing is that the moment the blood tower rose, the city probably fell under the control of these two powerful forces,” said one of the heroes.

As they prepared to leave, survivors from the town emerged from their hiding places in houses and underground, thanking them for their help. Fear filled their eyes. An old man from the crowd, trembling, asked the group, “Are you heading out to fight the demons?” He knelt in respect, but She Wanshan quickly helped him up.

“No, we’re going to save people,” Xiang Mingfeng clarified.

“But when will the evil end?” the old man asked, uneasy.

Xiang Mingfeng was honest with him. “I don’t know. In a few years, even our sects might fall. Half of the city might be taken over.”

The townspeople turned pale at this news. A young girl, crying, asked about her brother in the Ghost Ox Sect. “My Brother Qing is still a servant disciple in the Ghost Ox Sect. Is the sect alright?”

Le Ji’an responded with a grim face, “The Ghost Ox Sect is gone. If your brother survived, I might have to fight him in the future.”

The girl fainted at his words. The people of the town had witnessed the horrifying transformation of their familiar faces into violent killers. Some even grew demon wings.

The old man asked for their advice on survival. action

“Qingzhou City isn’t safe anymore. If you can, escape to the provinces around the city,” Xiang Mingfeng suggested. He looked at the crowd, mostly women, children, the elderly, and saw that most of the young had already fled or been killed.

“But the surrounding provinces are far, and you’re not familiar with them,” Xiang Mingfeng continued. “Why not try East Qingzhou? It’s remote and less populated. The demons might not bother with it.”

“Thank you, Master!”

The townspeople bowed and expressed their gratitude. Then, they hurried home to prepare for the journey to East Qingzhou.