Chapter 111: Demon God Phantom (II)

Lin Zheyu crept closer in silence. He activated the Tortoise Breath Grand Method with full focus, suppressing his presence and hiding among the trees not far away. Burly men patrolled the area, preventing him from getting too close, but he was near enough to discern the strength of the seventeen figures on the platform.

All of them were Blood Qi Realm experts! The leading priest's blood qi was several times denser than his own, marking him as a third transformation Blood Qi Realm expert. There were also two at the second, two at the first, and the rest had yet to reach the gauze stage of Blood Qi Realm.

So strong!

Lin Zheyu was astonished. So many Blood Qi Realm experts gathered here and their combined power likely surpassed the public strength of the three great families of Songyi City. No wonder they had been able to bring all the bandits in Lion Valley under their control.

As the priest continued preaching, the refugees began bowing devoutly before the demon statue, prostrating themselves in worship. Lin Zheyu turned his gaze toward the demon statue. The longer he stared, the more it seemed to come alive, until a colossal demon phantom towering over heaven and earth manifested in his sight.

Hiss.

He tore his eyes away through sheer force of will, gasping heavily. His body was drenched in sweat.

How terrifying... Could this demon god truly exist?

thought Lin Zheyu as terror filled his eyes.

From just that single glance, he felt an ancient, boundless aura bearing down on him. It crushed the breath from his lungs, compelling him to kneel and bow with the refugees before the demon statue.

This statue is sinister... It’s beyond the level I can withstand right now.

Suppressing his fear, Lin Zheyu dared not look directly at the statue again. He also covered his ears with both hands, unwilling to hear too much of the priest's sermon. The priest stood beneath the demon statue, his voice carrying a strange power that made his words feel unquestionably true, as if everything he spoke was absolute law. The more one listened, the harder it became to resist a rising reverence for the Nine Nether Demon God.

Lin Zheyu tapped his toes and swiftly retreated, pulling back more than 100 meters before stopping to observe from afar. The Nine Nether Sect radiated mystery from every corner, and for the first time, Lin Zheyu felt a growing desire to retreat.

Should I just leave?

wondered Lin Zheyu.

He hesitated for a while. After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Zheyu decided to observe a little longer. The priest's cultivation was only at the third transformation of blood qi. Unless he specialized in leg techniques, Lin Zheyu's mastery of the Golden Goose Technique, combined with his first transformation Blood Qi Realm strength, would make escape relatively easy. Yet the Nine Nether Sect's pervasive air of mystery unsettled him. Their unknown capabilities left him wary.

Lin Zheyu retreated another 200 meters and continued watching from afar. Roughly an hour later, the priest concluded his sermon. Under the guidance of the organizers, the followers lined up to receive steaming bowls of meat soup.

After the sermon, the priest and the other men in black and red robes entered a temple beside the plaza. The temple was imposing and grand, with another demon statue enshrined within. Seeing them disappear inside, Lin Zheyu let out a silent sigh of relief. It seemed he had not been detected.

"There are too many refugees here for them to all know one another. If I disguise myself as one of them, I might be able to slip in unnoticed and gather some useful information," murmured Lin Zheyu to himself.

He found a refugee's hut, took some clothes from inside that fit him, and changed into them. Then he grabbed a handful of dirt and smeared it over his skin, covering his fair complexion to make himself look more like a refugee. After examining himself, he admitted the disguise wasn't perfect, but anyone not looking too closely wouldn't notice the difference. He hid his blade and belt pouch in a secluded spot, then blended into the crowd of refugees.

The people in the plaza had yet to disperse. All of them were holding bowls and drinking the soup with content smiles. Lin Zheyu also stepped forward to request a bowl of soup and mingled with the crowd.

Standing in the plaza, he gazed at the demon statue from up close. He prepared himself mentally, ready to avert his gaze the moment that terrifying demon phantom appeared again. Yet even after staring for 2 or 3 minutes, the phantom did not reappear. The demon statue now looked ordinary and lifeless, no longer as though it might come alive at any moment.

Does the divine manifestation only appear during worship and prayer?

Lin Zheyu speculated.

He stayed hidden among the refugees, quietly eavesdropping on their conversations. They knew little about the Nine Nether Sect, only that by joining it and worshipping the Nine Nether Demon God, they could fill their bellies and live a better life.

How can I get close to a Blood Pill? thought

Lin Zheyu as he gazed toward the temple.

The dozen or so men in black and red robes had entered the temple and never reemerged. He had no idea what they were doing inside. Charging straight in was out of the question as he didn't even dare get too close. The priest’s third transformation Blood Qi Realm strength, combined with whatever mysterious means they might possess, forced him to tread carefully.

Lin Zheyu did not drink the soup but handed it to a frail, skin-and-bones child instead. An hour later, the refugees slowly dispersed and returned to their work. Only a few people remained in the plaza, some kneeling again to continue praying to the demon statue.

Lin Zheyu sat nearby pretending to rest, while patrols of bandits occasionally passed by. Just then, a group of burly men emerged from the forest. The leader's voice boomed, his hearty laughter ringing out even before he arrived.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"

Haha!

A great haul this time! We ran into a fat sheep! Boys, carry the goods into the temple!" the burly man laughed heartily as he said.

With a casual wave of his hand, his men lifted several heavy chests and carried them into the temple. Since joining the Nine Nether Sect, everything and anyone they plundered, hunted, or captured, could be converted into contribution points. With enough contribution points, they could exchange them for all manner of pills, treasures, and cultivation techniques.

"Cao Wang, how many contribution points do you have now?" someone came over and asked.

"Counting this haul, probably 70 or 80," replied Cao Wang with a sly grin. What he desired most now was to reach 100 contribution points, exchange them for a Blood Pill, and raise his strength to the Blood Qi Realm.

These bandits had limited aptitude, and under normal circumstances, they would never have any hope of advancing to the Blood Qi Realm in their entire lives. Yet after their city was overrun and they were forced into banditry, fate had unexpectedly granted them such an opportunity.

"And you? How many contribution points do you have?" asked Cao Wang with a grin.

"Only 43. You've already taken in all the refugees. The City Guard is cracking down hard now, and those merchant convoys are too strong to rob," said the man with a sigh.

"How about you lend me your contribution points first? I'll exchange them for a Blood Pill to boost my strength, then we can talk. Once I'm stronger, earning contribution points will be much easier. Afterwards, I'll return them back to you and help you get a Blood Pill too. What do you say?" proposed Cao Wang.

"Alright, but you'll have to sign a note before the priest, or I won't trust you," said the man with a crooked grin.

"Damn it, you don't trust my word?" Cao Wang glared at him.

"

Heh

, we're all bandits here. Who doesn't know what the other's like?" the man sneered.

"

Hehe

, don't worry. I am a man of my word. Since you don't trust me, then we'll sign the note in front of the priest," said Cao Wang with a chuckle, eager as he strode toward the temple.

Back in his old city, even a single Blood Qi Realm expert was considered a top-tier powerhouse. He had never imagined he too could one day become one.

***

Lin Zheyu watched the burly men carrying their plunder into the temple and could not help but sigh. The idea that had just come to him was now dashed. He had assumed this was the bandits' main stronghold and that their loot would be stored somewhere nearby.

If he could quietly investigate and find their stash, one good haul would be enough to sustain him for a while. But he had not expected that their treasure would be stored inside the temple itself. Inside were seventeen Blood Qi Realm experts, including one at the third transformation. Rushing in would be no different from seeking death.

That burly man entered the temple to exchange for a Blood Pill? I hope he doesn't swallow it right there inside,

thought Lin Zheyu. He kept his eyes fixed silently on the temple.