Chapter 19: One by One

Nanyun City was the only city in the southern part of the Hundred Demons Mountain Range.
Its ruler, Bai Yuhan, was at the early stage of the Outward Departure cultivation level. He practiced ice-based cultivation techniques, starting as a minor figure in the Hundred Demons Mountain Range. Through continuous battles and trials, he improved his strength to the early stage of Outward Departure. He then killed the previous city ruler and has since been governing Nanyun City.
Rumors said that Bai Yuhan came from the White Moon Palace, one of the five major cultivation sects on the South Demon Continent.
The southern part of the Hundred Demons Mountain Range was also part of the southern region of the South Demon Continent. Here, the air grew colder, with most peaks covered in snow. The icy and snowy environment made it the preferred place for those practicing ice-based cultivation techniques.
While many cultivators were diligently practicing in this icy land, three groups, with sinister intentions, began sniping at them. Naturally, one of these groups was led by Qu Yi.
At that moment, Qu Yi’s group arrived at a valley.
“Bai Sen, you six, scatter immediately and search the surrounding areas for targets,” Qu Yi ordered calmly.
Qu Yi employed a comprehensive search method. Upon arriving at a location, he sent the six people in six different directions to use their spiritual senses to search for cultivators in the area. With the spiritual senses of those at the late Yuan Ying stage, they could cover a range of about three thousand li. Thus, together, the six of them could cover an area of twelve thousand li.
As a result, Qu Yi could usually find the targets with each search.
Bai Sen responded affirmatively and immediately flew off with the other five in six different directions to search.
After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Bai Sen and the others returned.
“Reporting to the sect leader: two people in the northeast!”
“Reporting to the sect leader: three people in the north!”
“Reporting to the sect leader: three people in the northwest!”
“Reporting to the sect leader: four people in the southwest!”
“Reporting to the sect leader: three people in the south!”
“Reporting to the sect leader: three people in the southeast!”
The six people reported their findings one after another.
Qu Yi remained silent for a moment before saying, “First, deal with the two people in the northeast.”
Considering that this was their first time working together, Qu Yi wanted the six of them to practice by dealing with the two people in the northeast first, so they could become more proficient in coordinating their tactics before facing those in other directions.
“Understood, sect leader,” the six replied immediately.
Then, Qu Yi assigned them: three would fly over from the air, while the other three would fly along the ground, all to deal with the two people in the northeast at the same time.
……

In a hidden cave within a mountain fissure, there was a middle-aged man dressed in black, with a gloomy appearance, who was meditating in silence. In the Bai Mo Mountain Range, those who had undergone trials would set out to find targets after a while and engage in fierce battles. Those who survived would immediately retreat to meditate, reviewing every detail of the battle in their souls in an effort to gain insights. This man in black had just fought a fierce battle two days prior, killing a master in the later stages of the Yuan Ying phase, and now he was quietly meditating to comprehend what he had learned. Suddenly, the man in black opened his eyes, his gaze shining, before flying out of the cave. “Who are you?” he demanded coldly. Right in front of him were four people—Qu Yi’s group. Their sudden teleportation had inadvertently been detected by him. “Kill them!” Qu Yi, too lazy to answer, simply waved his hand at the three people beside him. Quickly, the three masters in the later stages of the Yuan Ying phase surrounded the man in black, each wielding their magical artifacts and launching fierce attack spells. One practiced blood-based techniques, another focused on physical strength, and the third used ice-based methods. Together, their attacks created three terrifying spells that enveloped the man in black. One was a giant blood bat, with a hissing sound and blood clots swirling toward him. Another was a bone ape the size of a mountain, its two massive fists aimed at him at the same time. There was also a hundred-meter-wide slab of ice, carrying freezing cold that could shatter flesh, descending toward him. “You…” The man in black roared in anger and immediately drew a snow-white long sword, its bright white light dazzling as he swung it with all his strength. “Heavenly Ice Dome!” As the sword was swung, a beam of bright white energy sprayed out, forming a thick semicircular layer of ice above the man in black, just enough to cover him. The blood bat landed on the ice layer but not only failed to break through it but also left streaks of blood that instantly froze. The bone ape’s fists, though powerful as mountains, only managed to create cracks in the ice without breaking through it. The hundred-meter-wide slab of ice hitting the ice layer shattered instantly, completely breaking through the already cracked ice. The man in black barely managed to withstand this first wave of attacks. “How dare you break the rules of the Bai Mo Mountain Range? Why bully the few with the many?” he shouted coldly.

The Hundred Demons Mountain Range was originally a place for cultivators to hone their skills, with the unspoken rule being that one should not fight in numbers superiority. Unfortunately, Qu Yi came this time to capture people and expand his power, so he had no regard for such rules.

“Continue!” Qu Yi ignored the black-clothed man’s anger completely and issued another attack order.

Undoubtedly, the three cultivators at the late Yuan Ying stage launched another round of attacks—blood bats, bone apes, and hundred-meter-thick ice all attacking together.

“You…!”

The black-clothed man was furious, but he had no choice but to summon another “Heavenly Ice Dome” to protect himself completely.

He managed to withstand the second wave of attacks, though his energy was somewhat disrupted.

Yet Qu Yi mercilessly raised his hand again.

Once more, the blood bats, bone apes, and ice attacked the black-clothed man.

“You despicable wretches! Even cultivators should follow rules!” the black-clothed man cried, tears in his eyes.

But when he saw the three spells coming at him, he had to gather whatever true energy he still had to cast another “Heavenly Ice Dome” to protect himself.

He barely managed to fend off the third wave of attacks.

At that moment, Qu Yi waved his hand, flew over to the black-clothed man with a smile, and circled him, examining him.

“Don’t worry. I’m not here to kill you. I just want to drain your true energy,” Qu Yi said gently.

The black-clothed man was stunned. He had been attacked all at once and thought his life was over, but now, seeing Qu Yi’s expression, he found it hard to understand his intentions.

“After draining your true energy, I’ll seal your Yuan Ying,” Qu Yi laughed, revealing his true purpose.

Panicked, the black-clothed man tried to fly away using his last bit of true energy, but Qu Yi was faster. He slapped the man’s chest with his palm and sent a strand of golden true energy into the man’s dantian.

Inside the dantian, the golden true energy formed a small sword that attached itself to the man’s Yuan Ying.

“Alright, this is my ‘True Energy Thrust.’ If you don’t want to die, don’t use the true energy in your Yuan Ying. Don’t blame me if you die,” Qu Yi said with a concerned smile.

The black-clothed man collapsed to the ground, staring coldly at Qu Yi.

In fact, this “True Energy Thrust” was also a spell taught to Qu Yi by Wei Yan. It was through this method that Wei Yan controlled twenty cultivators at the late Yuan Ying stage, forcing them to sign soul contracts and becoming his slaves.

“Take him. Let’s go meet Bai Sen,” Qu Yi said before flying into the air.

Immediately, the person who practiced blood-based cultivation methods took the man in black with him and flew up to join Qu Yi.
…
Elsewhere, in another stone cave, there was someone practicing physical cultivation, sitting in meditation.
Physical cultivation, also known as body refinement, involved absorbing the energy of the five elements to enhance the body’s resilience, hardness, recovery ability, etc., allowing one to withstand magical attacks head-on when skilled enough.
The person in the cave was very young and extremely handsome, inhaling and exhaling yellow energy masses.
Suddenly, the young man sensed a dangerous presence and tried to fly out of the cave.
But at the cave entrance, a giant blood python suddenly lunged at him. Of course, this blood python was sent by Xue Can.
The young man immediately retreated inside the cave, already drawing a huge sword as tall as a person, its dark color and terrifying aura sending chills down everyone’s spine.
A flash of determination appeared in the young man’s eyes. He lifted the sword lightly like a willow leaf and swung it down swiftly.
As the sword cut down, it left a half-circular yellow blade trail, striking the blood python head-on and severing its head in one strike, causing its vital energy to scatter and red blood to splash throughout the cave.
Furious, the young man picked up the sword and tried to rush out of the cave again.
But at the entrance, a giant bone mantis attacked, its two front legs equipped with sharp bone blades, slashing wildly as it tried to get deeper into the cave.
The young man wanted to curse in anger, but under the mantis’s fierce attacks, he dared not confront it head-on and could only keep retreating further into the cave.
“A bone mantis dares to be aggressive? Let me chop you to pieces with my sword,” the young man growled in anger.
Immediately, he swung the sword horizontally, and a yellow energy sword appeared, flying straight at the bone mantis and splitting its body in two.
Then, still enraged, the young man tried to fly out of the cave again.
Unluckily, the entire cave entrance was instantly frozen over.
The young man’s eyes widened in fury, almost popping out of his sockets. He wanted to swing his sword but put it down instead. By now, he realized he had encountered three powerful enemies who were trying to use spells in succession to trap him inside the cave.
The three members of Xue Can teleported to the cave entrance and launched continuous attacks, sealing the young man inside.
At that moment, Qu Yi arrived at the cave with the three others.
“Master!” the three members of Xue Can called out respectfully.
Qu Yi looked at the frozen entrance and smiled. “That guy is still in the cave, right? Let’s take him one by one and drain his vital energy.”
“Yes, Master!” The six people, including Xue Can, smirked coldly.

The young man in the cave could still sense what was going on outside through his spiritual awareness. Hearing Qu Yi’s words, his face turned deathly pale instantly, and his sword fell to the ground.