"Hmm? It seems you know what I'm planning to do! Trying to run now, don't you think it's too late?" The Red-Eyed Child's face twisted into a sinister grin, his voice hoarse and grating.

  He had painstakingly lured these people here, and there was no way he would let them leave so easily!

  As he spoke, his figure flickered and landed beside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

  Standing on the blood-soaked earth, he grasped the flagpole, gathered all his True Essence, and threw it with force.

  "Whoosh..."

  The Ten Thousand Souls Banner soared into the sky, spewing a fierce wind.

  In an instant, the entire mountain hollow was engulfed by a chilling wind, sweeping across the area.

  Within the wind, ghostly human shapes began to appear.

  "What kind of Ritual Artifact is this? Why are there so many vengeful spirits!"

  "How many people must have died for this!"

  "No, don't... ah!"

  ...

  At that moment, the entire mountain hollow was shrouded in the chilling wind.

  Countless vengeful spirits and evil ghosts roamed within the wind, shrieking and howling, clawing and lunging at the cultivators present.

  In the blink of an eye, the mountain hollow turned into a living hell.

  Screams echoed one after another, and figures fell to the ground in succession.

  Faced with the overwhelming tide of vengeful spirits and evil ghosts, most of the cultivators were powerless to resist.

  "Everyone, gather around me and support the Fire Cloud Shield with all your might! As long as we break out of this hollow, there's a sliver of hope; otherwise, we're all doomed!"

  The white-robed man, ignoring his internal injuries, made a decisive shout.

  Immediately, he and those behind him poured their True Essence into the Fire Cloud Shield with all their strength.

  The fiery red canopy spun rapidly under the boost of True Essence, emitting an exceptionally dazzling red light, resisting the Yin energy and fierce ghosts.

  Under the protection of the red light, the group hurriedly rushed towards the edge of the mountain hollow.

  With the white-robed man's loud shout, some nearby cultivators also rushed over, joining forces with him and the others to drive the Fire Cloud Shield.

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  In a short time, of nearly a thousand cultivators, less than a hundred remained alive. The survivors all gathered around the white-robed man, desperately maintaining the operation of the Fire Cloud Shield.

  Everyone knew this was their only hope.

  "As expected of Divine Forge Manor, truly impressive tactics! Unfortunately, my Ten Thousand Souls Banner is just one step away from becoming a Spiritual Artifact, how can I let you leave!"

  The Red-Eyed Child let out a sinister laugh, his hands swiftly forming seals, sending a True Essence mark flying into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

  "Whoosh~"

  The Ten Thousand Souls Banner shuddered violently, its light intensified, and a dense black evil aura spewed forth.

  This evil aura, like a long snake, slammed into the Fire Cloud Shield.

  "Boom!"

  With a muffled sound, the entire Fire Cloud Shield trembled violently, its light dimming instantly.

  Under the protection of the red light, nearly half of the cultivators had their True Essence drained in an instant, spitting blood and collapsing to the ground.

  Immediately, countless evil ghosts swarmed in, engulfing them like a tide.

  The remaining cultivators, though lucky to survive, were in a panic, drenched in cold sweat.

  In the center of the crowd, the white-robed man gritted his teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

  Before the Fire Cloud Shield could be broken, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the Fire Cloud Shield.

  The Fire Cloud Shield's light flared again, barely holding off the black mist's invasion.

  But the white-robed man was already poisoned and injured, and now his condition worsened, his face pallid, nearly collapsing.

  Beside him, a white-haired elder, staring at the Red-Eyed Child, immediately shouted.

  "Red-Eyed Child, if you dare harm our young master, Divine Forge Manor will never let you go!"

  "You old fool, do you think you can threaten me? No matter how powerful Divine Forge Manor is, I can just kill you all and leave the Azure Mountain range!"

  The Red-Eyed Child's gaze turned cold, his hands forming seals again.

  As soon as he finished speaking, the Yin energy in the air condensed into a needle-thin spike, piercing through the Fire Cloud Shield and into the white-haired elder's forehead.

  The white-haired elder's eyes widened, and before he could speak again, he fell to the ground, dead.

  "Uncle Zhao!!!"

  "Red-Eyed Child, you... damn you!"

  The white-robed man's eyes flashed with determination. In his fury, disregarding his injuries, he wielded his broad sword, his aura becoming wild and chaotic.

  Blood flowed incessantly from his seven orifices!

  Yet his power continued to surge and rise.

  A powerful aura emanated, silencing the entire mountain hollow.

  The Red-Eyed Child's gaze turned serious, preparing himself for a fierce battle.

  "A Soul-Retaining Sword? No, only Foundation Establishment cultivators can wield this sword move, brother, you mustn't!"

  On the hillside, Jiang Feixue's expression changed drastically upon witnessing this scene.

  With a cry of alarm, she was about to rush into the mountain hollow.

  A Soul-Retaining Sword?

  A sword move that only Foundation Establishment cultivators can wield?

  Su Shi'er couldn't help but marvel at the prowess of these core disciples from major powers, able to master such techniques.

  His amazement was fleeting. Seeing Jiang Feixue like this, he was already prepared and quickly pulled her back.

  "Don't be impulsive! With your strength, going down there is suicide."

  "Your brother surely wouldn't want you to take such a risk. We must retreat immediately!"

  Su Shi'er said quickly, not giving her a chance to argue, as he dragged Jiang Feixue away.

  He had no intention of intervening. Leaving aside the strength of the Red-Eyed Child, just the Ten Thousand Souls Banner alone was overwhelmingly powerful.

  With his strength at the seventh level of the Qi Refining stage, he had no chance of victory. Jiang Feixue was his friend, saving her was the right thing to do. The others, however, had nothing to do with him.

  He didn't consider himself a cold-hearted person. If he were strong enough to save the white-robed man with a flick of his finger, he would certainly do so for Jiang Feixue's sake.

  But that wasn't the case. He was well aware of the burdens he carried and had reasons to act prudently.

  Moreover, there was a gray-clad fat man lurking nearby.

  Thinking of the gray-clad fat man, Su Shi'er's gaze swept around, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

  Only then did he realize that in the chaos, the gray-clad fat man had vanished.

  "Not good!"

  His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately became fully alert.

  At that moment, he had a bad feeling, but he kept a calm facade, not showing any sign of it.

  "But I can't..." Jiang Feixue, being dragged by Su Shi'er, was about to struggle free.

  Just as she opened her mouth, a sinister voice suddenly came from behind.

  "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect there to be two little ones hiding here. You two are quite good at hiding!"

  "Too bad, with such meager cultivation, you dare to come treasure hunting. Truly courting death!"

  The gray-clad fat man had somehow appeared behind them, holding a sharp blade, his eyes gleaming with a vicious cold light.

  "You... what do you want to do?!" Jiang Feixue turned around, instantly terrified, her heart leaping into her throat.

  "What do I want? Of course, to send you two to the afterlife! Hmm... this little girl is quite pretty, making her my furnace would be nice!"

  The gray-clad fat man, brimming with malice, saw Jiang Feixue turn around, and his eyes immediately filled with wicked desire.

  Gazing at Jiang Feixue's delicate face and graceful figure, he made a sucking sound with his mouth.

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