Chapter 34: The Counterattack of the Evil Cultivator

[Side quest, completion increased by 1 point, Universe Cleansing Stone plus one, total completion 21.]

As this cold notification echoed in Su Hao’s mind, the leader of the evil cultivator squad finally collapsed powerlessly to the ground. His gaze grew vacant, seemingly still retaining a spark of unwillingness toward his fate, but the flame of life had gradually flickered out. A bitter smile hung on the corner of his lips—an expression of helplessness in the face of defeat and endless awe for the strong.

Just as Su Hao prepared to catch his breath and scanned the battlefield, he keenly noticed a disciple from the Biluo Sect caught in a desperate struggle. The disciple, named Bixue, possessed agile sword techniques, but she was clearly struggling against a cunning and formidable evil cultivator. Su Hao flashed forward like a ghost, appearing beside Bixue. The long sword in his hand sliced through the night sky like lightning, piercing the chest of the evil cultivator with absolute precision.

[Side quest, completion increased by 1 point, Universe Cleansing Stone plus one, total completion 22.]

Bixue turned around in astonishment, her eyes filled with gratitude and admiration. Su Hao offered a faint smile, signaling her to continue the fight, before turning to dive into the next skirmish.

On the battlefield, only one evil cultivator remained, putting up a final, desperate resistance. He was covered in blood, yet his eyes shone with unyielding light. This man was clearly a tough nut to crack, never once retreating even when facing a powerhouse like Su Hao. However, before absolute strength, all struggle was futile. Su Hao moved like the wind, his swordsmanship like a dragon; every swing was accompanied by a sharp whistling of air, dismantling the enemy's attacks one by one. Finally, after a fierce exchange, Su Hao found an opening and struck, ending the battle with a single blade to the throat.

[Side quest, completion increased by 1 point, Universe Cleansing Stone plus one, total completion 23.]

The battlefield fell into total silence. The corpses of the evil cultivators lay scattered, and the air was thick with the pungent scent of blood. The disciples of the Biluo Sect gathered around Su Hao, their eyes filled with both admiration and gratitude. Standing in the center of the battlefield, Su Hao’s silhouette appeared remarkably tall against the setting sun, like a triumphant hero.

"We won!" Biluo Chun exclaimed, her voice choked with emotion. Indeed, they had won; not only had they defeated a powerful squad of evil cultivators, but under Su Hao’s leadership, they had written a legend of their own.

Looking at these young disciples, a wave of warmth surged in Su Hao’s heart. He knew that although they were young, they possessed firm convictions and boundless potential. In the days to come, they would surely become the pillars of the Biluo Sect, guarding the peace and tranquility of this land. After clearing the battlefield, they resumed their original formation, with Biluo Chun in the lead and Su Hao bringing up the rear.

In that haze-shrouded wilderness, a squad of evil cultivators moved like ghosts through the withered vegetation, their eyes flickering with unease and alertness. Recently, this region had been shrouded in an invisible shadow of death; squads had been disappearing silently one after another, leaving behind only chaotic traces and the lingering scent of blood in the air. This ominous wind kept the squad’s nerves taut, for they knew that in this land rife with crisis, every step could lead into a trap of death.

The squad quickly compiled these strange events and reported them to the true master of the evil forces in this territory—Ji Yuchen. He was a cold-faced, tall, middle-aged man who always wore a striking yellow hat and a yellow cloak that snapped in the wind, making him as eye-catching as an ominous bolt of lightning in this gray world. Ji Yuchen, a powerhouse at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, possessed unfathomable cultivation. He gripped a shimmering Vajra pestle engraved with eerie runes, which seemed to contain some ancient and powerful force.

Upon receiving the report, a cold light flashed in Ji Yuchen’s deep eyes, as if he could pierce through all vanity in the world. He stood up slowly, his body like a towering mountain, exerting an indescribable sense of pressure.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze at his movement, and even time appeared to slow down in that moment. After a brief silence, Ji Yuchen issued an unquestionable order to assemble all evil cultivator squads operating in the region, preparing for an unprecedented search, vowing to root out this hidden threat.

Night fell, and in the wilderness, torches flickered. Ji Yuchen led a vast procession, like an army of ghosts in the night, marching toward the depths of the unknown darkness. Everyone was filled with anxiety and anticipation, knowing that this night would decide the fate of many. And on this land shrouded in the shadow of death, a thrilling contest was quietly beginning.

In that ancient and mysterious region, the night spread out like a heavy ink painting. The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and the stars were hidden; only the occasional low growl of a beast broke the stifling silence. The path chosen by the evil cultivator army led them directly to the area where Su Hao and the others were located.

What a group they were! Dressed in black robes with eerie patterns painted on their faces, their eyes burned with a thirst for blood and power. Magic artifacts shimmered in their hands like ghost fires in the netherworld, illuminating the unknown road ahead. Their footsteps were rhythmic and powerful, each step seemingly announcing their arrival to the land. The leader of the squad was a burly, fierce-looking man wielding a massive scythe, from which a faint black mist flowed as if it could harvest the lives of all living beings.

As the night deepened, the footsteps of the evil cultivator army echoed in the silent sky like the funeral bell of the Grim Reaper, chilling the soul. Su Hao and the others quickened their pace, weaving through the dense forest in search of a glimmer of survival. On the other side of the region, the evil army closed in step by step. They did not know that in this seemingly calm night, a thrilling battle was about to quietly unfold.

On the lush, dense forest trail, Su Hao hid behind the Biluo Sect disciples, his eyes shining with vigilance, like the sharpest stars in the night sky. He slowly spread his spiritual sense like silk, penetrating the layers of leaves to cover a vast area.

Su Hao and the others were moving cautiously through this area. Their faces were etched with tension and vigilance, every step taken with extreme care. They knew that the consequences of encountering this evil army would be unimaginable. Just then, an ominous aura quietly entered his sensory range—to the front left, a squad of evil cultivators was approaching in force, like locusts in the night, silent yet aggressive.

"Biluo Chun, the situation is bad. We must change direction immediately." Su Hao’s voice was low and powerful, each word striking like a drumbeat, causing everyone to tense up involuntarily.

Upon hearing this, Biluo Chun paused, then turned with amazing agility, an unease rising in her heart: "Senior Brother Qingming, what has happened?" Her voice was urgent, her gaze locked on Su Hao’s face, trying to glean more information.

Su Hao quickly pointed in the direction from which the evil cultivators were approaching, his finger seeming to point toward a turning point of fate: "A large group of evil cultivators is heading our way. We must get out of their sight as quickly as possible, or the consequences will be unimaginable."

Hearing this, Biluo Chun’s expression turned solemn. She quickly relayed Su Hao’s instructions to the others. "We must find a hiding place as soon as possible; we cannot let the evil cultivators discover our tracks." Su Hao’s voice remained low and firm as he observed the surroundings and issued commands.

Biluo Chun gripped her long sword, her eyes revealing determination and courage: "Senior Brother Qingming, we will follow your lead." The others nodded in agreement. They knew that in this moment of crisis, only by standing united could they face the coming challenge.

The six-member squad moved like a well-trained arrow, instantly changing direction and advancing rapidly into the depths of the dense forest ahead. Their footsteps were light and swift, landing on the most hidden fallen leaves to minimize noise.

The evil cultivators, however, seemed unaware of their existence and continued along their planned route in a grand procession. Their flags fluttered, their artifacts shimmered, and they exuded a chilling, evil aura. Yet, in the dense woods, the six of them were like six cunning foxes, skillfully dodging the evil cultivators' sight and inching toward safety.

The night was as dark as ink, and the wind howled through the forest. A silent contest was quietly playing out.

Deep in the woods, under the cover of night, moonlight filtered through the sparse branches, casting mottled shadows. A gust of wind blew, and the leaves rustled as if whispering secrets unknown to the world.

"Captain, look!" A thin, pale-faced evil cultivator suddenly stopped, pointing at a winding trail ahead, his eyes flashing with greed. "We’ve found fresh tracks. They seem to have just left and headed in this direction."

The leader of the evil cultivators, a burly, cold-faced middle-aged man, frowned slightly. His gaze was like a torch, scanning the environment as if evaluating potential dangers and opportunities. After a moment, he spoke coldly: "Ignore them. Our goal is the location designated by the General Commander; more important tasks await us there. Remember, our actions must be swift and secret; there can be no mistakes." His voice was low and powerful, each word squeezed through his teeth with unquestionable authority.

The other evil cultivators nodded in compliance. However, none of this escaped Su Hao’s eyes. Hidden in the shadows, using the cover of night, he quietly observed everything. A sense of urgency surged in his heart; he knew their whereabouts had been exposed and they must act quickly.

Biluo Chun gestured for everyone to speed up. Her movements were light and swift, like a leopard weaving through the night. Su Hao followed closely behind the Biluo Sect disciples, gently erasing the footprints of the group, eliminating all traces they had left behind. He continued this for dozens of meters.

As the night deepened, the wind in the dense forest grew more insistent.