Chapter 234: Benevolence and Righteousness

After confirming the location, the two swiftly devised a plan. To ensure safety, Shangren Yinwind invested substantial resources, while Chen Luo contributed several Pills. Using these assets, they issued a mission within Qiong Hua Sect, recruiting four Foundation Establishment realm practitioners.

With six attacking one, their chances of success improved significantly.

“It would be ideal to have a poison cultivator among us,” Chen Luo suggested.

“Rest assured, one of these four is a poison cultivator,” Shangren Yinwind replied, having anticipated this need. His meticulous planning surpassed even Chen Luo’s expectations.

Three days later.

Four streaks of light descended from the sky. Their spiritual energy signatures stood in stark contrast to the demonic cultivation realm’s aura, pulsing with unmistakable purity. Their positions revealed deep camaraderie - four disciples standing as one.

“Greetings, esteemed fellow cultivators,” Shangren Yinwind approached with deliberate respect. These were true Qiong Hua Sect disciples, their status far different from his own as a late-joining rogue cultivator.

“Your service is appreciated,” the lead disciple responded, his voice carrying the weight of centuries-old lineage.

The leader of the Qiong Hua Sect disciples wore an expression of icy detachment. His name was Wang Mingren, and the remaining three were Wang Mingyi, Wang Mingdao, and Wang Mingde. These four brothers were renowned within the sect as the ‘Benevolence, Righteousness, Morality, and Virtue’ quartet, late-stage Foundation Establishment experts. They handled most of the sect’s no-questions-asked deals, their reputation for reliability being their primary selling point.

“We simply seek peace of mind,” Shangren Yinwind said courteously. “Our opponent is a severely wounded peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Having six of us act together ensures greater security.”

“You pay, we perform the service.”

“We care not for other matters. We’ll assess the enemy’s strength ourselves, but there’s one thing I must make clear,” Wang Mingren said, his gaze locked on Shangren Yinwind.

“Once we arrive, payment is non-negotiable!”

Shangren Yinwind’s face stiffened. Now he understood why others had warned him - while the ‘Benevolence, Righteousness, Morality, and Virtue’ brothers were efficient, they showed no mercy. Their motto was clear: money over people.

“Let’s move out then,” Chen Luo reminded from the rear.

The Demonseed Sect Leader wasn’t a fool. The sooner they dealt with this enemy, the better. If they waited too long, the Old Demon might recover, and then it would be too late to strike while the iron was hot.

The six-person team flew toward the valley entrance on their swords, following their plan.

The slanting sun cast its rays across the western sky.

Dark green pines swayed in the wind, sunlight filtering through their needles to create a dappled pattern. The sunset’s glow painted the entire valley crimson.

The valley lay silent, like a dead zone. Occasionally, a squirrel would emerge from a tree hollow, clutching a pinecone in its front paws, its small face warily scanning the surroundings.

Below stretched a carpet of pine needles and thorns, leaving no safe landing spot in the entire valley.

Six streaks of light cut across the sky, appearing openly above the valley.

The moment they arrived, they sealed off the valley. Wang Mingdao pulled out a large bundle of array flags, positioning them strategically to isolate the entire area.

Shangren Yinwind put away his gourd, using spiritual energy to propel himself through the air. After a few suspended steps, he settled on the crown of a pine tree.

“Senior.”

As Shangren Yinwind descended, two Qi Refining cultivators emerged from the thicket. Though their strength was limited to the sixth layer of Qi Refining, their concealment arts were exceptionally refined—Chen Luo only detected them after landing himself.

“Is the target still inside?”

“He’s been there all along. This one’s remarkably cautious. Apart from the monitored entrance, he’s hidden several decoys around the area. Including his true form, there are seven in total, each with identical auras.”

These two had been hired by Shangren Yinwind as observers. Though only Qi Refining cultivators, they possessed extraordinary skills—especially their concealment arts, which even Foundation Establishment cultivators found difficult to detect. One of them produced a bone scroll containing the decoy locations and handed it to Shangren Yinwind.

“Excellent!”

After a quick inspection confirmed the scroll’s accuracy, Shangren Yinwind waved his sleeve and tossed over a pouch of spirit stones.

What might seem trivial to a Foundation Establishment cultivator was a fortune to Qi Refining cultivators. The pair immediately began counting the spirit stones in their Pouch of Holding, showing no hesitation in displeasing the powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator.

“The count is correct.”

“Then this junior will take his leave. Should Senior require similar services in the future, feel free to contact us.”

After counting and securing the spirit stones, the two men resumed their humble smiles. They bowed respectfully before transforming into twin streams of black smoke that vanished into thin air.

“Thousand Ghosts Dao’s ghost slaves?” Wang Mingyi’s eyes flickered as he trailed behind Shangren Yinwind.

“Only someone like him could pull off this kind of deal,” Wang Mingyi remarked. “When it comes to intelligence channels, we brothers truly can’t compete with him.”

“All for the sake of money,” Wang Mingdao lamented, his expression tinged with regret as if pained by his brother’s inability to secure such profits.

“Friends, we’re about to face a fierce battle. Our target is the Deputy City Lord of Blackstone City - the leader of the Demonseed Sect, a Foundation Establishment expert in the full circle of cultivation. This man is cunning and a master of curses.”

Shangren Yinwind meticulously detailed his investigation findings, primarily addressing the ‘Benevolence, Righteousness, Morality, and Ethics’ group. Chen Luo had already been briefed on the matter.

“Why waste breath on explanations? If they didn’t show during that commotion, they’ve clearly set traps waiting for us to deliver ourselves.”

“Those who follow the enemy’s playbook are fools.”

“Second Brother, strike first!”

Wang Mingyi wasted no words. He leaped into the air, unleashing terrifying spiritual energy. A moment later, a sword’s cry reverberated through the valley, making all trees tremble. In that instant, the entire valley’s wind transformed into razor-sharp sword qi. Pine needles fell mid-air, splitting into two, while mountain rocks and weeds became etched with crisscrossing sword marks.

Mid-air, Wang Mingyi opened his eyes, the sword’s cry reaching its peak.

Slash!

Slash!

Slash!!

A dazzling sword light erupted from Wang Mingyi’s body. A pitch-black Magic Sword appeared in his hand as a layer of pale green light emerged from his body, converging on the sacred blade. In that moment, he resembled an ancient tree suspended in void, channeling the valley’s vegetation energy into himself.

The surrounding plants, affected by this sword qi, glowed softly. Their leaf tips all pointed towards Wang Mingyi’s position, as if responding to his call.

“Greenwood Sword Intent!”

Shangren Yinwind, with his vast experience, detected the fluctuations in this energy. It was precisely because he understood that he knew how terrifying Wang Mingyi truly was. When a sword cultivator comprehends the sword’s intent, they undergo an essential transformation. If they then develop a Spirit-Connected Sword Physique, they become the most dangerous lunatics. Engaging such an enemy would only last one or two moves, because after that, one of them would definitely die.

Boom!

A crescent-shaped sword energy sliced through the sky, brutally striking the ground. The hidden cave collapsed instantly, sending debris flying. The largest fragments crashed into the nearby stone wall, leaving a dense web of cracks.

Several fragments flew toward the group’s position.

“Everyone scatter! Don’t touch these fragments. My second brother’s sword energy is incredibly sharp.”

Wang Mingren warned, and the three brothers quickly dispersed. Yin Wind Daoist also dodged aside.

A dull thud echoed.

Chen Luo raised his hand to catch a fragment flying toward him. His entire arm tingled where he gripped the stone. Looking down, Chen Luo discovered a wound on his palm - as if it had been cut open by sword energy.

Sword energy?

Chen Luo’s pupils contracted slightly. This was his first encounter with a top-tier sword cultivator at the Foundation Establishment realm. The destructive power he witnessed was fundamentally different from Qi Refining realm sword cultivators. No wonder they were considered one of the three major cultivation systems alongside spell cultivators and physical cultivators. With such terrifying destructive force, they could truly slay gods if they stood in their path, and destroy buddhas if they dared oppose them.

When faced with uncertainty, I’ll simply cut it down with a sword!

He recalled how the sword cultivators’ wisdom he’d inherited always responded with “cut it down with a sword.” It seemed they’d truly lived by this philosophy in life.

”…”

Chen Luo’s actions left Wang Mingren’s unfinished words hanging in the air. Watching the shattered rock clutched in Chen Luo’s hand, the elder brother’s eyelid twitched involuntarily.

He caught it with his bare hand?

Brothers know each other best. Second Brother Wang Mingren was a top-tier sword cultivator whose sword qi was peerlessly sharp. Combined with the Greenwood Sword Intent, even his elder brother would retreat three times the distance to avoid it. Even these flying debris carried the Greenwood Sword Intent, capable of inflicting injury upon contact.

Yet Chen Luo stood as if nothing had happened. His only injury was a small cut on his palm, which had already healed nearly completely in the brief time since.

Boom!

The sword qi that had slashed into the cave finally struck something. A secondary explosion erupted deep within the cavern as the sword energy collided with an opposing force. Dark green energy detonated with a muffled sound, causing the surrounding earth to collapse.

“You’re courting death!” A furious roar erupted from the depths of the cave.

In the next instant, a figure burst through the earth, unleashing a maelstrom of dark energy that coalesced into a swirling vortex. At its heart stood a disheveled black-clothed man, his aura churning violently. A gruesome wound marred his chest—the very slash Wang Mingyi had inflicted moments earlier.

Blinded by rage, the man immediately redirected his demonic energy toward Wang Mingyi suspended in mid-air, his hatred for the sword cultivator palpable.

The dark energy solidified into a grotesque hand, accompanied by wails and sinister laughter that rippled through the air.

“A curse! Third Brother, protect him!”

Wang Mingren’s form blurred into motion, his body transforming into pure golden light. He left afterimages in the sky as he closed the distance to the shadowy figure in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Wang Mingdao rapidly manipulated his array flags, summoning a tempestuous wind that formed a protective barrier around Wang Mingyi, whose sword energy had already waned.

As Wang Mingren clashed with the shadow, their fists collided in a shockwave. The already wounded shadow was sent crashing to the ground by Wang Mingren’s devastating punch.