Chương 172: Aftermath

All the Demonic Cultivators within the White Bone Demon Cave had been eliminated. Yet even with their deaths, the cave continued to belch forth torrents of pure, concentrated demonic miasma. Several cultivators at the early Foundation Establishment stage were already beginning to waver under the oppressive energy. Huaijin regrouped with the Zhang family's Tier 2 cultivators. The four Zhang family cultivators and Ning Nanzhi were all unharmed, their spiritual energy reserves drained, but otherwise intact.

The primary reason? Ning Nanzhi, a Tier 2 cultivator at the eighth level. She was a walking fortress, an absolute asset in battle. Of course, Zhang Lixian and Zhang Liwei were no slouches either. The pair had worked in tandem to slay four mid Tier 2 Demonic Cultivators, a magnificent feat by any measure. Zhang Liliang, however, fought with an entirely different brand of ferocity. Baleful energy churned around him in violent spirals as he unleashed wave after wave of spirit talismans, scattering them like rain.

If not for his known identity, the other cultivators would have turned on him on the spot. Zhang Liliang's combat style made him appear more demonic than the Demonic Cultivators themselves. —— The Tier 3 cultivators from the Fang and Zhou families convened and exchanged brief counsel.

"After the battlefield is cleared, all Foundation Establishment cultivators are to withdraw from the White Bone Demon Cave." No one objected to the resolution. Tier 2 cultivators could not remain inside the cave for extended periods, the risk of demonic energy corruption was too severe. Half an hour later, every Foundation Establishment cultivator had vacated the cave, save for Huaijin alone.

"Alright, let's discuss this. What are we to do with this place?" Fang Jisheng stared at the demonic lair, his brow deeply furrowed. Eradicating the demonic miasma permanently would be no simple task. This was precisely why the Zigu Bone Demon had fled so readily. Even without the teleportation array, they likely would not have been able to kill him. He would have found some way to slip through their grasp anyway, the confidence of a late-stage Tier 3 cultivator.

"We cannot afford to station our forces here to slowly grind down the demonic miasma. Even early-stage Tier 3 cultivators cannot remain here indefinitely. It would cripple their own cultivation progress, and the constant threat of corruption is a persistent danger." Zhou Yuezi spoke first. Fang Xinjin nodded.

"Then we seal it. That is our only viable option." The Dark Altar at the cave's heart was its core. Since it could sustain cultivation for Purple Mansion realm practitioners, this was classified as a Tier 3 demonic lair. A Tier 3 Dark Altar was so resilient that even a Golden Core cultivator might not be able to shatter it entirely. It was common knowledge that within the altar lay a fragment of a shattered star, imbued with a thread of spatial power.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. A Golden Core Realm cultivator could obliterate the lair entirely, but they would only recover a Tier 3 star fragment for their efforts. The cost far outweighed the reward. It was simply not worth the investment. For a Tier 3 cultivator, the timeline stretched into the interminable. They would sacrifice years of their own cultivation speed for a prize they might never even claim.

Yet without destroying the Dark Altar, the demonic miasma would never run dry. The other cultivators nodded in agreement.

"This is merely a temporary solution," Fang Jisheng said, his expression darkening.

"The White Bone Demon Cave will persist. Within a few years, Demonic Cultivators will return. And the Zigu Bone Demon will inevitably attempt to reclaim it."

"Then what are you suggesting?" Zhou Yuezi asked, his tone even but edged.

"That we station forces here to purify the demonic miasma day and night?" Though Zhou Yuezi addressed a late stage cultivator, he did not flinch. Fang Jisheng fell silent. Fang Xinjin glanced at his uncle, then interjected smoothly.

"You raise a valid point. We shall proceed as you suggest." Fang Jisheng raised his head, but offered no further argument. For the Fang and Zhou families, the highest priority was reclaiming the Blood Lion Mountain. They could not afford to tie down two Tier 3 cultivators to cleanse demonic miasma here.

"Huaijin, what are your thoughts?" Fang Xinjin turned to Huaijin. Huaijin remained composed.

"I will abide by your decisions." He harbored interest in the star fragment beneath the Dark Altar, but he had no desire to purify demonic miasma himself. If the Demonic Cultivators returned, so be it. He would simply kill them all over again. The Demonic Cultivators in the White Bone Demon Cave had been miserably poor, offering little in the way of spoils. Even so, the combined haul was not insignificant. The Tier 3 cultivators tallied the merit contributions and divided the spoils accordingly.

They then allocated a portion of their resources to erect a Tier 3, mid grade Mystic Demon Slaying Formation at the cave's entrance. Ning Nanzhi participated in the formation's assembly and gained considerable insight from the experience. The formation incorporated a self-detonation mechanism. If ordinary cultivators entered, it would remain dormant.

But if Demonic Cultivators attacked, the formation would detect the aura of a Tier 3 Demonic Cultivator and detonate immediately, simultaneously alerting the Fang and Zhou families. It was unlikely that the Zigu Bone Demon would be reckless enough to attempt reentry into the White Bone Demon Cave for at least the next several years. With the cave sealed, the cultivators began their departure.

The earlier battle had unleashed such violent energy fluctuations that the cave entrance had shifted slightly from its original coordinates. Huaijin studied the surrounding terrain, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. He said nothing. He simply led his clan's cultivators away. But if his assessment was correct, the White Bone Demon Cave's new position appeared to overlap with a location marked on the old map, a map he had studied carefully before setting out.

The coordinates recorded there corresponded precisely to this very spot. He intended to return to his clan and make careful preparations. —— Thousands of miles from the White Bone Demon Cave… The figures of Lou Guying and the Zigu Bone Demon materialized from thin air. The teleportation array inside the cave was random in its destination, but the two possessed means of contacting one another. They converged, both wearing expressions of displeasure.

"The cultivators of Qingtai Prefecture have largely recovered. Especially Zhang Huaijin, his combat power is nothing short of monstrous." Lou Guying's face was ashen. His mission had ended in failure. The White Bone Demon Lair was sealed. The Zigu Bone Demon was silent for a long moment.

"I cannot return to that lair for the time being."

"Where will you go?"

"I will operate in other prefectures for now. I must complete the sect's assignment." A flicker of unwillingness passed through Lou Guying's eyes.

"Then we part ways here. I need to find fresh recruits, promising ones."

"Does Qingtai Prefecture truly believe they can reclaim the Blood Lion Mountain so easily?" the Zigu Bone Demon sneered, his eyes blazing with killing intent.

"They dream." Losing the White Bone Demon Cave would slow his cultivation progress considerably. He still harbored ambitions of breaking through to the Golden Core Realm!

"Be cautious. All the major cultivation sects now possess Demon Seeking Mirrors. Do not wander too close to their territories." After offering this warning, Lou Guying departed. The Zigu Bone Demon watched him fade into the distance, contempt flickering across his features.

"If not for your connection to the Soul Sorrow Ridge, you would have no right to address me as equal." Lou Guying had once ventured deep into the cave to complete his mission, to absorb the stellar demonic energy from the Dark Altar. A place that had belonged to the Zigu Bone Demon. His domain. But the mere mention of the Soul Sorrow Ridge was enough to crush any defiance the Zigu Bone Demon might have harbored. Because the Soul Sorrow Ridge was overseen by a Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivator.

He, a mere late stage Purple Mansion demonic cultivator, dared not offend such power.