25: New hunting grounds

In the temporary Immortal Cave of the underground dark river.

Ghost Hand's grotesque ghost mask slowly dissipated in the black Qi of the token.

Jiang Chen put away the token, his eyes without a ripple.

The Shadow Tower's true purpose, that "S-rank assassination list."

It was nothing more than a group of failures gathered together, using a primitive and inefficient method, carrying out a revenge destined to fail.

They were scavengers.

And he, was the hunter who set the rules.

But this list, however, was a perfect "menu," saving him a lot of time searching for prey.

Jiang Chen's Divine Sense landed on the mountain of Materials piled up in his Storage Pouch.

This was Mu Changqing's life's collection.

It was enough.

He stood up, the Yi Wood power within his body subtly circulating.

His entire being seemed to transform into an insubstantial wisp of green smoke, silently merging into the Immortal Cave's rock wall.

Yi Wood Escape Art.

This was an ability naturally derived after refining that wisp of "Yi Wood Essence," combining the Hundred Herb Spirit Body with the Myriad Laws Dao Body.

As long as there were plants or earth and stone present, he could traverse almost without hindrance... Blackwind Mountain.

A notoriously desolate and treacherous region on the northwestern border of Zhao Country, a place where Demonic Path Rogue Cultivators were entrenched.

At this moment, this demonic mountain, which usually struck fear into merchants and travelers, was surrounded impenetrably.

At the foot of the mountain, banners fluttered, and Sword Qi soared into the sky.

Thousands of Cultivators, dressed in various Daoist robes, formed a massive "Three Talents Sky Locking Formation," completely sealing off the entire Blackwind Mountain.

Qingcheng Sword Sect, Golden Light Temple, Hundred Flowers Valley.

The three major Righteous Path Sects around Sanhe City were all present.

At the center of the Formation, an old man in a green cloud-patterned Daoist robe, with white hair and beard, and an ancient sword on his back, was meditating with his eyes closed.

He simply stood there, and invisible arcs of lightning flickered around him, making the air crackle.

"Startling Thunder Sword," Song Daoyi.

The Qingcheng Sword Sect's Law Enforcement Elder, a half-step Nascent Soul Cultivator, his Startling Thunder Sword Art had shaken the cultivation world of Zhao Country for decades.

"Elder Song, the Blackwind Stronghold's mountain-protecting Formation is quite stubborn. We have attacked for two hours, but still haven't broken through."

A burly monk from Golden Light Temple walked up to Song Daoyi, his face filled with worry.

Song Daoyi slowly opened his eyes.

A bolt of lightning, sharper than a sword's edge, flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

"No matter."

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"That old Devil Head, Li Tianxiong, is only a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator, merely clinging to life with the help of the Formation."

"Pass down the order, in one hour, I will personally make a move and break the Formation with a single sword strike."

"This battle is not only to annihilate the Blackwind Stronghold, but also to obtain that Demonic Path secret treasure, the 'Soul Suppressing Demon Banner.' We must not allow such an evil object to remain in the world."

Song Daoyi's voice, righteous and stern, echoed throughout the army.

Countless Disciples listened, their faces filled with fervor, shouting "Act on behalf of Heaven."

No one noticed.

Just behind this heavily fortified army Formation, where Divine Sense was like a net.

On the bark of an inconspicuous crooked old tree, a blurry human face slowly emerged.

Jiang Chen's face.

His gaze pierced through the army Formation of thousands, passed over the layers of mountain-protecting Devilish Qi, and landed directly on the old man named Song Daoyi.

Eye of Insight, activated.

In his vision, Song Daoyi's body was entwined with a layer of faint golden Luck.

Although far from as dazzling as Lin Feng or Ye Liuyun, for an ordinary Cultivator, it could already be considered extraordinary Luck.

More importantly, Jiang Chen saw a clear intersection with the Blackwind Stronghold in his destiny line.

He, too, was an important supporting character in this "Demonic Son's Rise" script.

A tool-man who provided experience, hatred, and propelled the plot.

Jiang Chen's gaze shifted from him, looking towards the depths of Blackwind Mountain, shrouded in Devilish Qi.

His body re-merged into the tree trunk, disappearing from sight.

The next moment.

On the mountainside of Blackwind Mountain, a moss-covered rock vibrated slightly.

Jiang Chen's figure "squeezed" out from it.

He had already passed through the "Three Talents Sky Locking Formation" set up by the three major Sects, and had also silently bypassed the Blackwind Stronghold's mountain-protecting Formation.

His Myriad Laws Dao Body perfectly simulated the aura of plants, earth, and stone.

His Array Dao Heavenly Heart allowed him to easily find the weakest energy nodes of any Formation.

For him, with these two abilities, most Formations in this world were as good as non-existent.

Jiang Chen ignored the patrolling Demonic Cultivators in the stronghold.

His goal was very clear.

According to the Shadow Tower's intelligence, he passed through several secret passages and soon arrived in front of a huge cavern located inside the mountain.

This was the Blackwind Stronghold's Forbidden Ground.

A thick, almost palpable smell of blood and Devilish Qi assailed him from the cave entrance.

At the center of the cavern, on a ritual altar made of countless skeletons, two figures attracted all of Jiang Chen's attention.

One was a burly, fierce-faced middle-aged man.

The Blackwind Stronghold's Chieftain, Li Tianxiong.

At this moment, he was pressing his palms on the head of a young man in front of him, his entire body's Devilish Qi pouring into the other's body as if it were free.

His face, due to the excessive output of power, appeared unusually pale, and the destiny line above his head was dim like a candle in the wind.

Clearly, he didn't have much time left to live.

And opposite him, the young man sitting cross-legged, bound by black Devilish Qi chains, was Jiang Chen's target for this trip.

Li Feiyang.

His face was contorted, veins bulging, and his body twitched violently under the infusion of the violent Devilish Qi.

Painful roars were choked in his throat, unable to make any sound.

On his body, Jiang Chen saw.

A pure black destiny line, carrying an aura of endless slaughter and destruction, was visibly turning from black to red at a rapid pace.

That was the sign of the Demonic Heart, about to fully Awaken.

What a show of filial piety, sacrificing life to impart cultivation.

Jiang Chen hid in the shadows, calmly watching all of this.

Like a chef, appreciating the final cooking process before the main course is served.