84: Blood theft case uncovered, large-scale thorough investigation launched

In the following period, Yao Yian felt incredibly happy whenever he went to work in the Corpse Dismemberment Cave.

When it was time to get off work, he was extremely reluctant, his mood depressed to the extreme.

However, there was a strict rule in the Corpse Dismemberment Cave that Cultivators who failed to complete their tasks within the allotted time would be severely punished.

So he could only leave work on time; although he absorbed a bit less experience, it gave him more ample time and ensured he wouldn't be punished.

Time passed bit by bit, and a month went by.

Yao Yian's own cultivation had reached the Peak of the Eighth Level of Kai Guang Realm, and his Realm advancement was just around the corner.

But this speed was still too slow; he didn't know when he would finally Breakthrough to the Spirit Manifestation Realm.

Therefore, Yao Yian made a bold decision.

He decided to increase the dosage and steal more blood.

But he wasn't a fool; he wouldn't choose the blood troughs in his own area.

Instead, he quietly circulated a trace of his cultivation, drawing blood from the surrounding blood troughs along the ground; this way, even if an investigation occurred, it would be difficult to trace it back to him.

As the absorbed dosage increased, ten more days passed, and Yao Yian silently let out a loud fart.

With this loud fart, his cultivation successfully rose to the Nascent Light Realm Ninth Layer.

Since the True Qi within the Corpse Dismemberment Cave was already mottled and chaotic, and the sounds of Cultivators breathing and hacking were noisy, his silent Breakthrough didn't attract anyone's attention.

Aside from the various "thank you" sounds that occasionally rang in his ears, it was quite comfortable.

Meanwhile, the ten Chief Stewards of the Corpse Dismemberment Caves gathered in the solemn Corpse Dismemberment Hall.

A tense atmosphere filled the air.

On the high seat of the Hall Master, the originally charming and enchanting Corpse Dismemberment Hall Master was now covered in terrifying scars.

On her face, a heartless crimson palm print was still clearly visible.

"Hall Master, you..."

Seeing her appearance, everyone asked with concern.

"The Fortress Master... he came back yesterday."

The Corpse Dismemberment Hall Master's voice was low and hoarse, carrying an unmistakable exhaustion.

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly tightened; the ten Chief Stewards of the Corpse Dismemberment Caves looked at each other, and no one dared to speak further.

"This month, the blood beads submitted by the Refinement Hall were twenty percent less than usual, and that little slut was punished by the Fortress Master."

"But she also filed a complaint against me to the Fortress Master, saying that the blood flowing from our Corpse Dismemberment Hall to the Refinement Hall has decreased significantly this month."

The Corpse Dismemberment Hall Master gnashed her teeth, her words revealing a hint of resentment.

"The Fortress Master has ordered a thorough investigation into this matter."

She slumped onto the main seat, speaking weakly; it was clear her injuries were not light.

But she had no time to rest; she had to handle this matter as quickly as possible, or even more cruel punishments awaited her.

"Block the entrances today and inspect them one by one. Drag out those death-defying bastards for me."

"I will torture them to death most cruelly!!!"

"Yes!"

The ten Chief Stewards of the Corpse Dismemberment Hall did not dare to delay. They immediately summoned the Execution Squads and their respective confidants, quickly deploying them at the entrances of the Corpse Dismemberment Caves they managed.

One after another, Cultivators began to emerge from the Corpse Dismemberment Caves.

When these exiting Cultivators saw the Execution Squad, fear surged through them like a tide; their faces instantly turned pale, and their eyes revealed unease and panic.

"You, come here!" Chief Steward Cui's face was grim.

Many people, pale-faced and trembling, walked forward.

Before any words could be exchanged, the Cultivators of the Execution Squad pounced like hungry wolves, pinning down the Cultivators one by one and beginning a relentless full-body search.

"Report! Nothing."

"Report! Nothing."

"Report! Found three bottles of blood!"

"Good, good, good! You're very good! You're just wonderful!"

Looking at the Cultivator, Chief Steward Cui laughed out of extreme anger, a sinister smile appearing on his face as if he were feeling the pleasure of a predator catching its prey.

"Take him away and make sure he gets 'comfortable'!"

Not only the Corpse Dismemberment Hall, but the Refinement Hall was also conducting frantic surprise inspections.

But the stewards over there were even more crazed and violent; once a Cultivator was found privately carrying anything out of the Refinement Hall, their limbs were immediately severed.

Before long, the severed limbs were piled as high as a small hill.

"Send them all to the Corpse Dismemberment Hall. We can't let them go to waste!"

These stewards of the Refinement Hall were not as lucky as those of the Corpse Dismemberment Hall; they had all had a leg cut off by their own furious Hall Master.

As long as that leg remained unhealed, their cultivation would never advance another inch for the rest of their lives.

How could this not make them furious?

At this moment, they were also checking everyone in the Refinement Hall with immense rage.

Even if it were their own confidants, they would still kill them without hesitation if caught with stolen goods!

At this time, at the exit of the No. 7 Corpse Dismemberment Cave, Yao Yian had just happily finished his task for the day and was walking out in high spirits.

However, the sudden turn of events made him stop in his tracks as he saw two aggressive Execution Squad Cultivators rushing toward him.

What was going on?

Yao Yian reflected on his situation; he knew that before any concrete evidence was found against him, these Execution Squad Cultivators wouldn't kill randomly.

Thus, he didn't resist, allowing the two men to search him from head to toe, including through his hair, before he was finally let through.

"Get lost."

The search complete, the two Execution Squad Cultivators coldly spat out those words and turned to search the next Corpse Dismemberment Cave Cultivator.

"What are they doing?" Soon, the doubt in Yao Yian's heart was resolved.

"Well, well! Your Storage Pouch contains a full fifty bottles of blood!"

A voice came from behind, filled with extreme anger.

"Mercy! I won't do it again. I was about to Breakthrough in my cultivation recently, and I was momentarily blinded by greed."

The Corpse Dismemberment Cave Cultivator fell to his knees with a thud, crying and begging for mercy incessantly.

Chief Steward Cui walked over with steady, decisive steps, drawing a sharp Corpse-Dismembering Knife from his waist, the blade glinting with a cold light.

*Puchi—*

Blood splattered everywhere as the mangled body collapsed. The Cultivator's head flew high and rolled to the side, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.

*Puchi...* "Let's see you try to argue now! Hahaha!"

Chief Steward Cui squinted his eyes, a cruel and hideous smile appearing on his face that made one's scalp tingle just looking at it.

Seeing this, Yao Yian couldn't help but feel his heart leap in fear, and he didn't dare look any longer.

Just like that, he hurried back to his Immortal Cave.

The moment he stepped into the Immortal Cave, he found that the Cultivators who usually fell into a deep sleep as soon as they returned were now gathered together, discussing today's events in low, nervous voices.

"It's terrifying! I don't know why, but those stewards suddenly started a large-scale inspection today."

"Exactly, the expressions on those stewards' faces weren't good today."

"Our Corpse Dismemberment Hall has already caught over two hundred Cultivators; some were executed on the spot."

"Sigh, that's nothing. I heard from a Fellow Daoist in the Refinement Hall that the situation on their side is even more severe."

Another Cultivator chimed in, his voice trembling slightly.

"The stewards of the Refinement Hall all had one of their legs cut off!!!"

"Once they catch a hider over there, they cut off their limbs directly, and there are even more terrible tortures afterward."

"It seems a few female Cultivators were turned into human vases and placed in front of the Refinement Hall. It's truly horrific."

"I have a friend in the Capture Hall; he says the entire Epoch Battlefield has been unstable lately."

"I heard that some top-tier Cultivators got into a massive fight over something."

"In short, it's like Heavenly Demons fighting. Any expert they send out is enough to stir up a storm."

"Also, recently, I heard that several more Primordial Ruins have emerged."

"What's worse is that a Cultivator called the Scarlet Butcher has come to the Chaotic Land, killing every demon on sight."

"Her combat strength is truly terrifying; it's said she even took down a Coral Fortress."

"Yeah, the commotion is so big that even many Coral Fortresses have been affected."

"Sigh, I wonder when they'll come to attack our Coral Fortress."

One Cultivator sighed, his gaze drifting toward the chaotic, hazy blood-red sky of the Epoch Battlefield outside the window.

"Pfft, you make it sound so easy. Don't even think about it."

"Even if you were given the chance to leave the Aether Coral Fortress, where would you go?"

"There are plenty of Coral Fortresses around here! And plenty of Apprehension Squads too!"

"Besides, you might not even be able to get out."

"Better just go to sleep early; we still have tasks to do tomorrow."

After finishing their chat, everyone returned to their respective sleeping corners and fell into a deep slumber.

In the dark, Yao Yian, who could already exert the power of the Nascent Light Realm Seventh Layer, heard everything clearly.

His heart couldn't help but surge with hidden emotions.

"Primordial Ruins?"

"Scarlet Butcher?"

Yao Yian calculated silently, realizing that this information was key to understanding the situation on the Epoch Battlefield.

Unfortunately, he could only obtain this information passively.

If he weren't worried about running into Tang Heng, he would have already started his own intelligence-gathering efforts.

Soon. Once he lay low for a while longer and his cultivation increased, there would be hope of escaping.

If given the chance, he would personally shatter this world where evil Cultivators ran rampant!

Yao Yian thought to himself, his gaze becoming increasingly firm and resolute.