94: Blood Pool

After completing his search, Qin Yue went to find Senior Brother Shi. With his help, Senior Brother Shi also finished searching the central region of Chen Country.

The result was the same as Qin Yue's search in the west: they found nothing.

Just as Qin Yue was wondering if the Bear Yao had left Chen Country and was hiding in the territory outside the Human Race's domain in this Small World, Senior Brother Bai sent a Disciple with good news: they had found traces of the Bear Yao!

This news greatly invigorated Senior Brother Shi and Qin Yue. After more than three months, their search finally yielded results.

The two of them hurried to the eastern part of Chen Country and found Bai Jinghong, who was waiting for them.

"Junior Brother, where is that Bear Yao? You didn't startle it, did you?"

Senior Brother Shi immediately asked Senior Brother Bai. It seemed that three months of continuous searching had completely exhausted Senior Brother Shi's patience.

"Senior Brother Shi, don't rush. Perhaps the Disciple who brought the message didn't explain clearly. Junior Brother hasn't found the Bear Yao, only some clues."

Saying this, Senior Brother Bai led them to a mountain village.

"Senior Brother Shi, Junior Brother Bai, look. There isn't a single person in this village. From the traces of life in the village, it seems that most of the villagers didn't encounter an accident, but rather packed their luggage very neatly, preparing to leave.

In this mountain, there are over a dozen such villages nearby, all in the same state.

I sent Disciples to investigate the surrounding towns and villages. These villages were inhabited more than a year ago, but then all these people suddenly disappeared.

I wonder if this matter is related to that Bear Yao."

Hearing Bai Jinghong's words, Shi Qianjun and Qin Yue both fell into contemplation.

"More than a year ago?

Isn't that around the time the Bear Yao escaped?

Could it be that all these villagers were abducted by that Bear Yao?"

Senior Brother Shi was the first to react and spoke.

"It shouldn't be abduction. Looking at the village's condition, they likely left voluntarily with the Bear Yao.

Two Senior Brothers, Junior Brother has always been a bit puzzled. What exactly is this Demon Worship?

Why would some of our Human Race believe in those Yao, and believe so devoutly? Is it due to Cultivation Techniques or do those Yao have some innate ability?"

Senior Brother Shi turned to look at Qin Yue upon hearing this question.

"Regarding this question, I actually asked my Master about it. He was somewhat vague, but the general meaning was that these Yao exploit some inherent flaws in our Human Race. My Master didn't tell me what those specific flaws are.

Is Junior Brother Qin asking this because he thinks those villagers started believing in that Bear Yao and therefore left with it?"

"I do think that's the case. To make these villagers abandon their homes and actively leave their homeland, I can't imagine any other possibility.

Now, the most important thing is to find out where those villagers went. As long as we find them, we'll be able to find that Bear Yao."

Hearing Qin Yue's words, Senior Brother Shi turned to look at Bai Jinghong again, "Junior Brother Bai, what do you think?"

Bai Jinghong seemed to have been prepared for a long time. He took out a map of Chen Country and spread it out in front of Qin Yue and Shi Qianjun.

"Senior Brother Shi, Junior Brother Qin, look.

Our current position is already the northeasternmost part of Chen Country. Further ahead, we will be outside the borders of Chen Country.

There's a large mountain on the border of Chen Country, which is the one we three descended upon. Continuing north, crossing the mountain, which is the direction Senior Brother Shi explored, Senior Brother Shi knows best what kind of place that is. I believe that Bear Yao went to the Exile Land."

Qin Yue and Shi Qianjun looked at the map and both agreed with Bai Jinghong's judgment.

Since the Bear Yao's location had been determined, there was nothing else to say. Senior Brother Shi organized the Demon Slayer Division, Bai Jinghong brought his carefully trained Disciples, and Qin Yue brought the Puppets he had created during this period. Together, they set off towards the Exile Land outside Chen Country.

After crossing the great mountain, the scene was indeed as Senior Brother Shi had described during his exploration.

The environment was harsh, sparsely populated, and filled with poisonous miasma.

Fortunately, the people who came this time were not ordinary individuals, and all obstacles were easily overcome in front of Martial Artists.

However, when they found the villages here, they discovered the seriousness of the situation.

Although Senior Brother Shi had already found the Exile Land to be sparsely populated during his previous exploration, Qin Yue and his group, who were fleeing here this time, traveled for a long time without encountering a single person.

It wasn't until they found a large Human Race settlement that they discovered it was just like the villages outside the mountains: empty, with everything taken away and neatly packed.

This situation was clearly not right. If the villagers from the other side of the mountain were brought by the Bear Yao to help him establish the Bailing Sect, then why would the Bear Yao on this side of the mountain make all his followers continue to move forward?

Knowing that if they couldn't find the Bear Yao quickly, more people would be harmed, the group accelerated their pace.

Following the general road network of the Exile Land, they quickly found the new headquarters of the Bailing Sect.

This place was a complex of buildings made by transforming a tall mountain, appearing from the outside as a circular, nine-story high platform.

Caves were carved into the side of the high platform, which were likely the residences of the Bailing Sect's followers.

Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers did not have a habit of wasting words; they directly attacked the Bailing Sect from outside this high platform.

Everything went smoothly. The Bailing Sect was newly established and had not gathered many Yao or high-Rank Human Race believers. Qin Yue and his group easily fought their way to the highest point of the high platform, which was the Bear Yao's lair.

However, it was strange that despite such a loud commotion outside, the Bear Yao did not appear.

But just as they were about to enter the Bear Yao's lair,

A red streak of Blood Light shot into the sky!

All the Martial Artists enveloped in this Blood Light felt their Blood Qi surge, and even the Protective Aura of Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers was slightly affected.

Shi Qianjun made a decisive decision, ordering all other Martial Artists to leave the nine-story high platform, leaving only Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers to advance towards the Bear Yao's cave under pressure.

After entering the Bear Yao's cave from the highest point of the high platform, Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers were surprised to find that the entire interior of the room was hollow, with the void extending from the highest point of the high platform all the way to the ground.

The Blood Light was spewing upwards from underground, and the waves of pressure emanating outwards made it difficult for Qin Yue to even walk.

Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers, enduring the pressure, arrived at the mouth of the cave and looked down.

They saw a giant bear, submerged in a pool of blood, struggling in agony. The giant bear's fur had been dyed blackish-red by the blood pool.

It was clear that this Bear Yao was in the midst of a Breakthrough, and judging by the pressure of this Breakthrough, it was very likely attempting to Breakthrough to the Yao Race's Yao King Realm.

Although the Human Race usually refers to a great Yao as a Yao King, a true Yao King Realm is equivalent to a Martial Artist's Divine Intent Realm.

Qin Yue and the two Senior Brothers dared not watch the Bear Yao Breakthrough, because once the Bear Yao Breakthrough to the Yao King Realm, even their combined efforts would be futile, and escaping would be difficult.