366: Blood Shadow Remnants

On the icy table in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, a yellowing map was spread out. The location of the Ghost Market in the Western Regions was circled in cinnabar, with dense small characters annotated around it—Market opens at the Hour of the Rat, closes at the Hour of the Tiger; Entrance at the bottom of the Flowing Sand River; Merchants often wear bronze masks.

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip on the words Ghost Market, and the water mirror immediately reflected a bizarre scene.

In the cave at the bottom of the Flowing Sand River, lanterns flickered like ghost fires. The vendors wore black robes, and the items displayed on their stalls were not ordinary goods, but poisoned daggers, blood-stained Secret Manuals, and clay pots containing Gu.

On the high platform in the deepest part, a person wearing an Asura mask was trading with the remaining Cultists of the Blood Shadow Cult, the ledger in his hand reeking of blood.

Zhao Gao, out of the remaining twelve Elders of the Blood Shadow Cult, nine have hidden in the Ghost Market. Jun Xiaoyao's voice came through the ice mist. The intelligence report on the table recorded the investigation results of The Net's Xuan group. The leader, Blood Butcher, is in the Early Earthly Immortal Realm. His Blood Demonic Technique requires consuming the essence and blood of three virgins every day. Many children have gone missing in the Ghost Market recently.

Zhao Gao walked out of the shadows, holding a crescent-shaped token in his hand: Young Lord, this is the Pass Token for the Ghost Market, obtained by our Net operatives in exchange for the corpses of three Grandmasters. Additionally, Cheng Lingsu says the nemesis of the Blood Demonic Technique is the Ice Soul Cold Needle, and thirty have been prepared.

In the water mirror, a figure was moving against the stalactites on the ceiling of the cave—it was Li Xunhuan. He wore a tattered black robe, his Flying Dagger hidden in his sleeve. The rust on the scabbard blended in with the damp atmosphere, and no one could tell that this was a divine weapon capable of piercing through gold and stone.

[Character Panel: Li Xunhuan]

[Origin: sentimental swordsman, ruthless sword world]

[Realm: Early Earthly Immortal Realm]

[Martial Skill: Little Lis Flying Dagger (Transcendent), Never Misses (Special Passive, locks onto target, guaranteed hit)]

[Current Status: Lurking]

[Special Ability: Insight (Can see through 90% of disguises and traps)]

[Loyalty: 85%]

Li Xunhuan's Flying Dagger is perfect for cleaning up this scum. Jun Xiaoyao looked up at the water mirror. On the high platform, Blood Butcher was pushing a bag of gold and silver to the Ghost Market Master. Drop the evidence of Blood Butcher colluding with the Ghost Market in the path of the patrol guards accidentally.

Understood. As Zhao Gao turned to leave, the transaction in the water mirror was nearing its end. Blood Butcher picked up a black clay pot. A small, pale hand poked out from the mouth of the pot. He chuckled hideously: This batch of goods is not bad; it's enough for me to achieve a Breakthrough to the Middle Stage.

The Ghost Market Master's voice sounded like sandpaper rubbing: Elder Blood, you are straightforward, but people from Beyond Heaven have been watching closely recently. You had better not make a move in the Ghost Market.

Beyond Heaven? Blood Butcher took off his Asura mask, the blood markings on his face twisted with excitement. Once I Master the Blood Demonic Technique, I will go to Hanyue Valley and cut off that Young Lord's head to use as a night pot!

Before he could finish speaking, Li Xunhuan's Flying Dagger had already shot out like a meteor!

The blade's light was so fast it left only a lingering image. It precisely pierced through the black clay pot, pinning the Soul-Devouring Gu inside to the stone platform. Blood Butcher reacted extremely quickly, activating the Blood Demonic Technique. A layer of blood mist emerged around his body, forcefully blocking the second dagger that followed.

Who?! Blood Butcher roared and lunged toward the shadows, his blood claws tearing through the air and bringing a pungent, fishy odor.

Li Xunhuan had already changed positions. His black robe flashed behind a stalactite, and the third dagger struck directly at Blood Butcher's back. This strike contained three parts compassion and seven parts resolution; it was the essence of the Little Lis Flying Dagger—the Benevolent Dagger.

Blood Butcher's blood mist was torn apart by the Saber Qi, and a blood hole appeared on his back. He staggered and turned, looking at the Flying Dagger in Li Xunhuan's hand, his eyes filled with disbelief: Little Lis Flying Dagger... Are you from Beyond Heaven?

The surrounding vendors and Cultists saw this and drew their weapons to surround him. Li Xunhuan advanced instead of retreating, his figure weaving through the crowd like a ghost. Every time the Flying Dagger was released, someone fell, the wounds clean and precise with no excess bloodstains.

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched this scene and said to the returning Zhao Gao: Have The Net's Tian group guard the exit of the Flowing Sand River; do not let a single one escape.

Understood. Zhao Gao handed over another intelligence report. The true identity of the Ghost Market Master has been found. It is the former Demon Cult Left Envoy Phantom, Mid-stage Land Immortal Realm, skilled in Thousand-Face Technique, capable of disguising as anyone.

In the water mirror, Phantom suddenly took off his bronze mask, revealing a face identical to Li Xunhuan's. His soft sword stabbed out with toxic mist: Little Lis Flying Dagger? Today, I will let you taste the feeling of killing yourself!

Li Xunhuan's eyes narrowed. The Flying Dagger feinted, but in reality, his figure retreated rapidly. While avoiding the toxic mist, the fourth dagger drew a bizarre arc and slashed at Phantom's wrist. Phantom did not expect the Flying Dagger to be able to turn. The soft sword was knocked away, and the disguise on his face was shattered by the Saber Qi, revealing a face covered in scars.

Your Thousand-Face Technique is not as fast as my blade. Li Xunhuan's voice was calm and waveless, and the fifth dagger was already gathering strength at his fingertips.

Blood Butcher took the opportunity to pull a signal flare from his bosom, wanting to detonate it and summon the remaining forces. Li Xunhuan's sixth dagger was faster than the signal flare, precisely piercing through the shell and stifling the gunpowder inside.

It's hopeless. Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip on the ice table. A team of armored soldiers suddenly rushed into the water mirror. The leading general held a tiger-head token; it was Zhan Zhao. Lord Bao's men have arrived at just the right time.

The armored soldiers formed a spear array, surrounding the Ghost Market. Zhan Zhao's zhanlu sword pointed directly at Phantom: Remnants of the Demon Cult, colluding with the Blood Shadow Cult to harm children, today you shall all be brought to justice!

Seeing the situation was bad, Blood Butcher actually wanted to grab a child as a hostage. Li Xunhuan's seventh dagger was released in time, severing his arm. The child was rescued by Zhan Zhao and hid behind the soldier formation, shivering.

Phantom still wanted to disguise himself as an armored soldier to escape, but he was pinned to the stone wall by Li Xunhuan's eighth dagger. The spiritual light on the blade made him unable to use the Thousand-Face Technique again. He looked at Li Xunhuan and smiled bitterly: Beyond Heaven... truly hides Dragons and crouching tigers.

Half an hour later, the killing in the Ghost Market gradually subsided. Li Xunhuan stood on the high platform, watching the captives being taken away, and sheathed his last Flying Dagger. Sunlight shone through the cracks in the top of the cave, plating him with a layer of gold.

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched the armored soldiers count the battle results—all twelve Elders of the Blood Shadow Cult were killed, and the Ghost Market's contraband filled thirty carriages, among which there were three crates of Black Iron, clearly stolen by Phantom from elsewhere.

These Black Irons can be sent to the Hanyue Iron Mine. Jun Xiaoyao rolled up the intelligence report and said to Zhao Gao, Li Xunhuan has performed a great service; increase his tribute by ten percent.

Understood. Zhao Gao paused and added, Messages have come from various forces in the Western Regions; they all want to form an alliance with our Beyond Heaven, exchanging resources for protection.

Jun Xiaoyao looked up at the summoning array in the center of the underground palace. The spiritual energy in the array's eye had risen to 90% due to the extermination of the Blood Shadow Cult remnants. As the runes flowed, a zither shadow actually appeared.

[System Notification: Detection of expansion needs, triggering administrative-type summoning.]

[Summonable Character: Master]

[Origin: A New Account of Tales of the World world]

[Realm: Peak Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Guangling San (Sound Killing Technique, can disrupt people's minds, can also soothe souls), Sword Heart Zither Soul (30% combat power bonus when holding a sword)]

[Expertise: Skilled in musical diplomacy, can perceive the human heart through zither music, resolve conflicts]

[Summoning Cost: 85% spiritual energy]

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertips fell, and the summoning array suddenly erupted with a clear and crisp zither sound. The runes jumped like musical notes, and a figure dressed in white, holding a Jiaowei zither, condensed in the light. Master had long hair draped over his shoulders, his eyes clear and open, and he bowed to Jun Xiaoyao: Master, greetings, Young Lord.

[Character Panel: Master]

[Status: Playing the Zither]

[Special Ability: Zither Sound Breaks Delusion (Can see through lies, soothe agitation)]

[Loyalty: 80%]

[Current Thought: The ice sound of this Hanyue Valley is quite suitable for playing Guangling San.]

Master, Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the Western Region envoys coming to form an alliance in the water mirror, these people have their own agendas. Go and vet them. Keep those who cooperate sincerely, and the others...

Young Lord, rest assured. Master placed the Jiaowei zither on the stone table and plucked the strings lightly. The zither sound flowed out like running water, Truth, falsehood, kindness, and evil, one can tell just by listening.

In the water mirror, Master's zither sound passed through the teleportation array to the ears of the Western Region envoys. Those with ulterior motives immediately became restless, breaking out in cold sweat; those who cooperated sincerely felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, their expressions calm.

The underground palace returned to silence, with only Master's zither music resonating with the runes of the summoning array. Jun Xiaoyao looked at Hanyue Valley outside the window. The snow-capped peaks stood silently in the twilight, as if witnessing the territory of Beyond Heaven, which was extending step by step toward the Western Regions.

The spiritual energy of the summoning array began to recover slowly. As the runes flickered, it seemed to be looking forward to the next summoning.

Jun Xiaoyao knew that after cleaning up the Blood Shadow Cult, the resources of the Western Regions would be used by Beyond Heaven, and Master's zither music would become the best sieve, sifting out the Impurities and leaving behind true assistance.

The road belonging to Beyond Heaven was still long, but every step was taken with increasing steadiness.