The storeroom where the last of the Bai Clan Cultivators were hiding, once just an ordinary stone house, was now encased in layer upon layer of Profound Ink Bamboo. Magical Artifacts striking the exterior merely caused the grove to sway.
'This grove of Spirit Plants was designed for this very purpose before it was even planted. At a critical moment, a Secret Technique can be used to make all the plants' essences erupt, protecting the stone house at the center. Judging by the scale of this grove, this was probably planned over a century ago. The Bai Clan really does prepare for the worst, don't they!'
The masked face of the disciple named Chen twisted. 'It will take at least three to five days for the plant essence to fade,' he calculated. 'I can't wait that long.'
In truth, they had already wasted far too much time at the Bai Clan estate. Every moment they lingered, the risk multiplied.
The Qingfeng Sect had dominated Black Mountain County for nearly a thousand years. Though it had seen periods of glory and decline, it had never truly lost its grip on the region. It had repelled one encroaching sect after another, and in recent years, it had held its own in several clashes with the Ghost Spirit Sect. Their strength was not to be underestimated.
"Get the Blood Evil Array set up, now! Pour the Heart's Blood of these Child Maidens, born in a Yin Year, Yin Month, and Yin Day, into the ground at the array nodes. The rest of you, go dig three thirty-foot-deep holes in front of the stone house and empty these three bottles of Earth Lung Evil Qi into them. Once everything is ready, I'll activate the array, defile this Spirit Vein, and summon a Ghost King. Let's see what tricks the Bai Clan Cultivators have left then!"
Once the Blood Evil Array was complete, the entire Spirit Vein would be flooded with baleful Evil Qi. A Ghost King would descend, turning all of Hanxiu Peak into a Ghostly Realm.
Even a century later, this land would remain a Desolate Land, a dead place. Normal life would be impossible, let alone it being a sacred ground for Cultivation blessed by a Spirit Vein.
The disciple named Chen handed the materials to the remaining Ghost Spirit Sect disciples, and they all complied without question. Demon Path Cultivators revered strength above all else; the hierarchy was as rigid as that between master and servant. Even if they weren't originally from his direct faction, not a single disciple dared to voice an objection to his commands.
He was willing to take this enormous risk and stay to breach the Bai Clan's stone house, but it certainly wasn't to avenge his fallen "Senior Brother" Shen or the other dead disciples.
Demon Path Cultivators were a faithless and cold-hearted lot. 'I kill you today, you kill him tomorrow. Life and death are decided by fate. Who has time for daily vengeance?'
Besides, any Cultivator who reached the Foundation Establishment Stage was no impulsive fool. He would never have a thought as ridiculous as wiping out the Bai Clan in a fit of rage.
It was the Bai Clan's endless array of tricks that, in addition to making him wary, had stoked the fires of his greed. 'They even left behind a Talisman Treasure, a major Treasure that only a Core Formation True Man should possess. Who's to say what other Treasures might be in that storeroom? A Core Formation True Man's Cultivation Technique, Miracle Elixirs, maybe even a true Magical Treasure!'
'That Sword Talisman just shattered four of my Top-Grade Magical Artifacts, but I'll break even if I can just find a single Spiritual Artifact. And if I find a Magical Treasure... selling it for Spirit Stones or presenting it to the Sect Leader for elixirs to boost my Cultivation would be enough to get me all the way to the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment!'
Even as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Ghost Spirit Sect, he was little more than a high-level drudge in the eyes of the Core Formation True Men. All the Sect's resources circled around the few Ancestors at the top; not even scraps trickled down.
For even a sliver of such an opportunity, his eyes practically turned green with envy. It was well worth the risk.
...
Bai Zichen felt that his entire past life hadn't had as many twists and turns as this single day. First, Tribulation Cultivators appeared and killed Aunt Song. Then, he learned they were actually Sect Cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect, who were held back by the Four Symbols Heaven Element Array, granting them a temporary reprieve. But the array was soon shattered by vicious ghost heads, nearly wiping out their entire clan. At the critical moment, the Grand Elder had unleashed a Talisman Treasure to kill a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, a feat far beyond his own level.
Now, this ordinary storeroom, encased in layers of Profound Ink Bamboo, had become their final bastion.
Yet their view from inside was unobstructed. They could see the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators hadn't given up; they were bustling about, preparing some new tactic.
"Fourth Elder, does the clan have any other Treasures we can use to kill them? These people refuse to withdraw. I'm sure they have a way to break into our storeroom."
Only a handful of Bai Clan Cultivators were still on their feet inside the storeroom. Bai Zichen approached the Fourth Elder to ask. Simply waiting around wasn't his style.
The Fourth Elder's expression was pained. His expertise was in the clan's Spirit Plant Technique, not Combat, and the day's events had left his head spinning. "I do have one Thunderbolt Seed," he said, "infused with a bolt of Purple Mansion Divine Thunder. If I use it, everything within a hundred meters will be turned to dust, not even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would be an exception."
Perhaps he needed to unburden himself from the tension, as the Fourth Elder even shared such a clan secret with Bai Zichen.
Bai Zichen's initial joy quickly soured as he realized something was off. "Fourth Elder, that Thunderbolt Seed can be detonated from a distance, right? Why don't you throw it out now and give them a nasty surprise? I don't think anyone's watching us. You could probably blow most of those villains to bits."
"I can't. My Cultivation is insufficient. I can only activate the Thunderbolt Seed by holding it."
The Fourth Elder shook his head. As if to comfort Bai Zichen, he added, "Rest assured, if it comes to the very end, I will detonate the Thunderbolt Seed myself. You won't feel a thing, and you won't have to worry about your Divine Soul falling into the hands of those Demon Cultivators to be tortured."
'The good news is, the Bai Clan still has an ace up its sleeve.'
'The bad news is, for that ace to kill the enemy, everyone in the storeroom has to die first.'
Bai Zichen stepped back, speechless. He knew he couldn't rely on the Fourth Elder and turned his attention back to the scene outside.
Just then, the disciple named Chen walked up to the stone house. He raised the forearm from which he'd already severed his wrist and hacked at it again. This time, his entire arm fell to the ground.
After swallowing the arm, the Evil Ghost suddenly swelled to ten feet tall. It beat its chest frantically, its gaze fixed covetously on the blood pouring from the disciple's severed limb. Only after being urged several times did it reluctantly shamble to the front of the storeroom, plunge its hands into the ground, and prepare to draw forth the Earth Lung Evil Qi.
BOOM!
A clap of thunder echoed. The air froze for an instant, and then a terrifying golden storm erupted, sweeping over and devouring everything in its path. When the dust settled, the area before the storeroom was clear.
The ferocious Evil Ghost and the Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators were all gone. Only scattered fragments on the ground proved they had ever existed.
Everyone in the storeroom collapsed to the floor as a terrifying pressure descended upon the sky above Hanxiu Peak.
"I am Ge Cang. The villains have been slain. Tend to your wounded. Disciples from the Qingfeng Sect will be here to assist you shortly!"
The ancient voice, carried by Magic, boomed through the sky. It was likely heard by every living person for dozens of miles around.
A moment later, the pressure vanished, and the survivors helped one another to their feet.
"Are we... saved?" Bai Zichen asked in disbelief. The relief was so sudden it felt unreal.
"It's Master Ge Cang from the Qingfeng Sect, the one who's been in seclusion! We're saved! We're really saved!"
Two streams of weary tears trickled from the corners of the Fourth Elder's eyes. The Bai Clan had paid far too high a price to see this day.
Once the blessing of the Wood God Skill was willingly dispelled, the Profound Ink Bamboo withered rapidly. Leaves rustled to the ground, and the branches, now devoid of all moisture, toppled over. The storeroom door opened from within.
Having endured the calamity and escaped death, the Bai Clan Members emerged one by one. As they surveyed the ruins of their clan's estate, many broke down and began to wail.