Published: August 27, 2025
Chapter 312: Calm and Reinforcements
“Ice Demon, you don’t actually dislike someone and want to stir me up to pick a fight with Leaf Snake, do you?” The bald burly man glared and said irritably.
“Hehe! How could that be! Didn’t you want to see the cult leader? It’s just the right time to go now, the leader has just performed a blood sacrifice and hasn’t started refining qi yet!” White Shadow, hitting the mark of the burly man’s thoughts, nonchalantly changed the subject.
Knowing the other party’s words were insincere, the bald burly man could only grunt and strode into the darkness.
After turning several corners and passing through six or seven courtyards, the burly man arrived near a huge, extremely secluded artificial hill. His expression began to show reverence.
“Your subordinate Iron Luo pays respects to the cult leader!” The burly man bowed deeply and spoke loudly.
“Iron Luo, how did you get injured?”
A magnetic middle-aged voice came faintly from the base of the artificial hill. The Black Death Cult leader’s secluded place was actually beneath this artificial hill—something Han Li and the others would never have guessed.
“Thank you for your concern, cult leader. Your subordinate only used the demon transformation technique and suffered some qi depletion,” the bald burly man quickly replied cautiously upon hearing the cult leader’s words.
After he finished speaking, the cult leader did not respond immediately but after a moment said faintly:
“From this, it looks like the mission failed! Otherwise, my registered disciple should have returned with you to report.”
“Please forgive your subordinate, cult leader. I failed to protect properly; the young master and Guardian Wang have fallen into enemy hands. I am willing to accept the cult leader’s severe punishment!” The burly man bit his teeth, his face full of shame.
“Punishment? Why punish you? Since you resorted to demon transformation, it only proves the enemy was truly too strong; it’s not because you were negligent. It’s just one disciple and one protector; it’s not a big deal. But if you had fallen into enemy hands, then I would really be troubled!”
“Thank you for your forgiveness, cult leader. I will devote myself to serving you diligently from now on to make up for this failure!”
The Black Death Cult leader was very skilled at winning people’s hearts. With a few words, he made the bald burly man excitedly pledge his loyalty.
“Hmm, good! But tell me about the details of this confrontation. I want to know which sect’s cultivators are so formidable!” The cult leader, obviously satisfied with Iron Luo’s words, asked with interest about Han Li.
“As you order!” The burly man quickly responded.
“The foundation establishment stage cultivator we tried to capture had very peculiar cultivation techniques. He could control mechanical beasts like puppets, and their power was considerable. At the time...” The bald burly man slowly recounted everything about his fight with Han Li and how, sensing danger, he demon-transformed and fled.
After Iron Luo finished recounting everything, silence fell beneath the artificial hill. The cult leader seemed to be pondering something.
After a while, his cold, calm voice came again.
“The puppets controlled by that cultivator, based on your description, should be the puppet technique of the Thousand Bamboo Sect. This person may be a cultivator from that sect. I heard some time ago that a group of Thousand Bamboo Sect disciples appeared within Yuanwu Country; maybe he’s one of them. But your choice to demon-transform and immediately escape based on instinct was wise. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be standing here talking to me now.”
“No way! Even if the other side was using a Talisman Treasure then, I don’t believe my demon-transformed body couldn’t withstand it. If not for my uncontrollable demon form after transformation, I would have fought back! Even if I wasn’t his match, I could’ve escaped unscathed!” Iron Luo said somewhat unwillingly.