Chapter 166 Dual Blades, Icy Brilliance in the Martial World (35)

Bai Tang concealed herself among the trees, and from a distance, she could see a Blood Devil Cult disciple stationed along the riverbank every hundred meters.

Their blood-red robes seemed particularly eerie in the barely visible surroundings. Observing them, one might mistake them for demons stained with countless blood.

Yaoyao expressed profound surprise, “The Blood Devil Cult’s stronghold is actually in a place like this. No wonder no one has found it. However, how did Young Hero Weng know that the Blood Devil Cult is at the base of this cliff? People in the martial world, at most, only know the general location. How did Young Hero Weng know exactly that it is at the base of this cliff?”

Yaoyao was still amazed at how quickly Bai Tang found the location. Throughout the journey, she hadn’t seen Bai Tang hesitate at all, as if she knew exactly what her target was.

Bai Tang replied quietly, “Young Hero Weng has a special status, and it’s not that surprising that he knew.”

Observing Bai Tang sitting on a sturdy tree branch, eating sour wild fruits, Yaoyao commented, “Young Lady Bai has found them, yet seems unhurried.”

Bai Tang leisurely responded, “There’s no rush, and besides, haste makes waste. Look at them guarding here. It might indicate that this route is crucial, but their main stronghold may not be here. Just watch—when the shift changes, someone will lead us the way.”

Yaoyao remarked, “Young Lady Bai is very thoughtful.”

Bai Tang humbly said, “You’re too kind.”

Discovering this route was no small feat. Establishing an organization within it was also impressive.

Bai Tang waited for a few hours for the shift change, and then stealthily followed the new guards.

Her distance control was impeccable, and her figure blended well with the dark hues. Following them for a short distance, Bai Tang spotted their stronghold.

Finding a higher vantage point, she made a rough estimate—roughly over a thousand people. If she were to expose Qi Jiayan’s secrets now, how would he react?

Bai Tang’s silhouette moved like a ghost in the night, invisible and silent. Before long, she had thoroughly investigated the Blood Devil Cult’s stronghold.

Bai Tang was very curious about how they managed to bring in so many things. She speculated that they might have opened up a passage, as relying solely on the hidden route within the dark stream wouldn’t be sufficient to transport all the necessary items.

The Blood Devil Cult was divided into two branches—the Shadow Division and the War Division. The former focused on infiltration and gathering information, while the latter was involved in killing. A distinctive feature of the cult was their use of poison for control. After observing for a considerable time, Bai Tang discovered that they also indoctrinated the kidnapped children from a young age, teaching them to defend the Blood Devil Cult with their lives and swear never to betray it.

Bai Tang spent time observing the training grounds for children. The training method involved groups of ten, with an elder disciple instructing. Ultimately, only one person from each group would survive. The daily training sessions were brutal and bloody, leaving many children with numb and lifeless eyes.

Noticing someone leaving with spoiled food, Bai Tang found it suspicious and decided to follow. The person led her to a cave, where she heard the sounds of anger mixed with the clinking of iron chains. It seemed someone was locked inside.

After a short while, the person left with the food box. Perhaps because they considered the place extremely secure, with no one else but Blood Devil Cult members having been here, or maybe they believed the captive wouldn’t escape, there was no one guarding the entrance, not even within several hundred meters.

Waiting until the person walked far enough away, Bai Tang confidently entered the cave. She first observed from the shadows. She had heard the sound of iron chains and now saw that someone was indeed bound by them.

Chains secured around the neck, wrists, ankles, and waist—a total of six points—held the person in place against the stone wall. Bai Tang estimated that the person’s range of movement was only about one meter. The clothes were tattered, and eyes murky and dim. The whole person looked filthy.

…

Author’s Note:
Qi Jiayan: Resurrected… Internal energy, martial arts are gone.
Little Tang’er: Picked some flowers and by the way, blew up your spring water.

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