After Shui Huanmeng flew down toward the canyon, she quickly arrived in front of the demonic cultivators' stone cave. Her sharp eyes instantly filled with hatred. With a flick of the icy green longsword in her hand, she slashed toward the stone door.
Boom! Boom!
Several loud bangs rang out. Before the sword even made contact with the stone door, it was blocked by a magical barrier, though the mountain itself trembled slightly. The disturbance quickly alerted the demonic cultivators inside.
"Let my sister go! Or I'll flay you all alive!" Shui Huanmeng's anxious shout echoed out, making the demonic cultivators inside grow wary.
However, the leader, a cultivator at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, sneered when he sensed Shui Huanmeng's cultivation was only at the first level.
"You three, go capture that excellent source of nourishment outside," he ordered the others nearby.
"Yes!" The three demonic cultivators stepped outside, their expressions calm—it was clear they thought capturing a mere first-level Foundation cultivator would be child's play, making even three of them feel like overkill.
Clack, rumble!
The massive stone door rumbled open. Shui Huanmeng's expression grew more alert. She rushed forward toward the cave entrance. Several pale blue sword beams flew toward the three demonic cultivators emerging from the stone door.
"Cheap tricks!" The leading demonic cultivator sneered and casually waved his hand, dispersing the attack with a few streaks of dark energy.
"DIE, demonic scum!" Shui Huanmeng charged again, swinging her longsword with visible fury.
"Brothers, I alone am enough to handle this one," said the demonic cultivator. His clawed hands extended slightly, and with a few sharp swipes, he sent out ghostly claws glowing with bloody light. Seeing this, Shui Huanmeng quickly dodged and cast Fireball Spell at him.
Boom!
The demonic cultivator flared his massive black cloak and easily blocked the attack.
"Stop wasting time!" The voice of the seventh-level Foundation cultivator came from inside the cave. The two cultivators who hadn't acted now also moved in to attack Shui Huanmeng. One struck her squarely in the chest, slamming her against the stone wall.
She spat out a mouthful of thick blood, her aura weakening instantly. Although the blow hadn't caused serious injury, she needed to make the demonic cultivators believe it had—so she acted even more convincingly.
"Tie her up!" One demonic cultivator threw a black rope at her, binding her immediately.
"You demonic freaks should all die! Just wait—when my brother comes, you'll all suffer!"
"Your brother? By the time he arrives, you'll already be turned into nourishment for our Demon Lord," the man laughed grimly and used his artifact control technique to lift the bound Shui Huanmeng into the air.
…
Not far from the stone cave, close to the cliff wall, Chen Jinshu and Dai Yuzhu were already hidden.
"Master has successfully entered. Once she gives the signal, we'll go in."
"Mm."
Before long, a familiar voice rang in their ears.
"Come in quickly and rescue the female cultivators!"
They rushed to the cave entrance. The stone door was already open. From inside came the melodious sound of a pipa.
"Master has taken control of the demonic cultivators!"
This was the second time Chen Jinshu had heard her master play the pipa. The sound was sweet and pleasant, yet carried a deadly killing intent.
Truly enchanting.
"Don't space out, junior sister—rescuing the others comes first."
Dai Yuzhu grabbed Chen Jinshu's hand, and the two entered the cave. Halfway through, a strong, nauseating scent of blood hit them, nearly making them gag.
In the corner of the cave, Shui Huanmeng sat with elegance, eyes sharp, the pipa in her hands releasing waves of golden energy. The eight demonic cultivators stood paralyzed, unable to move, their bodies faintly glowing with a yellow hue.
Their faces were twisted in pain, their eyes vacant. Several were deathly pale and drenched in cold sweat, as though trapped in horrifying nightmares. The two quickly stepped forward to untie the bound female cultivators. The moment they were freed, the women burst into grateful tears and offered tearful thanks.
"Save the thanks for later. Where are your clothes?"
"In the demonic cultivators' storage bag!"
Chen Jinshu looked toward her master. A moment later, a storage bag with its spiritual imprint erased floated toward her. She pulled out several robes and tossed them to the female cultivators.
Only then did Chen Jinshu understand why their master had sent her and her senior sister on this rescue mission. If their senior brothers had seen such an exposed scene, they would likely have had nosebleeds on the spot.
More importantly, the rescued women's reputations had been compromised. While cultivators didn't place as much value on such things as mortals, it still carried a psychological weight for the women involved.
Once they were dressed, the female cultivators stood quietly in place, clearly shaken by what they had witnessed.
"You all leave first. Have your senior brothers come in and escort the rescued women back to the temporary cave. I'll deal with things here and return your belongings later."
Chen Jinshu nodded and motioned to the women.
"Come with us, quickly."
"O-okay…" they murmured, voices soft and unsteady.
Once outside, Chen Jinshu summoned her Gale Gourd, which quickly expanded to resemble a small spirit boat—though it could hold at most eight or nine passengers.
"My spirit boat can take half," Dai Yuzhu said, pulling out a yellow miniature boat from her storage pouch.
"Good."
"You seven, come on this gourd," Chen Jinshu instructed, flying up and taking position at the stern. Her longsword was already hidden in her sleeve.
The seven selected passengers exchanged glances and then flew aboard. The already cramped gourd now felt even tighter. Chen Jinshu stood at the back to watch over them—just in case one of the rescued women harbored ill intent.
After two incense sticks' time, Chen Jinshu and Dai Yuzhu reached the temporary cave with their passengers and notified their fellow disciples.
Half an hour later, they finally received a transmission from their master: the demonic cultivators had been dealt with.
"Master's finished," they said, faces lighting with joy.
"Wonderful!"
"Those demonic cultivators have finally been destroyed. Too bad… my poor sister didn't make it…"
Suddenly, Chen Jinshu whipped out the sword hidden in her sleeve and stabbed backward.
Shwick!
The blade pierced the chest of one of the rescued female cultivators.
"Ahhh! Murder!"
The other women screamed in terror.
"Junior sister!"
"A demonic cultivator, hiding this deep," Chen Jinshu said coldly, glancing at the bleeding woman lying on the ground.
"A demon! She's a demon cultivator!"
"She was with us this whole time!"
Her words immediately put all the female cultivators on high alert.