Chen Lingxiang's eyes widened. Even though he was knowledgeable, the scene before him still left him utterly shocked.
Beyond the passageway was a massive cave, with an elliptical pool at its center...
Filled with blood!
The thick stench of blood permeated the air, making this place seem like a human purgatory!
"I didn't expect the Chaotic Wind Mountain Bandits to not only rob and kill but also have such an evil place."
Chen Lingxiang said angrily.
However, no matter how angry he was, the soft tone of his voice didn't carry much menace.
Lu Ye's eyes also flashed with a hint of surprise.
Robbing and killing, plus extracting every last bit of value from corpses to practice evil cultivation techniques. These Chaotic Wind Mountain Bandits truly deserved to die.
Lu Ye frowned slightly, and all the information about the bandits he had previously killed quickly flashed through his mind.
The kind of cold, sinister aura on those who practiced evil cultivation techniques couldn't be hidden.
At least, it couldn't be hidden at low realms.
After reaching the Innate stage, it might improve somewhat, allowing some aura to be concealed.
But recalling all the bandits he had killed, including Zhang Hu, it seemed none of them carried the aura of an evil cultivator.
"Did you feel any of the bandits you killed were clearly evil cultivators?" After pondering for a moment, Lu Ye turned and asked.
Chen Lingxiang shook her head; she hadn't perceived any evil cultivator among the bandits either.
After thinking for a while, she said in surprise, "Young Master Lu, are you saying... this place isn't for the Chaotic Wind Mountain Bandits themselves, but for someone else?"
In an instant, Chen Lingxiang thought of the powerful Innate Fourth Layer leader from the night of the ambush.
Could it be... that Innate Fourth Layer person reached that level by relying on evil cultivation techniques?!
Lu Ye contemplated. He had personally faced that Innate Fourth Layer that night and exchanged a move.
That person's Innate True Qi was incredibly strong and pure, not like an evil cultivator's.
"Has your Chen Family's intelligence network found out who's behind the Chaotic Wind Mountain?" Lu Ye asked.
Chen Lingxiang immediately replied, "We found out. It's the Wang Family in Qingshan City."
The Wang Family Ancestor became the last to step into the Innate Realm among the two major cities within a thousand miles.
As a result, the Wang Family suddenly became an Innate Clan.
Previously, intelligence from the Chen Family indicated an Innate First Layer appearing in the Chaotic Wind Mountain, and Chen Lingxiang guessed it was most likely the Wang Family Ancestor!
However, Chen Lingxiang never expected.
The Wang Family Ancestor of Qingshan City... actually reached the Innate stage through evil techniques!
"The Wang Family, huh?" Lu Ye pondered, "So, it seems the Chaotic Wind Mountain Bandits are serving both of these forces?"
Chen Lingxiang nodded softly, "They probably want to benefit from both sides. Of course, it's also possible that the Wang Family supported the Chaotic Wind Mountain, while they in turn serve an even higher power."
Upon hearing this, Lu Ye's eyes flashed.
With Chen Lingxiang's explanation, he had a clearer understanding of the Innate Fourth Layer's background from that night.
It was just like the Jiang Family wanting to get close to the Red Cloud Sect.
The Wang Family in Qingshan City was similarly close to one of the Three Great Sects of the Northern... the Cyan Thunder Sect!
It could be said that the rapid growth of the Wang Family was largely due to its backing by the Cyan Thunder Sect.
Lu Ye had actually long suspected that the person who initiated the subsequent ambush that night was likely from one of the Three Great Sects.
The voice of the Innate Fourth Layer didn't sound as aged as the other Innate Ancestors.
The reason they didn't use a sword but instead a palm technique was probably to avoid exposing the Cyan Thunder Sect's signature technique, the Cyan Thunder Sword Technique.
In an instant, a rush of thoughts flooded his mind.
Lu Ye suddenly waved his hand and blasted a gap in the ghastly Blood Pool.
Immediately, a large amount of blood poured through the gap, soaking into the cave floor.
The entire cave was instantly filled with the pungent smell of blood.
Chen Lingxiang followed suit by drawing her sword, opening gaps in the other directions.
The evil resources that the Chaotic Wind Mountain Bandits had collected over a long time were completely destroyed by the two of them in moments.
Once the Blood Pool was completely drained, and Lu Ye was about to leave...
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed an object at the bottom of the pool.
"Huh?"
Swiftly dashing into the blood pool and retrieving it, Lu Ye found it was a fragment of what seemed to be some kind of weapon.
As soon as he held it in his hand, a strong aura of malice instantly emanated!
Once again marveling at Lu Ye's ghostly body technique, Chen Lingxiang felt a slight joy inside, a faint smile appearing on her beautiful face.
In front of her, Lu Ye seemed to be gradually revealing more of himself!
The next moment, her gaze fell on what Lu Ye was holding, and she exclaimed, "A Forbidden Artifact Fragment?!"
A Forbidden Artifact Fragment?
Lu Ye keenly captured a new term.
This item, he hadn't seen any introduction to it in the Library Pavilion of the Red Cloud Sect.
"What is a Forbidden Artifact Fragment?" Lu Ye asked.
Knowing that Lu Ye might not be aware of certain hidden information due to his status issues, Chen Lingxiang tidied the strands of hair hanging by her ears and softly explained.
"Forbidden Artifact Fragments refer to certain taboo items that have circulated from various Secret Realms."
"Legend has it, these fragments were all Divine Weapons in ancient times!"
"After experiencing fierce battles, these Divine Weapons shattered and became fragments. Over time, they accumulated dense malice, possessing formidable and uncontrollable power, thus becoming what are now known as Forbidden Artifact Fragments."
"This Forbidden Artifact was probably placed here by them to continue absorbing the power of Yin Sha Blood."
Lu Ye focused on the tattered fragment in his hand, faintly sensing a Yin Sha aura trying to penetrate his arm.
"This thing is a bit sinister." Lu Ye frowned slightly.
Chen Lingxiang nodded, "That's the nature of Forbidden Artifacts; they're truly double-edged swords. History is rife with martial artists who, upon acquiring Forbidden Artifacts, were eventually consumed by malice, turning into killing machines, ultimately dying from explosion."
"However, the power of Forbidden Artifacts cannot be underestimated. An Innate First Layer holding a Forbidden Artifact is qualified to contend with a Second or Third Layer Innate."
Lu Ye shook his head, finding such a detrimental thing could only threaten those one or two levels higher.
Not comparable to even a half piece of his Innate Sword Talisman.
"In that case, you take it." Lu Ye casually tossed it to Chen Lingxiang.
Although he thought little of it, perhaps it could still prove useful in critical situations.
Chen Lingxiang: "..."
Truly worthy of the mysterious black-clothed man capable of injuring an Innate Fourth Layer!
To think he would dismiss something that countless martial artists cherish as a treasure.
"Then, thank you, Young Master Lu," Chen Lingxiang's enchanting eyes shifted, accepting without refusal.
After making sure they missed nothing, Lu Ye and Chen Lingxiang exited the blood-soaked cave.
They arrived at the storeroom where those abducted and brought to the mountain were held.
The terrified captives suddenly noticed two figures appearing ghost-like before them.
Instantly, their fear deepened, thinking that the bandits were finally going to act against them.
The next second, they watched as two black-clothed figures swiftly emitted Inner Qi like blades, effortlessly cutting the ropes binding them.
Immediately, staring at the two figures as if they were divine soldiers descending from heaven, the captives were transfixed in shock.