SWNOVELXO Chapter 33:
Chapter 33: Slaughter:
Lu Ye ventured deeper into the Hundred Herb Valley, altering the ancient formations as he went.
The original formations were replaced with entirely new systems, each imbued with unique designs. Among them were two noteworthy arrays.
One was a blinding light formation, harmless but capable of dazzling enemies.
The other was a short-distance teleportation array, allowing movement between 10 and 30 kilometers—a perfect escape tool.
As he adjusted the formations, Lu Ye eventually arrived at the Golden Sunflower. He took out a jade box and carefully sealed the flower. After harvesting a dozen other valuable medicinal herbs, he departed the valley.
Li Huaiyu, meanwhile, was still immersed in cracking formations, his eyes filled with curiosity and satisfaction as he uncovered layer after layer of intricate designs.
But suddenly, the next formation he encountered threw him off balance.
He found himself surrounded by muscular men with eight-pack abs, all beckoning to him with seductive smiles.
What was going on?
Not only had the formation changed, but its entire structure had shifted.
This wasn’t normal.
Had that mysterious young man from earlier tampered with it?
To alter a formation without dismantling it—how terrifying must one’s mastery of formations be?
And another thing—why were there eight muscular men in the illusion? As a man, shouldn’t the formation have presented beautiful women instead?
…
Leaving the Hundred Herb Valley, Lu Ye set his sights on the Heavenly Spirit Pool.
As its name implied, the pool was rich in spiritual energy, an excellent place for cultivation.
Although Lu Ye already had his system to speed up his progress, cultivating in the Heavenly Spirit Pool would make him even faster.
Emerging from the valley, he heard a distant rumble.
The battles had begun.
The human race, strong as it was, had driven all other races from the most spiritually rich lands of the Great Wilderness. This history of conflict had created countless grievances. Now, with the younger generation gathered in one place, chaos reigned.
Lu Ye paid little attention to these fights.
True strength was forged in blood and battle.
Everyone here was of similar age and cultivation level, so combat was inevitable. Unless he encountered senseless slaughter or blatant bullying, Lu Ye had no interest in interfering.
As he walked, a figure suddenly crashed to the ground before him.
“Fellow Daoist… save… save me…”
The man, a disciple of a small sect, coughed up blood and was clearly on the verge of death.
“Hahaha! You’ll die too!”
A black bat demon screeched with laughter as it charged at Lu Ye.
Initially, Lu Ye had planned to step aside and continue on his way.
But since the bat demon had chosen to attack him…
With a flick of his sword, a single flash of light sliced the bat in two.
Lu Ye retrieved the demon’s storage ring, incinerated its remains with a spark, and let the ashes scatter with a wave of his sleeve.
“Bat Fog!”
A heartbroken cry rang out as a group of over ten black bats darted toward him at lightning speed.
The bats saw the bisected corpse of their kin but had no time to speak before another sword slash cut through the air.
“Swish, swish, swish…”
Under the sunlight, the air itself seemed to twist as countless sword lights intertwined.
The ten-odd bats were instantly cleaved in half, their blood pooling on the ground, filling the air with a pungent stench.
Lu Ye casually beckoned with his fingers, collecting each of their storage rings before turning to leave.
“Fellow Daoist, please tell me your name! I, Ji Liang of the Qiankun Sect, will surely repay this kindness!”
Lu Ye didn’t stop or respond, disappearing into the horizon.
The battlefield was littered with corpses—both human and demonic.
Some bodies were grotesquely mauled, others stripped bare, covered in bite marks.
The harsh reality of cultivation was laid bare in the carnage.
Two figures, disheveled and fleeing, ran toward Lu Ye.
“Fellow Daoist, you must leave! The demon race has taken control of the Heavenly Spirit Pool and killed countless people. To fight against the demons and other creatures, we humans have decided to form an alliance. Let’s head to the rally point together and stand against the demons!”
Lu Ye’s interest was piqued.
An alliance among humans? That hadn’t happened in his past life.
“Who organized this alliance?” he asked.
“It was Yue Hongling of the Grand Dao Sect who initiated it. Many powerful factions have joined her. The rally point is not only safe but also serves as a base for counterattacking the demons. Please, come with us!”
Yue Hongling?
That explained the change in events.
“No need. I’m heading to the Heavenly Spirit Pool to take a look.”
“Fellow Daoist, the pool is under the demon race’s control! Going there is suicide!”
Lu Ye chuckled. “I’ll just take a look. If it’s too dangerous, I’ll retreat.”
“I advise you not to go.”
“I’ve always been stubborn like this.”
Lu Ye had a high tolerance for kind-hearted people. These two were simply trying to help him find safety.
“Then take care, Fellow Daoist!”
“Stay safe!”
As they parted ways, Lu Ye approached the Heavenly Spirit Pool.
The smell of blood filled the air.
The pool wasn’t large, its mouth barely spanning ten meters in diameter. Its emerald green waters shimmered like a jewel set in the earth, surrounded by misty spiritual energy.
Corpses, torn and mangled, lay scattered around the pool. Giant demons feasted on the dead, their grotesque chewing sounds echoing.
Some demons soaked in the pool, luxuriating in its energy.
Lu Ye’s appearance drew their attention.
Dozens of eyes turned toward him, their murderous intent palpable.
Unfazed, Lu Ye walked toward them.
“Interesting!”
A leopard demon leapt out of the pool, its wet fur glowing as the water evaporated.
“Such confidence. This human must think he can kill us all by himself,” it sneered, addressing the other demons.
“But in reality?”
“He’ll beg for mercy.”
The demons burst into laughter.
“He’ll wail in despair.”
“He’ll cry for a quick death.”
Their taunts grew louder, filling the air with cackles and howls.
The leopard demon, smirking, turned into a streak of golden light as it charged at Lu Ye.
“Wail for me!”
“Slash!”
The leopard demon’s body split in two, its blood drawing a V-shaped trail on the ground.
“You all talk too much. You deserve to die,” Lu Ye said coldly.
He stepped forward, his figure flickering like a frame-skipping image in a film.
In the blink of an eye, he was among the demons.
One swing of his sword.
Seven or eight demons in a straight line exploded into pieces.
The slaughter began.