Chapter 130: I Advise You to Surrender Promptly

Chapter 130: I Advise You to Surrender Promptly

“Unfortunately, you guessed wrong,” Xiao Chen said with a faint sigh, shaking his head. “I never play games with illusions.”

The other cultivators, unable to rely on a single Scarlet Flame Radiance’s power alone, had no choice but to cluster them together to set traps.

But with his hex amplifying its strength, one Scarlet Flame Radiance equaled ten. The power was more than sufficient.

So he’d hidden one Scarlet Flame Radiance inside every Scarlet Cloud.

Ding Sanlei’s true form was blasted backward, hurtling him straight back to the mountain cave entrance. He spat out a mouthful of blood and struggled to lift his head. “Despicable villain!”

What nonsense was this “guessing game”? All lies.

He could swear on his life that the remaining nine Scarlet Clouds definitely concealed the same trap.

“Me? A despicable villain?” Xiao Chen chuckled. “Fine. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

After all, the more his enemies cursed him, the more he knew he was doing things right.

Stepping forward calmly, he continued, “I advise you to surrender promptly. If you abandon your evil path and pledge allegiance to our Lihuo Sect, I won’t just spare your life—I’ll personally recommend you to my senior sect brother, the sect leader.”

Ding Sanlei’s eyes widened in disbelief. Was that even his line to say?

He hadn’t expected Xiao Chen to have arrived here earlier. How had he missed sensing him at all?

“Pfft!” Elder Liu couldn’t hold back his laughter and burst out, “Exactly! I advise you to surrender promptly too!”

He strode forward as well. Though his jade belt hung dull and lifeless, his mana had clearly recovered significantly.

Ding Sanlei’s face turned as red as pork liver.

Mocked by Xiao Chen was bad enough, but now Elder Liu—the very man he’d defeated—was throwing his words back at him. A surge of rage shot straight to his crown.

As a demonic cultivator, he knew perfectly well that if captured, his only fate was death.

For them to speak this way was pure humiliation.

“You’re asking for death!” Ding Sanlei roared, pulling out a small black flag from his sleeve and hurling it forward.

“This formation was originally meant for the reinforcements coming later. But since you two trash insist on dying first, I’ll oblige!”

As the flag fluttered in the wind, the formation he’d pre-set at the Cave Entrance activated instantly.

He’d spent days lurking in Wanyao Mountain Range preparing contingencies.

As formation flags materialized midair, a grand array began taking shape.

Elder Liu snorted disdainfully. “Hmph. The same old trick again.”

Unfazed, he retrieved a second-tier formation-breaking talisman from his storage bag.

“After so many clashes between orthodox and demonic sects, you’ve made zero progress. Still using that outdated Eight Demon Blood Refining Formation?”

“This talisman was specifically prepared for you.”

As he channeled mana into it, the talisman shot forward, slapping onto one of the formation flags. The flag burst into flames, reducing to ashes instantly.

“Hahahah!” Ding Sanlei laughed thrice, his hands weaving seals. The black flag in his grip swelled several times larger, replacing the destroyed formation flag effortlessly.

“Didn’t expect that, did you? My formation is a modified, upgraded version—specifically designed to counter your formation-breaking talismans!”

“Eight Demon Blood Refining Formation—activate!”

With his command, surging demonic qi erupted from the formation, crashing toward the two men inside.

“Danger!”

Elder Liu hastily activated his Heaven-Piercing Mysterious Flame Pillar, conjuring a barrier of mystic light to block the demonic energy.

Yet his heart tightened again.

Despite the relentless attacks earlier, he hadn’t truly panicked, confident he could endure.

But now, not only had Ding Sanlei prepared a formation in advance, it was an upgraded variant.

Trapped inside, they now faced genuine life-or-death peril.

Watching his foes struggle within the formation, Ding Sanlei finally exhaled in relief. “Want to play turtle and hide? Not this time, bastards!”

He flung a vial of Vital Blood into the array.

The demonic qi within the formation surged violently, as if electrified.

Elder Liu’s heart sank. He feared this might be his end.

Straining to maintain his defense, he called out, “Xiao Chen, looks like we can’t get out of this alive.”

“It was my carelessness that led us into this trap. I should bear the responsibility.”

“I once learned a demonic technique to self-destruct my dantian. I’ll break the formation from the east side.”

“You prepare yourself and escape while you can.”

Xiao Chen shook his head. “Not yet. I have a plan.”

He’d been observing the Eight Demon Blood Refining Formation carefully, noting a slight weakness in one direction’s demonic qi flow.

That spot was precisely where the black flag had replaced a formation flag.

Though the talisman hadn’t destroyed the formation, it had left a gap.

He gripped his treasure gourd of hidden flame, timing his strike with the formation flags’ shifting rhythm. Channeling power, he unleashed, “Lihuo Demon Purge!”

Boom!

The explosion roared, tearing through the formation.

The demonic qi scattered wildly. The temporary black flag replacement took direct hits from thirty-six Scarlet Flame Bombs, wobbling precariously.

Elder Liu’s face lit with hope, but Ding Sanlei panicked.

Yet all three watched as the flag, though leaking demonic qi, refused to shatter completely.

The Scarlet Flame Bombs had detonated inside the formation. Much of their power was blocked by the formation’s force. Breaking through from within proved just short of success.

Elder Liu’s flicker of hope faded into regret.

“Sigh… So close, yet so far.”

Ding Sanlei, however, exhaled in relief. “Hmph. You spotted the weakness faster than I expected.”

“But what can you do now? Can you launch another attack like that?”

“This is just stubborn resistance. You’re both dying here today.”

With a flick of his hands, he channeled the formation again, gathering demonic qi for a decisive strike.

“How do you know I don’t have a second shot?” Xiao Chen raised his gourd and pointed. “Lihuo Demon Purge!”

This time, the Eight Demon Blood Refining Formation finally shattered.

Blazing flames erupted, the shockwave slamming Ding Sanlei backward once more.

“How… how could this happen?!”

Prostrate on the ground, he muttered, “Just a little more time… I was so close to success! Damn it!”

His bloodshot eyes locked onto Xiao Chen with pure hatred. “It’s all your fault! You ruined our plan!”

“Then let’s die together! No one leaves alive!”

As he screamed, the entire mountain cave trembled.

Inside, the demonic cultivators hastily setting up talisman formations—and the captured solitary cultivators—were suddenly enveloped in crimson bloodlight.

The converging bloodlights broke through the Blood Plague Forbidden Realm’s barrier, creating a fist-sized rift.

A torrent of terrifying demonic qi surged outward, as if a slumbering demon king had awakened within.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end