C23 Spiritual Herbs

Deep within the Arlingwaki Hill, a spirit grass emitting a faint green glow swayed gently in the breeze. Known as the Blue Narcissus, this herb was incredibly rare and highly valued for its medicinal properties. With a growth cycle of a thousand years, the Blue Narcissus's potent effects could heal all manner of internal injuries, making it an exceptionally precious healing elixir.

"Roar—"

A purple lion edged closer to the Blue Narcissus. This majestic creature was a Titan-level Demonic Beast—the Purple Cloud Lion King!

"Awoo—"

Similarly, a red-eyed white wolf king inched toward the coveted plant. This formidable beast, too, was a Titan-level Demonic Beast—the Silver Demonic Wolf King.

The Purple Cloud Lion King eyed the Silver Demonic Wolf King warily, assuming a stance ready for combat.

"Roar—"

Undeterred, the Silver Demonic Wolf King advanced several paces.

"Awoo—"

The Purple Cloud Lion King bared its massive jaws, unleashing a stream of purple spiritual energy.

The Silver Demonic Wolf King responded with a burst of red spiritual energy from its eyes.

The red and purple energies clashed violently.

Boom—

A powerful shockwave radiated outward from the epicenter of the clash between the Silver Demonic Wolf King and the Purple Cloud Lion King.

...

"Roar—"

"Awoo—"

"Bang, bang, bang—"

"Boom, boom, boom—"

"..."

Birds and other creatures surged en masse towards the periphery. This was the onset of a beast tide!

The members of the Snow Tiger Mercenary Group were jolted awake by the commotion.

"What's going on? What happened?" Xue Hong's face was etched with panic.

"With all this noise, it must be something major," Wang Bin said, clutching his weapon and bracing for action.

"This... This is not good! It's a beast tide!" Lee Hu urgently warned his fellow soldiers.

"A beast tide! We need to make a run for it!" Xue Hong's voice trembled with fear.

"A beast tide? Are there many spirit animals?" Ning Gao's bloodlust began to surface.

"Brother Ning, don't take the beast tide lightly! Throughout history, the mercenaries who have survived such an event are rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns!" Lee Hu fixed Ning Gao with a grave look, emphasizing the severity of their situation.

"Don't worry, Brother Hu. I was just kidding around," Ning Gao said with a charming smile.

"Let's move. We need to make haste. Running into spirit animals would spell trouble," Lee Hu advised.

With that, the group embarked on their journey, heading swiftly toward the outskirts of Arlingwaki Hill.

...

After a brisk trek, they finally reached the outskirts of Arlingwaki Hill.

"Roar!"

Out of nowhere, a pack of white wolves appeared, obstructing the mercenaries' path.

"Oh no! This is not good!" Xue Hong exclaimed in shock.

"These are all demonic beasts at the Apprentice level. We're in for a challenge!" Wang Bin unsheathed his sword, ready for battle.

"Everyone, attack! But don't get entangled in combat. As soon as we break through, run for your lives!" Lee Hu drew his long saber and commanded loudly.

"I can't hold back any longer!" Ning Gao declared with an evil grin.

"Charge!"

The group charged at the wolves with an overwhelming presence, ready to face death with the bravery of warriors on their final march.

"Die!" Xue Hong clutched his long spear, sending dozens of white wolves to their demise.

His clothes turned a dark crimson from the splashes of fresh blood.

"Ah!" Xue Hong let out a roar to the heavens, embodying the spirit of a seasoned warrior who had battled for years.

Wang Bing's grip on his sharp sword was firm, his eyes filled with lethal intent. He resembled a wandering swordsman, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Lee Hu brandished his long saber with ghostly swiftness, each slash claiming the lives of multiple white wolves.

The air was thick with the scent of blood, the ground littered with carcasses.

"Blood Demon Claw!"

Ning Gao transformed his hands into claws, savagely ripping through the bodies of the white wolves.

"Ah!"

His eyes blazed red, embodying the ferocity of a wild beast.

In that moment, Ning Gao was nothing but a killing machine.

"Awoo!"

A white wolf lunged at Lee Hu, biting into his arm.

"Ah!"

Lee Hu let out a pained cry, then swiftly ended the wolf's life with his saber.

"Brother Hu, are you okay?" Xue Hong inquired with concern.

"We can't keep going like this. We need to find a more secluded place to hide," Lee Hu stated.

"Brother Hu, I remember seeing a cave nearby when we were walking over. Let's head there," Wang Bing suggested.

"Right, let's move quickly," Lee Hu urged, picking up the pace.

The group followed Wang Bing, seeking refuge in a shadowy cave.

"Finally, we can take a breather," Xue Hong sighed, settling down on the ground.

"Now, what's our next move?" Wang Bing pondered, looking around at the group.

"All we can do is wait it out until this beast tide is over," Lee Hu said, sitting down and taking a deep breath.

"Let's rest for now, everyone," Ning Gao proposed.

They all sat down, lighting a bonfire and gathering around it.

"Brother Ning, what level have you reached now? It seems like you're always making breakthroughs," Lee Hu remarked, watching him.

"I made another breakthrough during the last fight. I'm now at the peak of the Eight-star Apprentice," Ning Gao acknowledged.

"You're truly phenomenal! Brother Ning, you're a genius among geniuses!" Xue Hong exclaimed, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Genius or devil," Wang Bing mused with a smile as he looked at Ning Gao.

"Is there really a difference between a genius and a devil?" Ning Gao asked with a smile.

"A devil becomes strong at the cost of others' lives, while a genius relies on their own talent to become strong," Wang Bing replied, his gaze intense as if he could see right through Ning Gao.

"Whether genius or devil, as long as one becomes strong, that's all that matters," Ning Gao declared proudly.

"People admire geniuses, but they fear devils," Wang Bing added thoughtfully.

"Admiration, fear—I'm fine with both," Ning Gao said nonchalantly.

"You... you could be a devil," Wang Bing said seriously, still staring at Ning Gao.

"I could be a devil, or I could be a genius," Ning Gao countered, shaking his head to dismiss the previous claim.

"How could Brother Ning be a devil? You're definitely a genius, the best of the best!" Xue Hong praised him further.

"Brother Ning is extraordinary. You're destined for great things," Lee Hu agreed, nodding in support.

"Brother Hu, you must be kidding. I, Ning, am merely an ordinary Adept," Ning Gao said with a modest expression.

"To challenge someone above your level and beat them soundly? Brother Ning, you're selling yourself short," Wang Bin remarked.

"Brother Ning, you seem to really relish combat, don't you?" Xue Hong inquired.

"Battle is when I feel most alive. It's as if I was born to fight," Ning Gao declared.

"You fight for the sake of slaughter," Wang Bin observed.

"Slaughter is an inevitable part of battle, and it is for battle that slaughter exists," Ning Gao countered.

"But what drives you to slaughter in the first place?" Wang Bin persisted.

"I slaughter so that I will no longer be bullied or insulted, to ensure that everyone remembers and fears me!" Ning Gao proclaimed.

"It seems Brother Ning has had his share of hardships," Lee Hu commented.

"So, does that justify becoming a demon?" Wang Bin questioned.

"Demon," Ning Gao scoffed, "this world is already a demon. If you don't want to be consumed by it, the only option is to become a demon yourself—the strongest demon there is!"

"So, is this your philosophy, Brother Ning?" Wang Bin asked.

"The Path of Slaughter, the Road of Bloodshed—I am a traveler on this path, but certainly not the only one," Ning Gao stated.

"Have you not also taken lives? You walk this path as well. Throughout history, every Adept has spilled blood. I'm not the sole demon here," Ning Gao continued.

"We do what we must, even when it's the last thing we want. The world leaves us no choice. We are reluctant, yet compelled," Lee Hu reflected.

"We don't wish to walk this path, yet we must. We don't wish to kill, yet we must. Such is the law of the world; we simply follow it," Wang Bin said.

"Live by the sword, die by the sword," Xue Hong added.

"Devilish geniuses, angelic devils—it's all the same," Ning Gao said.

"People can be devils or angels. The only difference lies in whether they face an enemy or a loved one," Xue Hong concluded.

"Sometimes, even family can be more terrifying than demons," Ning Gao remarked.

"It's this cursed world that turns decent people into those driven solely by greed," Lee Hu added with eloquence.

"Exactly. The only way to change these laws of the world is to become a powerhouse at the pinnacle of the continent. Sadly, we're too weak for that," Wang Bin shared his thoughts.

"I have a feeling you can make it, Brother Ning. You've got what it takes," Lee Hu said, giving Ning Gao an affirming look.

"This is my dream. My ultimate goal is to stand at the summit of the continent," Ning Gao declared, rising to his feet with determination.

"Just remember why you wanted to reach the top when you get there," Wang Bin cautioned, still skeptical.

"Who knows?" Ning Gao chuckled.

Night had fallen, and everyone else was asleep. Only Ning Gao remained awake, gazing at the crescent moon with tears in his eyes.

"Father, I miss you. I'm not the failure I once was. I've had a stroke of luck, and I miss you so much!" Ning Gao whispered tearfully to himself.

He reminisced about his childhood, building snowmen and having snowball fights with his father in the snow. Having lost his mother at a young age, Ning Gao was raised by his father, Ning Le, who played the role of both parents.

Even when Ning Gao was diagnosed with the lowest level of talent, his father never gave up on him, investing everything to support his cultivation.

Ning Le was an admirable father. In a world where everyone dismissed Ning Gao as worthless, he alone believed in his son's potential to be extraordinary, to be a phoenix rising from the ashes.

"Father, I will find you. I won't disappoint you. I will become the strongest," he vowed.

The chill of the wind was sharp, yet Ning Gao felt none of it.

Perhaps it was because ever since his father Ning San's disappearance, he had endured nothing but scorn and humiliation from those who claimed to be kin. Ning Gao had grown accustomed to the cold; his heart had long been encased in ice.

The chill in the air paled in comparison to the frostiness within. It was like comparing a minor sorcerer to a grand wizard.

Tears welled up in the corners of Ning Gao's eyes. Once, he was a man of great kindness, who never took the lives of the innocent without cause. But now, he had developed a thirst for bloodshed, a change he never desired, yet one he felt compelled to embrace.

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