Chapter 46: The Assault on the Bandits' Cave: Part 1

Xue Sha approached the head of the fallen bandit and, with an expression of disdain, spat in his face. Then, he delivered a forceful kick to the side, causing the inert head to move a few centimeters. Without wasting time, Xue Sha turned to his followers and, with a firm voice, said, "Let's go."

As they approached the cave, Xue Sha addressed Bao Qing, who was walking beside him. "Has the cooldown time passed?" he asked, with a look that reflected both urgency and determination.

Bao Qing nodded and replied confidently, "Yes, the cooldown has passed. I can use the seventh ring again."

With that confirmation, the group approached the entrance of the cave. Bao Qing, always the bravest, was the first to enter. Before they could follow him, two of Xue Sha's followers moved ahead to eliminate the bandits guarding the entrance.

The first follower, a tall and muscular man, unrolled his whip with a fluid motion. With a gleam in his eyes, he activated his first spirit ring, which emitted a soft yellow glow. The whip became enveloped in a cutting and lethal energy.

With deadly precision, he launched the whip at the first bandit, wrapping it around his neck. The energy from the ring caused the whip to tighten with brutal force, cutting through the air and strangling the bandit in a matter of seconds. The man fell to the ground, lifeless, with his eyes open in an expression of surprise and terror, while a trickle of blood slid down his neck.

The second follower, a man of slimmer build, extended his hand towards the other bandit. With a determined gesture, he activated his fourth spirit ring, which glowed with a dark and ominous purple. From his palm emerged a thorny vine, whose spikes were twice as large and sharp thanks to the power of the ring. The vine quickly wrapped around the bandit's body, and the spikes deeply embedded into his flesh.

With a scream of pain, the bandit felt the spikes rapidly detailing a system of roots inside his body, piercing organs and veins. Blood gushed out in streams, soaking the ground beneath his feet. With a sharp movement, the follower tore the vine away, and the bandit collapsed, dead, his body destroyed from the inside.

Xue Sha observed the scene coldly and then addressed his followers. "Stay here and don't let anyone out," he ordered, his voice resonating with authority. With that instruction, Xue Sha and the other followers entered the cave, ready to face whatever awaited them inside.

As they advanced through the cave, the darkness grew denser, but a faint light at the end gave them hope. The air was humid and heavy, and the echo of their footsteps resonated against the rocky walls. Xue Sha, with a determined look and a voice that brooked no argument, addressed his group: "Let's go out, Bao Qing will activate the Spirit Avatar and the fifth ring and kill as many as he can quickly. The rest of you, put up shields to protect me."

The tension was palpable as they approached the exit. The glow of the outside light grew more intense, and the sound of their own hearts beating seemed deafening.

Upon exiting the cave, the blinding sun greeted them, but there was no time to adjust. Without a second thought, Bao Qing activated his seventh ring. A golden aura enveloped him, and in a flash of light, he transformed into a majestic giant eagle. His feathers shone like gold under the sun, and his eyes, now a deep red, reflected a fierce determination.

Bao Qing flapped his wings forcefully, raising a cloud of dust as he quickly ascended. From the heights, he activated his fifth ring, which emitted a black glow like the night. A deafening cry erupted from his throat, sending a wave of energy that expanded in all directions.

The sound was so powerful that the rocks trembled and the nearby trees bent. All those who did not possess soul power fell to the ground, their bodies inert, as if an invisible force had snatched their lives in an instant.

Meanwhile, the butler and the other followers of Xue Sha moved with precision and speed. They formed a circle around him and Bai Hu, their faces serious and focused.

Each one activated their shield ability, and a series of translucent and bright barriers materialized, intertwining to form a protective dome. The shields emitted a multicolored glow, reflecting the sunlight and creating an impressive visual spectacle.

When Bao Qing stopped the attack and Xue Sha's followers lowered the shields, what they saw left them breathless. Before them stretched a devastated valley, crossed by a river that had once been a symbol of life and prosperity. Now, the landscape was a testament to absolute destruction.

The river, which once flowed serenely under a stone bridge, now ran turbulent and overflowing, carrying debris and remnants of what had once been houses and crops. The homes, which had once housed entire families, lay collapsed, their roofs and walls reduced to piles of wood and stone. Among the rubble, human limbs could be seen, a grim reminder of the tragedy that had occurred.

Large rocks fell from the valley slopes, rolling and crashing with a deafening roar. Dust rose in thick clouds, darkening the air and making each breath an effort. The trees, uprooted, floated adrift in the river, their bare and broken branches like arms extended in a final attempt to cling to life.

Xue Sha observed the scene with a solemn look, his eyes scanning every detail of the disaster. As his eyes settled on the caves on the valley slopes, his mind worked quickly, analyzing every aspect of the terrain. "Those caves...," he thought to himself, his inner voice laden with determination. "They could be exits, but no... if they were exits, they wouldn't be up there."

Suddenly, he remembered what the bandit had told him: there were about ten Spirit Kings. His eyes lit up with a spark of understanding. "Then, that's where they live," he concluded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the caves.