The tales of a Bizarre Demon slaying a Golden Core Cultivator spread far and wide; few were unaware of the terror of the Black Blood Bizarre.

That very Bizarre Demon was what they were hiding from, never expecting to encounter it on their escape route.

"Gathering Stars Trade Association is so unreliable! Is there something wrong with the evacuation route? Why do they keep leading us straight into the Bizarre Demon's path?!"

Loose Cultivators had spent three hundred Spirit Stones seeking safety.

Encountering the terrifying Black Blood Bizarre right at the start filled the Loose Cultivators with dissatisfaction.

"We can't predict the movements of Bizarre Demons."

"Everyone, please stay calm. The association has alternative routes, and we will surely lead everyone to safety."

Gathering Stars Trade Association had long traversed the Great Wilderness Market and had more than one escape route.

The merchant convoy decisively changed course, switching to a second route.

Heading southeast, after a short while, the caravan halted once again.

Everyone's expression turned exceedingly grim.

Over ten miles away, a river of black blood could be seen obstructing their path.

"How can this be? Our routes are blocked one after another?"

"Could it be... we've been targeted by the Black Blood Bizarre!"

Having encountered the Black Blood Bizarre after changing directions twice, the situation induced panic, making everyone feel as if they were being hunted.

"Quick, turn back!"

"Switch to the third route."

The members of Gathering Stars Trade Association no longer appeared composed; their faces were as dark as water.

"Could it be... because there are too many of us? I've heard some Bizarre Demons prefer to strike where crowds are thickest."

"Shut up! Stop spreading rumors!"

With unrest already stirring, what could be the motive for uttering such ominous words, if not to sow discord?

Were they trying to incite infighting?

"Is it possible that all exits from the Great Wilderness have been blocked by the Bizarre Demon?"

Whether they were being targeted by the Bizarre Demon or it was merely blocking the roads, neither was good news.

The former meant they might end up like the Golden Core Cultivator, dead at the hands of the terrifying Bizarre Demon. The latter implied that the Bizarre Demon possessed considerable intelligence, that all living beings in the Great Wilderness were its prey, and not one would escape...

Fear simmered in everyone's hearts, unease etched on every face.

Members of the Gathering Stars Trade Association were consumed by regret; they had a chance to leave under the cover of night.

But for the sake of a few more Spirit Stones, they were now trapped in the Great Wilderness, kicking themselves in remorse...

The merchant convoy switched to the third route.

They had barely begun to move when the wagons stopped yet again.

Fear filled everyone's faces, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

A few miles away, a black blood pond was visible, surrounded by the scattered carcasses of unnamed Magical Beasts. Their blood, as if alive, slowly flowed towards the black pond.

This was their third encounter...

The distance had shrunk from an initial tens of miles, to ten miles, and now merely a few miles...

With each encounter, the Black Blood Bizarre drew closer.

They truly have targeted us!

Unlike the previous two encounters, this third one was much closer, and they could feel an unusual aura and power.

The black blood pond seemed to come alive, emitting a pulsing sound.

Like a heartbeat, the throbbing intensified, mirroring the frantic emotions of the crowd.

Everyone's heart began to race uncontrollably, as if synchronizing with the rhythm of the blood pond.

"There's something wrong with that sound!"

"Run!"

Facing the unknown horror without any restraining Magic Artifacts, the best option was to flee as far as possible.

One by one, people used whatever skills they had, desperately scrambling into the distance.

BANG!

The nearest Cultivator had barely taken a few steps before he collapsed, his blood forcibly drained from his body and arcing towards the black blood pond miles away.

More and more people fell; the Evil Warding Talismans had no effect.

Whether the talismans were too low-grade or their target too powerful, they were destroyed the moment they were activated.

No one had the mind to ponder this; only one thought prevailed: escape.

Escape with all their might.

More and more people fell, like wheat reaped by an invisible sickle. Each Cultivator who hit the ground turned into a desiccated corpse, their blood flying away like swallows returning to their nest.

Countless members of the merchant convoy were dying gruesomely.

If even Golden Core Cultivators could not resist, what chance did Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators have?

Jia Ren, activating his Extraordinary Saint Level Wind Control Skill and using a Grandmaster-Level Lightbody Talisman, moved at incredible speed.

While others had barely taken a few steps, Jia Ren was already a mile away, his speed on a completely different level.

"Brother, take me with you! I'll reward you handsomely!"

"Please, give me a hand!"

Many Cultivators regretted not focusing their efforts on escape spells.

Jia Ren sped off, leaving them in the dust, deaf to the cries for help behind him.

He hadn't been idle during the escape; he constantly pulled out handfuls of Evil Warding Talismans from his Storage Bag, stuffing his Taoist Robe full of them.

The grade of the Talismans might not be high, but he had an overwhelming number of them.

He hadn't sold a single one of the Evil Warding Talismans he had crafted; he had accumulated over a thousand.

I refuse to believe that a thousand Evil Warding Talismans can't save my life!

Jia Ren fled for several miles. The sounds behind him gradually faded to an inaudible whisper, and the influence on him was minimized.

Even so...

His heart pounded fiercely, as if about to merge with the throbbing rhythm of the black blood pond.

Trouble has found me after all...

The Evil-Repelling Jade Spirit Pendant flared with white light. Simultaneously, five hundred Evil Warding Talismans ignited, coalescing into a crimson halo tens of feet tall that firmly enveloped Jia Ren.

BOOM!

The Evil-Repelling Jade Spirit Pendant shattered into pieces, and the crimson glow formed by the five hundred Evil Warding Talismans rapidly crumbled.

Five hundred Evil Warding Talismans still couldn't withstand the mysterious power of the Bizarre Demon; they were utterly useless.

His blood raged violently within him, damaging his body, seeping through his skin bit by bit—a scene akin to that of the other dead Cultivators.

Jia Ren struggled to control his body as he activated the remaining Evil Warding Talismans in his Storage Bag. The light from these five hundred-odd talismans was several times stronger than before.

A flowing halo, crimson tinged with purple, continually fought against the strange force.

Unlike the Evil Warding Talismans he had activated previously, these were of higher quality, with a good number of Grandmaster-Level Evil Warding Talismans among them. Though the quantity was similar, their combined strength was several times greater.

The glow gradually dimmed, eventually vanishing completely.

His crazed, rampaging blood finally calmed.

Did it stop? Have I survived?

Jia Ren didn't dare to glance back, terrified that the danger hadn't passed and that he might attract the Black Blood Bizarre's attention again.

This time, he didn't have a thousand Evil Warding Talismans to squander.

He pressed on without pause, putting more distance between himself and the Black Blood Bizarre.

I can't just run around wildly, lest I jump out of the tiger's den only to fall into a wolf's lair, he thought. I should head back to the Great Wilderness Market and then plan my departure. Before my next move, I need to prepare a large number of Evil Warding Talismans.

What about the other Cultivators? He had run the fastest and was thus the least affected. Even so, it had cost him over a thousand Evil Warding Talismans and a precious Evil Warding Artifact to make his narrow escape. They didn't have a thousand high-quality Evil Warding Talismans; they've most likely become part of the Black Blood Bizarre...

「Back at the Market...」

Recalling his previous route, Jia Ren continuously optimized it in his mind, relying on his astonishing speed to return.

Before long, he neared the location where the Red Candle had summoned the White-dress Bizarre.

The Red Candle had burned out, and the White-dress Bizarre was nowhere to be seen.

Cold corpses lay upon the ground, not a trace of life to be felt.

About thirty Cultivators had died, peaceful smiles on their faces.

Their time had stopped forever at that moment.

When facing such grotesque entities, dying at the hands of the White-dress Bizarre was preferable to falling prey to the Black Blood Bizarre...

Jia Ren reined in his wandering thoughts. His gaze swept over the Storage Bags of several corpses, and he summoned a Spirit Insect to retrieve them.

Clutching his three remaining Grandmaster-Level Evil Warding Talismans, he constantly used his Spirit Eye Technique, checking for any Bizarre Demons.

Previously, he would never have touched a Storage Bag tainted with the aura of a Bizarre Demon.

Alas, with too few talismans on hand, he hoped to find more among their belongings.

He collected over thirty Storage Bags and used a single Evil Warding Talisman to cleanse them of any residual Bizarre Demon presence.

Once done, Jia Ren sped back towards the Great Wilderness Market.

He encountered not a single Bizarre Demon on the way; his return was tense but ultimately uneventful.

Upon reaching his dwelling in the Great Wilderness Market, he set up three Formations and used the Turtle Breath Technique to conceal his aura.

He couldn't be sure if the Black Blood Bizarre had marked him; using the Turtle Breath Technique should reduce the probability of danger.

Confirming whether he had been targeted by the Black Blood Bizarre was simple: he just needed to watch if it appeared around the Great Wilderness Market. That would be the best indication.

Sitting around in the Great Wilderness Market waiting for death is not an option. Only by having enough Evil Warding Talismans can I ensure my safety. I must acquire a large number of materials for crafting Evil Warding Talismans—the more, the better.

Jia Ren took out the collected Storage Bags and began to inspect their contents.

If these Cultivators couldn't even pay the three hundred Spirit Stones to the trade caravan, how much wealth could I expect them to have?

The thirty-odd Storage Bags combined contained barely over one thousand six hundred Spirit Stones, twelve Medium-grade Magic Artifacts, and forty-nine Low-Quality Magic Artifacts.

There was also a fair amount of useless Elixirs.

He found only five Evil Warding Talismans inside—a disappointing haul.

Jia Ren immediately headed to the shops to purchase Talisman-Making Materials like Rhinoceros Horns.

However... every shop was closed, and the Market was eerily desolate.

Most of the Cultivators he saw were at the Early or Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation; he saw few at the Late Stage Qi-Refining, and all told, there were less than a hundred people remaining.

The shops were far stronger than Loose Cultivators and had their own channels to leave the Great Wilderness; why would they linger in the Market and wait for death?

Rhinoceros Horns were proving difficult to buy.

The only place they might still be found was... the Great Wilderness itself.

Jia Ren visited several stall areas, but they were all deserted.

The Market had been abandoned.

Understanding their impending fate, the remaining Loose Cultivators fought endlessly amongst themselves.

Jia Ren, using his Turtle Breath Technique, soon attracted a few followers.

"Hehe, that's a nice Storage Bag you have there. And I'll be taking your life too!"

In the lawless Market, weakness was the original sin.

A black mantis-like figure moved like the wind, a ghostly flash sending two heads flying. Its bladed forelimbs then proffered two Storage Bags, which dangled as it held them out.

Jia Ren reached out and took them, a thought suddenly striking him.

I don't want to risk going into the Great Wilderness to find Rhinoceros Horns myself, but that doesn't mean I can't get others to do it. A generous reward is sure to attract brave souls. Perhaps someone can actually do it for me.

Just as Jia Ren was about to act, he saw nearly a hundred figures fleeing into the Great Wilderness Market, all looking disheveled and desperate.

More Cultivators followed, streaming back towards the Great Wilderness.

Among them were several familiar faces: Stewards from various shops, including Tianbao Pavilion.

Most shocking was the presence of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator among them. Pale as death, he looked as though he had just narrowly survived some terrifying ordeal, his eyes reflecting the horror he had witnessed.

"All the exits from the Great Wilderness are sealed! We can't get out..."

"All the Cultivators who've seen the Black Blood Bizarre have been marked... They're all dead..."

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