Chapter 81: Loot From The Demonic Gangs
Sensing an opening, Xia Bingling seized the opportunity. With a cry that split the air, she unleashed her ultimate technique – the Everlasting Frost.
A wave of bone-chilling energy erupted from her blade, engulfing Xu Long in a dome of shimmering ice. The temperature plummeted, causing the very air to crystallize. Xu Long roared in defiance, his crimson aura flickering against the encroaching frost, but it was a futile struggle. The Everlasting Frost was an inescapable technique, slowly draining his life force and sapping his strength.
With a final, desperate lunge, Xu Long shattered the ice dome around him. He stumbled back, his face contorted in pain and rage. His movements were sluggish, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He was a spent force.
Xia Bingling seized the moment. With a swift, precise thrust, she plunged her Ice Crystal Sword into his heart. A jolt of shock passed through him, followed by a look of stunned disbelief. Then, his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The death of their leader proved a final blow to the Crimson Talons. Their ranks, already demoralized by the sight of the demonic leader’s demise and the Xia Family’s relentless assault, quickly crumbled. Many surrendered, while those who chose to fight were quickly subdued.
Meanwhile, Wang Xiangyi, a whirlwind of movement and focused energy, soared through the battlefield. Unlike her cousin and Matriarch, her attacks were not flashy displays of power. Instead, she relied on her keen Divine Sense and honed spiritual energy to identify those Xia Family cultivators in need of assistance.
Here, she would deflect a fiery blast aimed at a young disciple. There, she would subtly trip a charging Talon warrior before he could reach his target. She was the unseen guardian angel, a silent but vital force in the tide of battle.
With the leadership of both the Crimson Talons and the demonic forces eliminated, the remaining resistance quickly dissolved. The remaining demonic cultivators and Talons either surrendered or met their demise at the hands of the triumphant Xia Family cultivators.
Soon, the battlefield fell silent. The once proud strongholds of the demonic cultivators and Crimson Talons were reduced to smoldering ruins, the air thick with the stench of burnt flesh and demonic essence.
The Xia Family cultivators stood amidst the devastation, panting and bloodied, but victorious. They had come, they had seen, and they had conquered.
Wang Li, still wearing the White Eagle Mask, approached Xia Bingling. He raised his hand, and the severed head of Ji Aga that he had held aloft to break the morale of the demonic gang was thrown away.
“Well fought, Matriarch,” he said, his voice distorted by the mask. A hint of amusement danced in his eyes.
Xia Bingling, her face flushed from exertion, sheathed her ice sword with a satisfied click. “Indeed, White Eagle,” she replied, a playful smirk gracing her lips. “We make quite a team, wouldn’t you say?”
A low chuckle rumbled from beneath the mask. “Undoubtedly,” Wang Li agreed, his voice laced with a hint of something deeper.
Xiangyi skipped over to them, a radiant smile on her face. “That was exhilarating!” she exclaimed. “Although, I must say, Li, showing off your Yin-Yang Annihilation Slash right off the bat was a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
Wang Li chuckled, a rich sound that sent shivers down both their spines. “Just wanted to make a statement that the White Eagle can kill any Nascent Soul Realm demonic cultivator with a single attack, Xiangyi,” he said, a mischievous glint in his visible eyes.
As they surveyed the battlefield, the enormity of their victory began to sink in. They had faced a formidable force and emerged victorious, thanks not only to their raw power but also to careful planning and teamwork.
Now came the spoils of war.
With a booming voice that echoed across the battlefield, Elder Chen issued the command, “Disciples! Secure the area! Start gathering resources from both strongholds!”
The Xia Family cultivators, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten at the prospect of plunder, sprang into action. A frenzy of activity ensued as they descended upon the shattered strongholds like a swarm of industrious locusts.
From the personal storage bags of slain demonic cultivators and Crimson Talon warriors, a wealth of resources materialized. Interspersed with mundane items like cultivation pills and low-grade talismans, gleams of true treasure began to appear.
Disciples with keen eyes and practiced hands unearthed a trove of rare herbs – Jadeleaf Ginseng, pulsating with emerald energy, capable of extending lifespans; Five-Petal Fire Lilies, their crimson blooms radiating potent fire essence; and Moonlit Dew Grass, its silver leaves shimmering with healing properties.
For the Xia Family’s Weapon and Artifact Forgers, the spoils held even greater promise. Gleaming ingots of Starfall Iron, renowned for its ability to conduct spiritual energy, were discovered hidden within the demonic treasury.
Coils of Sky Weaving Spider Silk, a material famed for its flexibility and resistance to fire, were found stashed in a Crimson Talon captain’s quarters. And a single, fist-sized chunk of Sunstone, a radiant gem capable of amplifying light-based techniques, lay nestled within the remains of a demonic Elder’s chamber.
But perhaps the most intriguing discovery came not from a fallen warrior, but from a hidden vault within the Crimson Talon stronghold.
Here, the focus was spacious armories housed racks upon racks of gleaming weapons, crafted from a rare crimson steel that radiated a faint fiery aura.
Several interspatial rings contained stacks of shimmering crimson ingots – Crimson Steel Essence.
This material, when refined by skilled blacksmiths, could be used to forge incredibly durable and brutally sharp weapons.
But the loot was not just limited to material wealth.
A collective gasp rose from the disciples as they unearthed a box containing a cluster of shimmering white cocoons.
These were the fabled Snow Silkworm cocoons. The Snow Silkworms are very rare in the world and very valuable because they are capable of producing a thread renowned for its exceptional defense capabilities.
Garments woven from such thread were light as a feather yet could deflect even powerful blows.
The Xia Family could potentially create an entire line of high-grade light armors from this singular find.
The true significance of the victory, however, was revealed within the strongholds’ administrative chambers.
Here, amidst ledgers and scrolls, the Xia Family unearthed a treasure trove of political intrigue. Land deeds revealed hidden holdings of the Crimson Talons, ripe for claiming.
Alliance contracts, signed with blood and sealed with spiritual essence, exposed a web of clandestine agreements between the Talons and a host of reputed cultivation families and even a few minor sects.
Wang Li, his keen mind already dissecting the implications, approached Xia Bingling. He gestured towards the stack of contracts, a knowing glint in his eyes.
“Matriarch,” he murmured, his voice low, “these contracts reveal a network of corruption wider than we could have imagined. With this information, we can…”
He leaned in closer, his voice barely a whisper. “We can use them to our advantage. Blackmail these sects and families into supporting the Xia Family. Think of the resources, the alliances, the power we could wield.”
Xia Bingling felt a jolt of excitement course through her. Wang Li’s words made perfect sense. The Xia Family had just eradicated a significant threat, but the true spoils of war lay not just in material wealth, but in the political landscape they had irrevocably altered.
With a steely glint in her eyes, she straightened and addressed Elder Chen.
“Elder Chen,” she boomed, her voice ringing with authority, “segregate the demonic resources. We cannot keep them within the Xia Family Manor. We will sell them off through trusted black-market channels.”
Elder Chen nodded in agreement. Dealing in demonic resources was a dangerous business, but with careful maneuvering, they could turn a hefty profit and further strengthen their financial standing.
The next few days were a blur of activity. The Xia Family meticulously combed through the strongholds, meticulously documenting and cataloging their spoils.
Disciples, their spirits high with victory, toiled tirelessly, sorting treasures, securing resources, and even tending to the captured members of the Crimson Talons and demonic forces.
With their mission accomplished and the remnants of the battle cleaned up, the Xia Family prepared their departure.
As they soared through the clear blue sky aboard their Flying Swords, the Shadowtooth Mountains receded into the distance, a silent testament to their overwhelming victory.
The crisp morning air carried the scent of victory as the Xia Family cultivators meticulously sorted through the spoils of war retrieved from the Shadowtooth Mountains.
The news of their successful eradication of the Crimson Talons and the demonic gang had spread like wildfire, igniting a wave of immense popularity for the Xia Family in the surrounding region.
Local merchants, weary from the constant extortion and intimidation tactics employed by the fallen forces, openly rejoiced. Tavern owners recounted tales of the Xia Family’s heroic deeds, and independent cultivators expressed their gratitude for the restoration of peace and order.
Within the Xia Family Manor, a bustling hive of activity unfolded. Xia Bingling, the formidable Matriarch, stood at the forefront, overseeing the meticulous distribution of their gains.
First came the matter of the demonic resources. These, tainted with the corrupt energies of the underworld, were deemed unfit for the Xia Family’s use.
