Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 170 - Scarlet Dragon Association

Liu Wuxie had no intention to carry on fighting as it was already nighttime, and he didn’t want to jeopardize his mission. Executing the Nine Heavenly Crane Dance, he left behind an afterimage and disappeared into the woods, leaving the woman stomping her foot on the ground furiously.

“Brat, don’t let me see you again!” The woman sheathed her sword and entered the woods, heading towards the Scarlet Dragon Association’s stronghold.

Two hours later, Liu Wuxie arrived at Dragon Head Mountain, and he finally knew where the mountain's name came from. The mountain resembled a dragon’s head, with a massive cave in the center, like a dragon baring its jaws, and this was the only way in.

The Scarlet Dragon Association would naturally set up heavy defenses at the entrance to prevent anyone from entering. Barging in forcibly definitely wouldn’t work as it would only alarm them. But his task would fail if they hid in the mountain for the entire month. He had to strike a fatal blow to them and end the battle quickly.

Liu Wuxie stealthily neared the entrance, executing his Ghost Eye. The entrance was illuminated by flickering lights, fortified by fences, and flanked by watchtowers on both sides. Archers, ready and alert, were stationed atop these towers. Any intruder would be swiftly turned into a pincushion by their arrows.

“Such formidable defenses!” Liu Wuxie frowned, perched on a large tree. He pondered various strategies, but none seemed viable without alerting the guards. Infiltrating the Scarlet Dragon Association’s fortress undetected seemed nearly impossible.

He observed for two hours and noticed tight defenses even during shift changes. He instantly knew that the Scarlet Dragon Association had a history as they didn’t look like ordinary bandits but well-trained troops.

Slowly descending from the tree, Liu Wuxie noticed it was impossible to intrude forcibly and decided to return to Mulberry Town to figure out an alternative. But long after Liu Wuxie left, a green figure appeared, lying on another tree observing the entrance of the Dragon Head Mountain.

When Liu Wuxie returned to Mulberry Town, it was early morning, and he found an inn to rest.

During the night, Mulberry Town was filled with bandits, and Liu Wuxie encountered three groups of them. One group even tried to rob him, but Liu Wuxie crippled them and threw them away.

As dawn broke, Mulberry Town came alive with activity. Liu Wuxie awoke to the bustling streets, having made significant progress overnight. He was on the cusp of reaching the second level of the Spirit Cleansing Realm.

As the sunlight streamed in through the window, Liu Wuxie’s gaze traveled past the buildings and landed on Dragon Head Mountain. Bathed in golden sunlight and shrouded in mist, the mountain resembled a celestial realm. It was hard to believe that such a picturesque place was home to bandits.

Suddenly, a cry rang out, “The Scarlet Dragon Association is here! Hide!” Panic ensued as shops quickly shut their doors, and the once lively marketplace fell eerily silent, save for the occasional barking of dogs.

At the town’s entrance, a group of over a hundred people made their appearance. The two figures leading the group were imposing, their robes billowing in the wind. Liu Wuxie noted their disciplined formation. These were not mere bandits but a well-trained military force.

As the group swiftly moved through the town, they kicked up a cloud of dust before vanishing as quickly as they had appeared.

Liu Wuxie, seizing the opportunity, jumped down from the window and discreetly trailed behind them. He couldn’t help but wonder why the Scarlet Dragon Association had left the mountain.

After the Scarlet Dragon Association left, the Mulberry Town resumed its bustling activity, with shops reopening as if nothing had happened.

Liu Wuxie trailed the Scarlet Dragon Association’s party from a safe distance, soon arriving at a village. The troops halted, and their leader, a one-eyed man with a black cloth covering his missing eye, exuded a potent aura of menace.

The village was primitive; men wore nothing on their upper bodies, carrying their prey as they came out from the mountain range. The prey was their food for the day.

“Third Leader, this is it. The people of this village killed several of our brothers.” Several lackeys stepped forward. Surprisingly, the one-eyed man turned out to be the third leader of the Scarlet Dragon Association.

“Kill the men and take the women away!” The Third Leader gave the order as the troops charged into the village, killing whoever they saw as chaos descended upon the village. Cries and roars could be heard as men of the village wielded weapons to fight those from the Scarlet Dragon Association, and it didn’t take long before the ground was covered with corpses.

From a distance, Liu Wuxie watched the carnage unfold, his fists clenched in helpless rage. He knew that any intervention on his part would alert the Scarlet Dragon Association.

In a matter of minutes, the village lost dozens of its inhabitants, and many women were dragged from their homes along with their valuables.

Suddenly, a roar echoed from the depths of the village, “Scarlet Dragon Association, you’ve gone too far!” A long spear, trailing flames, shot out towards the Third Leader. The leader swiftly dismounted his warhorse and blocked the spear with his blade.

A figure clad in leather armor landed on the ground, spear in hand. His muscular build was a testament to his strength.

The newcomer and the third leader locked eyes, their shared history evident in their gaze.

“Lei Nuo, your people killed the brothers of my Scarlet Dragon Association, and today's attack is a lesson to your village. The women will serve as the compensation for our losses. Next time, we’ll have a proper fight!” The third leader, Lu Huangzhong, declared, making it clear that this was not their first conflict and that they typically retreated after a surprise attack.

“Lu Huangzhong, you’re courting death!” Lei Nuo retorted, his powerful aura radiating murderous intent.

Lu Huangzhong, undeterred, threatened, “One day, I will annihilate your village. Today, we are here to warn you. If anyone dares to kill members of my Scarlet Dragon Association again, I won’t show mercy!” With that, he mounted his horse and left.

Lei Nuo was no pushover. He and Lu Huangzhong were at the first level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. A direct confrontation would result in severe injuries on both sides. With dozens of men killed and several women taken, Lu Huangzhong had achieved his objective.

The villagers were seething with anger. The Scarlet Dragon Association had become increasingly audacious, taking advantage of their speed and superior positioning. Despite numerous battles, the village always ended up on the losing side.

Even though Lei Nuo had managed to kill a few members of the Scarlet Dragon Association, he couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of blood in rage as he helplessly watched them abduct dozens of women from the village.

In a flash, Liu Wuxie seized the opportunity to disguise himself. He swiftly grabbed a lifeless member of the Scarlet Dragon Association and relocated to a secluded area. There, he disrobed the corpse and donned its attire before making subtle adjustments to his appearance to resemble the deceased individual closely.

Liu Wuxie quietly followed behind the Scarlet Dragon Association, returning to Dragon Head Mountain.

Two hours later, the group appeared on the mountain. When they reached the entrance, they were all checked to prevent spies from infiltrating.

Liu Wuxie’s disguise was impeccable, making it impossible for ordinary people to see through him. He was allowed in after several questions. When he passed through the checkpoint, he executed Ghost Eye and noticed that the defenses were even tighter on the inside.

He didn’t rest and followed the path for roughly an hour before the scenery changed. This was the Scarlet Dragon Association’s headquarters, and there was a sentry every dozen steps.

They stopped at a nearby plaza, where the captured women were roughly thrown to the ground.

“Today is Big Brother’s fiftieth birthday, and these women are gifts for him. Bring them to the main hall! I’ll be there shortly after changing my clothes!” Lu Huangzhong pointed at Liu Wuxie and several lackeys.

It turned out that today was the fiftieth birthday of the Scarlet Dragon Association’s leader. This explained why Lu Huangzhong had ventured out of the mountain to raid a village, capturing their women as gifts for the leader.

Liu Wuxie, armed with information gathered by Li Shengsheng, knew that the Scarlet Dragon Association leader was a notorious womanizer. Over the years, countless women had fallen victim to his lechery.

As the other lackeys dispersed, Liu Wuxie escorted one of the women and followed behind, using Ghost Eye to observe the entire stronghold. The stronghold was massive, accommodating over a thousand people. Everyone was strong, and it wouldn’t be easy to wipe out the Scarlet Dragon Association.

As Liu Wuxie extended his divine sense, the walls seemed to fade away, revealing the mountain’s dark passages. His plan was clear: if he could eliminate the three leaders, the Scarlet Dragon Association would collapse without further action on his part.

They traversed several caves before arriving at a grand hall. This was a massive cavern, artificially excavated, spanning over a thousand square meters. At the top were three massive thrones carved from jade and draped with tiger skins. The largest throne in the center presumably belonged to the grand leader of the Scarlet Dragon Associations.

The walls on either side were adorned with peculiar paintings. Boxes filled with gold coins and plundered fabrics were strewn about casually. The captured women were brought in and told to stay put. Some wept, while others wore expressions of defiance, choosing death over dishonor.

Once inside the cavern, Liu Wuxie quietly retreated to a corner and concealed himself in the shadows, making it difficult for anyone to detect his presence.

After about fifteen minutes, food and wine were brought to the table. The arrival of the guests to celebrate the grand leader’s fiftieth birthday was imminent. As time passed, the lackeys, who had accompanied Liu Wuxie, exited the grand hall. Liu Wuxie was left alone in his hiding spot, waiting for an opportunity to strike at the three leaders.

“Third Brother, I heard you brought back a batch of new goods for Big Brother. You really understand him best!” Two men walked into the cavern. One of them was Lu Huangzhong, who was wearing festive attire.

The other man was grim-looking, missing his left hand. He was the second leader of the Scarlet Dragon Association, also known as One-Armed Ye Xiao, and he was notorious for being bloodthirsty.

“Second Brother, you’re not bad yourself. As long as Big Brother consumes this Earth Origin Pill, he’ll be able to reach the third level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. This would further fortify our Scarlet Dragon Association’s position!”

The two men laughed as they passed through the main hall towards the thrones.

Several women quickly came forth and carefully served them.

“Big Brother should be arriving soon!” Ye Xiao swept a glance at the entrance after sitting down.

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