Chapter 481

Chapter 481: Kou Shihai

Since the West Sea Sect established Daying City, which guards the most crucial passage for the Sand Tribe’s eastward advance, countless Sand People have met their demise against the unyielding walls of the Sand Guard.

The enmity between the two sides runs so deep that not even the waters of West Sea Lake could cleanse it!

The Sand Tribe, entrenched in the vast West Desert, has long been accustomed to raiding the West Sea Spiritual Realm to seize both population and wealth.

Daying City stands as a formidable barrier, a giant hand clutching at their very throat!

Were it not for the support and backing of the Western Buddhist Sect, the Sand Tribe would have been annihilated long ago.

In return, they have become the vanguard for the Western Buddhist Sect.

The Sand Tribe Hunter Cultivators, risking their lives and enduring heavy casualties, continuously infiltrate the Sand Guard to stir up chaos.

This is not because they have nothing better to do, nor because the lives of Hunter Cultivators are cheap and expendable.

It is the demand of the Western Buddhist Sect.

By doing so, they force the West Sea Sect to continuously pour resources into Daying City, thereby restraining the West Sea Sect’s strength.

Among the thousands of Sand Tribe Hunter Cultivators, the Purple Witches are undoubtedly the core force!

Only a Purple Witch possesses the ability to wield secret arts, using special magical tools to breach the multiple layers of defense at the Sand Guard and lead teams into this ironclad fortress.

Among all the Sand Tribe Purple Witches, the Blood Demon Purple Witch is particularly infamous, a name known to nearly everyone.

Though his cultivation level may not be the highest, he excels in stealth and the art of curses.

Hundreds of Daying battle cultivators have fallen to this Sand Tribe Sorcerer, including several Purple Palace masters!

Daying City had long ago issued a hefty bounty for the Blood Demon Purple Witch.

In response, they faced even more frenzied retaliation!

The battle cultivators guarding the Sand Guard harbor a deep-seated hatred for this Sand Tribe Sorcerer, mingled with fear.

Now, as they gaze upon Jin Shangzhi’s corpse, lying on the ground like a dog with its spine ripped out, they can hardly believe their eyes. They crowd around, eager to see for themselves.

"Is this real?"

"Is this the Blood Demon Purple Witch?"

"Yes, he matches the description on the bounty orders exactly."

"The new celestial guardians are quite formidable."

"Quite formidable? They’re downright incredible!"

The battle cultivators buzz with conversation, pointing and jostling, forming a tight circle around the scene.

Those who arrived late and couldn’t see the corpse but overheard the discussions pushed forward, curious to catch a glimpse of the Blood Demon Purple Witch’s true visage!

"Everyone, stop pushing!"

The Purple Palace General quickly intervened, "Hurry and report this to the Grand Commander!"

The Sand Guard is garrisoned with nearly tens of thousands of battle cultivators and eight thousand Dao soldiers. The commander of this formidable force is not the Grand Celestial Guardian Luo Han, but the Grand Commander Kou Shihai, specially dispatched by the West Sea Sect.

Kou Shihai, a cultivator at the Eighth Layer of the Purple Palace, practices the Secret Arts of the Military. His strength is in no way inferior to Luo Han. Both reside in the same location, overseeing and balancing each other, thus forming the highest echelon of power in the major city of West Zhou. The bounty orders for the Blood Demon Purple Witch were personally issued by Kou Shihai. If a battle cultivator or a General had killed Jin Shangzhi, it wouldn’t have necessitated the Grand Commander’s personal verification. However, since it was Wang Chen, a celestial guardian, who took action, the situation was different. After all, Wang Chen is part of the Grand Celestial Guardian lineage.

A battle cultivator nearby couldn’t help but ask, "Boss, are you absolutely certain he’s the Blood Demon Purple Witch? If we’re mistaken, it would be a huge joke."

"My eyes are not blind!" The Purple Palace General slapped the back of his head, "Just go and do it, stop babbling!"

The relationships among battle cultivators differ significantly from those of ordinary cultivators; the hierarchical distinctions are not as pronounced or rigid. Since they are constantly on the battlefield fighting enemies, whether in Qi Training or the Purple Palace, they are comrades and brothers who share life and death, fostering deep bonds of friendship. Consequently, there is less emphasis on hierarchy and etiquette.

By the time the battle cultivator hurried to report to Grand Commander Kou Shihai, Wang Chen had already returned to the Seven Star Pavilion. He began to review the earlier battle, a habit of his. Unless it was a one-sided victory, after every life-or-death struggle, Wang Chen would meticulously recall the entire battle process to glean experience and lessons. The Sand Tribe Sorcerer he had slain was undoubtedly one of the strongest opponents he had ever faced. The Curse the sorcerer cast was incredibly powerful, even catching Wang Chen off guard. At that moment, Wang Chen had considered retreating from the Sand Guard but was surprised when the Curse suddenly lifted, allowing him to successfully defeat his strong enemy.

[Virtue – 1028]

Wang Chen revisited the notification. He saw that the Virtue points displayed on the Cultivation Panel had indeed decreased by over a thousand. Long ago, Wang Chen had also experienced a sudden drop in Heavenly Merit points. This loss of Virtue points marked the second occurrence. Combining this with the previous situation, Wang Chen deduced that he had used this to break the Curse imposed by his opponent. He had not realized that the Cultivation Panel had such a function. Could it mean that as long as he had enough Virtue points, he need not fear any Curse?

In reality, Wang Chen did not know that his ability to withstand Jin Shangzhi’s most potent Curse was largely due to his Invulnerable Vajra; otherwise, even relying on burning Virtue would not have allowed him to emerge so unscathed. The Curse cast by Jin Shangzhi, which consumed his life essence and fortune, could not be entirely avoided by any cultivator at the complete stage of the Purple Palace unless they possessed a higher level protective treasure!

"Master Celestial Guardian," While Wang Chen was deep in thought, a maid’s voice came from outside: "The Grand Commander has sent someone to inform you that he wishes to meet with you."

Kou Shihai? Wang Chen’s gaze flickered, and he replied in a deep voice, "Understood. Tell the visitor that I will be in the reception hall awaiting the Grand Commander."

During his tenure stationed at the Sand Guard, Wang Chen had not yet met the Grand Commander. This was because Wang Chen was only on rotation; he would be returning in a few months. Moreover, even though they were from the same sect, being in different lines meant there was a need to avoid suspicion, so establishing contact might not be advisable. Of course, Wang Chen was well aware of Grand Commander Kou Shihai’s reputation; it was as loud as thunder. With the Grand Commander visiting in person, he would certainly treat him with respect, or else it would seem too arrogant.

After some thought, Wang Chen changed into the standard robe of an inner sect disciple of the West Sea Sect. After an incense stick’s time, he met the highly regarded battle commander in the reception hall of the Seven Star Pavilion. Kou Shihai was exceedingly tall, at least two heads taller than Wang Chen, with a strong appearance and a demeanor that commanded respect. His aura was as imposing as a mountain, and if it weren’t for Wang Chen’s exceptionally strong soul attributes, he might have felt intimidated, instinctively bowing his head before the Grand Commander! Despite his high status and power, Kou Shihai did not act with superiority. He politely exchanged a few words with Wang Chen before swiftly getting to the main topic.