Chapter 29 The Red Flame Sect Disciples Driven to Tears by Betrayal

The enraged Earth-Armored Boar dominated the scene; even the formidable leader of the Scarlet Flame Sect, who had reached the twenty-fifth level of Qi Refinement, could not withstand a single charge. Yet the boar, having only been startled, seemed satisfied once everyone had been knocked to the ground. It grunted contentedly, seized a segment of the medicinal herb’s root, and trotted back into its cave, leaving behind only the Scarlet Flame Sect disciples sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.

Before they could recover, they noticed four masked figures appear nearby.

“So it’s you!”

“I swear—”

The leading disciple of the Scarlet Flame Sect cursed through gritted teeth. Had it not been for their treacherous ambush, would he have been injured by a mere Earth-Armored Boar? The thought of the stolen herb only fueled his fury.

“Get them!”

A resounding series of blows followed before he could finish. The four—Qingxi and his companions—unleashed their martial skills: Vajra Fist and Giant Rock Palm. In just a few moves, the five Scarlet Flame Sect disciples were beaten so badly their faces were unrecognizable. All their valuable possessions—pills, herbs, spirit swords—were swiftly taken.

Qingxi then took charge of hanging the battered men at the cave entrance. Having dealt with the disciples, the Earth-Armored Boar returned to its slumber, paying no heed to Qingxi’s actions. In fact, with the captives blocking the cave’s entrance and dimming the light, the boar seemed to sleep even more soundly.

“Mmm... mmm...” The disciples, their mouths sealed and bodies drained of strength, could only glare in anger, throats issuing muffled, furious sounds, powerless to break free from the spirit threads binding them.

Qingxi merely regarded them with pity before melting back into the shadows with Nie Yu, Tang Hai, and Tang Jiang. Thanks to the system assistant’s warning, Qingxi knew someone was rapidly approaching.

Soon after, five more Scarlet Flame Sect disciples arrived at the cave. Their fury erupted as they beheld their comrades hanging at the entrance.

“What happened here?” bellowed one, his eyes nearly spitting fire. Yan Ming, the twenty-fifth-level Qi Refinement disciple and leader of this covert operation, was incensed to see his fellows repeatedly outmaneuvered. If he could not salvage their dignity, even returning safely to the sect would bring only ridicule and shame.

“Mmm... mmm...” The hanging disciples, mouths stuffed with rags, locked eyes with their comrades, their gazes a tangled mix of emotions and fear. Yan Ming frowned as he stepped forward, intending to remove the gag from one.

But just then, a sense of danger washed over him.

With a sudden swish, a net woven of vital energy dropped from the dense forest above the cave. Yan Ming’s eyelids twitched—an ambush. As the strongest among them, he drew his mid-grade spirit sword, cleaving the net in two. Even so, the sense of impending crisis did not fade.

Suddenly, the furious grunting of the boar echoed in his ears. Yan Ming turned just in time to see the massive Earth-Armored Boar charging straight at him. Despite his powerful physique, he heard bones crack as the beast struck him head-on, sending him flying and coughing blood.

The other disciples, too, were sent hurtling through the air by the boar’s rampage—some with broken ribs, all writhing in agony. Even those strung up at the cave entrance were knocked loose, landing in a heap, dazed and battered.

“Who dares plot against the disciples of the Scarlet Flame Sect? Do you have a death wish?” Yan Ming swallowed a healing pill, color returning to his face. He roared into the woods, but before he could regain his footing, the boar charged at him again.

“Wretched beast, you court death!” Yan Ming unleashed his vital energy. His mid-grade spirit sword blazed with dazzling light, sharp as heaven’s blade, poised to cleave the boar in two. Yet, in that instant, a spirit thread lashed out from the woods above, binding his sword hand. His downward swing halted, and as the enraged boar barreled toward him, dread filled his heart.

With a thunderous impact, Yan Ming saw stars and collapsed in a spray of blood. Worse yet, the boar trampled him once more, robbing him of any strength to fight.

“Run! Go for help!” cried one of the less-injured disciples, scrambling to his feet. But before he could escape, spirit threads coiled around him, pinning him in place. The boar’s nightmarish grunting grew nearer.

In front of the cave, screams sounded ceaselessly. With Yan Ming—their strongest—fallen, the remaining disciples, all at the sixteenth level of Qi Refinement, were utterly powerless before the boar’s wrath. In just moments, they collapsed, trembling.

It was not just anger and despair that filled them, but stifled frustration and confusion. They had not even glimpsed their true tormentors, yet the Earth-Armored Boar had already shattered their spirits.

“Vile beast, enough!” came a shout from the forest. Five more Scarlet Flame Sect disciples broke through the undergrowth, each wielding a low-grade spirit sword, striking at the rampaging boar with chilling sword-light. Reinforcements had arrived.

“Beware! There’s an ambush!” Yan Ming, fighting through pain, called out in warning. The newcomers tensed, scanning the surroundings. But Qingxi and his group had already vanished without a trace after their attack.

Sensing fresh intruders, the boar’s rage peaked. Like a maddened bull, it charged, its massive limbs surprisingly agile, stirring a cloud of dust that inspired terror.

“We can’t fight head-on—dodge!” The disciples leaped into the air with practiced footwork, flipping nimbly to evade the deadly charge. But from the forest, four nearly invisible spirit threads snaked forth. Suspended midair, they had no room to maneuver; the threads, moving too swiftly to be noticed, bound them tightly.

“Strength surge!” In their alarm, the disciples activated a martial technique to amplify their power, snapping the threads. Yet before they could recover, the sand beneath their feet surged, forming a wall half a meter thick that flung them aside.

Then, a gale assailed them, buffeting their bodies with such force that their stomachs churned, and they vomited uncontrollably. Their despair deepened as the boar, even more excited, turned and charged once more.

“A pack of fools!” Yan Ming spat blood, watching his disciples toyed with by unseen hands. Unable to bear the sight, he fainted on the spot, finally understanding how thoroughly they had been trapped. Even if they survived, this day would haunt them for the rest of their lives.