After explaining his plan to Qian Tong, the latter agreed without hesitation.
He understood the principle of capturing the ringleader to subdue the bandits, of shooting the rider to bring down the horse. The Corpse Spirit Cult had been growing like a rolling snowball over the past two years, its power swelling by the day. The number of converted Corpse Spirit race members and human martial artists who had defected to their ranks was simply staggering. Trying to wipe every last one of them out would be far too difficult — it was far better to strike at the heart of the dragon and kill that mysterious Cult Master.
After reclaiming control of the Shadow Moon Hall, Qian Tong had also conducted his own investigations into the Corpse Spirit Cult. Every sign pointed to the same conclusion: the root of everything lay within Heroes' Burial Valley. That place was undoubtedly where the Cult had risen and originated.
He had already been considering whether to pay a visit to Heroes' Burial Valley to scout the situation. Now, with Yang Kai's confirmation, there was no reason to hesitate. The two hit it off immediately and departed Lingxiao Sect right away, heading straight for Heroes' Burial Valley.
Yang Kai brought no one along on this trip, moving out with just Qian Tong. Even Su Yan, he left behind at Lingxiao Sect.
Qian Tong was already a Void King Realm powerhouse, so his flying speed was naturally astonishing. Yang Kai's cultivation wasn't as high as his, but he had mastered the power of Space, so when it came strictly to travel speed, he was no slower than Qian Tong — if anything, faster.
In just ten days, the two arrived at Heroes' Burial Valley.
The last time Yang Kai had come here with Yang Yan, Heroes' Burial Valley had been gloomy and eerie, its ghostly energy prickling at the skin, making every martial artist within feel deeply uncomfortable — but it had still been bearable.
Now, however, when Yang Kai and Qian Tong arrived and hovered in midair looking down, both of them couldn't help but furrow their brows.
Below, a thick blanket of fog shrouded the entirety of Heroes' Burial Valley, reducing visibility to almost nothing. This dense fog was clearly composed of extreme Yin-cold Corpse Qi, laced with toxicity.
Any living person who entered it without sufficient strength would before long have the pervasive Corpse Qi invade their body and be converted into a member of the Corpse Spirit race.
Through their spiritual sense, both of them detected numerous life signs hidden within the Corpse Qi, buzzing with activity.
There was no doubt — these were all members of the Corpse Spirit race.
This was merely the outer perimeter, and there were already at least several thousand. It was hard to imagine how many such beings existed deep within Heroes' Burial Valley.
"We'll split up. Yang Kai, if you encounter the Cult Master of the Corpse Spirit Cult, be sure to send me a message. I'm going to go on a killing spree first. There are simply too many of these things." With that warning, Qian Tong immediately transformed into a streak of light and, like a bolt of world-shattering lightning, charged straight into Heroes' Burial Valley. Wherever the streak passed, there came the terrifying roar of storms and cracking thunder. The Corpse Qi-drenched valley was carved open by Qian Tong, leaving a clearly visible corridor in his wake.
The Corpse Spirit race members all around were thrown into complete chaos. Without any visible movement from Qian Tong, he simply released his Domain — a Domain infused with the essence of Wind — and dragged every Corpse Spirit race member within a radius of over ten li into its grip, grinding them all to dust.
He clearly had no intention of concealing his presence. He was cutting his way in with brazen, unrestrained force!
Yang Kai smiled faintly but wasn't particularly concerned.
With Qian Tong's current strength, there was truly no one left on the Dark Star worth worrying about. He had every right to act this way.
Besides, this approach served to draw the Corpse Spirit Cult's attention, creating an opportunity for Yang Kai to move freely.
This was precisely what the two had agreed upon during the journey.
In just a short while, the several thousand Corpse Spirit race members that Yang Kai and Qian Tong had sensed earlier were completely annihilated, with not a single survivor. The methods of a Void King Realm powerhouse were truly something to behold. But Qian Tong was far from satisfied. He continued to press forward in great strides, drawing out more and more Corpse Spirit race members into his Domain. They died without ever understanding what had hit them.
While Qian Tong was rampaging on the offensive, drawing the bulk of the Corpse Spirit Cult's attention, Yang Kai had already vanished from his position.
Following the memory of his previous exploration, he plunged deeper inside.
The origin of the Corpse Spirit Cult lay in the Eye of the Yellow Springs within the Corpse Den — that was the most fundamental thing belonging to the Cult. Yang Kai naturally intended to head straight for the Corpse Den. If he could destroy the Eye of the Yellow Springs, the Corpse Spirit Cult would become a tree without roots, a river without a spring. Eradicating it completely would become far easier. Otherwise, with the Eye of the Yellow Springs still in existence, no matter how many members of the Corpse Spirit race perished, they could always be converted anew.
From the distance came rumbling sounds, accompanied by unfamiliar voices shouting in fury — that was Qian Tong battling the experts of the Corpse Spirit Cult. Though Yang Kai couldn't see the scene, he knew without a doubt that Qian Tong was slaughtering in every direction while the Corpse Spirit race was in full retreat.
It took him only half a day to reach the entrance of the Corpse Den.
Along the way, he encountered the occasional Corpse Spirit race member, but these minnows were nowhere near capable of impeding Yang Kai's advance. They were all cut down and eliminated without exception.
The entrance to the Corpse Den was unchanged — it hadn't even been concealed. It was still behind that same concealment formation. However, the formation had been broken by Yang Yan the last time and was now completely useless.
From within the Corpse Den, thick waves of Corpse Qi billowed out continuously. The concentration and destructive potency of this Qi far exceeded what permeated Heroes' Burial Valley. Yang Kai sent out a brief probe with his spiritual sense before calmly leaping into the den.
The Corpse Den was darker and damper than before. Under Yang Kai's perception, stone chambers dotted the interior, bearing numerous traces of Corpse Spirit race activity.
However, Qian Tong's commotion outside had been far too great. The Corpse Spirit race members inside the den had long since been alarmed and were streaming out in an endless stream, clearly rushing to provide reinforcements.
Upon entering, Yang Kai immediately ducked into a nearby stone chamber, avoiding that wave of Corpse Spirit race members.