The distance of dozens of li was covered in the blink of an eye.
Guo Shan Feng stopped above a small hill.
Looking down from the air, the hill resembled an old tiger lying prone on the ground, its huge mouth stretched open in a yawn.
This was clearly Tiger’s Gaping Maw.
Guo Shan Feng lowered the cloud and landed right at the tiger’s mouth.
The black cloud dispersed, and Lin Xue’s feet touched solid ground.
She lifted her gaze and looked around.
The position of the tiger’s mouth was a natural cave. The entrance was well hidden and indeed suitable as a secret base.
Two lesser beasts were guarding the entrance. They were slumped crookedly against the rocks, one asleep and the other staring off into space.
When Guo Shan Feng flew down, the dazed lesser beast jumped up as if his tail had been set on fire, slapped the sleeping one awake, and the two rushed out in a panic to greet him.
“Greetings, Patrol Leader.”
When they noticed Lin Xue, Hong Yanzhi, and the other demonesses behind Guo Shan Feng, both lesser beasts immediately widened their eyes and gaped, staring without blinking.
Guo Shan Feng frowned when he heard the words “Patrol Leader” and asked coldly, “How are those Human Cultivators doing now?”
One of the lesser beasts replied, “Reporting to the Patrol Leader, we take meticulous care of them every day. They’re all well-fed, strong, and full of vitality, just waiting for the demonesses to arrive.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Lin Xue, his eyes filled with both envy and resentment.
He clearly felt displeased that such a beautiful demoness would soon be engaging in close contact with Human Cultivators.
Guo Shan Feng snorted coldly and said, “You’ve been stationed here and know nothing of what’s happened in the mountain. I can understand that. Let me tell you now. Hei-Feng and Zong-Lie intended to rebel against the Mountain Lord and have already been executed by him. I, Guo Shan Feng, am now the Great Chief of the mountain.”
“Remember this clearly. I am the Chief now, not a Patrol Leader. Don’t get it wrong again.”
The two lesser beasts hurriedly knelt down to admit their mistake and swore they would never forget again.
Only then did Guo Shan Feng nod in satisfaction.
He turned around, holding his long sword, jerked his chin toward the cave, and ordered Lin Xue and the others, “Go in.”
Lin Xue looked into the deep cave, feeling intense resistance in her heart.
Once inside, they would be forced to dual cultivate with men.
A thought suddenly arose in her mind.
Hong Yanzhi, Hua Yingying, Xiao Mili, and the others had already advanced into Grand Demons. They were now capable of flying on clouds.
‘Should I use voice transmission and have everyone take off at the same time, scattering and escaping in different directions?’
Guo Shan Feng had only one person and one sword. He could not be everywhere at once. Even if he chased, he could only catch one or two.
The rest might escape and avoid becoming tools for harvesting.
But after thinking it through, Lin Xue abandoned the idea.
The divine sword Lieyun in Guo Shan Feng’s hand was far too terrifying.
Even a Grand Demon at the Condensing Core Peak like Zong-Lie could not withstand a single strike, let alone the eight of them at early or middle Core Condensation.
If they truly scattered and fled, Guo Shan Feng, in a rage, might directly unleash a killing move with that sword.
Given his skill, he could easily catch up to and kill at least two of them.
The loss would be too great.
Lin Xue felt it would be safer to endure for about two hours and escape using the teleportation spell on her ring.
She suppressed the urge to flee, endured her inner revulsion, and followed Guo Shan Feng into the cave with the other demonesses.
After walking several dozen steps, the space suddenly opened up.
Ahead lay a wide cavern about the size of a football field, with more than ten crude wooden huts made of beast skins built inside.
A bonfire burned in the center of the open area, with several lesser beasts roasting the meat of some unknown wild creature.
The aroma drifted over. After being in the secret realm for two days without food or drink, Lin Xue immediately felt ravenous, her appetite stirred.
She twitched her nose and inhaled deeply, savoring the smell.
Hong Yanzhi, Xiao Mili, and the other demonesses beside her swallowed repeatedly. They were clearly starving as well.
An idea struck Lin Xue.
‘I can use eating as a way to delay some time.’
Guo Shan Feng stood there with a cold expression, holding his long sword and looking as if the whole world owed him money.
He pointed at the row of huts and ordered, “Each hut has one man inside. Each of you pick one, go in, and do exactly as Poison Lady taught you. Drain every last bit of Yang energy from them. When you’re done, come report to me.”
Lin Xue raised her hand. “Wait. Chief Guo, I have an objection.”
Guo Shan Feng looked at her in surprise, his brows knitting together. “You have an objection?”
Lin Xue pointed at Hong Yanzhi and the others. “We were confined in the secret realm for two days without food or drink. We barely have any strength left. How are we supposed to do that? Humans have a saying, ‘Even an emperor doesn’t starve his soldiers.’ Chief Guo, please allow us sisters to eat our fill first.”
Guo Shan Feng stared at Lin Xue with a dark expression.
He wanted to scold her, but after some thought, decided it was better not to offend her.
He could tell that Hei-Pi, the Demon King, seemed to value this snake spirit.
Hei-Pi was extremely lustful and usually quite picky about demonesses. If his life were not hanging by a thread today, he would never have harvested someone like Poison Lady.
This snake spirit named Lin Xue was exceptionally beautiful. A demoness like her could easily win Hei-Pi’s favor.
She was also a Grand Demon and would not die from harvesting. In the future, she might even become a true Demon Consort, perhaps even a Demon Empress.
On top of that, Lin Xue claimed she could rapidly increase the strength of the lesser beasts in the mountain, and Poison Lady had confirmed this ability. Hei-Pi would naturally value her greatly.
‘Better not make an enemy who could cause me trouble later.’
In the end, the Mountain Lord’s matter was more important.
Let them eat their fill and dual cultivate in their best condition so they could absorb more Yang energy.
Guo Shan Feng reluctantly nodded. “Fine. You may go eat first.”
Though he agreed verbally, he secretly activated his demon power.
Eight black rings instantly sprang out from Lieyun and accurately snapped around each of the demonesses’ wrists.
Lin Xue was startled.
She reached out and touched the black ring but felt nothing solid.
The ring was like an illusion attached to her wrist, impossible to shake off.
Guo Shan Feng sneered. “I’ve marked all of you. Let me warn you in advance, don’t get any foolish ideas. If anyone tries to take the chance to escape, you’re welcome to try and see whether you’re faster, or my sword is.”
Lin Xue’s heart sank.
She did not know how long this mark would last or how wide its effective range was.
‘If I finally endure until the teleportation cooldown ends and teleport hundreds of li away, but the mark is still on me, wouldn’t that just be waiting for Guo Shan Feng and Hei-Pi to hunt me down?’