Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 175 - 175 174 Soul Ghosts Storm 8

175: Chapter 174: Soul Ghosts Storm 8 175: Chapter 174: Soul Ghosts Storm 8 Hou Niao was covered in wounds.

Even with his sharp swordsmanship, after facing more than a dozen Soul Ghosts in succession, it was inevitable that he would be covered in countless scars.

He could ignore the difference in realms and complete the slayings with the help of the Mysterious Light Holy Fire, but he could not surpass the chasm of realms to make himself invulnerable.

Moreover, as time passed, everyone’s Spiritual Power was depleted to varying degrees, and it was impossible to maintain peak condition indefinitely; as the effect of the depletion set in, the remaining strength of the Soul Ghosts grew stronger, and Hou Niao found it increasingly difficult to cope.

Several times he was forced to risk life and limb in a dangerous strike in exchange for life.

Luckily, Elixirs were used freely, whether it was the Clear Spirit Pills from the Anhe Daoist Sect or the Flesh Regeneration Pills from the Huncheng Sect, Lan Re and Qu Xiaoman were both competing to give them.

They weren’t only given by the pill, but by the bottle, you give a bottle, and I’ll certainly follow with a bottle, making Hou Niao feel somewhat embarrassed.

Reinforcements hadn’t arrived yet, but it had already been over an hour, and in theory, it was uncertain to say about Jin City’s support, but Miao Gao Town was just a stone’s throw away, so they shouldn’t have been this late.

Seeing Hou Niao covered in wounds, straining himself to protect everyone, the fellow cultivators found it hard to say much, but they did harbor some opinions.

As a host and a Quanzhen Sword Cultivator known for decisive killing action, this was quite inappropriate.

Hou Niao did not understand either, but all he could do now was to press on; such was the sorrow of being at the mercy of others’ commands.

You could not decide your own comings and goings, forced to arrive when you shouldn’t have and unable to leave when you wished to.

Finally, during a break in the battle, Lan Re couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke up, “Senior Brother, should we prepare for a final breakout?”

Her meaning was clear— if things really couldn’t hold up, at least they needed to preserve some energy for one last struggle.

It meant scattering and fleeing, leaving everything to fate.

The core of such a plan was simple: you don’t need to outrun the Soul Ghosts, just your companions.

It was cruel but realistic.

The fact that she could muster the courage to voice such a suggestion at least proved she was not a hypocrite.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Qu Xiaoman, who had been bickering with Lan Re, didn’t make a sound, which showed her stance was essentially the same.

They finally understood a truth—killing however many Soul Ghosts here was meaningless.

What mattered was how to preserve life.

Hou Niao sighed, “Let me tell you the difference between running and not running.

If we choose to run, it’s too late to do so now!

We should have run right from the start.

At least some would have slipped through the net.

But now, with our Spiritual Power depleted and only our Will sustaining us, once scattered, without heart and belief, our fighting spirit will dissipate and, with no friends in sight, I don’t know how long you’ll be able to hold on?”

“Would we be safe once out of West Mang Mountain?

Not necessarily, right?

Given the way the Soul Ghosts are currently rampaging, chasing you for dozens of miles more is very likely.

I see a few sly Soul Ghosts among the horde.

They’re not attacking the formation because they’re waiting for us to run.

Once no one is protecting your backs, do you understand what that means?”

He raised his sword and lunged, killing a fierce ghost that had slipped through, “If we don’t run, we might all end up dead here, but compared to running, there isn’t much difference, is there?

The only difference is, dying here you’re wounded in the front, dying on the run you’re wounded in the back.

However, by staying here, we retain our last bit of hope.

If we run now and fall into the Sea of Souls, that would be complete release.”

Hou Niao looked at the two with a smile, “So, if you’ve decided, then have no regrets!

If you must extract any lesson from this, let it be to avoid rash decisions.

Just like how both of your families stand against each other over trivial matters.

Is it worth it?

I don’t think it is!”

Lan Re lowered her head and said nothing.

Indeed, what’s the point of the Dao and Demon Sects clashing, if they hadn’t truly comprehended what Dao is or what Demon is?

If they didn’t understand, then what was the meaning of their disputes at all?

Because that’s what others say, so shall they regret nothing?

In cultivation, what one refines is their true nature.

Hou Niao winked, “If in the future, the Daoist Method is comprehended and the Realm is achieved, then standing against each other in life and death will be sticking to one’s ideals.

But right now, everyone is essentially in the dark.

Why not live and let live, if you’re well, I’m well, and all is well?”

Lan Re snorted, “Senior Brother, you’re challenging my Dao Heart.”

Qu Xiaoman also shook her head, “Senior Brother, you are not sincere in dealing with the demons!”

Hou Niao smiled without saying a word, he was just joking after all.

This was also the true essence of combat, not to be taken too seriously; if you were intent on rushing to your death, without looking back, then you were truly going to die.

Qu Xiaoman was quite eloquent, “Regardless, our dispute has implicated Senior Brother, causing you to suffer alongside us.

I really feel terrible about it…”

Hou Niao shook his head, “You don’t need to feel terrible, because I may not necessarily suffer misfortune.

It isn’t appropriate for you to run, but it’s different for me.”

Qu Xiaoman’s eyes widened, “Senior Brother, you…”

Hou Niao gave an apologetic smile, “I still have some strength left in me, and can’t commit to ‘lying in the same grave.’ Moreover, I haven’t ‘shared a blanket,’ so why should I ‘lie in the same grave’?

That makes no sense.”

Qu Xiaoman let out a long sigh, “Senior Brother, you are the true Demon Sect, I am the fake one.”

Lan Re seemed thoughtful.

It sounded as if this Senior Brother was planning to hold the Soul Ghosts here and run away himself, but upon further reflection, that didn’t seem to be the case.

He was a peculiar person, a contradiction in one, just like his attitude when he saved those two Senior Brothers.

The formation began to shrink, as their spiritual power could no longer sustain such a large area.

The downside of the formation shrinking was that there wasn’t much room to maneuver within it.

If a Soul Ghost broke in, chaos would ensue.

The space inside the formation wasn’t sufficient for reckless fighting and it was easy to accidentally harm an ally.

They had such concerns, but the Soul Ghosts did not!

The situation worsened.

With the sheer number of adversaries, Hou Niao alone couldn’t control it.

During his swordsmanship training, he had almost never dealt with so-called mass attack swordsmanship, because his Dantian Spiritual Power couldn’t support the large-scale consumption required for it.

Thinking about it now, even if he did learn a few moves of mass attack swordsmanship, could he annihilate all of the Soul Ghosts here?

Still impossible, and therefore pointless.

The key wasn’t in the swordsmanship; the key was that he shouldn’t have come here!

Nearly an hour had passed, and the cultivators had extinguished the thought of breaking out under his persuasion, but he was now faced with a difficult choice: Should he leave regardless?

Heroes are praised by all but not everyone wants to be one.

It seems easy when reading biographies, but being in the thick of it is excruciating.

The issue was, even if he died in battle here, at best it would be fulfilling his duty, still not enough to be called a hero.

His reserve of spiritual power, supported by his Double Dantian, was still just barely sufficient for him to break out of West Mang Mountain, facing the enemy with his back just like last time.

But was it really the same?

Can one abandon certain things for the sake of life?

Those things that, apart from the ideologies of the Demon Sect, Daoist Sect, and Buddhist Sect, are the most essential parts of humanity?

He didn’t know; he was still growing…

Should he pursue his true heart or the pursuit of living?

Chasing one’s true heart would cost a life, while living in disgrace meant losing that true heart.

These weren’t problems that he should be able to solve now!

As he was about to make the most important decision of his life, withdrawing his sword from a Soul Ghost, someone descended from the heavens!

“Do not panic, the benevolent Daoist has arrived.”