Chapter 38- Longmin's Manipulative Nature

Looking at the motionless Xian Shi, Li Shen couldn't help but take in a cold breath of air.

Xiang Shi was in the early Core Formation realm just like him. Even though he might have been slightly stronger if he had used his Mirror Aura, it wouldn't have been by much since his comprehension of it was little.

If Longmin had made a move against him, his faith would have likely been the same as Xiang Shi. Though the only reason why Xiang Shi was so easily beaten without even putting up any resistance, was because his mind was in chaos.

Li Shen saw the flashing black rune on Xiang Shi's forehead, as well as his chest which was still moving from his breathing. He then turn to Longmin who was already looking at him and asked, "What did you do to him?"

Longmin only smiled and said, "He's currently stuck in an endless illusion of dying repeatedly."

After Longmin said that, he turned around and leaped into the air, his feet suddenly making contact with a red rune that appeared out of nowhere.

Li Shen's voice sounded again, "Will he be able to get out of the illusions?"

Without looking at Li Shen, Longmin answered, "Sure, the rune only works on cultivators, by using their cultivation base as a fuel source to create the endless illusions. So, after the rune sucks his cultivation dry, the illusions will become undone. Though if he destroys his own cultivation base before that happens, he'll be able to break the rune's illusions even faster."

After Li Shen heard Longmin's explanation, he couldn't help but feel a cold chill go down his spine.

'Such a vicious method! Making a cultivator suffer, either through the pain of dying a countless number of times and then have their cultivation ripped from them, or make them struggle with the painful decision of destroying it themselves to be released.'

Either result was so brutal, Li Shen felt shivers just thinking about it.

He had never heard of such a forceful and sinister rune technique before. Someone losing their cultivation base was enough to drive that person to insanity.

After all, it's something that they have dedicated their entire lives to, only to then have it suddenly stripped away from them without being able to fight back. Li Shen even speculated that most people would refuse to destroy their cultivation base to escape the illusions, and just suffer through the pain of dying over and over again while just watching their cultivation slowly crumble away.

Li Shen couldn't help but think, that this was a faith worse than death.

"What is the name of the Runic Technique?" Li Shen asked.

Longmin who was already on his third rune in the air said, "It's called the Six Cycles of Reincarnation, and I was the one who created it."

Upon hearing that, Li Shen was stunned. He had judged Longmin to only be a slightly powerful, naïve little brat. But the fact that he created such a coldblooded technique, caused Li Shen to question his judgment about his true nature.

And also, the way that he just casually used that cruel Runic Technique on Xiang Shi, without a hint of hesitation, was shocking if you look at the fact that he was only fourteen years old. Most kids his age wouldn't have been exposed to this side of the cultivation world yet.

Longmin's voice was heard once again, "Let's go Senior brother Shen, you don't want to stay here and suddenly come across a strong demonic beast, do you?!"

Longmin leaped again using the red rune as support. He was already halfway towards reaching the Sparrow demonic beast that was hovering above the forest.

Li Shen looked up at Longmin, before turning to look in the direction the four other disciples had run away in. His eyes were glowing with killing intent, signaling that he wanted nothing more than to chase them down and slaughter them one by one. However, against the four of them who were in the early Core Formation realm, the same as him, he would be the one to get slaughtered if he went after them.

Li Shen turn back to look up at Longmin but saw that he was gone. He also realized that the runes Longmin created as footholds were slowly fading away.

Li Shen hurriedly stomped on the ground, which caused the rebounding force to send him rocketing up thirty meters into the air to land on the first dissipating rune. With another stomp, the rune shattered, but the force was enough to propel him another fifty meters in the air to land on the second rune.

As Li Shen moved closer and closer upward, towards the Sparrow demonic beast, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of it. Normally, peak-tier rank 3 demonic beasts wouldn't have such a massive body, at most, they would have a body size of around a hundred to a hundred and eighty meters.

However, this one was so huge it cast a shadow over the forest for several miles on end. This made Li Shen click his tongue while thinking to himself, 'Only the Wu Clan could have such a powerful demonic beast at their disposal. Its blood must contain a trace of an ancient bloodline from a Spirit Beast Race, for it to grow to such an extent. Even the other Sage Sects on the Wu Continent, to my knowledge, doesn't have a beast with an ancient bloodline.'

Li Shen leaped from another rune that carried him to the last one before he could reach this humongous bird's back.

As Li Shen made the final jump, the last rune shattered before he shot through the air.

While the wind batted against Li Shen's face, he moved at rapid speeds past the Sparrow's head. As he did, he suddenly saw its massive eye turning to look at him.

Li Shen nearly soiled himself right then and there.

Although the Sparrow's gaze contain no hostility, it still held an insurmountable pressure, that nearly knocked him out of the sky.

After several breaths of time, Li Shen managed to make it onto the Sparrow's back, however, his face was deathly pale with no sign of color in it.

As he took a step forward, his legs visibly wobbled for a second, like he was on the verge of falling over.

Everyone was currently staring at this newcomer Longmin had suddenly picked up, but each persons' gaze held a different meaning.

Longmin and Longwei's two black-robed bodyguards' gaze was filled with vigilance and caution, but as they sensed Li Shen's cultivation base, their gaze intensity lessen, before becoming slightly indifferent.

The still recovering Weisheng, held a penetrating gaze while he stared at him as if he wanted to bore holes into Li Shen and probe him inside out.

Longwei on the other hand just looked at him curiously, before a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

Longmin was the only one that had a smile on his face as he looked at Li Shen.

Longmin patted the space next to him and said, "Senior brother Shen, why don't you have a seat next to me. We're exploring the Lesser Pocket Realm, and our first stop is one of the Ancient Treasure Palaces. Have you had any time to visit one? If not, maybe you can receive some good fortune when we get there."

Li Shen glanced at the two indifferent bodyguards, then at Weisheng who was still staring at him uncomfortably, before he made his way next to Longmin and sat down.

The two bodyguard's Spiritual Senses slowly covered the entire group.

Even though Li Shen and Weisheng were Core Formation experts and could have used their own Spiritual Senses to protect themselves from the winds, they still allowed the two Spiritual Senses to surround them.

As soon as the black-robed bodyguards' Spiritual Sense fulling engulfed the group, the Sparrow flapped its large wings and carried them off to their destination.