Cai Xuefang blinked his eyes. It did not change what he was seeing and how it affected him. Pitch black darkness. Night surrounded them. Moonless and far more foreboding than anything he had ever seen. A darkness that was thick and almost living.

He moved his hands, fingers trailing in the fog like night. Shadows moving. There was no sensation to it. No heat or cold. No shift in any sense at all. Nothing that would allow a less perceptive person to notice what it was or that it even existed. His current travel partner could not tell the difference if it smacked him in the face.

Someone screamed behind him. But he ignored all their pitiful cries and begging.

Rubbing his beard in thought did not help. His angular and sharp chin allowed him a perpetual 'in deep thought' persona that he used to get closer to people. Hide the demons within him. But it was completely for show. Cai Xuefang's mind was quick. Sharper than a blade. More useful too.

Quicker than what he portrayed too.

Yet, he could not figure out what was happening. His massive font of knowledge did not allow him the understanding to piece together this puzzle without ridiculous answers. Wisdom and said font of knowledge would dictate that a master of the Shadow Arts that was also a Shadow Domain User who also was an Array Master had not only set up a profound piece of work, but also large enough to cover the entire forest around the Silver Mountain Gang's little hovel.

No Qi lines. No focal points. No acolytes chanting, disciples and students repeating phrases. No sacrifices to continue providing their life energy to sustain a demonic and mighty array. There was nothing to indicate everything he had come to as a conclusion.

All set up where they stood now. Covering stretches so large, he wasn't sure he could escape it in a single leap. He would need to teleport and waste decades of Qi cultivation.

Could a legendary assassin achieve this? Such great changes to the physical realm.

He laughed. If such an assassin existed, then they were all doomed to die by their blade. Not even his masters and the Heavenly Demon of his Dark Gate Palace would survive such a threat. Maybe. No one truly knew how powerful the old man was. And no one was willing to try.

More screaming as his the torture session continued.

And even if there was an assassin on the loose around this area of such calibre. Cai Xuefang would survive them too. His will would prevent him from an incoming death. Escape and protection items ready. He had a dozen prepared.

Cai Xuefang's eyes drifted to the welp that had married his innocent daughter. A pup only a few decades old. Shao Yating was busy experimenting new torturing methods on a few of his servants. Enjoying every scream of agony thoroughly.

Maybe he would save this idiot too, but it would be through great harm to himself. Everyone else that had come with them would die a terrible death. Painful and gruesome. Or maybe a quiet one in their sleep if the assassin so chose it. He wasn't sure if someone like that would enjoy the shouts of suffering Shao Yating seemed to partake in.

Darkness this thick could be used like a pillow. Suffocating the enemy.

It would only take a wave of the hand to kill the weak among them and anyone without a Liquid Stage Core. Nothing more than a flick of the rest.

Or maybe an Immortal Peak Realm cultivator. Those pups should have touched upon their domains slightly—

A whip cracked. The servant screamed one more time before falling limp.

Cai Xuefang sighed. "Yating. Must you torture a rat? It does not befit your new station."

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The whip cracked again on the now dead body. It happened three more times before Shao Yating was satisfied with his work. Studying it with a pleased expression.

"Father-in-law," Shao Yating licked his lips as he waved his guards to take the body away. "Did you not advise me to never forget my roots? Well, here I am. Doing as you've so eloquently said. A final goodbye and reminder to all, my Spider Cult Valley is not to be trifled with."

"Here is another lesson, son-in-law. Torturing the weak is beneath the mighty. Kill them and be done with it. We, the mighty, only torture the strong. Breaking their will. Only then is it worth cleansing the Qi and blood."

Shao Yating gave him a sly smile. The one he had recognized as the 'in one ear and out the other ear' smile. "Yes, Father-in-law. As you say, I shall strive to do better."

Cai Xuefang shook his head and turned away. There was only one reason he had accepted the idiot to marry into his bloodline. Sully his name. Ruining his reputation with such lowly character. Cai Xuefang would have killed him ages ago had he been given the chance.

But no. The Heavenly Demon of his Dark Gate Palace demanded otherwise.

A single item he had lucked upon had extended his life indefinitely. At least until he eventually failed to tame it. Only three of the past seventy owners to the damned thing had been able to unlock it. The rest had their souls eaten by it and added into its arsenal. Making it more powerful. Growing the number of demented things its next owner could call upon.

He let his fingers play with the thick shadow fog. The same one Shao Yating could not recognize existing around them. Blind to it even though he was both in the Liquid Stage Core and an Immortal Peak Realm cultivator.

Maybe these shadows are greater than I expected. But that makes no sense. How? Who could do such a thing? Or maybe this was a natural phenomena?

He grabbed a handful of shadow fog and attempted to smell it. Nothing.

Another servant fought and screamed behind Cai Xuefang as they were dragged and tied onto the ground. Shao Yating began to whip them unceremoniously. Laughing loudly. This servant was more vocal than the last. His son-in-law enjoyed them more than the others.

"Tell me, Yating."

Shao Yating stopped his whip half way. "What is it now?"

"Have you ever heard of mythical tales or stories about fog-like shadows in this area? Anything, even if it's ridiculous." Cai Xuefang pinched the shadows between his fingers again.

"No." Shao Yating approached him. "Father-in-law. You've been pinching and making weird hand gestures ever since it became dark. And now you're seeing fog? Here—"

The idiot waved his hand through thick shadows he did not recognize and was too weak to see or feel. Displacing it. Then he spun with his hands out. Dancing a little too. Making a show of what he was doing for no good reason.

"—See. Nothing there. Just a cloudy night. Nothing to worry about, especially with you around. You forget your own awe inspiring power sometimes. Too busy thinking. Action shouldn't need thought. It should speak for itself at all times. Only the weak and cowardly need to plot and plan."

I'm going to strangle him—

The boy snapped his finger. Figures stepped out of the shadows of every tree and bush. Black robes. Black masks. Gloomy purple tattoos and runes covering their bodies. Eyes glowing the same color. They grabbed the dead servant from the side, pulling him into the shadows with a couple of them.

Another two grabbed the kicking and screaming servant that had been tied down and following the first pair.

Cai Xuefang smiled. He couldn't help it. The display of the Jade of the Dead was always pleasant to his eyes. Even if it was held by a complete buffoon. That was why he had gotten to marry his innocent little girl. Even when stronger, more prestigious, and more capable suitors had been available. Shao Yating would not have been able to dream of touching her robes had it not been for the treasure.

"Maybe you are right."

Shao Yating smiled something wide. "Of course I am. I'm always right."

Cai Xuefang shook his head and looked back in the general direction of their goal. The Silver Mountain Gang's little hovel remained roughly a week away. They had been delayed. Shao Yating demanded time for his little torturing sessions every night when they could have been making ground.

It irked him, but he let it go for now. It didn't matter if they were a day early or a month late. Dong ZhenKang would not escape him. The sly old fox had manipulated many people and for a long time to keep his head on his shoulders. While he could not respect the man's stunted potential, he respected the fool's mind. Much more than a certain welp around him.

Maybe I should cripple him instead. Keep him around. Get his insight on different situations and maybe a plot or two.

He could see how much pleasure he would get watching a long, thought out, and difficult plan came to fruition. Manipulating a dozen people. Bribing another dozen or two. Killing a few people here and there to make sure it worked. And if it didn't he could just turn everyone and everything into fine dust. That tended to do the job when his plans turned sour.

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