Chapter 172: The Most Unforgivable Sin is to Take a Child from Its Mother's Arms

Chapter 172: The Most Unforgivable Sin is to Take a Child from Its Mother's Arms

After leaving the Sect Master's courtyard, Shen Mo habitually checked his life panel.

[Recent Event: In three days, as usual, you will go to the Earth Fire Furnace to deliver materials, only to find that everyone has been killed by the Thunderfire Sect. Your mental state will be affected, and your cultivation level will stagnate for a long time.]

Shen Mo paused, frowning slightly.

Thunderfire Sect discovered them this quickly?

Something wasn't right.

He was certain that Wei Xiongtie, Zhao Rou, and the others were completely loyal to Qingxuan Sect. They would never defy orders or leak information.

He also knew that no one else in Qingxuan Sect was aware of this matter.

As for Murong Yue, the Sect Master, she would never disclose such critical information.

So, how did the location of the Earth Fire Furnace get revealed?

Shen Mo pondered quietly while walking casually within the sect grounds.

"Greetings, Young Master."

"Greetings, Young Master."

Everyone who saw him stopped to greet him with respect.

Shen Mo nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

His gaze suddenly swept over someone in the distance.

[Upcoming Opportunity: This afternoon, while carrying out a sect mission, you will accidentally discover Thunderfire Sect cultivators in a small village trying to abduct infants to create Blood Infants. You will be filled with righteous fury and attempt to intervene, but you will be killed by the Thunderfire Sect cultivators.]

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow.

Thunderfire Sect? Stealing infants?

He looked toward the man in question—Zhang Weihu, a one-armed enforcer.

It seemed that Zhang Weihu couldn't stand such injustice and stepped in to help, but due to his lack of strength, he ended up being killed.

"Blood Infants?"

"I recall something about that."

"Blood River Sect had a forbidden technique called Blood Infant Guidance."

"It was a taboo method, considered so vile that even the Blood River Sect's own cultivators rarely used it."

Shen Mo thought for a moment and quickly made his way over to Zhang Weihu.

"Young Master?"

Zhang Weihu was startled for a moment, his expression turning excited.

Shen Mo's current status far exceeded his own.

In many people's eyes, Shen Mo's position might even surpass that of the Sect Master, Murong Yue.

Although Zhang Weihu had once been close to Shen Mo, he now hesitated to approach or converse with him, fearing overstepping his bounds.

Seeing Shen Mo approach him now, Zhang Weihu could hardly contain his excitement.

Shen Mo smiled, "Zhang Enforcer, you lost your arm in service to the sect. How are you being treated now? The sect hasn't neglected you, I hope?"

Zhang Weihu shook his head repeatedly, "Young Master, not at all! Since losing my arm, the sect hasn't treated me like a cripple. In fact, they've given me even better treatment."

He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I only hold the position of a common enforcer, yet the sect has provided me with the benefits of a senior external enforcer. I feel undeserving."

Shen Mo waved his hand, "You deserve it."

"If a sect abandons its meritorious members, it will soon fall apart, and its demise will follow shortly after."

Zhang Weihu nodded in deep agreement, "Young Master is absolutely right."

"I see you're in a hurry to leave. Are you on a mission?" Shen Mo asked with a smile.

Zhang Weihu nodded, "Yes, there have been attacks by Tier 2 demon beasts near a small village close to Qingshan City. I was born in that village, so I can't just stand by and do nothing."

Shen Mo nodded, "I happen to be free, so I'll go with you."

Zhang Weihu was startled, "Young Master, with your status, how could you trouble yourself with such a matter?"

Shen Mo couldn't help but smile. After some back-and-forth, Zhang Weihu reluctantly agreed.

In the afternoon, the two of them left the sect and headed straight for the small village outside Qingshan City.

Shen Mo used his qi to move swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived outside the small village.

Just as they approached, Zhang Weihu smiled broadly, preparing to enter the village, but Shen Mo grabbed his arm and pointed upward.

Zhang Weihu looked up and saw a streak of light descending, landing just outside the village.

"A Core Formation cultivator?!"

Zhang Weihu was shocked.

"What would a Core Formation cultivator be doing in such a small village? It's strange."

Shen Mo pulled out two masks, handing one to Zhang Weihu.

"Put it on. Let's go take a look."

"Yes."

As the two approached the village, they were immediately met with the sound of wailing and crying.

"…Two mere infants making a contribution to our Thunderfire Sect should make you rejoice!"

"Mortals should know their place. Now get lost!"

"Daoist, Daoist, please return my daughters to me. They are only two years old, still nursing... I have this lower-grade spirit stone. It is my family's entire savings. Please, take it and return them to me... please..."

Shen Mo and Zhang Weihu looked ahead and saw a small clearing surrounded by dozens of villagers.

In the center of the clearing stood three cultivators. The leader was clearly at the Core Formation stage.

Behind him were two other cultivators, one tall and the other short and stout. Each held an infant in their arms.

Before them, a woman dressed in simple clothes clung to the tall cultivator's leg, crying out in anguish.

The two infants, still too young to understand anything, looked around with innocent, clear eyes, unaware of why their mother was crying or what fate awaited them.

"Get lost! I despise mortals the most, mere ants with a lifespan of only a few decades!" The tall cultivator's eyes filled with contempt as he kicked the woman away.

The force of a Foundation Establishment cultivator's kick was not something a mortal could withstand.

With that single kick, the woman's abdomen was pierced through on the spot, her internal organs and intestines spilling out.

The lower-grade spirit stone in her hand also fell, rolling away across the ground.

"Daoist... Daoist... give them... give them back to me..."

The woman hadn't yet died.

Her motherly instinct drove her to struggle back onto her feet, her eyes fixed on her children in the distance.

Even though her vision was blurring, she dragged her broken body forward, inch by inch.

The surrounding villagers were frozen in fear, not daring to utter a word.

The Core Formation cultivator frowned, "If you're going to kill someone, do it cleanly. Look at the mess you've made—how unsightly."

The tall cultivator's expression turned fearful as he quickly bowed, "Elder, this disciple was wrong."

"Let's go. The cultivation of the Blood Infant is more important. These twins are the final ingredients." The Core Formation cultivator waved his hand impatiently, motioning for them to follow.

However, as they turned, they saw two masked cultivators standing at the village's edge.

One was a middle-aged man, barely able to conceal the fury within him, looking as though he would tear them apart on the spot.

The other was a young man, expression unreadable, but there was a terrifying calmness in his demeanor—like the deep, cold depths of the ocean.

The lower-grade spirit stone continued to roll and came to a stop at the young man's feet.

He glanced down.

The stone was stained with blood.

The young man bent down and picked it up.

The Core Formation cultivator frowned.

Instinctively, he sensed that this young cultivator was no ordinary person—he was at the Core Formation stage, just like himself.

"Daoist friend, I am Zhao Wu, an elder of the Thunderfire Sect, carrying out my duties. I advise you not to interfere," Zhao Wu said arrogantly, cupping his hands from a distance.

The two disciples behind him gripped the hilts of their swords cautiously.

The young cultivator looked toward the woman lying in a pool of blood.

Her injuries were beyond saving.

A mortal could not survive in such a condition for long.

"Do you know that taking a child from their mother's arms is the most unforgivable sin in this world?"

Zhao Wu's frown deepened, "You should think carefully. The Thunderfire Sect is not someone you want to provoke!"

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