A few minutes in a secluded area near the capital of the Black Bamboo Kingdom, a group of cultivators wearing pitch-black robes and faceless masks watched impassively as several people stood before them. They had dragged in a group of rural villagers—terrified, gagged with cloth, and bound hand and foot.
"Boss, everything is ready. We can begin," one lackey said in a hoarse voice.
"Good." The leader walked to a large stone altar and stopped in front of it. In the center he noticed a hole shaped to receive a spherical object.
He produced a crystal-clear orb and placed it into the hole. It fit perfectly. Above the altar a small progress bar appeared floated. The leader turned, his cold, indifferent eyes sweeping across the crowd through his mask; the victims trembled in fear and averted their gaze from him.
"Bring them one by one and cut their throats," the leader ordered in a cold voice. The subordinates' expressions was indifferent when they heard his command. One of them dragged forward an unlucky man and immediately began to struggle under the man's grasp but how could a mortal resist a cultivator.
"Wait—no, please! Have mercy!" the man sobbed and begged, but his cries fell on deaf ears. The subordinate raised his sword and chopped off the man's head; blood flowed across the altar. The leader watched the progress bar tick up a notch.
"Bring them one by one," he repeated, gesturing to his subordinates, who continued to drag more people—women, children, the elderly. None were spared; the killing continued, one after another without mercy.
"No, wait, don't!"
"Ah, please don't kill me—I'm pregnant!"
"Waaah! Mommy, Daddy, save me! I don't want to die!"
"I curse you under the heavens, you bastards will die a dog's death"
The leader remained unfazed by the constant wailing, begging, and cursing. His eyes watched the slaughter with cold indifference as corpses piled up and blood flowed like a river. He had lost count of how many had died. His attention stayed fixed on the progress bar, which was now nearly full. After a few more minutes, it filled completely.
"Alright, stop," the leader commanded in a cold voice. The subordinates immediately halted, leaving the remaining mortals trembling in terror. Relief briefly flickered in their eyes, though hatred still burned deep in their eyes, they looked at the corpses and trembled in fear.
Woosh.
The leader waved his hand, and the blood which filled the progress bar flew out and transformed into a golden liquid. It shot directly into the orb, which greedily absorbed it until it became a radiant golden sphere. The leader's eyes gleamed, and a smile tugged at his lips beneath the mask.
"Alright, time to leave," he announced. The subordinates silently nodded in obedience.
When the mortals saw them departing, their faces showed relief, though the fear and hatred remained. They had just witnessed their husbands, wives, mothers, and children slaughtered mercilessly.
"Ah, these evil cultivators!" one man shouted, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
"Let's go inform the king! If we report this, they can still be caught!" another cried, his face red due to crying.
"Yes, let's go—"
But before he could finish, the sky above darkened and everyone looked up.
In the next instant, countless massive lightning bolts descended from the heavens, vaporizing them along with the land beneath their feet. They died before they could even scream or feel anything.
---
Black Bamboo, Royal Palace
The evil cultivators who had slaughtered thousands without blinking an eye quietly sneaked into the palace.
"Idiot, I thought you knew the entrance to the Spirit Dimension," the leader growled as he looked at his subordinate with a glare which could melt ice.
"I-I… Boss, look over there!" The panicked subordinate, who was sweating profusely, suddenly spotted something that made his eyes light up.
"Hmm?" The leader followed his gaze and saw a group of royal guards escorting a young maiden dressed in simple commoner's clothes. The royal family was rarely seen by the public, and only those with powerful backgrounds had the privilege of recognizing them. Although the leader did not immediately identify her, the strength of her escorts made it clear she was no ordinary girl and only royal family memebrs can enjoy such protection.
"Boss, I'm certain we're close to the entrance. Judging by the princess disguised in common clothes, she must be heading to the Spirit Dimension. If we follow her, it will lead us straight to the entrance," the subordinate said nervously.
The leader's cold stare made him break into a sweat, but to his relief, the leader finally nodded and gestured for them to follow her.
Within minutes they arrived near a portal and watched the princess vanish inside. They waited until the tight security loosened, then melted themselves into hiding using a concealment technique. After a few guards drifted away, the cultivators took action.
"Who is that—ah!"
"Quick, intruders!"
"Damn, inform His Majesty—ah!"
The evil cultivators killed the guards within seconds.
"Listen, everyone. After you complete the primary target, there are side missions: kill any talented people you find here to weaken the Black Bamboo Kingdom. If you get the chance, kidnap the princess as well," the leader ordered. The subordinates nodded silently.
"All right, let's go." The leader signaled, and one by one they vanished into the portal.
---
Spirit Dimension
The group of evil cultivators stepped into the Spirit Dimension, faces filled with shock and awe.
"No wonder this place is so heavily guarded," one of them exclaimed. "The spiritual energy density is so high I feel like my bottleneck is being forced open."
"I could cultivate here forever," another muttered hoarsely.
"Shut up. We didn't come here to cultivate — we came on a mission," the leader snapped, and the group fell silent.
The leader gripped the golden orb and squeezed; it shattered, sending golden dust shooting into the sky.
Rumble.
The whole dimension shook. Within minutes a white palace emerged from beneath the ground.
"This is..." the leader breathed, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Let's go inside before others arrive. Everyone will be heading this way," he said, producing a key to open the gate. One by one, they passed through the enormous gate with ease.