Xiang Shaoyun had learned from Elder Zhen Peng during his time at Wu Town that the Mad Lion Hunting Group was based near the Hundred Beast Mountain Range. Their main activity involved demonic beast hunting, and they were at least several hundred squads among their ranks. On top of that, they had also been growing every year without stop.
The main reason for them to be able to grow so fearlessly was due to the assistance they had received from some people in the Cloud Margin City. One could say that the Mad Lion Hunting Group was extremely infamous in parts such as Wu Town, Gateflag Town, and a few other nearby towns.
In the past, Xiang Shaoyun was incapable of eliminating them. Now that he was much stronger than the past, he would naturally not spare them. Riding on Jin Wo the Demon Emperor, it did not take him long to arrive above the Mad Lion Hunting Group's place.
The stronghold of the Mad Lion Hunting Group was very similar to bandit strongholds. Most of their buildings were built with wood and were in close proximity to each other. All around their main stronghold, watchtowers could be seen. There were also a few enclosed passages which were most likely filled with traps.
Looking at them from high above the sky, Xiang Shaoyun was able to see everything clearly. One ought to admit that their defenses were really quite good, and a majority of their defensive measures were mainly set up to counter demonic beasts.
As they were located so near the Hundred Beast Mountain Range, their main enemies were the demonic beasts. After all, their main activity was beast hunting, and demonic beasts also held grudges like humans.
Xiang Shaoyun did not attack immediately. Rather, he stayed in the sky and muttered, "Time to give the ghostrunes something to do. They have been on vacation for a long time."
The ghostrunes residing within his Nether Soul Domain had changed greatly compared to the past. They were akin to fish back in water living in his domain, each of them growing rapidly, breaking through at record speed.
Even Xiang Shaoyun was surprised by it. After all, he had not been paying them much attention during the long period he was injured. By the time he had recovered and took a look at them, all the changes had already occurred.
He even started suspecting if the ghostrunes were related to the Imperial Nether Clan, which would explain their massive growth. But he did not bother looking too much into it. In any case, their growth would only benefit him.
Today, he would test these ghostrunes out and see how good they were at killing. He directly leaped off Jin Wo's back when he was still a few kilometers high up in the sky. Any other Transformation Realm cultivator would fall to their death from this height.
Xiang Shaoyun had not leaped off Jin Wo's back due to overconfidence. Rather, it was because he had his pair of white tiger wings. Initially, he did not release his wings, and he let his body fall freely, enjoying a sort of excitement from it.
"Haha, this is refreshing!" Xiang Shaoyun howled with laughter like a madman while falling.
Finally, the Mad Lion Hunting Group people discovered him. With astonishment, they wondered if the thing falling from the sky was a human. Right as Xiang Shaoyun was about to fall to the ground, his wings sprouted out. With a flap, he started gliding through the air like a swallow.
One of them finally recovered from the shock and asked, "You! Who are you?"
The falling human was suddenly flying. It was quite an inconceivable sight for them.
"Your killer," said Xiang Shaoyun with a faint smile.
"What? You're an enemy!" the person cried out in alarm, but he was evidently still not thinking straight as that was all he did.
"That's right. I'm your enemy," Xiang Shaoyun replied. He flapped his wings and dove down while sending a finger beam toward him.
Bang!
Before the person could react, his head exploded.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The other bandits finally stopped blanking out and started sounding the alarm.
"Come on out, kill everyone here," said Xiang Shaoyun as he released a group of ghostrunes from his Nether Soul Domain.
He did not dare to release too many of them, but he had still released about 2,000 ghostrunes. Just that was already a terrifying amount. The ghostrunes all howled in excitement. There were so many of them they blanketed the sky, presenting a terrifying sight that shocked all the Mad Lion Hunting Group members.
"What...what are those things? Why are there so many?"
"They match the depictions of the legendary ghostrunes! Don't they reside only in the Land of Soul Springs? Why are they here?"
"Ghostrune? What demonic beast is that? I have never heard of it."
"Shit! It's really the ghostrunes! Quickly! Shoot them down, or we will die!"
...
The Mad Lion Hunting Group members descended into chaos. Before they could attack, the ghostrunes attacked. Utilizing their air superiority, they scattered about in the sky and released their soul power, lifting numerous objects before unleashing them on the Mad Lion Hunting Group members.
"Ahhhh!"
The Mad Lion Hunting Group members were completely defenseless as the objects hailed down on them, injuring and killing many of them. It placed them in an even greater panic. They raised their weapons in an attempt to attack the ghostrunes. Unfortunately, they were limited by range and were unable to pose any threat to the ghostrunes, who stayed high up in the sky.
The Mad Lion Hunting Group was terribly ravaged by the assault from the sky. Some tried to attack using bows and arrows, but they were directly killed off by the ghostrunes under Xiang Shaoyun's command. Xiang Shaoyun would not allow them to harm his ghostrunes.
In the past, Xiang Shaoyun did not know the ghostrune language. After they stayed in his Nether Soul Domain for a while, he suddenly became capable of understanding their language. Because of that, he was now able to issue them commands in battle.
And since the ghostrunes had long acknowledged his role as their leader, they carried out his orders obediently. Before long, the Mad Lion Hunting Group members were either dead or fleeing in chaos. As for the hunting group's experts, they had been either resting or cultivating in their respective houses, but now, they had all come out. They were all stupefied, as the first thing they saw was a horde of ghostrunes.
One of them was their commander, Kuang Shi. He cried out in alarm, "What is going on? Why are there so many ghostrunes?"
He flew to the sky and attacked the ghostrunes without any hesitation.
Rumble! Rumble!
Kuang Shi was a Skysoar Realm cultivator and a valiant fighter. In the blink of an eye, more than 10 ghostrunes died in his hands.
"There is a King here? Good, I'll play around a bit with him," said Xiang Shaoyun before he rushed toward Kuang Shi, attracting his attention.
Kuang Shi immediately asked, "Who are you? Why are you making trouble for the Mad Lion Hunting Group?"
As Xiang Shaoyun had not been attacked by the ghostrunes, Kuang Shi guessed that he was definitely related to them.
"The Mad Lion Hunting Group has been too arrogant. It is time to exterminate all of you," said Xiang Shaoyun.