The group blocking their way consisted of about 20 or 30 people. Each of them was mounted on a valiant demonic beast, with a few of them being Dragon Ascension Realm experts. In fact, one of them was even a late-stage Dragon Ascension Realm expert. This could be considered a group of decent strength.
Each of them had a dreadful human skeleton emblem embroidered on their clothes, signifying that they were members of this Bloodsin City's Skeleton Gang. They were known for being cruel and partaking in all sorts of crimes, including murder, arson, rape, banditry, and so on. They weren't exactly the strongest in the city, however. Their reputation was generally only used to scare the newcomers or the weaker cultivators.
This group's leader was mounted on an armored skeleton horse. His eyes radiated bloodlust, and he had a dagger in his hand. He looked at Xiang Shaoyun's group coldly and said, "Leave all your storage rings and this Demon Emperor behind, and you will be allowed to enter the Bloodsin City alive. Or else, die."
The person speaking was a peak seventh-stage Emperor. His name was Badar, and he did have the strength to speak so arrogantly. Unfortunately for him, he had not noticed that there was a ninth-stage Emperor among Xiang Shaoyun's group.
"You are actually trying to rob us? You sure are brave," said Devouring Ghost with a sinister glint in his eyes.
Over the three months, he had restored his cultivation level to the fifth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm. Even when facing these Skeleton Gang members, he would still be able to put up a fight.
"Where are you from?" Badar probed cautiously.
He knew very well that among the visitors to the Bloodsin City, a lot of them were from the large organizations of the Western Desert, and they were the people the Skeleton Gang could not afford to offend.
"You are not qualified to know. Piss off if you know what's good for you. Or else, die," said Devouring Ghost with a sinister smile.
"Lord Badar, since they have not arrived through the teleportation formation, it is obvious their background is nothing special. Just kill them and get this over with," said someone beside Badar.
"Ok. Let's not waste any time. Kill them," said Badar while licking his lips with a cruel glint in his eyes.
At that command, Badar's underlings attacked. They did not have the habit of fighting people one on one. Rather, they generally swarmed their enemies with their numerical superiority. A large number of energy attacks flew toward Xiang Shaoyun's group; no mercy was shown.
But before the attacks could arrive, a saber energy of several meters long shot out. Instantly, the sharp saber energy crossed a large distance. Next, about eight heads were cut off from their bodies like vegetables being cut by a kitchen knife.
Nearly half of the incoming attacks dispersed, and the remaining attacks could no longer pose much threat to Xiang Shaoyun's group. That was the work of Du Xuanhao the Saber Emperor.
"Big Brother Du, I want the leader alive," said Xiang Shaoyun.
"Sure," Du Xuanhao replied as he started slaughtering his opponents.
Badar was completely dumbstruck. He had just realized that he had provoked the wrong opponent this time. He took out an object and tried to call for help from his companions in the city, but before he could do that, Du Xuanhao stamped him into the ground. Du Xuanhao was now a ninth-stage Emperor, residing at the peak of the realm. It was far too easy for him to defeat these opponents.
"I beg you, please spare me," Badar quickly begged, not daring to resist at all.
"You want to live? Sure. But you have to be obedient. Or else, you will end up like them," said Xiang Shaoyun.
"Yes, yes, I will definitely be obedient. I will do whatever you tell me to," Badar completely conceded.
In truth, he was still scheming inwardly. He was hoping that they would spare him for now. The moment they entered the city, his gang leader would definitely come rescue him. Little did he know that he was now beyond saving.
"Good. Open up your soul to me and do not resist. Otherwise, just wait to be destroyed in both body and soul," said Xiang Shaoyun, smiling like a fiend.
Badar instantly grew anxious. "W-what are you trying to do?"
"You don't need to know. Just shut up and do as told. This is your only choice if you want to live," said Xiang Shaoyun.
He then activated his Nether Dragon Soul Curse, sending numerous abstruse symbols drifting through the air toward Badar. Instantly, Badar's soul reacted. He could sense that the symbols were definitely bad for him, and he started struggling by instinct.
As a seventh-stage Emperor, his soul power was considerably powerful. The current Xiang Shaoyun was completely incapable of binding his soul with force. And thus, his curse was defeated and failed to accomplish anything.
"He actually dares to resist? Big Brother Du, let him suffer for a bit," said Xiang Shaoyun.
Du Xuanhao immediately increased the strength in which he stepped on Badar, pushing him into the ground and causing him to yell in pain unceasingly. Xiang Shaoyun took this chance to use his curse again, trying to put Badar under his control.
Badar still struggled initially, but with Du Xuanhao stepping on him harder and harder, he could no longer put much focus on guarding his soul. Bit by bit, Xiang Shaoyun's curse latched on. Finally, a secondary Nether Dragon Soul Headband formed around Badar's soul, and the curse started eating away at his soul like maggots.
"Ahhhh!"
Badar started howling miserably, feeling like 10,000 maggots were chewing on his brain at the same time. His mental fortitude started collapsing from the intense suffering that made being alive feel worse than death.
Unfortunately for him, the pain would only torture him and not kill. He rolled about on the ground, and the pain even reached a point he started knocking his head against the rocks in the area to try to kill himself. Even Du Xuanhao shivered at the sight. More and more, he found Xiang Shaoyun to be completely shrouded in a veil of mystery.
What secret technique is this exactly to be capable of torturing even a seventh-stage Emperor to such an extent?
After a while, Xiang Shaoyun finally stopped chanting. He looked at the battered and exhausted Badar before saying, "From now onward, you will be loyal to this young master. Otherwise, you will relive the same experience where living is worse than death. Also, don't dream that you will be free after my death. You will also die if I die."
Badar was filled with utter regret, and he hated himself for somehow provoking such a little fiend out of nowhere.
"Badar pledges absolute and eternal loyalty to the young master," pledged Badar while kneeling before Xiang Shaoyun. He never wanted to experience the same suffering ever again.
"Good. Now tell me the current situation in the Bloodsin City," said Xiang Shaoyun with a satisfied look on his face.