Why is it that despite continuous campaigns by successive dynasties, the inheritance of Witchcraft could never be completely severed?
There are two reasons.
First, demand creates a market.
How could such a convenient tool for political struggle and method of assassination be allowed to disappear?
Someone would always preserve a few seeds, and when the intensity of the subsequent crackdowns lessened, the inheritance would naturally resume.
Second, it's the Miao people.
Not all Miao people are capable of inheriting Witchcraft. Only the direct descendants of the Twelve Sect Branches of the Miao region are qualified to inherit it. So, logically, to eradicate Witchcraft, one only needs to eliminate the direct descendants of the Twelve Sect Branches.
However, as soon as the imperial forces arrive, they find themselves facing the unified resistance of all Miao people.
The Miao region itself is characterized by high mountains and deep waters, with many poisonous insects and miasma in the forests. The Miao people are accustomed to it, but the imperial army cannot advance through it.
After sweeping the periphery and breaking through a few villages, it becomes difficult to continue. Once they disappear into the forest, no one can do anything.
Because of these two points, Li Miao's idea was to “find an excuse that would not provoke collective enmity from the Miao people, and find a group of people who would not be met with collective enmity from the Miao people to act.”
Coincidentally, the major Southern Martial World sects, who were manipulated by the Miao people here, were quite suitable.
Right now, he needed to add more fuel to the fire.
“Chief Lao, don't just stand there, go and contend,” Li Miao said.
“Just ensure fewer people die; for everything else, follow my lead. When this matter is concluded, there will be no shortage of benefits for your Beggar Clan.”
“Yes, Sir,” Lao Qifeng quickly got into character.
It must be said that the young people in the martial arts world, like Mei Qinghe and that young disciple from Mount Hua, would stiffen their necks and assume a defiant posture of rather dying than submitting the moment they saw Li Miao.
However, seasoned veterans like Liu Baiyun, Lao Qifeng, and the heads of the Heng Mountain, Mount Heng, and Mount Song sects, were all quite discerning.
They readily agreed and immediately began to act.
Lao Qifeng flashed forward, striking out with a “Regretful Dragon” towards the Head of Kongtong Sect.
“Chief Lao, you!” he exclaimed in surprise.
“With divine skills before us, it's every man for himself!” Lao Qifeng summarized with a single sentence.
Then, with a “Divine Dragon Swings Tail,” he backhanded and swept the Emei Sect Elder into the fray, fighting two opponents at once without falling into a disadvantage.
As everyone fought with zeal, the Qingcheng Sect Head spotted an opening and secretly winked at his disciple.
The disciple understood, secretly took out a small packet from his sleeve, untied it, and a wisp of powder dispersed, colorless and odorless, unnoticed by anyone.
The Qingcheng Sect Head looked around, saw that no one had noticed, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he looked at Li Miao and Yin Minjun, the only two not engaged in the battle, and his pupils suddenly constricted.
Because at this moment, Li Miao was leaning against the stone wall, looking at him with a half-smile.
Their eyes met, and Li Miao even extended his hand, making a “please” gesture.
“What do you mean!?” the Qingcheng Sect Head was puzzled.
The person who left the sword wound on the disciple who went to step on the platform, besides Li Miao and Yongjie, there was no one else.
It was just that he didn't understand.
If he was also bribed by the Miao people, he shouldn't have stopped that disciple from stepping on the platform.
If he harbored ill will, why would he cover for him and direct suspicion elsewhere?
His thoughts raced, and the Qingcheng Sect Head gave up on thinking.
Anyway, victory was already decided.
Just then, rustling sounds came from all around the cave.
In the midst of the fierce battle, many people did not notice.
The Qingcheng Sect Head, however, brightened, and instantly retreated from the battle with his disciple.
His retreat left a huge opening. Yongjie roared, punched away two Emei Sect disciples, and broke through the encirclement.
The Emei Sect Elder, seeing his disciples injured and their fate unknown after falling, was also shocked and enraged, and was about to go forward to continue fighting Yongjie.
“Stop!”
Chief Lao shouted.
“Listen!”
Everyone listened intently, and their faces instantly turned pale.
Lao Qifeng turned to the Qingcheng Sect Head: “Your Excellency, why did you stop so early?”
No one else noticed, but the Qingcheng Sect Head and his disciple's retreat from the battle was clearly very conspicuous.
But the Qingcheng Sect Head laughed: “It's a long story, and I'm afraid none of you will live to hear me finish.”
He was no longer pretending at all.
The rustling sounds grew closer and had already reached the cave entrance.
Then, dense, countless Witchcraft worms crawled out, like a tide, surging towards everyone.
“Heh, after today, the Southern Martial World, apart from Shaolin, will be dominated by my Qingcheng Sect!”
The Qingcheng Sect Head sneered, secretly channeled his internal energy, and activated the Witchcraft worms that the Miao people had given him, claiming they could dispel Witchcraft.
A sweet, metallic taste surged up his throat.
“Pfft—”
The original text is at Six #9 @ Book / Bar!
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his front.
“This, this, this.”
His face was filled with horror.
“Head!”
A scream sounded beside him. He turned to look, and his face immediately turned pale.
He saw one of his trusted disciples, his mouth full of blood, and a small mountain of Witchcraft worms already gathered at his feet.
Those Witchcraft worms suddenly pierced their mouthparts into the disciple's skin, and then burrowed into his flesh.
He watched with his own eyes as several bulges appeared under the disciple's skin, moving upwards along his limbs, eventually revealing tentacles from his facial orifices.
Without even a second scream, the disciple crashed to the ground, and then was submerged by the Witchcraft worms.
“It's over, I'm a pawn…”
This last thought flashed through the Qingcheng Sect Head's mind before he was engulfed by the surging tide of Witchcraft worms, struggled a few times, and then fell silent.
Boom!
Bang!
The masters who had just been fighting to the death now tacitly gathered together, constantly unleashing their internal energy to repel the surging Witchcraft worms.
However, they were not “Xumi” after all; their internal energy was limited, and the previous chaotic battle had consumed a lot. At most, they could hold on for another stick of incense before they would find it difficult to continue.
Just then, an exclamation came from the crowd.
“Li Daxia!”
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
They saw Yin Minjun in a corner of the grotto, her face also pale, no longer caring about the propriety between men and women, pressing herself tightly against Li Miao's side.
Li Miao still maintained his composed demeanor, watching them with his arms crossed. However, when the Witchcraft worms reached within three feet of his feet, they scattered like waves parting around a reef, retreating on their own.
Since coming to the Miao region, Li Miao naturally wouldn't come without something for self-defense.
Before setting off, Xiao Si had given him a mother Witchcraft worm.
The mother Witchcraft worm, nurtured by human Witchcraft, as long as it was kept in Li Miao's embrace and activated, these Witchcraft worms would not dare to approach.
The Witchcraft worms that the Miao people promised to give to the Qingcheng Sect were actually only available from Li Miao.
Of course, if Li Miao wanted to, he could achieve the same effect with internal energy. However, he didn't want to expose his martial arts yet.
This play still had to continue for a while longer.
Until these major sects willingly followed him to the Miao region.
Thinking of this, Li Miao spoke loudly.
“Everyone, don't panic. I have something that can dispel Witchcraft worms.”
“Please wait a moment, I will take you out now.”