Poison God's Heritage

The instant I released my pressure, the cultivators didn't even try to understand what was happening. Fear drove them; they turned and attempted to flee as if their lives depended on it—because they did.

"SIT. DOWN!" I bellowed, unleashing a considerable portion of my cultivation energy, letting it wash over them like a tidal wave. The force was inescapable, crushing them to the ground and forcing them onto their knees. Trembling and powerless, they shuddered as the weight of my power kept them pinned.

One of the more desperate ones fumbled at his holding bag, fingers trembling as he pulled out a jade token. Before I could even move, the Jade Dragon was already there. In a flash of movement, the cultivator's arm was severed cleanly, the jade slipping from his grip. The man screamed in agony as his arm hit the ground, blood spilling freely.

The Jade Dragon held up the severed limb, his expression calm and composed. "It's a rescue jade," he said, tossing the arm aside. "He was trying to summon reinforcements."

I nodded to him in approval. He'd acted swiftly—there would be no calls for help.

Before I could begin questioning them, my bracelet buzzed. I tapped it, and the familiar voice of the Blue Sun came through, her tone as cold and efficient as ever.

"Shen Bao, what's your situation?"

"We've captured a few cultivators. They've been bringing settlers to these feeding grounds," I replied, keeping my voice neutral, even though the stench of death and decay around us was enough to turn the stomach of any ordinary person.

A pause followed. "I assume you're investigating the Liberator, aren't you?" she asked.

Quick as ever,

I thought. "Yes," I admitted, "we're gathering more information now."

The Blue Sun's voice was steady, but I could hear something darker behind her words. "I've just reached a feeding ground myself. Rakshasa everywhere, though not anymore—they're all dead."

"Impressive," I muttered, exchanging a glance with Tao Yang. "We've only just gathered the captors."

Her next words sent a cold shiver down my spine. "Captors?" she repeated. "We didn't find any living settlers—only corpses. Dead villages. No signs of life, just... remains."

My frown deepened. "How did you find out about the Liberator then?"

There was a brief pause, and when she spoke again, I could feel the weight of her words. "Dao Shen... he used his soul ability. He caught the final moments of a settler's lingering soul who had recently died. In their last moments, they prayed to the Liberator."

I narrowed my eyes. "So, the Liberator's influence reaches that far..." I began to connect the pieces, the puzzle becoming clearer but no less horrifying.

"Something isn't adding up. You need to regroup with us," I said, already starting to piece together what might have happened.

"Send me your location," she said, and I quickly transmitted it through the communication device. "We'll be there shortly."

I closed the communication link and turned to my group. "We'll be regrouping with the Blue Sun sooner than we thought."

"What's wrong?" Tao Yang asked, her expression tense, as if bracing herself for something worse.

I sighed. "She found another feeding ground, but all the cultivators and settlers are dead. It seems the rakshasa at her location killed the cultivators and swarmed out of the feeding ground."

"LIES!" one of the captured cultivators suddenly shouted, his voice hoarse with panic. He seemed emboldened, though I could sense the desperation behind his words.

The Fire King, who had been standing silently nearby, barely reacted. With one swift motion, he delivered a brutal kick to the man's chest, sending him skidding across the floor. He tumbled toward the edge of the massive pit, where he clawed at the ground, desperately trying to keep himself from falling into the abyss.

Meng Hao started to move, likely to intercede, but I held up a hand. "Let's see what the Fire King does."

The Fire King walked slowly toward the terrified man, flames already dancing along his fingers. His expression was cold, detached. He wasn't interested in this man's words—only in breaking him.

He crouched by the man's side, grabbing his arms with hands now burning with intense fire. The smell of sizzling flesh filled the air as the man screamed, writhing in pain.

"Speak," the Fire King said, his voice disturbingly calm.

The man sobbed, his voice cracking under the pain. "Please! Please! I'll speak! Just stop!"

The Fire King pulled him back from the edge and pinned him to the ground with his foot, the flames searing the ground around them. "Go on then," he said, pressing down harder.

"The Fallen Ones," the man gasped. "They never leave the hole! They can't! They're under strict orders from the Liberator—they wouldn't go against him! The stories you've heard... they're lies!"

The Fire King glanced at me. "His heartbeat hasn't changed, and his body temperature is stable. He's telling the truth."

I frowned. "Then something's not adding up. The Blue Sun isn't the type to get details like this wrong."

The Fire King said nothing, instead slamming his hand into the man's forehead, flames erupting as he forcefully extracted the man's soul from his body. The glowing, writhing spirit appeared above him, shrouded in flame. Unlike my Soul Search, which was more methodical, the Fire King's approach was violent and destructive. The man's soul twisted in agony, his memories burning as they were displayed for us all to see.

Images began to form in the flickering flames: scenes of settlers being led to their deaths, fed to the rakshasa in the pit below. But it was more than that. We saw how the settlers were herded, how their lives were dictated by the whims of the Liberator and his cult-like following of cultivators. The stories about Tao Yang—the lies that had been spread about her being the Dread Princess—became all too clear.

The memories laid bare the manipulation, the deception. The Liberator had woven a tale of Tao Yang being responsible for the creation of the rakshasa, of her incestuous relationship with her father that had supposedly birthed the abominations. It was all lies—lies that had poisoned the minds of these people for generations.

I glanced at Tao Yang as the memories unfolded. Her eyes were dark, filled with a growing storm of rage. The lies had cut deep, and the full extent of the slander against her and heroic father was now painfully clear.

But the memories didn't stop there. They revealed something even more disturbing. This settlement wasn't unique. There were hundreds—thousands—just like it, scattered all over Solarous. Each one followed the same sickening pattern: humans bred as cattle, fed to the rakshasa to keep them sated.

At the center of it all was the Liberator's stronghold, the nerve center from which he controlled this horrific system of slavery and death.

I clenched my fists as the last of the man's soul burned away, his essence disintegrating into ash. There would be no reincarnation for him—not after this.

"Well," the Fire King said casually, brushing off his hands. "That's one less annoyance to deal with."

I nodded, my mind racing. "We now know where the Liberator is operating from."

Tao Yang's rage was palpable, her eyes locked on the spot where the man's soul had been destroyed. "This Liberator... he has to answer for this," she muttered, her voice trembling with fury.

"And he will," I said, my voice firm. "We know where he is, it's time to have a talk."

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