Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

On the second day out of City Thirteen, Liam's large group was camping at this very moment between two areas of powerful forest beasts near the outer cities of Demon Gate.

There, some members of the three factions were standing on guard, while others were cultivating inside tents and others were eating around a campfire in the early evening.

Torches illuminated the outskirts of the camp, while Liam stood next to Grace and Nance, eating and chatting leisurely.

With almost two days of hunting behind them, the group was flicking toward their goal. Initially, there were 19 members in the group searching for their new Spirits. By the second night of the hunt, they had already accomplished more than half of their objective, with 10 companions having got new Spirits.

Among these fortunate individuals were Electa and Ann, the only ones of Liam's women to have acquired new Spirits so far. Joan and Mary still needed to secure their Spirits, while members from the three factions also had one or two individuals each needing to complete their hunts.

The group was also tasked with collecting the month's Arcane Crystals, and some members had already gathered the amounts needed to fulfill their missions. However, the group was large, and more than half still needed to hunt dozens of beasts to meet the required quotas for their mandatory missions.

Meanwhile, Jane was making the most of the opportunity Liam had given her to collect valuable wild plants, having already gathered some interesting herbs. In an earlier conversation, Liam learned she planned to seek advancement to the third realm soon after this opportunity.

Jane wasn't his women, but Liam was pleased to hear about her progress. If she advanced to the third realm in the next few days, she could join him in the inner wing of the sect. After all, she was younger than him and would meet the requirements for promotion to Officer just like him.

"… You need to prepare to make your moves as soon as we return to the city. I don't know how the division of newly promoted Officers works, but should hurry up," Liam said to Nance and Gloria while they both held bowls of soup.

Grace added, "Don't worry. Everyone who is promoted to the rank of Officer goes to the same city. In fact, the inner wing of the sect is different from the outer wing.

While here we are divided into cities, regardless of our cultivation, there we will be divided according to our ranks. Officers and First Officers live in City Four, while Commanders and Guardians live in City Three. Division Chiefs and Elders live in City Two, while City One is the home of the Supreme Leader, but also the training and governing center of the sect."

"As soon as we enter the inner ward, we'll be assigned to the same area. That will make our plans a little easier. But we'll be divided into groups according to our abilities and background in the sect. Then we'll probably be separated into missions in a few months' time." Nance was the one to mention it.

Liam hadn't yet spoken to these two about his intention to flee the sect. Trust wasn't the problem there. He'd simply had little time to discuss the matter with them and find out if they were interested in running away.

It must be said that not every Demon Gate disciple wanted to flee the sect. At the beginning of their journeys there, certainly the vast majority of disciples hated the sect. But as they rose in power and came to have more benefits than responsibilities, many adapted perfectly to the place and even forgot their previous origins.
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Liam still didn't have a plan ready for his escape, but he imagined that something like faking his death sounded good. But that wouldn't work if he left behind women who knew he wanted to escape.

Once again, the problem wasn't his trust in them. But he didn't know what kind of interrogation method his superiors at Demon Gate were capable of using...

But today still wasn't the day for him to talk to them about it.

"When is your promotion exam?"

"Mine will be the day after your fight against William," Grace said and looked curiously at Nance.

Nance couldn't take the same exam as her, so the green-haired girl would have to wait for the subsequent exam.

"I'm going to fight for my promotion in three weeks," Nance said as she looked at Liam.

"Good. Hopefully, you'll all be there before I do missions outside the city. But is there any chance of me fulfilling my responsibilities as an Officer in City Thirteen in the meantime?" he asked the two most experienced Demon Gate members he knew.

Grace shook her head in denial. "No. The sect has rules to prevent Officers from hunting down former rivals in their outer cities. An Officer who works in City Thirteen has to have been an outer disciple in one of the other cities.

You will probably be assigned to one of the other eight outer cities of the sect."

While they were talking, suddenly one woman from Nance's faction made a warning gesture, making everyone on guard watch the south of the area, until, even those relaxing, realized that something was happening.

Apart from those who, like Mary and Felicity, were meditating in tents, everyone else went on alert, leaving what they were doing to pay attention to their surroundings.

Liam moved along with Grace and Nance, arriving at the front where one of his companions had noticed something.

He followed with them, while leaving the group behind to keep the camp safe.

Close to where they were staying for the night, another group of Spirit Masters, slightly smaller than their own, 11 individuals, were moving in combat position towards them.

As Liam's group had noticed, these Spirit Masters also noticed that there were others nearby. In particular, this group noticed the size of the coalition there that night.

"Mid-level Spirit Earth cultivators..." Liam muttered as he looked at his two companions. "They're not from City Thirteen."

"They must be peak disciples from other fjord cities," Grace muttered, her hands ready to summon weapons and engage in combat. "They could be from a powerful faction, something hard to see in the area, or allies, like us. It's not uncommon for alliances to form to hunt powerful beasts in the area."

"Some of the best beasts in the forest are in the territories of fourth realm creatures, so groups like this aren't as strange as you might think." Nance explained to Liam.

"I see..." Liam looked back at the group that would soon face them, made up of cultivators with 4-Star cultivation.

This was a group almost as strong as the previous Arena top 10 from City Thirteen!

'It's no wonder they're confident about approaching us. They are probably the most talented in their city... But what do they want?'

Liam wondered.

A battle between their two groups wouldn't end well for either side. But clearly, the group approaching them was looking for a fight.

Was this just to take their resources and Arcane Crystals? Or was there something more behind it?

Liam felt a familiar sensation and when he looked at the enemy ahead of the group as soon as they stopped in front of him, he understood the situation.

'{Black Art}!'

"Be careful in the fight. I'll try to deal with that opponent, but he'll definitely try to deal with your demonic Spirits." He warned the two as he signaled for some of his group to move on to this place.

"What are you talking about?" Nance asked.

No one in his group knew about {Black Art} and the Secret Hunt mission.

Liam didn't intend to say everything, but he summed it up quickly. "This group is here to hunt us. In particular, their leader is going to hunt our demons and me. But I'll do the same for them. Follow my command."

The two looked at him with several questions in their minds, but accepted this temporary explanation.

As the marching enemies had already done when they saw him, the three summoned their Spirits, with Liam bringing only Thal'Korr along.

Liam did not expect the blue star in his soul space to assist him every time he needed it.

He didn't want to risk the Silver-Winged Leopard, especially when he would soon need this Spirit desperately to face the strongest enemy of his journey in Demon Gate.

Meanwhile, Liam was equipped with his weapon and armor, accompanied by his two companions and their Spirits, all of whom were in the third realm, ready to assist in the fight.

He locked eyes with the blond man leading the opposing group, the one marked with the {Black Art}. Their eyes met, and both understood that only one of them would leave this confrontation alive.

The blond man sensed a strong fluctuation emanating from Liam and instinctively knew that this opponent was what he needed to complete the second phase of the Secret Hunt mission.

Raising his weapon, he signaled his group to attack, moving alongside various Spirits to confront their adversaries.

Liam mirrored this action, initiating the battle between mission competitors, driven by a similar determination as his opponent.

'After this fight, I'll complete the second phase of the Secret Hunt!'

Liam moved with this goal in mind, as well as the intention to protect the Spirits of his companions.