Meanwhile, in the deepest chamber of the cave.
In the dimly lit chamber, the leader of the evil organization sat comfortably on a large, blackened stone chair, flanked by his two deputy leaders.
The air around them was filled with light smoke that looked like incense, but the yang energy mixed in revealed this was no ordinary incense.
This was a special type of incense, crafted using the yang qi of fallen cultivators and mixed with rare materials tailored for evil practitioners.
The cultivator who had been killed and used in the incense had been a well-known figure on this continent.
As the leader leaned back with a contented look, a sinister grin spread across his face as he glanced at his deputies.
"Look at us now," he sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Who would've thought we'd come this far?"
His deputies chuckled darkly, one of them licking his lips in anticipation.
"We used to be nobodies, bowing our heads to those more powerful because of their so-called talents," the leader continued. "But now, we'll use those same people to fuel our growth."
One deputy, grinning, responded, "You've truly outdone yourself, Leader. This ritual will be our first step toward becoming one of the most powerful forces in the world."
The leader's grin widened, and he nodded slowly. "Indeed. But this is just the beginning."
His eyes gleamed with twisted ambition. "The fools in the city think they're safe, that their precious festival will go on without a hitch.
Little do they know, they're all part of my plan. Their lives will be sacrificed, their essence absorbed into this formation, and my cultivation will soar to heights I once only dreamed of."
His laughter echoed through the chamber, dark and malevolent. "And once we've drained them dry, we'll leave this place stronger than ever. We will be like the Xu family, spreading our power across the continent."
"We've already set the stage," he said, his voice dripping with certainty. "The nodes are in place, and the formation is gathering power as we speak. It won't be long now."
They shared a moment of silent satisfaction, united in their dark ambition. Their hatred for the Xu family and the other powerful families was palpable.
To them, it reflected the resentment of the old world—the poor despising the rich, those left behind in this new world despising those who had been given everything.
The leader turned his gaze toward the cave wall, where he imagined the city beyond, unaware of the impending danger.
He could almost imagine the beginning of the sacrificial formation and feel the life and yang energies flowing toward him.
"The fools think they can live in peace, but I'll show them the cost of underestimating me. This world will be mine to shape, and the Xu family will be the first to fall."
The leader let out another dark, maniacal laugh, and the deputies joined him. The room was filled with their collective ambition, their desire for power seeping into every corner.
"Once this is done," the leader said, his voice brimming with confidence, "we'll move on to the next city, the next continent.
We'll keep doing the same thing, and soon, everyone will tremble before us. They'll all kneel at my feet, begging for mercy."
He rose from his stone chair, pacing around the chamber, his dark robe trailing behind him.
"Prepare yourselves. We're on the brink of greatness. When the formation activates, we'll have our first major boost. Nothing will stop us after that."
The leader's laughter echoed through the chamber, filling the air as his twisted vision of the future unfolded in his mind.
His deputies exchanged eager glances, the thrill of impending power coursing through them.
"To the top," the leader said, raising his hand as if he could already grasp the future he so desperately craved. "No one will stop us."
But as the leader reveled in his plans, the soft rumbling of the cave floor went unnoticed by the trio. Their ambitions had blinded them to the threat slowly creeping closer.