After the Demonic Cultivators agreed, the cultivators inside the Formation divided themselves into two groups: one slightly smaller group of Demonic Cultivators and the other a slightly larger group of people that consisted of the disciples of the Purple Spirit Sect and their Subordinate Sects.

Yet, despite their separation, their actions were almost exactly the same: they sat down cross-legged, stuffed their faces with pills and meditated to heal themselves.

Xiao Hong herself sat down and began to refine a Control Token. Even if her body ached all over from that 6th Disaster Cultivator’s slap, she needed to get this done as quickly as possible.

Unlike what one would think, the refinement of a Control Token did not really need the expertise in Artefact Refining. The Control Token was just a miniature version of the Array Formation inscribed on a piece of Spirit Jade, which is then connected to the Array Formation itself.

Through the resonance between the two, which is amplified by the connection, one can control the Array Formation.

After that, another layer was added on top of this. This layer could be considered something like macros that executed a specific series of actions in the layer beneath.

In a nutshell, it could be described as a User Interface, but for Array Formations to be used by Cultivators.

Taking out a piece of Spirit Jade from her Storage Bag, she closed her eyes and started pushing her Zhenqi into the piece of Spirit Jade, carefully controlling it to inscribe patterns and nodes made of runes into it. If one looked carefully, one would notice that patterns matched the flow of Energy of the actual Array Formation.

The nodes matched the Minor and Major Nodes. And the Runes represented the specific Treasure used to make the said Node.

In just an hour, she had finished refining the Control Token. But she didn’t say anything and continued to pretend as if she were still refining the Control Token.

“{Senior Brother Gu, Senior Sister Jun, I’ve finished refining the Control Token}” She informed them.

“{Ehh? So fast?!}” Jun Meiling was rather surprised. She thought it would take Xiao Hong at least a few more hours to refine the Control Token!

“{Keep pretending to refine the Control token for another hour. The Red-striped Demon Jackal’s Beast Incense has not taken a good enough hold.}” Gu Ran sent a qi transmission.

Both Xiao Hong’s and Jun Meiling’s mouths twitched violently!

‘Damn! What a vicious fellow! Is he trying to use all the Red-striped Demon Jackals in the entire forest to screw these Demonic Cultivators over?’ Xiao Hong shuddered once again. Normally, when using this Beast Incense, just a few minutes were enough, but this fellow wanted to make them stew in it for two whole hours!

She once again affirmed her resolution to not offend Gu Ran! This narrow-minded old fogie was like a mad dog that bit onto you and would not let you go until he’d ripped you to pieces! He was not so different from the Red-striped Demon Jackals!

Xiao Hong felt a slight pity for these Demonic Cultivators when a burst of pain surged through her body, causing her to gasp slightly, “Tss!”

Instantly, all pity disappeared!

‘Dammit, I should’ve let them stew in the Beast Incense for a few more days!’

***

About an hour later, Gu Ran stood up and walked over to the Demonic Cultivators. The Demonic Cultivators that noticed his approach were filled with equal parts anticipation and equal parts wariness and fear.

A pleasant smile appeared on Gu Ran’s face, “Fellow Daoists of the Demonic Path, Junior Sister Xiao has finished refining the Control Token. You can take your leave now!”

Instantly, the Demonic Cultivators rejoiced!

“However, please understand that we can only let you go one at a time - we have to open and close the Formation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if there are Cultivators from your Demonic Path waiting in ambush, our efforts would be for naught.” Gu Ran spoke with a helpless expression on his face.

“We understand, Fellow Daoist Gu, we’ll leave one by one.” The blonde 7th Disaster Demonic Cultivator nodded while inwardly sighing in relief. Everything was fine as long as he kept his life!

In just a minute, the Demonic Cultivators had arranged themselves into a long queue facing the barrier, with the weaker Cultivators at the back and the stronger ones at the front. At the front, Gu Ran and Jun Meiling stood guard.

Gu Ran took out the Control Token refined by Xiao Hong and controlled the Formation. The Formation, responding to the Control Token slowly opened a gap from the ground. A minute later, it stopped at the size of not much bigger than a small dog hole.

“Fellow Daoist, why is the gap so small?” The 7th Disaster Cultivator who stood at the forefront asked sceptically. “Is the Control Token not refined properly?”

Gu Ran shrugged, seemingly helpless, “Forgive me, Fellow Daoist - we still need to be wary of your Demonic Path’s Cultivators waiting outside in ambush. We can only open as small a gap as possible.” Even though his tone and body language seemed helpless, the sneer plastered across his face couldn’t be any more obvious!

He was forcing them to crawl out like dogs!

The Demonic Cultivators’ faces turned hideous in rage and humiliation. Yet, they could say nothing. They could only bear this humiliation and suppress their boiling blood!

This was a humiliation they would never be able to wash off!

The Demonic Cultivator spat out from between his gritted teeth. “Alright!” He bent down and crawled on all fours, barely suppressing the wrath and hatred.

Just as he reached the gap, he saw a leg blocking his way. Looking up he saw Gu Ran smirking down at him, eyes filled with disdain, “Isn’t Fellow Daoist going to thank us?”

The Demonic Cultivator’s body tremored. Every fibre of his being was filled with the desire to attack Gu Ran, rip him to pieces and feast on his remains!

Yet, there was nothing he could do. He valued his life far more! So smiled tightly and spat out the words: “T-Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for letting us go!”

“Haha! Fellow Daoist, we’re each following our ends of the deal! There’s no need to thank us!” Gu Ran laughed out loud, as though he’d never uttered those words!

Crack-crack-crack! The sound of bones popping sounded from the Demonic Cultivator! His fists were clenched so hard they cracked on their own!

At this moment, an unquenchable desire to jump straight up and fight Gu Ran to the death ignited within him! He looked up to see Gu Ran looking down at him, apparently in anticipation. This bastard really wanted him to jump up and fight!

And he knew why he was so confident - the other Demonic Cultivators would never support him if he really chose to fight. In fact, they were probably secretly hoping that he would fight - they could use the distraction caused to escape - the Formation was apparently hard to operate, seeing as how long it took Gu Ran to open up a dog-sized hole.

The Demonic Cultivator could only grind his teeth and swallow this humiliation - he could only, once again, suppress the lava that his blood had turned into and crawl out obediently!

But he knew. He knew that, from today onwards, an Inner Demon would form. An Inner Demon he would never get rid of unless he could inflict the same humiliation on these disciples. It was an Inner Demon that would hinder his Cultivation. It was an Inner Demon that the Heavens would take advantage of. It would erupt at the worst possible time - when he was going through the next Disaster. Even if he managed to pass the danger, and safely ascend to the 8th Disaster, he would still be too afraid to cross the 9th and final Disaster to ever achieve Nirvana.

In a nutshell, his Cultivation might really be cut off here!

Yet, all he could do was glare wrathfully at the Purple Spirit Sect’s disciples inside the Formation and receive mocking looks in return. This sort of revenge was also satisfying - being unable to advance in your Cultivation for the fear of death… That was unimaginable torture to Cultivators who valued their Cultivation almost as much as their lives!

The Demonic Cultivators could only bear the humiliation and crawled out one by one.

“Thank you for your leniency, Fellow Daoist Gu.” The last 6th Disaster Demonic Cultivator cupped her fists and gave him a coquettish smile. Yet, Gu Ran did not even acknowledge her. The Demoness could only grit her teeth in rage and humiliation as she crawled out - she who was paid attention to by every male Demonic Cultivator was now treated like air by this bastard!

The first 5th Disaster Demonic Cultivator stepped forward eagerly, trying to leave, “Thank you, Senior Gu - oof!” Instead of the fresh air outside, what greeted his face was a thick, tall and sturdy barrier. Grunting, the Demonic Cultivator looked at Gu Ran in confusion only to see a huge fist expanding in his vision.

Bang!

The Demonic Cultivator could not even muster the slightest resistance as his brain splattered all over the place.

As if a switch had been flipped, the Purple Spirit Sect’s disciples attacked the Demonic Cultivators with all their might, catching them off guard!

“Dammit! You bastard! You’re going back on your words!” A Demonic Cultivator glared at Gu Ran in hatred.

“Hahahaha! I never gave my word.” Gu Ran laughed uproariously, “And even if I did, so what?

“Against you Demonic Path trash,” Gu Ran’s contemptuous gaze swept over them, “do you really think I’ll abide by my words?”

Saying so, he also attacked, joining the other Purple Spirit Sect disciples!

Under the powerful assault of the Purple Spirit Sect, the Demonic Path’s Cultivators - who did not have any powerhouse that exceeded the 5th Disaster - were quickly killed or subdued.

“Dammit!” Some of the Demonic Cultivators that remained outside after leaving the Formation cursed and roared, yet they could only gaze as their Fellow Cultivators were quickly defeated and killed.