Chapter 501 - 482: Converting to Demon Land

Chapter 501: Chapter 482: Converting to Demon Land

’This aura... Is that the Blood God True Monarch?’

Bai Zichen halted. An incredibly powerful and utterly evil aura suddenly erupted from within the Blood Sea Sect’s mountain gate.

A Blood Shadow shot out of the Grand Array and pounced on a Joyful Sect Cultivator, instantly draining him until nothing remained but an empty Magical Robe.

The Battle Array Spiritual Light swept past, striking empty air as it passed right through the Blood Shadow.

"Where did this skulking rat come from!"

Ruoxi cried out sharply. She pointed the precious vase in her hand forward, and a ball of cyan light shot out, chasing the Blood Shadow.

The Blood Shadow was pinned in place by the cyan light, but in less than a breath, it shattered into thousands of even finer Blood Shadows and scattered in all directions.

The protective barrier around Ruoxi couldn’t withstand the gnawing of a few Blood Shadows, and cracks soon appeared.

As she retreated and cried for help, she condensed a Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect within her Realm that was about seventy to eighty percent similar to her own face.

At first glance, no one would have considered them the same person. The Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect was dignified and solemn, devoid of any frivolity. It held a golden pillar-banner, planting it firmly in front of her.

Dozens of Blood Shadows were trapped inside the golden pillar-banner, but under their relentless assault, hairline cracks soon began to appear.

Ruoxi steeled herself, pushed the condensed Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect forward to hold them back, and rapidly retreated toward the Profound Lady.

The Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect was the very core of her Realm, containing the essence of her several hundred years of Cultivation.

If it were destroyed, her future as a Cultivator would be completely ruined. She would never have another few hundred years to re-condense her Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect.

Yet her actions were decisive, for she felt a sense of powerlessness she usually only experienced when facing her Senior Sister.

Soon, Ruoxi’s choice was proven to be the right one.

In less than ten breaths, the Bodhisattva Dharma Aspect was torn into shimmering fragments of light by innumerable Blood Shadows.

A sharp pain shot through Ruoxi’s heart. "BLURGH!" She spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if she had been completely hollowed out.

Horrifyingly, the blood she had spat out gathered in mid-air, condensed into a faceless Blood Shadow, and shot off in the opposite direction.

SWOOSH!

A single point of white light pinned the Blood Shadow in place, as if nailing it firmly to the void. It struggled, but could not break free.

Only by looking closely could one see that the point of white light was a star-shaped earring.

"Activate the Ten Thousand Thunder Dragon Transformation Map! Switch the Battle Array to the Yin and Yang complementary formation! Nascent Soul True Monarchs, hold your positions as planned."

The Profound Lady’s voice was steady, betraying no emotional fluctuation.

With a wave of her fair hand, a Starlight Whip of ever-changing form landed in her grasp.

With a single crack of the whip, several Blood Shadows exploded. Its every move left a trail of brilliant starlight.

’It’s a pity. I’m still missing Celestial Star Silver Sand and Cosmic Light Divine Sand. Otherwise, the Nine Heavens Star Whip could have ascended to a Top-Grade Spiritual Treasure in my hands!’

The Profound Lady wielded the Joyful Sect’s heirloom Spiritual Treasure, holding back the endlessly splitting, inexhaustible Blood Shadows and annihilating one from time to time.

Although the Blood God True Monarch—who was supposed to be grievously injured—had suddenly appeared, his Divine Techniques were still as bizarre as ever. He had crippled most of Ruoxi’s combat strength the moment he arrived.

However, his strength was only at the Peak of Mid-Stage Nascent Soul, and the Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword that she feared was nowhere to be seen.

’Did he over-expend the Demon Sword to dispel that Sword Intent, rendering it unusable?’

She speculated inwardly. Without a Tier Five Flying Sword, even if the Blood God True Monarch had miraculously recovered from his injuries in such a short time, he could not possibly defeat her.

Below, Lan Qingyun led a group of Five Thunders Sect disciples. Each held a section of the Array Map and stood in their designated position.

The Divine Thunders they each cultivated were different, but they perfectly corresponded to the Thunder Skills on the Ten Thousand Thunder Dragon Transformation Map. Using their powers as a catalyst to activate the Array Map, they summoned five bolts of lightning as thick as mountain pillars.

Following the Array Map’s design, the lightning instantly formed a Thunder Net that enveloped the entire Mountain Gate, and it began to rapidly shrink.

"You fools don’t know what’s good for you. I was going to spare your lives, but you just had to rush to your deaths!"

The thousands of disparate parts reconverged into a single Blood Shadow, which swept a cold gaze across everyone present.

It pressed its palms downward. A mournful cry echoed from the base of the mountain as it actively severed the Earth Vein. Having lost its foundation, the Grand Array collapsed like a row of dominoes, uncontrollably disintegrating link by link.

Blood gurgled up from the ground, submerging the Cultivators’ calves in an instant.

"He’s turning this into a Demon Land... Blood God Son, you’re insane!"

The Profound Lady cried out in alarm. She realized that this seemingly self-destructive act by the Blood God True Monarch was actually an attempt to transform the entire Spirit Vein of the Blood Sea Sect into an environment mimicking the Heavenly Demon Realm.

By causing the Blood Sea to flood the area, in a short while, every Cultivator’s Cultivation would drop by an entire stage within this environment.

In contrast, the Blood Sea Sect Cultivators, whose Hundred Demons Blood Sea Technique originated from the Blood Sea itself, would not be weakened but would actually be strengthened.

Such an act was strictly forbidden in the Cultivation Realm, and would be condemned by both the Righteous and Demonic Daos.

Furthermore, not just anyone could accomplish this. It was impossible without the Cultivation of a Great True Monarch and a complete Celestial Demon’s legacy.

The Profound Lady cursed inwardly. Such things used to happen frequently in the Near Ancient era and before.

But as those old demons of the Descent Realm either ran out of lifespan, were sealed, or perished, such incidents had not occurred for a very long time.

There had never been any rumors about the Blood Sea Sect possessing such a thing. A sect with a complete Celestial Demon legacy would, sooner or later, reveal traces of it through their use of Divine Techniques.

"Hold the formation! Retreat slowly!"

The tables had turned in an instant.

Without the Grand Array to protect them, the Blood Sea Sect Cultivators unleashed countless rays of blood light, forcing the Joyful Sect’s Battle Array into a steady retreat.

Three Nascent Soul cultivators from the Blood Sea Sect faced one Bodhisattva and two Divine Generals, immediately gaining the upper hand. In just a short time, the Joyful Sect members were in constant peril.

The Profound Lady felt her True Essence becoming sluggish and slow. She could only exhale a breath of Pure Qi. A Divine Tree in her Realm was nourished by it, and countless flower petals fluttered out.

The blood-water automatically parted around her as she tried to make a swift escape.

With a flash, the Blood God True Monarch appeared before her, blocking her path.

"Such a sweet-smelling Nascent Soul, such a pure aura of the Nine Heavens... I never expected your Sect to possess a genuine treasure from the Upper Realm!"

The Blood God True Monarch had an intoxicated expression, licking his lips as if preparing to savor a delicacy. The sight was bone-chilling.

...

’Something isn’t right. He’s different from the Blood God True Monarch I know!’

Alarm bells rang in Bai Zichen’s mind. He had just fought a life-or-death battle against the Blood God True Monarch, so the memory was still fresh.

Leaving aside the question of whether the Blood God True Monarch could have recovered from the mortal wounds inflicted by the Star River Sword Array in just a few years, his Combat style and the Divine Techniques he was using had changed significantly.

Bai Zichen refused to believe that he had been holding back his trump cards during their perilous battle.

Furthermore, the idea that he had mastered a new Great Divine Technique in such a short period while also healing his wounds was simply preposterous.

’Could it be that, like Du Heng, he willingly walked the path of an Ancient Demon in exchange for power?’

Bai Zichen’s mind raced as he arrived at a seemingly outrageous, yet logical, conclusion.

’But Nan Chu doesn’t have a famous Demon-Sealing Land like the Burial Immortal Valley. Perhaps there’s some other Profound Mechanism within the Blood Sea... In any case, escaping is the best option. Even if I were willing to expose my identity and go all out, I couldn’t possibly kill the Blood God True Monarch in this state!’

He had originally planned to ensure the Blood God True Monarch couldn’t reveal his secrets, while also taking the opportunity to strike at a rival power. The complete annihilation of the Blood Sea Sect would have been the ideal outcome.

However, from the looks of it now, the Joyful Sect was clearly outmatched. They were on the verge of a crushing defeat.

One of the Divine Generals had already been entangled by Blood Shadows and dragged to the ground, half of his body submerged in the bloody water.

Countless dark shapes swam toward him from beneath the surface, gnawing and tearing at his flesh. Even for a Nascent Soul Body Cultivator, weakened as he was by the Blood Sea environment, bloody gashes soon appeared all over his body as strips of his flesh were ripped away.

But the Blood Sea Sect’s triumph would be short-lived. Transforming the land into a Demon Land was the ultimate taboo. The Moral Sect had issued a decree to the entire Cultivation Realm: regardless of whether one belonged to the Righteous Dao, the Demonic Dao, or the Miscellaneous Sects, anyone who dared commit such an act would be charged with the great crime of subverting the Human Race.

The punishment was the utter annihilation of one’s clan and sect, with no mercy.

Bai Zichen knew he only had to wait a few years to hear news of Celestial Punishment Peak’s army descending upon them, just as they had upon Zengguang Immortal City.

After silently killing two oblivious Core Formation Cultivators in his way, he reached the outer edge of the battlefield. He could leave at any moment, but a group of people blocked his path.

"Fellow Daoist Li, where do you think you’re going? Why don’t you stay and accompany the Joyful Sect Cultivators on their final journey!"

Ma Chengguang led three Core Formation Cultivators, surrounding him. A faint, bloody light shimmered on each of their bodies.

As a sect that had splintered off from the Blood Sea Sect, the higher-ups of the Six Jia Sect all carried Blood Pearls, which protected them from the effects of the Blood Sea environment.

The group had already joined forces to kill several other Core Formation Cultivators.

Seeing that this ’Li Hansi’ from the Central Domain was trying to flee, Ma Chengguang felt a surge of courage and led his men to surround him.

So what if he was at Core Formation Perfection? Inside this Blood Sea, he wasn’t necessarily a match for one Mid-Stage and three Early-Stage Core Formation Cultivators.

Even if he proved difficult to handle, they only needed to delay him for a moment. Blood Sea Sect Cultivators would arrive, and their victory would be assured.

’A Core Formation Perfection Cultivator from the Central Domain... he might have a Treasure on him related to reaching the Nascent Soul realm!’

Ma Chengguang’s heart burned with avarice.

Bai Zichen was exasperated. He never expected a few mere Core Formation Cultivators to try and stop him. He was just about to wave his hand and finish them off when a stunning, ethereal light flared not far behind him.

SHING!

Heaven and earth were sundered. A fleeting, ethereal light was all that remained.