Spirit Realm

Qin Lie returned to Blood Spear’s training ground from the poisonous bog.

The normally lively forest was now completely empty. Even the severely injured personnel had evacuated from the area.

Qin Lie knew exactly where they went.

He also knew what would happen the moment they stepped out of this place—they would all die!

Since this place was already empty, it meant that Armament Sect was facing the biggest crisis it had ever encountered since it was founded.

If they could not survive this, then Armament Sect, a sect that could be called ancient with its nine hundred years of history, would be wiped off the face of Scarlet Tide Continent!

He did dally for a moment longer. His footsteps immediately quickened as he headed towards Flame Volcano at the highest speed he could manage.

At the peak of Flame Volcano.

The three great reverends and the seven inner sect elders looked down at Armament City from above. Their faces were pale, and their eyes flowed with incredibly obvious despair.

“The sect... the sect shall perish today!” Luo Zhichang's tears flowed as he fell to his knees in the direction of the spirit pattern pillar below. He looked at the twelve spirit pattern pillars which represented Armament Sect and wailed, “Our Armament Sect has nine hundred years of history. If we’re comparing our history, then Eight Extreme Temple and Profound Heaven Alliance would be far inferior! We of Armament Sect devoted our hearts into researching artifact forging and seldom involve ourselves in the conflicts of the continent, and all we wanted is just a peaceful environment. All we wanted is our freedom! But why is it just so difficult?!”

“This old fool shall live and die with the sect!” Fang Qi also knelt.

Jiang Hao also knelt quietly and cried out in tears, “Without the sect, there will be no Jiang Hao. I have dedicated my life to the sect, and today, I will dedicate one last time!”

The inner sect elders, Mo Hai and Tan Dongling, were affected by the three great reverends and knelt down in unison. Their eyes fell on the many spirit pattern pillars.

Even the two cowards, Qi Zheng and Meng Chen, could not think of anything else and obediently knelt on the floor, waiting for death’s arrival.

“Milord, our men are rapidly falling!” A Blood Spear martial practitioner appeared beside Lang Xie and reported, “The enemy has broken into the city, capturing and slaughtering our sect’s personnel one after another. We number too few, we cannot hold on at all. Milord, please give us an order!”

“Regroup within the sect. Even if we are to die, we will die inside the sect!” Lang Xie said in a low tone.

“Your wish is my command!” The man then bowed and sent out the order, telling all roaming Blood Spear martial practitioners still inside the city to regroup within the sect.

It was as Lang Xie had said. Even if they were to fight to their last, they would want to do so inside the sect.

On the plaza.

“Boom!”

Zhan Tianyi wore a set of platinum armor while his entire body flowed with an immense divine and majestic energy. He walked in front of Xue Li like a god.

Above his head, a godly silhouette which was emanating turbulent intimidation and glaring light bizarrely formed.

The godly figure was as tall and wide as a mountain, and its aura covered the entire city like the great sea. As Zhan Tianyi moved, the godly figure extended six giant hands, grabbing towards Xue Li’s neck, arms, heels and stomach.

The divine might that would seal the heavens and trap the earth dominated this space, dispersing the black clouds above Armament City, causing rays of glaring sunlight to fall and painting the entire city and Flame Volcano golden yellow.

“The divine might of the Holy Spirit God!” Xie Zhizhang looked up to the god watching over from the sky and felt reverence coming from his heart as well, revering this giant god’s divine might.

“This is the god Eight Extreme Temple believes in and also their protector. Every martial practitioner in Eight Extreme Temple, including Purple Mist Sea, Cloud Sky Mountain, and other subordinate forces must submit to him their humility and modesty and must respect and fear to this god.” Song Siyuan’s expression was a little odd as he gripped the ancient book in his hand and continued, “This god is also Eight Extreme Temple’s spiritual leader. When their White Robed, Green Robed, Gold Robed Envoys are channeling their spirit arts, they can achieve resonance with this god and acquire its immense godly energy.”

“Sundering of the Holy God!” Zhan Tianyi made a tearing motion with his hands.

The god who had dominated the space and floated above his hands also made an identical motion, attempting to tear Xue Li to shreds.

“Prak prak prak!”

A terrific energy that could tear apart space itself emanated from the god’s hands. Disc-like lights of various sizes blasted towards Xue Li like meteors.

Shi Jingyun, Wu Tuo, Su Ziying, and many other Blood Spear martial practitioners could not even stand straight at this moment. The god’s might was so oppressive that even breathing was difficult. They practically felt like kneeling and worshipping the god, begging him for his forgiveness.

“The late stage of the Fulfillment Realm! This is the terrible might of the late stage of the Fulfillment Realm!” Wu Tuo roared madly inside his heart as it reflected upon his face.

“One day I will enter the sanctuary as well. One day, I will acquire the favor of the Holy God!” Su Ziying’s eyes glittered.

“Heh, not bad, not bad!” Covered by the six giant hands of god and with its mighty light shining down on him while appearing as lowly as an ant, Xue Li grinned and laughed strangely, “Blood Arts: Summon!”

His incoherent chanting summoned bloody runes one after another as they seeped out of Xue Li’s body. Like bloody butterflies, they flew towards Armament Sect.

The blood colored butterflies flew inside Armament City and unleashed strange blood energy fluctuations.

Inside Armament City’s four great districts of Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, all the martial practitioners who had just died horrible deaths suddenly began to bleed hundreds of times faster than normal!

“Glug glug!”

Blood poured out of every wound the corpses possessed like a fountain. The countless corpses instantly turned dry.

“Heavens, wh-what’s going on?” Inside the courtyard, Tie Xiong could not help but exclaim as he watched the corpses beneath his feet be drained of their blood till the very last drop.

As it had a mind of its own, the blood began to swim and gather together on the stone floor beneath their feet, taking the form of spirit snakes, giant boas, and earthworms.

It was so eerie that their hearts would burst!

Very soon, a small pond of blood was formed right before Cang Li, Tie Xiong, and Xue Li’s eyes!

The same scene was happening at every corner of Armament City, at every place that had a corpse!

If the people were to look down from the sky of Armament Sect, they would notice that the ponds had suddenly appeared at many regions inside the city.

Once the bloody ponds had formed, they would suddenly sink into the ground and disappear right away.

On the plaza.

Out of nowhere, faint traces of blood appeared on the stone ground beneath the feet of Xue Li, who was captured by the six giant hands of god.

At first it was only a small stain...

However, when the crowd noticed the abnormality beneath his feet, the small stain had already turned into a sea!

Blood ponds appeared beneath his feet and merged into one.

Xue Li’s figure was enshrouded by the sea formed from thick, fresh blood. Slowly, he disappeared one bit at a time into the blood colored water.

Then, the sea formed from the thick blood quickly shrank and coagulated. It began to undergo an extremely bizarre change.

As the blood gathered, a huge figure slowly formed. Gradually, it began to emerge from the blood colored sea!

It was a gigantic demonic figure formed from fresh blood!

“Get over here!” Xue Li’s voice came from inside this long-tailed, several hundred feet tall, giant demon which had suddenly appeared, howling at the god above his head.

Numerous thick, lengthy, and rusty chains were swung about like dragons by this giant blood demon, entangling the god’s body.

“Zzzt zzzt zzzt!”

The moment the chains fell onto the god, its ephemeral-like body began emitting smoke as if the stains of blood on the chains were corroding it away.

The Green Robed Envoy of Eight Extreme Temple, Zhan Tianyi, snorted dully and sat down without a word.

Glaring rays of light shot out of his body and were injected into the god’s body like a fountainhead.

The gradually fading god became solid once more after the powerful lights had poured into his body. Zhan Tianyi yelled with his eyes closed, “Old demon! What exactly is that evil art that you’re cultivating?!”

Xue Li’s odd, skin crawling chuckles could be heard time to time from within that giant blood demon, “Junior, didn’t you want to kill me? Come on!”

Song Siyuan and Xie Zhizhang matched each other’s eyes and saw the trace of shock beneath their eyes, growing quieter by the moment.

Xue Li’s might and bloody methods caused them to grow more and more cautious, becoming increasingly unsure of Xue Li’s identity and background as well.

It was also at this moment that Qin Lie had entered the foot of Flame Volcano from the forest behind.

Strangely, after detecting Qin Lie’s aura, Xue Li’s aura unexpectedly subsided as that bloody aura that would cause even one’s soul to shudder was swiftly withdrawn.

The giant bloody demon that was just beginning to show its fangs suddenly vanished underground like a river flowing into the sea. Xue Li’s dry as a corpse body reappeared as well.

He was still sitting on the same spot as if he had never moved before. It was as if the person who stirred a mad commotion earlier wasn’t him at all.

“Ostentatious kid, I hope you’ll act smarter and quietly await Armament Sect’s destruction.” Xue Li grinned and looked at Zhan Tianyi tauntingly, “If you do not act, then I will sit here and do nothing as well.”

Zhan Tianyi opened his eyes with strange light flashing erratically in his eyes. After a moment of pause, he nodded and bowed respectfully. “This junior has acted offensively. I hope that senior will forgive me…”

The platinum armor on his body vanished into his body, and the god which had formed on top of his head slowly lost its intimidating presence as if it was formed from white clouds. After the mountain wind blew by, the god dispersed into thin air along with it.

“Hehe, I like smart people,” Xue Li chuckled oddly.

Zhan Tianyi wanted to speak, but just as he started a trace of blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth. He hurriedly wiped it away, shut up, sat down, and began channeling his powers immediately to calm to the restlessness of his blood inside his body.

At the same time, Qin Lie had arrived at Flame Volcano’s mountainside and came to his own cave.

“Sect Master Qin!” Seeing that he had shown up, a nearby Blood Spear martial practitioner hurriedly saluted him respectfully and reported, “The Ling sisters have not taken a single step out of this cave.”

“Thank you for the hard work.” Qin Lie nodded and stood still in front of the cave. His expression was rather complicated.

“Qin Lie, is that you?” Inside the cave, Ling Yushi’s voice came out, “Have you seen my master? You, you didn’t do anything to her, right? Also, is Senior Sister Lu okay? Did you trouble her?”

Ling Yushi opened the door. Her eyes were worried, seemingly afraid that he would hurt Jiu Liuyu and Lu Li.

“They will be fine. You two… will be fine as well. Relax.” Giving her a somewhat strained smile, Qin Lie said, “Don’t worry. You will be fine very soon. What you’re worried about will probably… not happen. Yushi, I…”

He didn’t say those last words. Instead he said, “Stay inside the cave and don’t come out. Wait for your master. Wait until the people from Seven Fiends Valley call for you. Then you can come out.”

Then, he turned around and left.