The Emperor of Martial Arts. The sudden emergence of the Ten Palaces Celestial in the East Sea recently managed to force back the ancient, unyielding Ghost Demon King, instantly establishing him as the savior in the hearts of every Celestial practitioner in the region.
In recent days, this individual’s fame in the East Sea was unparalleled. By gathering the great tyrants of various unorthodox factions, he had implicitly become the most powerful figure in the East Sea.
The Blood Emperor hailed from the Blood Pool and was a master of its unique esoteric arts. Much like Luo Hongxue, also from the Blood Pool, he possessed a bizarre, almost supernatural control over the blood within other people's bodies.
The azure energy shield enveloping the Sea Clan palace above emitted sharp "crackling" sounds. A terrifying wave of blood, surging heavenward, suddenly poured down and rushed into the seabed.
The dense, coppery scent of blood, unaffected by the seawater, instantly permeated the area. The three great elders of the Guiyuan Sect, positioned before the Sea Clan’s main gate, had been waiting for Ji Changkong to walk straight into their trap.
When they realized Ji Changkong was not falling for the ruse, the three elders intended to take the offensive. However, the moment that wave of blood descended from the sky and flooded that area, the expressions of the three elders shifted abruptly, and they immediately abandoned any thought of capturing Ji Changkong.
Slap, slap, slap! Slap, slap, slap!
Inside the Sea Clan palace, a Sea Clan Celestial who had craned his neck to look out suddenly found the blood in his body uncontrollably surging toward his skull. The Sea Clan’s naturally tough scales offered no resistance.
The heads of several Sea Clan Celestials immediately burst open, violently ruptured by the sheer pressure of their own escaping blood. Everyone standing on the seabed, regardless of their cultivation realm, instantly sensed the anomaly within their own blood.
Experts like Zhuang Bufu, possessing the level of the Eight Trigrams Celestial Realm, were relatively better off; they merely felt their qi and blood churning, their inner strength somewhat beyond their control. But for those below the Seven Stars Celestial Realm, the sight was horrific.
They instantly lost control over the blood within them. Many bled profusely from all seven orifices, their faces twisted into ghastly expressions.
As for those whom the Blood Emperor intended to die, none could escape; their heads exploded, violently burst open by their own blood. Under this immense pressure, Teng Yang and his group of six displayed strength far surpassing that of Celestials in the same realm.
Among the six, only the eldest, Hong Ge, had a faint trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. The other five remained entirely unscathed, their complexions merely frighteningly flushed.
The East Sea experts who had accompanied Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother watched with unconcealed delight. Looking up at the slow spread of the blood wave, many immediately shifted from arrogance to deference, respectfully proclaiming, "We welcome the Blood Emperor’s honored arrival!" A figure of sublime elegance slowly descended through the dense, bloody water.
This man’s eyes were as deep as the sea, his temples streaked with white hair, and a gentle smile graced his lips. Clad in a silver-trimmed white robe, he floated to a stop before Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother.
Upon seeing him arrive, the inherent cold cruelty in Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother was instantly suppressed. They hurriedly bowed deeply, speaking in unison, "It is good that you have come." The Blood Emperor nodded with a smile, maintaining a demeanor of cultured grace.
His unfathomably deep eyes swept over everyone present before finally settling on Ji Changkong. He smiled lightly and asked, "You are Ji Changkong of Xuanyuan Valley?" A wave of blood energy, imperceptible to ordinary people yet utterly earth-shattering, suddenly surged from all directions!
In an instant, Ji Changkong could no longer see anyone beside him. The world in his eyes transformed into an ocean of blood—the liquid was crimson and thick, carrying violent, ferocious power, seemingly threatening to drag everyone into its depths.
Ji Changkong found himself utterly alone, trapped in a bizarre world composed only of blood. In this world, there were no flowers, no grass, no living things—only endless, scarlet blood.
The suffocating stench of gore was so intense it was sickening. "No self, no heaven.
Natural state of mind." A string of profound insights from the Taixu Secret Record suddenly flashed through his mind. Instantly, a marvelous, five-colored halo manifested around Ji Changkong’s body, completely enveloping him.
Taixu Secret Record: Taixu Illusory Realm! Once the Illusory Realm was established, the endless, surging sea of blood seemed to instantly recede into the distance from Ji Changkong.
Standing silently, Ji Changkong emerged unscathed from the Blood Emperor’s domain of blood. The tide of the Dripping Heaven Blood Sea raged towards him, but it vanished remarkably quickly.
With the Illusory Realm active, Ji Changkong, no longer affected by the power of the blood tide, immediately noticed the encroaching forces retreating like a tide, vanishing without a trace. At this moment, the figures of the Blood Emperor, Zheng Jieshi, and Rakshasa Ghost Mother gradually reappeared...
The Blood Emperor wore a smile of admiration and nodded slowly. "Not bad.
You haven't disappointed me." Ji Changkong's brow furrowed, and he offered no reply. Instead, he turned to glance at the Sea Clan's palace, where a crack the width of an index finger offered a glimpse inside, from which chaotic noises emanated.
As soon as the Blood Emperor landed, many Sea Clan members suffered casualties; those whose heads burst were all Sea Clan experts. Within the palace, some rash Sea Clan members, maddened by hatred, attempted to open the gates for a desperate fight against the Blood Emperor.
Those who remained calmer, like Bian Qi, did their utmost to restrain them, fearing they would be annihilated with a mere wave of the Blood Emperor’s hand if they emerged. Through the narrow, finger-sized gap in the door, Ji Changkong could see streaks of dazzling blue light.
Bundles of azure radiance descended from above, converging upon the palace. The essence of the Water Primordial Force in the seawater also seemed to be drawn by the palace, flowing into it.
Once these energies entered the massive structure, the entire palace began to gleam like blue jade. The marvelous power of the sea endowed the blue palace with extraordinary resilience and flexibility.
As these energies manifested, the Sea Clan members within the palace, who had been subjected to the Blood Emperor's influence, immediately sensed that a significant portion of his power was being blocked outside. Consequently, the pressure on them immediately eased, and they all let out a collective sigh of relief.
Ji Changkong stared intently at the gap in the Sea Clan palace without answering the Blood Emperor. The Blood Emperor did not seem angry, merely smiled faintly, his gaze still fixed on Ji Changkong.
He said sincerely, "Ji Changkong, there are a few things I wish to say; I wonder if I should speak them?" "Please do," Ji Changkong replied coldly. Although he knew the Blood Emperor was destined to be his mortal enemy, some semblance of propriety was necessary before a true break occurred.
"The Blood Pool and the Ji family have indeed accumulated centuries of hatred," the Blood Emperor watched Ji Changkong, his expression earnest. "However, that is all from hundreds of years ago.
As far as I am concerned, in principle, I have no desire to be an enemy of the Ji family. In fact, I am inclined to cooperate with them." "Lord Blood Emperor!" "My Lord!" Rakshasa Ghost Mother, Zheng Jieshi, and the experts from other East Sea sects all had sudden changes in expression, calling out in unison.
The Blood Emperor smiled faintly and made a silencing gesture with his hand. Those East Sea experts who were about to interject or advise him immediately fell silent, their hearts filled with resentment and confusion upon seeing his gesture.
It seemed that although the Blood Emperor had only recently emerged from the Blood Pool, he had already established remarkable authority among these followers. "Why?" Ji Changkong asked calmly.
Shaking his head, the Blood Emperor spoke nonchalantly, "Does such a thing require a reason? The past enmity between the Blood Pool and your Ji family has nothing to do with me.
Although I practice the Blood Pool’s esoteric arts, I lack the fervor to dedicate myself entirely to the Blood Pool. Now, with the Ghost Demon King rampant, the Central Plains are struggling to manage their own affairs, and the East Sea suffers equally.
At a time like this, I have no wish to be your enemy." Pausing here, the Blood Emperor continued, "Furthermore, your Ji family has the Ancient Gate standing behind you. While I believe I can breach Xuanyuan Valley, I am not so arrogant as to guarantee victory over the Ancient Gate.
I am a man who dislikes taking risks and avoids meaningless endeavors. That is all." Ji Changkong was stunned, gazing blankly at the Blood Emperor, unsure how to respond.
Since first learning of the Blood Emperor's existence, he had marked him as an imagined adversary, perhaps even the greatest obstacle in his path. Yet, meeting him now, only to hear a declaration of non-aggression toward the Ji family, completely overturned Ji Changkong’s assumptions, leaving him rather at a loss.
"If you don't wish to be an enemy of my Ji family, then what are Zheng Jieshi and the others doing here?" After running through a series of thoughts, Ji Changkong felt something was amiss. He stared deeply at the Blood Emperor and asked coldly, "What is their purpose?" The Blood Emperor smiled faintly, glanced at Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother, and immediately distanced himself: "They are they; I am I.
I stand with them only to deal with the Ghost Demon King. Beyond that, I do not interfere in their private matters." "You mean...
Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother coming to White Bone Island is their own affair?" Ji Changkong frowned. He felt something was fundamentally wrong; the Blood Emperor’s composure was impeccable, displaying the bearing and spirit of a true leader.
However, the moment he appeared, he caused the deaths of numerous Sea Clan experts, an act steeped in the murderous ruthlessness characteristic of Blood Pool masters. What was this person's true intention?
Ji Changkong had no way of knowing, yet he instinctively felt the situation was not so simple. "What are you here on White Bone Island for?" Ji Changkong asked again.
The Blood Emperor’s gaze seemed capable of piercing the Sea Clan’s azure palace. He looked toward the tightly shut palace gates, a strange, half-smiling expression playing on his lips.
"The same as them: finding a way to deal with the Ghost Demon King. After my battle with the Ghost Demon King, I deeply recognized the strangeness of that creature.
Although I gained the upper hand, none of my methods succeeded in utterly annihilating him. It seems the rumors about the Ghost Demon King's immortal soul are likely true." Mentioning the Ghost Demon King, Ji Changkong could only offer a wry smile, his expression heavy.
"The Ghost Demon King is indeed exceptionally difficult to deal with, most terrifyingly due to its power of evolution. Every day, every moment, the Ghost Demon King changes, and the power of our Celestials' divine souls is precisely the source fueling its constant evolution." "I heard you first forced the Ghost Demon King back in Xuanyuan Valley, and later helped the Yi family repel it on East Heaven Peak.
You must be very familiar with this creature's nature," the Blood Emperor smiled. "I have a proposal: you and I join forces and venture into the Sea Clan’s forbidden ground to retrieve the Death Spirit Stone.
We can divide it equally. You can use yours to fight the Ghost Demon Kings in the Central Plains, and I will use mine to imprison the East Sea Ghost Demon King.
Wouldn't that satisfy everyone?" Ji Changkong froze, then suddenly laughed. "The Death Spirit Stone is in the Sea Clan’s forbidden ground?" "I have received definitive information that the Sea Clan's forbidden ground does indeed contain Death Spirit Stones.
Of course, the stones are not exclusive to that location; the Sea Demon's forbidden ground has them elsewhere, but those places are far harder to enter—even I dare not venture too deeply on a whim," the Blood Emperor explained solemnly. Turning to glance at the Sea Clan palace behind him, Ji Changkong rapidly recalled his previous conversation with Bian Qi.
He smiled and rejected the offer: "I apologize, I cannot agree to your proposal. Moreover, I will become an obstacle to your acquisition of the Death Spirit Stone.
I do not wish for anyone to enter the Sea Clan’s forbidden ground." Through this conversation with the Blood Emperor, Ji Changkong vaguely understood the man's true intention. The reason for all this preamble was likely the Death Spirit Stone and Li Hentian, the guardian of the Sea Clan’s forbidden ground.
Ji Changkong might not care about the stone, but he could not risk Li Hentian's life. "Is that so..." The Blood Emperor adopted an expression of difficulty, frowning deeply.
"If you insist on opposing me, then I truly have no alternative." "This outcome seems unavoidable. Different paths lead to different goals.
I must guard this Sea Clan forbidden ground!" Ji Changkong smiled faintly, lightly patting the thick neck of the Sky-Winged Dragon, which immediately took flight, circling incessantly above the palace guarded by the Sea Clan experts. "Be careful later.
If you find an opportunity to strike, even if it costs you the better part of your power, you must attack that person!" After putting some distance between himself and the Blood Emperor and Zhuang Bufu, Ji Changkong communicated with the Origin Poison in the faintest possible voice. "Understood, Master.
I won't be lenient with them!" the Origin Poison responded. The Blood Emperor shook his head with an air of regret.
He glanced back at Zhuang Bufu, then smiled lightly. "Although my objective and that of the three of you differ, the process might align.
What say you, three?" "We each manage our own affairs and do not interfere with one another," Cai Mengyuan stated, his expression unchanged, his tone cool. The Blood Emperor nodded and smiled, clapping his hands once.
"Good." He stepped back, looking at Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother with feigned surprise. "Then what are you waiting for?" Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother had been secretly observing every word and action of the Blood Emperor.
When he stepped back and suddenly uttered those words, they were momentarily stunned before snapping back to attention, cold, merciless smiles spreading across their faces. "Indeed, what are we waiting for!" Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother exchanged a look, then glanced at the Blood Emperor.
Feeling their courage surge, they hesitated no longer, charging simultaneously toward the Sea Clan palace. The three elders of the Guiyuan Sect—Zhuang Bufu, Huang Liangxuan, and Cai Mengyuan—along with some Central Plains Celestials, saw Zheng Jieshi’s group make the first move and were delighted; it was exactly what they had hoped for.
They gladly stepped aside, letting these East Sea members test the strength of the Sea Clan forces first. The East Sea Celestials seemed overwhelmingly confident in the Blood Emperor, believing he would surely lend them aid.
Under this psychological impetus, they unleashed their full strength, sneering as they directed their bombardment at the Sea Clan palace. Boom!
Boom! Boom!
The powers unleashed by the East Sea Celestials crashed above the Sea Clan palace, creating deafening roars. However, the palace where the Sea Clan members sheltered seemed suddenly impregnable.
All manner of attacks landed against the Sea Clan palace, resulting in loud noises but leaving the structure utterly unmoved, completely unaffected by the assault. Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother also joined the attack against the palace.
Both were powerful experts at the Eight Trigrams Celestial Realm. Yet, their combined force hitting the Sea Clan palace only created slightly louder noises, still unable to breach the palace's defenses.
Streams of faint blue light sprinkled down from the azure shield above the palace like scattered starlight, all falling onto the structure. The dense Water Primordial Force in the seabed was drawn to the palace, converging upon it and causing the palace to continuously release strange energy.
It was precisely the presence of this energy that deflected all the attacks from the East Sea experts like Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother. Throughout this, the Blood Emperor remained smiling faintly, watching the East Sea Celestials bombard the Sea Clan palace composedly.
He himself did not move, maintaining an air of deep interest. The Central Plains experts, including Zhuang Bufu, held back, wanting to see if Zheng Jieshi's group could break the Sea Clan's line of defense.
However, their expressions were cautious, their gazes flickering constantly. It was evident these Central Plains experts greatly feared the Blood Emperor.
A Nine Palaces Celestial was a preeminent figure anywhere in the world, and these Central Plains natives were not fools; they understood the significance of a Nine Palaces Celestial in this region. Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother relentlessly hammered the palace, but the structure remained incredibly tough.
No matter how hard they tried, they could not destroy the power guarding it. After observing for a while, the Blood Emperor’s lips tightened slightly, and his originally deep and clear eyes instantly turned scarlet!
The cultured and refined Blood Emperor suddenly seemed to transform into another person. A boundless bloody aura erupted from him, forming an unimaginably vast magnetic field that affected everyone caught within its range.
In an instant, the seawater seemed to be dyed blood-red, and the dense scent of blood permeated every area. Everyone’s heart suddenly experienced a strange sensation, as if they were submerged in thick blood, and that blood seemed to originate from within themselves.
A gigantic blood dragon suddenly condensed from the bloody water. This dragon was ferocious and terrifying; it thrashed its head and tail and roared towards the Sea Clan’s azure palace.
A world-shaking roar erupted from the Sea Clan palace. Under the relentless bombardment of Zheng Jieshi and Rakshasa Ghost Mother, the palace, which had remained unshaken, began to tremble violently.
Fragments of blue light shot out from the structure, scattering everywhere. The strange energy that had perpetually enveloped the Sea Clan palace suddenly vanished without a trace!
Even the Water Primordial Force from the sea that had been continuously flowing into the palace abruptly ceased its transmission! At this moment, the Sea Clan palace was no longer invulnerable.
Boom! Boom!
Boom! Zheng Jieshi’s group seized the opportunity to strike the Sea Clan palace.
Already unstable, the structure was pelted with flying debris under their assault. The Blood Emperor’s single strike had effectively severed the defensive power surrounding the Sea Clan palace.
Consequently, the palace was left completely defenseless, unable to withstand any further battering from Zheng Jieshi’s group. "This move, I created it based on your Ji family's Nine Forms of the Blood Dragon.
What do you think?" With a single attack, the Blood Emperor destroyed all the defenses covering the Sea Clan palace, then turned and asked Ji Changkong with a pleasant smile, "How is it?" "Not bad," Ji Changkong replied coolly, frowning. This move by the Blood Emperor did bear a strong resemblance to the Nine Forms of the Blood Dragon, but alas, he was not of the Xuanyuan lineage, nor did he possess the blood of the Four Sacred Beasts.
Although the secret art displayed when he executed this imitation of the Nine Forms of the Blood Dragon possessed considerable power, its essential nature was vastly different from the true art. Amidst the earth-shattering noise, the Sea Clan palace was left scarred and ragged, resembling a dilapidated, century-old wayside temple—utterly hideous.
Teng Yang and Bian Qi’s group, deeply hidden within the palace, along with the three Sky-Winged Dragons and some surviving Sea Clan experts, scrambled out in disarray before the palace finally collapsed. Naturally, Ji Changkong took his stand alongside the Sea Clan.
Boom! Boom!
Boom! The noise was deafening.
The Sea Clan palace, unable to endure the torment inflicted by Zheng Jieshi’s group, finally collapsed with a thunderous crash. "It’s down...
It's truly fallen..." Bian Qi watched the Sea Clan palace crumble under the assault of Zheng Jieshi’s group, his voice filled with grief and a trace of fear imperceptible to others. "The entrance to the Sea Clan forbidden ground is within those ruins!
Now we can enter!" Zheng Jieshi roared with laughter, turning to the East Sea Celestials beside him. "Everyone, work together!
We must enter the forbidden ground to obtain the Death Spirit Stone! The Stone is everyone's guarantee!" The Death Spirit Stone concerned the safety of all East Sea cultivators.
These assembled East Sea Celestials were partly moved by the Blood Emperor's power and demeanor, but their primary motivation was fear of the Ghost Demon King, the common enemy of all in the East Sea. At Zheng Jieshi’s cry, everyone’s expression grew serious, and they immediately charged toward the blue palace without hesitation.
In their view, only by securing the Death Spirit Stone guarded by the Sea Clan could the East Sea be guaranteed safety from the Ghost Demon King’s influence. Thus, they shared an irreconcilable conflict with the Sea Clan.
The Rakshasa Ghost Hag did not charge forward, her venomous eyes fixed solely on Ji Changkong from a distance. In her sight, it seemed Ji Changkong was the more immediate threat to be eliminated, while the Demon King could be dealt with later.
Blood Emperor wore a placid smile, glancing from one figure to another, yet he made no move against anyone. No one could discern whom he truly intended to target.
At Zheng Jieshi’s shout, those Heavenly Talents from the East Sea, driven by self-interest, fearlessly charged toward the Sea Clan's Forbidden Ground, seeking the Death Soul Stones within to protect their own pursuits.
A dozen or so East Sea Heavenly Talents shot forward like streaks of lightning, hurtling toward the palace that had already been reduced to ruins.
The Sea Clan warrior, his body encased in scales, his eyes bloodshot with rage, was about to rush forward to strike down these intruders. His anger had peaked; he likely wouldn't hesitate to fight even the Blood Emperor head-on.
“Come back!” Bian Qi suddenly snapped.
The scaled warrior slammed to a halt, turning to look at Bian Qi with confusion. “What?”
“I told you to come back!” Bian Qi’s voice rose slightly.
The warrior froze, his face contorted into an expression of extreme displeasure. He looked at Bian Qi with undisguised resentment, yet he dared not disobey. Despite his reluctance, he stopped where he was, watching Zheng Jieshi’s group with an expression of utmost sorrow and anger.
The scaled warrior ultimately remained stationary.
Under Zheng Jieshi’s instigation, the dozen East Sea Heavenly Talents descended into the ruined palace like bolts of lightning.
Ji Changkong’s expression was solemn, his mind filled with confusion. He couldn't comprehend why Bian Qi would retreat at such a critical moment, allowing those people to provoke them without retaliation.
“That place… is strange!” the Primordial Poison, perched on Ji Changkong’s shoulder, suddenly whispered.
At that very instant, a massive tentacle, as thick as a person’s waist, violently erupted from the ruins of the palace. The dozen East Sea Heavenly Talents who had rushed in, just as they were about to excavate the rocks to enter the Sea Clan’s Forbidden Ground, were suddenly ambushed!
In a single moment, the bodies of those dozen East Sea Heavenly Talents were entangled by the colossal tentacles. Their movements rendered useless, they were dragged back into the mass of rock and vanished from sight.
“Whoa!” Teng Yang exclaimed, staring intently at the spot, muttering, “That… isn’t that the giant squid that sank our iron ship?”
Xue Hai and his companions were equally astonished, nodding repeatedly. “Indeed, it must be that behemoth!”
Swish, swish, swish!
A fierce churning sound came from the water, and then, colossal tentacles burst forth from the debris of the Sea Clan palace, whipping toward the crowd like lightning.
The massive tentacles were swift and silent, disturbing the water only with faint ripples. Those sensitive enough to hear the sound realized the gigantic appendages were already upon them. The Heavenly Talents at the level of the Five Elements Heaven and the Xuan Heaven realm had no means to resist; they were seized one after another and dragged into the ruins.
Screech! Crunch!
Horrifying sounds of mastication echoed from the Sea Clan palace ruins. Thick, dark blood slowly seeped out from cracks between the massive stones, mixing with the bright blue seawater.
Not a single one of the East Sea Heavenly Talents escaped the giant squid’s deadly grasp; they all became delicacies in its maw. No one had anticipated that after the collapse of the Sea Clan palace, such a behemoth would emerge from the wreckage. By the time they realized something was terribly wrong, it was already too late.
Thus, these East Sea Heavenly Talents became snacks for the Sea Clan, completely devoured by the giant squid.
Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Hag, who had been preparing to charge, suddenly changed expression. Neither had realized such a colossus lurked secretly within the Sea Clan ruins. Hearing the grinding sounds from the debris, they began to feel fortunate they hadn't charged in.
The Blood Emperor watched with a faint smile, still unhurried, appearing completely confident, as if nothing could escape his machinations—not even the emergence of the giant squid. It was as if the squid’s appearance had been factored into his plan all along.
The Heavenly Talents who had accompanied Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Hag descended into panic. They feared death; seeing how terrifying the giant squid was, none dared to offer themselves as further sacrifices.
The squid’s tentacles thrashed wildly. Neither the invaders from the East Sea nor the Heavenly Talents from the Central Lands who had come with the Guiyuan Sect were spared from the giant squid’s attacks. Those with stronger cultivation managed to evade them, but the weaker ones became the beast’s meal.
Even Ji Changkong and Teng Yang’s group did not escape unscathed. Fortunately, they were mounted on Heavenly Pipa Winged Dragons, which deftly avoided the massive tentacles, ensuring none of the group were struck.
The Sea Clan members remained entirely unharmed. The giant squid, hidden within the Sea Clan’s Forbidden Ground, seemed able to sense their auras. Its enormous, unending tentacles swayed everywhere but stopped before the Sea Clan members, harming not a single one.
This was truly a marvelous sight. The giant squid gnawed on the corpses, chewing mightily as it slowly surfaced from the Sea Clan palace ruins. Merely its head protruding was enough to send a chill through everyone, forcing them to consider whether they should truly engage this leviathan as an enemy.
The mountain-sized giant squid extended its tentacles in all directions, reaching out to ensnare those nearby. Ji Changkong and Teng Yang’s group, mounted on their Heavenly Thunder Winged Dragons, were largely safe from the squid’s attacks thanks to their mounts’ speed. However, those East Sea and Central Land people aiming for the Sea Clan’s Forbidden Ground suffered greatly.
Even formidable figures like Zheng Jieshi and the Rakshasa Ghost Hag were forced to dodge the sweeping movements of the giant squid’s massive tentacles; what hope did others have?
With the upper hand, the giant squid finally emerged fully from the Sea Clan ruins. Its movement speed underwater was not exceptional, but its tentacles were incredible—not only fast but imbued with lethal power. Often, before anyone could even perceive danger, a tentacle would strike like lightning, ensnaring a body and rapidly dragging it toward its maw.
The giant squid rampaged across the seabed. Everyone scattered, save for the Sea Clan, fearing they would be swallowed whole.
Ji Changkong and Teng Yang’s group regrouped. The four Heavenly Thunder Winged Dragons formed a line, ready to face whatever came next.
No one noticed that at this moment, the Primordial Poison had quietly flown off Ji Changkong’s shoulder. Grasping a glowing pearl, it zipped happily around the giant squid.
The giant squid’s massive tentacles, which covered the entire area, seemed ineffective against this small creature. Its tiny body maneuvered deftly between the colossal limbs. Fine wisps of power, almost invisible to the naked eye, seeped out from the squid’s mouth and quietly flowed into the Tianyuan Pearl.
Sensing the power within the Tianyuan Pearl tending toward depletion recently, Ji Changkong seized every opportunity to replenish it. Having the Primordial Poison act as a collector, rather than exposing himself while actively gathering the souls of those killed by the squid, was an excellent strategy to avoid attracting unwanted attention from shrewd observers.
The Primordial Poison was diligent, and while collecting the souls devoured by the giant squid, it was cautious, ensuring none of its own power leaked out.
Ji Changkong had assumed that due to the Primordial Poison’s minuscule size, others might overlook it. However, when he noticed the Blood Emperor and Cai Mengyuan occasionally focusing their gazes on the little creature, he realized that while the Poison might fool many, it couldn't deceive truly exceptional, powerful individuals.
Both the Blood Emperor and Cai Mengyuan kept glancing at the small frame of the Primordial Poison, yet neither displayed any unusual expression nor exposed the Poison’s illicit activities. The Blood Emperor, in fact, looked quite amused, with a faint hint of something in his eyes.
“A lovely little thing,” the Blood Emperor smiled faintly, his expression one of delight.
“Scram!” The Primordial Poison flicked its small hand, and the light of the Tianyuan Pearl flashed. The soul energy of a newly deceased Huang Heaven realm cultivator was swiftly absorbed into the Pearl.
The Blood Emperor was startled. He stared fixedly at the Primordial Poison for several seconds before letting out a burst of laughter. “Truly interesting!”
The Primordial Poison ignored him, continuing to circle the giant squid, evading its attacks in its unique manner while simultaneously collecting the lingering soul energy of those who had perished but whose essence hadn't completely dispersed.
The giant squid continued its rampage; the seabed was its domain, and its tentacles lashed out, catching many victims.
Watching the people from the East Sea and Central Lands scrambling desperately under the squid’s furious assault, Ji Changkong felt a surge of pleasure, secretly admiring the Sea Clan’s diverse methods.
He understood that without the blue barrier and the sudden appearance of this squid, these Sea Clan members would likely have been slaughtered long ago.
The Blood Emperor watched the giant squid rampage without intervening. Only when the squid finished its display and slowly began to retreat back into the ruins did the Blood Emperor’s pupils turn a deep crimson.
Instantly, the barely concealed violent aura and killing intent radiating from the Blood Emperor coalesced into a world-shattering ray of blood-red light that lunged fiercely toward Ji Changkong.
The blood-light resembled a blood-snake—slender yet incredibly agile. Its power was dense, saturated with the Blood Emperor’s killing essence.
The blood-snake writhed, moving neither too quickly nor too slowly toward Ji Changkong. As it twisted, the blood within Ji Changkong’s body began to surge uncontrollably, particularly the blood in his chest, which mimicked the snake’s undulations, throwing all of Ji Changkong’s internal energy into disarray.
With his eyes blazing scarlet, the Blood Emperor’s veneer of cultured gentility vanished completely. In that moment, he seemed transformed into a savage beast from the Sea of Blood, his murderous aura utterly earth-shattering.
Ji Changkong, whose attention had been fixed on the giant squid, watched his expression instantly change. He immediately sensed the Blood Emperor’s murderous intent.
The blood-light struck with frightening speed. However, the Tianyuan Pearl was currently in the hands of the Primordial Poison, which was intensely occupied drawing in the soul energy swirling around the squid’s mouth and had no capacity to aid Ji Changkong.
The Blood Emperor had chosen the most opportune moment!
He seemed to know Ji Changkong intimately, understanding that his ability to contend with Eight Trigrams Heavenly Talents repeatedly stemmed from the power of the Tianyuan Pearl. For a Nine Palaces Heavenly Talent to be so cautious against Ji Changkong, selecting the precise moment when the Pearl was unavailable—this man’s premeditation bordered on the insane!
The blood-light struck the phantom image of Ji Changkong sitting upon the Heavenly Thunder Winged Dragon without deviation.
Yet, strangely, the light passed directly through Ji Changkong’s form, leaving him completely unharmed. He remained seated on the Winged Dragon as if untouched.
The Blood Emperor’s brow furrowed slightly, then smoothed out. He looked at the fading shadow that was dissipating into nothingness and smiled. “Clever. To deceive even me, the Tai Xu Secret Tome is indeed extraordinary.”
Beside the Primordial Poison, a slightly hazy figure gradually solidified. Ji Changkong’s cold expression finally became fully manifest.
Having utilized the Tai Xu Secret Tome to integrate the Thousand Nether Shadow Technique, and using the transformation of his own blood energy into vital life force to create a diversion, Ji Changkong coldly faced the Blood Emperor. “So, you never intended reconciliation, not from the start. No matter how much you spoke, your final objective was always a killing blow. What deep scheming.”
“To evade my strike at such a young age, truly remarkable!” The Blood Emperor praised with genuine admiration. “No wonder my son was defeated by you at Blood Rain Mountain. It seems his loss was not without cause…”
“Your son?” Ji Changkong frowned. “When did I ever clash with your son?”
“If you hadn't interfered at Blood Rain Mountain, that territory would have been under the control of our Liuyun Family,” the Blood Emperor chuckled.
“Liuyun Family? Liuyun…” Ji Changkong considered this, then suddenly recalled a name. “Liuyun Haifeng? Are you referring to Liuyun Haifeng?” He paused, then exclaimed, “You are Liuyun Feihe?”
“Indeed, I am Liuyun Feihe,” the Blood Emperor nodded with a smile. “You ruined our affairs at Blood Rain Mountain, and my son hates you to the bone, wishing to tear you to a thousand pieces. Heh, what do you expect me to do?”
Hearing this, the East Sea Heavenly Talents looked surprised, as if hearing this information for the first time, suggesting many present were also unaware of the Blood Emperor’s true identity.
“It seems even without the Blood Pool, you wouldn't spare me,” Ji Changkong said heavily.
“Hahahaha!” Liuyun Feihe laughed heartily, his movement as graceful as a soaring crane as he flew toward Ji Changkong. However, when his mouth was closed, his eyes instantly turned blood-red.
Boom!
The Sea Clan palace ruins, having already been disturbed by the giant squid, erupted once more in chaos. A tall, gaunt, and cold figure shot out from the debris, wielding a massive Dharma Wheel. He instantly appeared before Ji Changkong, shaking the wheel, which unleashed a blinding, dazzling light like the scorching sun.
Liuyun Feihe’s expression changed sharply. He exclaimed suddenly, “Li Hentian, you’ve broken through as well!”
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