"Ugh... hah..." Dao Gui gritted his teeth against the pain of his severed arm, rising once more. He understood only one principle: as an assassin, there was only life or death; there was no path other than continuing to kill. With that, he stepped forward and raised a long saber with one hand.

Ye Xiu was somewhat speechless, yet he had gained some insight into the Killing Tribulation of Ghost Valley. He found a clean spot, carefully set down the three white roses, and re-assumed his stance. Perhaps allowing Dao Gui a swift death would be a form of respect.

"Hahahaha, hahahaha! Another one." Suddenly, a figure, accompanied by the sound of rattling chains, burst from the woods, striking Dao Gui from behind.

"No! Dodge quickly!" Ye Xiu shouted, but it was too late.

As the figure darted behind Dao Gui, the iron ring and chain in its hands pierced the assassin's neck. The disheveled figure stuck out its tongue, drooling, and pulled with both hands. With a sharp crack, Dao Gui’s head instantly parted ways with his body. This was not the end; the creature actually leaned down and began savoring the column of fresh blood spurting from the wound.

Ye Xiu swallowed hard. This was the most disgusting sight he had ever witnessed. But he had also noticed that after satisfying its thirst, the repulsive figure turned its icy gaze toward him.

"Haha, wahahaha, two at once!" The creature stuck out its tongue again, saliva dripping in anticipation. "Sword Dreams, is it? I wonder if your blood tastes good?"

Ye Xiu felt a sudden chill run through him, realizing this was some sort of lunatic. Drink your sister's blood: "Hey! What's your name, you trash?"

"Ha, hehe, they call me Blood Chain. Haha, tell me, does your blood taste good?" The creature was truly mad, its speech incoherent. "Hurry up, let me twist off your head and see how much blood you have, and whether it tastes good or not."

"Damn it!" Ye Xiu cursed, accelerating and rushing toward Blood Chain with the Demon Saber gripped in both hands. He hadn't expected that despite wielding iron chains weighing dozens of jin, Blood Chain remained agile. As the Demon Saber closed in, the creature twisted its body, wrapping the chains around itself. With a heavy clang, the Demon Saber, aimed squarely at the chest, struck the chains instead.

"Haha, let me smell you." Seeing Ye Xiu's attack blocked, Blood Chain stretched its neck toward Ye Xiu’s shoulder, closed its eyes, and inhaled deeply.

"Go to hell, you scum!" Ye Xiu was furious. He instantly spun, scraping the Demon Saber inch by inch across Blood Chain’s body. However, the creature’s slender chains had covered its entire body, offering complete protection from the blade. "I don't believe it!" Ye Xiu roared, holding the saber with one hand and raising the Heaven's Will with the other, hoping to catch him off guard. But Blood Chain’s movements were bizarre, and just like its chains, it managed to entangle Ye Xiu's entire upper torso.

"Watch your neck!" Blood Chain inhaled coldly. Ye Xiu felt a chill at his throat and realized with alarm that Blood Chain's hands had branched out like chains, coiling around his neck.

"Die!" Blood Chain roared, pulling with both hands.

"Do not harm Young Master Ye, hehe." Suddenly, a sharp, delicate female voice sounded from behind Ye Xiu, accompanied by a sudden flurry of noise.

Both Blood Chain and Ye Xiu were startled. Looking back, they saw a swarm of blood-red bats attacking them both! No, their target was clearly only Blood Chain.

"Ah, no." Before Blood Chain could react, the swarm of red bats had torn its body to shreds. The beasts were not done; they combined their strength and hurled Blood Chain into the air.

Ye Xiu was momentarily stunned by the sight. Where had so many bats come from, and why did they attack in such a coordinated manner?

"Young Master Ye, are you alright?" The woman's voice sounded closer now.

Ye Xiu followed the sound. Hanging upside down from a tree branch directly above him was a woman with dark skin and deep crimson lips, her hands pressed together.

"Spare me, Blood Helmsman!" Blood Chain seemed to recognize the voice and screamed in supplication.

The woman didn't even glance at Blood Chain. She flicked out her tongue to lick her lips. "How dare you harm the Gate Master's esteemed guest? I might spare you, but first, you must ask my little darlings."

"No... Ah!" Blood Chain's cries grew agonizing as the bats emitted sharp clicking sounds. They were, after all, true vampires. In an instant, Blood Chain's body was riddled with countless holes, and then his entire form was completely enveloped by the creatures. In no time at all, he was reduced to a desiccated husk, not a single drop of blood remaining.

Ye Xiu sighed deeply for the second time, having witnessed such a grotesque feeding. He truly lamented not having eaten before coming out, or he would have surely vomited everything.

"Forgive Young Master Ye for the fright," the woman said, spreading her hands. The swarm of bats followed her command, settling beneath her, seemingly lifting her graceful body as she descended slowly and elegantly to the ground.

Ye Xiu now noticed her attire was rather fashionable; the dark garment resembled a modern evening gown, elegant and flowing. The neckline dipped slightly, revealing a surging expanse of cleavage that certainly excited Ye Xiu. He asked quietly, "Are you the Blood Helmsman?"

The woman smiled, her deep red lips parting slightly. Her voice was high-pitched, like the shriek of a bat. "The Blood Helmsman, Yun Ji, pays respects to Young Master Ye."

"Blood Helmsman Yun Ji. That name has a certain ethereal quality," Ye Xiu said, holding the Demon Saber across his body. He spoke sharply, "So, you are the third person the Ghost Valley Master sent to greet me."

Yun Ji delicately extended her hand into the air. A group of bats flowed along her body, wrapping around her from foot to waist before flying back into her palm. "Indeed, that is I. But it seems those two useless men have already been dispatched by you. Look, you even took the Demon Saber, hahaha!"

"Hmph!" Ye Xiu smiled confidently and casually flourished the Demon Saber a few times. "Yun Ji, please make your move. Don't waste my time."

"As you wish." Yun Ji half-closed her eyes and gently flicked her fingers. All the bats clinging to her body instantly scattered, sending every bird and creature in the forest fleeing in alarm. The bats regrouped in the air, and with a piercing shriek, they descended upon Ye Xiu like a waterfall.

This was Ye Xiu's first encounter in combat against animals, so he dared not take it lightly. He planted his stance, held the Demon Saber upright, and channeled the Mozi Sword Style to unleash the Sword Sweep of Heaven and Earth maneuver. He thought this would suffice to repel the bat swarm, but those beasts were indeed nimble. Wherever the blade swept, they dispersed at high speed, regrouping on Ye Xiu's other side to dive down again. In desperation, Ye Xiu drew the Heaven's Will and spun the blade rapidly, creating another defensive barrier, which the bat swarm once again easily evaded.

Ye Xiu ground his teeth. Bats clearly relied on ultrasound for movement; ordinary sword techniques would never harm them. Moreover, these vampire bats, constantly near Yun Ji, must have absorbed some of her martial skill through prolonged exposure, making them even harder to deal with.

"It seems Young Master Ye cannot harm them," Yun Ji said, covering her mouth with a hand, chuckling sharply. "Then it is time for me to enter the fray."

Ye Xiu didn't wait for her to finish speaking. He used the Demon Saber to circle and parry the bat attacks behind him, but his body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, closing the distance to Yun Ji. He aimed the Heaven's Will swiftly at her abdomen for a preemptive strike. Unexpectedly, a new swarm of bats appeared from nowhere, instantly crawling over Yun Ji’s body. With two sharp chittering sounds, the swarm of bats took Ye Xiu’s sword thrust for Yun Ji, dropping to the ground.

"What?" Ye Xiu only managed to utter a sound of alarm before looking up to see Yun Ji looking down at him, a sinister smile on her face.

"Hiss..." Before Ye Xiu could react, Yun Ji's claw-like arm plunged into his abdomen, spewing forth a torrent of thick, fresh blood.

"Hah!" Ye Xiu knew things were dire. He used one hand to pin Yun Ji's arm with the Heaven's Will, while sweeping the Demon Saber forward with the other, slicing upward to sever Yun Ji's arm clean off.

"Ah..." Yun Ji lurched backward, nearly collapsing into the woods. At that moment, another group of bats appeared from behind, catching her firmly and slowly helping her stand upright. Ye Xiu’s situation was worse. While the Demon Saber had managed to fend off the bats pursuing him from behind, the moment he retracted the blade, the bats caught up, biting several wounds into his back with loud thwacks. They weren't finished; they even lapped up the splattered droplets of his blood.

Severely wounded, Ye Xiu expected Yun Ji's disgusting claw to remain embedded in his wound. When he looked down to pull it out, he was dumbfounded: the claw had vanished on its own. All that remained was a gaping hole in his flesh.

"Hahaha, Young Master Ye, you hurt dear me," Yun Ji raised her severed arm, attracting a cluster of bats that swarmed around it. With sounds of squirming flesh, her broken arm regenerated under the bats' weaving and wrapping.

Though startled, Ye Xiu had no time to rest. Countless bats still pressed in for a fierce attack around him, forcing him to use his left hand for the saber and his right for the sword, barely holding his ground against enemies on all sides.

Once her arm was reattached, Yun Ji spread both hands and drew a circle in the air. A sudden commotion erupted in the forest as a mass of black bats simultaneously materialized behind her. She smiled sweetly, "It is enough for today, Young Master Ye. Blood Sacrifice: Ten Thousand Bats Descend."