No name!
The grand Grand Sorcerer of Nanman, who had roamed the region for centuries, secretly controlling everything, yet bearing no name!
Feng Zikang’s brow furrowed.
The identity of the Grand Sorcerer had become the key to this entire mystery. Why did he erect the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain? Why construct the stone chamber where the Nine Dragons converged for resurrection? Ultimately, all questions led back to: just who was he?
Although Dashan’s knowledge was extensive, it was rambling and lacked essential focus. After prolonged questioning, Feng Zikang finally managed to piece together a rough outline.
The Grand Sorcerer arrived in Nanman about three hundred years ago, severely wounded, and Dashan was the one who saved him. After recovering, the Grand Sorcerer took Dashan as his disciple and immediately began the construction of the Nine Dragons Convergence, spending his spare time building the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain.
Thirty years later, the Nine Dragons Convergence was finally completed. Unfortunately, due to the sparse dragon energy in Nanman, it failed to achieve the outcome the Grand Sorcerer desired. In his rage, he decided to establish a king for Nanman—Wuduyai, that unlucky soul—to gather the dragon energy.
Regrettably, that plan also fell short. The Grand Sorcerer seemed to have developed a new scheme recently, but Dashan knew little about it. After all, the Sorcerer knew Dashan was better at spoiling things than achieving them; though he remained fond of Dashan, he no longer shared many details.
This recent rampaging of demonic beasts, and the transformation of the cave-dwelling tribesmen into fanatics, seemed inextricably linked to the Grand Sorcerer. Otherwise, it would be too much of a coincidence.
Feng Zikang pondered for a while, a glimmer of understanding beginning to dawn in his mind.
※
“What shall we do next?”
Feng Zikang swiftly sent Dashan away with a few brief instructions. He then led the group out of the stone house and into the replica Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain, finding a secluded spot to discuss their strategy.
Though the area was vast, it felt utterly empty.
According to Dashan’s account, including his master, there were only about a dozen disciples in this core region of Nanman. Only in the last few days, after other disciples utilized the Ten Thousand Li (Carefree Path) to summon more people from various locations, had the area become slightly more lively.
“Let’s focus on rescuing Mo Fenghuang first,”
The Grand Sorcerer was too enigmatic; confronting him in his own lair right now was clearly unwise.
Dashan mentioned that the people he helped bring back were all gathered at the summit of the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain, though for reasons unknown to him. He heard several disciples were guarding the place, restricting entry and exit.
However, Dashan’s account was vague; after all, he had long since been sidelined and did not know the full details.
“I will probe the summit with my divine sense first. You all guard me!”
Feng Zikang sat cross-legged. The form of his Nameless Heavenly Demon Avatar floated lazily toward the peak.
This sensation inexplicably brought him a strange feeling of familiarity, much like the feeling from years ago, right after he descended to the lower realms and possessed General Lu.
Back then, Feng Zikang had also slowly ascended from the foot of a mountain to the summit where General Lu resided.
The hardships then, naturally, could not compare to today.
Back then, layers of golden light represented potent formations capable of dissolving Heavenly Demons, and General Qin’s intensely yang, hard-edged killing intent was enough to slaughter countless demons.
Though the scene now vaguely resembled the old times, everything was fundamentally different.
His physical body had already established its foundation, and the demonic fetus was nearing completion. He had crossed the threshold; given more time, he was certain to break through to the Great Heavenly Demon realm!
Feng Zikang felt a surge of emotion, as if separated by an epoch.
Today, atop the peak, there was no imposing, majestic General Lu, but merely a few grim-faced disciples clad in white.
They were all barbarians, oddly formed, with various weapons and banners growing out of their bodies—most bizarre. Feng Zikang knew this was the Nanman technique of ‘Nurturing Weapons’ (Yùnbīng zhī Fǎ), but after learning the secrets of this method from Dashan just now, he couldn't help but marvel.
This method took an unorthodox path, earning Feng Zikang’s great admiration.
This was akin to creating an entirely unique Daoist technique. Although it couldn't draw Qi to establish a foundation, it could still strengthen the body, granting longevity and supernatural abilities. While different from the orthodox Daoist cultivation methods of the Hundred Schools of Thought, it possessed its own unique system. Unlike those sects that merely changed names and appearances, this was truly awe-inspiring.
He had initially assumed this was an ancient tradition of Nanman, never expecting it to be created by the Grand Sorcerer himself.
The method was peculiar: one implanted a half-forged magic weapon into the body, nurturing it with one's own flesh, blood, and vital essence. Once it matured, it would pierce through the flesh, achieving a nimbleness comparable to a natal magic weapon condensed after foundation establishment.
Dashan’s use of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Banner in the past was an issue nurtured through this very method. The Moon-Slaying Demonic Sword that Feng Zikang seized from Wuduyai was also the result of a half-nurtured weapon.
The disciples stood solemn, watching their surroundings with vigilance—unlike their senior brother, who might be slacking off or dozing.
However, this vigilance could not pierce the veil of the Nameless Heavenly Demon Avatar’s presence. Feng Zikang smiled faintly, passing through them, and entering the stone chamber atop the peak they were guarding.
The layout inside the chamber was quite strange.
In the outer area lay countless dying tribesmen, bound tightly like rice dumplings, neatly arranged in bizarre patterns.
The outer area of the chamber formed a circle, with these bound people in nearly every corner. Feng Zikang walked around once, suspicion growing in his heart.
Perhaps some special ritual was about to be performed.
But when he stepped into the inner chamber, the sight was even more shocking—
Mo Fenghuang lay flat on a stone slab, her face serene, deeply unconscious.
The ceiling was open to the blue sky and white clouds. Her fair, pale right arm hung limply, pierced by a thin silver needle that reflected a strange light under the sun.
Drops of blood slowly trickled down along the needle.
Tap, tap…
The blood dripped into a groove beside the stone slab, already accumulating a shallow layer. Judging by the slow rate of bleeding from the needle, the process had been underway for quite some time.
“This is…”
Feng Zikang abruptly withdrew his Nameless Heavenly Demon Avatar, his expression drastically changing.
“This is the Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice technique! Where did the Grand Sorcerer learn such an evil divine ability?”
“Heaven Forsaken Blood Sacrifice?”
The others found the name terrifying but had no idea what it was, increasing their apprehension.
Feng Zikang shook his head, sighing endlessly.
The Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice technique required the blood of thousands of living beings to attract demonic beasts to feed. Once they were satiated, the formation would be reversed, killing them to harvest the beasts’ soul essence and vital blood to complete certain specialized magical arts.
Judging by the Grand Sorcerer’s actions, his use of this Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice was undoubtedly intended for the Nine Dragons Convergence to reshape his form.
This undertaking was viciously ambitious!
Not hesitating to offend the Mohist School, using the treasured daughter of the Mohist Patriarch—Mo Fenghuang, who had reincarnated and cultivated back to the late Foundation Establishment stage—as the principal sacrificial offering. The demonic beasts this ritual intended to attract could not be ordinary…
“Nascent Soul stage demonic beasts!”
Feng Zikang finally connected all the pieces. The Grand Sorcerer, by unknown means, had agitated all the demonic beasts in Nanman, throwing the world into chaos. He then skillfully guided the tribesmen into the caves he had long prepared, secretly using his divine abilities to strip them of their sanity, slowly turning them into material for the blood sacrifice!
This blood sacrifice had some effect; whether intended or accidental, it managed to lure out a Nascent Soul stage demonic beast. That was why the Grand Sorcerer went to great lengths to capture Mo Fenghuang, using her as bait, and employing supreme divine power to temporarily seal the scent of blood here. He planned to unleash it fully when the Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice reached its climax, ensuring the attraction of that specific Nascent Soul stage demonic beast!
If this method succeeded, using the flesh, blood, and essence of a Nascent Soul beast, his method of reshaping his body through the Nine Dragons Convergence would likely succeed. However, the ensuing calamity upon Nanman would be unavoidable.
These thousands of dead souls counted for nothing. The final explosion of energy from the Nascent Soul beast would likely kill countless more people.
But, in the Grand Sorcerer’s mind, these lives held no value whatsoever.
※
“What day is it today?”
The Grand Sorcerer’s voice carried a monotonous, rigid metallic sound. He slowly opened his eyes, sitting cross-legged in the subterranean stone cave.
“Reporting to the Grand Sorcerer, it is the eighth day, my lord,”
His subordinate disciple replied diligently.
“Good! Good!”
The Grand Sorcerer nodded. “The Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice technique can finally be completed tonight at the hour of Zi (11 PM to 1 AM). That little girl from the Mo family is quite resilient; she hasn’t died after so many days. Heaven truly favors me…”
“At the hour of Zi, we kill the nine thousand people?”
The disciple’s voice trembled slightly.
“Precisely!”
A sharp light flashed in the Grand Sorcerer’s eyes. “A thousand people at each of the nine dragon caverns, plus these nine hundred here. Reaching the total of nine thousand nine hundred, combined with the spiritual blood of this girl, we can surely summon that entity!”
The disciple’s face turned pale, daring not to ask further.
“Do you feel that killing too many fellow villagers is wrong?”
The Grand Sorcerer sneered coldly. “I told you long ago, life and death are but a grand dream. Useless, mediocre people living in this world are no different from ants. What value do they possess?”
“If their lives can contribute even a little to my master’s body reshaping, it should be the ultimate honor!”
“Let alone nine thousand people! Even ninety thousand! Even if the entire human realm perished, as long as my master can be revived, it is all worthwhile!”
The Grand Sorcerer’s face contorted, malice flashing in his eyes.
The disciple repeatedly agreed, frightened to the point of looking ghostly pale.
The Sorcerer smiled faintly, patting his shoulder. “It’s fine, go and handle it properly. If this task is completed, I shall reward you heavily!”
※
“When do we go rescue Miss Mo and those brothers?”
Though badly injured, Manjiao was the most eager.
Feng Zikang remained silent, pondering. “Now that the Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice technique is established, rushing in to save them means confronting the great sacrificial formation, which will not be easy.”
“If we wait until tonight at the hour of Zi…”
Feng Zikang shook his head. “Waiting until the formation is on the verge of completion, that is indeed the best opportunity. But at that time, the Nascent Soul demonic beast will also have emerged. We will still face extreme difficulty…”
If they went now, it was tantamount to throwing themselves directly into the Heaven Burial Blood Sacrifice formation. The resentment from so many living souls would not be easy to contend with. But if they waited until the hour of Zi, the moment the sacrifice was enacted, the formation might weaken, offering an opening, yet if the Nascent Soul beast was attracted, rescuing people would become exponentially harder!
What should be done?
Feng Zikang sank into deep contemplation.