飘零影音

Chapter 44 - Arc 4: The Affairs of Chenghuang Kingdom | Chapter 44: Blood Demon\'s Body

Translator: Lynn

Hi! Sorry for the late update^^

Upon reaching the gates of the Imperial City, a soldier called out, “Great General!”

With a commanding wave of his hand, the blood demon1Sorry if anyone is confused by this term. But the demonic cultivation path is divided into two categories. The chaotic path, and the evil path. However, I translated the evil demon cultivation into the devil’s path for easier reading and to further enhance the ‘evil’ness of this path. So this Blood ‘Demon’ cultivator term is still correct since he is on the demonic path. rode through the gates without anyone daring to impede him.

Upon arriving at the East Palace, several eunuch guards greeted him, and one of them exclaimed in a daze, “Great General, some immortals have arrived, seeking misfortune!”

It turned out that these eunuchs were assigned to guard the prince’s chambers at night. They witnessed someone descending from the sky without any disturbance in the air as if celestial beings gracefully descending from above. Filled with terror and fearing divine retribution, they were relieved to see the presence of the blood demon as if finding a source of protection.

The blood demon’s eyes glowed red, and his heart seethed with anger.

He was already plagued with misfortune, first with Dong Lixi’s sudden defiance, and now he sensed the surge of spiritual energy from immortal cultivators within the Imperial City!

In a deep voice, he commanded, “Leave the prince’s palace; I will handle this matter.”

The blood demon had a history of ruthless killings and had amassed significant authority. The crowd dared not defy him and had to suppress their doubts as they withdrew.

As they retreated, they heard the blood demon issue an order, “Guard a ten-mile radius, and no one is to enter if any disturbances occur!”

The crowd responded with an obedient “Yes” before dispersing to their respective positions.

Just as the blood demon was about to enter the East Palace, he suddenly felt a piercing pain in his chest, accompanied by a twitching sensation beneath his skin, as if something was attempting to emerge. Taking a deep breath, he bellowed, “What are you fidgeting about?”

The blood demon’s robes parted, revealing something protruding from the smooth flesh of his heart—a human-like head, complete with a mouth and nose, resembling a face.

This face possessed a raspy voice, mirroring the voice emanating from the blood demon’s own mouth. It said, “The prince is resting, do not disturb him.”

Angry, the blood demon retorted, “Jiao Tu, you dare to threaten me?”

The face responded, “If you wish to seize the dynasty’s qi, you must obtain my cooperation. I ask for only one thing— the life of someone I hold dear. If you refuse, you can erase my consciousness.”

Fury surged within the blood demon’s chest. Once mighty and powerful, he now found himself being blackmailed by a mere inhabitant of the Southern Nine Continents. Severely injured, he had lost a significant portion of his body and needed to return to it every seven days to regain full strength.

After a long pause, the blood demon emitted a disdainful snort and, through clenched teeth, said, “Rest assured. Once I possess your body, Dong Lixi will become the crown prince and emperor. Your mundane throne holds no interest for me!”

Unbeknownst to many, the blood demon had sought refuge in the Lower Nine Continents to elude the Golden Elixir, recuperating in the depths of the mountains. After observing the fortunes and circumstances of various nations, he selected Jiao Tu, the country’s General, as the target for seizing fortunes.

Jiao Tu, commanding the army, possessed a powerful qi akin to a colossal python, which served under the Eastern Palace’s Golden Dragon. The blood demon found Jiao Tu and enticed him with wealth and power through dream manipulation, intending to consume him once his purpose was fulfilled. He never expected Jiao Tu to be resolute and remain loyal to Dong Lixi due to his affection and admiration.

The blood demon grew infuriated and directly possessed Jiao Tu. Aware that he was dealing with a demon, Jiao Tu feared that if he resisted, Dong Lixi would be harmed. To protect Dong Lixi’s life and curb the blood demon’s unrestrained behavior, Jiao Tu struck a deal with him.

Jiao Tu was relieved to finally have an opportunity to be close to Dong Lixi, but he was tormented by the hatred reflected in Dong Lixi’s eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to reveal the truth, causing him prolonged anguish.

Observing the transformation of the snake into a dragon, Jiao Tu knew his time was limited. To ensure Dong Lixi’s safety and prevent their plan from failing, he had to exert greater control over the blood demon. In order to avoid jeopardizing their success, the blood demon exercised more patience with Jiao Tu.

As they conversed, Jiao Tu’s horse continued to gallop, and they had already arrived at the courtyard.

A shout rang out, “Demon, come forth and face your demise!”

A crimson sword light, resembling a train of blood, descended in a straight slash!

The blood demon urged his blood-stained horse forward, taking a few steps back. He then beheld a striking young man, wielding a red sword, gracefully descending from the sky!

The young man’s eyes emitted a hostile aura, and his sword strikes were decisive and fierce. The scorching light of his sword seemed to mirror the fiery hue of his robe and sleeves, as if he had emerged from a bath of flames.

Judging from the surge of spiritual energy, the blood demon deduced that this man’s cultivation level was merely at the fifth stage of Qi refinement. Although he appeared gifted due to his young age, talent mattered little in a life-or-death battle. It was simply a fight.

As the blood demon’s spirit inhabited Jiao Tu, and Jiao Tu’s physical body was mortal, he could only utilize a cultivation level of around the fourth or fifth stage of Qi refinement. However, he possessed extensive combat experience and his realm exceeded Su Xin’s by several levels, leaving him unafraid.

Seeing Su Xin’s arrogance, the blood demon sneered. He thought to himself, “I was just about to replenish my flesh, and here comes this ignorant little immortal cultivator. I’ll have a good feast.”

Without uttering a word, he raised his hand and released a layer of vicious, bizarre, and swift blood mist. In the blink of an eye, the mist lunged towards the fiery red sword light, engulfing them all in an instant!

Raising an eyebrow, Su Xin remained calm and opened his mouth, spewing forth a ball of turquoise blue fire.

The fire was only the size of a fist and emitted no sound, yet it struck the blood mist, engulfing it entirely. Upon contact, eerie screams erupted from within the mist, sharp and spine-chilling, resembling the cries of ghosts, sending shivers down people’s spines. However, no matter how it screamed, it was incinerated completely, unable to harm the red flying sword in the slightest!

Observing this scene, the blood demon’s gaze darkened. “Qingyan Treasure Fire…”

Su Xin’s smile was crisp. “This devil of yours still has some insight. You recognize my precious fire, young master!”

The blood demon’s eyes narrowed, his anger surging within him.

Having traversed the Upper Nine Continents for many years, how could he not recognize this fire? How audacious was this young boy to speak so rudely to him?

The Qingyan Treasure Fire ranked forty-seventh on the Immortal Flame Treasure List, was incredibly pure, and possessed great power in restraining the evil creatures of the Devil’s Path.

If the blood demon were at the peak of the Foundation Establishment, the Green Amazing Fire might be helpless against his Blood Mist. However, in his scorched body, the blood demon was defenseless against it.

Yet, relying solely on this immortal fire to render the blood demon helpless was far from enough.

The blood demon’s eyes flashed with severity as he raised his hand once again!

—Great General’s Residence—

Xu Ziqing bid farewell to the Dong Lixi brothers and Su Xin. When Su Xin went out to provoke the blood demon, Xu Ziqing swiftly utilized a wood transport technique to reach Jiao Tu’s residence.

Locating the house of the esteemed general was no easy task, as there was no trace of demonic energy on the streets. It was understandable why Su Xin had come to the East Palace instead of heading straight to the Great General’s residence, which had transformed into a devil’s den.

Remaining composed, Xu Ziqing first sealed his five senses and then extended his spiritual energy throughout his body. Wood energy represents the breath of life, while demonic energy is predominantly Yin and malevolent. Consequently, wood cultivators are often particularly sensitive to demonic energy.

As soon as he did so, Xu Ziqing felt a sharp, stinging pain on his body upon contact with the demonic energy. A slight sense of delight welled up within him as he hastened toward the source of the demonic energy.

As expected, in less than a breath’s time, Xu Ziqing spotted a grand mansion emitting a majestic aura. The demonic Qi emanated from within its gates.

Employing a stealth technique, he effortlessly passed through the walls without encountering any barriers. Apparently, the blood demon had not anticipated the arrival of an immortal in the Lower Nine Continents and had consequently not implemented stringent security measures in his residence.

Upon entering the courtyard, Xu Ziqing paid no attention to his surroundings and instead followed the trail of demonic aura, traversing numerous courtyards and corridors until he reached an inner chamber.

Wandering inside, Xu Ziqing entered a particular room.

A long spear hung on the wall, while a broad-backed sword rested nearby.

This was Jiao Tu’s bedroom, and the demonic aura emanated from the bed.

Without hesitation, Xu Ziqing headed straight for the couch to investigate. There, he discovered a spiritual pearl resting on the bamboo pillow, faintly emanating black light from within. As he looked elsewhere, he found nothing else imbued with demonic energy. Xu Ziqing picked up the pearl and noticed that it still retained some spiritual energy. He speculated that the blood demon had taken it to absorb the spiritual energy but had left it behind unfinished, resulting in the pearl being tainted with demonic energy.

Although disappointed that he hadn’t found the blood demon’s physical form, Xu Ziqing was aware that he couldn’t keep staying at the East Palace for long. He needed to search quickly.

Considering that the blood demon had left the pearl behind and his scorched body wouldn’t attract aura, the body must be nearby, possibly concealed in a secret room accessed through a spell formation or other means. To locate the entrance, however, one would have to meticulously inspect each item in the chamber.

Yet, time was of the essence, and Xu Ziqing couldn’t afford to waste it.

Without much thought, Xu Ziqing called upon his friend within the ring. “Brother Yun, the situation is urgent. Can you… help?”

Before he could utter any words of assistance, the white-clad man emerged but had his offer of help interrupted. Xu Ziqing immediately realized that he would surely have to repay the favor.

Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage had only just glimpsed the threshold of the immortal path. While their physical bodies were gradually becoming free from worldly constraints, they were not yet completely liberated from their mortal forms. The Foundation Establishment stage merely marked the beginning, while the Golden Core Formation stage represented a phase of continuous transformation. Only at the Golden Core stage, when the body contained a golden pellet, was it truly liberated from the mundane. It wasn’t until the Nascent Soul stage, when the soul broke into an infant heavenly soul and the body underwent reshaping, that the flesh was completely purged of impurities.

Given the arduous process of transcending the mortal body, the most significant difference between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Qi Refining stage lay in the divine sense.

-The cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, so-called, are merely one level above ordinary mortals, relying mostly on the physical body. However, the Foundation Establishment stage gradually touches the soul, allowing the cultivator to perceive the world through divine awareness.

A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage possesses a divine sense that extends up to a radius of 10 miles. Xu Ziqing, being at the seventh level of Qi Refining, lacks divine sense.

That’s why Xu Ziqing sought help from Yun Lie to expedite the search for the great general’s residence.

Yun Lie didn’t say much but swept his gaze around, then raised his hand and waved his sleeve.

A golden ray of light, sharp and invincible, shot toward a corner of the house. A black light flashed, revealing a deep black cavern.

As soon as the cave appeared, the demonic aura surged forth, accompanied by a strong scent of blood emanating from within.

Yun Lie swiftly leaped into the cave, followed by Xu Ziqing, who went in a green condensed qi and disappeared into it.

Once they were inside, Yun Lie waved his hand again, sealing the cave shut.

It was only then that Xu Ziqing realized they had descended into a bottomless pit.

He surmised that this was a cavern dug by the blood demon, as the moment he touched the ground, the smell of blood intensified, causing discomfort.

Xu Ziqing felt his feet sticking to the wet ground, and when he looked down, he saw that the soil was drenched in bright red, blood seeping into the mud, leaving footprints with every step. He couldn’t help but frown, feeling a sense of unease creeping over him.

Without pausing, he asked, “Brother Yun, is this where the blood demon’s original body is?”

Yun Lie nodded slightly and replied, “Up ahead.”

Understanding the response, Xu Ziqing hurriedly followed behind Yun Lie, matching his quick pace along the muddy path.

On either side, stone walls surrounded them, their fresh mud-stained red, devoid of any vegetation. The stench grew stronger, but the path wasn’t too long, and they soon reached the end.

In the next moment, Xu Ziqing gasped in shock.

There lay a massive cave that could accommodate a hundred people, with a square pool in the center, tens of feet wide, brimming with flowing water that shimmered red.

It was all blood!

Hovering above the pool was a gourd of blood-red color, its mouth moving up and down, spewing streams of blood that cascaded into the pool. Yet, despite the constant flow, the water level remained unchanged.

At the heart of the pool, a spell formation stood with a formation plate, resembling a millstone. On it sat a man, skeletal and bone-thin, kneeling.

The man stood roughly eight feet tall, his emaciated frame more like a skeleton interwoven with countless threads, resembling a flayed body. The ghastly red hue pervaded his bones.

Dozens of blood-colored formation flags encircled the pool, floating unsteadily in the bloody water. Their eerie crimson light flickered, drawing countless threads of blood from the pool, forming a dense net that spread across the entire pool, intricately intertwining around the man’s body, channeling all the blood into him.

There was no doubt that this was the body the blood demon desperately sought to restore.

Yun Lie’s eyes turned cold, and his aura exuded a chilling presence. “Human blood.”

Xu Ziqing held his breath, his eyes filled with a mix of revulsion and anger. Seeing the current situation, he couldn’t help but understand. The blood in the gourd was undoubtedly the blood of the Southern people that the blood demon had gathered!

The story may have been long, but barely a moment had passed since the two of them breached the prohibition and entered the Devil’s Cave. Time was running short, and now was not the time to be consumed by anger.

Xu Ziqing quickly spoke, “Brother Yun, I apologize for potentially defiling your place of sojourn.”

Yun Lie replied, “No problem.”

Without wasting any time, Yun Lie scanned the area, and two golden swords shot forward, emanating a strong killing intent. They effortlessly broke through the barrier and sliced through the blood gourd!

Simultaneously, Xu Ziqing took action. With a flick of his sleeve, the blood demon’s body struggled, seemingly attempting to ascend. However, the pulling force from the formation disk restrained it, making it difficult for Xu Ziqing to retrieve it.

Yun Lie coldly snorted and surrounded himself with a hundred strands of sword qi, launching an attack simultaneously!

Boom, boom, boom…

In an instant, the formation banners and the blood gourd were shredded into pieces. Xu Ziqing waved his sleeve again, causing the blood demon’s body to fly backward and into the storage ring. Almost immediately, the blood pond exploded!

With the body finally recovered, Yun Lie did not put it back into the storage ring.

Knowing that Yun Lie disliked the blood demon’s body, Xu Ziqing didn’t say much, but proposed, “Brother Yun, shall we proceed to the East Palace together?”

Yun Lie shifted slightly and appeared in front of Xu Ziqing. “Let’s go.”

As a gust of wind swept through, the blue and golden lights vanished in an instant.

The two of them disappear in a flash.

The blood demon and Su Xin faced each other. Su Xin unleashed his Qingyan Treasure Fire to dispel the blood mist released by the blood demon. However, the blood demon remained unfazed, raising his hand and swiftly executing a spell.

Suddenly, two fist-sized blood wasps materialized around him. Their bodies were bare, their wings black, and their tails a foot long!

As soon as they appeared, they flapped their wings, emitting an immensely powerful sound wave that caught Su Xin off guard. A shadow flickered, and the Blood Bee appeared in front of the Qingyan Flame!

The Qingyan Flame, which had been a magnificent burst of fire, trembled multiple times as if encountering something terrifying. Within moments, its size drastically reduced. In contrast, the blood wasp seemed to have gained some sort of nourishment, becoming much rounder. The other bee also advanced forward.

Su Xin had gone through great perils to obtain this precious magic weapon and cherished it deeply. Witnessing its size shrink by half in just a glance naturally ignited his anger.

However, it wasn’t the time for anger. Su Xin immediately let out a cry, and the Astonishing Flame retreated as if pardoned, returning to be stored by Su Xin once again.

The red longsword danced in front of Su Xin, its fiery light streaking through him, constantly shifting in accordance with the master’s will.

The blood demon sneered, not recalling the Blood Bees. Instead, he flicked his fingers once more, intending to send them charging forward again.

Before he could strike, his expression suddenly changed.

Someone had interfered with his formations!

This time, it was the blood demon who became furious, shouting, “Immortal Daoist boy, do you have an accomplice?”

Hearing this, Su Xin realized he had discovered a clue. With a contemptuous gaze, he replied, “Do I need assistance to deal with such a foolish creature?”

The blood demon’s bones trembled, and anger surged within him. His flesh lay hidden underground, guarded by a forbidden system. If someone were to breach it, his flesh would be in grave danger! With no more desire to engage with Su Xin, he spurred his blood horse and turned to leave.

Transporting a mortal body or riding the wind was burdensome, causing the Blood Demon to regret his decision. If only one of his spiritual weapons had survived, it could have protected his spirit, allowing it to leave his body and swiftly return to his physical form. It would have been much faster than his current situation! If…he dared to release his spirit now, the yellow-mouthed child could burn it with fire, leading to his complete demise!

The blood demon seethed, “Damn it! Who said I wanted to escape?”

However, Jiao Tu’s fragile flesh couldn’t withstand the flying sword’s attacks. He had no choice but to turn around and confront the enemy, his heart growing increasingly agitated.

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