Chapter 1051: Blood Against Blood

One, two, three, four!

In the twentieth year after the Land of Fallen Devils opened, the fourth of the fourteen palaces within the Heaven of Bright Illumination finally lit up. Its position directly opposite the Light Palace left no doubt that it was the Darkness Palace, and indeed, unlike the dazzling brightness of the other three, its radiance was so faint it could easily have been overlooked.

Had two figures not emerged onto the Sea of Clouds Plaza at that very moment, few people would have noticed its dim glow. But the instant the newcomers steadied themselves, one of them directly launched a massive attack, as though everyone gathered below simply did not exist. A blood-red arc of condensed power tore through the air and crashed down with overwhelming force.

BBBOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!

The explosion blasted the other man back several hundred zhang. Before the attacker, a burly cultivator wielding a crimson blade, could press his advantage, his opponent shouted, "Blood Hermit, are you really set on fighting to the death? The Darkness Realm's inheritance has already been claimed. Why should we go on trying to kill each other here?"

Only then did the crowd finally see the attacker's face. Beneath his thick, unkempt beard was a stern, resolute expression, while his crimson robes billowed under the force of his own power. But even if his face hadn't been visible, his weapon would've instantly revealed his identity. From a distance, it looked like a regular two-handed long saber, but everyone present immediately recognized it. It was the Divine Fortified Blood Blade, and its wielder was Blood Hermit, one of the Three Great Hermits of the Myriad Immortal Society!

His reputation had long preceded him. Now that the crowd recognized him, they finally understood why he had attacked with such complete disregard; Blood Hermit truly had the strength to do exactly that.

Blood Hermit paid no attention to the question. Instead, he lifted his head and silently looked at the Dark Palace, whose faint radiance spread across the sky.

Seeing that Blood Hermit didn't seem intent on attacking again, his opponent quietly let out a breath of relief. He also wore crimson Daoist robes, but the aura surrounding him was noticeably weaker—it was Blood Nightmare!

"We've been fighting each other for more than a decade, and neither of us has managed to gain the upper hand. Now that the Darkness Realm's inheritance has been claimed, there's no point dragging this out and letting someone else profit from our fight."

Blood Hermit slowly lowered his gaze and sneered. "Neither of us has managed to gain the upper hand?"

Blood Nightmare's expression stiffened.

Blood Hermit continued, "You've only held on for this long because you've been borrowing Grand Elder Blood Sea's power. And that makes you think you're my equal? Tell me, how much longer can you keep relying on it?"

"You..." Blood Nightmare's face flushed, and he gritted his teeth. "You're one to talk! Aren't you after that power as well?"

Blood Hermit nodded openly. "Of course I am. I need it to perfect my devil arts and break through to the late stage. But unlike you, I won't squander such power and turn myself into some half-baked mess."

Before Blood Nightmare could respond, Blood Hermit's cold gaze swept over the people behind him. "And once you're dead, how could these worthless pests possibly benefit from our fight?"

Those caught beneath his gaze instinctively backed away. Even Devil's Cloud shuddered as horrifying visions of mountains of corpses and seas of blood flooded his mind.

"What a bloodthirsty aura!"

A startled cry snapped him back to his senses. When Devil's Cloud looked up again, the black-robed Sage was standing in front of him, shielding him from Blood Hermit's oppressive presence.

"Thank you, Senior!"

Although he had no idea why this Sage had chosen to protect him, he offered his gratitude sincerely. The black-robed Sage did not respond. He kept his eyes on Blood Hermit, his rigid stance making it clear that he regarded the man as a formidable opponent.

Hovering in the air, Blood Hermit looked down at him with disdain. "Neither human nor ghost; nothing more than a puppet body. Well, at least you have some skill."

The black-robed Sage merely nodded, then grabbed Devil's Cloud and drew back a few steps. "Blood Hermit, be my guest."

It was obvious from his stance that he had no intention of interfering in their conflict.

At the same time, everyone else also made their positions clear. The Seagon Matriarch was the most vigilant of them all. Aside from her, every powerhouse on the plaza was human. If they chose to join forces against her first, escaping would be nearly impossible. With her own survival already hanging by a thread, she had no reason to concern herself with the struggle between the two Blood Path cultivators, much less think about profiting from it.

If the Dragon Sovereign and Liu Jun were here, would I have been forced into such a dangerous situation?

Flying Cloud's eyes flickered between Blood Hermit, Blood Nightmare, and the black-robed Sage. For a brief moment, he looked ready to make a move, but his gaze soon drifted to the palaces suspended high above. Compared to the inheritances waiting there, a pointless battle held no appeal.

Before long, only two people remained who had not avoided Blood Hermit's gaze.

A cold smile touched Blood Hermit's lips. "I take it that the two of you have a death wish?"

Fairy Jadecold remained as calm as ever. "My apologies, but before we entered this place, the three of us agreed that we would enter together and leave together."

Silent Fate gave a bitter smile. "Hermit, why fight over a matter of pride? Why not call a truce for now? We can wait together until the palaces open, then take what we can from those who obtained the inheritances."

Blood Hermit grinned savagely. "I have no interest in any of that. The only thing I want is the power Blood Sea left behind."

His gaze swept across the three of them. "Come at me together, then. I am not scared of any of you."

As the words fell, a torrent of crimson light shot into the sky before another figure stepped out of Blood Hermit's body. The newcomer bore little resemblance to him. His features were sharp and wicked, and his narrow eyes radiated malice, a stark contrast to Blood Hermit's burly frame and imposing presence. Yet despite their different appearances, the two exuded an almost identical aura as they stood side by side.

The moment Fairy Jadecold saw him, her expression changed. "Elder Yan!"

"No, that's not Elder Yan." Blood Nightmare hurriedly shook his head. "That's one of Blood Hermit's Blood God Clones. He originally refined four Sage-level clones. One was destroyed by a creature from the Darkness Realm, another perished alongside my clones, and I took another one down. This is the last one he has left."

His explanation sent a wave of shock through the Sea of Clouds Plaza. Blood Hermit was only a middle-stage Sage, yet he had somehow refined four other clones of the same realm! No wonder he was reputed to be capable of contending with late-stage Sages!

At the same time, many people began looking at Blood Nightmare differently. He was only an early-stage Sage, yet he had destroyed two of Blood Hermit's Blood God Clones and survived to tell the story. Could the power left behind by Grand Elder Blood Sea really be the source of his strength?

Blood Hermit paid no attention to the looks directed at him. Raising the Divine Fortified Blood Blade, he charged straight at Blood Nightmare, while the Blood God Clone refined from Elder Yan stepped forward to block Fairy Jadecold and Silent Fate.

Silent Fate's expression turned serious. "Junior Sister, be careful. Blood Hermit's Blood God Clones come from the Blood Sea Lineage. Their techniques are the most ruthless and vicious of all."

As he spoke, he drew out a fly-whisk, while a flying sword circled protectively around him.

Fairy Jadecold remained calm. "I know that better than you do. Save your concern for Blood Nightmare. If he dies, then when my sister comes out, there will be no one left to help you."

Those words made Silent Fate's expression change entirely. In truth, Blood Nightmare's strength far exceeded his expectations. By inheriting the power left behind by his sect's elder, Blood Nightmare had become capable of contending with a middle-stage Sage. At his peak, that borrowed power might even allow him to challenge a late-stage Sage. If Silent Fate wanted to survive what came next, Blood Nightmare could not be allowed to die.

After taking a deep breath, he said, "Then let's join forces and destroy this clone first."

"Alright!"

Without another word, the two unleashed their enchanted treasures and killing techniques. Across the plaza, the sea of clouds churned violently as battle erupted.

Overall, Blood Hermit still held an overwhelming advantage.

His endless saber light swept across the battlefield with irresistible force, overwhelming Blood Nightmare without a break. Just as he had said, the power Blood Nightmare wielded was not his own. It belonged to Grand Elder Blood Sea, and after more than a decade of relentless fighting in the Darkness Realm, Blood Hermit and his three Blood God Clones had gradually worn that borrowed strength away. Now, although he only had a single clone remaining, he had finally driven Blood Nightmare to the brink.

Unable to withstand the pressure any longer, Blood Nightmare glanced across the plaza and shouted, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and help me!"

Silent Fate clenched his teeth. "Junior Sister, hold off the clone. I'll go help him."

Before Fairy Jadecold could respond, he flicked his fly-whisk, sending countless white threads through the air and wrapping them around the clone, restraining it just long enough for him to race toward Blood Nightmare like a bolt of lightning.

Seeing this, Fairy Jadecold watched him go, her lips pressing together as pain flickered in her eyes. This again... The people of the Penglai Immortal Sect are always like this. They were like this back then, and they are no different now.

BOOOOOOMM!!

After another fierce exchange, Blood Nightmare spat out a mouthful of blood and was blasted backward. Blood Hermit immediately gave chase, but Silent Fate arrived just in time to intercept the next strike, forcing Blood Hermit to turn his attention toward him instead.

Whoosh!

Blood Nightmare crashed onto the ground several hundred zhang away. His face twisted as he pushed himself upright and looked toward Silent Fate. "Fellow Daoist, hold him off for a little longer. I need time to talk to my sword."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a crimson sword appeared in his hand—the Godslayer Blood Sword! Yet what followed was no actual conversation. Instead, he pressed a finger against his forehead, and a drop of golden-red blood slowly drifted out.

It was not blood essence... but soul blood that was infused with a cultivator's divine soul. The moment it left his body, Blood Nightmare's complexion turned several shades paler. Ignoring the strain, he smeared the soul blood across the Godslayer Blood Sword before rapidly forming hundreds of hand seals in the span of a single breath.

Only after the final seal was completed did he shout, "HEED MY COMMAND!"

The instant the word fell, the Godslayer Blood Sword, which had been trembling violently, fell completely still. Almost at the same moment, Silent Fate was blasted away by Blood Hermit's attack and crashed to the ground not far from Blood Nightmare.

Hovering high above, Blood Hermit looked down at them with his hair whipping wildly in the wind. "Your struggle is pathetic. You're only delaying the inevitable!"

"Is that so?" Blood Nightmare sneered and flicked a finger. "Go!"

At his command, the Godslayer Blood Sword became a streak of crimson light and shot toward Blood Hermit. His expression grew more serious as he faced it, but the confidence in his eyes never wavered. Raising the Divine Fortified Blood Blade, he brought it down in a single vertical slash, sending a brilliant arc of blade light sweeping through the sky to meet the crimson sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In barely a dozen breaths, the Divine Fortified Blood Blade and the Godslayer Blood Sword exchanged more than a hundred blows. When they finally separated, Blood Hermit lowered his gaze to the blade in his hand. Its edge was riddled with nicks and chips. The Divine Fortified Blood Blade was a renowned True Artifact of the Northern Sea, yet it had been completely outmatched by the Godslayer Blood Sword.

That sword again...

Blood Hermit's gaze darkened, and he clenched his right hand. A long whip appeared in his grasp and cracked through the void. As it lashed through the air, it resembled a serpent, a python, a vine, and a dragon all at once. The soul-stealing caw of crows faintly echoed across.

That was the Bloodkiss Whip, a True Artifact that had been supposedly used to seize Grand Elder Blood Sea's power. This time, he would see if it could put out that sword.

He brought the whip smashing down, and as it whistled through the air, it split into two snake-like phantoms. One lashed toward Blood Nightmare, while the other struck at Silent Fate. The latter's expression changed sharply. White strands burst from his fly-whisk and wrapped tightly around him, forming a massive cocoon.

A heartbeat later, the whip phantom smashed into it, hurling the cocoon several hundred zhang before it burst apart. The strands scattered in every direction and Silent Fate coughed up blood; the force of the blow had disrupted whatever he had been trying to do.

Meanwhile, Blood Nightmare poured every ounce of his strength into controlling the Godslayer Blood Sword and drove it straight at the Bloodkiss Whip.

BBBOOOOOOOMM!!!!

The whip and the blood sword collided, and surging mana erupted from the impact. The shockwave of the fight swept across the plaza, scattering the clouds below and shaking the air around them.

Blood Nightmare threw back his head and laughed. "Hahahahahahaha! You've only had that True Artifact for a short time. How could it possibly match me?"

Blood Hermit's expression darkened as he tightened his grip on the whip. "Give me a little more time, and we'll see."

Time was what mattered most now. And elsewhere, Luo Chen needed it more than anyone.

***

Inside the Alchemy Palace, Luo Chen had been pushed into the most desperate crisis of his life. Two primordial fires of unimaginable level were using his body as their battlefield, and every clash between them threatened to tear him apart.

The two flames had battled each other for more than a thousand years, exhausting almost all their power until only faint remnants of their power remained. Even so, those remnants were still far beyond anything Luo Chen could withstand. Their tier was simply too high, and with the Heaven Refiner Cauldron's spirit gone, nothing remained to keep them in check.

To make matters worse, Luo Chen practiced the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture, which shared the same origin as the Nirvana Sacred Fire. The dormant sacred flame had awakened the moment it sensed that familiar aura, reigniting even stronger as it found an unexpected source of power. Caught between them, Luo Chen could do nothing but watch as they rampaged through his body, burning away his flesh and tearing his meridians apart.

"No! I won't let this continue!"

His hoarse roar echoed through his divine soul. Although the Nirvana Sacred Fire had already seized control of his mana, it could not touch his origin energy. Without the slightest hesitation, Luo Chen drew upon every trace of origin energy to reinforce his body. No matter what happened, he could not allow this "battlefield" to crumble.

Meanwhile, the balance between the two flames had begun to fail. The Ninefold Beaconfire had no source of power to replenish itself, while the Nirvana Sacred Fire continued drawing strength from Luo Chen's mana. As time passed, the tide gradually turned until the Nirvana Sacred Fire gained the upper hand.

Realizing it could not continue like this, the Ninefold Beaconfire abruptly plunged into Luo Chen's sea of qi and rushed straight toward the white Nascent Core suspended within.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

The moment Luo Chen realized what it intended to do, terror consumed him. The nine-colored radiance enveloped the white Nascent Core, and it began to swell as its mana surged in pulses. Then...

BBBOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!

The Nascent Core exploded. Terrifying mana erupted like a river bursting through a shattered dam. At the same moment, Luo Chen's sea of qi, whose resilience he had always taken pride in, finally gave way and collapsed. The boiling mana rushed through every corner of his body like a stampede of wild horses, tearing through every part of his body until it began to disintegrate.

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