Nie Mingjue staunched the bleeding from his right hand, his expression solemn as he fixed his gaze on Chen Fan. "To think you would come back after running away…"
"Come on, considering our cultivation level, isn't that an achievement in itself?" Chen Fan replied with a teasing smile.
Nie Mingjue scoffed. "Hmph. It's better this way—I won't have to waste my time hunting you down again." Without hesitation, he summoned a hand of blood to replace his missing left arm. At the same time, numerous orbs of blood materialized around him before shooting toward Chen Fan in rapid succession.
Chen Fan effortlessly evaded every projectile, weaving through the onslaught as he dashed toward Nie Mingjue. His right arm had already transformed into that of a dragon, clad in ominous Annihilation Qi. In response, Nie Mingjue exhaled a thick mist of blood, which surged toward Chen Fan at an alarming speed. Without missing a beat, Chen Fan conjured a black orb and hurled it to his side, instantly drawing in the blood mist and dispersing it, clearing his path.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Fan closed the distance between them, his fist already hurtling toward Nie Mingjue's face. As Nie Mingjue attempted to dodge, he suddenly realized that his feet had been restrained by the ground beneath him. Unable to escape, he could only watch as the punch struck his face. The moment it connected, the Annihilation Qi imbued within the strike caused his flesh to disintegrate on impact, leaving a gaping hole where his face had been.
However, before Chen Fan could claim victory, an absurd sight unfolded before him. Nie Mingjue's entire body became enveloped in a thick layer of blood before suddenly detonating. Reacting instantly, Chen Fan unleashed his Annihilation Qi to minimize the impact, but given the limited time, he was unable to fully escape the blast. Some of the blood from the explosion splattered onto his body, clinging to him like a curse.
Just then, a voice echoed from behind. "Oh, you can react."
Chen Fan swiftly turned, his gaze landing on a grotesque sight—the severed hand he had chopped off earlier was greedily absorbing the blood from the explosion. Before long, the hand reconstructed itself into Nie Mingjue's form, albeit missing an entire arm.
Nie Mingjue studied his new body, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the place where his left arm had once been. "Hmm… As expected, your power truly is peculiar," he mused. Portions of his body seemed to have vanished entirely upon contact with Chen Fan's Annihilation Qi.
"Look who's talking. Are you even human?" Chen Fan scoffed as the wounds from the explosion slowly began to heal, thanks to Ao Xue's power.
"Hm… as expected, that power and this pool of blood… There's no doubt about it. This is the power of the Blood King," Ao Xue's voice echoed in his mind.
"The Blood King?" Chen Fan asked, his brows furrowing.
"Yes. You mentioned that you forcibly entered this place along with others, correct? It seems the Blood King had already made preparations. Every soul that perishes here does not enter reincarnation. Instead, their very essence is forcibly transformed into a Blood Seed."
"Is it meant for control? Or perhaps… resurrection?" Chen Fan's eyes narrowed.
"Most likely both. Any member of the Devil Sect who has used this power already carries a Blood Seed within them. The more blood they absorb, the stronger the seed grows, possibly paving the way for the Blood King's resurrection."
"Is he strong?"
"On par with me at my peak. But if he succeeds in resurrecting, his power will surpass my current state." Ao Xue's gaze shifted to Nie Mingjue. "That ability to transform into blood… he must have gained it by absorbing this pool of blood. It's one of the Blood King's abilities."
"Why don't you attack again? Are you scared?" Nie Mingjue smirked as he looked at Chen Fan.
Ignoring him, Chen Fan spoke to Ao Xue, "What if I absorb it? Or maybe store it in my phone?" He wasn't about to leave the blood pool untouched—sooner or later, it would lead to the Blood King's resurrection.
Ao Xue immediately saw through his plan. "Shameless brat. What makes you think I'd help you suppress the Blood King?" His voice carried a hint of amusement. He and the Blood King had once been equals in power, not just in cultivation but in soul. If the Blood King wished to take over Chen Fan's body, he would first need to destroy Chen Fan's soul. However, with Ao Xue still intact, that wouldn't be an easy feat, as the Blood King's soul remained scattered. "Besides, this blood is essentially made of souls. There's no way you could store it in your phone."
"Even if we manage to suppress his soul within your body, he can still possess another vessel that already carries a Blood Seed," Ao Xue cautioned.
Swish.
Nie Mingjue felt a surge of irritation at being completely ignored. Without hesitation, he launched a streak of Blood Qi from his palm, yet Chen Fan effortlessly dodged and blocked it with Annihilation Qi. However, his eyes narrowed as he noticed Nie Mingjue slowly absorbing the blood pool, his strength steadily growing with each passing moment.
"So, it's possible to suppress him, right?" Chen Fan pressed, his tone urgent. Dragging the fight out any longer would only put him at a disadvantage.
"But I'd have to suppress him every single time he tries to awaken," Ao Xue remarked dryly. "What do I get out of this?"
"I'll find a way for you to devour his soul."
"Oh?" Ao Xue chuckled, amusement lacing his voice. "You do realize you won't be able to harness his power, don't you? The only reason the Devil Sect can wield his abilities is because the Blood King allows it. If you devour his soul, and he manages to regain control over the Devil Sect, you'll become his top priority. Are you truly prepared for that?"
Chen Fan laughed, unfazed. "Wouldn't make much of a difference, would it? I've already killed their members and taken their token. They'll be after me either way."
"That's true," Ao Xue admitted. "But let me remind you—there's a real chance that some of his Blood Seeds have already taken root in the Devil Sect elders. If we suppress him now, he'll almost certainly sense it."
"It's decided, then."
Without hesitation, Chen Fan surged forward, his first priority being to kill Nie Mingjue. He swiftly conjured three black orbs around his opponent, aiming to trap him. However, as if anticipating the move, Nie Mingjue immediately created three blood orbs, enveloping the black orbs and suppressing their suction force.
Chen Fan clenched his fist, and in an instant, the black orbs transformed into sharp spikes. Caught off guard, Nie Mingjue attempted to escape by liquefying into blood—only for his vision to be swallowed by complete darkness. A chilling sensation coursed through him as he felt Chen Fan's hand press against his stomach. Within moments, his entire body became engulfed in Chen Fan's Annihilation Qi.
Chen Fan pushed his power to the limit, coating Nie Mingjue's entire form in destructive energy. But just before he could completely erase him, Nie Mingjue managed to fire something toward the exit of the realm. Chen Fan's gaze snapped to the lump of flesh in the distance. He immediately tried to blast it apart, but before his attack could land, the flesh morphed into a monstrous centipede and darted through the door.
Tch.
Chen Fan clenched his fist, and in an instant, Nie Mingjue's body was utterly consumed by Annihilation Qi, leaving nothing behind.
The battle had taken its toll. As his strength drained, Chen Fan dropped to his knees, panting heavily. His Qi was completely depleted. He hurriedly swallowed an energy pill, yet the exhaustion weighing down his body refused to fade. Now wasn't the time to rest—Nie Mingjue had likely already conveyed the situation to others, and Chen Fan himself had pushed his limits, even borrowing Ao Xue's power to temporarily boost his strength.
The sound of the door creaking open made his heart tighten.
Beyond it, Devil Sect members stood frozen in shock before realization dawned upon them.
"It's Chen Fan!"
"Quick! Kill him!"
Without wasting a second, they launched their attack, sensing his weakened state.
Chen Fan forced himself to move, dodging as he swung a blade of Annihilation Qi toward his enemies. Yet, to his dismay, even a mere Nascent Soul cultivator managed to evade, suffering only a slight injury to the hand.
Damn it… My body isn't responding properly.
Tremors wracked his limbs, making precision control nearly impossible. Repeatedly using the black orb and Annihilation Qi against Nie Mingjue had drained him far more than he expected. And now, with Devil Sect members continuously emerging, the battle was only growing more perilous.
Chen Fan's body was riddled with injuries, yet his sharp combat instincts allowed him to evade fatal blows and cut down several enemies. However, their numbers only seemed to grow, swarming around him like an unrelenting tide.
He knew that if he retreated now, the next time he returned, he might have to face the sect elders—or worse, the Blood King himself. This was his best chance. If he could absorb the pool of blood now, he could sever the enemy's source of power, preventing them from regaining their strength.
Just then, the door leading to the outside world began to creak open. The battlefield stilled, every gaze snapping toward the entrance.
A frail figure slowly emerged—a withered old man whose presence alone sent a ripple of dread through the air. The temperature dropped instantly, a biting chill seeping into Chen Fan's bones. The very air seemed to recoil from the figure, growing unnaturally dense, as though the space itself resisted his existence. Shadows stretched and twisted along the ground, writhing as if in silent agony.
The moment the Devil Sect members laid eyes on him, their expressions shifted from shock to reverence, and without hesitation, they dropped to their knees.
"We greet the Sect Master!"
Despite the enemy kneeling before him, Chen Fan's focus was entirely locked onto the approaching figure. An eerie silence blanketed the battlefield, muffling even the faintest sound of breath. Each of the old man's steps echoed unnaturally, as though time itself faltered in his presence. His tattered black robes hung loosely from his emaciated frame, swaying despite the absence of wind. His hair, long and matted, cascaded to the ground in tangled strands, draping over his face like a veil. His sunken eyes remained shadowed, but even without seeing them clearly, Chen Fan felt their weight pressing upon him.
A sickening aura radiated from the old man, thick and suffocating, like a miasma of death itself. Chen Fan's heart pounded erratically. His breath came in short, shallow gasps. A deep, primal instinct screamed at him—run. Yet his feet remained rooted in place, locked by an unseen force.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
"We're a step too late, kid," Ao Xue's voice echoed in his mind, uncharacteristically grave.
Chen Fan barely heard him. His entire being was fixated on the man before him.
"The Blood King…"