Outside the Sect Protecting Array, the sky where the bright moon hung had been covered by thick, clotted blood.
A bottomless sea of blood churned above the Piaomiao Sect.
The thick clouds were also stained blood-red.
Among the sea of clouds, a tall figure could be vaguely seen.
“It’s been a long time, Piaomiao Sect!”
That frenzied voice pierced through the Sect Protecting Array, reaching the ears of everyone still under its protection.
Then, the owner of that voice stepped out into the open.
The first thing people noticed was the vicious sword wound stretching from his left shoulder all the way to his waist.
Next was his tattered blood-red robe.
Strange black tattoos spread across his exposed skin, faintly outlining the shape of a serpent.
“Blood Venerate!”
Just after leaving the secret chamber, Xia Lingshuang looked up at the sound and recognized the newcomer.
“Blood Venerate?” Yu Qingyao repeated the name, her tone laced with confusion.
“Yeah.”
Xia Lingshuang’s expression was grave.
“You must all know that ten years ago, during the Righteous-Demonic War, our Piaomiao Sect played an indispensable role.”
Wu Yan only had a partial understanding of this matter.
Last time, she had heard about the Righteous-Demonic War at Medicine King Valley, but she didn’t know the specifics.
After all, only the general details had spread outside; the deeper secrets were sealed deep within the Sutra Libraries of various sects.
“In that battle, the Piaomiao Sect Leader struck the final blow against the Demon Lord who started the war, and captured him alive.”
“That man is the one we are facing now.”
“Blood Venerate.”
Xia Lingshuang’s tone was very serious.
At that moment, Sun Shengming, whose body had swollen to a degree impossible for a normal person, stopped expanding.
His flesh-colored skin had completely sloughed off his body, and the ground was covered with flowing blood and skin fragments.
Then, like a balloon that had lost its tether, he floated into the sky.
“My Lord, let me sound the first charge!”
As soon as the words fell, Sun Shengming’s body suddenly exploded.
Bang!
The bloated body completely blew apart, but strangely, neither his blood nor his body fragments fell downward according to the laws of physics.
Instead, they coalesced into a blood mass in the air.
Following the deafening explosion from below, that blood mass flew straight toward the Blood Venerate outside the Sect Protecting Array.
Smack!
Just as it was about to pass through the Sect Protecting Array, an invisible barrier blocked the blood mass, preventing it from reaching the Blood Venerate.
“Heh, your Piaomiao Sect’s little tricks are still so annoying.”
Though the Blood Venerate’s tone was mocking, his movements were merciless.
He raised a single hand to the sky, and a blood whip dozens of meters long and as wide as a mountain stream condensed from the Blood Sea.
“Break for me!”
With a roar, the terrifying blood whip collided with the Sect Protecting Array, sending a huge shockwave into the air.
Those close to the Sect Protecting Array, both inside and outside the formation, were flung several meters away, falling to the ground and convulsing.
“This turtle shell is still as sturdy, but…”
A tingling numbness traveled up his arm.
Although the Blood Venerate acted arrogantly, he was actually meticulous.
The Piaomiao Sect’s Sect Protecting Array was still solid, but from the feel of that strike…
“Heh, it seems that fellow served as the vanguard.”
The Blood Venerate grinned, then waved his hand.
The sound of footsteps from the foot of the mountain was enough to shake the ground of Piaomiao Sect.
Densely packed demonic cultivators, equipped with fine gear and holding weapons, marched toward the sect.
“Get them, my minions!”
The clouds were pierced as half-human, half-beast modified creatures flew through the Blood Sea at incredible speed.
Behind the Blood Venerate, monsters forged from blood roared and howled.
The leading Nine-Headed Demon Serpent bared its fangs, exuding a foul stench.
Dark clouds pressed down, threatening to destroy the city.
“Oh hohoho~ What a magnificent show!”
A familiar figure appeared beside the Blood Venerate.
“It’s her?”
Seeing that familiar thick snake tail, Wu Yan immediately recognized the newcomer.
“Hehe, long time no see, Miss Wu~”
She waved at Wu Yan as if they were old friends.
“I’ve missed you quite a bit since we last parted.”
“If you have any fondness between you, save the reminiscing for later.”
The Blood Venerate interrupted their confrontation.
“Did you bring what I asked for?”
“Of course.”
A blood-stained piece of parchment suddenly appeared in her hand.
“I hope next time you dine, you’ll be a bit more careful. I went through a lot of trouble to find this~”
“Tch.”
The Blood Venerate snatched the parchment from her hand impatiently and tore it open.
She still held her hand in the same gesture, her smile unchanged.
Time rewind to the Demon-Lock Cave.
“Go on, boy, pull this door open for me.”
She dragged the half-dead old guardian of the formation by her tail, speaking with a smile.
“As you command, my Lord!”
Lin Xiao wanted to refuse, but after seeing her face, he gave up that idea.
With a harsh scraping sound.
Creak–
The door imprisoning the Lord of the plan was slowly pulled open.
Dust fell, staining the new flesh buds on Lin Xiao’s body, making him frown.
Inside the room was only a huge iron cage, covered with all kinds of talismans.
Sealing chi, isolation, obscuring, countering…
“Lord Blood Venerate, long time no see~”
She used the half-dead old man to sweep away the talismans, greeting the person in the cage.
A pair of rough hands gripped the iron cage tightly.
After a teeth-grinding sound of pulling, the Blood Venerate finally stepped out of the cage.
It seemed he hadn’t communicated with anyone for too long; the man in the cage clearly couldn’t speak properly, only making meaningless hoarse sounds.
“Oh, right, I forgot that you haven’t eaten in so long, my Lord. You must be delirious by now, right?”
With a light laugh, she flicked her tail, tossing the old man in front of the Blood Venerate.
“Eat, my Lord. This is fresh Blood Food at the Body Integration Stage. Though he’s a bit old, the meat might be a little tough.”
The Blood Venerate acted as if he hadn’t heard her.
Like an unenlightened beast, he crouched on the ground, grabbing the old man with both hands and extending his tongue to carefully lick the still-wet blood.
“Mm!”
Just one taste made his eyes gleam.
Like a wolf or tiger, he bared his sharp teeth and bit down fiercely on the old man’s flesh.
“Ahhh!!!”
The old man let out a miserable scream.
But in the eyes of the Blood Venerate, it was just seasoning.
The screams gradually weakened, and the old man’s movements grew smaller.
Finally, only broken bones and tattered clothes remained on the ground.
‘Tch…’
Lin Xiao clicked his tongue inwardly and felt doubt toward the man who behaved just like the unconscious experimental subjects outside.
Was this the great figure they had gone to such lengths to rescue?
“Hungry… still want more…”
After finishing the old man, the Blood Venerate had clearly recovered some rationality, able to express demands in simple words.
“He really knows you well, even considering this step. Still hungry?”
Hearing their exchange, a grin curled at her lips.
Lin Xiao’s heart sank.
It seemed that Lord was indeed…
He was just about to retreat backward, but the intense pain in his waist made him lose control of his legs.
“Urgh–“
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and gasped for breath, crawling outward with his hands.
“Hey, how could you think of running away?”
Her snake body bent down, her delicate face growing larger in Lin Xiao’s eyes.
“Originally, I was going to give you a quick death.”
“Since you’re so ungrateful, I’ll let you experience the same taste as that old man~”
With that, she coiled Lin Xiao up and threw him to the Blood Venerate in the same manner.
“Lord Blood Venerate, this is the blood food we painstakingly cultivated for you.”
“Every part of his body is imbued with pure Demonic Chi.”
“I hope you enjoy this grand feast.”
It wasn’t until his chest was pierced and his warm heart throbbed in the Blood Venerate’s hand that Lin Xiao finally realized.
‘From beginning to end, I was nothing but a sacrifice of food.’