Chapter Eighty-Two: The Demon Cultivator of the Sea of Blood

Blood flowed in torrents, countless wronged souls drifting and sinking in the dark crimson sea. Blood was the essence of life, the foundation of all beings. The arts of the Blood Sea sect began here, seizing the vitality of living things to empower oneself, pushing the philosophy of "stealing the creation of heaven and earth" to its utmost, becoming the leader of all demons.

The Blood Sea Sanctuary collected rare treasures to feed medicine men, cultivating demonic arts with their spiritual blood. Every drop of blood in this sea concealed a venomous force; an ordinary touch meant inevitable dissolution and death. Yet this time, Sun Xiaoyan repeated his old tricks against Ji Feichen, only to have them swept aside by the Nether River Demon Dragon at Ji Feichen’s side.

"How can a thing born after creation resist what is innate? Your blood water, no matter how fierce, is but the gathered essence of all beings. How could it compare to my Nether River water, formed at the dawn of the world?"

Legend held that the Nether River was black water formed when the Netherworld was opened, flowing through that realm as the origin of all waters, the ultimate path of Nine Darknesses. Compared to Ji Feichen’s Nether River Dao Fruit, Sun Xiaoyan, who had not inherited the true Blood Sea arts, was indeed inferior in the quality of his Dao Fruit.

The man strode calmly atop the waves, a fierce black dragon coiling around him. This dragon was born from the Nether River Dao Fruit, the mysterious waters shattering every beam of blood magic. White lotuses bloomed beneath his feet, automatically sealing approaching demon souls within their petals.

"Step-by-step Lotus of the Pure Lotus Sect?" Sun Xiaoyan’s expression shifted, easily recognizing Ji Feichen’s technique. Though it seemed ethereal and tranquil, a lethal intent lurked beneath. Each lotus drew power from the blood water, suppressing demon souls that tried to block his path, gradually diminishing Sun Xiaoyan’s strength.

The longer the contest dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for Sun Xiaoyan.

"Blood water and demon souls cannot harm him. It seems I must use my true hand—" Before Sun Xiaoyan could act, darkness descended, and a fist, claws clenched like a dragon, smashed toward him, its brutal force flooding his mind.

Savage, violent energy surged into his consciousness, dragon’s might overwhelming his spirit. The humanoid demon dragon attacked relentlessly, fighting hand-to-hand.

If the loose immortal Qing Hong was as unfathomable as a tranquil lake, then Ji Feichen, the demon cultivator, was his opposite. The dragon emerged from the abyss, soaring to the heavens, its fierce assaults leaving Sun Xiaoyan no chance to breathe.

"This guy doesn’t follow conventions at all!" Engaged in close combat, Sun Xiaoyan had no clue how many ribs Ji Feichen had broken.

Traditionally, immortal-demon duels were contests of Dao Fruits, displaying the power of their paths. Ji Feichen, versed in the arts of slaughter, charged forth for a life-and-death brawl, wholly unconcerned with self-preservation.

Sun Xiaoyan grumbled, "Even more ruthless than that bastard Song Shaoming!"

"Blood Lotus Secret Spell!" His organs churned, and from his sleeve drifted a red lotus petal.

This petal hid a demonic curse; if merged with the blood water, it would instantly multiply the Blood Sea’s power. "I only have this one petal, but I can’t worry about that now! Swallowing his Nether River Dao Fruit will restore my losses."

Just as the petal was about to touch the water, a sudden white radiance flashed.

"Ice Soul Thunder Technique." Ji Feichen saw Sun Xiaoyan throw something and, without hesitation, cast forth a devastating bolt of Ice Soul Divine Thunder. Chilling thunder spread through the blood water, transforming the crimson world into snowy whiteness. The petal froze within the ice, the blood water turning to a flat, frozen surface.

Sun Xiaoyan stumbled, nearly slipping across the ice.

"Senior brother, it’s up to you now!" The tail of the humanoid demon dragon lashed down, and Tian Chengzi’s demon soul shrieked, "Junior brother, you’re such a cheat!"

Ji Feichen wielded two Demon Dragon Maces: one in his hand, the other belonging to Tian Chengzi. Using Tian Chengzi’s mace as a tail, he launched a surprise attack against the demon.

The dragon’s tail shot out as a jet-black beam, striking Sun Xiaoyan’s crown.

With a thud, his skull shattered, brains splattering across the ice, landing precisely atop the frozen blood lotus petal.

Ji Feichen advanced to search Sun Xiaoyan’s corpse, but suddenly the blood-colored petal, stimulated by the blood, erupted in countless beams of black light.

Reacting instantly, Ji Feichen used his mace to snatch Sun Xiaoyan’s cosmic pouch, withdrawing to keep his distance from the blood lotus petal.

This petal had been granted to Sun Xiaoyan by a sect elder as a life-saving charm. Now, instead of seeking Ji Feichen’s life, it sank into Sun Xiaoyan’s body and "revived" him.

Ji Feichen watched as Sun Xiaoyan’s shattered skull gradually restored itself, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"Run!" Grabbing both Demon Dragon Maces, Ji Feichen fled toward the direction he had come.

Sun Xiaoyan revived, but now bore a lotus petal between his brows. Flexing his body, he muttered, "At last, I’m inside. Borrowing these juniors’ bodies, I doubt the Xuanmen crowd will notice. Besides, the Lingwei Sect’s forbidden law bars anyone over four hundred years old. What do I have to fear?"

Watching Ji Feichen retreat, he did not pursue, but casually pointed in Ji Feichen’s direction.

It was the Thousand-Spider Blood Spirit Finger, the Blood Sea’s attack method, though not a particularly advanced technique. Yet in Sun Xiaoyan’s hand, it overturned heaven and earth. Ji Feichen’s body trembled, the Nether River Demon Dragon shielding him collapsed with a mournful cry.

"Die." Sun Xiaoyan spoke softly, paying Ji Feichen no further mind.

The Nether River Dao Fruit was gravely wounded by that finger, and Ji Feichen was sent flying, blood spraying everywhere.

"This is bad! He’s an Earth Immortal!" came Tian Chengzi’s terrified voice from the Demon Dragon Mace. "He’s a Blood Sea Earth Immortal, one of the numbered ones…"

"Another demon soul?" Sun Xiaoyan’s attention returned, glancing over as he prepared to strike again.

Suddenly, twenty-four beams of light burst from Ji Feichen’s back. Like the radiant sun, like the pure moon, the mysterious yellow energy coiled around him.

"Heavenly Dao’s Mysterious Yellow Qi? This boy has considerable merit. A demon cultivator accumulating merit—how interesting."

The twenty-four energies set the cycles of heaven and earth, establishing precedence for the paths of heaven, earth, and man, gathering destiny for Ji Feichen. The mysterious yellow qi counteracted the attack, repairing Ji Feichen’s Dao Fruit.

"Fusion!" Ji Feichen gritted his teeth, sending the precious pearl into twenty-four points within his body. The essence of sun and moon flowed through him, restoring his shattered organs, and in a blink, he used Blood Escape to flee.

"Let him go. Just a little bug—wait." Sun Xiaoyan looked southward. There, someone else had slain a Blood Sea disciple.

"When our Blood Sea people emerge, even the weakest rival the elite disciples of major sects. This man… Supreme Virtue, is it a successor of the Supreme Sect?"

The slain Blood Sea demon’s corpse was absorbed by a lotus petal, forming a new demonic shadow that gazed at the mysterious figure shrouded in mist.

Dressed in dark blue scholar’s robes, sword of Virtue in hand, the man said calmly, "Blood Sea Lotus Dao Fruit. Are you number thirty-two, fifty-six, or eighty-seven?"

Blood Sea Earth Immortals rarely revealed their true names, instead using numerical codes. The three mentioned by Supreme Nameless were Blood Sea Earth Immortals whose Dao Fruits were lotus-based.

"Does it matter?" The demon shadow took on Sun Xiaoyan’s form. "A pity, since you’re not the first to kill one of us, I can’t transform into the person you slew."

"Fifty-six?" Supreme Nameless’s tone shifted.

Number fifty-six was a master of transformation among the Blood Sea Earth Immortals; none knew his true face, for he often assumed others’ appearances.

Nameless’s mind stirred: someone killed a Blood Sea demon before me? Could it be the Taiyuan Palace of the Xuanmen?

"That boy was clever, escaping my grasp." Sun Xiaoyan paused, then glanced elsewhere. "Ha! Another one. This place is full of hidden talents. Aside from the Yinming Sect, it seems even the Radiant Demon Sect and Toad Palace have concealed strengths."

Blood Sea demon cultivators were arrogant, attacking both immortals and demons upon entering the Immortal Mansion. Naturally, this provoked resistance and many died. But their deaths allowed the lotus petals to absorb blood and attach themselves, causing blood water in the mansion to accumulate.

Nameless’s eyes flickered with countless visions, deducing the Blood Sea Earth Immortal's intentions with his "Tongxuan" realm.

"Refining Nine Yuan Demon Immortals—you seek the primordial spirits of Lingwei Sect’s Earth Immortals?"

Sun Xiaoyan said nothing, striking Nameless with a reverse palm. "Many demon talents have escaped me. You, number one among the juniors, don’t disappoint!"

Blood water magic displayed in his hands was utterly different from Sun Xiaoyang and the others.

Greed, jealousy, anger—all sorts of negative emotions surged from Nameless’s heart.

The fire of affliction burned the Dao heart. If one could not hold onto a single thought, their cultivation would be ignited from within by demonic fire, vanishing in an instant.

Against Nameless, the Earth Immortal truly unleashed divine powers, no longer a casual move as with Ji Feichen and the others.

Yet Nameless remained motionless, calmly watching the demonic fire ignite and then extinguish itself upon his body.

Sun Xiaoyan was stunned, then laughed, "What a heart of non-action. Have you been hiding in the Dao of Non-Action sect all these years?"

The way of nature is inherently non-action; yet if one clings to non-action, it becomes action.

As long as the heart holds obsession, any thought or desire is a form of action. Thus, few in the Non-Action sect truly master the "heart of non-action." This makes their numbers few, with only a couple of cats on the vast mountain.

Sun Xiaoyan quickly recalled details about the Non-Action sect: If this fellow is from there, then suspects are few. The current generation has just three or five juniors; I can interrogate them one by one to uncover his true identity.

As he pondered, Nameless moved.

The Sword of Virtue swept forth, its upper edge carrying the Supreme Light like a delicate dragon, its lower edge the Gate of Mystery swallowing creation.

The secret arts of the Supreme Sect and the Virtue Sect, as taught in the "True Classic of the Cavern Profound," were wielded effortlessly, evenly matched with the Earth Immortal avatar.

Sun Xiaoyan’s expression grew grave; faced with Nameless’s cultivation, not only Song Shaoming, but even the combined forces of several other sanctuaries might not be his equal.

"No, you can’t be this strong!" Sun Xiaoyan realized, "You used extreme power?" No sooner had he spoken than Nameless vanished in a flash of heavenly light.

Indeed, he had consumed a pill to boost his cultivation, using profound Dao skills to reach the "Tongxuan" realm. But as the pill’s power waned, he returned to his true strength, unable to sustain it.

Sun Xiaoyan sighed in relief, "I thought the current Supreme successor was a monster, about to become a centennial Earth Immortal."

A millennial Earth Immortal was already extraordinary; to become one in a hundred years would force the other sanctuaries to close their gates.

Escaping alive from the Blood Sea Earth Immortal was not just Ji Feichen and Nameless; several others managed it.

Ji Feichen staggered, that casual finger nearly costing him his life.

"Damn it, how did a Blood Sea Earth Immortal get inside?" Tian Chengzi cursed, Ji Feichen’s face dark as he narrowly escaped death.

He hid in a quiet corner to recover, just as another young man slipped over to rest on the other side.

Both paused, simultaneously drawing their treasures to strike.

"Yinming Sect?"

"Radiant Demon Sect?"

They stared at each other; suddenly Ji Feichen seemed to recall something, "Do you know Linghu Xiao Qi?"