"careful!"
The blood river that tore through the sky made the geniuses, who originally had the mindset of sightseeing, become cautious. Some looked tense, some were indifferent, and some even smiled mockingly.
As the saying goes, a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall, and a wealthy man does not sit under a leaning roof. Every prodigy present knew this principle.
Their mission was indeed for the sake of humanity's honor, but none of them intended to sacrifice their lives; each possessed the means to protect their own.
Therefore, even those who were panicked quickly calmed down when faced with the sudden change that occurred just after leaving the human-controlled area, because most of the prodigies were very composed.
The crimson hue that enveloped the sky grew even more intense, the blood river surged and churned, and the splashing droplets, after leaving the blood river, transformed into blood rain, falling from the sky. The cries of ghosts and gods, from faint to loud, echoed between heaven and earth, shaking the very soul.
The blood river stretching across the sky grew ever more magnificent. Amidst the surging crimson waves, one could see numerous distorted figures struggling, roaring, and wailing within. Upon closer inspection, one could discover that men, women, young and old were all present.
"Heh heh heh, what good fortune has befallen me today?"
A hundred-foot-high wave surged from the wide river of blood. Under the control of a single will, countless twisted figures struggled to rise from the river, layer upon layer, until they formed a twisted throne nearly a hundred feet high.
The armrests, backrest, and seat of the throne are covered with distorted and wailing human faces. Just one glance is enough to evoke a host of negative emotions and drive one to the brink of madness.
On this throne, which was filled with an aura of evil, mystery, and distortion, an indescribable blood-red shadow gradually emerged and sat on the throne.
Evil!
This was the first thought that came to the mind of the prodigy upon seeing this blood-red figure that had no face.
As for the small county town below with only tens of thousands of people, they had no right to look directly at such an existence. Just the writing and manifestation of that aura, that drifting evil energy, caused many of these mortals to faint and collapse. Some of those with particularly weak constitutions even experienced physical mutations.
"How could I possibly run into so many human brats!"
The faceless, blood-red figure's will revealed undisguised joy, like a ravenous glutton encountering a delicious meal. Its unintentional display of greed and savagery made those with weak wills tremble and their livers and gallbladders quiver.
"You're very good, I admire you!"
As he spoke, the faceless, blood-red shadow turned its head, its "gaze" falling upon the City God who had summoned it.
"This is my duty."
Upon hearing the immortal's praise, the "City King," who looked nothing like a deity but rather a demon, was filled with trepidation and showed no joy whatsoever.
If he had a choice, he would never beg for mercy from this immortal, but he had no choice. He had encountered such a group of humans, and if he didn't take a gamble, he would be doomed. He could tell at a glance that this group of people came from the other side. He would never let go of an evil god like him.
"No, you have pleased me greatly, and I will reward you!"
"No, no need, Immortal..."
The city god's tone grew increasingly fearful, and his divine body, which had been re-formed by absorbing the incense offerings, even began to retreat, trying to distance itself as far away as possible from the being seated on the Blood River Throne.
"If you have rendered meritorious service but do not reward it, what will the other gods in the Holy Sect's territory think? This will not do. Without further ado, accept this True Lord's grace!"
Blood surged forth, splashing onto the City God who wanted to run but could not escape. The scarlet blood fell onto him, penetrating the murky divine light without any stagnation, and merging into his body, just like a branding iron, making a sizzling sound.
Immediately, one could see the ugly city god screaming and wailing in the air, his voice growing increasingly shrill. A mist of blood swirled around him and enveloped him, while his screams gradually subsided until they disappeared completely.
When all was quiet, a hissing sound was heard, as if some tough membrane was being torn apart. Then a blood-soaked monster, surrounded by abundant divine light, roared and howled. It spread a pair of bone wings on its back, soared into the river of blood, and finally climbed onto the throne and merged into it.
"How is it? Are you satisfied with this reward from the True Lord? You will become a part of the True Lord's throne, sharing eternal life with the True Lord! Hehehe!"
This was Blood Shadow's triumphant laughter. Everyone who witnessed this scene felt a chill run down their spines. It was as if a true demon had descended upon the world, cruel, tyrannical, unscrupulous, and doing whatever it pleased.
"I remember now, he is the Blood River Demon Lord, one of the founders of the Chongming Demon Sect. I have read about his deeds in the sect's records!"
However, such a performance did not deter many geniuses. Even if it had some influence, they quickly broke free. Some people had been observing and scrutinizing it, and based on what they had seen and heard, they quickly found out its origins and background.
“I remember now. This Blood River Demon Lord was born in the Middle Ages. Back then, he was just a nobody. However, he managed to escape to the outer realms and, under the protection and support of demons, grew into the demonic giant he is today.”
"This demon is extremely cruel and bloodthirsty. I've heard that he particularly enjoys using his own kind to practice martial arts..."
As soon as someone revealed his name, other prodigies filled in the gaps, revealing the origins and background of the terrifying figure before them in just a few words.
"You rude brat! I am the Blood River True Lord. How dare you be so disrespectful as to not bow and pay homage to me? Is this how your elders taught you?"
As one of the most renowned demonic masters, how could the Blood River True Monarch tolerate a group of junior humans criticizing him? He immediately flew into a rage, as he was an eccentric individual to begin with.
"All of you, come here! I'm going to teach you a lesson!"
Above the blood river stretching across the sky, the demon seated on the blood throne stretched out its palm. In an instant, it was as if a sea of blood was surging and spreading throughout the world. Even Feng Bingwen felt a sense of suffocation, oppression, and fear upon seeing this scene before him.
"You're just a little demon who cultivates the path of blood, a piece of trash who can't be brought to the table. Look at yourself!"
The five-colored divine light, magnificent and vast, surged out from the depths of Feng Bingwen's sea of consciousness, eventually flowing into his body and expelling and annihilating all the abnormal power that had caused Feng Bingwen's Dao body to feel stagnant.
"Isn't it shameful?"
The aged voice was as arrogant as ever, and the haughty and domineering attitude remained unchanged. When facing the Emperor of Qin, the Five Elements Heavenly Wheel dared to threaten him. Now, facing a demonic giant blocking his way, he showed no politeness whatsoever, pointing and gesturing as if he didn't take him seriously at all.
"This demon is at least a terrestrial immortal, two major realms higher than me. No matter what he cultivates, whether it's evil or heretical, no matter how dignified and orthodox my path is, I can't win."
Hearing the mockery from the spiritual artifact within his body, Feng Bingwen responded irritably. With such a huge difference in strength, the fact that he could maintain his composure and demeanor was already a testament to his respect for the Supreme Daoist of the human race.
There were many geniuses around him who were even worse off than him. Some of them even had inferior immortal artifacts, and they were directly overwhelmed by the power of this demon and forced to lie on the ground, unable to stand up.
"Kid, don't give me that nonsense. Remember how you feel right now, being oppressed by a cultivator whose cultivation level is far superior to yours."
Today, I'm here to protect you, but if I'm gone and you run into me again, you'll be beaten to death. Then, even if you're full of resentment and frustration, you won't have anyone to confide in.
"I said, can you stop talking nonsense? Are you even capable? If you are, then hurry up and kill this incessantly talking devil. If you can't, then kick him out. If you can't, then shut up."
Feng Bingwen didn't buy into the Five Elements Heavenly Wheel theory at all.
The demon in front of him has lived longer than him, born in the Middle Ages. Regardless of what he was back then, having lived this long, even if he was just an insignificant little minion or a pig, he would have become a spirit by now.
"I, your grandpa, am going to make my appearance at the most crucial moment and turn the tide. This is just the beginning. I'm being generous and will let the younger generation have a chance to shine."
The Five Elements Heavenly Wheel spoke arrogantly, but the divine light it emitted was merely contained within Feng Bingwen's body, ensuring that Feng Bingwen was not eroded or harmed by the evil power that was far superior to his current cultivation level.
This magical artifact had no intention of actually suppressing anything. The Blood River True Monarch's words were arrogant, but all he did was make a lot of noise and no action was taken.
"If you're afraid, just say so. What excuses are you making? You're just a piece of junk!"
Feng Bingwen naturally wouldn't let such a golden opportunity slip by, and immediately launched into a tirade of mockery.
"Ignorant brat, I won't bother with you. Just watch!"
As soon as the words fell, a sword light streaked across the sky, instantly splitting the blood-red sky in two. The surging immortal power swept across the entire area, and the pure spiritual energy dispelled the demonic aura.
The hand that Blood River True Monarch extended was also shattered by this sword light, stretching across the sky. A section of the surging blood river evaporated visibly, but it only lasted for a moment before it continued to flow. The blood river continued to flow as if the sword light from before had been completely useless.
"Sword Immortal!"
The blood-red figure sitting on the twisted throne was not angered. Its faceless head stared at the young man standing in mid-air. He was dressed in simple clothes and had a bamboo staff and straw sandals. He was extremely poor, but behind him, a celestial sword rang out.
"From the Heavenly Sword Sect?"
Blood River True Monarch asked, even if he had run into a sword immortal who was known as the number one killer among his peers, he would not be afraid. After all, he was a giant of the demonic path who had survived since the Middle Ages.
Never mind him. He endured countless humiliations and hardships to survive. After he achieved fame and success, he slaughtered almost all those who had caused him such humiliation and hardship, and turned many of them into blood slaves.
If we're just talking about seniority, as long as those ancient and primitive fossils don't show up, he, a nobody from the medieval period, is actually the highest.
Having survived to this day, he naturally has several ways to protect himself. Let alone a sword immortal, even if he wanted to kill himself, he might not be able to succeed.
"Amitabha!"
Before the sword immortal, dressed simply and looking exactly like a hermit, could respond, a Buddhist chant echoed throughout the area.
The evil aura that had already been dispersed and driven away was immediately purified to almost nothing. A majestic Buddha appeared to one side, reaching from the heavens to the netherworld, towering over the sky and penetrating the earth.
"Benefactor Blood River! It's been a long time! Your Blood River has expanded considerably. Forgive me!"
A look of sorrow appeared on the Buddha's compassionate face.
"Venerable Monk Jingyun? You've become a Buddha?"
Xuehe's tone revealed a hint of surprise, clearly indicating that this was another old acquaintance of his.
This is the inevitable trouble that comes with living too long: a casual stroll might lead you to encounter a powerful figure you've crossed paths with before, or even someone you have a grudge against.
"Amitabha! Today, this humble monk will surely guide you to hell!"
The Buddha's face showed neither compassion nor sorrow, but only the burning flames of anger.
What's going on?
This powerful figure in the demonic path sensed something was amiss. He had initially thought it was just a group of talented young humans coming to experience the newly expanded territory of the human race and broaden their horizons; such situations were not uncommon.
He happened to overhear a plea for help from a deity supported by a holy sect, so he came to take a look. Little did he expect to stumble upon this scene, which seemed to be a trap deliberately set for him.
"Amitabha, fellow Daoist, your sins are immeasurable. Today, let us learn about the cause and effect!"
Another vigorous Taoist appeared. Without a doubt, this was the protector of a prodigy. Normally, it would have been enough for him to show himself and ensure the safety of the immortal seed he was cultivating.
However, the demonic giant that his group of boys had run into was quite extraordinary. The hatred he had accumulated over the years was too great, and the cultivation method he practiced was extremely unique. Now that they had just encountered him, they could take advantage of the situation and kill him. Such an opportunity was once in a lifetime.
"What merit do I possess to have the Tao and Buddhism join forces with me!"
The river of blood still flowed turbulently, but its surging waves had shrunk considerably without anyone noticing, and the wide expanse of blood was gradually shrinking as well.
"You are utterly incompetent and immoral; you're just having bad luck today!"
Blood energy surged like a dragon, soaring straight into the heavens. A warrior clad in armor, wielding a dragon spear, appeared, shattering the void. With a single thrust, he pierced the blood-red figure. The fierce martial energy shattered all evil energy, leaving the blood-red figure powerless to resist. The dragon spear pierced through the head, and even the blood-red seat beneath it was pierced through.
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