Chapter 221: Xue Huomo

A flash of blood-red light erupted as the figure surged backward into the center of the battlefield. A ring of blood mist exploded outward, carrying a thick, pungent stench.

The blood mist slowly dispersed to reveal the faint silhouette of an emaciated figure inside. He wore a blood-red robe patterned with gold, his hood pulled low. His withered face looked like a flickering candle in the wind—a doddering old man whose life could be snuffed out at any moment.

Jiuyou did not recognize the man, but the blood-red robe was enough to give him away. "You are the Blood Abyss Sect's Great Elder."

"I am Xue Huomo," the man chuckled, his voice low and hoarse. "I didn't expect a hero like you, Daoist Friend, to recognize an old man like me. I am truly honored. You don't appear to be from the Northern Plains, so why wade into these muddy waters? With your abilities, you would be an honored guest in any territory. Why engage in fighting and killing here? If you were to lose your life, nearly a thousand years of bitter cultivation would be destroyed in an instant. Wouldn't that be a pity?"

Behind Jiuyou, Gu Daobian's gaze darted between the two. Unease stirred in his heart as he transmitted his voice. "Daoist Friend Qing, don't be bewitched by these Demonic Path cultivators. They speak without keeping faith, eating people without spitting out the bones. If you agree to their terms today, once the Northern Plains falls, you will surely face relentless retaliation from the Three Demonic Path Sects—both out in the open and in the shadows."

Jiuyou waved a hand, his tone resolute. "Rest assured, Daoist Friend Gu. I have taken the measure of this matter. My cultivation has brought me this far by relying on a Dao heart that upholds righteousness. If I were to rashly agree today, wouldn't I be destroying my own Dao foundation and damaging my cultivation?"

"Excellent! Excellent!" Gu Daobian said hurriedly. He pointed his Golden-Copper Heavy Hammer at Xue Huomo. "You demonic thief, spouting lies to bewitch the mind! Today we will surely—"

Before he could even finish speaking, his confidence faltered. After all, the Northern Plains side had only two Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators, while the opposition had a full three. Although Daoist Friend Qing You was extremely strong, Xue Huomo's position as the Blood Abyss Sect's Great Elder meant he was by no means an ordinary opponent.

Xue Huomo didn't even look at Gu Daobian; he only murmured in a soft, drawn-out tone. "Good, good, good. What a chivalrous and righteous figure. Daoist Friend, I admire your character. Since we are both at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage and overlords of our respective regions, why not spar a little? I would like to see if the sharp sword in your hand can cut through the Myriad Demons Ruler in mine."

Jiuyou didn't respond. The long sword in his hand flipped and suddenly thrust straight forward, the tip reaching Xue Huomo's eyes in an instant.

Xue Huomo's pupils contracted. Not daring to take the strike head-on, he spun abruptly and transformed into a streak of blood light to evade. A seven-foot blood-red ruler had appeared in his hand. He flipped it into the air, where it sank into the clouds and vanished. The next instant, dark, blood-colored clouds shrouded the entire sky above Jiuyou. One giant red ruler after another thrust out from the clouds in a dense swarm, locking onto his position.

As the blood-red rulers poured down, a look of disdain crossed Jiuyou's face. He flared his sword qi, sending dozens of Ember Moon Swords shooting out under his control. They wove through the air like swimming dragons, effortlessly shredding the incoming attack before turning their edges to counterattack straight down.

The metallic clangs of their endless collisions resounded across the battlefield, echoing for ten thousand miles. The surrounding Nascent Soul cultivators halted their own battles in shock and scattered backward to watch the two figures clash. Even Gu Daobian and the other two Demonic Path Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators found it difficult to intervene.

Even at the Nascent Soul Late Stage, there were vast gaps in strength. This battle had already exceeded the realm where the others could safely interfere.

Two completely different auras intertwined and collided in the air, sending powerful waves of qi sweeping across the battlefield. The spectating Nascent Soul cultivators quietly retreated, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

Xue Huomo had originally only intended to probe, but he never expected Jiuyou to unleash successive killing strikes right from the start. Caught completely off guard, he momentarily fell to a disadvantage. Only after throwing out several trump cards did he barely manage to fight Jiuyou to a draw.

He had initially assumed such a fierce fighting style could not possibly last long. He only needed to wait for Jiuyou's strength to deplete before turning defense into offense and showing him true power. However, the longer they fought, the more alarmed Xue Huomo became. He found himself constantly suppressed and beaten back, while Jiuyou only fought with increasing ferocity, showing not the slightest sign of spiritual energy depletion.

'This person must have some method of rapidly recovering his mana in secret!' Xue Huomo thought in shock.

After exchanging several dozen more rounds, Xue Huomo's defensive magic treasure shattered. A sword pierced his shoulder, causing him to cough up blood. No longer caring about the cost, he swallowed several pills, and his blood qi surged violently.

A dense layer of red hair burst from his skin. The hairs were a full three chi long and stood erect like steel needles. Shrouded in blood-red light, his entire body transformed into a crimson monster several zhang tall. This was his unique secret technique, the Blood Soul True Body, which fused his essence blood, soul power, and spiritual energy together—a secret art that rapidly spiked his strength for a short time.

"What, you already can't take it?" Jiuyou said, his tone flat and nonchalant. "I thought you would display some heaven-shaking technique, but to think it was merely this. Compared to that old man Linghu's tricks, yours are like young children at play. I advise you to stop embarrassing yourself and inviting ridicule."

Xue Huomo heard the insult loud and clear. To have his unique secret technique dismissed so lightly made him laugh in sheer rage. His figure moved, his speed exploding. A single strike knocked back Jiuyou's attack, and then he flashed away, reappearing several hundred li away.

A phantom of blood light wrapped around his true body, forming a crimson sphere of light. Within it, Xue Huomo was faintly visible holding a strangely shaped square jade tablet. He looked at Jiuyou from afar. "Did you think this old man used this technique just to compete with you? I want to see just how long you can hold on against power of this level."

As he spoke, he abruptly crushed the jade tablet. A black vortex formed in his palm. The surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth was frantically sucked toward it, piercing through the blood-colored light barrier and pouring into the black vortex.

The vortex grew larger and larger. An unfathomably powerful spiritual pressure slowly spread from within it, as if something was awakening at the other end.

Gu Daobian's expression finally changed. Subconsciously gripping the copper hammer in his hand, he shifted half a step toward Jiuyou's side.

The remaining Northern Plains Nascent Soul cultivators also raised their eyes to look. Their expressions varied, but none made a rash move.

Xue Huomo stood before the vortex. His withered face was cast in alternating light and shadow by its black glow. He stared at the swirling darkness. A flash of ultimate longing and madness crossed his eyes as his throat bobbed slightly.