Chapter 668 - 115: Heart Dripping Blood

"Damn it, how did they find us?!"

Inside Blazing Flame Mountain, shimmering heat waves distorted the air. The temperature was so high that even Qi Cultivators found it difficult to endure.

But the hearts of the Blood Demon Cultists had turned to ice.

At this moment, Blazing Flame Mountain was completely sealed off. Not only were they unable to send out any messages, but even the Space Transmission Array they had prepared beforehand was unusable. They were trapped like turtles in a jar, with absolutely no way out.

"Lord Netherworld, what should we do now?" a Steward asked with a trembling voice, looking at the elder in the blood robe at the very front.

Hearing this, a flash of malice flickered across the elder’s face before vanishing. He turned to the Steward and asked, "How are things with the Celestial Ship?"

"It’s less than half complete." The Steward’s face was ashen. The Celestial Ship in the pit at the base of Blazing Flame Mountain was their only hope of breaking out, but it was a faint hope at best.

"Given the circumstances, words are useless. Notify Ling Province Squad Leader Chen Gou, Xiang Province Squad Leader Mass, Yang Province Squad Leader Qu Heng, and Ming Province Squad Leader Lih Quan to join me and resist the enemy.

You, take some men and dispose of those people. Then, destroy the Celestial Ship. Remember, under no circumstances can the Celestial Ship fall into their hands. Otherwise, not even ten thousand deaths could atone for your sin!" Netherworld snarled.

Looking at Netherworld’s cold, harsh expression, the Steward’s heart trembled. He quickly bowed and accepted his orders.

Meanwhile, Song Changsheng and the others had charged into the depths of Blazing Flame Mountain under Wang Tiansheng’s lead. The Blood Demon Sect fell back again and again, eventually retreating to their final line of defense, where they relied on an Array for a desperate last stand.

"Hahaha, I never thought we’d actually catch such big fish! This trip was well worth it!" Wang Tiansheng roared with laughter as he looked at the leading figures of the Blood Demon Sect.

Having dealt with the Blood Demons for so many years, they had long since thoroughly studied the internal structure of the Blood Demon Sect.

The Blood Demon Sect had set up multiple branches throughout the Daqi Cultivation World. The Squad Leader of each branch was typically an Early-stage or Mid-stage Purple Mansion Cultivator. They were the main force behind the Blood Demon Sect’s covert expansion and surveillance of Daqi’s major powers.

Cultivators at Late-stage Purple Mansion and above served as Guardians. They were a sharp blade in the hands of the Blood Demon Sect, holding a lofty status.

Normally, these people hid in the shadows, elusive and mysterious. It was difficult to catch even one of them.

And now, before them were four Squad Leaders and one Guardian—truly big fish.

"Fellow Daoist Song, I’ll leave this turtle shell to you!"

"It would be my honor." Song Changsheng took a step forward. An uncanny light appeared in his eyes, and the pathways of the Grand Array instantly became clear to him.

With just a glance, Song Changsheng recognized the Array.

"This is the Earth Heaven Void Formation. Everyone, we must break it with force. Please join me and attack the Array’s weak point."

The moment he finished speaking, Song Changsheng’s arms shook. Mana surged from his body and blasted a corner of the Array.

Seeing this, Wang Tiansheng and the others followed suit, attacking the Array. Instantly, brilliant light flared. The entire Blazing Flame Mountain began to tremble, and the Array that the Blood Demons took such pride in was instantly on the verge of collapse.

"Hold it!"

At Netherworld’s shout, everyone hastily poured their Mana into the Array, desperately trying to keep it stable.

But their efforts were futile.

Song Changsheng had already found the Array’s flaw. With the combined power of nine Purple Mansion Cultivators attacking it, the defenders had no hope of turning the tables.

CRACK... CRACK...

Thin cracks spiderwebbed across the Array’s barrier, accompanied by a sharp cracking sound.

BOOM—

Before the stunned eyes of Netherworld and his men, the Grand Array’s barrier exploded.

"Hahaha, great job! The Array is broken.

Fellow Daoists, follow me! Let’s kill these demon spawn!"

With a wild laugh, Wang Tiansheng was the first to charge, clashing with Netherworld. As he brandished the Demon-Suppressing Banner, wisps of Demonic Qi began to dissipate from Netherworld’s body.

Although they were both Late-stage Purple Mansion Cultivators, Wang Tiansheng completely overwhelmed Netherworld. They were simply not in the same league.

After a brief assessment of the battlefield, Song Changsheng bypassed the fighting and headed for the depths of Blazing Flame Mountain.

’It’s not that I’m afraid to fight,’ he thought. ’They already hold an absolute advantage; one more or one less person won’t change the outcome. It’s a better use of my time to rescue the captured Celestial Artisans.’

’After all, the Blood Demons are inhumane and deranged. Who knows if they’ll do something desperate now that they’re cornered? I can’t risk betting on them having a shred of decency.’

Because this mission was so perilous, Li Anmin, who was only at the Early-stage of Foundation Establishment, had been left behind in Luoxia City. Before they left, however, he had given Song Changsheng a Jade Token.

The Jade Token was mystically linked to the earrings worn by Lu Yuxiu, allowing it to guide Song Changsheng to her location.

Guided by the Jade Token, Song Changsheng quickly found where Lu Yuxiu was imprisoned.

She lay quietly in a dungeon cell. Her face was deathly pale, and she was drenched in sweat, utterly drained of strength.

This place was frighteningly close to the Fire Spirit Vein, and the temperature was terrifyingly high. Lu Yuxiu was only a Qi Cultivator, after all. Having been trapped in such an environment for so long, her Spiritual Power had been completely exhausted long ago.

If the Blood Demons hadn’t been using her life to threaten Lu Tianchou, periodically sending someone to replenish her energy, her own strength would have given out long ago, and she would have been baked dry by the heat.

Song Changsheng cast a spell, shattering the Restriction. He placed his palm on her forehead, and a burst of vibrant life force flowed into her. A moment later, Lu Yuxiu slowly regained consciousness.

The moment she saw Song Changsheng, she could hardly believe her eyes. "Elder Song?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Miss Lu, we can catch up later. Do you know where Master Lu is?"

Hearing this, Lu Yuxiu shook her head dejectedly. "My father and I were separated after they brought us here. They locked me in this place and used my life as a threat to make my father do their bidding.

All I know is that Father is helping them repair a Celestial Ship. They bring him to see me once every five days. Other than that, I know nothing."

Song Changsheng’s expression darkened. He had assumed finding Lu Yuxiu would lead him straight to Lu Tianchou and the other captured Celestial Artisans, but he hadn’t expected this.

"Elder Song, please, you have to save my father! I’m begging you."

Lu Yuxiu suddenly knelt before Song Changsheng, her eyes filled with pleading.

"There’s no need for this. Since I’m here, I’ll make sure you all get back safely. But first, I have to find Master Lu’s exact location."

Song Changsheng sighed and helped Lu Yuxiu to her feet. ’But I’m still at a loss,’ he thought. ’Blazing Flame Mountain is huge. Without a lead, by the time I find Lu Tianchou and the others, I might only find their bodies.’

Just then, a deafening explosion echoed from nearby, making the entire mountain tremble slightly.

With his sharp hearing, Song Changsheng quickly determined the sound hadn’t come from Wang Tiansheng’s battlefield. His spirits lifted. ’Lu Tianchou and the others must be there!’

He glanced at Lu Yuxiu, conflicted. ’If I take her with me and we run into a Purple Mansion Stage Demon Cultivator, it’ll be hard to protect her. But I don’t feel right leaving her here alone, either.’

After a moment of deliberation, Song Changsheng set up a Concealing Array on the spot. It would not only hide Lu Yuxiu’s location but also shield her from the terrifying heat.

"Miss Lu, wait here and don’t worry. Whatever you do, don’t step outside the Array’s perimeter. Once I’ve rescued Master Lu and the others, I’ll come back for you. Understand?"

"Elder Song, don’t worry about me. Please, save my father first." At that moment, Lu Yuxiu showed a strength he had never seen before.

Song Changsheng gave a solemn nod, then rushed in the direction the sound had come from.

As he drew closer, the sounds of fighting gradually reached his ears.

’That’s Master Lu.’ Song Changsheng’s spirits lifted as he sensed a familiar aura.

He quickened his pace. As he rounded a corner, a wave of scorching heat washed over him. A vast, underground cavern opened up before his eyes.

At the bottom churned a lake of lava. A massive, somewhat dilapidated Celestial Ship, broken in two, was half-submerged in the molten rock, sinking at a visible rate.

’The Celestial Ship has been destroyed.’ Song Changsheng’s expression darkened, his heart aching. ’That was a real Celestial Ship!’

BOOM—

Just then, the sound of exploding Magic pulled Song Changsheng back to the present.

He saw at least twenty figures clashing fiercely in mid-air.

Song Changsheng’s gaze immediately locked onto an old man with a white beard and hair. Although he hadn’t seen him in over ten years, he still recognized him at a glance.

Lu Tianchou’s group was clearly in a dire situation. Despite outnumbering their opponents, they were being overwhelmed by the smaller group of Blood Demons. Nearly everyone was wounded, and it was clear they couldn’t hold out for much longer.

In a flash, Song Changsheng appeared in the center of the battlefield. A powerful aura exploded from him, forcibly separating the combatants.

"Die!"

With a flick of his wide sleeve, a sharp Sword Qi erupted, slicing a black-robed Blood Demon in two before it could even resist.

This snapped the remaining six Foundation Establishment Stage Blood Demons back to their senses. They scrambled onto their flying swords and tried to flee.

’Trying to run?’

’Stepping on Snow Without Trace!’

A cold glint flashed in Song Changsheng’s eyes. His figure instantly disappeared from its spot. In a flash, he appeared behind one of the Blood Demons. A flicker of Sword Light, and a head tumbled to the ground!

Seeing this, the other Blood Demons were scared out of their wits. They scrambled over each other to escape, cursing the fact they didn’t have two more legs.

"Subdue!"

With a sharp cry from Song Changsheng, the Five Elements Creation Seal flew into the air. It descended upon the five fleeing figures with immense power.

In the face of absolute power, all resistance is futile. Before long, the Five Elements Creation Seal crushed the five into clouds of blood mist, their bodies and souls annihilated.

After venting some of his frustration, Song Changsheng flew over to the stunned Lu Tianchou and his companions. "Are your injuries serious?" he asked.

Hearing this, Lu Tianchou said bitterly, "If you hadn’t arrived when you did, Clan Leader Song, I’m afraid we would have met the same tragic end as our comrades, buried here in this Flame Pool."

"What exactly happened here? Master Lu, could you please tell me the details?"

...

P.S. A 3k-character Chapter, with another 3k on the way~