White-Robed Cultivator, Blood Sea Lineage?

The Ten Directions Shadowless Formation was a renowned Tier 3 array belonging to the holy land known as the Yuan Demon Sect. When fully deployed, in a static state, it could conceal all auras and even mask the ambient spiritual energy wandering through heaven and earth. In an active state, it transformed into a defensive array capable of withstanding outside attacks. Even if shattered, the formation possessed enough residual power to generate phantom figures for the caster, confusing the enemy's divine sense. As for such an exceptional array, ordinary disciples of the Yuan Demon Sect could never dream of mastering it, let alone possessing a set of the necessary array implements. Under normal circumstances, the Yuan Demon Sect bestowed the Ten Directions Shadowless Formation only upon standout true disciples of its Three Lineages. Though he did not know how the cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Association had discovered this place, the remnant of the Yuan Demon Sect hiding within could wield this array—meaning his strength was bound to be formidable! Positioned to the south, Luo Chen appeared to be taking pills to recover his magic power, but in truth, his attention was completely fixed on the swarm of shadowy figures filling the sky. The shadows were exceedingly numerous, seeming at first glance to number in the hundreds or thousands. Each shadow possessed a distinct, corporeal form, indistinguishable from a flesh-and-blood cultivator. Yet obviously, among all these dark silhouettes, only one was the true body! *And this was broken before the Ten Directions Shadowless Formation had even been pushed to its limit. If shattered at its peak, the number of phantoms it unleashed would likely be far greater.* *Finding the true body hidden among them would be even harder!* *Still, with four Golden Core cultivators on the scene, letting him escape is out of the question. What I need to do right now is wait and observe. Before crossing blades with him, I should gather as much intelligence on him as possible.* This was Luo Chen's calculation. Simple and clear. Though the shot often hits the bird that sticks out, his acting first had meant confronting merely a concealment and escape array. There was no real danger, and he had been able to strike with calm deliberation after ample preparation. Now was when sticking out truly drew the arrow! Duan Li and Hao Ye had to confront a desperate fugitive directly—a far more hazardous prospect than what Luo Chen had faced. Admittedly, this little maneuver was hardly ingenious. Yet in the rush of the moment, neither Duan Li nor Hao Ye had caught on. The latter in particular had even looked pleased to let Luo Chen exhaust himself first. Perhaps this was the nature of rogue cultivators: seasoned in combat, yet often penny-wise and pound-foolish in other respects, obsessed with hoarding their strength and letting others bleed their magic power, forgetting that one must give in order to gain. At the very least, what Luo Chen gained next proved the wisdom of striking first. High above the ocean, four Golden Core cultivators stood at the cardinal directions, watching the hundreds of phantoms flee in every direction. Upon closer inspection, the number heading toward Old Angler was the smallest—barely ten or twenty. Luo Chen's side was second, numbering around one or two hundred. Meanwhile, the swarm heading toward Hao Ye and Duan Li was dense enough to blot out the sky, stretching beyond the horizon at a single glance. *He has sharp eyes. In just a fleeting moment, he gauged the cultivation and strength of both Old Angler and me, deliberately steering clear of us and targeting the other two as his breakthrough point.* While Luo Chen's mind turned, his body gave a slight shudder. Crimson chains shot out from within him. Nine in total, they resembled nine giant tentacles sprouting from his form at first glance. Their tips were needle-sharp, and with a flick of Luo Chen's thought, they whistled through the air, stabbing out like spearheads. *Pop! Pop! Pop!* Like bubbles bursting. Under the piercing thrusts of these chains, the one or two hundred shadows surging toward him were completely wiped out within a few breaths, leaving behind only wisps of dark smoke that dissipated reluctantly into the air. To the east, Old Angler's eyelids twitched, a look of mild bewilderment crossing his gaze as he took in Luo Chen's technique. Luo Chen paid it no heed, focusing the bulk of his attention on Duan Li and Hao Ye instead. *And how will the two of you deal with these phantoms to find the true body?* As if to answer Luo Chen's thoughts, Duan Li and Hao Ye immediately showcased their skills. Releasing his grip, Duan Li sent a three-foot-long white jade ruler drifting up into the air, which instantly erupted into layers of overlapping ruler shadows. Each strike of a ruler brought concussive booms bursting through the sky. The innumerable shadows rushing toward Duan Li shattered continuously. Over on Hao Ye's side, though his expression was taut with tension, his hands were swift; he consecrated a flying sword that transformed into a streak of flowing light, piercing into the dense swarm of foes. *Chi! Chi! Chi!* These phantoms were meant purely for misdirection, possessing little defensive capability of their own. Under Hao Ye's flying sword, they crumbled upon contact! Still, there were simply too many, and Hao Ye's magic power was impure to begin with, leaving his speed in controlling the sword slightly lagging. After eliminating the majority of the phantoms, several managed to slip past him and race northward. "Fellow Daoist, intercept those phantoms! The villain's true body must be among them!" Duan Li bellowed. Tensing, Hao Ye ignored the few shadows lingering in front of him and hastily directed his flying sword to hunt down those escaping phantoms. *Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* After puncturing them one by one, only wisps of black smoke drifted in the air—no true body appeared. "What...?" "Wrong, he's right in front of you—look out!" Hao Ye froze. Yet instantly, alarm bells clanged wildly in his mind, and without hesitation, he slapped a talisman onto himself. The next instant— *Boom!* A pale hand stripped away from a shadow and slammed a palm onto his chest. The talisman blazed with brilliant light, clashing with the pale palm for a breathless instant, deadlocking, and finally shattering violently. The tremendous surge of magic power blasted both figures backward. *Pfft...* Mid-air, Hao Ye spat a mouthful of blood and barely stabilized his footing. Wiping his mouth, he shouted toward Luo Chen, "My thanks for the warning, Fellow Daoist!" Clearly, that second warning had come from Luo Chen. Luo Chen did not offer any modest pleasantries or waste a single word; his entire focus was now fixed on the white-robed man standing within the trio's encirclement. The black smoke scattered in all directions was now converging toward this man. He had handsome features, fair skin, a gaunt build, and a remarkably long arm span. Under the gazes of the three cultivators, he showed no trace of fear. Yet his true emotional state was clearly not as tranquil as it seemed. When he looked past the encirclement toward the motionless Old Angler, a profound dread filled his eyes. "The Dark Gold Rod, the Sound-Capturing Bell, the Deficient Heaven Cord... You are Liu Ziweng!" Old Angler lifted an eyelid. "To think a junior like you would recognize me. It has been many years since this old man went by the name Liu Ziweng. Since you know of me, you are evidently no cloistered ascetic who does nothing but cultivate behind closed doors. Why not state your name? Once you are dead, this old man can find a favorable spot and erect a cenotaph for you." The white-robed man sneered viciously. "Throughout my life, I, Qin Tianming, have roamed the four seas and weathered countless perils. Even the Great Yuan Demon Catastrophe failed to wipe me out—let alone this battle!" Hearing the name Qin Tianming, Old Angler's brow furrowed instantly. "Could it be the celebrated rising prodigy of the Blood Sea Lineage?" "No, that genius took a mere two hundred years to cultivate to the late Golden Core stage. How could his magic power fluctuations resemble what you display now?" Catching the pale complexion beneath Qin Tianming's sharp gaze, Old Angler looked thoughtful. "So it seems the Great Yuan Demon Catastrophe may not have killed you, but it inflicted grievous wounds upon you. It caused your realm to plummet, forcing you into hiding here in the Quyang Sea for a century to nurse your injuries." Qin Tianming offered no explanation, his eyes sweeping over the three cultivators surrounding him tight. The combined spiritual pressure of the three pressed down upon him at the very center in suffocating waves, making his every movement feel as though he were wading through a mire. "What is the meaning of this?" This time, it was Luo Chen's turn to speak. "No need for further words. Fellow Daoists, strike!" As he spoke, he feigned having recovered his magic power and retrieved a magic treasure from his storage ring. Streaming light flared, sparks bursting forth. The Flowing Fire Hammer smashed out with a deafening roar. The other two followed suit, flying sword and jade ruler striking together. Facing this relentless onslaught without so much as a parley, Qin Tianming flew into a rage. Spreading his pale hands wide, his dharma robe billowed without wind. Though the heavy spiritual pressure kept him from striking first, he managed to withstand the trio's joint attack in that instant. Yet it was only for an instant. After that single clash, the dharma robe shattered like drifting butterflies, dispersing into fluttering fragments to reveal the brown inner armor he wore underneath. *A pity to see a dharma robe of magic treasure rank destroyed like that,* Luo Chen mused internally, his vigilance dialed up past the maximum. While recalling the Flowing Fire Hammer to build up power, he locked his gaze onto the man's every move. Going by the exchange between the man and Old Angler, he was a renowned rising prodigy within the Yuan Demon Sect. In just two hundred years, he had advanced to late Golden Core. Furthermore, coming from the Blood Sea Lineage, he was bound to excel in blood dao arts! Therefore, Luo Chen needed to focus his defenses primarily against that. Just as Luo Chen's mind wound taut, Qin Tianming suddenly raised a hand and hurled an object straight at him. It flew with extreme speed, yet made not a sound as it broke the air. Upon closer look, it was an azure bead. Though its power was yet unseen, Luo Chen dared not let the bead near him. Without a second thought, he retreated while forming hand incantations with both hands. The spell he cast was none other than the defensive technique he had created himself—the Blazing Heavens Sevenfold Rings. The next moment, azure rings of flame manifested one after another in mid-air. Watching this, a sneer curled on Qin Tianming's lips. He pinched a finger. *Boom!* The azure bead detonated in an instant. Rings of azure fire expanded in all directions, shattering the defensive spell, before caving inward with Luo Chen as the epicenter. The domineering azure flames seemed endowed with sentience, howling as they coiled toward Luo Chen. Beholding this, Luo Chen found the scene somewhat familiar. *Green Sun Demonic Fire?* The peculiar nature of the flame immediately reminded him of the Green Sun Demonic Fire recorded in the ancient texts. Because it was refined from the essence blood of living creatures, once brought to life, it would howl with the agonizing wails of potent grievances. Moreover, Green Sun Demonic Fire was the flame that low-tier disciples of the Yuan Demon Sect favored refining most. Not only was it formidable in power, but it was also exceptionally convenient for alchemy and artifact forging. *Yet Qin Tianming is a true disciple of the Blood Sea Lineage—why would he resort to such an inferior flame?* Though doubt flickered in his mind, Luo Chen's movements showed no panic. Although the flames bursting from the azure bead were immense, this bead was different from the Thunder Immortal Bead in the Bai Ye Cave Abode. The latter concentrated all its devastating might into a single point of detonation, spelling certain death for any Golden Core cultivator who touched it! This Azure Fire Bead, on the other hand, involved a process of burning and refining. And when it came to burning and refining? The corners of Luo Chen's lips curled slightly, and he opened his mouth to exhale. A wisp of pale-green flame drifted out, transforming into a glowing barrier that completely enveloped him. In the blink of an eye, a massive fireball encasing a smaller fireball hung in the sky. Seeing this, Qin Tianming could not help letting out a breath of relief. Among the three surrounding him, this red-faced man in the red-cloud Daoist robe had the highest realm, undeniably at the mid Golden Core stage. By expending an Azure Fire Bead, he had finally trapped the man off guard. That Azure Fire Bead was no low-grade trinket. It was refined from purified Green Sun Demonic Fire by a fire-controlling master of the sect using an exclusive secret technique into a single-use offensive magic treasure. Its might was such that ordinary Golden Core cultivators caught by it would lose a layer of skin even if they survived. Qin Tianming cast a glance at the unmoving Old Angler, then turned to Duan Li and Hao Ye with a sinister sneer: "Now, it's your turn." "Arrogant boast!" Duan Li barked, seemingly unfazed, though in truth he had marshaled every shred of his vigilance. Controlling his flying sword to circle around Qin Tianming, Hao Ye called out, "Fellow Daoist Duan Li, you take the offensive while I harass him! This man comes from the Blood Sea Lineage and is bound to master various blood dao arts. I happen to possess techniques to counter them. Attack as fiercely as you can—I will protect you!" As he spoke, he flipped his wrist, revealing several talismans in his palm. Upon closer look, they were indeed precious Tier 3 talismans such as the Blood Coagulation Talisman and the Sea Calming Talisman. Seeing this, Duan Li felt a wave of relief. *To think Fellow Daoist Hao Ye is actually a talisman cultivator skilled in the dao of talismans.* With that, his worries eased. Manipulating his jade ruler, Duan Li launched his offensive. Facing the thousands of descending jade rulers and the flying sword circling like a viper, Qin Tianming calmly spat out a flying sword of his own. Sword light flowed with blinding speed. With razor-thin margins, it repelled the jade ruler each time it came crashing down. Such exquisite swordsmanship was vastly superior to Hao Ye's. The longer they fought, the more astonished Duan Li grew. *He hasn't even used his bottom-of-the-chest Blood Sea Lineage techniques, yet he can hold off a joint attack from Hao Ye and me. If this drags on, disaster is bound to strike.* Gritting his teeth, his magic power surged violently. The myriad phantom jade rulers in the sky abruptly fused into a single giant white jade ruler measuring a hundred zhang across. Seeing his opponent gathering power for an earth-shattering blow, a flicker of delight crossed Qin Tianming's eyes instead. In the next breath, the giant ruler slammed down with crushing force. With a single strike, it smashed Qin Tianming to pieces. Yet a scene that shocked Duan Li unfolded. Mid-air, there was no blood or flesh—only an afterimage. *I missed?* *How is that possible?* His head swimming with dizziness, Duan Li shook his head violently. *No, have I fallen under a soul-bewitching spell?* The instant his mind cleared, he saw Qin Tianming's true body shoot forward dozens of zhang, closing the distance right in front of Hao Ye. *Of course! From the very start, his true target was already laid bare.* *Not Old Angler or Qingyangzi, who had the highest cultivation, nor me, with defenses raised and offense unleashed, but Hao Ye, the pseudo-core cultivator with the lowest realm!* Realizing this, Duan Li recalled his natal magic treasure while shouting a warning: "Look out! He possesses soul-attack techniques!" Hao Ye could no longer answer. Seeing the enemy hurtling toward him, he desperately activated the talismans he had prepared. Blood Coagulation and Sea Calming were specialized talismans developed by Northern Sea cultivators after suffering immensely at the hands of the Yuan Demon Sect's Blood Sea Lineage. Being a master of the talisman dao, he was naturally adept at crafting them. Even better, under his activation, their potency was stronger than usual. Yet to his shock, the two activated talismans had not the slightest effect on Qin Tianming. The man's speed was not hindered in the least, as though his magic power bore none of the typical vulnerabilities of the Blood Sea Lineage to these talismans. *How can this be?* Caught in utter disbelief, he had no time to ponder. He slapped his storage bag. The next moment, a dragon head poked out. Its jaws parted slightly in a soundless roar. Qin Tianming was startled at first, then overtaken by wild ecstasy. "To think you actually possess a marvelous creature like a Chiwen!" "It's mine!" The soundless roar echoed through the void. Even Duan Li and Old Angler, standing further away, were affected, their bodies swaying. Yet Qin Tianming was merely momentarily stunned before surging forward even faster. Not only that, with a flick of his hand, a long banner abruptly appeared. Grasping the banner with both hands, he shook it violently. Instantly, countless ghosts howled forth, swarming around Hao Ye and tearing at him relentlessly. Hao Ye was no orthodox Golden Core cultivator; he had reached a pseudo-core realm only by relying on the inner core of a Tier 3 demon king. Though his magic power seemed on par with the Golden Core stage, it was actually thoroughly impure. His divine soul in particular had never undergone proper tempering, being only marginally stronger than that of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Under the mauling of ten thousand spirits, he could barely hold out for a moment. "Master Angler, save me!" Faced with Hao Ye's cry for help, Old Angler kept his hands tucked into his sleeves, uttering not a word. He merely fixed his eyes on the white-robed man surrounded by countless souls, an enlightened expression dawning on his face. Duan Li was not far away, yet at this moment he halted in his tracks, horror filling his gaze. Seeing Old Angler leave him to die and Duan Li hesitate, Hao Ye plunged into bottomless despair. Seeing no hope of rescue, Hao Ye's shrill, wretched voice rang out from within the mauling ghosts: "Fine! Fine! Fine!" "If you won't save me, none of you will have it easy either!" As his words echoed, thick demonic power surged wildly within him, a destructive force poised to erupt. He was going to self-detonate. However— Qin Tianming gave a savage laugh. "Want to self-detonate? Not that easy—hand it over!" Without any visible movement on his part, Hao Ye froze rigid in mid-air the very next instant. Then, his eyes dull and lifeless, his entire body began to plummet. Meanwhile, the storage bag and spirit beast bag on his person detached and flew toward Qin Tianming. Suddenly, accompanied by the swoosh of a rod being cast, a faint, whispering line cut through the air. "Kill him if you wish, but leave the goods." Before Qin Tianming's widening eyes, the spirit beast bag from which the dragon head had previously emerged was hooked and reeled away by the thread. "You old scoundrel, you—!" Old Angler caught the spirit beast bag with one hand, glanced down at it, and nodded in satisfaction. Then, looking up, he said with a cold, insincere smile, "It appears you are no cultivator of the Blood Sea Lineage, much less Qin Tianming. Claiming a false name was merely to mislead us. This third-layer Golden Core cultivation is presumably your true realm all along; there was never any talk of a plummet in power. A passing swan leaves its call, and a dying man leaves his name—why not state who you truly are?" The white-robed cultivator raged, "What my name is has nothing to do with you!" "True, it has nothing to do with me. However, next, we shall see just how many hidden tricks you have left," Old Angler said playfully. Following his gaze, the white-robed cultivator looked south. The massive azure fireball had already vanished by now. A red-robed Daoist, holding an azure fire bead with pale green flames swirling around him, was looking down at him with cold detachment.