Hermit and Moluo, Scorching the Sea to Ruin

The first time he had ever seen a Blood God Child had been right here on Lengguang Island. Back then, Blood Nightmare Moluo had possessed He Yuan to recruit Luo Chen in person. Yet the Blood God Child that had left a truly indelible mark on Luo Chen had been encountered in Withered Wood Ridge. There, the Blood Hermit had refined a Nascent Soul cultivator of the Yuan Demon Sect into a Blood God Child specifically to capture a Tier 5 withered blood vine. On that occasion, the sheer might of the Blood God Child had left an unforgettable impression upon him. Both Blood God Children he had witnessed shared a common characteristic: each bore two starkly distinct auras. One belonged to the original host, while the other belonged to the controller. Logically, such an esoteric and profound art should not have suffered from such an obvious flaw, yet that was precisely how it manifested. Because of this, the instant Luo Chen saw the Wu clan's early Core Formation cultivator erupt with blood light and radiate two conflicting auras, he recognized its true nature immediately. 'Is it the Blood Hermit, or Blood Nightmare Moluo?' Those two names sprang to Luo Chen's mind at once. He waved his hand, signaling Tianxuan and Sang Jinghe to fall back. Meanwhile, the wretchedly battered early Core Formation Blood God Child lifted its hollow eye sockets and fixed its dead gaze directly on Luo Chen. "Why must you disturb me?" It was Blood Nightmare Moluo! From that single sentence, Luo Chen recognized him. His interactions with Blood Nightmare Moluo had been sparse, whereas the Blood Hermit had left a far deeper impression, allowing him to quickly rule the latter out. In the entire Northern Sea today, those two were the only formidable figures known to still refine Blood God Children openly. Wasn't this fellow being relentlessly hunted down by the Blood Hermit? How had he ended up hiding away on Lengguang Island? This place lay in close proximity to both the Moluo Stream and the Canghai Alliance, essentially serving as a border territory... Had he chosen the most dangerous place because it was also the safest? Even as Luo Chen's thoughts raced, an alarmed cry rang out behind him. "Master, look!" Luo Chen's pupils contracted slightly. Across Baiyang Island, the mortals were melting away! One after another, mortals dissolved into puddles of foul blood that seeped straight into the earth. The nearby Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators were struck with horror, falling into sheer panic and shouting frantically. Yet this horrifying transformation was clearly not confined to Baiyang Island alone. Luo Chen cast his gaze into the distance. Across the shattered Lengguang Archipelago, the exact same horror was unfolding on every single island, large and small. Millions of mortals were silently and helplessly turning into pools of foul blood, given no chance to utter so much as a cry of agony. "Why must you disturb me!" A fierce gust of wind tore straight toward him. Luo Chen flicked a finger, sending forth a crisscrossing tempest of sword qi that instantly slashed the early Core Formation Blood God Child into chunks of raw flesh. The severed meat crashed to the ground and similarly dissolved into stagnant blood, sinking into the earth. Luo Chen abruptly looked down! His divine sense erupted outward in a frantic sweep, using Baiyang Island as its epicenter. Pillars of blood light surged skyward from every island. The once-azure sea was now tinged with an eerie, vivid crimson. Countless low-tier cultivators attempted to flee their respective islands, yet before they could ascend into the high altitudes, rays of blood light snared and enveloped them. Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen's eyes sharpened. "An array! Blood Nightmare Moluo tampered with the archipelago's interconnected formation, enveloping all the millions of mortals and over a hundred thousand low-tier cultivators across the Lengguang Archipelago, unknowingly placing them under its sway." "We cannot remain here!" "Move!" With a wide sweep of his sleeve, Luo Chen scooped up Tianxuan and Sang Jinghe, preparing to shoot into the sky. Right at that moment, the heavens resembled a furnace as a scarlet canopy draped overhead. Without hesitation, Luo Chen thrust out a Qingyang Great Handprint. The scarlet canopy churned violently in an instant, imprinting a five-fingered bloody handprint high in the sky. Yet Luo Chen was forced back down, landing squarely onto Baiyang Island. "That scarlet canopy... is it a Nascent Soul domain?" Luo Chen's expression shifted slightly as clarity dawned upon him. This Blood Nightmare Moluo had, just like himself, fused some special power into his domain to bring about a unique transformation. Disciples of the sacred grounds truly were troublesome! The ground beneath his feet trembled. Those affected were no longer limited to mortals. Strange and horrifying alterations began emerging one after another upon the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators as well. *Swish! Swish! Swish!* Scores of gazes and wisps of spiritual sense converged onto Luo Chen from all directions. Almost simultaneously, Luo Chen felt as though needles were prickling against his back. 'Damn it! Has Blood Nightmare Moluo lost his mind? Not only did he refine millions of mortals, but he even planted demonic seeds into over a hundred thousand low-tier cultivators!' Luo Chen could already tell that these low-tier cultivators were entirely unworthy of being called Blood God Children; they had merely lost their sanity under the influence of the grand array. Yet this process was clearly irreversible. Once the array reached full fruition, everyone trapped within it would melt into foul blood, just like the mortals before them. Luo Chen glanced at Tianxuan and Sang Jinghe, his brows furrowing slightly. They were too much of a hindrance! The panic-stricken Sang Jinghe had kept his eyes pinned to Luo Chen the entire time. Seeing his gaze, his heart tightened in dread. "True Lord, what should we do now?" Luo Chen took a deep breath. His fingers blurred as each hand formed an intricate incantation gesture. Three breaths later, the seals completed, and he brought his palms together. Then, his right palm shoved forward. A palm-sized azure handprint slowly drifted out, saturated with Luo Chen's pure dharmic power and carrying an overwhelming subjugating force that violently drew in the loose fire-attribute spiritual qi lingering between heaven and earth. As the azure handprint flew onward, it expanded exponentially in size. *Rumble...* Wherever the handprint passed, blood light was dispelled, islands sank into the sea, and wild surges churned across the boundless ocean. A passageway tore open. Luo Chen lightly tapped the backs of the two with his palms from a distance, using his dharmic power to propel them down the vacuum passage cleared by the Qingyang Great Handprint. Tianxuan looked back in astonishment, her heart seizing with worry at the sight of Luo Chen standing firm where he was, his white robes billowing in the wind. "Master, come with us!" "Tianxuan, take Jinghe and leave first. I will follow shortly." The Qingyang Great Handprint, modified after his ascension to the Nascent Soul stage, was vastly more powerful than before. Because it was integrated with the Spirit Subjugation Seal, once cast, it went entirely beyond Luo Chen's control, steadily gathering momentum and growing stronger as it traveled. So long as no one forcefully intercepted it, the surging, ever-building handprint would easily carve out a clear path. Luo Chen paid the pair no further attention, spreading the full breadth of his divine sense to search for Blood Nightmare Moluo's true body. He could not leave right now. The scarlet canopy of a domain had locked tightly onto him. Bolstered by the formation, unless Luo Chen could teleport hundreds of miles in an instant, the enemy would maintain that lock indefinitely. Behind Luo Chen, the Qingyang Great Handprint barreled northward until it finally breached the Lengguang Archipelago, piercing a sliver of natural light through the grim, crimson expanse. Yet that light snapped shut again in the blink of an eye. Luo Chen lightly tapped the ground and rose steadily into midair. Beneath his feet, Baiyang Island was beginning to dissolve. Countless streams of foul blood drained into the ocean. Figure after figure steeped in bloody radiance took to the air from all directions, swarming straight toward Luo Chen. Seeing this, Luo Chen gave a cold snort. "Hiding your head and tail like a coward—how do you dare call yourself a Moluo of your generation?" Cupping his right hand upward, a blazing sun slowly rose from his palm. Upon reaching the crown of his head, the sun shuddered and abruptly shattered into tens of thousands of sparks. With a flick of Luo Chen's finger, the sparks shot outward, hurtling toward the low-tier cultivators who all wore the same vacant, possessed expression. *Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!* The sickening sound of flesh being pierced echoed incessantly. They were merely a hundred-odd thousand low-tier cultivators! In the face of absolute individual might, sheer numbers were completely meaningless. Blood Nightmare Moluo's attempt to overwhelm Luo Chen with these degraded versions of Blood God Children was nothing short of a pipe dream. Yet after striking down over ten thousand cultivators and blasting open an empty buffer zone, Luo Chen's expression altered slightly. An invisible force in the world seemed to be coalescing toward him. It was virtually identical to the power that had previously enveloped the low-tier cultivators. 'Is he trying to refine me into a Blood God Child as well?' With a single thought, the Wither-Bloom True Fire within Luo Chen flared outward, draping over him to seal out the corrupting energy. Not stopping there, the Senluo Fire Prison unfurled, melting away at the scarlet canopy overhead. Meanwhile, his hands formed a complex set of seals with practiced, though slightly halting, motions. "Let's see if this forces you out!" Luo Chen's gaze turned chillingly cold as an illusory fire phoenix spread its wings behind him and soared out gracefully. Vivid and lifelike, the phoenix radiated an imperious, unyielding majesty. The moment it emerged, it swept low over the sea. Wherever it passed, the blood sea vaporized, islands melted, and countless living creatures were snuffed out before they could even react. It was none other than the Tier 4 spell Luo Chen had recently acquired and just begun to master—Fire Phoenix Scorching Plains. Under normal circumstances, Luo Chen would never employ a high-tier spell in active combat when he had only newly grasped it and required significant time to channel it. Yet Blood Nightmare Moluo's refusal to show himself had afforded him ample time. Leisurely unleashed, the might of Fire Phoenix Scorching Plains satisfied Luo Chen immensely. It truly carried an apocalyptic aura capable of scorching the sea to ruin! His divine sense monitored every ripple across the churning waves of blood. Suddenly, Luo Chen's eyes narrowed. "So you were hiding there!" With two fingers leveled like a sword, Luo Chen commanded the fire phoenix to wheel around violently and plunge straight into the sea where the ruins of Feileng City had once stood. *Boom!* A deafening explosion detonated in an instant. There was no smoke or dust, only a towering wall of scalding steam. Luo Chen's spiritual eyes flashed like lightning, piercing through the mist to reveal a figure slowly emerging from the sea of blood. White hair, scarlet robes, and eyes burning with madness. It was none other than Blood Nightmare Moluo's true form, whom he had briefly encountered back in Mingzhao Heaven! The moment he appeared, the crimson canopy blanketing the heavens pressed down directly upon Luo Chen's head. Undaunted, Luo Chen let the Senluo Fire Prison spread out, eroding the ambient force of the void and burning hole after hole through the canopy. Through these openings, the loose fire-attribute spiritual qi of the world surged in, converging upon Luo Chen. In their very first direct clash, neither gained the upper hand; their domains stalemated, unable to overcome each other. The frenzy in Blood Nightmare Moluo's eyes faltered momentarily as he stared at Luo Chen's face with a trace of unfamiliarity. "Who... are you?" Luo Chen was taken aback. The man didn't recognize him? On second thought, that made sense; they had barely interacted in the past. During that previous recruitment attempt, the man had merely possessed the Blood God Child He Yuan to meet him. Even his later order for the Master of Baizao Mountain to hunt Luo down had likely been an offhand remark. More importantly, Luo Chen's appearance had changed, differing completely from his time in Mingzhao Heaven. This was for the best. Since the man failed to recognize him, there was no need to fight this battle to the bitter end right now. Though a grudge existed, Luo Chen was only a newly ascended early Nascent Soul cultivator, whereas his opponent had attained the Nascent Soul stage many years ago, hailed from a sacred ground, and possessed extraordinary methods. Surviving the Blood Hermit's pursuit for so many years spoke volumes of his strength. This debt could be settled another day! Luo Chen was inclined to leave, yet fate willed otherwise. Blood Nightmare Moluo shook his head to himself. "You disturbed my slumber and ruined my blood food. In that case, you might as well stay!" As he spoke, he made a beckoning gesture. The massive banyan tree growing upon the sea surface like an enormous umbrella suddenly split open with a sharp crack. A streak of sword light shot out from its trunk and landed in his hand. It was that blood sword! Luo Chen's heart gave a sudden jolt. He knew this sword; back at the Feileng City auction, it had been proclaimed a spirit treasure. Even though Han Zhan had later clarified that it was merely a pseudo-spirit treasure, its lethal power—potent enough to threaten even the Blood Hermit—could not be underestimated. The white-haired cultivator raised the blade and swung downward in an unassuming slash. A dazzling sword beam erupted forth. Luo Chen dared not take it lightly, thrusting out both hands. Seven rings of fire layered one over the other in defense. Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings! Not only that, but his robes billowed as armor manifested over his body. Every layer of defense was set in place. Yet the result... Blood Nightmare Moluo held the God-Slashing Blood Sword horizontally before him, staring at the wisp of fresh crimson blood coating its edge. The madness that had briefly receded from his eyes returned with renewed vigor. The blood sword hummed faintly. "It seems you truly relish his blood!" Luo Chen gazed down at the sword mark etched into his palm, remaining silent. That the Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Rings failed to halt the strike was within his expectations. However, that the Xuanchen Armor, having only recently ascended to the rank of True Artifact, offered zero resistance before this blade was utterly beyond his imagination. Luo Chen looked up, narrowing his eyes. That sword... Facing his gaze, the blood sword vibrated incessantly, as though buzzing with ecstatic excitement. 'It wants to drink its fill of my blood?' Luo Chen let out a savage grin and slapped his waist, summoning a halberd into his grasp. "You brought this on yourself!" Before his voice had even faded, the void cracked with an explosive boom. When he reappeared, Luo Chen was already right in front of him. The Myriad Jun Halberd smashed down with crushing force. Seemingly caught off guard by Luo Chen's terrifying speed, Blood Nightmare Moluo had no time to react and could only lift his sword to parry. *Clang!* With that single blow, Blood Nightmare Moluo was hammered straight into the sea of blood. Luo Chen's expression turned fierce. "If you won't let me leave, then I won't! It just so happens I have a score to settle with you as well!" Halberd in one hand, he thrust his other palm outward. A Qingyang Great Handprint was unleashed instantaneously, bearing down relentlessly upon the bloody sea. *Bang!* With the handprint carving the path, Luo Chen plunged headlong into the sea of blood. A fierce clash erupted in the deep ocean depths. A few breaths later, two figures burst out from the water and shot into the sky. Blood Nightmare Moluo tried desperately to widen the gap, but Luo Chen clung to him like a maggot on a rotting bone, in relentless pursuit. The instant the man managed to pry open a sliver of space, Luo Chen's kick lashed out like a bolt of lightning, blasting a gaping hole straight through Blood Nightmare Moluo's body. "Bastard!" Blood light flared from Blood Nightmare Moluo's eyes, striking directly at Luo Chen's sea of consciousness. Immediately after, a wisp of pure demonic qi surged from his body, coalescing into a colossal hand that descended with crushing force. Yet in the very next instant, Luo Chen, who seemed to have suffered a heavy mental blow, snapped back to complete clarity, utterly unaffected by the soul attack. Confronted by the towering demonic hand, Luo Chen opened his mouth and spat. A stream of blue-gold flame flew out, morphing into a blazing tree that coiled tightly around the palm. His hands moved just as swiftly: pulling the Myriad Jun Halberd back like a javelin, he hurled it forward. Walls of blood waves surged skyward to intercept the halberd. The God-Slashing Blood Sword fluttered erratically, weaving through the churning waves of blood as it lunged toward Luo Chen. "Since you love drinking my blood so much, I'll let you drink until you burst!" Luo Chen roared in fury. His left hand suddenly swelled, his fingers splaying like claws as he seized the surrounding void, snaring the several dozen feet around the God-Slashing Blood Sword. Cloud-Seeking Divine Claw, executed at will! Luo Chen felt a piercing, agonizing pain, yet the feral grin on his face only deepened. Immense force and biting sword qi erupted continuously against his grip. *Bang!* The blood sword shot out like a dragon, bursting free of his hold. Undeterred, Luo Chen unfurled the wings at his back, boosting his speed by another notch. Furthermore, the Wither-Bloom True Fire fully encased his body, transforming him into a deity of flame. At this moment, aside from his Desolate Ancient True Body, Luo Chen had entered his strongest combat state. Everywhere he passed, ambient blood qi was completely incinerated. He lunged toward Blood Nightmare Moluo once more. There was an indelible gap in cultivation between them: Blood Nightmare Moluo stood at the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage, whereas Luo Chen was only at the first. The various spells and combat experiences he had once taken pride in offered little advantage against an elder hailing from the Yuan Demon Sect. In that case, he would lean into his greatest strength and force a close-quarters battle! Luo Chen had mapped out this combat strategy from the very start. Aside from the unexpected sharpness of Blood Nightmare Moluo's sword and the shocking toughness of his physical body, the battle had unfolded largely as anticipated. Regarding the man's physique, Luo Chen surmised that he must have cultivated some body refinement art on the side. Yet Luo Chen possessed far greater confidence in his own physical form. Above all, he still had trump cards to play! Suspended midair, spiritual light burst from Luo Chen's eyes. Mirror Flower, Water Moon! Blood Nightmare Moluo, who had been watching his every move, was struck instantly. Yet after a mere moment of paralysis, he broke free. Fu Chaosheng had mentioned that Blood Nightmare Moluo had defied his sect's ancestral precepts to cultivate three distinct lineages simultaneously. Now it seemed every word of that was true. From the foundational art of the Blood Sea Lineage, to the pure demonic qi that conjured the colossal hand, down to the techniques of the Soul Refining Lineage he had just demonstrated, he commanded them all. Yet Luo Chen had never expected Mirror Flower, Water Moon to secure victory. All he needed was that single instant of paralysis. *Crackle!* A silver serpent flickered across the void. An arc of lightning struck Blood Nightmare Moluo squarely. The power of tribulation lightning! Caught completely off guard by this sudden strike, Blood Nightmare Moluo's entire body froze stiff. By then, Luo Chen had closed the distance entirely. His ten fingers flicked in rapid succession as Overlord Sheds Armor was unleashed again, driving pulse after pulse of origin force deep into his opponent's body. With every strike, Blood Nightmare Moluo was denied any chance of regaining control over his flesh. Immediately after, Luo Chen hooked his claw-like hands into the man's shoulders. He tore outward with savage force! "Rip apart!" *Riiip...* The intact body was violently torn in two. At this moment, the blood sword hung useless, stripped of any foe to strike! Luo Chen stood proud in midair, yet there was little joy on his face. "Where is the Nascent Soul?" The two halves of the corpse in his hands dissolved into foul blood, raining down into the sea like a torrential downpour. He looked down. Beneath the surface, the waves of blood churned with even greater fury. A colossal shadow was faintly visible under the water. 'So long as the blood sea remains, he is immortal and indestructible?' The madness in Luo Chen's eyes gradually receded. He cast an instinctive glance toward a certain direction, then made his decision. "I'll settle the score with you another day!" With a thought, the Myriad Jun Halberd flew back into his grip. Just before departing, his figure paused, his gaze fixing upon the ancient, massive sword that was attempting to plunge back into the sea of blood. "I shall, however, collect some interest!" He thrust out a hand, sending the Cloud-Seeking Divine Claw tearing through the void. Sensing danger, the blood sword flared with radiant sword light, slashing right through the claw. Yet right behind that grasp, a small cauldron uncoiled nine chains, binding the sword tightly in place. The blood sword thrashed madly, yet the suppressing power holding it was unprecedented and unimaginably absolute. "Go!" Luo Chen hesitated no longer. Stamping against the void, he triggered the Void Burst Steps; when he reappeared, he was already a hundred paces away. His wings fluttered lightly, accelerating him to an astonishing speed. From beneath the ocean, a voice boiled with exasperation and fury. "Give me back... my sword!" The only response he received was Luo Chen's cold sneer, followed by an enraged roar that sounded like an inescapable nightmare. "I've found you!" On the distant horizon, a beam of even deeper, darker blood light tore across the sky, hurtling toward them like a falling meteor. *Boom!* The blood light descended, sending violent shockwaves through the entire sea of blood. A bearded, ferocious figure—the Blood Hermit—reached a massive hand down toward the ocean. "Get the hell out here!"