Qi Yuan's Plan: Establishing the Blood Palace

Unfortunately, by this point, an inner demon had already invaded his body. Though his cultivation had returned to the Grand Sovereign realm and his origin divine ability was once again complete and flawless, the inner demon had already appeared—like a prairie fire that could not be quenched. Daoist Purple's face contorted savagely as he stared at Qi Yuan in horror. "What did you do?!" He could not comprehend it in the slightest. The inner demon was devouring his body. At this moment, pouring all of his origin divine ability into defense was not even enough. "Did I do something? I don't recall." Qi Yuan rolled his eyes at Daoist Purple. Not far away, Chen Huan witnessed this scene. Looking at Qi Yuan, his mind felt even more baffled and dizzy. He had watched Qi Yuan bluff Daoist Purple into stupor with just a few words. And then, for no discernible reason, an inner demon burst forth from within Daoist Purple. He had no idea what caused it, but it struck him as utterly terrifying. Chen Huan wondered if he should puncture his own eardrums. If he listened to Qi Yuan's words one day and had an inner demon burst out from him too, that would be disastrous. Meanwhile, the once unimaginably powerful Daoist Purple roared savagely for a long time, completely unable to suppress the demon within his heart. In the end, he perished with bitter resentment. Seeing this, Qi Yuan couldn't help but sigh. "As expected of a Grand Sovereign! It actually took so much mental effort for me to slay him!" To be honest, Qi Yuan didn't like killing people with talk. He had never been good with words in the first place—how could he compare to the sheer satisfaction of Zhuge Wuhou cursing Wang Lang to death before the battle lines? What he loved most was still slashing enemies to death with a sword, or lopping off heads with a kitchen knife. Alas, the enemy was too formidable, and his mastery of the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture had only reached the realm of Exhaustion, barely scratching the surface. It wasn't truly invincible. Perhaps only once he reached the level of Engraving would a single glance from another person cause them to forget him the moment he appeared. And then he could forget everything anytime, anywhere. Including himself. Beside him, hearing Qi Yuan's words, Chen Huan wished he could splash tea right onto Qi Yuan's face. "Big Bro, you talked a Grand Sovereign to death in just a few sentences! You're stronger than... than my Master!" "Just a few simple sentences, yet they exhausted all my intellect! Did you know? Mental labor can sometimes be more agonizing than physical labor." Of course, that was only "sometimes." Chen Huan felt that Qi Yuan was spouting nonsense again, saying things he couldn't understand. All he could do was stand aside and say, "Big Bro is mighty! Killing a Grand Sovereign just like that! Who would have thought that I, Chen Huan, would see a day where I stood shoulder to shoulder with Big Bro, slaying a Grand Sovereign, plus... six Sovereign underlings." Chen Huan counted Sovereign Yu Bai among them as well. Qi Yuan ignored Chen Huan. Slaying a Grand Sovereign really gave a massive amount of experience. He shot straight up to level 132. If only a few more Sovereigns came along for him to kill. Qi Yuan even felt he could quickly power-level to 200. Unfortunately, Sovereigns weren't so easy to kill, especially Grand Sovereigns. He looked toward Daoist Purple's corpse. "If you hadn't wanted to be my wife, you might have barely passed as a qualified white moonlight." As soon as he said that, Qi Yuan felt more and more like a scumbag. Yet he didn't care in the slightest. His gaze settled on the weathered stone tablet beside Daoist Purple's corpse. "Slate of Fate... we meet again at last." Qi Yuan flashed a brilliant smile. Reaching out, he snatched the Slate of Fate, which was trying to flee. "No wonder this Daoist Purple was so similar to the Mystic Maiden of the Purple Sky. So both of them obtained the supreme treasure hailed as the strongest in this world: the Slate of Fate." Holding the Slate of Fate, Qi Yuan directed his gaze toward it. [Slate of Fate Fragment, formerly named the Slate of Deception. Contains ominousness, purified by a Buddha. Anyone can obtain the answers they desire from the Slate of Fate.] The information revealed was scarce, but exceptionally useful. He gazed meaningfully at this Slate of Fate Fragment. He remembered the withered corpse he had encountered within the Gate of Myriad Manifestations. The withered corpse had claimed to have come from the Buddha Realm to purify ominousness. This Slate of Fate... "Since the world can get the answers they desire from you, can you make me a Daluo Golden Immortal, a Hunyuan Saint?" Qi Yuan asked with a smile in his eyes. He gripped the Slate of Fate. Just then, bizarre visions surfaced in Qi Yuan's mind. He seemed to travel through time and space, glimpsing his future self. His future self, relying on the Slate of Fate, was invincible in every endeavor, defeating the White Emperor and the Venerable, breaking free of this world, and finally ascending to the legendary immortal realm. Relying on the Slate of Fate, he resolved crisis after crisis step by step, attaining the supreme Dao. His future self became a Hunyuan Saint, capable of crossing the river of time at will. With a simple breath from his lips, all stars were obliterated in an instant. Qi Yuan's eyes narrowed. [Deceptive vision of the future. Possessors of the Slate of Fate are more prone to believing it is real.] It was all an illusion. He had not traversed into the future, nor had he attained the Hunyuan Dao. It was all smoke and mirrors. Holding the Slate of Fate, his expression remained placid. "No wonder every NPC who gets their hands on you thinks they're the absolute master of the universe. So that's how it is..." Then he laughed. "Can you help me find the person I'm looking for?" He thought of Ning Tao. This time, the Slate of Fate offered no answer. Strange text appeared across its surface. The rough meaning was that activating the Slate of Fate required energy—preferably the host's blood. Qi Yuan chuckled. "I bet you don't even know who I'm looking for." Holding the Slate of Fate Fragment, he cast several seals upon it and stowed it away. Looking at Chen Huan beside him, he said slowly, "Let's go." ... A day later, inside the City of No Return. Chen Huan had an expression of sheer disbelief. "You want to establish a faction called the Blood Palace? That name sounds awfully ominous." Among the experts of today, who didn't know of the Blood Demon? The Blood Demon was a terrifying monster far worse than demonic monstrosities. The Venerable had once proclaimed that the Blood Demon would bring destruction upon the world. Though Chen Huan stood in opposition to the Venerable, he still placed some trust in the Venerable's words. "It will be called the Blood Palace," Qi Yuan affirmed. His primary purpose in establishing the Blood Palace was to see Canary. Back then, when Canary awakened him, he didn't know what price she had paid, but it was certainly immense. Before leaving, he had bestowed the power of reincarnation upon the thirteen members of the Blood Palace. Now, tens of thousands of years might have passed, and those thirteen might have already fallen into the cycle of reincarnation. He established the Blood Palace precisely to awaken their memories. Alternatively, if they still remembered the Blood Palace, they would come to the City of No Return to find him. Staying alone in the City of No Return would achieve nothing. "Big Bro, founding a faction is extremely troublesome. We are located in the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities. Who would travel thousands of miles just to die here?" Chen Huan's point was very reasonable. For a powerful faction to attract people, it had to offer benefits to prospective members. Big Bro claimed he was founding a faction just like that. Who would come? What was more, this was the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities. Coming here was basically courting death. Even if anyone came, they would likely be weaklings. Qi Yuan's eyes deepened. "Who said our Blood Palace doesn't have good things? Am I not one?" "Huh?" Chen Huan was stunned. Then he heard Qi Yuan say, "I possess a supreme method capable of helping Terrestrial Myths step into the Sovereign realm. Is that... enough?" Qi Yuan was more than familiar with the Way of the Human-Demon. He could preach the Dao and help the NPCs of this world break through realms. Especially from Terrestrial Myth to Sovereign. In this world, Sovereigns numbered merely around a thousand. But what about Terrestrial Myths? Within just the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities, there were over a hundred thousand Terrestrial Myths. Not to mention the entire Liufeng Realm. The City of No Return was far too small, utterly insignificant within the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities. Even in the Land of a Thousand Cities, the number of Terrestrial Myths approached a thousand. And that Land of a Thousand Cities didn't even have a Grand Sovereign overseeing it. Let alone those parts of the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities guarded by Grand Sovereigns—how many Terrestrial Myths would there be? How many people were trapped at the Terrestrial Myth stage, unable to break through to Sovereign? Even Chen Huan, a disciple of the White Emperor, had struggled to break through. Let alone ordinary Terrestrial Myths. Hearing this, Chen Huan's eyes filled with horror. "Big Bro... doing this... will offend the White Emperor Palace, and offend the Venerable of the Endless Sea of Blood." He could imagine what kind of upheaval the world's power structure would undergo once Qi Yuan preached the Dao and helped the world's Terrestrial Myths ascend to Sovereignty. Even if the White Emperor didn't care about the rise of the Blood Palace, could the upper echelons of the White Emperor Palace ignore it? Would the Venerable allow the Blood Palace to exist? When the time came, the Blood Palace would surely face unimaginable pressure. "If anyone objects, let them come to the City of No Return to find me. I'll make them yield." Qi Yuan didn't care about trivial details. His main goal was to find Canary. Perhaps before the Blood Palace even grew powerful, Canary would already be found. "But Big Bro... doing this will definitely draw the attention of countless people." Chen Huan knew full well how earth-shattering it would be if Qi Yuan could truly elevate Terrestrial Myths to Sovereigns. "Furthermore, what if those who join the Blood Palace, receiving your grace and ascending to Sovereign... betray you? You can't guarantee their loyalty." Hearing this, Qi Yuan's expression remained tranquil. "Why would I need their loyalty? I only need them to work for me. If they're unwilling... then wonderful, they can become my EXP." There were far too few Sovereigns in this world. Qi Yuan estimated that even if he killed every Sovereign alive, he still wouldn't reach level 200. In that case, wouldn't it be better to mass-produce Sovereigns himself? If any opposed him, he could just slaughter them to fill his experience bar—wouldn't that be splendid? Naturally, if they behaved themselves and didn't oppose him, Qi Yuan wouldn't bother them. Helping them become Sovereigns would just be doing a good deed. In this life, and in this game, Qi Yuan couldn't care less about anyone other than those he truly cared about. Fulfilling his own goals was all that mattered. "Big Bro, once this begins, there is no turning back. Are you certain?" "Certain," Qi Yuan said calmly. ... The Land of a Thousand Cities. Huang Mengling let out a startled laugh. Looking at Chen Huan, she said mildly, "Junior Brother, even though you have become a Sovereign, you shouldn't joke like this." Several days prior, Chen Huan had arrived in Great Compassion City within the Land of a Thousand Cities. Following Qi Yuan's instructions, he searched for Terrestrial Myths to join the Blood Palace. Unfortunately, progress had been sluggish. Over several days, only two Terrestrial Myths near the end of their lifespans were willing to follow him to the City of No Return to join the Blood Palace. After all, their lifespans were nearly spent; if they did not break through, they would meet an untimely end rather than dying of old age. "Senior Sister, I haven't hidden a single thing," Chen Huan said earnestly. "The Guardian of the City of No Return is a born divine being capable of helping people break through to Sovereign! I broke through to Sovereign precisely after listening to his sermon." "An utter joke! Even our venerable Master cannot help someone break through to Sovereign. Do you really believe that Guardian of the City of No Return can?" Huang Mengling sneered. She had met the Guardian of the City of No Return before; he possessed some talent, but that was all. Help someone break through to Sovereign? How could that be possible? It was like a modern person scrolling through short videos and seeing a content creator claim, "Become my disciple, and I'll help you make ten billion in a year." Would anyone believe that? One would sooner believe the First Emperor of Qin. Faced with such an absurd claim, Huang Mengling naturally dismissed it. "Senior Sister, the terror of the Guardian of the City of No Return far exceeds your imagination." Recalling how they had been besieged by a Grand Sovereign and other Sovereigns, Chen Huan said, "Daoist Purple of the Land of a Thousand Cities led Sovereigns to besiege Big Bro and me, and Big Bro... effortlessly slaughtered him!" Whenever an ordinary Sovereign fell, didn't it usually involve earth-shattering battles that leveled mountains and destroyed cities? As for a Grand Sovereign, slaying one was unimaginably difficult. It could take hundreds or thousands of days of battle for one to fall. How long had Daoist Purple's demise taken? Probably less time than it took for an incense stick to burn! The mockery on Huang Mengling's face deepened. "Daoist Purple is a Grand Sovereign. Who in the Land of a Thousand Cities could be his match? Who could possibly kill him? To pin him down, it would require at least three Grand Sovereigns of the same tier working alongside more than a dozen ordinary Sovereigns. The Guardian of the City of No Return was merely a Terrestrial Myth. Even if he barely broke through to Sovereign, how could he kill Daoist Purple? Junior Brother, I don't know what you two are plotting, but I advise you to turn back from this misguided path." As she spoke, Huang Mengling stepped forward to block Chen Huan's path. After all, she was the elder martial sister, and Chen Huan had always feared her. Yet at that moment, a terrifying aura surged forth, draining the color from Huang Mengling's face. Then she heard Chen Huan's voice. "Senior Sister, I am now a... Sovereign!" "I address you as Senior Sister only out of respect for Master!" "Senior Sister, do you understand?" Chen Huan's expression was icy. Huang Mengling felt a bone-chilling cold and killing intent. Her teeth chattered, and not daring to look at Chen Huan's face, she silently stepped aside. Chen Huan did not spare another glance for this senior sister of his and departed. Within the palace, the fear on Huang Mengling's face took a long time to dissipate. "A Sovereign who only broke through by fluke without comprehending a powerful origin divine ability—give me a hundred years, and I will defeat him with ease!" Huang Mengling remained indignant. Some time later, an old man in lavish robes hurried out from within the palace, looking flustered. Huang Mengling was taken aback. "Wang Gai, shouldn't you be in closed-door seclusion trying to break through to Sovereign? Why are you coming out?" Seeing Huang Mengling, Wang Gai lowered his head. "Fairy Huang, this humble one... this humble one wishes to go to the City of No Return to try his luck." Wang Gai didn't dare look at Huang Mengling. What Chen Huan said sounded exaggerated, even preposterous. There was no credibility to it whatsoever. It might even be a trap. However, Wang Gai's lifespan was nearly exhausted. He didn't fear death. What he feared was that after he died, his large family would lose his protection and meet a miserable fate in a place like the Land of a Thousand Cities. The Guardian of Great Compassion City, that Sovereign, had always ruled with an iron fist, valuing only a person's utility. While Wang Gai could still fight, his clan could live comfortably in wealth and luxury. If he died, his clan's fate would likely be tragic. That Sovereign's conduct had drawn hushed criticism, with people protesting that such actions were improper, but it was useless—after all, that Sovereign's father was a Grand Sovereign. "Get lost!" Huang Mengling's face turned exceedingly grim. Hearing this, Wang Gai quickly scurried away. He sighed inwardly. 'Going from Terrestrial Myth to Sovereign is truly so difficult. Even Fairy Huang, a disciple of the White Emperor, has been affected by comprehending origin, inadvertently spawning inner demons and wild mood swings.' He still remembered that when he first met Fairy Huang, she had been courteous and polite. How had she become like this, ridden with inner demons? Thinking of this, Wang Gai grew even more worried. If it was this difficult even for a disciple of the White Emperor to break through to Sovereign, could they really achieve it by going to that City of No Return and joining that damned Blood Palace? Then again, he was going to die anyway. He might as well stake everything on a desperate gamble before the end. Even if he failed, at least he had tried his best. ... Amidst the howling wind and snow, a graceful silhouette in black appeared. Ning Tao's face was as pale as a pear blossom. Half of her face was veiled tightly in black gauze, yet the remaining half was enough to enchant an entire kingdom. Alas, under the law of the character "Fiend," no one would ever admire that stunning beauty; it inspired only instinctive revulsion. She walked through the snow, chains clutched tightly in her hand. Suddenly, she halted, her voice carrying an ethereal allure. "Husband, when are you coming to see me?" Naturally, no one answered her. Across the snowy expanse, there was only the howling gale. Ning Tao was not disappointed. Instead, she smiled charmingly. "Husband, you'd better hide well. If this concubine finds your true body, I will definitely chain you tightly by my side. That's what you get for... never coming to visit me." She walked alone through the freezing snow. After an unknown time, the snowstorm ahead subsided. A crimson figure appeared before her—none other than He Wu of the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends. A look of wariness surfaced in Ning Tao's eyes. "Why are you here again?" In the depths of He Wu's eyes, a trace of joy lingered. "Aren't you curious as well about why we became like this, despised by Heaven and loathed by humanity?" "What does it matter if I'm curious or not?" Ning Tao gave a desolate smile. At the very least, she had never seen revulsion in her husband's eyes. What she saw seemed to be an inadvertent, familiar doting. "The southernmost part of the Liufeng Realm is the Ends of the Earth. Perhaps we can find our answers there," He Wu said. "I have already notified the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends one after another, and they are all willing to follow me to the Ends of the Earth. Are you willing to go?" Curiosity showed in Ning Tao's eyes. "Who told you this news?" A nostalgic look crossed He Wu's eyes before he said, "It cannot be spoken; it cannot be spoken." "Aren't you afraid it's a plot?" Ning Tao questioned. "If even this is a lie, then this world is truly too ridiculous," He Wu replied. Ning Tao fell silent for a moment before saying softly, "I will go to the Ends of the Earth. It's just that... I probably won't be able to reach it anytime soon." She was still with the Blood Demon, suffering endless pursuit. He Wu glanced at the crimson sphere of flesh behind Ning Tao and sighed helplessly. "If you cast him aside, all threats would likely cease to exist." Ning Tao smiled sweetly. "If I cast him aside, what if my husband can't find me?" He Wu looked at Ning Tao and said after a long silence, "Even the Blood Demon would feel disgusted looking at your face. Otherwise, why hasn't he shown himself?" Even they themselves felt revulsion toward their own kind, let alone others. "No, my husband wouldn't." Ning Tao raised her head stubbornly. She glanced behind her, her gaze resolute. "He just lost his way for a moment, he didn't..."