Seeing Lu Qingxuan remain silent, Ancestor Blood River grew even more arrogant.
Blood qi erupted violently from his body. The terrifying pressure of the 3rd stage Divine Transformation Realm surged outward like a collapsing mountain and a crashing sea, dyeing the clouds in the sky a nauseating dark red.
“What, gone mute?” Ancestor Blood River twisted his withered face into a grotesque grin.
“A hundred years ago, you were only at the 1st stage Divine Transformation Realm, yet you barely managed to withstand my techniques at the 2nd stage. Now I’ve reached the 3rd stage—old dog, have you lost even the courage to meet my eyes?”
The moment those words fell, several hidden divine senses in the void fluctuated violently.
From the eastern horizon, a strand of righteous aura stirred gently, and an aged voice echoed through divine sense, “The techniques of the Blood Demon Sect are indeed overbearing. After a hundred years, that old demon has already broken through to the 3rd stage Divine Transformation Realm. If not for the joint suppression of the five righteous sects, this land would have long been thrown into chaos.”
This presence belonged to Headmaster Li of the Grand Righteous Academy, one of the five righteous sects.
On the other side, a sharp sword intent trembled faintly, carrying a hint of regret, “Ancestor Blood River and Ancestor of the Azure Immortal Sect have been mortal enemies for nearly six hundred years, fighting more than a dozen bloody battles of all scales. Back then, Lu Qingxuan had just entered the Divine Transformation Realm, yet he faced Blood River at the 2nd stage head-on. Though defeated, he did not collapse—what remarkable bearing. But… after a hundred years of seclusion, it seems he has not progressed further.”
The Sword Ancestor of the Heavenly Sword Sect spoke with clear disappointment.
First, failing to kill a Qi Refining junior, and now being humiliated like this by his old enemy in front of the top experts of Lizhou in the Southern Ridge—today, the prestige of the Ancestor of the Azure Immortal Sect would likely plummet.
Behind Lu Qingxuan, Su Qingyan stood with her face pale from anger, her jade hand gripping her sword tightly as she listened to the filthy insults.
If not for her master’s presence, she would have already rushed forward without hesitation to fight to the death.
Yet when she looked up, her master’s back remained as steady as a mountain.
Just as Ancestor Blood River’s laughter reached its peak and he was about to speak again—
“Your words are too many, too loud, too dense!”
In an instant, Lu Qingxuan brought his index and middle fingers together and flicked them toward the blood-soaked sky.
Buzz—
A lotus no larger than his palm appeared out of thin air at his fingertips.
Its petals were crystal clear, like carved jade, with a faint golden glow flickering at its core.
The moment the lotus appeared, it vanished.
In the next instant, it ignored space and distance entirely, bypassing the layers of blood fiend energy surrounding Ancestor Blood River, and appeared directly before him.
Ancestor Blood River had just begun to activate a secret technique—
But it was already too late.
The azure lotus bloomed and exploded in an instant.
Boom—
A thunderous sound rang out.
A mighty demonic overlord at the 3rd stage Divine Transformation Realm—Ancestor Blood River—was reduced to a cloud of blood mist that filled the sky, leaving not even a single intact fragment of his Primordial Spirit.
The divine senses watching from the void were instantly stunned.
Dead?
A 3rd stage Divine Transformation Realm expert, who had cultivated for nearly a thousand years, killed in a single move?
Not even ashes left?
So this… was the true strength of the Ancestor of the Azure Immortal Sect?!
Just as everyone was still immersed in shock—
Lu Qingxuan flicked his sleeve.
Boom—!
A terrifying aura awakened.
That pressure surged like a heavenly river pouring down, sweeping across the entire sky above the Soul-Breaking Mountain Range!
1st stage Divine Transformation Realm?
No!
2nd? 3rd? 4th?
None of them!
His aura climbed relentlessly, unstoppable!
6th stage Divine Transformation Realm!
“Hiss—”
Somewhere in the void, someone sharply inhaled. The fluctuation of divine sense was so intense it nearly fell out of the void.
If the instant kill of Ancestor Blood River had been shocking, then the cultivation Lu Qingxuan revealed now was horrifying.
“6th stage Divine Transformation Realm… h-how? Wasn’t he at the 1st stage?” Headmaster Li drew in a cold breath.
“A hundred years of seclusion… from the 1st to the 6th stage… how is that even possible?!” the Sword Ancestor exclaimed in disbelief.
“For us cultivators, every step after entering the Divine Transformation Realm requires hundreds or even thousands of years of effort. How… how did he achieve this?”
A hundred years of seclusion—6th stage Divine Transformation Realm!
Lu Qingxuan had hidden himself too deeply!
If not for Ancestor Blood River’s provocation, no one would have known his true cultivation level.
Truly terrifying.
At that moment, a soft, charming yet disdainful “tsk” sounded.
From the southwest, a stretch of pink clouds stirred gently, and a lazy female voice echoed through divine sense, “Oh my, that old thing’s blood—why is it so foul and rancid? It splashed all over me.”
Within the rosy haze, a graceful figure flickered into view. It was Hua Qianying, Ancestor of the Joyous Harmony Sect, one of the three demonic sects.
With a flick of her slender finger, a streak of pink light brushed the blood away, her movements filled with undisguised disgust.
“I’ve long heard that the Blood Demon Sect cultivates nothing but filthy techniques. Even they themselves end up neither human nor ghost. Seeing it now, the reputation is well deserved. Truly unlucky.”
Hearing this, even the righteous ancestors—though they disdained the Joyous Harmony Sect’s conduct—quietly agreed.
The Blood Demon Sect’s methods were indeed sinister and vicious, looked down upon even among demonic cultivators.
However, just as Hua Qianying finished speaking—
From another patch of blood cloud, a massive blood-red claw suddenly reached out, grabbing the dispersing blood mist, then inhaling violently like a whale swallowing water, devouring all the remnants left behind by Blood River’s death.
“Burp…”
A satisfied belch echoed through divine sense as that sinister figure smacked his lips and spoke hoarsely, “Waste! What a terrible waste! That was my third brother’s essence blood—pure nourishment! How could you just cleanse it away like that?”
It was another of the three great ancestors of the Blood Demon Sect—Ancestor Xuesha!
At this sight, Hua Qianying couldn’t help but spit again in disgust.
“That’s absolutely revolting! Eating even your fellow sect member’s flesh and blood—has your Blood Demon Sect fallen so low you’re starving?”
The divine senses in the void shifted away instinctively, as if afraid of being tainted by such filth.
“Since you’ve all been watching long enough, why not show yourselves? Must I personally invite you out?” Lu Qingxuan clasped his hands behind his back and spoke coldly.
The divine senses in the void froze.
After a brief silence, the eastern sky surged with righteous energy like a rolling sea of clouds.
An elderly man in scholar’s robes, with a thin face and three long strands of beard drifting over his chest, stepped out from the cloud sea, standing upon a bamboo scroll. He cupped his hands toward Lu Qingxuan from afar. “Fellow Daoist Lu, your divine abilities are unmatched. I, Li, am in admiration.”
It was Headmaster Li of the Grand Righteous Academy.
Now that he had been exposed, hiding further would only diminish his dignity.
Next, the void was torn open by invisible sword qi. A middle-aged man with a cold face like eternal ice, carrying an ancient sword on his back, emerged silently.
He was the Sword Ancestor of the Heavenly Sword Sect—Luo Tianxing.
From the southwest, the lazy pink clouds finally parted.
“Hehe…” A soft, bone-melting laugh echoed as countless peach blossom petals drifted down from nowhere, each carrying an intoxicating fragrance.
Amid the rain of petals, a figure walked forward gracefully.
She wore a thin, cicada-wing-like pink palace dress, her figure exquisite and alluring. Every smile and glance carried a soul-stealing charm.
Ancestor of the Joyous Harmony Sect—Hua Qianying.
Barefoot, her snow-white feet adorned with a golden anklet, its tiny bells chiming pleasantly with each step.
“Fellow Daoist Lu, you’ve spoiled the fun,” Hua Qianying covered her lips as she laughed softly, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering as she openly sized up Lu Qingxuan. “I wanted to admire your elegance a bit longer, but you exposed us so quickly. How utterly unromantic.”
Her voice was sweet and seductive, slipping into the bones and stirring the heart.