Chapter 2022: Returning to the Sect
In the blink of an eye, the demonic aura above Star Luo City completely dissipated, and that oppressive feeling vanished without a trace.
In the city, many cultivators raised their heads, their gazes locked onto Zhang Ruochen, shock evident in their eyes. That was Du Mosheng, a notoriously fearsome demon lord of the Black Demon Realm, known for his cruelty and ruthlessness. Yet he had been captured so easily by Zhang Ruochen—it was truly hard to believe.
"Zhang Ruochen is incredibly strong, even more terrifying than the rumors suggest. Du Mosheng really picked the wrong opponent this time."
"It seems that even the threats of Zhou Yu and Ming can't make Zhang Ruochen afraid. He has no intention of hiding."
"The Shangguan Clan is lucky. When disaster struck, Zhang Ruochen happened to be in Star Luo City. No one expected that."
...
The cultivators looked at Zhang Ruochen with awe and reverence. In their eyes, his figure appeared towering and majestic, like an invincible war god.
Zhang Ruochen, holding the completely restrained Du Mosheng, used Spatial Displacement and appeared instantly on the sacred mountain peak within the Que Saint Prince Manor.
"Bang."
The four, including Haiming Dharma King, descended to the sacred mountain peak at top speed and immediately knelt before Zhang Ruochen.
"Sect Leader, I was momentarily confused. Please spare me this once. From now on, I swear to be loyal to you and will never dare to have second thoughts again," Haiming Dharma King pleaded in terror.
"Please, Sect Leader, consider the many contributions we've made to the Blood God Sect in the past and spare our lives."
Jiang Tianhe and the others kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.
Having witnessed Du Mosheng being effortlessly captured by Zhang Ruochen, they were already terrified out of their minds, fearing that Zhang Ruochen would annihilate them.
Jiang Tianhe, Xu Jie, and Mo Qianqiu were only at the Ultimate Saint level, and Haiming Dharma King had only reached the One-Step Saint King realm. For Zhang Ruochen, killing them would be no different from crushing ants.
"You traitors, how dare you beg for mercy? Sect Leader, you absolutely cannot forgive them," Yuan Zhou Elder said angrily as he appeared on the sacred mountain peak.
Not only Yuan Zhou Elder, but also Shangguan Yong and Shangguan Xianyan ascended the sacred mountain.
Ordinarily, they wouldn't dare trespass on the ancestor's secluded cultivation ground, but these were extraordinary times. Seeing Shangguan Que in such a poor state, they had to come up to check on him.
Zhang Ruochen turned his gaze to Yuan Zhou Elder and asked, "What happened?"
Although he had some guesses, he wanted to hear the specifics from Yuan Zhou Elder.
"Sect Leader, the Black Demon Realm and many demonic path experts joined forces to attack the Blood God Sect, trying to seize the four Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions and the Blood God's divine body. We couldn't hold them off, and many sect members have already lost their lives."
"When Xianyan and I escaped, most of the sect members had retreated to Infant Master Peak. But even with the divine patterns left by the Blood God there, I'm afraid it won't hold out for long."
"What's infuriating is that, facing the Black Demon Realm and those demonic path experts, some scum within the sect surrendered to the Black Demon Realm. To show their loyalty, they killed their own comrades. Chengxu Dharma King died at the hands of Haiming Dharma King."
Yuan Zhou Elder clenched his fists, speaking with great pain and indignation.
The scenes that had unfolded in the Blood God Sect not long ago reminded Yuan Zhou Elder of years past. Back then, when the Blood God Sect faced the threat of the Undying Blood Clan, they had been confident in the battle at Moyou Valley. But unexpectedly, a Sacred Elder betrayed them, causing two Sacred Elders to fall one after another.
If Zhang Ruochen hadn't used the Sacred Talisman left by the Supreme Elder at the critical moment, the Blood God Sect would have already been destroyed.
Yuan Zhou Elder harbored an intense hatred for traitors. He wanted to strike out and kill Haiming Dharma King and the other three right then and there.
After hearing Yuan Zhou Elder's account, a terrifying cold light flashed in Zhang Ruochen's eyes, and an icy killing intent radiated from him.
He understood very well why the Black Demon Realm had targeted the Blood God Sect. It was because the Black Demon Realm had once been subordinate to the Blood God Sect for tens of thousands of years. To the Black Demon Realm, this must have been a great humiliation.
Ten thousand years had passed, and the Black Demon Realm was no longer what it used to be. It had become a powerful realm ranked among the top thousand. How could it tolerate such a stain on its history?
As long as the Blood God Sect was destroyed, no one would ever bring up this matter again.
Haiming Dharma King's mind trembled violently, and he kowtowed frantically to Zhang Ruochen. "Sect Leader, spare me! Spare me! Remember, it was I who let you into the Blood God Sect and helped you become the Divine Son. Please spare me this once. I was out of my mind to betray the sect. Give me a chance to atone for my crimes."
"Haiming Dharma King, you know very well what your intentions were when you let me into the Blood God Sect. I haven't settled old scores with you, and yet you think that entitles you to mercy?" Zhang Ruochen snorted coldly.
From the very first time he had dealings with Haiming Dharma King, Zhang Ruochen had never liked him.
With that, Zhang Ruochen waved his hand casually, using spatial techniques to restrain Haiming Dharma King and the other three, rendering them unable to move or speak.
Then, Zhang Ruochen took out some Life Spring and had Yuan Zhou Elder drink it.
Yuan Zhou Elder was severely injured, having lost a significant amount of blood energy. It was obvious that Du Mosheng had devoured it.
"Sect Leader, the Blood God Sect's foundation of hundreds of thousands of years cannot be destroyed in one day," Yuan Zhou Elder said, staring intently at Zhang Ruochen.
To defeat the Black Demon Realm and the many demonic path experts, Yuan Zhou Elder could only place his hopes on Zhang Ruochen, the sect leader.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was cold. "The former servants of the Blood God Sect now want to kill their master. Do they really think the Blood God Sect has no one left?"
The Black Demon Realm had betrayed Kunlun Realm in the past, showing ingratitude. That score would eventually be settled with them.
If he could repel, suppress, or even kill the Black Demon Realm cultivators attacking the Blood God Sect, it should make those big shots in the Black Demon Realm feel the pain. They needed to learn that the Blood God Sect's leader could still teach them how to behave.
Just then, Mu Lingxi, Kong Lanyou, and others appeared on the sacred mountain peak.
"Junior Brother, are you going to the Blood God Sect?" Bao Lie asked.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. "Since I've taken on the role of sect leader, I'm bound by karma. How can I stand by when the Blood God Sect is in trouble? Besides, I have a score to settle with the Black Demon Realm."
"Junior Brother, don't act impulsively. Be careful not to fall into the Black Demon Realm's trap," Luo Chen warned seriously.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Fourth Senior Brother, rest assured. I won't be reckless. I'll return to the Blood God Sect first and act according to the situation."
With that, Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and put Du Mosheng, Haiming Dharma King, and the other four into a Space Crystal Ball.
Keeping these five alive might prove useful.
After a moment's thought, Zhang Ruochen took out a Message Light Talisman, quickly inscribed some content on it, and then sent it flying.
The Message Light Talisman turned into a streak of light, shot across the sky, and disappeared in an instant, flying off to an unknown destination.
"Teacher, rest well. Your student takes his leave."
Zhang Ruochen released rings of sacred light, enveloping Mu Lingxi and the others, including Yuan Zhou Elder and Shangguan Xianyan. Using Great Space Teleportation, he left Star Luo City.
The northern part of Zhou Wan Sacred Land was bitterly cold all year round, covered in white snow and ice. Few plants grew there, and it was devoid of life, a dead silence.
This region was the territory of the Blood God Sect, one of the seven ancient sects of the Central Domain. The Blood God Sect had operated here for hundreds of thousands of years, deeply rooted and untouchable. Ordinary people dared not set foot here, and even the imperial court's power couldn't penetrate it.
But now, the Blood God Sect's mountain gate had been breached. Many disciples had died, their blood staining the snow red. Everywhere was a shocking sight.
Since the Blood God Sect was established here, nothing like this had ever happened.
The entire Blood God Sect was shrouded in powerful demonic aura, as if it were about to turn into a demonic land.
Sacred realm cultivators from various Heavenly Court realms and the Hell Realm had come to this region to gather information and monitor the Black Demon Realm's every move.
Of course, there were also native cultivators from Kunlun Realm who had been watching the Blood God Sect's situation. Their ancestors had lived on this land for generations, relying on the Blood God Sect. Because their cultivation was too low, they had escaped disaster.
"The Blood God Sect has been targeted by the Black Demon Realm. It seems that after today, the seven ancient sects of Kunlun will become six."
"The Blood God Sect has long declined. Even after Kunlun Realm's revival, only a few Saint King realm experts have emerged, and their cultivation is still low. How can they fight against the powerful Black Demon Realm?"
"The Black Demon Realm is too cautious. Against such a weak Blood God Sect, they've sent a large number of experts."
"Still, the Blood God Sect was founded by a god. Who knows what kind of trump cards the god left behind? Being cautious is never a bad thing."
"Legend has it that the Blood God was an extremely powerful god from the Middle Ages, who cultivated his physical body to an unimaginable level. His blood energy was also unmatched by many gods. Although the Blood God has long fallen, his divine body has been preserved in the Blood God Sect. The Black Demon Realm and those demonic path experts want to get their hands on the Blood God's corpse, but it won't be easy."
...
Facing the Black Demon Realm's frenzied assault, only three places in the Blood God Sect remained unbreached: Infant Master Peak, Qianyuan Mountain, and the Blood God Altar.
Infant Master Peak was the center of the Blood God Sect, inscribed with ancient formation patterns, as solid as a fortress.
Qianyuan Mountain was also extraordinary. At its summit was a Blood God Diagram left by the Blood God himself, containing residual divine power.
Both Infant Master Peak and Qianyuan Mountain had undergone tremendous changes after Kunlun Realm's revival, becoming more mysterious and providing the Blood God Sect with many cultivation resources.
As for the Blood God Altar, it was the most mysterious place in the Blood God Sect, built from the bones of countless Blood God Sect members. The Blood God's corpse lay in the underground space beneath the altar.
Anyone who dared to attack the Blood God Altar recklessly would likely face immediate disaster.
The dignity of a god could not be trampled upon.
At that moment, a group of demonic path experts from the Black Demon Realm had gathered outside Infant Master Peak, trying to break through its defenses, annihilate all the Blood God Sect members, and plunder the four authentic Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions collected by the sect.
Inside the Guiyuan Divine Palace at the summit of Infant Master Peak, the remaining Blood God Sect cultivators had all gathered.
Originally, the Blood God Sect had nine Saint King realm experts. But one had betrayed the sect, one had been killed, and Yuan Zhou Elder and Shangguan Xianyan had escaped.
So now, in the Guiyuan Divine Palace, there were only five Saint King realm experts: Yuan Xing Elder, Tianji Dharma King, Kunzi Heavenly Palace Master Jie Wuji, Hai Lingyin, and Sun Dadi. Among them, Sun Dadi had the highest cultivation, having reached the Three-Step Saint King realm.
The atmosphere in the Guiyuan Divine Palace was extremely oppressive. Everyone was silent because they couldn't think of an effective countermeasure.
"Are we just going to sit here and wait for death? The formation on Infant Master Peak won't hold out much longer," Sun Dadi said in a deep voice.
Although he was of a younger generation, his strength had made him a Sacred Elder in the Elder Council, on par with Yuan Xing Elder.
Yuan Xing Elder sighed. "Our Blood God Sect is too weak now. Even if we want to fight the Black Demon Realm to the death, we don't have the strength."
"What the Black Demon Realm wants is the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions. If we hand over the four inscriptions, maybe we can avoid the disaster of sect annihilation," the Mingzi Heavenly Palace Master said in a low voice.
Tianji Dharma King shook his head. "It's not that simple. I once read in an ancient text that the Black Demon Realm had some dealings with our Blood God Sect in the distant Middle Ages. At that time, the Black Demon Realm was the weaker side. I'm afraid the Black Demon Realm is here for revenge now."
"If it were just for the four Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions, why would the Black Demon Realm go to such lengths? They could have just sent a Saint King to ask for them."
"Besides, when it comes to the Heavenly Demon Stone Inscriptions, the Black Market has collected nine of them. Why didn't the Black Demon Realm target the Black Market instead of our Blood God Sect? It's clear they want to destroy our sect's foundation. Unless we all grovel before the Black Demon Realm cultivators like Haiming Dharma King, there's no hope of survival."
Upon hearing this, Sun Dadi immediately roared, "I will never grovel before those demon lords of the Black Demon Realm!"
With Sun Dadi's temperament, he would rather die standing than live on his knees.
After a moment of silence, Sun Dadi spoke again, "If the Sect Leader were here, would we be bullied like this?"
"The Sect Leader is having trouble protecting himself now. Zhou Yu of Paradise Realm and Ming of the Ghost Clan in Hell Realm have both declared they will take his life. Under these circumstances, I'm afraid the Sect Leader won't show up."
"Yes, Zhou Yu and Ming are too strong, probably beyond the Sect Leader's ability to handle. The Black Demon Realm thought of this and chose this moment to attack our Blood God Sect. They calculated that the Sect Leader wouldn't act."
"Moreover, the Black Demon Realm has mobilized many experts and allied with many demonic path cultivators. Even if the Sect Leader returns, he might not be able to fight them."
"Sigh, I never thought the Blood God Sect would be destroyed by our hands. We've failed our ancestors."
The experts spoke one after another, all believing that Zhang Ruochen wouldn't return.
In their view, Zhang Ruochen's relationship with the Blood God Sect was very ordinary. He probably wouldn't treat the Blood God Sect as well as he treated the Sacred Bright Remnants.
Sun Dadi clenched his fists. "The Sect Leader is not that kind of person. As soon as he gets the news, he will definitely come back."
"Even if what you say is true, can we hold out until the Sect Leader returns?" the Huangzi Heavenly Palace Master said with extreme pessimism.
He wasn't the only one. The other experts present felt the same way because there was no reason for them to be optimistic.
Yuan Xing Elder sighed. "If only the Supreme Elder hadn't gone to the Endless Abyss and was now in an uncertain state of life and death, our Blood God Sect wouldn't let these petty villains run rampant!"
Hearing this, many people's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again.
Who was the Supreme Elder? He was the Tenth Emperor from eight hundred years ago, who had almost cultivated his physical body to the Great Saint level. His strength was unparalleled.
If the Supreme Elder were here, wielding the Blood God Mace, who could withstand even a single blow?
...
Many readers have said that splitting four thousand words into two chapters makes each chapter too short, so it's better to combine them into one. Respecting everyone's opinion, I'll post longer chapters from now on. Only when updating six thousand words will I split it into two chapters.