Chapter Twenty: The Altar and the Lake of Blood

Though only a year had passed, those who had ventured into the Valley of Fallen Demons had undergone extraordinary transformations. On the eastern side of the valley, Wang Bo was being hunted by the Second Prince of Yan, Yan Shangying, clad in black, along with his retinue. In the span of a single year, Wang Bo’s cultivation had soared to the Realm of the Way; no one knew what he had experienced to bring about such remarkable change. Although Yan Shangying’s realm was not as high as Wang Bo’s, he too had stepped into the Realm of the Way. Most of his followers had entered the Realm of Heaven, and three had broken through to the Realm of the Way.

Meanwhile, Princess Yan Meng’er of the Yan royal family was in dire straits. Having entered the Valley of Fallen Demons alone from the Hengjiu Sect’s team, without any attendants, she was beset by four men from the Corpse Sect, one of the Four Gates of Zhao.

Yu Qing, a cold and solitary woman, was secluded in meditation, likely having obtained some extraordinary good fortune. Ji Heng, the champion of the outer sect’s grand competition, led a team toward the center of the valley; he seemed even more exceptional than before, nearly one foot into the Realm of the Dao Body compared to his state during the competition.

Ling Wuchang, grandson of Ling Qianyue, master of the Fifth Peak of Hengjiu Sect, carried a broken sword on his back, accompanied by his followers from the time they entered the valley, and was now among the woodlands in the west.

Surprisingly, several figures who ranked in the top ten of the outer sect’s competition—Cang Qiong, a man in black; Ying Qinghuan, a woman in pink with autumn-like eyes; Jing Hong, an exotic woman in red; and Wang Linzi of Zhao—had joined forces. They stood before a cave entrance two yards high, seemingly plotting something.

Among the outer sect’s Ten Beauties, Feng Ruoxian appeared ever more ethereal, as if a celestial descended to the mortal world, riding a white deer with splendid antlers, a creature both strange and magnificent. Mang Gu, from the Barbarian Demon Mountains of Yan, rode a one-horned rhinoceros, traveling with Feng Ruoxian into the distance.

Chen Cang, from the same small town as Li Ruoyu, had already entered the Realm of the Way, and the aura of “born close to the Dao” was beginning to manifest around him. Zhou Yue, also from that town, had likewise entered the Realm of the Way, growing ever more formidable. Liu Yiyi, Meng Wansu, and others were only a step away from breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Taiyi Sect’s senior outer disciple Dao Feiyan, with sword on his back and black hair flowing, had already taken the lead, reaching the early stage of the Dao Body Realm, and was now watching Cang Qiong, Ying Qinghuan, and their group.

“Senior Brother Cang Qiong, what’s inside this cave? Earlier there was a flash of treasure light,” asked Ying Qinghuan.

“It’s still unclear. Junior Sister Ying, come with me and bring a few disciples to explore inside. Junior Sister Jing Hong and Junior Brother Wang, stand guard at the entrance to support us,” Cang Qiong replied.

With that, Cang Qiong and Ying Qinghuan led a small group into the cave. The interior was pitch-black, the path sloping underground and growing wider as they ventured deeper. Though cautious, their pace was swift compared to ordinary folk.

“Senior Brother, should we act?” a Taiyi Sect disciple asked Dao Feiyan.

“Wait. Let the Hengjiu Sect people go deeper before we make our move,” Dao Feiyan answered.

As Cang Qiong, Ying Qinghuan, and the others pressed on, after the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, a faint light appeared ahead. Before them was an altar rising from a lake of blood—though “lake” was an understatement, for it was more a sea of blood. The altar was circular with nine tiers, about fifteen yards tall, each tier occupied by living beings. The closer to the summit, the fewer there were—some cultivators, others of unknown races. At the very top sat a solitary being, its species unknown, vaguely humanoid, with blood-red hair cascading down its back, black horns sprouting from its head, and dark red eyes. Muscles bulged across its form, giving it a powerful, imposing presence.

Besides the altar, the blood sea was filled with crimson vines, three feet thick, glistening with crystalline sheen, densely packed throughout the bloody expanse.

The creature atop the altar suddenly struggled to open its eyes and uttered strange words: “Mora demon rise.”

At the same time, hundreds on the lowest tier rushed toward Ying Qinghuan, Cang Qiong, and their companions at incredible speed.

“Not good! That’s an ancient language—quick, retreat!” Cang Qiong sensed danger and immediately called for the group to withdraw.

Those descending from the altar were all at the peak of the Dust Refining Realm, their eyes glowing blood-red. Their speed was astonishing, swiftly overtaking those Hengjiu Sect disciples who hadn’t retreated fast enough. Seeing that resistance was futile, Cang Qiong, Ying Qinghuan, and the others fled even faster toward the cave entrance.

At the mouth of the cave, Dao Feiyan and the Taiyi Sect clashed fiercely with Hengjiu Sect’s Jing Hong, Wang Linzi, and the others.

Jing Hong, as dazzling as a startled swan, left an indelible impression at first glance—fiery red hair and gown, porcelain skin, an air of exotic allure. Now she coughed blood incessantly, her beauty tinged with tragedy, the result of Dao Feiyan’s relentless assault. Dao Feiyan was formidable; in the Dust Refining Realm, he could suppress his peers of Taiyi Sect, and now, having entered the Dao Body Realm, he showed no mercy against Jing Hong, attacking with ruthless, unyielding force. Had Wang Linzi not fought alongside Jing Hong, she would have fallen long ago. Wang Linzi, once radiant and in his prime, now had an arm lying on the ground, severed by Dao Feiyan’s sword.

At the cave entrance, Hengjiu Sect disciples fought desperately, but the Taiyi Sect had nearly twice their numbers. More than twenty corpses lay scattered, some from Taiyi Sect, but most from Hengjiu Sect. All of Hengjiu’s people were wounded, and Taiyi’s had suffered some injuries as well.

At this moment, Cang Qiong and Ying Qinghuan arrived at the entrance with three fellow disciples, hundreds from the altar madly pursuing behind them.

“Junior brothers and sisters, break through and run!” Cang Qiong cried to those Hengjiu Sect disciples engaged in battle with the Taiyi Sect.

As he spoke, Cang Qiong launched an attack at Dao Feiyan. Dao Feiyan, cold and clad in black, countered with a sword strike—the blade gleamed, woven from chains of order and imbued with the power of heaven and earth, bearing down on Cang Qiong. At the same time, a phantom appeared behind Dao Feiyan.

“A Dao Manifestation!”

“Not good! Run! Senior brother, Dao Feiyan has reached the Dao Body Realm!” Jing Hong exclaimed.

Ying Qinghuan joined Cang Qiong, Jing Hong, and Wang Linzi in resisting Dao Feiyan, leading Hengjiu Sect disciples in a breakout. At that moment, hundreds burst from the cave, attacking anyone they encountered.

“This is bad, retreat quickly!” Dao Feiyan ordered his Taiyi Sect disciples, who immediately fled in another direction.

“Split up, smaller targets,” Cang Qiong urged, and quickly escaped in one direction. The other Hengjiu Sect disciples scattered as well. At the same time, Jing Hong fled in a direction that happened to lead to where Li Ruoyu was located.