Chapter 50: Blood Mist Viewing Flowers

Crimson blood surged, demonic intent soared to the heavens! With a thunderous shout from the gaunt monkey, his arms flailed wildly as a swirling mass of black and red demonic energy appeared. In the blink of an eye, it expanded to a height of over thirty feet, completely engulfing more than a dozen ice sculptures. The constant crackling of shattering ice echoed in the air.

When the demonic energy dissipated, those who had been frozen by the Thunderclap Frost Darts were all freed from their bindings. “Ha! What else do you have to say now, boy?”

Lei Xiang instantly regained his composure and asked coolly, “The Eighteen Blood Killers of the Blood Fiend Alliance? Which one are you?”

“So you know the infamous Eighteen Blood Killers?” The gaunt monkey’s pupils narrowed. “I am Park Cheng, one of the Eighteen Blood Killers. No matter who you are, I advise you to surrender, little Foundation Establishment brat.”

Without another word, Lei Xiang released fourteen flying swords, which circled above his head. He then unfurled his newly modified beast-hide tent, wrapping himself within. But he wasn’t done yet. With a flick of his left hand, five Black Cloud Rain Talismans slid from his sleeve. In his right, a golden spear appeared out of thin air. He stared coldly across at his opponent.

Park Cheng was taken aback. This young Foundation Establishment cultivator could control so many magical items at once? Was he bluffing, or was this a test? Deciding to probe further, he gestured, and a man in red robes stepped forward.

The red-robed man, in his thirties and at the mid-Foundation Establishment level, spat a cloud of black energy at Lei Xiang. The black mist coalesced into a meteor hammer the size of a millstone. He formed a spell with his fingers, and with a whoosh, the meteor hammer smashed toward Lei Xiang.

The meteor hammer, trailed by seemingly endless chains, crashed into the beast-hide tent, causing it to tremble violently, but it managed to hold. A cold smile crept onto the red-robed man’s lips. With a flick of his fingers, the meteor hammer struck down again. This time, Lei Xiang, outmatched in cultivation, could no longer withstand it.

But unexpectedly, Lei Xiang had already activated the Infinity Sword Array. Like fourteen silver dragons surging from the sea, the swords tore through the chains behind the hammer in a few swift strikes. The meteor hammer, now disconnected, plummeted to the ground like a kite with its string cut.

The red-robed man gathered most of his spiritual power and grabbed at the air. The meteor hammer smashed ferociously once more. The Infinity Sword Array managed only to shear off a fifth of the hammer’s head, unable to halt its momentum. The meteor hammer crashed to the earth like a meteor from the heavens, gouging a pit a foot deep. He arrogantly retrieved it and darted forward, only to find the pit empty—Lei Xiang had vanished.

The red-robed man stood there, dumbfounded, hammer in hand. Suddenly, Park Cheng cried out, “Dodge!” But before the man could react, a golden shadow flashed from the void, pierced through his body in an instant, and vanished again.

Only then did his earlier question ring out, “Dodge what?” Looking down, he saw a gaping, bowl-sized hole in his chest. He toppled over with a thud.

Park Cheng’s gaunt hand clenched into a fist. He had never seen such an escape technique—he hadn’t even heard of one like this before. Moreover, this person’s strike was so swift that it was impossible to guard against.

The others quickly activated their protective barriers. Park Cheng bit open his forefinger, flicked a drop of blood into the air, and with his guidance, it blossomed into a five-petaled blood flower, swelling until it covered a radius of several dozen feet.

In the southeast corner, Lei Xiang’s figure gradually appeared.

Park Cheng sneered. “You little wretch, with my Blood Mist Illusion Bloom, let’s see how you vanish now.” He pointed at the massive blood flower, which spun rapidly and shot out a thousand crimson threads, all encircling Lei Xiang.

Inside the beast-hide tent, Lei Xiang knew this battle was unwinnable. He had managed to slay one person by surprise, but Park Cheng was a true Core Formation cultivator. The only solution was escape.

His mind made up, he let out a sharp whistle and recalled the Infinity Sword Array. Then, a large black banner appeared in his hand. Lei Xiang unfurled the Vermilion Banner to the wind. Greedjaw leaped out, its blood-red maw gaping wide as it lunged at the crimson threads.

Dozens of blood threads were instantly devoured. Greedjaw’s red lips and green teeth crunched noisily as it swallowed them whole, then hungrily pursued the remaining threads.

Park Cheng was momentarily stunned. What was this huge red mouth that could devour his Blood Mist Illusion threads? Little did he know that Greedjaw, nurtured by the Vermilion Banner, was nearly insatiable. Seizing the chance, Lei Xiang tossed out the Chrysanthemum Thorn, commanding it to soar skyward.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

With a furious shout, Park Cheng caused the blood flower to explode. The surrounding blood mist grew denser, the stench of blood overwhelming. Blue light flashed in Lei Xiang’s eyes, revealing countless miniature blood flowers swirling toward him within the mist.

So this was the Blood Mist Illusion Bloom?

Park Cheng threw back his head and laughed wildly. In his eyes, Lei Xiang stood no chance; for a Foundation Establishment junior to have resisted this long was already shameful enough. He could not allow him to escape. Suddenly, a surge of spiritual power erupted behind him—a golden serpent sword stabbed without warning.

Park Cheng’s surprise lasted only a moment before he regained his composure. He saw that the attacker was merely at the Qi Refining level and casually struck out. A blood-red palm met the dazzling golden serpent sword in midair, sending the sword flying three yards back, its spiritual power depleted. The blood-red palm didn’t stop—it slammed into an empty spot in the air.

A miserable scream rang out as Dugu Yixiao curled up in pain, his granite-like face contorted with agony.

Lei Xiang, taking advantage of the distraction, activated the lightning between the dragon horns of the Eight-Treasure Camel Dragon Spear. With a crackle, the blood threads and flowers were shredded, opening a bloody path. He retrieved the Chrysanthemum Thorn and activated the Blackfleet Boot, soaring into the sky.

Park Cheng hastily formed another spell. The blood mist beneath Lei Xiang churned, condensing into a blood dragon that lunged to swallow him. The lightning from the Camel Dragon Spear gnawed at the blood dragon like ants on bone, but could do little real harm.

Blue lightning flickered in Lei Xiang’s eyes. Shaping his four fingers into a blade, he unleashed a spinning blue light—a silent, deadly flash that struck the thick blood dragon.

To Park Cheng’s shock, the blood dragon was effortlessly severed. He couldn’t believe his eyes—he had no way of knowing that this was not an ordinary blue spiral, but Lei Xiang’s newly mastered Shock Thunder Slash, wielded with the same control as the blue spiral, cutting the blood dragon into dozens of pieces.

Lei Xiang didn’t stop to inspect the results. Urging the Blackfleet Boot, he swooped down, conjured a giant hand to grab the wounded Dugu Yixiao, and placed him securely on the boot before flying north.

Park Cheng was beside himself with rage. To let two people escape—where was his dignity? With a furious roar, his shirt tore apart, revealing his bare chest and prominent ribs.

Clinging to the bony ribs were five skulls the size of bells. With a spell, Park Cheng forced the skulls to reluctantly detach and absorb the remnants of the blood dragon, swelling until they were the size of melons. He shook his head helplessly, then bit open his right-hand fingers. The skulls, drawn like flies to carrion, latched on with a buzz.

In moments, the skulls had grown to the size of watermelons. Park Cheng, now deathly pale, formed a spell, and the five giant skulls vanished on the spot, reappearing above Lei Xiang and spewing thick black smoke.

Lei Xiang split his consciousness, guiding the Blackfleet Boot with a sliver of spirit while drawing on half his internal spiritual power. He unleashed Shock Thunder Slash a second time.

A streak of lightning bright enough to pierce the long night—a pale blue Shock Thunder Slash—split the sky, striking the five skulls squarely and sending them tumbling to the ground.

The threefold Shock Thunder Slash, when used at full force, was truly formidable, but it consumed a tremendous amount of spiritual power. With his current cultivation, Lei Xiang could barely manage three strikes—now only one remained. Without hesitation, he poured spiritual power into the Blackfleet Boot, which transformed into a streak of black lightning, streaking toward the horizon.

Park Cheng, dumbstruck, spat out a dark green flying sword and chased after him at full speed.

Lei Xiang looked back and saw a dark green light pursuing him at triple his speed, drawing ever closer. His spiritual power was nearly depleted—what now?

Suddenly, a searing pain erupted within him—a ball of fire blazed in his heart, spreading through his body, leaving him parched and feverish. Then a bone-deep chill surged from his core—Lei Xiang shivered uncontrollably, unable even to form a spell.

The accursed dual affliction of fire and ice had struck again.

The green light behind him was almost upon him. Park Cheng, no fool, immediately noticed something amiss and grinned wickedly, pointing a gnarled finger like a dead branch at Lei Xiang’s forehead.

Drawing on his formidable resolve, Lei Xiang clung to the last shred of clarity in his mind and sent out a mental cry, “Elder, use the Soaring Swan’s Glance!”

Within his mind-sea, Zhu Chi responded without delay, pouring eighty percent of his available spiritual power into his attack, aiming straight for Park Cheng within the green light.

Park Cheng’s finger was a mere inch from Lei Xiang’s brow, his twisted grin even more menacing. Suddenly, a shadow flickered through his mind and all his movements halted. His finger froze just short of Lei Xiang’s forehead; even the sneer on his face was locked in place.

Park Cheng was paralyzed in an instant.

Shivering all over, Lei Xiang knew that Zhu Chi’s Soaring Swan’s Glance, with his current strength, would only last for a single breath. He bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto his hands, which suddenly regained their mobility.

Lei Xiang swiftly formed a spell and chanted, summoning a black whirlwind. In an instant, both he and the Blackfleet Boot vanished without a trace.

Park Cheng watched helplessly as Lei Xiang and his mount disappeared before his eyes. Only then did he regain movement, his gaunt face drained of color. He extended his powerful spiritual sense across ten miles, but could find no trace of Lei Xiang.

And so, Lei Xiang and Dugu Yixiao vanished right under his nose.

The red-robed followers who arrived in dribs and drabs stared at Park Cheng in disbelief. None dared speak, sensing that the Core Formation cultivator, usually so arrogant, now looked far older. This was why they hadn’t dared intervene during the fight.

If a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator still needed others to help him, even if they won, Park Cheng would never let them hear the end of it.

With a dark expression, Park Cheng turned back, flying his sword along the path from which they had come, but not without leaving a final remark.

“So, there was a Core Formation expert lying in ambush all along! Hmph. We’re leaving.”