Chapter 285: Master Thousand-Faces!
Rumbling echoed out as two figures appeared just outside of the crater. One of them was the Song Clan patriarch, and the other was Li Qinghou’s Master, Patriarch Ironwood.
A moment later, they were next to Bai Xiaochun. The two patriarchs’ eyes met, and instantly, both could see that the other was vigilant and on guard!
Now that the Blood Stream Sect’s cultivation bases were unsealed, their energy surged. The blood clouds billowed out, and at the same time, the refined corpses and gargoyles trembled and then began to howl.
Bruiser hadn’t been fast enough to intervene and help Bai Xiaochun, and now he was glaring at Patriarch Droughtflame with hatred that erupted from his very bones!
The three blood masters were shaking. The blood rippers, the prime elders, the Inner and Outer Sect disciples, and also the patriarchs, were all so shocked that they could barely move!
At the same time, the cultivators of the Spirit Stream Sect were panting, and their eyes were glittering angrily as they stared at the Blood Stream Sect. Moments ago, the tension had been fading, but now, the proverbial swords were once again being drawn.
Everyone understood that based on the friction which existed, the fighting which had just seemed to be an impossibility could now break out at any moment!
Up in midair, Patriarch Droughtflame frowned slightly as he looked down at Bai Xiaochun. Inside, he was sighing regretfully that he had only wounded him, and not killed him. Despite such a surprising outcome, there wasn’t any need for him to keep fighting.
“He’s only unconscious,” he thought, “but that should suffice….” Eyes glittering, his murderous aura spiked as he looked over at the Spirit Stream Sect and said, “The seals have been lifted. Spirit Stream Sect, your despicable actions this day have ensured that you will be cleansed with blood! Children of the Blood Ancestor, join me in attacking the Luochen Mountains and eradicating the Spirit Stream Sect!!” With that, he threw his head back and laughed long and hard, his killing intent pulsing around him. Quite a few disciples of the Blood Stream Sect flew up into the air, eyes shining with murderous gleams as they prepared to start fighting.
The Spirit Stream Sect cultivators clenched their fists, and the sharp looks in their eyes grew more intense.
However, just when Patriarch Droughtflame was about to fly into motion, a cold snort echoed through the air.
“Since when did you become the one to give orders to the Blood Stream Sect?” The words were accompanied by intense pressure, and a sealing force that caused all of the Blood Stream Sect disciples who had been about to attack to suddenly shiver and stop in place. Patriarch Droughtflame’s expression flickered as he turned to look at the person who had just spoken, and was now striding toward him.
It was none other than the Blood Stream Sect’s arch-patriarch, the most powerful cultivator in the Blood Stream Sect!
Earlier, his cultivation base had been reduced by half, but now those effects were gone, and his energy was surging. It was like the might of the heavens as he walked forward, everything around him twisting and distorting.
“What’s the meaning of this, Master Godwind!?” Patriarch Droughtflame grated angrily, his expression turning grim.
“What’s the meaning?” replied the arch-patriarch. “I just ordered you to stay your hand. Why did you attack anyway? I refuse to believe that Bai Xiaochun is impersonating Nightcrypt. He is most definitely a blood master of the Blood Stream Sect, and even more importantly, the Blood Lord!” A cold light flickered in the eyes of the arch-patriarch, and as he spoke, his words rumbled like thunder.
The Spirit Stream Sect cultivators’ hearts were starting to pound, and as for the founding patriarch, a strange light could be seen in his eyes. The entire Spirit Stream Sect went completely silent as they watched events unfold.
Facing the intense pressure of the arch-patriarch, Patriarch Droughtflame began to edge backward. Then he turned to the other patriarchs and cried, “Of course I know he’s a blood master. But do you people really believe that a nobody like him should be able to suppress the cultivation bases of everyone in the sect?! He has to die! His death will not harm the Blood Stream Sect in any way! In fact, it would be a blessing! I just did what you people were hesitating to do yourselves! That’s all!”
Many people in the Blood Stream Sect began to wonder what they should think. As for the patriarchs, their expressions were grim, but it was impossible to tell what they were thinking.
As the arch-patriarch listened to Patriarch Droughtflame speak, a cold, grim smile spread out on his face. Then he said, “I can also suppress the cultivation bases of everyone in the sect. Don’t tell me you think I should be killed too? Also, I’m very curious to know why your cultivation base wasn’t suppressed just now!”
In response to his words, numerous Blood Stream Sect cultivators’ mouths dropped. Cries of shock could be heard as people thought back to the events which had just played out. Although they hadn’t noticed at the time, now that they thought about it, what had occurred was very clear.
The reactions were the same on the Spirit Stream Sect side, with the exception of the founding patriarch, whose eyes glittered faintly. He had noticed the clues earlier.
Patriarch Droughtflame’s expression flickered, and beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead. There was no way for him to answer the arch-patriarch’s question. His original plan had simply been to take the risk and try to kill Bai Xiaochun. If Bai Xiaochun died, there was no way the Blood Stream Sect and the Spirit Stream Sect would join forces. They would definitely start fighting.
“Dammit!” he thought. “This Bai Xiaochun is too lucky. I can’t believe he survived my attack!” Patriarch Droughtflame gritted his teeth as his body suddenly began to turn blurry, as he prepared to flee.
“Think you can leave just like that?” the arch-patriarch said, eyes flickering with killing intent. Without any hesitation, he waved his right finger at Patriarch Droughtflame.
At the same time, the other patriarchs of the Blood Stream Sect shot forward to surround Droughtflame, preventing him from fleeing. Clearly, they had already come to the conclusion that he might try to do such a thing.
Rumbling sounds echoed out as the arch-patriarch’s finger caused ripples of extermination to spread out. Patriarch Droughtflame, seeing that he couldn’t escape, threw his head back and bellowed. A quick incantation gesture caused flames to shoot out and battle against the ripples of extermination.
A deafening boom filled the air, and blood oozed out of the corners of Patriarch Droughtflame’s mouth. However, he used the force of the blast to fall backward. Even still, he was no match for an attack by the combined efforts of all of the Blood Stream Sect’s patriarchs.
Six patriarchs attacked at the same time, unleashing magical techniques, magical items, and divine abilities.
A huge blood sword materialized and slashed down, controlled by none other than Patriarch Limitless.
Heaven-shaking, earth-shattering rumbling sounds filled the air as the other patriarchs attacked one after another, unleashing power that seemed capable of destroying everything. A vicious, roaring dragon appeared, next to which was a patriarch who had once been a lowly disciple of Lesser Marsh Peak. As he advanced, the fist strike he unleashed shattered the sky and turned into a massive tempest.
The deadliest attack came from the arch-patriarch. The wave of his hand summoned a huge banner, which unleashed a black wind. That wind became a black phoenix, the roar of which was enough to shake anyone down to the soul. The phoenix moved so quickly as it bore down on Patriarch Droughtflame that there was no way he could avoid it.
In that moment of crisis, Patriarch Droughtflame suddenly started laughing. Face twisting, he reached both hands out and then slapped them down onto his body. Instantly, his hair turned completely white!
Simultaneously, innumerable faces appeared all over his skin. There were the faces of men and women, young people and old people, and all of them seemed to be distorting as they screamed.
“Dao of a Thousand Faces; Merciless Infiltration!” Patriarch Droughtflame laughed loudly as the divine abilities and magical techniques of the other patriarchs slammed into him, causing him to explode!
The resulting boom sent bright colors flashing through the sky, and gave rise to a huge wind. At the same time, the exploding body of Patriarch Droughtflame transformed into countless faces which rushed out in all directions.
Patriarch Limitless’ eyes went wide, and he cried, “Master Thousand-Faces from the Profound Stream Sect!!”
The arch-patriarch and the other patriarchs were clearly shocked as they too realized who it was that could unleash a cloning magic like this!
They weren’t the only ones. The Spirit Stream Sect’s founding patriarch, as well as the other patriarchs, were obviously astonished. This was a secret magic used by one of the most mysterious patriarchs of the Profound Stream Sect!
The blast of countless faces was so powerful that not even the combined efforts of all of the patriarchs could contain them all. Although ninety percent were caught up by the web of destruction, a few escaped.
One of the faces was that of a young man. Borrowing the force of the initial blast, he shot out to a position 30,000-meters away. There, the face wriggled, transforming into a white-haired young man. Although his face was ashen from exertion, he didn’t hesitate for a moment to flee at top speed.
“Master Thousand-Faces!!” Killing intent raged in Patriarch Limitless’s eyes as he shot forward in a blur to pursue the white-haired young man. In the blink of an eye, both of them had disappeared over the horizon.
Everyone in the Blood Stream Sect was shaken, and many people gasped. Nobody could possibly have anticipated that events such as these would play out; one of their own patriarchs, Daoist Sage Droughtflame, had actually been replaced by Master Thousand-Faces from the Profound Stream Sect!
Obviously, the real Droughtflame had been secretly assassinated at some point in the past, and his flesh used by Master Thousand-Faces to replace him via a secret magic!
Everyone thought back to how Master Thousand-Faces had just attacked Bai Xiaochun, and realized that it was all to prevent the two sects from joining together.
If Bai Xiaochun had died, it would have led to mass destruction!