Shen Yuan’s eyes narrowed sharply. “Blood Demon Sect?”
Yue Lan’s lazy voice echoed inside his Sea of Consciousness.
[Hehe, looks like you fished a bigger fish this time. But their Blood Arts are decent. Be careful.]
He nodded inwardly, becoming more cautious. To think these individuals had disguised themselves as Thunder Cloud Sect disciples after infiltrating the Mystique Realm.
“What is your purpose for infiltrating this place?” Shen Yuan asked coldly, his grip tightening on his scythe.
The tallest disciple among them laughed cruelly, stepping forward. “Hehe, what else? Naturally, we’ve come here for slaughter and nourishment. The talents and life essence of apex geniuses like you make perfect resources to cultivate our Blood Demon Art.”
Before Shen Yuan could react, one of the disciples took out a talisman. “Array Extinguishing Talisman! Activate!” and shouted, erasing all of the arrays Shen Yuan had created beforehand.
Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes, looking at the Talisman. He didn’t expect the Demonic Sect cultivators to carry such a precious treasure with them.
“Haha, I exchanged this talisman for 99 virgin female cultivators. That senior was really something else.” One of them licked his lips and said.
“Enough chit-chat.” As the leader spoke, the blood-red aura surged around them violently, thickening into a viscous mist. A pungent scent of blood filled the area, choking and sinister. Shen Yuan felt an instinctive disgust at the revolting Qi.
The disciple leading them sneered disdainfully, raising his palm and gathering a frightening amount of blood Qi. “You should feel honored, Shen Yuan. Your essence will help me break through to a higher realm!”
“Haha, your Radiant Qi won’t be able to suppress our Blood Arts!”
Without hesitation, the three disciples launched coordinated attacks, sending torrents of corrosive Blood Qi hurtling toward Shen Yuan from multiple directions.
Their martial arts were cruel, vicious, and completely different from the Thunder Cloud Sect’s lightning techniques.
“Tch! Filthy demonic cultivators!” Shen Yuan said in disgust, swiftly dodging their attacks with Void Steps, maneuvering effortlessly through their bloody techniques.
He spun his scythe swiftly, forming a defensive water barrier around himself, the vicious blood Qi splattering uselessly against it.
As the blood mist dispersed momentarily, Shen Yuan suddenly realized the gravity of the situation.
The Thunder Cloud Sect disciples weren’t merely arrogant opponents—they had unknowingly provided cover for this sinister plot.
Shen Yuan’s expression darkened considerably. “You really think you will be able to escape from here after this rampage?”
The disciples sneered mockingly, attacking relentlessly. “Rampage? We’ve been hiding under the noses of your righteous sects for weeks! If it weren’t for your interference, we could have continued our plans unimpeded!”
Another disciple smiled deviously, “As for a rampage—hah, you know nothing about it. The good times were when we used to butcher entire villages just to advance our Blood Arts. Ahh, how the women used to plead when we decapitated their husbands in front of them.”
The last one joined in, “Jijiji, you can’t forget the children—their young blood is the best nourishment for us.”
Feeling his anger rise, Shen Yuan’s eyes turned icy cold. “If that’s the case, then I’ll eradicate you vermin myself.”
Gathering his Fourth Level Wind Intent and Fourth Level Scythe Intent once again, he stepped forward decisively, unleashing a whirlwind of razor-sharp wind blades infused with Scythe Intent.
However, the Blood Demon Sect disciples were prepared. Their Blood Arts strengthened their bodies grotesquely; the wounds from his attacks quickly closed as the crimson energy knitted their flesh back together.
Shen Yuan withdrew a few steps swiftly, his gaze sharp as he contemplated the situation. The Blood Demon Sect disciples were looking even more troublesome than he’d initially anticipated.
“Your pathetic attacks won’t hurt us at all!” one disciple taunted cruelly, laughing sinisterly as the blood-red Qi surged violently around his body, sealing his wounds once again.
Shen Yuan frowned slightly, inwardly communicating with Yue Lan.
‘Lan’er, their regenerative abilities are troublesome. Any suggestions?’
Yue Lan’s voice echoed softly in his mind,
[The Blood Demon Art excels in regeneration and devouring life essence. They are just using their stored life essence to regenerate. Once they’ve used it up, they will naturally die. However, your thunder is special. It is infused with Tribulation might—that will hinder their regeneration ability.]
His eyes flashed brightly with realization. Indeed, his Thunder Qi possessed traces of Tribulation energy due to his not-so-memorable encounter. It could serve as the perfect counter.
“Let’s see how you bitches handle this!” Shen Yuan’s voice boomed around them.
His aura rapidly shifted, crackling sparks enveloping his body as he decisively activated Thunderbolt Flash Step. His figure blurred, disappearing from their sight instantly, reappearing abruptly behind one disciple with fierce, violent thunder crackling along his scythe.
“Thunder Intent!” Shen Yuan thundered, his scythe violently erupting with an intense bolt of tribulation-infused lightning.
“ARGHH!” The disciple screamed in pain, his blood mist dispersed instantly by the overwhelming presence of the tribulation thunder.
His regeneration noticeably slowed, his flesh trembling violently under the destructive influence of tribulation lightning.
The other two disciples’ expressions changed dramatically, clearly sensing the terror of the tribulation-infused lightning.
“Careful! His lightning isn’t normal—it carries a hint of heavenly tribulation!” one disciple warned sharply.
However, despite their fear, they still managed to barely withstand the attack due to Shen Yuan’s lower cultivation base compared to them. They quickly backed away cautiously, desperately recovering their injuries.
“Such a troublesome opponent! Quickly kill him before he attacks again!” the leader shouted urgently, gathering blood-red Qi around his body desperately, creating crimson Dao Armor, and the other two followed suit.
Shen Yuan swiftly switched to Fire Qi, decisively activating Inferno Smithing Technique, igniting intense flames along his scythe as he charged fiercely toward them again.
“Burning Inferno!” he roared, a whirlwind of scorching flames enveloping the disciples.
They screamed painfully as their bodies were rapidly engulfed by flames, their blood mist sizzling violently beneath the flames’ scorching heat.
Yet, their formidable Blood Demon Art sustained them despite severe burns, slowly healing their charred flesh.
Shen Yuan’s eyes narrowed deeply, quickly realizing that although he could deal damage using both elements, neither alone could decisively end their lives before they regenerated.
The Blood Demon Sect disciples laughed madly despite their terrible condition, their arrogance returning slightly.
“Your cultivation is too weak! Even tribulation thunder and blazing fire cannot finish us! Your attempts are futile!”
Shen Yuan released his tightly clenched fist, slowly calming down. Yue Lan’s voice sounded in his mind just then,
[How about you try to merge Fire and Thunder? Maybe you will be successful this time? If you can manage to merge them, no regeneration will save them.]
‘But, the damn success rate is too low. Can I really do it now?’ Shen Yuan asked inwardly, uncertain.
[Well, you can always run if you can’t win. I don’t think they can catch up to your Storm Burning Pulse,]
Yue Lan playfully encouraged.
Shen Yuan ignored her remark and decided to take the risk. He took a deep breath, steadying himself calmly.
He closed his eyes briefly, rapidly cycling between Thunder Qi and Fire Qi, feeling the distinct characteristics and seeking an elusive point of resonance.
Slowly, faintly, he felt a subtle harmony forming—sparks of lightning interweaving hesitantly with tongues of flame. It felt unstable, barely manageable, yet its destructive potential was undeniably immense.