In Reverend Huo Yan’s small courtyard house.
Reporting it was the last resort. The only way to deal with this unsolvable problem. Reverend Huo Yan was deep in thought, his chest full of reluctance.
If there was another way, he wouldn’t have given Wu Yuan the opportunity to enter the Bloodforge.
Indeed, the Bloodforge was cruel, with a high probability of death. But everything had its advantages and disadvantages. The Bloodforge was also an excellent training ground.
Many geniuses of the Eternal Sun Immortal World voluntarily signed up to enter the Bloodforge Battle in order to hone themselves.
In his youth, Reverend Huo Yan had carved a bloody path out of the Bloodforge, becoming an official member of the devil hall and the strongest powerhouse in the Summerpeak World.
However, the terrifying power Wu Yuan unleashed during the battle over the South Ocean of the Middle Land shattered all his dreams.
Damn it. The more Reverend Huo Yan thought, the more helpless he felt, sighing inwardly. If I had known Wu Yuan was this powerful, I wouldn’t have forced his hand.
But how could he have known that the small Summerpeak could give rise to such a monstrous prodigy?
In his original estimations, Wu Yuan’s talent was just decent, destined to be an obstacle to his acquisition of the Faith from Summerpeak’s inhabitants.
No matter. I can only pray that he won’t survive the Bloodforge. Reverend Huo Yan mused inwardly, a glimmer of desire in his eyes. That way, I can gain a large amount of merits as the one to recommend him, and even become the master of Summerpeak.
“Huo Yan! What a fine mess you’ve made!” A furious roar suddenly rang out, followed by a purple-robed man appearing in the hall. It was the protectorate.
“Protectorate?” Reverend Huo Yan was taken aback, giving his visitor a puzzled look.
Pa! The purple-robed man slapped him across the face. Reverend Huo Yan had no time to react, and the slap landed squarely on his face.
The terrifying force sent Reverend Huo Yan flying, crashing into a huge pillar like a shooting star. He then fell heavily to the ground.
“Protectorate?” Reverend Huo Yan was bewildered, but he sensed the raging anger of the purple-robed man. Suppressing the pain in his body, he struggled to his feet and spoke in a low voice, “I am unaware of any mistakes I may have made. I hope Protectorate can enlighten me.”
“Enlighten you? Enlighten your ass!” The purple-robed man roared, striking out with another vicious slap.
Pa! Another fierce slap sent Reverend Huo Yan flying, slamming heavily to the ground. One side of his face was a bloody pulp.
The injury was only superficial, hardly anything serious to the Amethyst Cradle Reverend, but it filled Reverend Huo Yan with fear. He had never seen the protectorate this angry.
“If you had reported Wu Yuan’s case immediately, would Xiong Yuan have beaten us to it? Would the High Immortal be displeased with me?” The purple-robed man thundered, his voice echoing around the great hall. He glared daggers at Reverend Huo Yan, “You really deserve to die.”
“You’ve cost me too much.”
Reverend Huo Yan’s mind was in turmoil as he pieced together what was happening, opening his mouth to try to explain himself.
“In five years, you will go to the Blood Mountain Plane Battlefield,” the purple-robed man said coldly. “Never show your face again.”
With that said, the purple-robed man turned and left.
Reverend Huo Yan lay on the floor, his body soaked in blood. It was a pitiful sight.
The purple-robed man’s roar still echoed in his mind, especially his final words.
“The Blood Mountain Plane? The most terrifying battlefield between devils and immortals in the entire Greenridge Macrocosm?” Reverend Huo Yan’s heart trembled.
“What should I do? What should I do?” Reverend Huo Yan panicked.
He was considered powerful among Amethyst Cradle cultivators. But the battlefield of devils and immortals? An Amethyst Cradle cultivator was no more than cannon fodder there! Survivors were few and far between. It was hardly easier than enduring the Bloodforge.
“Why? How did it come to this?” Reverend Huo Yan sunk to the ground in despair, his eyes bloodshot and filled with anguish.
Through blood, sweat, and tears, he had clawed his way to his current status.
To obtain the position of ruling over Summerpeak, he had weathered countless perils and dangerous field trials. Success was well within his grasp.
Yet in an instant, he was destined for the interdimensional battlefield.
“Don’t give up, there’s still a chance, there’s a chance,” Reverend Huo Yan muttered to himself repeatedly.
…
In the Bloodforge Immortal Voidrealm, within an enormous hall, a grand feast was in full swing.
“Haha, wonderful!”
“I was able to receive the High Immortal’s praise all thanks to you, Long Guang.” A burly man sat in the host seat.
His table was laden with a feast of meats, an ostentatious display.
“It’s all thanks to the protectorate’s guidance over the years that I got the opportunity,” a black-robed middle-aged man responded with a flattering smile.
It was Daoist Long’s human form.
He was not part of the Bloodforge Devil Hall, but as an Amethyst Cradle Reverend, he was considered a peripheral member with some privileges.
Over the years, in order to deal with Reverend Huo Yan, he had secretly sided with a protectorate of the devil hall, and had made many allies among the Amethyst Cradle and Shambhala cultivators of the devil hall.
Of course, among the many Amethyst Cradle and Shambhala subordinates under Protectorate Xiong Yuan, Daoist Long was but a small, insignificant figure.
However, he knew how to spot and seize opportunities.
Upon his first arrival in the Middle Land, he chose to report Wu Yuan’s information after getting an initial gauge of his power. He was gambling on the fact that Reverend Huo Yan wouldn’t report it.
While Wu Yuan battled the army of the Huoyan Sect, he had sent the live projection to Protectorate Xiong Yuan via the Bloodforge Immortal Voidrealm at the earliest opportunity.
“You’ve done well,” Protectorate Xiong Yuan grinned. “Once Wu Yuan passes the evaluation, your merits will be awarded immediately.”
“Additionally, considering your great contribution, I’ll use my influence to make you an official member of the devil hall,” Protectorate Xiong Yuan promised with a smile.
He knew what Daoist Long wanted.
“Thank you, Protectorate.” Daoist Long’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he had waited a thousand years for.
If he remained stuck in the Summerpeak World for another few thousand years, he would truly lose all hope for a breakthrough.
Only by leaving Summerpeak and entering the devil hall as an official member would he be able to receive certain opportunities.
Back in the Summerpeak World, Daoist Long was merely an unremarkable individual, one of the first batch of cultivators to reach the Golden Core/Spiritual Body phase.
But through fearless adventuring and exploring, taking opportunities, along with a bit of luck, he finally became a Shambhala cultivator.
“The High Immortal has given me ample time, a full month,” Protectorate Xiong Yuan stated. “So, I don’t want to forcibly pressure Wu Yuan.”
“If such a peerless genius survives the Bloodforge, he is destined to soar to great heights. In the future, when he holds a high position in the devil hall, offending him will do none of us any good.”
Daoist Long nodded slightly, sharing the same thoughts.
“I will give you ten days to convince Wu Yuan to meet me voluntarily.”
“Tell him that as long as he agrees to become a Bloodforge Seed, I’ll do my best to fulfill any request of his.” Protectorate Xiong Yuan smirked, “Additionally, bait him with benefits, understand?”
“Mm.” Daoist Long nodded, “I understand.”
Protectorate Xiong Yuan nodded, knowing how shrewd Daoist Long was. Despite his mediocre cultivation talent, he was quite efficient at handling matters.
“Of course, don’t always be so compromising.” Protectorate Xiong Yuan said in a low voice, “If he is truly unwilling to listen, make him understand that he has no choice.”
“Mm.” Daoist Long respectfully replied, “Wu Yuan has obsessions, but he also has weaknesses, I believe he will come to face reality.”
“That’s good,” Protectorate Xiong Yuan nodded in satisfaction.
“Come, let’s continue drinking!”
…
Summerpeak World, the Middle Land.
Wu Yuan was entirely clueless as to what was happening in the Bloodforge Devil Hall.
He had rushed back to Cloud Capital immediately.
First, he handed over the seven early-stage Golden Core cultivators and six hundred Qi Sea cultivators to Fang Xia, Mountain Devil, Hai Feizhang, and the others to keep a watch on.
All of them had their qi seas sealed. Although Wu Yuan’s body refiner self was unable to execute the Qi Sea sealing art, his qi refiner self was extremely proficient in it. Therefore, no one could deceive him.
He then confiscated all treasures from these immortal cultivators, including those hundreds of Qi Sea cultivators, not leaving a single one behind.
“The Bloodforge Battle calls for our Summerpeak World to provide thirty Golden Core cultivators and a thousand Qi Sea cultivators,” Wu Yuan declared. “I plan to propose to fill the quota with the immortal cultivators of the Huoyan Sect. I shall hold a meeting with the other two great sects of the Summerpeak mainland to discuss the matter.”
“Understood,” Fang Xia, Hai Feizhang, Arctic, and the others nodded in agreement.
After Wu Yuan’s explanation, they all came to understand just how formidable the Bloodforge Devil Hall was. It was far beyond anything the Summerpeak World could resist.
Therefore, the orders issued by the Bloodforge Devil Hall must be obeyed!
Why did Wu Yuan kill all of the mid-stage and late-stage Golden Core cultivators of the Huoyan Sect?
Apart from harvesting some blood mist, it was also to eliminate potential threats. No one had to remind Wu Yuan of this.
After receiving the information from Daoist Long, his qi refiner self in the Dragon Star Immortal Sect began to thoroughly research all information related to the Bloodforge Battle.
He clearly understood that the chances of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator or above surviving the Bloodforge were high.
As for early-stage Golden Core cultivators? The odds of them surviving the Bloodforge alive were less than one in ten thousand!
Wu Yuan never showed mercy to enemies that posed a threat. He wiped out Great Jin, slaughtering the powerful martial artists of the Jin royal family.
The same treatment applied to the Huoyan Sect.
If they posed no threat? Wu Yuan would not mind letting them go. He had his own principles and bottom line. He was not a mindless, bloodthirsty brute.