Chapter 1232: Little Person

The Mortal Realm

The Mortal Realm

Abyss Ruins.

The Blood Lake manifested.

Enormous waves surged.

Old Demon Ye sat cross-legged above the Blood Lake, while Jiang Chenzi and two others circled him, holding precious banners.

A thick bloody mist permeated the surroundings, casting indistinct shadows.

To enter the Blood Lake, nearly half of the Sin Abyss's Nascent Soul cultivators had gathered, while the rest remained at the Heavenly Excursion Plateau for defense. The Nascent Soul cultivators stood in the void in scattered groups of two or three; though seemingly disorganized, their positions subtly formed a grand formation, assisting Old Demon Ye in breaking the Blood Lake's seal.

Each time Old Demon Ye changed his hand seals, Jiang Chenzi and the other two adjusted their formation accordingly. The three precious banners swayed, releasing streams of colorful light towards the Blood Lake, specifically targeting the weak points of the seal.

Each bombardment caused the seal to tremble, with increasing intensity, and the entire space vibrated along with it.

“Old Ye has gone to great lengths and finally found a flaw in the seal. It's a pity the Abyss Ruins' seal is so well-preserved. It would have been much easier to enter the Blood Prison from Boundless Valley.”

Jiang Chenzi remarked, seizing a moment amidst his busy task.

Behind him, a handsome, youthful-looking cultivator in white robes smiled upon hearing this. “If we open a breach from Boundless Valley to enter the Blood Prison, what if we can't find a way out from this side? Is Uncle-Master not afraid of being trapped inside by Old Daoist Zhenyi?”

This person was surprisingly a junior from Jiang Chenzi's own sect, also a Nascent Soul cultivator.

In recent centuries, it had become common for major sects in Sin Abyss to have two or even three Nascent Soul cultivators.

This generation of cultivators in Sin Abyss was exceptionally talented; the number of those who achieved Nascent Soul far surpassed previous eras. As a result, Sin Abyss's strength had significantly increased, allowing them not only to resist the Two Domains Alliance but also to have ample power to sweep through the desert.

Before the white-robed youth could finish his sentence, the Blood Lake suddenly began to tremble unusually.

Yet, at this moment, no streams of light were being emitted from the precious banners.

'Boom!'

A massive wave surged skyward, and the barrier formed by the seal bulged in response.

Old Demon Ye abruptly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. He reached down and pressed, blocking the impact, then snorted coldly, “As expected, that Demon King Bright Moon has reported the matter of the Blood Prison back. Our plan has been exposed. It seems they intend to lend us a hand and open the seal ahead of schedule.”

“Old Daoist Zhenyi can't even defend his own stronghold. Is he confident he can gain an advantage against Old Ye?” Jiang Chenzi wondered.

“It might not be Old Daoist Zhenyi; it's more likely Tongyou. Boundless Valley is nominally controlled by the Minor Cold Domain. Old Daoist Zhenyi doesn't act like a reclusive daoist; he's spent his life working for the Heavenly Excursion Alliance, so he definitely wouldn't dare abandon his post. He wouldn't want us to lure him away and then conquer Heavenly Excursion City in one fell swoop. After the Red-Haired Old Devil's demise, the Minor Cold Domain isn't difficult to deal with. It's just unknown whether King Yu will interfere.”

Another cultivator, surnamed Ma, spoke, having guessed the Two Domains Alliance's plan with surprising accuracy.

And his evaluation of Old Daoist Zhenyi was remarkably apt.

After being appointed as the leader of the Heavenly Excursion Alliance, Old Daoist Zhenyi was fair in rewards and punishments, and he promoted promising juniors. He could truly be described as having devoted himself wholeheartedly until death.

The Heavenly Excursion Alliance was an alliance formed by numerous forces. While external pressure certainly compelled them to unite and act as one against outsiders, Old Daoist Zhenyi's contributions were indispensable.

Such self-sacrificing and benevolent individuals were not uncommon in the cultivation world, but most were devoted to their sects that had nurtured them.

“Heh heh, perhaps Old Daoist Zhenyi is deliberately creating a diversion, making us believe they want to enter the Blood Prison to contend with us, when in reality they are secretly gathering a large army to counterattack while our front lines are vulnerable. Our past achievements might be lost in a single day.”

A voice emerged from within the blood mist; the figure was blurry, its true appearance indiscernible.

Though this person spoke of dire consequences, their tone was calm and devoid of worry.

Jiang Chenzi burst out laughing. “They'd first have to get past Fellow Daoist Cang Hong, who's guarding the front lines... Even if Old Daoist Zhenyi breaks in, we're not afraid. Once we return, we'll let them experience the taste of joy turning to sorrow!”

“Enough idle talk,” Old Demon Ye said with a low roar, suddenly quickening his movements. “Since the fellow daoists of the Two Domains Alliance are willing to lend us a hand, we mustn't show weakness. All of you, assist me! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should be able to break the seal today.”

Everyone else fell silent, focusing on assisting Old Demon Ye.

Boundless Valley.

The opposing factions, separated by tens of thousands of miles, were nonetheless working together to break the seal.

After several hours of continuous bombardment, they finally managed to open a crack in the seal.

'Splash!'

A gush of bloody water poured out from the crack, its metallic scent pungent.

Qin Sang and the others frowned, covering their noses and mouths, and looked towards Demon Lord Tongyou and Earl Dongyang.

“According to records, each blood wave is connected to a sealed space. If we jump in, we will surely be scattered to various locations. At that time, all fellow daoists should use the incomplete map to find the innermost marked location and converge there as quickly as possible. As long as we thwart Old Demon Ye's conspiracy, there will be plenty of opportunities for treasure hunting later. I only hope that all of you will prioritize the greater good and not delay.”

After Demon Lord Tongyou's message was relayed, he briefly consulted with Earl Dongyang, then was the first to leap into the Blood Lake.

There was no need to contend for who went first.

Qin Sang was the last to go. He summoned his demon banner for protection and, facing a wave of blood, stepped into the Blood Lake.

The Core Formation cultivators stirred restlessly.

Only after the Nascent Soul patriarchs had vanished into the Blood Lake did they dare to act, scrambling to summon their respective magic treasures and leap in.

After these individuals also disappeared, the area outside the Blood Lake was empty.

After another half an hour, a ripple suddenly appeared in the void, and a figure emerged from the shadows. Someone had actually arrived at this moment.

This person was extremely cautious, observing for a long time. Only after confirming there was no one else present did they emerge from the shadows.

If anyone else had been nearby at that moment and seen this person's face, they would surely have been greatly astonished.

The newcomer was a young man, refined and elegant, with an ethereal handsomeness. He was none other than Gongliang Yu, the current Palace Lord of the Shangyuan Pure Harmony Palace!

The Shangyuan Pure Harmony Palace was among the prestigious sects. However, Gongliang Yu, as its Palace Lord, was only at the peak of the Core Formation stage. He was not qualified to participate in the Nascent Soul cultivators' schemes, but given his status, it was not difficult for him to inquire about inside information.

Gongliang Yu had intentionally arrived late, yet his expression was somewhat anxious. He flashed above the Blood Lake, just about to enter, when he suddenly remembered something. From his sleeve, he took out an object: a three-inch-tall humanoid figure.

The small figure appeared to be carved from wood, yet its surface gleamed like jade, not entirely resembling a wooden carving, making its material indiscernible.

The strangest part was the figure's head: it was smooth as a mirror, devoid of any facial features or orifices. Only one item on its 'face' allowed one to distinguish its front from its back.

This was a tiny yellow talisman affixed at the figure's brow. It was as thin as gauze, lightly affixed to the figure, yet incredibly secure. The talisman was inscribed with cinnabar, its strokes flowing like dragons and snakes, completed in a single breath, forming a complex magical symbol.

Other than that, the figure was just an ordinary faceless statue; no fluctuations could be sensed from it.

As he looked at the small figure in his hand, Gongliang Yu's face was grim, his eyes holding a mixture of fear and anticipation.

He gently gripped the small figure in his palm.

Fearing he might accidentally peel off the yellow paper on the figure's face, Gongliang Yu's movements were extremely gentle.

Then, with his other hand, he took out a jade pendant from his mustard seed pouch. It was wrapped with red string and vibrantly verdant.