Chapter 1248: The Traitor

"Fellow Daoist, are you injured?" Qin Sang noticed Si Di's face was a little pale, and a chill went through his heart. Had the two sides already encountered each other and fought a fierce battle?

Si Di touched his shoulder and replied, "I got separated from them, but it wasn't the Sin Abyss that caused it. Instead, we encountered a group of Blood Souls. I was inadvertently scratched by one, and sinister energy entered my body. I've just taken a spiritual pill and I'm fine now."

"A group of Blood Souls?" Qin Sang asked, surprised. "Were the other fellow Daoists also scattered?"

Si Di nodded. "It was too sudden. We were dealing with a troublesome restriction, but somehow we startled them, and countless Blood Souls suddenly swarmed us. Initially, we didn't realize Blood Souls were indestructible, and our oversight led to significant losses. Once our formation was broken, we were scattered by the Blood Souls. We decided to escape separately and meet at the pre-arranged location once we were safe. I evaded the pursuing Blood Souls for a long time before I could finally shake them off and find a place to heal."

After a brief discussion, the two decided to proceed together.

Along the way, Qin Sang frequently summoned the fat chicken. Though Si Di was curious, he didn't press for details when he saw Qin Sang was reluctant to explain.

At the center of the basin, this was the densest area of blood mist, as thick as congealed blood. Within this mist, two colossal, blood-red gates stood imposingly! Their surfaces were covered with countless profound and mysterious runes. However, the gates were now heavily scarred, pocked with craters, and even showing cracks and gaps. Through these fissures, one could faintly discern the scene inside: a forest of tall towers, radiating a chilling aura. While signs of collapse and decay were unavoidable, the state of preservation here was remarkably good compared to other areas.

In front of the colossal gates, an open clearing had been created, where several figures sat cross-legged. They were all cultivators from the Sin Abyss; there was no sign of Qing Jun or the others. All were facing the gates, arranged in a fan-like formation.

At the very front stood two individuals. One was Old Demon Ye, clad in a blood-red cloak, with a withered, ancient face. His demonic reputation was widespread throughout the Beichen Realm, and he was hailed as the foremost master of the current era! Beside him was Daoist Master Tianzheng, the white-haired sect leader of the Xingheng Sect from the Sin Abyss, who possessed an ethereal, immortal aura. His cultivation was only slightly inferior to Old Demon Ye's. With these two leading them, the group collectively attacked the blood gate, their onslaught flowing like a torrent and causing the gate to tremble constantly.

"The Two Realms Alliance must have clashed with the Blood Souls by now, eh? Old Ye's Blood Dao divine abilities are truly superb. He used a Blood Demon avatar to lure them away. Those Blood Souls not only didn't cause trouble, but they even helped us with our 'driving a tiger to swallow a wolf' strategy, effortlessly stopping our opponents." A Nascent Soul cultivator, having paused his attack to briefly regulate his breathing, turned his head to gaze into the depths of the blood mist and chuckled sinisterly. This was Daoist Xuansi, a demonic cultivator, who wore a spider-emblazoned robe, had malevolent eyes, and unnaturally purplish-blue lips.

"Daoist Xuansi speaks lightly, but Old Ye's Blood Demon avatar possesses cultivation comparable to his main body. Not just anyone can manifest such a powerful form; only an avatar of this strength could subtly lure away so many Blood Souls." A black-robed elder beside him, also a demonic cultivator, held Old Demon Ye in immense respect and immediately began to heap praises upon him.

The Sin Abyss itself was not a monolithic entity; much like the Lesser Cold Realm, it also experienced internal conflicts between righteous and demonic factions. However, these disputes were overshadowed by more critical concerns.

A righteous cultivator nearby, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, interjected, "Don't celebrate too early. The Two Realms Alliance has a considerable number of masters; it's uncertain how long those Blood Souls can hold them back. This blood gate is difficult to breach. Both of you should focus on assisting Daoist Master and Old Ye in breaking through it."

The two who had just spoken exchanged displeased glances but chose not to argue. Instead, they resumed their quiet conversation amongst themselves.

"Last time at the Sin God Palace, we broke through layers of ancient restrictions and found the demon lord suppressed there. That demon lord had been tortured beyond recognition, and we were perhaps too forceful, ultimately extracting only fragmented memories from his remnant soul. Yet, we gained such immense benefits that no other force could even challenge us. I wonder how much we'll gain this time!" Daoist Xuansi was filled with overwhelming anticipation, almost unable to contain himself.

The black-robed elder let out a strange chuckle, similarly unable to conceal his excitement. "According to what that demon lord knew, a traitor from Ziwei Palace is imprisoned in this Blood Prison, and they must possess extensive knowledge of Ziwei Palace! Once we capture this individual, all the treasures within Ziwei Palace will be easily ours. What will those old devils from the Lesser Cold Realm and the Skywalking Alliance have to compete with us then? We'll pull the rug out from under them! It's comical that they thought they could exclude us, even after operating in Ziwei Palace for so many years."

As he spoke, the black-robed elder looked up, his gaze piercing through the cracks in the blood gate to observe the interior.

Daoist Xuansi snorted. "While Ziwei Palace is indeed valuable, in my humble opinion, setting aside any cultivation methods or secret arts in their mind, this individual's memories of the ancient era are the most precious. It would be ideal if we could ascertain from them precisely why this world became as it is. Is there a path that can traverse the endless storms to experience the vaster world beyond? That would prevent us from following in the footsteps of countless predecessors and dying with unfulfilled aspirations. This time, we must be exceedingly careful. It is crucial to capture this person alive, unlike last time, where we were left with only a remnant soul and fragmented memories."

"Daoist Xuansi, your ambition is considerable, but even if such a path exists, what strength do we possess to traverse the endless storms? How can we guarantee we won't get lost within them? Improving our own strength first is paramount." The black-robed elder shot back several questions in rapid succession, each hitting a sensitive point. Daoist Xuansi's expression soured.

Noticing this, the black-robed elder swiftly changed the subject and his tone. "However, it's still too early to discuss such things. The power of the seal here doesn't compare to that of the Sin God Palace. The Ziwei Palace traitor trapped here would have endured far less torment and suppression. We don't know how much strength they still retain, but they likely won't be as easy to handle as that demon lord. Furthermore, last time, almost all of us were present, and our unified effort made it seem effortless. This time, the unexpected discovery by the Bright Moon Demon King forced us to split our forces, leaving Daoist Canghong and his group to guard the Skywalking Plateau. This shift in strength means we must proceed with extreme caution."

Having cultivated to such a realm, Daoist Xuansi was, of course, not prone to anger over a few words. Hearing the black-robed elder's remarks, Daoist Xuansi nodded slightly, agreeing with his caution, though his expression was not as grim. "A weak seal indicates this individual's cultivation is also low. This isn't an ordinary seal; it's a place of punishment, just like the Sin God Palace! Ever since we located the Blood Lake and began monitoring, we've observed that every ten years, this person would stir up activity when the seal was weak. Each disturbance was progressively weaker until, over a decade ago, all activity ceased entirely. Didn't Old Ye wait an additional cycle, ensuring this person, like that demon lord, is also at their very last gasp, before deciding to act now?"

They weren't the only ones communicating in hushed tones. Others, witnessing the cracks in the blood gate grow wider, were also whispering amongst themselves.

Daoist Master Tianzheng overheard their conversation and cast a sidelong glance at Old Demon Ye. Seeing Old Demon Ye sitting as still as an ancient pine, his face devoid of expression, he dismissed them and focused entirely on breaching the gate.