Chapter 1271: Report

This place was once a blood-soaked prison, littered with execution grounds. Though sealed for countless years, the ruins still emanated the palpable cruelty and gore of that era.

A crimson hue permeated the entire world. Thick blood mist hung heavy, saturated with sinister energy. Intruders felt as if they were submerged in a sea of blood. The air was bone-chillingly cold, permeated by an intensely oppressive and eerie atmosphere that involuntarily tightened their nerves.

Ancient restrictions were ubiquitous. However, the greatest danger wasn't the ancient restrictions, but living creatures. Monsters spawned from such sinister and blood-soaked ground were bound to be inherently chaotic, bloodthirsty, and exceptionally dangerous.

Fortunately, since entering the Blood Mist Basin, apart from the flesh puppets within the Black Tower formation, they hadn't encountered any living monsters. Even those flesh puppets were merely mindless automatons.

However, the instant they burst through the Blood Gate, everyone's expressions drastically changed. Even the Flag Gate formation ahead briefly faltered. Their worst fears had materialized!

*Boom!**Boom!*"Roar!"

The ground trembled. From deep within the blood mist, tremendous roars resonated from every direction. It sounded as if countless colossal beasts were stampeding across the land. Accompanying this was a cacophony of roars, some distant and indistinct, while others seemed to hover nearby.

The thick blood mist and ancient restrictions obscured their vision, leaving the monsters entirely unknown. Only the constant thundering and roaring echoing in their ears sent shivers down their spines. How had such a sudden anomaly occurred?

Everyone looked around in bewilderment, feeling utterly surrounded. Their surroundings were a crimson world, yet they couldn't spot any monsters. However, they noticed tremors emanating from deep within the blood mist, causing the mist itself to undulate. It was a scene of utter chaos.

Instantly, everyone grew apprehensive. Though they were among the era's top cultivators, numerous beings in the cultivation world could threaten them, particularly in places like Blood Lake and Ziwei Palace. Similar tragedies had occurred more than once.

Qin Sang's expression subtly shifted as he recalled the unknown monster he and Lord Dongyang had disturbed at the bottom of the Blood River. When they left the Blood River, he had intentionally lingered outside for a while. Seeing no activity after the monster awakened and the Blood River had returned to calm, he had then left. Could he have caused this? Qin Sang mused to himself.

Only one monster had awakened then. Now, deep within the blood mist, countless others were hidden. If they all possessed strength comparable to that single monster, their situation would be exceedingly perilous!

After a brief hesitation, the Flag Gate formation plunged headlong into the blood mist. With their pursuers hot on their heels, they couldn't afford to worry about what monsters lurked in the blood mist.

Qin Sang and the others exchanged glances, then simultaneously halted, watching the Flag Gate formation disappear from their sight. Their priority was to uncover the cause of the anomaly, understand the monsters' true nature, and escape the danger as quickly as possible. They certainly had no desire to die alongside Old Demon Ye.

Just then, a figure abruptly emerged from within the blood mist. Upon seeing this person, a flicker of surprise crossed Qin Sang's eyes. Everyone else was equally astonished. It was none other than Lord Dongyang, who had been missing for a considerable time!

Lord Dongyang still wore his brocade robe, appearing as refined and striking as ever, though his face was unusually pale, suggesting an injury. Nevertheless, his aura remained stable.

"Daoist friend, what is this?"

Everyone swiftly moved out of the formation and observed Lord Dongyang. Several veiled glances subtly flitted between Qin Sang and Lord Dongyang, each person's expression different. Qin Sang remained silent, lost in thought.

When Qin Sang had just revealed his identity, the more perceptive among them had subtly wondered if Lord Dongyang's mysterious disappearance was connected to him. Qin Sang had been able to force Old Demon Ye to self-detonate his avatar, a calculated move that implied he possessed the capability to eliminate Lord Dongyang. The scene of Qin Sang sacrificing his Blood Demon avatar and revealing his true form was deeply etched into everyone's minds. No one was foolish enough to question him directly. It would be unwise to alienate a top master who had just rendered a significant service. Should he defect to the Sin Abyss or Heavenly Demon Hill, they would be filled with insurmountable regret. Moreover, there was no evidence. No one knew what grievances existed between the former grandmaster and his junior, or if their animosity had escalated to a life-or-death struggle.

Lord Dongyang appeared before them. Upon seeing Qin Sang, who had removed his mask, his pupils subtly constricted, but his expression quickly returned to normal as he said, "Monsters in the Blood Lake awakened, and I was unfortunately injured and trapped by them, missing our appointed time. Fortunately, I followed the marks left by fellow Daoists and found this place. The monsters are bloodthirsty and deranged; some truly terrifying beings exist here. We cannot stay long. Quickly, follow me!"

Some secretly observed Lord Dongyang and Qin Sang. Both Qin Sang and Lord Dongyang maintained normal expressions, seemingly ignoring each other, though Lord Dongyang had long known Qin Sang's true identity. This only intensified their suspicions. Something was definitely amiss between these two! However, this was not the time to dwell on such trivialities.

"Everything was normal before we entered," Lord Tongyou said with a frown, pressing him, "Daoist friend, do you know when these monsters appeared? Why did they suddenly awaken? And what is their origin?"

Lord Dongyang explained, "Beneath this place lie countless crisscrossing blood rivers, through which blood mist flows. The monsters had been dormant at the bottom of these rivers. Initially, only a few had awakened and were merely wandering within the rivers, likely stirred by our breaking of the seals. But a short while ago, something unknown occurred. All the ancient restrictions in the Blood Lake began to vibrate, and the monsters suddenly awakened simultaneously, bursting out of the ground..."

Upon clarifying the timeline, Lord Qing stated solemnly, "That was precisely when Old Demon Ye shattered the cage seal!"

"Are they also Blood Prison guardians, similar to the flesh puppets? Did the breaking of the core seal affect the entire Blood Lake?"

Lord Tongyou hastily inquired about the monsters' appearance from Lord Dongyang, and as expected, they were remarkably similar to the flesh puppets.

"When we passed through the Black Tower formation earlier, the flesh puppets seemed somewhat abnormal," someone recalled.

Desperate to escape, those from Sin Abyss had deliberately avoided the flesh puppets within the Black Tower formation, thus failing to notice any anomalies. They immediately returned to the Blood Gate to verify this, finding that the flesh puppets, constrained by the Black Tower formation, were not as frenzied as the monsters outside. If every monster possessed strength comparable to the flesh puppets, they would be in grave trouble!

They had originally planned to return and thoroughly explore the Black Tower formation after pursuing Old Demon Ye, but with this unexpected turn of events, they dared not linger any longer.

"As for now, we must leave the Blood Lake as quickly as possible and restore its seals," Lord Dongyang urged. "We can only hope those monsters won't venture out of the Blood Lake on their own. If they are unleashed, not only will the Small Cold Domain be the first to suffer, but the entire Northern Star Realm could face a catastrophic disaster."

Lord Dongyang sighed, "When the monsters burst out of the ground just now, I sensed several incredibly potent auras, far exceeding our own. They are not to be contended with."

His decision to remain rather than return to the Small Cold Domain, after suppressing his injuries, was carefully considered. Anyone who had witnessed Qin Sang's strength would not dare oppose him. Furthermore, Qin Sang was not a lone wolf; he had an unclear association with the demon race and a clear ally in Lord Qing. If Qin Sang was willing, he would undoubtedly prove instrumental in dealing with the Sin Abyss. When the time came, with one person having fled from battle and the other having achieved a significant feat, it would be obvious whom the various factions of the Small Cold Domain would favor. While they might not completely side with Qin Sang, Shaohua Mountain would certainly be put on the defensive, and years of their influence would be ruined.