Chapter 1964: Opening the Meridian

The storm intensified. Around Baili Qingkong, chaotic forces were everywhere. However, these were not enough to threaten his life.

After falling for some distance, Baili Qingkong suddenly felt an ominous premonition. He raised his right hand to his chest and revealed a palm-sized bronze disc. The disc's surface was polished bright, reflecting the scene ahead, and turbulent currents could be clearly seen.

Baili Qingkong's expression turned serious. He saw a bizarre humanoid shadow within the turbulent currents, moving like a phantom before vanishing instantly.

'Whoosh!'

Baili Qingkong pointed a finger in mid-air.

Suddenly, a piercing shriek echoed in front of his fingertip. A figure abruptly appeared, roaring at Baili Qingkong with a voice full of madness and bloodlust.

Upon seeing the figure's appearance, Baili Qingkong couldn't help but frown. Its features were distorted, and its limbs were long and slender, making it more grotesque than a ghost. It was a type of demon he had never seen before. This demon possessed no reason, couldn't communicate, and attacked all living things in its path.

Baili Qingkong discerned the demon's true nature. The bronze disc flew from his hand, circled above the demon's head, leaving a crimson trail. Like a fiery rope, it suddenly tightened around the demon's neck, and crimson flames engulfed its body.

Unexpectedly, the demon was not instantly burned to death. Black mist streamed from its seven orifices, contacting the crimson flames and transforming them into a blackish-red hue.

"Hmm?"

Witnessing this, Baili Qingkong realized that this type of demon was not simple. He just didn't know how many more were below. If the demons appeared in groups, it would be a significant problem. Demons do not appear without reason; their presence here indicated they were highly probable guarding something. This also indirectly suggested that they might have found the core of the Heavenly Vein Sect's ruins!

After a moment of thought, Baili Qingkong formed a hand seal. The crimson flames surged, trapping the demon but not killing it. Leaving the demon would help him block later pursuers.

As expected, as he delved deeper, demons began appearing in twos and threes. Baili Qingkong employed various tactics, avoiding prolonged fights with the demons, and descended as quickly as possible.

At the same time.

In the dark depths underground, lives were being mercilessly harvested. The young man surnamed Sha removed his finger from a cultivator's glabella. He indifferently watched as the cultivator's corpse was drained of blood by the earth. He glanced into the distance before burrowing into the ground.

As time passed, the stone pool murals absorbed more and more blood, emitting an eerie, blood-red glow. Murals were scattered throughout the ruins, each connected invisibly to the others. All the murals linked together, forming a gigantic formation array that covered the entire ruins. The eye of the formation array was the bottomless ancient well.

Baili Qingkong continued to descend, unsure of just how deep he had gone. Finally, he sensed waves of coldness emanating from below, and unusual fluctuations appeared. His figure paused slightly. Baili Qingkong glanced upwards, activated the bronze disc, and had it fly around him as he cautiously continued downwards.

Surprisingly, he passed through this cold region very smoothly. As if passing through a barrier, as the surrounding temperature returned to normal, all the commotion was also shut out. Baili Qingkong entered a pitch-black space. There was no sound here, a silence that unnerved him. Even stranger, all the light clusters that had previously attracted them were gone.

Alone in the empty depths underground, Baili Qingkong couldn't help but recall the various strange encounters he'd had earlier. Despite his Nascent Soul cultivation, he inexplicably felt a sense of unease.

'Swish!'

A faint rustling sound was exceptionally piercing in this silent place.

"Who's there!" Baili Qingkong's expression shifted slightly. His spiritual sense had just swept through that area. Without hesitation, he stirred his spiritual sense and unleashed it in a forceful sweep.

The other party had no intention of hiding at all and walked out from the darkness. A faint light illuminated the space, revealing a person: the young man surnamed Sha.

"One of the three Nascent Soul patriarchs of the Baili Clan, Baili Qingkong, my respects! My respects!"

"Who are you?" Baili Qingkong felt uncomfortable meeting the young man's gaze. The other's eyes were too cold, as if looking at a dead person. This visitor meant no good! However, how much power could a mere Core Formation cultivator possess to dare to be so brazen?

Baili Qingkong saw through the young man's cultivation level with a single glance. A venerable Nascent Soul patriarch, even if injured, was not someone a Core Formation cultivator could threaten. Yet, for some unknown reason, a sense of unease gradually arose within him, and it grew stronger and stronger. Baili Qingkong focused his senses but detected no other presences.

"Indeed, important people are forgetful; fellow Daoist no longer recognizes me. However, the 'gift' the Baili Clan bestowed two hundred years ago, I have always kept it in mind!" The young man's tone was as cold as ice.

"Two hundred years ago?" Baili Qingkong finally recalled something. He stared intently at the young man, feeling a growing sense of familiarity with his features the more he looked. Immediately, his expression slightly changed, and he blurted out, "You're that lost bastard of the Sha family!"

"Bastard..." The young man surnamed Sha suddenly burst into laughter. His laughter contained hatred and bitterness. Baili Qingkong's words confirmed one thing: he was the only one who escaped back then; he was the last bloodline of the Sha family!

"Indeed, failing to cut the grass by the roots brings endless trouble!" A cold sneer curled on Baili Qingkong's lips. Clearly, this was a trap. The Yin family had always been cautious and rarely made enemies in the cultivation world. Baili Qingkong had never imagined this would be a conspiracy targeting him!

"The family head was right; the Sha family is nothing but a bunch of reckless fools! You managed to save your life, but instead of focusing on continuing your Sha family's lineage, you dare to appear before me! Who gave you the audacity? Yin Heqian?"

The young man surnamed Sha remained unmoved and said coldly, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to probe. It's just you and me here; there's no third person." As he spoke, he raised his head, staring into the darkness above, and said faintly, "As early as a thousand years ago, the Sha family discovered that the Heavenly Vein Sect's ruins were located here, but generations of elders spent their entire lives unable to open the ruins."

"But you opened it!" Baili Qingkong scoffed, "What are you trying to say? That you're a once-in-a-millennium genius and those reckless fools of the Sha family are inferior to you?"

"I wouldn't dare disrespect my ancestors, but neither would I belittle myself. Of course, I must also thank you for helping me break the last restriction!" The young man surnamed Sha spread his arms, a strange glint in his eyes. A peculiar energy fluctuation emanated from his body, spreading into the depths of the darkness.

"I only learned later that the Vein Profound Pagoda is not a pagoda at all!" This fragmented sentence caused Baili Qingkong's expression to change completely. Suddenly, he understood something. "You!"

At this moment, an eerie bloody light suddenly appeared in the darkness. Countless blood-red threads spread from all directions, converging on the young man's body. These blood threads resembled the meridians of a human body; they pierced into the young man's body, connecting with his meridians. A power Baili Qingkong had never seen before continuously poured into him through the blood threads.

"The Heavenly Vein Sect's true heritage, the 'Heavenly Vein Heart Art,' when cultivated to mastery, allows one to cultivate a Heavenly Vein within the body using human meridians! The Vein Profound Pagoda is a sacred place for cultivating veins; its passages are comparable to meridians, and its stone pools correspond to the body's acupoints. Aiding with the Heavenly Vein Sect's secret treasure, the Yellow Court Divine Liquid, one can open veins for others. Unfortunately, I don't know how to refine the Yellow Court Divine Liquid, so I had to find another way: by infusing cultivators' essence blood to forcefully activate the Vein Profound Pagoda Array. However, it still lacks a primary ingredient to stabilize the vital acupoint!"

The young man was enveloped by the blood threads, almost forming a blood cocoon. From within, his cold voice emerged. Clearly, the blood threads came from the dead and wounded cultivators. The young man had set up a grand scheme. The final target, and the biggest variable, was Baili Qingkong right before him!

"Using this old man as medicine?" Baili Qingkong burst into wild laughter, as if he had heard the greatest joke. "You don't know your place!"

Flames illuminated the entire space. Hundreds of fist-sized fire thunder appeared before Baili Qingkong and shot out, overwhelmingly launched forth.

'Boom! Boom! Boom!'

The fire thunder exploded one after another, yet they failed to break the blood threads. Seeing this, Baili Qingkong immediately directed all the fire thunder to assault the young man. A Core Formation cultivator facing this attack would be instantly pulverized by the fire thunder.

The young man neither dodged nor retreated. He pushed both palms forward, and sounds of wind and thunder emanated from within him. His palms overlapped, unleashing a bloody halo which enveloped all the fire thunder just as they exploded.

'Rumble!'

All the fire thunder exploded simultaneously, earth-shattering! The halo shattered into pieces on the spot, but it surprisingly blocked the terrifying impact of the fire thunder. The young man alone couldn't possibly possess such formidable strength. He must have gained some power from the Vein Profound Pagoda, instantly acquiring strength comparable to the Nascent Soul stage.

"Cough, cough..." The young man, who had just displayed immense power, suddenly let out a heart-wrenching cough, his upper body almost crumpled, revealing an expression of extreme agony.

Baili Qingkong's surprise turned to delight, and he burst into laughter, "Arrogant whelp, attempting to control Nascent Soul power! Let's see when you explode!" Before his words even finished, the bronze disc behind him shot into the air, hovering upside down, its surface flickering with flames.

The young man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and coldly gazed at the bronze disc.

'Clink!'

He opened a jade bottle in his hand. From it rolled a pill, precisely the one he had sought from Qingyang Temple years ago. The spirit medicine entered his stomach, and a refreshing power flowed through his entire body. His pain greatly diminished, and he was finally able to control the chaotic power within him. The young man was overjoyed. This pill was truly exceptional; its medicinal power was stronger than expected! The young man felt an endless surge of power within him and an infinite confidence rise in his heart. Seeing the bronze disc flying towards him, he countered without hesitation.

An injured Nascent Soul cultivator. A Core Formation cultivator who gained Nascent Soul power through external means. A life-and-death struggle unfolded in the depths of the ancient well.

Yin Heqian was eager to save people, while others had to carefully deal with the demon's attacks. No one disturbed them. The aftermath of their battle raged, causing extreme chaos.

The young man grew stronger with each clash. In contrast, Baili Qingkong felt increasingly overwhelmed. He was horrified to discover that the Vein Profound Pagoda could not only enhance the young man's strength but also suppress others. With his strength diminishing and the other's growing, he found himself at a disadvantage. When he entertained the thought of retreating, he found no way out. The young man had secretly manipulated the space the moment he stepped in.

'Thud!''Bang!'

A figure was sent flying backward. It was Baili Qingkong.

"Unfortunately, I don't know the true method to open the Vein Profound Pagoda, so I can only try my best to delay its self-destruction. Nor can I control the demons guarding the pagoda. Otherwise, why would I need all this trouble!" The young man looked incredibly wretched. His entire body was scorched black, covered in injuries. But he stood till the end! His tone could barely conceal his excitement. Even though he had racked his brains and used every possible method to weaken his opponent, taking full advantage of the circumstances and terrain, whether by scheme or unfair means, it was undeniable: he had indeed defeated a true Nascent Soul cultivator, taking the first step in his revenge!

"Remember! The one who will annihilate your Baili Clan is Sha Jiayu!" The young man shouted sharply, full of exultation!

"Generations of effort are no match for one era's genius!" Baili Qingkong's arrogance completely vanished, and he let out a bitter laugh.

The 'Heavenly Vein Heart Art' itself was incredibly powerful. It was said that Heavenly Vein Sect cultivators needed to use the Yellow Court Divine Liquid to mitigate the art's impact on themselves; otherwise, it would damage their foundation, with long-term detriments outweighing benefits. Sha Jiayu was solely focused on revenge, completely disregarding his own future. He even cultivated the 'Heavenly Vein Heart Art' using a demonic cultivation method. Once he mastered the art, his strength would surpass that of a true Heavenly Vein Sect cultivator; he could not be regarded as an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator. Of course, the cost would undoubtedly be severe, likely affecting his lifespan as well.

This young man was driven mad by hatred, and his schemes were incredibly profound. With careful planning against unprepared foes, he could push even powerful enemies to desperation! With such a mad enemy, no force could rest easy. Baili Qingkong seemed to foresee the tragic future of the Baili Clan. The legacy built by generations of ancestors through painstaking effort could very well be destroyed by this young man! But he couldn't send this message back to warn his clan members!

"Rumble..."

The earth collapsed, and mountain peaks fractured. The cultivators on the surface, including Yin Heqian, all showed slight expressions of shock. Yin Heqian, with Nian Hui, suppressed his injuries and stood up to look ahead.

"The Heavenly Vein Sect's ruins are about to be destroyed. What in the world did that Baili Qingkong fellow do?"

In the core of the ruins. The Baili Qingkong that Yin Heqian spoke of had become a potent ingredient and was being fed into the Vein Profound Pagoda. The Vein Profound Pagoda was on the verge of collapse, but Sha Jiayu remained unfazed. He seized the final moments before the pagoda's self-destruction to open his own veins!

A vast power surged into his body. Sha Jiayu felt his meridians being crushed, then compressed into a ball, then dispersed, a process that repeated endlessly, bringing him immense pain. Finally, he grasped something intangible. He suddenly slapped his dantian, and his true essence poured out, surging forth. As if breaking through a barrier, a never-before-seen path appeared within him, and a new meridian was born from his flesh and blood. This was the Heavenly Vein!

Three years later.

In a certain mountain, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and violent winds howled. After the Tribulation of Three Disasters, the surroundings were a complete mess, utterly unrecognizable. A person slowly rose from the ruins, laughing uproariously towards the sky, "Heaven has been kind to me, Sha, allowing me to pass the Heart Demon Tribulation! Once I slaughter all my enemies, I will then pay my respects to heaven!"

His heroic spirit soared to the heavens, and his murderous intent was overwhelming!

Putting away his murderous intent, Sha Jiayu pondered his next revenge plan. The Baili Clan had lost one Baili Qingkong, but still had two Nascent Soul patriarchs, making a direct confrontation inadvisable... Just then, a streak of light suddenly shot towards him. Sha Jiayu caught it in his hand. After reading it, he was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly left.

Not long after, he arrived at a mountain range. It was Mount Guanyang, where the Baili Clan resided. Currently, Mount Guanyang was covered in dark clouds, and numerous figures stood like a forest. They were fiercely attacking the area below!