Chapter 913: Suspicious Feng Daoist and Two Old Sixes

"Something's wrong!"

As Xu Qing's great wing entered the sky above Liaoxuan Commandery, a strong stench of blood permeated the air, and his eyes narrowed.

Beside him, Er Niu, who had initially been carefree, shifted his expression and murmured, "This strong smell of blood means at least a million living beings have died to create this much!"

"A million?"

Xu Qing's heart tensed with alarm. His gaze swept around, then focused on the distant horizon.

Eleven years ago, they had taken a different route to the Blazing Moon Heavenly Flame Clan. Their decision to return via this path was a recent, cautious one, made just a few days prior.

To prepare, Xu Qing and the Captain had pooled their information about the area.

They had some understanding of the Commandery, knowing that various local tribes lived sparsely along its borders.

These tribes, existing in the buffer zone between two major clans, were usually cautious. They offered tributes to both humans and the Blazing Moon Heavenly Flame Clan.

However, the current scent of blood made both Xu Qing and the Captain feel uneasy.

"I wonder if this blood-soaked area was caused by ferocious beasts or by the local tribes," Xu Qing mused. He exchanged a look with the Captain, both seeing the seriousness in the other's eyes. Regardless of whether beasts or tribes were responsible for the bloody aura, it indicated a major upheaval in Liaoxuan Commandery, rendering it unsafe.

"Could it be that some deity or old powerful being is planning to ambush us here?" the Captain asked warily.

"If that were the case, we wouldn't have smelled such a strong stench of blood from this far away. Such a clumsy warning doesn't seem like a deity's method," Xu Qing replied, his voice low.

If it truly was an ambush, they would have been more discreet, or some restriction would have activated by now.

But apart from the blood, everything else seemed normal.

The Captain nodded upon hearing this.

"It doesn't look like the work of those old guys either; it's too crude."

After discussing it, the Captain thought they could proceed, but Xu Qing, after some thought, decided to bypass the Commandery.

Although they had come all this way, turning back and changing their route to return to human territory would mean a significant detour, wasting time, and likely increasing the danger as time passed.

Moreover, this area was not far from human territory; at their current speed, they could reach it in seven days at most.

However, since something felt wrong, Xu Qing's nature dictated that he wouldn't blindly rush in.

So, they combined their opinions: first, they swiftly exited Liaoxuan Commandery, then prepared to take a slightly longer route from another direction outside the Commandery, which would take two or three times longer, proceeding with caution.

Just as Xu Qing and the Captain decided to leave, in an area some distance away, there was an alien city. This city belonged to a small tribe, sealed on all sides. Inside, the scene was horrific: corpses lay everywhere, and blood covered the city ground.

The sheer number of deaths was appalling.

In the sky above, several powerful individuals from this tribe looked terrified, anxious, and filled with despair.

They were fighting against clouds of insects, made up of black centipedes the size of an arm. Each centipede had a ghost-face totem on its back.

They were incredibly vicious, their collective roars sharp and piercing.

Their numbers were vast, no less than tens of thousands.

Under their siege, the tribe elders who had reached the Void Returning cultivation level couldn't hold out for long. Soon, one of them, his cultivation exhausted, was swarmed by a group of poisonous insects, which burrowed into his body, causing him to scream in agony and die.

Above them, two figures stood in the sky.

A man and a woman, who were precisely the young man named Feng and the woman named Lanyao who had descended from the heavens earlier.

"The Ghost-Spirit Dark Centipedes that Fellow Daoist Feng cultivates are truly profound and extraordinary. Judging by their appearance, it won't be long before they evolve into Sky Centipedes!" Lanyao remarked calmly.

The young man named Feng smiled at her words.

"Fellow Daoist Lan flatters me. It'll be impossible for these Dark Centipedes to evolve in less than a few hundred years, even if... Hmm?"

Before the young man named Feng could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed as he gazed into the distance.

A faint, almost imperceptible gleam flashed in Lanyao's eyes as she softly asked, "Fellow Daoist Feng, have you discovered something?"

"Nothing, I imagine Fellow Daoist Lan has also noticed. I, Feng, for the sake of caution, previously placed some Void Eyes brought from the Holy Land. These eyes are also secret treasures in my clan. While their other functions are ordinary, they are exceptionally unique in their concealment. Their origin is from a beast of the void, an entity from beyond the Wangu realm, not bound by this world's rules. Only outsiders cannot perceive them!"

"And just now, through a Void Eye, I detected two local low-level cultivators appearing from afar!" The young man named Feng narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.

"However, these two are quite cautious. They didn't venture deep but chose to leave. Since that's the case, I won't bother intercepting them. The preparation of our current major undertaking is more important. Consider them lucky!"

Lanyao smiled faintly.

"Fellow Daoist Feng's actions are so meticulous. It seems his earlier words to provoke Yuedong were indeed not a sign of carelessness regarding this place."

The young man named Feng was noncommittal, and Lanyao's eyes flickered, asking no further questions.

As for Xu Qing and Er Niu, whom they had discussed, they had now left Liaoxuan Commandery. During the subsequent journey, Xu Qing blurred the form of the great wing, which appeared as an old woman, using a spell. Its stealth capabilities were fully activated, and its speed was a few points faster than before.

They streaked across the sky in silence.

The smell of blood indeed vanished, but their vigilance did not decrease. Several days passed without incident.

They were now only three days away from human territory!

But then, a red mist surged in the distant sky, and the scent of blood once again entered their perception.

It was clearly newly formed and was spreading at that moment.

Xu Qing's expression immediately darkened, and the Captain's eyes gleamed with ferocity.

Both of them channeled their cultivation, focusing it into their eyes, and gazed into the blood mist.

Blue light emanated from the Captain's eyes, while Xu Qing's eyes were dark and introverted. Both their gazes possessed penetrating power, breaking through the obstruction of the mist, and revealing a scene of purgatory within it.

"That is..." The Captain's voice faltered, filled with surprise, then trailed off.

Xu Qing also frowned.

Their penetrating gazes revealed the source of the mist.

It was the tribal city of a small clan!

The city was shrouded in blood mist, utterly silent, devoid of any life. What stood there were ninety-nine high towers made of countless accumulated corpses!

Each tower contained nearly ten thousand corpses!

This small tribe had been brutally slaughtered, their bodies piled into high towers, and the third eye in the center of each tribesman's forehead had been gouged out!

The strong smell of blood had gathered from the bodies of these tribesmen, who originally possessed three eyes on their foreheads, thus forming this blood.

"Blood sacrifice," the Captain murmured.

"The souls of this tribe's members have all been extracted. This method of blood sacrifice doesn't seem to be for offering to a deity; it's more like refining some incredibly powerful exotic treasure!"

Xu Qing's gaze swept over the city, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Looking at it this way, the blood mist in Liaoxuan Commandery before was also formed like this!"

The Captain nodded. After carefully examining the blood mist, he suddenly said, "However, the blood mist hasn't been collected yet. Clearly, whoever performed this deed hasn't finished the refinement..."

"It should have nothing to do with us. Let's just focus on moving forward and return to human territory. There's no need for us to get involved in what's happening here." The Captain looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing naturally had no excessive sympathy for alien races. He nodded in agreement. The two of them put away their great wings, channeled their cultivation, and instantly transformed into two streaks of phantom light, speeding forward!

At the same time, in an area not far from here, the two cultivators, Feng and Lan, who had just performed a blood sacrifice on another local tribe, also stepped into the void.

"All blood sacrifices have been completed and meet the requirements. This way, there will be no more obstacles to entering that place!"

The young man named Feng looked at a blood banner in his hand, and a rare hint of excitement appeared in his usually gloomy eyes.

"Twenty million souls, including mortals and cultivators, further drawing upon a sea of corpses and blood—such methods would be a huge taboo in the Holy Land, warranting soul extraction and divine obliteration. Fellow Daoist Feng truly went all out to obtain that item!" Lanyao remarked calmly from beside him.

"Hmph, Fellow Daoist Lan, there's no need for sarcasm. I'm not just doing this for myself. After obtaining that item, your own benefits will also be immense!"

"Besides, I certainly wouldn't dare to do this in the Holy Land, but it's different here. Also, Fellow Daoist Lan, don't forget the agreement between us after our success. Don't go back on your word then, otherwise..." The young man named Feng narrowed his eyes as he looked at Lanyao.

"Fellow Daoist Feng is too suspicious. If everything is truly as you say, I will not go back on our post-success agreement!" Lanyao smiled faintly.

The young man named Feng nodded. He was about to say something more when his expression suddenly darkened. He looked up into the distance, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Again?"

"They appeared a few days ago, and I thought they were just passing through and that their departure was normal. But now they've taken a different path and reappeared!"

"Such repeated investigations, and this time they didn't leave. While it's possible they truly are just passing through, it's also possible that these two... have other intentions."

"Furthermore, they detected the blood sacrifice. There's no guarantee they won't spread word of this after they leave!"

The young man named Feng frowned. He was inherently suspicious, and the plan was too important. Seeing someone act like this, various thoughts arose in his mind.

Finally, killing intent emerged.

"To ensure nothing goes wrong, two Void Returning cultivators, just eliminate them!"

With this thought, the young man named Feng's body blurred, his speed instantly surging as he shot toward the distance!

That Lanyao's eyes flickered, and she chose to follow behind.

In an instant, their two figures vanished without a trace.

In a region two days' journey from the human border, in front of Xu Qing and the Captain's rapidly moving figures, the sky suddenly darkened. Thunder boomed down, and a terrifying storm rose out of nowhere, roaring in all directions!

A cold snort also came with the storm!

"You two, stay."

As the words fell, a massive hand of wind and lightning stretched out from within the storm, grabbing fiercely at Xu Qing and the Captain!

This hand was enormous, covering nearly half the sky in that area, its momentum vast and destructive.

Wherever it passed, lightning danced wildly, shaking the mind!

Xu Qing and the Captain's figures abruptly halted, their expressions greatly changed. They swiftly retreated, but it was too late!

The massive hand slammed down, directly enveloping Xu Qing and the Captain's figures. After grabbing them, it squeezed fiercely!

With a thunderous roar, Xu Qing and the Captain instantly disintegrated!

"Hmm?"

Almost at the moment of disintegration, a surprised sound came from within the storm. Then, two figures emerged from within: precisely the young man named Feng and Lanyao!

Looking at the bits of flesh and blood revealed within the wind and lightning hand, the young man named Feng's expression was grim.

"Flesh-and-blood puppets, not their true bodies..."

"However, do they really think such a trick can help them escape?"

The young man named Feng snorted coldly. He formed a hand seal, and his body blurred in an instant, reappearing in the distance as he continued the pursuit!

At the same time, half a day's journey from here, Xu Qing and the Captain's speeding figures reacted simultaneously.

"My two flesh-and-blood puppets used to obscure our tracks have been destroyed. They're clearly out for blood. We're still two days away from human territory; I'm afraid we won't make it in time!" A grim light flashed in the Captain's eyes.

Xu Qing said nothing, his gaze sweeping across the ground, landing on a low mountain. He descended in a flash, stood on the mountaintop, and waved his hand, scattering countless soul threads that merged into the surroundings!

Numerous restrictions also spread out with them, concealing themselves in the vicinity!

Then, his Great Profound Sky Armor suddenly appeared on him. At the same time, he flipped his hand, and a blood-red dagger appeared in his grip!

This dagger was carved with mysterious patterns, forming a grotesque face that now emerged and bit into Xu Qing's palm!

Xu Qing's expression was normal, allowing the grotesque face to swallow a mouthful of his blood. Then, that face showed a look of madness and hid within the dagger. With another squeeze, the dagger merged into his palm, vanishing without a trace!

Only a breathing sound emanated from Xu Qing's palm!

This sound was heavy, filled with desire, and extremely eerie!

It was precisely the Spirit-Devouring Blade that Xu Qing had been bestowed after obtaining his Great Profound Sky identity!

Having completed these actions, Xu Qing looked up, his eyes filled with killing intent!

"If that's the case, then let's fight!"

The Captain grinned viciously. He too descended, sitting beside Xu Qing, his body radiating brilliant blue light that fiercely expanded outwards!

After covering an area of a hundred miles, it flickered and vanished!

Then, overlapping, grotesque faces appeared in his eyes, and for the first time, they detached from his eyes, appearing externally, forming hundreds of illusory faces that circled the area, each concealed!

Next, he punched his chest. Immediately, a low growl that shook the soul emanated from his back. A lump of flesh protruded there, and at this moment, the lump burst open, and a blue bony hand shot out from within!

Even Xu Qing was moved by the appearance of this hand, feeling the danger emanating from it!

And this hand flickered in mid-air, instantly becoming concealed!

It didn't end there. The Captain gritted his teeth fiercely, raised his hand, and directly pressed it against the back of his neck, then pulled, actually extracting his own spine!

His body softened, but quickly regained support, his smile even more sinister!

"Little Junior Brother, I had one more thing I didn't say earlier! I smell the scent of treasure, and it seems delicious."

The Captain said, licking his lips, his eyes gleaming with madness!

Xu Qing's heart stirred at the words. After thinking for a moment, he raised his hand and formed a spell. Instantly, the shadow beneath him blurred and spread outwards!

At the same time, seven lamps appeared behind him, then instantly merged into his body!

He then closed his eyes and remained silent.

An hour later, Xu Qing's eyes suddenly opened. Beside him, the Captain's eyes held an even more intense madness!

Both of them simultaneously looked up at the sky!

In the sky, blood clouds suddenly appeared, surging in all directions. Amidst flashes of lightning and thunder, two figures, a man and a woman, emerged from within!

(This chapter is four thousand words long. Working hard to return to pre-illness state.)