Chapter 1186: Bad Guess

Perhaps it was a refusal to succumb to death, or lingering regrets, but over countless years and through a series of coincidences, a highly unique entity was born in the Blood Refining World: the Blood Shadow, also known as the Blood Spirit.

It was naturally conceived by heaven and earth, yet also formed from a single drop of vital blood from the powerful female being after her death. To a certain extent, its very existence was a continuation of that female being's will.

Given that the Blood Refining World itself was formed from the powerful female being's remnant body, the Blood Spirit, born within this environment, could naturally be regarded as the world's own will.

Though primitive and lacking full intelligence, it possessed a trace of spiritual essence. This is why, when the cultivators from Kyushu invaded its world, it instinctively reacted by unleashing divine punishment.

Unfortunately, it was thwarted by Xiao Jiu. During the clash of world wills, it found itself at a disadvantage. Driven by instinct, it disengaged from its battle with Xiao Jiu and instead guided all remaining Saint Seeds within the world to gather at Jade Pillar Peak.

This location, the very heart of the female being's remnant body and the birthplace of the Blood Spirit, held immense significance for it. Only there could it unleash its full power.

The subsequent events were straightforward. Under the Blood Spirit's summons, the Saint Seeds who arrived were merged without resistance. With its own existence as the core, it transformed into a massive Blood Giant, engaging in battle with the many powerful figures from Kyushu.

Had it not been for Lu Ye, or if his sacred nature hadn't been able to suppress it, the cultivators from Kyushu would likely have lost that battle. A Blood Giant rampaging across the world would undoubtedly have become an enormous problem.

However, fate is unpredictable. Lu Ye's sacred nature suppressed it, providing the Kyushu cultivators an opportunity to eliminate it. In a cataclysmic battle, the Blood Giant of the Blood Refining World—a being powerful enough to sweep across the entire realm—disintegrated. In its final moments, the Blood Spirit, against all odds, targeted Lu Ye, attempting to seize his physical body.

Naturally, it met a grim end.

Many things now made sense.

Xiao Jiu had previously commented that the Blood Refining World's will didn't quite resemble a typical world will, nor was it a unique entity like itself. Even Xiao Jiu couldn't precisely determine its nature. Now, it was finally clear that the Blood Spirit was truly exceptional, so much so that even if time were rewound, an identical Blood Spirit might not be born again under the same circumstances.

Yet, many aspects remained unclear to Lu Ye.

For instance, why could its summons cause Saint Seeds to merge with it, and why could its sacred nature break through their inherent limits?

However, delving into these questions now was pointless; it was merely a matter of victor and vanquished.

Just as the Blood Race Saint Seeds had never understood why Lu Ye, a mere human, could possess a sacred nature so potent it brought despair to all of them.

Familiar voices echoed in his ears, none more urgent than the Headmaster's shouts.

After the Blood Giant disintegrated, Lu Ye suddenly became motionless. The sea of blood continued to spread, and no one knew what had happened, though they vaguely sensed that Lu Ye might be in trouble, as there was no other explanation for his lack of response to their calls.

Amidst this anxious waiting, the vast sea of blood suddenly receded. The next moment, the darkness that had long enveloped Jade Pillar Peak vanished. It was now night, and a cloudless sky revealed a dark moon and countless stars.

The Headmaster immediately looked toward Lu Ye's position. Even after seeing him unharmed, he still felt uneasy and asked, "Is anything amiss?"

Lu Ye shook his head. His soul struggle with the Blood Spirit hadn't lasted long, and since no one present had noticed the Blood Spirit's attempt to possess him, he saw no need to mention it.

Long Bai's booming voice rang out: "Kid Yi Ye, is that big guy dead?"

When the Blood Giant finally disintegrated, everyone quickly retreated from it. The sea of blood obscured their view, so no one saw exactly what transpired; they only knew that the Blood Giant's aura had vanished afterward.

While Lu Ye was locked in his struggle with the Blood Spirit, the others had also searched the sea of blood, but found nothing.

Of everyone present, only Lu Ye, who had been maintaining the sea of blood, could definitively confirm the Blood Giant's ultimate fate.

"It's dead. Congratulations, seniors! The final threat in the Blood Refining World has been resolved. We of Kyushu have triumphed!"

Long Xiang mumbled, "How inexplicable... but it's good news regardless. Still, I'm utterly exhausted!"

In the eyes of the Kyushu cultivators, the Blood Giant's demise seemed rather inexplicable. Even when suppressed and facing inevitable defeat, it still appeared capable of prolonged combat, making its sudden disintegration puzzling.

However, when considering its subsequent actions, its disintegration made perfect sense.

Upon receiving Lu Ye's confirmation, all hundred-plus individuals descended towards the summit of Jade Pillar Peak.

This battle had left hundreds of Kyushu cultivators utterly exhausted, many having repeatedly walked the line between life and death. With the exception of a select few, everyone present was injured.

The body cultivators and weapon masters who had borne the brunt of the assault were particularly grievously wounded.

With the great battle concluded, it was naturally time for them to tend to their injuries.

Long Bai, however, was not one to sit idle, his booming voice still reverberating: "I say, everyone, now that this battle is over and we've pacified the Blood Refining World, shouldn't we have a proper celebration?"

Pang Zhen cast a weary glance at him. "Your arm is broken; aren't you in pain? Tend to your wounds first; we can celebrate once we're back in Kyushu!"

Both were body cultivators and the commanders of their respective factions in Bingzhou. They had worked together since the insect plague, and despite any previous grievances, their shared experiences had fostered a degree of mutual respect.

Long Bai chuckled, "My arm is merely broken, not new! But you're right, we can celebrate once we're back in Kyushu."

The victory banquet after the decisive battle against the insect plague hadn't been a complete success, primarily because Lu Ye had, at that time, revealed the astonishing news of the Blood Refining World, leaving everyone in no mood for celebrations. Now that the Blood Refining World's issues were resolved, and everyone had newfound hope for ascending to higher realms, such a joyous and significant occasion truly deserved a proper commemoration.

As he spoke, he found a spot, sat cross-legged, and consumed spiritual pills to aid his recovery.

Almost everyone was engaged in healing and recovery, with the sole exception of Lu Ye. He hadn't sustained any significant injuries during the battle, nor had his energy consumption been particularly high.

It was peculiar that no sacred blood was left behind after the Blood Giant's demise. This differed from Lu Ye's previous encounters with slain Saint Seeds. He suspected that all the sacred blood had been entirely consumed by the Blood Spirit to sustain the Blood Giant's immense form.

For him, it was not a matter of concern.

Sacred blood, besides enhancing his sacred nature, also provided a boost in strength by allowing him to absorb the immense energy contained within during the refining process.

With the Blood Refining World now pacified, Lu Ye no longer needed to enhance his sacred nature. As for the vast energy within sacred blood, if he truly wished to cultivate, relying on the golden spiritual lottery was the safest and quickest method, far more so than refining sacred blood.

He quietly sat cross-legged to the side, effectively guarding the seniors—though they didn't truly require it.

Simultaneously, he was secretly communicating with Xiao Jiu, explaining the Blood Spirit's existence and the fundamental nature of this world's will.

Xiao Jiu suddenly realized, "No wonder I felt there was something peculiar about it. So that's the secret! Well, it's good that it's finally resolved."

"Did you already know the true nature of the Blood Refining World?"

Logically, given that the Blood Refining World was formed from the remnant body of a female being, Xiao Jiu most likely knew this but had simply never mentioned it to him.

Xiao Jiu quickly denied, "I don't know; how could I? My understanding of the Blood Refining World isn't much greater than yours. In Kyushu, I am omniscient because I am the Heavenly Mechanism of Kyushu, but I have no knowledge of matters in other realms."

The issue of the Blood Refining World was largely resolved. Even if some Blood Race members were still hiding or fleeing, they posed no significant threat and would likely be eradicated soon. However, another matter concerned Lu Ye.

"What about the Dragon Rise Realm secret realm? The Blood Race once appeared there, and there was even a Blood Realm!"

"Secret realms like the Dragon Rise Realm and Myriad Beast Domain are all fragments of worlds that I've captured. Although those worlds were destroyed, the events that once occurred and the beings that once existed within them left behind traces. The Dragon Rise Realm, in particular, retained a non-perished world will when I captured it, allowing me to recreate various aspects of a crucial period within that realm. Take the Peerless Continent you visited, for example: if cultivators from Kyushu hadn't intervened at that time, the human race on the Peerless Continent would likely have been wiped out, with only the Corpse Race surviving. Once captured by me, such a place would also become a world secret realm, allowing Cloud River Realm cultivators to enter for training."

"So, there truly is another Blood Realm in existence, and its foundation is very likely another remnant body!"

In an ancient era, a powerful female being was slain in the void. Her torso transformed into the Blood Refining World, but what became of her head and other limbs?

The Blood Realm very likely evolved from another fragment of that female being's remnant body, explaining why it could give rise to the same Blood Race found in the Blood Refining World.

Lu Ye's scalp tingled. "Xiao Jiu, I have a bad feeling."

"What do you mean?"

"The Blood Race's ancestral knowledge mentions that cultivating blood arts to their highest level allows for rebirth from a single drop of blood. I used to dismiss it as preposterous, but now it doesn't seem entirely false. Do you think this deceased female being could still be alive? At the very least, perhaps her head still lives, and could she be roaming the void, searching for her remnant body? Is there some imperceptible connection between her scattered remains and her head?"

Xiao Jiu's voice remained calm: "Are you trying to scare me or yourself?"

"Purely a discussion. Such a scenario isn't impossible. If it truly comes to pass, our Kyushu will be completely exposed."

"Therefore, you must strengthen yourselves. Even if such a situation arises, as long as your human race is powerful enough, you will naturally be able to contend with all manner of dangers from the void."

Lu Ye paused, acknowledging that Xiao Jiu's words held considerable truth.