Chapter 717: Heavenly Visitor from Beyond the Sky

The entire area was silent, with only the howling wind breaking the stillness.

Suddenly, a piercing shout shattered the calm.

“Welcome, my Lord!”

It was Xing Mo, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Rift Sect, who shouted, then knelt with a thud, prostrating himself devoutly.

He was old and cunning, and having followed Tian Sheng for many years, he naturally knew more than others, even if he wasn't privy to Tian Sheng's exact plans. Considering what the blood-skinned man had said to Tian Sheng just moments before, how could he not have guessed? Though he found it hard to believe, this was unfolding right before his very eyes.

This blood-skinned man... was a visitor from beyond the heavens!

And he had been brought here by Tian Sheng, using the Blood River Grand Array.

Years ago, Tian Sheng had delved into the secrets of the Heavenly Rift, acquiring a supposedly heaven-bestowed method, which he then used to establish the Blood River Grand Array in this very place, sacrificing an entire continent's living beings. Now it was clear that this was no heaven-bestowed method; instead, the blood-skinned man had communicated with Tian Sheng across a heavenly rift, and had even taught him the Blood River Grand Array.

So this was the path Tian Sheng had discovered. Although it differed from what he had anticipated, a path forward was still a path forward. For cultivators like them, their cultivation had reached its limit, but the appearance of the blood-skinned man had revealed a road beyond that limit.

So Xing Mo knelt without hesitation.

With Tian Sheng setting the precedent, the Grand Elder naturally felt no compunction about kneeling. He even pulled Cheng Henfeng, who was standing next to him, down with him.

Cheng Henfeng, a dignified sword cultivator, had only ever knelt before his parents and master in his entire life; he had never even bowed to Tian Sheng. How could he willingly kneel before a man of unknown origin and identity? Yet, his injuries were severe, and with Xing Mo's pull, he involuntarily fell to his knees.

“Welcome, my Lord!” The surviving cultivators of the Heavenly Rift Sect all knelt and shouted, creating a stark contrast to the bewildered Allied cultivators who remained standing.

The blood-skinned man's gaze swept over them, his expression impassive. He showed no joy at the Heavenly Rift Sect cultivators' submission, nor annoyance at the Allied cultivators' defiance. Such circumstances were inevitable when one world invaded another, and he... had witnessed similar scenes countless times.

He spoke calmly: “I am Xue Xiao of the Blood Clan, from the Blood Realm. Submit to me, or... die!”

That simple statement instilled immense panic and pressure in all the Allied cultivators. While some had already speculated that this individual was an outsider, conjecture was one thing; having him confirm it personally was another entirely.

No one had ever heard of the Blood Clan or the Blood Realm. Yet, their meticulous efforts to arrive in the Dragon Ascendant Realm clearly weren't for sightseeing. Upon their arrival, they presented the Dragon Ascendant Realm cultivators with only two choices, leaving no room for negotiation. Their intentions were clearly hostile.

Confronted with such a sudden choice, no cultivator could make a rash decision.

“Amitabha, Amitabha,” Monk Guang Jing said, stepping forward. His gaze, like a burning torch, fixed on Xue Xiao. “May I ask, Benefactor, why does the Blood Realm seek to invade our Dragon Ascendant Realm?”

Xue Xiao turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Guang Jing. “It’s merely the law of the jungle,” he said calmly.

A simple, yet irrefutable, truth.

“If we submit, what would be required of us?” Yuan Changcun pressed, following up immediately.

“You would bear a blood seal, becoming a blood slave to my Blood Clan,” Xue Xiao replied. “In return, you would gain immortality!”

Kui Yuanshan also stepped forward. “May I ask, friend, what is your cultivation level?”

Xue Xiao's lips curved into a sneer. “You may try!”

“Precisely my intention!” As Kui Yuanshan finished speaking, he extended a finger. A spiritual energy disk instantly materialized before him, its surface intricately woven with complex and profound patterns. A ferocious dragon's head emerged from the spiritual energy disk, followed by its massive body, shaking its head and tail as it lunged towards Xue Xiao.

Though seemingly a casual strike, Kui Yuanshan had channeled his full power into it. In response, Xue Xiao merely threw a punch. A torrent of crimson light erupted, engulfing the incoming spectral dragon. Spiritual energy surged violently, and a thunderous roar filled the air.

Xue Xiao's body shuddered slightly, and the spectral dragon dissipated.

“Cloud River Peak!” The eyes of many Allied cultivators brightened.

Having witnessed Tian Sheng’s earlier display of might, everyone was extremely wary of Xue Xiao. Yet, it now appeared that Tian Sheng’s impressive power was derived from the Blood River Grand Array, not his inherent strength, and was completely unrelated to Xue Xiao. When Xue Xiao made his move, his full power was laid bare. While undeniably strong, it did not surpass the limits of the Cloud River Realm. His tyrannical offer of two choices now seemed to be merely a superficial display of might.

Guang Jing clasped his hands together before his chest, a compassionate expression on his face. “Benefactor,” he said, “our Dragon Ascendant Realm has no desire to be your Blood Realm’s enemy. Please, return whence you came!”

Although they knew the Blood Clan was not benevolent, the sudden changes were too significant. Rashly engaging in conflict before understanding the Blood Clan’s true nature was not a wise strategy. The best outcome now would be to drive Xue Xiao back. As for whether he could return... if he could come here, he could certainly return.

“It seems this is your choice,” Xue Xiao said calmly. “Since that's the case...”

He raised a hand and gently waved it down. “Kill!”

Below the Heavenly Rift, from the boundless sea of blood, figures surged forth with a roar. All were members of the Blood Clan, with crimson skin and pointed ears. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of them appeared, and countless more continued to churn within the blood sea.

The Allied cultivators’ expressions drastically changed, and they moved to defend themselves.

In an instant, the great battle began!

This battle was vastly different in intensity from the Allied forces' previous siege of the Heavenly Rift Sect. The attacking Blood Clan members were noticeably stronger than the Heavenly Rift Sect cultivators, and their secret techniques were insidious. Facing such enemies for the first time, the Dragon Ascendant cultivators suffered heavy casualties in a short period.

The defeated remnants of the Heavenly Rift Sect, however, were overjoyed. They had been certain of their demise, but who could have foreseen such a dramatic turn of events? Now, under Tian Sheng’s leadership, they were collaborating with the Blood Clan to counterattack the Allied cultivators. For a time, life force continuously drained from the battlefield, and the Allied cultivators steadily retreated.

In the Medicine Valley, within the thatched cottage, Lu Ye frowned, gazing at Ye Liuli lying on the bed. Almost simultaneous with the anomaly at the Heavenly Rift, Ye Liuli suddenly screamed and fainted. Since arriving in the Medicine Valley, Ye Liuli’s chronic ailment had not recurred, thanks to the Little Medical Immortal’s treatment. Yet, to their surprise, it had inexplicably relapsed today.

Furthermore, the circumstances this time were unlike any previous occurrence. At this moment, the clothes on Ye Liuli's back had been cut open. The centipede-like birthmark on her back appeared to have grown larger, and beside it, an intense crimson light surged, casting a deep red glow across her pale back. At first glance, it looked as if the birthmark itself had been torn by some inexplicable force.

Yiyi paced anxiously nearby, unable to help, and could only pray that the Little Medical Immortal's methods would prove effective.

“Please step outside for a moment,” the Little Medical Immortal instructed, gently laying Ye Liuli back down.

Lu Ye and Yiyi complied, exiting the thatched cottage.

Outside the thatched cottage, Huang Liang stared blankly into the distance, as if his soul had departed. For the past few days, Huang Liang had been recuperating in the Medicine Valley. He was in regular contact with members of the Imperial Heaven Sect, keeping him informed of the Allied forces’ movements. News had already reached them that Tian Sheng had single-handedly confronted three top powerhouses beneath the Heavenly Rift, and Huang Liang found it almost unbelievable. The current anomaly, however, left him utterly bewildered.

“Lu Ye...” Yiyi called out, following Huang Liang’s gaze into the distance.

Lu Ye’s eyes narrowed. He looked up and saw that at the distant horizon, beneath the Heavenly Rift spanning the sky, crimson light surged and churned. It was as if an apocalyptic disaster was descending, causing unease even from thousands of miles away. What shocked him was how the current situation at the Heavenly Rift perfectly aligned with the reaction of Ye Liuli’s birthmark. The centipede-shaped birthmark already bore a striking resemblance to the Heavenly Rift. This new alignment led Lu Ye to form several conjectures.

Perhaps the events at the Heavenly Rift could be perfectly reflected in Ye Liuli?

But why was this happening? Ye Liuli was merely the Seventh Young Miss of Overlord Saber Villa; what connection could she possibly have to this Heavenly Rift? If this were true, then Ye Liuli’s sudden illness today would have an explanation: the anomaly at the Heavenly Rift was reflecting upon her, causing her old ailment to relapse.

Therefore, to cure Ye Liuli’s chronic condition, would one need to resolve the Heavenly Rift itself?

“Senior, what happened at the Heavenly Rift?” Lu Ye asked.

While Medicine Valley wasn't completely isolated, it lacked channels to receive outside news. Huang Liang was different; as the Sect Master of the Imperial Heaven Sect, nothing that happened outside escaped his notice. He had kept Lu Ye and the others informed of the Allied forces' movements over the past few days. Ye Liuli and Yiyi, the two young girls, were still rejoicing at the impending eradication of a cancerous growth like the Heavenly Rift Sect.

“How could this be... how could this be...” Huang Liang murmured softly, as if he hadn't heard the question. For a person of his stature to be so utterly distraught, something truly unexpected must have occurred at the Heavenly Rift.

And it was an unimaginably significant event!

“Hahaha!” Huang Liang suddenly erupted into hysterical laughter, stumbling as he did. “The Blood Clan? The Blood Realm? Impossible! How could such an unrestrained phenomenon exist!”

“Senior...” Yiyi looked at Huang Liang with concern.

Lu Ye frowned beside him, unable to grasp what Huang Liang was saying about a 'Blood Clan' and 'Blood Realm'.

After a long while, Huang Liang’s emotions slowly stabilized. He stiffly turned his head to Lu Ye. “Young friend,” he asked, “do you believe there are visitors from beyond this world?”

Lu Ye mused that, strictly speaking, both he and Yiyi could be considered visitors from beyond this world.

“The Dragon Throne,” Lu Ye replied calmly.

Huang Liang paused, then a look of realization dawned on his face. He nodded. “Indeed,” he said, “legend has it that the Dragon Throne is not native to the Dragon Ascendant Realm. If it’s not from here, it must be from beyond. Where there are foreign objects, there are foreign visitors. I, Huang, have been narrow-minded.”

He roughly wiped his face, then said hoarsely, “Tian Sheng, the leader of the Heavenly Rift Sect, set up the Blood River Grand Array, stretching for dozens of miles, not for any other reason than to summon a group of visitors from beyond this world!”