Chapter 2166: Zhao Family

The blood-robed man’s body glowed with an intense bloody light, and surging sanguine mist erupted, engulfing his entire form. Over a dozen golden lightning spears pierced through the blood-robed man, and he vanished from sight.

A bloody light shimmered in the void a thousand miles away, and the blood-robed man reappeared. His face was pale, indicating severe depletion of his spiritual power. He had continuously used several secret techniques to escape this thousand-mile distance, but now his spiritual power was nearly exhausted. He flew down to a desolate island, then formed a hand seal. Countless crimson spirit runes lit up on his body, his form blurred, and he gradually vanished.

This was the Blood Shadow Escape Technique, an innate divine ability of the Blood Shadow Clan. Even Soul Transformation cultivators would not find it easy to locate him. Almost immediately after he cast his spell to hide, a deafening thunderclap echoed from high above, and the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast suddenly appeared. The Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast let out a low roar, and countless golden electric arcs erupted from its body. Dense golden thunderballs surged out like a tide, crashing down on the blood-robed man's hiding spot.

A series of massive explosions erupted, creating rolling airwaves and flashing thunder light. The blood-robed man was forced to reappear, his body covered in numerous bloody gashes. Several horrific wounds were clearly visible, with glimpses of white bone beneath.

"Thunder Escape Technique!"

The blood-robed man was utterly shocked. His Blood Escape technique was far inferior to the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast's Thunder Escape. An ordinary fifth-rank demonic beast would never have been able to keep up with him. With a flick of two fingers, the blood-robed man sent a shimmering crimson orb flying directly towards the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast. The Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast's body glowed intensely with lightning. Dozens of golden lightning bolts shot out, striking the crimson orb. With a loud bang, the crimson orb exploded, transforming into a sea of crimson flames that engulfed an area of several miles.

Seizing this opportunity, countless crimson runes lit up on his body, and a layer of crimson flames materialized around him, enveloping his entire form. Just then, a piercing sword cry rang out, and a long azure rainbow descended from the sky, carrying an aura of destruction as it slashed towards the blood-robed man. Terrified, the blood-robed man quickly opened his mouth and spat out a pigeon-egg-sized crimson orb. The orb spun rapidly, emitting a dazzling bloody light that enveloped his entire body. However, the bloody light was as fragile as thin paper and was shattered to pieces by the azure rainbow.

Accompanied by a miserable shriek, the blood-robed man was bisected by the azure rainbow. A miniature Nascent Soul flew out of his body and shot towards the sky. A shimmering azure net materialized out of thin air, enveloping the miniature Nascent Soul. Wang Qingshan flew over from a distance. With a wave of his hand, the azure net flew towards him. A dazzling azure light emerged from his palm, encasing the miniature Nascent Soul. The miniature Nascent Soul let out a shrill scream, its body trembling.

"Blood Shadow Clan, blood sacrifice! Blood Light Continent."

Wang Qingshan frowned. Through soul-searching, he learned that this person was from the Blood Shadow Clan. Most members of the Blood Shadow Clan lived in the Blood Cloud Realm, which, like the Sky Sea Realm, was a lower realm. Both the Blood Cloud Realm and the Sky Sea Realm could establish contact with the Profound Sun Realm, which was the Sky Sea Realm's direct superior realm. The Blood Shadow Clan's invasion of the Sky Sea Realm aimed to plunder cultivation resources from other realms and to perform blood sacrifices on high-level cultivators from other cultivation realms to refine treasures. Unlike the Ice Sea Realm, cultivators in the Blood Cloud Realm could ascend once they reached the mid-Soul Transformation stage. They could also contact their ancestors in the Profound Sun Realm, specifically on the Profound Light Continent.

At this moment, a low roar resonated, and countless golden electric arcs flared within the sea of crimson flames. The blood-flames completely dissipated, as if they had never existed. The Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast was completely unharmed. It had used its Thunder Escape technique to keep close to the Blood Shadow Clan member.

A moment later, Liu Hongfu flew over, piloting a red flying boat. "Senior Wang, please lend us your assistance. Our main sect has been attacked by the Blood Shadow Clan. Sect Master Senior Brother and the others won't be able to hold out much longer. Our Grand Ancestor has already found a way to send people down to this realm." Liu Hongfu's eyes were filled with expectation, and her tone was anxious. True Monarch Taiyang wouldn't be able to send people down to this realm immediately; distant water couldn't quench a nearby fire.

Wang Qingshan nodded and instructed, "Come onto my spirit beast! It will get us there faster." He put away the Azure Lotus Sword and the storage ring from the Blood Shadow Clan member, then flew onto the back of the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast. Since the Grand Ancestor of the Taiyang Sect was in the Profound Sun Realm, Wang Qingshan didn't mind helping the Taiyang Sect and fostering good karma. Liu Hongfu expressed her heartfelt gratitude and, along with her disciples, flew onto the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast's back. With a powerful flap of its wings, the Golden-Horned Thunder-Qilin Beast transformed into a streak of golden light, breaking through the air and vanishing into the horizon.

Northern Sea Cultivation World, Qunyang Island.

Qunyang Island was the stronghold of the Zhao family, one of the foremost cultivation families in the Northern Sea Cultivation World. They boasted numerous experts, and their ancestors had ascended to the Profound Sun Realm. The Zhao family had a legacy spanning ten thousand years, with fifty thousand cultivators in their clan, including twelve Nascent Soul cultivators. Zhao Yangxiang was the head of the Zhao family, possessing late-Nascent Soul cultivation.

A light golden barrier enveloped the entire Qunyang Island, reflecting a dazzling golden light under the sun. A massive crimson cloud hovered high above, with thousands of cultivators standing on it. Among them were twenty Nascent Soul cultivators, led by a provocatively dressed young woman in a crimson skirt. Her eyes were blood-red, and numerous crimson spirit runes adorned her face and arms. She had a high nose, long ears, and an exceptionally tall stature.

"Do you truly believe a fifth-rank formation can stop us?" The young woman in the crimson skirt's expression turned cold. With a light flick of her finger towards Qunyang Island, a crimson rainbow shot forth, instantly striking the golden barrier. With a thunderous boom, Qunyang Island shook violently, and the golden barrier's spiritual light dimmed. Zhao Yangxiang's face tensed. With a Soul Transformation cultivator personally attacking, the clan-protecting formation wouldn't hold for long.

A hint of surprise flickered in the crimson-skirted young woman's beautiful eyes. She shifted her gaze and declared, "We'll give your Zhao family one chance: surrender to us, and we absolutely won't mistreat you. Otherwise, today will be the day your clan is annihilated."

"Our Old Ancestor has already sent people down to this realm. Senior, it would be best for you to leave the Sky Sea Realm." Zhao Yangxiang said, steeling himself, his expression tense.

"Hmph, distant water won't quench a nearby fire. By the time they arrive, your Zhao family will already be gone." The young woman in the crimson skirt's expression hardened. She raised her right hand, and a small crimson seal flew out, instantly expanding to ten thousand feet tall as it hurtled towards Qunyang Island.

Zhao Yangxiang's face turned pale. He quickly channeled spiritual power into the formation disk, but it was destined to be futile. They simply couldn't withstand an attack from a Soul Transformation cultivator wielding a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure. With a colossal crash, the golden barrier shattered, and the crimson seal plummeted towards Zhao Yangxiang. Zhao Yangxiang tried to dodge, but he caught an unbearable stench of blood, making him feel nauseous. His head felt dizzy and heavy, and he couldn't stand steadily.

Just as the massive crimson seal was about to strike him, a flash of red light appeared, and a shimmering red shield materialized out of thin air, instantly expanding to block the crimson seal.

"Annihilate the Zhao family? Have you asked for our permission?" A cold, emotionless male voice echoed from the sky. The moment the words fell, a sky-piercing phoenix cry resounded from high above. A gigantic azure phoenix appeared in the sky, its wings spanning over a hundred zhang—undoubtedly a fifth-rank spirit beast.