Immortal Martial Emperor

Blood Wen slowly opened his eyes, his face as calm as ever.

He stuck out his scarlet tongue to lick the corners of his lips. A heart-stopping chill emanated from him as his eyes, glinting with an inexplicable cold light, locked onto Hong Yu.

Under that intense gaze, even with his greatly increased strength, Hong Yu felt a chill shoot up from his heels and spread through his entire body.

Hong Yu took a deep breath, tilted his head slightly, and met his gaze.

In that instant, the clamorous battlefield fell silent.

Even Xingtian, who had been feasting on the experts of the Blood Demon Palace and devouring their Souls, sensed the change. He stopped and drifted lightly to Hong Yu’s side.

The two stood side by side.

Blood Wen’s eyes swept over Hong Yu, then Xingtian, a playful look on his face. "The strength of you two is truly beyond my expectations. I originally came here to visit the Profound Ice Valley and comprehend a Secret Technique. I was planning to let Liang Hunran and the others kill you, then refine your Soul with the glorious flames of Hellfire to avenge my little apprentice, Blood Cyan Robe."

"But now, it seems..."

Blood Wen glanced at the corpse-strewn battlefield. His gaze swept over the bodies of the four Primordial Embryo Realm Powerhouses, and a flicker of irritation crossed his face.

His chilling gaze fixed on Liang Hunran.

Liang Hunran shuddered, seeming to realize something. He quickly pleaded, "Palace Master, please forgive this subordinate!"

"Grand Elder, you have truly disappointed me!"

Blood Wen sighed theatrically.

A panicked look appeared on Liang Hunran’s face. He begged, "Palace Master, I implore you! For all the years this subordinate has served the Blood Demon Palace faithfully, please spare me this one time!"

"Faithfully?"

Blood Wen sneered. "Did you really think I didn’t know? All these years, you may have collected a great deal of the Power of Resentment for me, but did you truly believe I was unaware of the benefits you skimmed off for yourself? Heh heh... I was originally planning to make my move on you when your Celestial Blood Demon Scripture broke through to the Fifth Layer. But now, it seems you’ve outlived your usefulness!"

"What? Palace Master, you..."

Liang Hunran trembled violently.

Only at this moment did he finally understand why Blood Wen had turned a blind eye to his actions all these years.

He had even been willing to take a loss in his dealings with the Royal Family just to protect him.

’So that’s how it is...’

’Just as I treated Qi Feng and Qi Tian as cultivation cauldrons, planning to devour them to advance my own Celestial Blood Demon Scripture cultivation...’

’In Blood Wen’s plan, I was nothing more than a cauldron myself!’

"Palace Master, I beg you..."

Liang Hunran didn’t get to finish.

Blood Wen abruptly dissolved into a bloody mist and vanished from his spot.

When he reappeared, he was already at Liang Hunran’s side, his pale hand gripping Liang Hunran’s neck.

Liang Hunran tried to resist, but he found that the Celestial Blood Demon Scripture within him was being suppressed by an unseen force, leaving him completely unable to move.

Blood Wen grinned ferociously. "Don’t waste your energy. I was the one who taught you the Celestial Blood Demon Scripture. How could you possibly resist me?"

As he spoke, two ghastly white Tusks suddenly grew from his open mouth.

The Tusks, which had been of normal size, were now as long as a baby’s finger.

"N-No..."

Liang Hunran roared in terror.

But Blood Wen lunged forward. His two sharp Tusks pierced through Liang Hunran’s neck, slitting his artery. Blood was continuously devoured through the Tusks.

Along with his blood, the Power from Liang Hunran’s century of cultivating the Celestial Blood Demon Scripture was also being consumed.

Liang Hunran’s body grew more and more emaciated, his eyes bulging with intense unwillingness and resentment.

But it was too late for any regrets.

POP!

When Blood Wen had sucked the last drop of his blood, his body disintegrated into dust in his palm, scattering into the air.

"Haaaah!"

Blood Wen let out a long, satisfied sigh.

Smacking his lips, he then said with some regret, "The blood of someone who has cultivated the Celestial Blood Demon Scripture for a hundred years is indeed delicious. It’s just a pity that ninety-nine percent of the Power of Resentment within it was already devoured by someone else. My cultivation, which should have broken through to the Primordial Spirit Realm, didn’t increase by much."

As he spoke, Blood Wen looked at Hong Yu.

A greedy light danced in his eyes. "However, if I can devour you, little fellow, that should be more than enough to let me break through to the Primordial Spirit Realm, don’t you think?"

Hong Yu: "..."

Meng Chenggong: "..."

The other experts: "..."

Everyone stared at Blood Wen with intense apprehension.

Meng Chenggong frowned. ’This Blood Wen is so ruthless. Liang Hunran was a prominent figure, yet he was devoured so easily. And... it seems Blood Wen has been suppressing his cultivation this whole time? The feeling he gives me now is that he’s just one step away from the Primordial Spirit Realm. Hong Yu is in deep trouble!’

After his musings, Blood Wen looked at Hong Yu. "Little fellow, Grand General Meng just had a ten-move agreement with you, didn’t he?"

"How about this? I won’t bully you. I only need three moves!"

Blood Wen’s voice was calm, yet filled with an innate arrogance and confidence. "If I can’t finish you within three moves, I and the Blood Demon Palace will no longer trouble you. How about it?"

"Three moves?"

Hong Yu’s eyes twitched.

The Body Technique Blood Wen had used to disappear just now was extremely strange, like an Electric Flash, leaving no trace to follow.

Add to that the fact that Liang Hunran was utterly powerless in his grasp.

And now, his confident declaration that he would kill him in three moves.

All of this made Hong Yu feel the immense pressure of Blood Wen’s powerful self-assurance.

’No matter what, this battle is unavoidable!’

Hong Yu took a deep breath, his sharp brows furrowing slightly. He said in a low voice, "Fine. I’ll fight you!"

"Hahaha, good! As expected of a genius—"

Blood Wen’s laughter cut off abruptly.

Hong Yu’s heart leaped as a warning bell blared in his mind.

The next moment...

He saw an inexplicable smile—a fusion of coldness and mockery—form on Blood Wen’s lips as his figure abruptly dissolved into a scattering mist of blood.

’Not good!’

Hong Yu focused his senses on his surroundings.

Suddenly!

’Over here!’

He spun around violently, his arm, augmented by cyan Dragon Scales, punching out.

"Oh?"

A soft sound of surprise came from the empty air.

Hong Yu’s fist, a blow that could shatter a mountain peak, had been caught and held fast.

Glancing to the side, he saw it was Blood Wen, his five fingers spread wide, gripping his fist tightly.

"Hss!"

Hong Yu tried to pull his fist back but found Blood Wen’s fingers were like cast iron, impossible to break free from.

A cold glint shone in his eyes.

Hong Yu took a deep breath as their eyes met.

Blood Wen grinned. "Little fellow, your Perception is quite sharp! A pity your strength is still too weak!"

Gripping Hong Yu with his left hand, he slowly drew back his right, coiling his arm into a fist, and smashed it toward Hong Yu’s face. "This is the first move!"

WHOOSH!

The fist whistled through the air. At such a close distance, even Hong Yu couldn’t use Electric Flash to evade it.

A fierce light danced in Hong Yu’s eyes.

Hong Yu took a deep breath. "Break!"

The moment the word left his lips...

As cyan light flowed over Hong Yu’s arm, silver blades also shot out with a "SWISH! SWISH!" and the sonic boom of air being sliced apart.

Translucent and bright, sharp claws like a Death God Scythe suddenly sprang forth.

It was the Heaven-Ripping Claw!

’What the hell is this thing?’

Blood Wen was suddenly startled.

The sharpness of the Heaven-Ripping Claw sent a tremor of fear through his heart. He hastily released his grip and retreated explosively.

Even so...

The sharp edge of the Heaven-Ripping Claw, as it shot out, still managed to slice off a piece of flesh from his palm, leaving it dripping with blood.

Blood Wen stood in the air some distance away, staring at his own hand in astonishment.

Blood flowed from the wound.

He looked at Hong Yu in disbelief. "You actually hurt me? You were actually able to hurt me? You made me bleed?"

His voice grew louder and louder, until he was roaring almost hysterically.

"Hahahaha! How many years has it been? Since becoming the Palace Master of the Blood Demon Palace, I have never once been injured! And you... you actually injured me?"

Blood Wen laughed with wild abandon. "Good, good, very good. As thanks for making me bleed again, I’ve decided I won’t kill you directly. I’m going to bind your cultivation, fix you over a furnace, and boil your body bit by bit, draining you of all your blood..."

As his voice fell, Blood Wen charged forward.

He thrust his arm out.

A surge of bloody light erupted from his shoulder and spread down his arm.

As this bloody light spread, Blood Wen’s arm gradually swelled, undergoing a bizarre transformation.

It had completely turned into a blood-colored hand.

Or rather...

It was a demonic claw. Within the sinister, flowing blood-light covering it, terrifying skulls materialized—baring their fangs, brandishing their claws, and snarling at Hong Yu.

"Is that the Ghost-faced Yama Fist?"

Watching from the side, Meng Chenggong’s eye twitched as he cried out in horror.

The Ghost-faced Yama Fist!

A Celestial-Level High-Grade Martial Skill, a powerful technique that only the Palace Master of the Blood Demon Palace could cultivate. It was said that mastering this Martial Skill required hunting down and killing one hundred butchers who were steeped in resentment.

Their Souls would then be absorbed and fused into one’s arm.

A single punch could increase its power by several levels. It was Blood Wen’s signature Absolute Skill.

Meng Chenggong himself had once dueled with Blood Wen and was defeated by this very Ghost-faced Yama Fist.

He couldn’t help but look at Hong Yu with worry. ’Hong Yu, oh, Hong Yu, don’t be a fool and clash with him head-on again. The Ghost-faced Yama Fist isn’t something you can block. Finding a way to evade it is your only choice! If you try to resist, I’m afraid your life will end here!’

Beside him, one of Meng Chenggong’s Deputy Generals said, "Grand General, if Blood Wen is this powerful, isn’t Hong Yu doomed?"

"Unless he can dodge it, he’s as good as dead!" another Deputy General chimed in before Meng Chenggong could speak.

There were also those who still bore a grudge against Hong Yu. "That kid killed the three Shi brothers. He deserves to die!"

"Still, it’s a shame to lose such a genius!"

"So what if he’s a genius? The world is never short of astonishingly brilliant talents. If you can’t make it to the end, even the greatest genius is worth less than a cautious, steady rookie!"

Meng Chenggong remained expressionless, not saying a word.

At the same time...

Blood Wen’s Ghost-faced Yama Fist arrived before Hong Yu.

Facing an attack that had even left Meng Chenggong helpless, Hong Yu simply let out a soft breath.

’Finally... he’s making his move...’