Immortal Martial Emperor

"Want to die? It won’t be that easy!"

Hong Yu sneered and flicked his hand, sending out a streak of black light.

Immediately...

Xingtian suddenly appeared at his side, five orbs of black light swirling in his palm.

The black light locked onto Demon Blood’s body.

It shot into Demon Blood’s body unimpeded, circled him once, and formed a layer of black light that trapped him like a cage.

A flicker of disbelief danced in Demon Blood’s blood-red eyes.

He found that his Life Force was still draining away rapidly. But his Primordial Spirit, which should have been able to flee his body by now, was also trapped inside.

’To bind the Primordial Spirit is to bind the Soul!’

’Such a technique is simply inconceivable!’

"Impossible! How could you bind my Primordial Spirit?" He had planned to make Blood Wen’s body self-destruct. Even if it didn’t kill Hong Yu, it would have bought his Primordial Spirit a chance to escape.

But now, his Primordial Spirit was trapped. If he self-destructed, he would certainly die along with the body!

The crimson in his eyes faded as Blood Wen took control of the body. "Hong Yu, what did you do to my body?"

The crimson returned, and Demon Blood snarled, "Who in the hell are you?"

Hong Yu stared coldly at Demon Blood. "Do you remember the Southern Ten Nations Alliance from sixteen years ago?"

"What? It’s you?"

Demon Blood trembled, a look of absolute horror on his face.

He seemed lost, muttering to himself, "Sixteen years... Yes, it’s been sixteen years. You... You’re only sixteen this year? It all lines up with that man’s child... So, you’re his son? Hahaha, defeated! Utterly defeated! I, Demon Blood, have lost to both father and son. My defeat is justified... utterly justified..."

"Now that you know who I am, you must understand why I haven’t killed you," Hong Yu said calmly.

Although he had retracted the phantom of the Heaven-Devouring Demon Elephant, in truth, Hong Yu’s Spiritual Power had never left Demon Blood. He was perfectly aware of the demon’s plan to self-destruct in an attempt to take him down with him.

Demon Blood looked earnestly at Hong Yu, then gave a desolate smile. "Sixteen years. To think I, Demon Blood, would eke out a miserable existence sharing a body for sixteen years, only to fall into the hands of your bloodline in the end!"

"Such is time, such is fate. It seems everything really is predestined... Heh, heh, heh heh heh..."

Demon Blood laughed, a miserable, wretched sound.

Hong Yu said nothing, only watched Demon Blood intently.

From his encounter with Demon Owl, he knew that people like Demon Owl and Demon Blood belonged to a powerful and mysterious organization.

They were madmen who saw human life as worthless and would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

’There’s no way he’ll give up this easily.’

Sure enough.

After a moment of despair, Demon Blood’s face twisted into a savage sneer. "Heheheh, no wonder you didn’t kill me! You must want to know what happened all those years ago, don’t you?"

Hong Yu didn’t argue. He simply nodded.

’Back when Tiger Instructor took Yun Mengyao, he didn’t tell me much, as if he had his reservations.’

’Then there was Demon Owl, who was obsessed with capturing me, probably to seize the Profound Celestial Tower. He didn’t reveal any of those old secrets either.’

This concerned his parents and the vengeance for his annihilated clan. Hong Yu wouldn’t allow himself to remain in the dark.

’Wait until I can go to the Desert North Wilderness and ask my father?’

’I can’t wait that long!’

Demon Blood laughed. "You think I’ll tell you?"

"You will."

Hong Yu’s reply was certain.

Demon Blood froze, then let out a scornful sneer. "Heheheh, since you’ve met Demon Owl, you should know what kind of people we are. You think you have what it takes to make me spill those secrets?"

"I do."

Hong Yu remained utterly confident.

Demon Blood looked at Hong Yu with contempt.

After learning Hong Yu’s identity, he paradoxically became less worried for his own safety. "In that case, I’d like to see just what you’re capable of to make me talk!"

"Xingtian, begin."

Hong Yu glanced at Xingtian beside him, adding a reminder, "Just don’t kill him."

"Yes, Big Brother!"

Xingtian nodded, his face a mask of simple honesty.

The Devouring Demon Tree materialized behind him. As its canopy swayed, the Execution Corpse Warrior fruits on its branches grew ever more ripe.

"Huh? What the hell is that thing?" Demon Blood stared, stunned.

Xingtian didn’t deign to answer. His hand shot out, grabbed Demon Blood by the head, and slowly lifted him into the air.

"Heheheh, I don’t know what you’re planning, but there’s no way in hell I’m telling you anything!"

Demon Blood cackled, his eyes filled with malice.

Hong Yu remained silent.

Xingtian was silent as well. The Devouring Demon Tree behind him suddenly trembled, and a strange black lotus emerged from its roots.

The bizarre black lotus emitted a faint, dark aura. The aura flowed out and seeped into Demon Blood’s body through his seven facial orifices.

"Heheheh, this body isn’t mine. You think torturing it will do you any good?"

Demon Blood laughed, feeling utterly secure in his position.

The crimson light in his eyes faded, and Blood Wen was back in control of the body.

Blood Wen’s face was a mask of confusion.

Suddenly...

A wave of pain washed over Blood Wen’s face. His features twisted into a ferocious grimace, and in an instant, his entire body was drenched in sweat. "HISS... Wh-what is this demonic thing? Ahh... It’s agonizing! It feels like millions of ants are crawling all over my Soul! No! It hurts! It hurts so much...!"

The blood-red glow returned to his eyes as Demon Blood seized control of the body once more.

His face was also contorted in pain and rage as he roared, "Impossible! How?! I already gave control back to Blood Wen! How can you still hurt me?"

"Still able to talk? Xingtian, ramp it up a notch."

Hong Yu said coolly, his arms crossed over his chest.

Xingtian grunted in acknowledgment.

The dark aura emanating from the Unjust Death Black Lotus intensified, relentlessly battering the two Souls within the body.

Blood Wen was the first to break. His Soul went silent as he fell into unconsciousness.

This wasn’t a simple loss of consciousness, but the verge of his Soul collapsing.

Hong Yu wasn’t surprised.

’Although Blood Wen is strong, he’s never truly entered the Primordial Spirit Realm. His Soul hasn’t merged with a Primordial Embryo to form a Primordial Spirit. How could he possibly stay conscious while being eroded by the endless power of the Unjust Death Black Lotus?’

’It’s a wonder his Soul didn’t just shatter completely.’

Demon Blood, on the other hand, was receiving the Unjust Death Black Lotus’s "special attention." He felt as if he were tied to a stake and being roasted over a raging fire.

And just as the fire seared his skin and flesh raw, someone threw a handful of salt into his wounds.

The pain was piercing, unforgettable.

No...

It was a pain that pierced the very depths of his Soul, threatening to shatter his consciousness.

"No, no more..."

"Kill me... I’m begging you, just kill me..."

Demon Blood shrieked in agony.

His voice was so wretched it would make any listener grieve and any onlooker weep.

Hong Yu smiled faintly. "Still choosing to be stubborn? Xingtian has many ways to torture a Soul. For example, he has one technique that will make you feel as if your Soul is being deep-fried. He has another where he can tear your Soul apart. Not all at once, of course—he’ll do it piece by piece, so you can watch as your very Soul is shredded before your eyes!"

"You... You’re a demon! A monster..."

Demon Blood roared in agony.

Hong Yu snorted, took an Arrow Step forward, and stomped Demon Blood to the ground. "A demon?" he said coldly. "You chased my parents all the way from the Desert North Wilderness to the Southern Border Profound Domain. You tore my family apart, separating parents and child for over a decade. And you have the gall to call *me* a demon?"

He looked at Xingtian. "Tear off a piece of his Soul!"

"Big Brother, how much?"

Xingtian asked with that same simple-minded look. "If I tear off one percent, that should be the most painful. Ripping it off bit by bit... he’ll be soaring with agony!"

Hong Yu stared at Xingtian, momentarily stunned. "..." ’When did this guy get so clever?’

Demon Blood: "..."

’My heart is bleeding!’

Demon Blood had thought Hong Yu was the demon, but now he realized this simple-looking oaf was the truly ruthless one!

Hong Yu rubbed his nose. "One percent it is, then."

"Got it."

Xingtian rubbed his hands together. The Unjust Death Black Lotus transformed into a black hand and plunged into Demon Blood’s body.

"AAAAAHHH!"

A bloodcurdling scream shot toward the heavens.

Xingtian actually pulled out a shattered Soul Fragment, popped it into his mouth, chewed for a moment, and nodded in satisfaction. "Tastes pretty good!"

The corner of Hong Yu’s eye twitched. "..."

He inwardly gritted his teeth. ’It must have been Little One. That devious little brat must have corrupted Xingtian!’

Demon Blood was in such agony he wished for death. Seeing Xingtian preparing to act again, he cried out, "No, no, stop! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!"

"Xingtian, hold on," Hong Yu said, turning to Demon Blood. "Speak. Who sent you to hunt my parents all those years ago?"

Demon Blood gasped for breath, his gaze fixed on Xingtian and Hong Yu, thick with terror and dread.

To have a piece of his Soul forcibly ripped away and then watch as Xingtian devoured it...

The experience was beyond agonizing.

Demon Blood said, "We are from the Saint Demon Hall. Back then, your mother’s clan possessed a Supreme Treasure. Our Hall Master greatly desired it and went to claim it, but her clan refused. Later, the Hall Master gathered a group of powerful experts from somewhere and attacked your mother’s clan, slaughtering them. However..."

"Your parents escaped during the chaos, taking the Treasure with them."

"The Hall Master ordered the entire Saint Demon Legion to hunt your parents. They eventually used a cross-domain Grand Array to escape to the Southern Border Profound Domain. It took us several years of searching to locate them again."

Demon Blood took a deep breath and continued, "In that battle, more than ten thousand experts from the First Legion of our Saint Demon Legion came to the Southern Ten Nations to besiege your parents. The battle was world-shaking. Even the Hall Master himself made a move. But your father was a peerless figure of his generation. He actually severed one of the Hall Master’s arms and nearly wiped out our entire First Legion. I was one of the lucky few to escape with just a wisp of my Primordial Spirit. I fled to the Ice Kingdom, seized a body, and have been coexisting with this Blood Wen ever since."

"The Saint Demon Hall? Is that a power from the Desert North Wilderness?" Hong Yu asked.

Demon Blood nodded. "The Saint Demon Hall was one of the three great powers in the Desert North Wilderness. No... after your mother’s clan was annihilated, the Saint Demon Hall became the number one power!"

"The Desert North Wilderness... the Saint Demon Hall, is it? Good. I’ll remember that."

Hong Yu took a deep breath, his fists clenched tight. A chilling light glinted in his eyes as he burned the name into his memory. "Demon Owl was cooperating with a Prince from the Ancient Sea Kingdom. You must have had partners over the years as well, right?"

Demon Blood faltered, but at the sight of Xingtian cracking his knuckles, he didn’t dare hesitate. "Yes. The Ancient Sea Kingdom is a branch of the Saint Demon Hall in the Southern Border Profound Domain. I’ve contacted them over the years, but they seem to be plotting something big and just told me to lay low and not make any moves."

"How do you contact the Ancient Sea Kingdom?" Hong Yu asked.

Demon Blood replied, "There’s a Communication Array in the Blood Demon Palace that can be used to contact them."

Hong Yu’s eyes narrowed, his killing intent flaring. "The Blood Demon Palace, you say? I see."

And so.

Hong Yu descended to the ground with the sealed Demon Blood, looked toward Yeban and the others, and said coolly...

"Follow me. We’re leaving the Profound Ice Secret Realm and heading to the Blood Demon Palace!"