Now it all depended on whether Rahu had a way to steal the Ancestral Vein. If it could be done, then they would act. If not, they would have to think carefully—this was no child's game. Once Yongye was alarmed and a host of their powerhouses arrived, not only would stealing the vein be impossible, even retreating with their lives would become a luxury.
Rahu's origins were extraordinary, his depths unfathomable.The means he possessed exceeded imagination, formidable beyond compare.
"To seize an Ancestral Vein is not difficult. The hard part is avoiding the Blood Demon Clan's powerhouses. As long as they are here, no one can think of taking the vein. A Blood Demon god of Hunyuan realm guards the depths of the vein year-round. No matter what happens outside, he will never leave. Where there is an Ancestral Vein, there is the foundation of their clan. The Blood Demons understand this better than anyone."
A trace of difficulty crossed Rahu's face.
Ancestral Veins were the bedrock of any great force, priceless treasures. A single vein could support the birth of a supreme Immortal Court. Wherever it was, it was hard currency, more sought-after than even Primordial Violet Qi.
There was a way to seize it, of course—by sheer strength, storming into the Land of Blood, massacring every Blood Demon powerhouse, and taking the vein by force. Yet now, to conquer the Land of Blood and wipe out its defenders was clearly an immense challenge. Even with Rahu's top-tier combat power, he dared not make such claims. Within this place alone, he could already sense no fewer than two powerhouses on his level.
There were even stronger presences above them—threats fatal enough to make his instincts roar in warning.
This was precisely why Rahu had sought out Chi You and why Yi Tianxing had called upon the Human Ancestral Court. If the decision was made, they could rally more experts. Whether for the vein or the extermination of a Blood Demon branch, the temptation was irresistible.
"Daoist Rahu, if I have a way to make all the Blood Demon Clan cultivators of the Land of Blood fall into slumber, could you take the Ancestral Vein?"
A strange light flashed in Yi Tianxing's eyes as he spoke.
"What?"
Rahu's face showed surprise. This was no ordinary group—there were Hunyuan realm demon gods here, even top-tier beings beyond that level. Yet Yi Tianxing dared to claim he had a way to make them all fall asleep.
Clearly, this was another hidden card.
Coming from Yi Tianxing's mouth, it was nine parts believable.
"If that's true, then I could indeed forcefully seize the Demonic Blood Ancestral Vein. However, once the vein is taken, even those in deep sleep will awaken in an instant. We must prepare an escape route in advance. The moment it is seized, we must flee without hesitation. All preparations must be made beforehand."
Rahu's eyes gleamed, a trace of excitement flashing through them.
As the Demon Ancestor, he was naturally drawn to thrilling endeavors like this.
Moreover, seizing an Ancestral Vein required auxiliary methods. Otherwise, even for him, it would not be easy. The vein was in no way inferior to a Hunyuan Saint.
"Good. Then let's attempt it. How we divide the vein can be decided once we succeed."
Yi Tianxing's gaze burned hot as he spoke quickly.
"Very well. I'll prepare. Seizing a vein is no simple task. I must set up a traction formation, place the Dragon-Summoning Banner, and erect Dragon-Suppressing Pillars. Only then can it be bound without escape. If anything is missing, unforeseen changes will arise. Fortunately, I've long made these preparations. I only need to set them down."
Decision made, there was no hesitation.
Soon, within a hidden valley of the Land of Blood, Rahu swiftly arranged an altar, setting up a Dragon-Suppressing Pillar and a Dragon-Summoning Banner upon it. Mysterious runes flickered, blending with the natural world, their aura completely concealed. Yet once activated, they could unleash unimaginable power.
"Now it's up to you, Immortal Emperor Yi."
Rahu turned toward Yi Tianxing with a smile after completing the setup.
"Don't worry. I have some confidence in this. But man proposes, Heaven disposes. Whether it succeeds depends on fate."
Yi Tianxing smiled calmly.
Light flashed in his hand, and suddenly, a jade-white, flawless vase appeared.
"Innate treasure!"
Rahu's pupils contracted, his face turning solemn.
From the vase emanated an aura unmistakably belonging to an innate treasure—and not just any ordinary one. For Yi Tianxing to produce it now showed how deep his hidden cards ran. One after another, he revealed them, inspiring awe.
Innate treasures were no common vegetables.
"This is the Heavenly Fragrance Treasure Vase."
Yi Tianxing spoke: "Within it, unique incense can be nurtured. At the Yellow Rank, it produces the Ten-Fragrance Soft Tendon Powder—anyone beneath Fate Map realm who smells it will go weak and powerless. At the Profound Rank, it produces the Hundred-Fragrance Soft Bone Powder—anyone beneath Yang God realm who breathes it will find their bones turned to mush. At the Earth Rank, it can produce the Thousand-Fragrance Soul-Enthralling Powder—capable of putting even Hunyuan realm beings into slumber, their bodies soft and powerless. At the Heavenly Rank, when it becomes an innate treasure, it produces the Heavenly Fragrance Ascension Powder, absolutely effective even on Hunyuan experts. Even powerhouses beyond Hunyuan cannot escape—it lulls them into sleep, wrapped in the sensation of transcendence and ascension, unable to extricate themselves."
"Most importantly, this fragrance is silent and unseen. By the time it takes effect, they are already asleep. When they awaken, they will not notice anything amiss, only feel they happened to sleep. Of course, afterwards, those at Hunyuan level will eventually realize—but by then, what we came for will be done. Why fear being discovered?"
The point was not to hide it forever, but to buy enough time.
"I didn't expect you to have such a treasure. Once elevated to innate rank, it can play a decisive role at a critical moment."
Rahu couldn't help but feel a trace of wariness.
Unprepared, even he would likely fall to the Heavenly Fragrance Treasure Vase—nine chances out of ten.
It was not poison, yet more dreadful than any poison.
Poison could be defended against. This incense, not being poison, raised no defenses. Without even realizing it, one would succumb.
If used against the enemy, Rahou could only think one thing:
Well done!
"Now we'll see whether it works on the Blood Demon Clan."
Yi Tianxing nodded slightly, though without blind optimism. Until the results came, anything was possible.
With a thought, faint threads of strange fragrance drifted from the Heavenly Fragrance Treasure Vase. Untraceable to the nose, they spread silently outward. Under Yi Tianxing's guidance, a gentle breeze arose, carrying the incense across the entire Land of Blood.
Its speed of diffusion was astounding.
In but a moment, it covered most of the region. Not only the surface, but even deep underground was permeated.
The Heavenly Fragrance Ascension Powder's penetrating power was immense. Whether above or below, it spread everywhere, merging into the omnipresent vital energy of heaven and earth, saturating every inch of space.
Unnoticed, the entire Land of Blood was enveloped.
The fragrance did not immediately take effect. Instead, it seeped quietly into every Blood Demon cultivator, entering with their breath, their intake of vital energy, their every motion. It melted into their blood and flesh.
Through all this, not one sensed anything amiss.
Even the Hunyuan-level Blood Demon powerhouses within the Ancestral Vein itself felt nothing unusual.
Everything seemed normal.
An hour passed.
Two hours.
Three hours.
To Yi Tianxing and Rahu, such time was but a blink, nothing to test their patience. Fine wine required time to brew.
"It begins."
Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed as he spoke softly.
At that moment, within one of the Blood Demon Towers, a scene unfolded. Inside, blood pools filled the floors, where Blood Demon powerhouses bathed, absorbing blood to refine themselves.
Silence reigned.
The tower had nine levels, each with its own blood pools. The higher the floor, the purer the essence. Cultivation was swift, progress remarkable.
Then, all at once, cultivators across the tower felt something indescribable—an otherworldly sensation, as if ascending to immortality, their minds intoxicated, their bodies weightless.
Entranced, they surrendered utterly, unable to muster a single thought of resistance.
It was too blissful, too intoxicating.
And then… there was no then.
One after another, they slipped into sleep within the pools, smiling faintly, utterly relaxed.
Not a ripple of alarm.
An entire Blood Demon Tower fell into dream. Even Dao-Proving realm experts succumbed without realizing.
One tower.
Two towers.…
In the blink of an eye, the entire Land of Blood sank into eerie silence. Even the Blood Demon generals standing guard outside remained on their feet, yet were sound asleep—faces calm, as if nothing at all were wrong.