The darkness of the Demonic Abyss was like an endless veil, shrouding all light. Only the howling wind remained, accompanied by the broken wails of lost souls. Xie Wunian sat cross-legged upon a jet-black boulder, surrounded by pools of dark red blood that steamed with ghostly mist. The demonic aura radiating from his body melded with the surrounding space, causing the nearby wandering souls to shrink back in fear.
Three days had passed since the awakening of the Demon God's bloodline, and Xie Wunian had begun to sense changes within. Each heartbeat thundered like a war drum. Each breath carried terrifying might. The Heavenly Blood Reincarnation Sutra, a long-lost demonic scripture, was more than just a cultivation method, it was a descent into the deepest abyss of the soul.
His eyes opened. His pupils now glowed crimson, like flames flickering in the darkness. Within his mind, the ancient glyphs of the sutra resurfaced, teaching him to manipulate blood as a weapon, and even control the souls of others. Yet what shocked Xie Wunian the most was the forbidden art, Bloodshadow Reincarnation, a technique allowing him to rebuild his body from blood itself, rendering him nearly immortal as long as his will endured.
"The heavens wish me dead? Then I'll defy fate with my own blood," he whispered, gently touching the pool of blood before him. The blood surged, condensing into a razor-sharp blade that shot through the air, cleaving a boulder ten zhang away. He smirked coldly. "This…is only the beginning."
Suddenly, a raspy laugh echoed from the shadows, breaking the stillness.
"Hahaha! What an interesting brat! To dare cultivate the Heavenly Blood Reincarnation Sutra the moment you fall into the Abyss…Are you not afraid of having your soul shattered?"
Xie Wunian didn't turn his head, but the demonic aura around him exploded like a storm.
"Who's there? Come out, or die where you stand."
From the darkness emerged a scrawny old man, his tattered robes fluttering in the wind. His hair was a tangled mess, yet his eyes gleamed with a strange brilliance, as if they could pierce through one's soul. In his hand was a black wooden staff, carved with ancient symbols and pulsing with sinister energy. He sneered, revealing yellowed teeth.
"Brat, you're only in the Qi Condensation Realm, yet you dare bark at me? I am the Dark Ghost Elder, once a Demonic Lord in my time. The righteous sects sealed me here three hundred years ago. And you…what right do you have to command me?"
Xie Wunian stood, his expression unshaken.
"Demonic Lord? You've rotted away in this abyss for centuries. You're nothing but a dying relic. If you don't want me to drain the last drop of blood from your corpse, then speak. What do you want?"
The elder was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Good! Very good! Arrogant and ruthless, I like it. I don't ask for much…I merely wish to form an alliance. The Demonic Abyss is not a place where survival comes easy, but your bloodline…Hehe, I've spent my entire life searching for it."
Xie Wunian narrowed his eyes. He trusted no one, especially not an ancient monster like this Dark Ghost Elder. Still, he knew: if he wished to escape the Abyss and bring vengeance upon the world, he needed strength. And this old thing… might be a useful pawn.
"An alliance? What do you offer?"
The elder smirked and tossed him a shimmering black pearl.
"This is a Black Demon Pearl, containing the purest demonic essence of the Abyss. It can hasten your cultivation of the Heavenly Blood Reincarnation Sutra tenfold. In exchange, you will help free me from the seal that binds me beneath the Abyss."
Xie Wunian held the pearl, feeling the raging demonic energy within. But instead of answering, he asked,
"What do you know about the Demon God bloodline?"
The old man's smile deepened, shadowed with mystery.
"The Demon God bloodline…It is a power feared even by the heavens. But it is not only power, it is also a curse. Each time you use it, a piece of your humanity will be devoured. Boy, do you truly have the resolve to continue down this path?"
Xie Wunian stared into the old man's eyes.
"Humanity? I lost that the moment I was betrayed. If the heavens wish me to become a demon… then I'll become a demon that shakes the very heavens. And you, Dark Ghost, if you dare deceive me, you'll beg for death."
The elder laughed again, but a flicker of dread passed through his eyes.
"Very well, boy. Let's see how far you can go. But first, you must survive the Blood Sea of the Abyss. It's not just filled with monsters…but those like you, abandoned by the world."
Meanwhile, atop Profound Cloud Peak of the Heavenly Profound Sect, Su Qingyue stood before a newly erected tombstone.
"Here lies Tian Xuanzi, 32nd Sect Master of the Heavenly Profound Sect."
Cold wind stirred her hair. Her eyes were red, but no tears fell.
Lu Tianyang approached, his tone low.
"Qingyue, are you still thinking about Xie Wunian? He fell into the Abyss. No one survives that place. You should let him go."
Su Qingyue clenched her fists.
"He didn't kill Master. You know it too, don't you, Tianyang?"
Lu Tianyang's smile turned cold.
"Whether he did or not no longer matters. The Heavenly Profound Pearl is gone. The sect needed someone to blame. Xie Wunian was perfect. Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment."
Su Qingyue turned away in silence.
In her heart, a painful truth was beginning to surface, one tied to the missing pearl and her master's death. She knew: if Xie Wunian still lived, he would return. And when he did, the entire sect would face the wrath of a true demon.
Back in the Abyss, Xie Wunian walked toward the Blood Sea, a place feared even among demonic cultivators. Behind him, the Dark Ghost Elder muttered,
"Boy, tread carefully. The Blood Sea tests more than strength, it tests the mind. Without a firm Dao Heart, you will be consumed."
Xie Wunian paused, turned his head, and said coldly:
"Dao Heart? I have none. What I have is willpower, and my will…is to crush all who stand before me, including the Heavenly Dao."
He moved forward without hesitation, stepping into the Blood Sea.
Before him stretched an endless ocean of blood, its waves crashing with the screams of countless souls. From the shadows, a figure emerged—a young woman clad in black, her face veiled, eyes glowing like twin crimson gems.
"Who are you, to tread the Blood Sea?" Her voice was icy, tinged with curiosity.
Xie Wunian sensed her aura, strong, no less than his own. He smirked.
"I am Xie Wunian, the one they call demon. And if you don't want to die, move aside."
The woman chuckled softly, like silver bells in the night.
"Demon, is it? How amusing. I am Xuan Ye, known as the Blood Sea Enchantress. If you wish to cross, then defeat me first."
Demonic auras erupted. The Blood Sea roared.
A battle of life and death was about to begin.