Yanhuang Ridge, Northern Domain, Central Continent.
Hundreds of Demon Race members were gathered here, surrounding a massive altar. Blood mist churned within the altar, emitting a thick scent of gore. The Demon Race members twitched their noses; just smelling it made them feel completely refreshed. The potent power of flesh and blood was an absolute tonic for the Demon Race!
...condensed from the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood created by the Human Martial Artists—a supreme tonic.
Batch after batch of humans bound by chains were driven by the Demon Race like livestock into the altar. Their expressions were numb and vacant, as if they had suffered some form of mental torment; their eyes were dull and lifeless. The moment they stepped into the altar, the flesh and blood of their bodies began to dissolve at an extremely fast rate.
It was like ice cubes placed under the scorching sun. Yet, these Human Race members neither cried nor screamed. Apart from instinctive feelings of pain causing slight changes in their expressions, they simply stood quietly within. Finally, they completely melted into a pool of bloody water, leaving behind scattered bones...
Soon, hundreds of people had dissolved into the altar, and the already dense stench of blood grew even more potent. A moment later, the thick, impenetrable blood mist solidified into a single, bright red, crystalline bead of blood, suspended above the altar. Numerous Demon Race members gazed over, unable to hide the look of covetousness in their eyes.
"If this Blood Marrow Bead were mine, my Realm would surely ascend to a higher level!"
"Hmph! The flesh and blood of nearly ten thousand high-level Martial Artists, fused with various Heaven And Earth Treasures, refined personally by Lord Qi Huang... With such great sacrifice, only then can one bead of Blood Marrow be condensed. For you? You dream too sweetly!"
"What a pity. If it weren't for those few shameless thieves who used their positions to steal one, we would have had a chance to sip some soup!"
"Lord Qi Huang has already dispatched a squad to retrieve it. They are just a few thieves at the Heaven Realm Mid-stage, won't they be caught easily?"
"Let's hope that after retrieving the Blood Marrow Bead, Lord Qi Huang will permit us to cultivate around the altar for a while."
As the many Demon Race members chattered, the Blood Marrow Bead floating above the altar shot downwards, flying into the hands of a graceful young man sitting cross-legged on the ground. The youth's face was sinister, a proud smile lingering on the corner of his mouth. He picked up the Blood Marrow Bead with his two long, slender fingers and carefully examined it under the sunlight shining down.
"The quality is a bit lacking. The Realm of these Martial Artists is still not high enough... I must capture more high-Realm Martial Artists next time."
He murmured softly, then immediately tossed the Blood Marrow Bead into his mouth. The many Demon Race members watched this scene, their throats involuntarily bobbing. It was as if they had swallowed a Blood Marrow Bead through the air.
"Lord Qi Huang is already at the third layer of the Void Realm. After swallowing this Blood Marrow Bead, he should be able to break through to the Void Realm Middle Stage in one go!"
"He must succeed! Only then, when Lord Qi Huang is in a good mood, will we have a chance to get a share."
As the Blood Marrow Bead was swallowed, Qi Huang's face visibly flushed crimson. The violent and abundant power of flesh and blood surged through its physique. Qi Huang displayed an expression of enjoyment, forming a strange seal with both hands, circulating a special Demonic Technique to absorb the power of flesh and blood to the maximum extent.
...
Li Xuanxiao and the other three were on their way to Yanhuang Ridge. Yanhuang Ridge was not too far from Yunqi Kingdom. At their speed, it would take at most half an hour to arrive.
While flying, Li Xuanxiao leaned close to Long Hui: "Is the rumor about the Ancient Martial Mystic Court chopping earthworms true?"
Long Hui glanced at Li Xuanxiao: "How could that be! Our Ancient Martial Mystic Court values peace above all else and rarely draws weapons. The Seniors are all very easy to talk to, not so tyrannical! Even if there were, that would only be the actions of a few radicals!"
Li Xuanxiao looked deeply at Long Hui, highly doubting the truth of his words.
"Then this Senior Liang, is he the type of Senior who is very easy to talk to?" Wu Jiangming also asked from the side.
Long Hui nodded: "Senior Liang Jianqiu is a typical conservative. He has a gentle temperament and rarely gets into conflicts with others. In all these years, we've never heard any Demon Race member call him brutal or tyrannical. This trip to Yanhuang Ridge should just be a verbal warning, at most, a case of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys."
Li Xuanxiao nodded silently. A moment later, Li Xuanxiao frowned, his nose twitched, and his eyes narrowed.
Such a dense stench of gore...
He looked over, and what met his eyes was a massive altar. Around the altar were groups of hundreds of Demon Race members!
These Demon Race members possessed deep auras; most of their Realms were at the Heaven Realm Late Stage!
At least on the level of Ang Shan and Lao Bai. For a few Demon Race members near the altar, their Realms were so high that he couldn't even see through them. They were very likely Above Heaven Realm!
Li Xuanxiao clicked his tongue twice. If he faced these Demon Race members alone, he would definitely turn tail and run!
Long Hui and Wu Jiangming also sensed the abnormality here, their faces showing shock. The Imperial Court Envoy, Liang Jianqiu, had a solemn expression. His eyesight was astonishing, and his experience was vast. He could tell the purpose of the altar at a glance and understood what the stench of gore signified.
Qi Huang was the first to sense the arrival of the four. It turned its head to look at Li Xuanxiao and the others, its brow furrowing slightly. As the Blood Marrow Bead was completely absorbed, its Realm advanced accordingly, having leaped across to the fourth layer of the Void Realm!
However, even so, it still could not see through the Realm of that burly Human Race member!
The other Human Martial Artists were clearly still driven by True Essence when flying. But the Realm of that burly Human Race member showed no signs of True Essence surging around him; he was clearly Above Heaven Realm. The current question was only: why exactly did this group of uninvited guests come?
As Li Xuanxiao and the others approached, the numerous Demon Race members also noticed the group of four. They all turned their heads to look, revealing faint hostility. A living Human Martial Artist was not a good Human Martial Artist. Some well-informed Demon Race members were momentarily dazed and confused. The robes worn by these few Human Race members seemed familiar, but they couldn't recall where they had seen them for a moment.
Qi Huang slowly stood up, watching the group descend to the ground. "Esteemed guests, why such a grand mobilization to come to my Yanhuang Ridge?"
Liang Jianqiu glanced sideways at Li Xuanxiao. Li Xuanxiao immediately understood and recounted the series of events that had transpired with Yu Chou and the other Demon Race members earlier.
Qi Huang listened silently, its eyes lighting up: "So, that Storage Ring is currently in your hands?"
Li Xuanxiao:?????
Little brother, your focus is incredibly peculiar!
At a time like this, the first thing you think of is a Storage Ring?
Long Hui snorted coldly. This Demon Race creature was truly ignorant and fearless!
If it knew Senior Liang's identity, it would probably be scared into soiling itself everywhere.
Above the Heaven Realm is the Void Realm!
Above the Void Realm is the Supreme Realm!
And the requirement to become an Imperial Court Envoy is the Supreme Realm!
In other words, Liang Jianqiu was a true Supreme Realm Martial Artist who had surpassed the Void Realm!
A Realm like that made him an absolute powerhouse in the entire Upper Kingdom!
To dare to be so presumptuous in the face of such a figure...
I think you are courting death!
After Li Xuanxiao finished speaking, Liang Jianqiu stepped forward one pace: "Now do you know why we have come?"
Qi Huang nodded: "You've come to apologize, is that right? Easy to say, easy to say. First, hand over the Storage Ring to me."
Li Xuanxiao, Long Hui, and Wu Jiangming gaped: Ah?????