Chapter 128: Flesh and Blood, Ominous

"Roar!"

Xu Zhong had just stepped out of the territory of the Ink Sea Demon Cavern when he encountered a demon tiger. It opened its maw and let out a terrifying sonic blast.

Clouds follow the dragon, and wind follows the tiger. With a single roar, the demon tiger instantly stirred the winds and clouds. The phantom behind it rose high, howling toward the heavens and swallowing the mist, its jaws opening wide as if to devour Xu Zhong as well.

"Ancestral bloodline tracing?" Xu Zhong was taken aback by the massive phantom. This demon tiger’s bloodline had evolved to the point where it could trace its origin. The phantom was the source of its lineage, and judging by its form and spirit, it appeared to be a White Tiger.

The cultivation methods of demons were similar to those of human Qi practitioners, but they were not restricted by innate aptitude; they were bound only by the shackles of their bloodline. By breaking those shackles and tracing their lineage, they could continuously enhance their aptitude and accelerate their cultivation.

Before the demon tiger could finish its roar, a flash of white light streaked by, and its massive head rolled to the ground. Xu Zhong had steered his Cloud-Swallowing Sword to slay it.

"A demon Qi practitioner at the Shouyi Realm, yet capable of tracing such a bloodline." Xu Zhong walked over to the carcass, sliced open its ribs, and observed the bone age. The demon tiger had lived for quite some time. An ordinary demon would have no way to cleanse its bloodline back to its source.

Xu Zhong held a rib and looked up at the sky. Beyond the Ink Sea Demon Cavern, the sunlight was exceptionally abundant. Yet, this was not the sun of Mingzhao, but the sun of Sleeping Dragon Valley—the residual vitality left behind after the fall of Xifeng Lie.

He retracted his gaze and continued forward.

*Hiss—hiss—*

Hissing sounds reached his ears. Xu Zhong gripped the Cloud-Swallowing Sword and turned to look. A giant python was coiled tightly around a towering tree, its forked tongue flickering as it moved forward, emitting those "hissing" sounds.

This giant python had also cultivated a draconic form; its horns were jagged and imposing. The snake scales on its body had receded, replaced by dragon scales, black and white intertwined, interlaced with Yin and Yang energies. It was eerie and unpredictable. Its belly bulged slightly, as if it were about to sprout dragon claws. Its bloodline had also transformed, possessing not only the shape of a dragon but the essence of one as well.

As it flicked its tongue, snakes emerged from all directions in an instant. Some crawled out of the earth, some dropped from the trees, and others scurried out from the crevices of the rocks. In the blink of an eye, Xu Zhong was surrounded by serpents.

They circled him, poised to strike, their tongues flickering incessantly as they spat out billowing venom that coalesced into thick black smoke, rising and falling, blotting out the sky. They channeled their power but held back, seemingly waiting for the giant python to give the order.

Xu Zhong manifested a protective divine light around his body, layering it with a concealment spell to keep the venom at bay. The giant python let out a roar, and at once, all the poisonous snakes lunged forward.

Xu Zhong cast his sword pellet, controlling seven hundred and twenty flying swords. They shifted infinitely, weaving sword light between heaven and earth like a great net, ensnaring every single snake. Moments later, their bodies were shredded, falling to the ground as a pile of mush.

The giant python charged forward at this moment, but four white banners descended upon its head. The banners swirled, transforming into a ferocious Azure Dragon that bit down, clamping onto the python’s "seven-inch" vital spot.

The serpent struggled, but Xu Zhong had already approached it. He tore off a dragon scale and turned it over in his fingers. The scale absorbed the sunlight and transformed it into wisps of vital energy, attempting to burrow into Xu Zhong’s skin along the lines of his fingers. He tossed the scale aside, thrust his hand into the python’s vital spot, and ripped out its heart. The heart was the size of two fists, blood gushing forth.

The blood did not flow downward, but upward. Bathed in the sunlight, the blood vaguely transformed into the shape of dragons, thin as hair, baring fangs and brandishing claws. The next moment, it was locked onto by an invisible force of tribulation. With a thunderous boom, a bolt of tribulation lightning the size of a thumb descended, obliterating the vital energy.

"Did the sunlight alter their life essence?" The snake heart in Xu Zhong’s hand sprouted fleshy buds; they reached toward the python’s vital spot, where similar buds were growing. It seemed as if the two would weave together in the next moment.

*Whoosh!*

Xu Zhong exhaled a breath of Samadhi True Fire, incinerating the snake heart. The giant python instantly lost all signs of life, though its fangs continued to spray venom, polluting a large stretch of the forest; the trees withered and reborn, only to wither again, trapped in a cycle of life and death.

Xu Zhong decided to burn the entire giant python with his Samadhi True Fire. Once he had cleaned up the area, he continued on his journey.

Not long after, he spotted a gathering place for Qi practitioners. Small formations drew upon the surrounding spiritual energy, and above their heads, mana surged to form a canopy, which was hung with various mysterious spell imprints. Anyone who touched them would be instantly struck by those spells. Xu Zhong could vaguely sense an overwhelming force extending in all directions from the area ahead.

He walked toward that spot, moving cautiously, fearing he might disturb the other practitioners cultivating there. Upon arriving, he saw a sword mark carved into the earth, accompanied by a sword intent that pierced the heavens, ancient yet fresh. Endless sword qi was compressed into an inch of brilliance, swirling within a colossal crater.

He looked down into the pit. Beyond the sword mark, there was a massive mass of flesh. This flesh had sprouted fleshy buds, struggling to form human heads—each one corresponding to one of the Qi practitioners on the bank. Yellow-green pus flowed from the flesh, corroding everything it touched and emitting an extremely foul stench. Maggots writhed in the pus, shifting about, and to his horror, they too possessed the form and spirit of dragons.

Xu Zhong found this deeply bizarre. When he stared at the mass of flesh, it sprouted a face that looked exactly like his own. But he had no interest in his own face; he was far more interested in the lingering sword intent.

The Cloud-Swallowing Sword in his hand began to tremble, drawn by that intent. He pressed down on the sword and retracted the sword pellet, fearing it would be pulled away by the force.

"This sword intent is decent."

He sat cross-legged, set up the four white banners, placed the Cloud-Swallowing Sword on his knees, and began to contemplate the intent. His own sword intent was already powerful, capable of encompassing a three-thousand-mile radius. Every glimmer of starlight within those three thousand miles could be refined into a single strike, though the consumption was immense.

The Cloud-Swallowing Sword on his knees hummed, unleashing terrifying wisps of sword qi that surged, danced, and echoed with a sizzling sound. His own comprehension of the sword path grew, his intent spanning three thousand three hundred miles, truly terrifying.

In an instant, his sword intent suppressed the intent within the crater. It was merely a sword mark, after all, and did not hold much remaining intent; being suppressed was to be expected. Xu Zhong’s sword intent consumed the sword mark.

In a heartbeat, his comprehension of the sword path surged, spreading out for four miles. He had monopolized the sword mark, leaving the other practitioners with nowhere to contemplate, forcing them to instead contemplate Xu Zhong’s sword intent.

Xu Zhong’s "Great River" sword intent flowed ceaselessly, Yin and Yang interlacing, reality and illusion generating one another. It possessed two changes, yet remained constant—it was the harmonious energy of embracing Yin and carrying Yang. The others, attempting to comprehend this, could only see the "real" aspect of his sword intent and were unable to grasp the "illusory." When they forced themselves to comprehend it, they were instantly wounded by Xu Zhong’s sword path.

One by one, they groaned, spitting out arrows of blood. When they awoke, they saw the intense aura of the sword path radiating from Xu Zhong and felt a sense of dread. Yet, seeing how many people were around, they grew emboldened.

A hunched old man with crane-white hair leaned on his cane, thinking, "His sword cultivation is so strong. If I kill him and seize his sword path, isn't that better than staring at a mere sword mark?"

Most of the others shared the same thought. However, the old man was the first to act. A sword was hidden within his cane; he drew it and slashed forward.

The white banners fluttered in the wind, and a White Tiger divine beast leaped out. The beast glanced at the old man, sat down on its haunches, and instantly suppressed the man’s sword qi, light, intent, and path.

But the others, seeing someone take the lead, let their malice overcome their fear and attacked Xu Zhong simultaneously. Most of these Qi practitioners were at the "Vehicle Riding" stage or higher; even the marvelous Four-Image Divine Banners could not withstand an assault from so many. The banners were knocked away, landing on the ground looking somewhat dim.

Xu Zhong opened his eyes abruptly, two beams of sword light shooting from his pupils. He gripped the Cloud-Swallowing Sword and shook it; all seven hundred and twenty flying swords flew out.

Xu Zhong pointed forward. In an instant, the starlight, moonlight, and the essence of the great rivers were refined into a single stream of sword qi, spanning from west to east. The strike was vast and unstoppable. Even though those practitioners had higher cultivation than Xu Zhong, they could not block it.

The swords in their hands were struck, snapping and clattering; those of inferior quality were shattered into fragments that rained to the ground. The seven hundred and twenty flying swords swirled upward, slashing into the practitioners. Instantly, the sword qi shattered their arms.

Yet, the next moment, they channeled their "Wood-Element Secret Treasures," gushing forth endless vitality to regrow their limbs. They gripped their broken blades and stared at Xu Zhong with lingering fear.

"Why did you ambush me?" Xu Zhong held the Cloud-Swallowing Sword, the seven hundred and twenty flying swords rotating behind him, forming a cycle like a miniature reincarnation cave-heaven.

"You consumed the sword mark in the pit and stole our opportunity, yet you have the gall to ask why we ambushed you?" The crane-haired old man’s fingers had been severed, and blood dripped incessantly.

"Heavenly treasures belong to those capable of taking them," Xu Zhong said, his expression unchanged. Even though these practitioners were stronger than him, he felt no fear. "It is not a matter of first come, first served."

"You have been contemplating here for so long, yet you have only scratched the surface. Even if I left the mark to you, you might not fully comprehend it even in ten or a hundred years."

"Since that is the case, why not yield the opportunity?" He sneered, "Occupying the latrine without relieving oneself—are you hoping to eat the filth instead?"

"Audacious!" The old man was enraged, his back straightening as he attacked Xu Zhong with fury.

Xu Zhong flicked his finger, tapping the old man’s blade like a pipa, rattling it, stripping away the man’s sword qi and intent. Then, with a flick of his finger, he sent the man’s sword flying.

The old man tried to summon his sword back, but as it flew over the crater, it was ensnared by the tentacles within. They dragged it down, crunching and munching, growing in size until the mass of flesh opened a cavernous mouth and swallowed the old man whole.

In an instant, a face resembling the old man’s grew upon the mass of flesh, and it began to attack the others, baring fangs and brandishing claws.