“So you really are the traitor!”
Zhao Rui’s eyes burned with fury as he glared at Yun Che, fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Hong Lei, however, felt his pupils shrink—
That jade box flying into Yun Che’s hand just now was absolutely impossible with mere martial arts!
Zhou Wenyuan was also stunned. His gaze toward Yun Che grew increasingly complicated, until it finally dissolved into a long sigh.
“Seeking death!”
Song Xiao’s expression changed abruptly. With a furious shout, he lunged forward!
His movement technique was astonishingly fast. His withered, claw-like right hand shot straight for Yun Che’s throat. Between his fingernails, faint spectral azure cold light flickered—
Poisoned ice needles had been embedded within his nails!
Xu Zhen hesitated for only a moment, but in the end did not stop him.
Zhao Rui and the others retreated several steps in unison, completely clearing Yun Che’s position.
Yun Che did not even raise his eyelids. He merely opened the cold jade box gently.
Inside lay a ginseng formed entirely of ice crystal, its roots fine as hair. A yellowed Spirit-Sealing Talisman clung to its surface—already damaged, with threads of pure cold essence slowly leaking from the cracks.
By then, Song Xiao had closed to within three feet of Yun Che. A ferocious grin split his face as his poisoned claw was about to clamp down—
Boom!
Song Xiao’s body jerked violently, as if struck in the chest by an invisible sledgehammer!
He was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into the snow ten zhang away. He struggled for a long while—yet could not rise.
The bizarre scene left everyone dumbfounded.
Yun Che did not spare Song Xiao a single glance. He calmly brushed his fingers over the Ice Crystal Ginseng’s roots and said leisurely:
“Since you are an old acquaintance, why hide like this?”
Snow slid softly from above.
From behind an ice boulder a hundred zhang away, the gray-robed, scar-faced youth slowly emerged.
An invisible wave of spiritual pressure surrounded him. Wherever he passed, kneeling white-robed bandits were pushed aside by unseen force. The five spectral azure ice spikes in midair spiraled back, circling around his body.
“Greetings to the Great Chieftain!”
The bandits shouted in unison, their expressions fanatical.
The scar-faced youth—Zhang Mingyuan—did not even look at the blood-spitting Song Xiao. He stared fixedly at Yun Che, his voice hoarse.
“The person I knew… was only at Qi Condensation Third Layer four years ago.
You… who exactly are you?”
Yun Che looked back at him but did not answer. Instead, he retrieved a dull gray ironwood token from his storage pouch.
On the front were engraved the words “Profound Frost.”
On the back—a number belonging to the menial disciples’ registry.
Zhang Mingyuan’s expression changed sharply upon seeing it. His eyes swept over Yun Che several times, brows deeply furrowed.
“This object… I do not recognize. Daoist, give me the Ice Crystal Ginseng. It is of great use to my master.”
Yun Che paused, studying him deeply.
His divine sense quietly expanded—and instantly detected an extremely subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy in the sky above.
At an altitude of several hundred zhang, a faint presence hovered silently.
Yun Che sneered inwardly, but showed no expression. With a casual flick, he tossed the jade box over.
“Then perhaps… I mistook you for someone else.”
A flash of complicated emotion crossed Zhang Mingyuan’s eyes. He caught the jade box and said in a low voice:
“Many thanks. Farewell.”
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He turned to leave—
Just then—
“Woooo—!!”
A blood-stench wind howled across the sky!
A dark-red blood cloud had somehow enveloped the heavens. From within came wailing cries, as though countless vengeful souls were shrieking in agony!
The gale carried an overpowering stench of blood. Members of the Zhenbei Escort Agency were blown off balance. Several weaker escorts turned green, nearly vomiting.
The blood cloud churned, and a white-robed figure descended gracefully.
The man appeared around forty. His face was pale and refined, features upright—
Yet his eyes were crimson as blood.
A gentle, cultured smile rested on his lips… one that sent chills through the bones.
The instant he landed, the nearest escort let out a muffled cry—
Boom!
His body exploded!
No flesh scattered—
All blood and flesh instantly vaporized midair, condensing into a fist-sized ball of dark-red blood mist!
Then the second.
The third.
In just three breaths, five escorts detonated in succession!
The five blood mists spun rapidly, merging into a single thumb-sized blood bead, shimmering with golden light.
The white-robed man opened his mouth and inhaled.
The blood bead shot into him.
His throat bobbed. A strange red glow surfaced on his face as he smacked his lips lightly, savoring it like fine wine.
“Mingyuan.”
He smiled at Zhang Mingyuan. “Since he is an old acquaintance, why do you dare not acknowledge him?”
Zhang Mingyuan’s cheek twitched. He bowed deeply.
“Master… this disciple truly does not recognize him.”
Yun Che’s expression remained calm as his divine sense swept over—
This white-robed man had reached Qi Condensation Great Perfection. His spiritual energy was chaotic and sinister, wrapped in dense blood qi and resentment—clearly cultivated through a vicious demonic art!
The white-robed man smiled faintly and turned to Yun Che.
“You recognize my unworthy disciple?”
Yun Che replied evenly,
“And if I do? And if I don’t?”
The man froze briefly, then burst into a grin, revealing white, chilling teeth.
“No matter. A mere Qi Condensation Eighth Layer…
Draining your essence and blood should equal thirty mortals.”
Zhang Mingyuan’s face changed drastically. He rushed forward, blocking him.
“Master! This person… was once my fellow disciple. I beg you—please spare him!”
The white-robed man’s eyes flashed red. His voice turned cold.
“Get out of the way. Go harvest the blood essence of these mortals below. This has nothing to do with you.”
When Zhang Mingyuan tried to speak again, the man snorted and spat a string of obscure syllables!
“Ugh—!!”
Zhang Mingyuan screamed and collapsed to his knees!
His body convulsed violently. Black-red blood seeped from his seven orifices. Veins bulged across his forehead as sweat mixed with blood poured down—
A vicious restriction had clearly been planted within him!
Yun Che raised an eyebrow.
With a thought, the Minor Attraction Art activated instantly!
Invisible pulling force transformed into two massive hands—
One reached to drag Zhang Mingyuan away,
The other slammed straight toward the white-robed man!
The man’s expression shifted slightly. He snorted coldly and spat out a streak of crimson bloodlight!
The bloodlight expanded in the wind, instantly forming a three-inch crimson sword. Its blade was etched with twisted dark-gold runes, reeking of blood as it slashed toward the invisible force!
Yun Che’s control over attraction had reached perfection. His mind moved with intent—
The hand grabbing Zhang Mingyuan remained unchanged.
The other instantly split into three streams—
One entangled the crimson sword,
The other two flanked the white-robed man from both sides!
“Hm?”
The white-robed man uttered a surprised sound. He had not expected such refined control.
His hands formed seals rapidly. A pitch-black sword sheath flew from his waist as he spat three blood arrows toward the flanking forces!
Szz—!
Blood arrows collided with attraction force, producing a corrosive hiss!
Meanwhile, the moment the crimson sword was ensnared, the dark-gold runes flared brightly—
Buzz—!
The sword trembled violently, blurring for an instant within the binding force!
The next moment, it reappeared three feet away—
Sliding perfectly into the black sword sheath!
The instant sword and sheath joined, Yun Che’s expression changed.
He clearly felt it—
The attraction he had imposed was severed by some eerie force!
This was the first time since cultivating the Minor Attraction Art that it had failed!
“Boy, that sword is troublesome,” Li Han’s voice rang out gravely.
“The sheath is forged from Spirit-Locking Blood Sandalwood—it counters spiritual pulling. The sword itself is worse. If I’m not mistaken, those are Blood-Devouring Golden Runes. Each kill increases its power!”
Yun Che’s gaze turned cold. He stopped holding back.
With a slap to his storage pouch, seven palm-sized Ice Soul Discs shot forth! Their edges were razor-sharp. Forged during his four-year seclusion from Profound Ice and cold iron, they were low-grade—but together, they could form a killing array.
The seven discs traced seven spectral azure arcs through the air. They did not attack directly, instead circling behind the white-robed man, their spiritual energies linking—
Faintly forming a Seven-Star Spirit-Locking Formation!
The white-robed man sneered, not even glancing back. He simply pointed at the crimson sword and chanted softly.
The sword vibrated violently within the sheath—yet could only emerge half an inch before being suppressed. Dark-gold runes flashed madly, as if locked in fierce struggle!
“As expected…”
A trace of pain flashed through the man’s eyes. Without hesitation, he bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood!
The blood transformed into golden threads, writhing like living creatures as they burrowed into the sheath, seeping into the runes—
The next instant—
Clang—!
The crimson sword burst out three full inches!
A visible blood-red ripple spread outward from the blade. Wherever it passed, ice and snow hissed and melted, revealing black frozen earth beneath!
Yun Che’s pupils contracted.
Because he saw—
As that blood ripple swept through the air, the Seven-Star Spirit-Locking Formation he had woven with spiritual energy…
Was beginning to collapse inch by inch.
-
?? Five mortals refined into a single blood bead
-
??? The cursed sword severing the Minor Attraction Art
-
?? The Seven-Star Formation collapsing under blood ripples
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?? Zhang Mingyuan losing all autonomy under a cruel restriction
?? Is the white-robed cultivator a true major antagonist, or a stepping stone?
?? Will the Blood-Devouring Cursed Sword become Yun Che’s greatest threat—or his future trophy?