Chapter 412: Blood Nether Dragon Emperor
The storage ring in Wang Baole's hand glowed, and a woodcutting knife appeared in his grip.
Beside him, Ye Beixuan took out the False Hongmeng Mirror.
At once, the oppressive might of two Path Union cultivators erupted from them.
Xue Wentian's face changed drastically as he roared, "I'll perish together with you!"
As soon as the words fell, his entire body exploded with a bang.
Though the aftershock seemed minor to Wang Baole and Ye Beixuan, his self-detonation ignited the formation within the blood pool.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the demonic blood within the pool surged outward, sweeping toward Wang Baole, Ye Beixuan, and the others.
The towering wave of blood seemed ready to engulf everyone in the cave.
"Hahaha…"
Mad laughter echoed within the tide.
"Even in death, I'll drag you into hell with me!"
"That's it?"
Wang Baole looked utterly disdainful, then opened his mouth and inhaled, swallowing the blood wave into his belly.
Meanwhile, Ye Beixuan's Hongmeng Mirror shone with a beam of light, absorbing the tide.
The sight left not only Xue Wentian stunned, but even the disciples of Wendao Academy stood dumbfounded.
Qin Yun murmured, "Senior Uncle Wang is terrifying…"
Feng Qiongyu replied, "You needn't worry. Your Senior Uncle Wang awakened the Taotie Body. Forget mere demon blood—he could even swallow the blood of demon gods without harm."
Nangong Yu, however, searched through the blood tide for Xue Wentian's true form. To her, someone who always relied on clones to cover his tracks would never self-destruct so easily.
As expected, a familiar figure was concealed beneath the pool.
She slowly drew out her sacred sword from her storage ring, locked onto the figure with divine sense, and smiled faintly. "Brat of the Xueshen Cult, I've found you!"
With that, she drew the sword and slashed toward Xue Wentian within the blood pool.
Clang!
The sword energy cut through the tide, striking down at him.
Xue Wentian watched despair flood his face. One thought crossed his mind—my life is over!
Just then, a massive dragon claw thrust out from beneath the pool, seizing the sword energy.
Crack!
The strike shattered instantly.
Xue Wentian patted his chest in lingering fear and looked toward the pool. A colossal dragon head's soul-shadow emerged.
Even with only its head revealed, the terrifying aura it exuded made the Wendao Academy disciples shudder.
"A Saint-rank demonic dragon soul!"
Ye Beixuan instinctively exclaimed as he stared at it.
The dragon soul ignored the group, speaking faintly.
"Who dares disturb this one's slumber?"
Xue Wentian immediately knelt in the blood pool with a thud.
"Your Majesty the Blood Nether Dragon Emperor, it is… it is those hypocrites outside claiming to be righteous."
"After countless ages, someone still remembers me?"
The Blood Nether Dragon Emperor muttered to itself.
"Your Majesty, I am your faithful follower, determined to awaken you and let you reign over this land once more."
As he spoke, Xue Wentian carefully studied its expression.
When he had discovered the blood pool's secret in Beiyuan, he conceived a bold plan—to borrow the Blood Nether Dragon Emperor's power to cultivate supreme divine arts and one day break through to the Saint Realm.
But to do so was no simple matter. One needed immense fortune to endure the backlash of the Dragon Emperor's fate.
Thus, upon learning that Shi Xuan of the Beihuang Shi Clan possessed great fortune, he joined the struggle to seize it.
Alas, dreams are beautiful, but reality is cruel.
In this battle, not only had Xue Wentian gained nothing, but even his guardian spirit beast, the Blood Nether Dragon, had fallen. That creature had been painstakingly raised by his master into the mount of a Great Sage.
According to the rules of the Xueshen Cult, if one's guardian fell and one could not make great contributions to the sect, then the chance to compete for the position of Divine Son would be lost.
Thus Xue Wentian had embarked on this journey, never expecting the disciples of Wendao Academy to awaken the Blood Nether Dragon Emperor ahead of time.
Hearing his words, the Blood Nether Dragon Emperor laughed. "Your devotion is commendable, but it is not yet time for me to reign over the world. After one thousand years, when I fully recover, you may then become the foremost Great Sage under my command."
At this, Wang Baole could not contain himself and burst into laughter. "Pfft… hahaha…"
"Hmm?"
The Blood Nether Dragon Emperor frowned at the interruption, his gaze falling coldly upon Wang Baole. "Junior, what are you laughing at?"
Wang Baole said, "Forgive me, I didn't mean to. It's just that your promise is ridiculous. Serving as your dog for a thousand years only to become a Great Sage? You'd be better off as my disciple—within five hundred years I guarantee you'll be a Great Sage."
Ye Beixuan agreed. "Indeed. Times have changed. To us Heaven's Chosen, becoming a Great Sage in a thousand years holds no appeal at all."
Xue Wentian thought the same but dared not say it aloud, still hoping this being would save him.
"Hmph!"
The Blood Nether Dragon Emperor snorted coldly. "Arrogant juniors, today I shall show you my power."
At his words, the mountain began to quake violently.
Dust rained down from the cave ceiling, as if collapse was imminent.
The blood tide that had surged outward now fell back into the pool, visibly diminished by more than half.
The dragon emperor's soul-body slowly emerged from beneath, and even half its form exuded Saint Realm pressure that filled the entire cave.
Under this terrible aura, the cultivators inside trembled uncontrollably. Several weaker ones fell to the ground outright.
Wang Baole and Ye Beixuan exchanged a glance, then each drew a sword jade from their rings, intending to resist.
But they quickly realized their spiritual power and divine sense had been sealed by the dragon's aura, making it impossible to activate the jade.
Their small movement did not escape the Blood Nether Dragon Emperor's eyes. He sneered, "Have you not heard? Below the Saint, all are ants. With but a thought, I can render you powerless.
Your bodies are exquisite delicacies. By devouring you and your fate, I could shorten my slumber by two hundred years.
Xueshen Cult boy, you have at last done a worthy deed. Rest assured, I shall grant you a reward fit to let you rule the world."
Xue Wentian failed to perceive the hidden meaning, and bowed in gratitude. "Many thanks, Your Majesty. This is only what your disciple should do. Please accept the offerings I have prepared."
The dragon emperor was pleased by his servile display, his gaze upon Xue Wentian burning with hunger. "You speak well. Then I shall first rid you of these pests."
"Heh."
A contemptuous laugh cut across his words.
Both the dragon emperor and Xue Wentian turned toward the sound, but saw no one.
"Who skulks in the shadows?"
The dragon emperor sent out divine sense to search for the hidden one.
"It seems you are but an old lizard with Saint pressure alone. In truth you are only at the level of a Great Sage. I stand before you, and yet you do not even perceive me."
As the voice fell, a figure slowly manifested before all eyes.
The faces of those present showed starkly different reactions.
The Wendao Academy disciples could not speak, but their expressions brimmed with joy.
Xue Wentian, however, cried out in shock. "Great Sage Jinchi—you… why are you here?"
The newcomer was indeed Great Sage Jinchi. Smiling, he said, "Foolish boy, sold out and still counting coin, don't be surprised. Soon enough I'll see you die with clarity."
"You… what do you mean?"
Xue Wentian felt a nameless fear deep within as he looked at him.
Great Sage Jinchi laughed. "Very well, since you are so witless, I shall kindly enlighten you. That dragon soul you worship seeks to seize your body."
At these words, silence fell in the cave. Xue Wentian and the Blood Nether Dragon turned their gazes upon each other…
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