Chapter 26: The Bloodshade Whisper
The Misty Forest outskirts were a realm of ethereal beauty and hidden danger. Lin Xuan, his 3rd Layer Qi Transformation aura alert, ventured deeper with Liu Yue and Liu Yang. A Bloodshade scout emerged—a 5th Layer Qi Transformation cultivator with crimson robes. "Your blood arts draw our gaze," he hissed, lunging with a qi storm.
Lin Xuan smirked. "Courting death!" he taunted, activating Abyssal Lotus Step to dodge the storm. Starlit Void Fist erupted, striking the scout's chest. The man retaliated with a qi blade, grazing Lin Xuan's arm.
Liu Yue's Icy Skin froze the air, her icy spikes piercing the scout's leg. Liu Yang's blood sword slashed his side, their arts syncing in a harmonious dance. Lin Xuan channeled Crimson Lance Burst, embedding spikes in the scout's shoulder. The scout fought back, but Lin Xuan's Vein Fortress Body absorbed the blow. Energy Devour siphoned the scout's qi, pushing Lin Xuan to the 3rd Layer fully. The scout escaped with a vow. "Bloodshade will claim you!"
Back at the inn, the Celestial Unity Crest flared. Lin Xuan's voice grew grave. "The Bloodshade Abyss seeks my arts, likely with Hei Clan backing. We must prepare." That night, he refined a pill, unlocking the Crimson Vein Phase to harden his veins for enhanced qi conductivity. Liu Yue's trust was a quiet strength, while Liu Yang's resolve mirrored his own.