Blood for the Spirit Killing Formation
Xiao Yan staggered upright, his breath ragged, divine blood still trickling from the corners of his lips. His vision swam, the world tilting—yet the first thing he saw cut through the chaos like a blade.
Mi-An.
"Mi-An!" he shouted, his voice breaking as he ran toward her.
She tried to move, but frost crept instantly up her legs, locking her in place. The Ansha stood before her, expression cold, eyes burning with restrained fury.
"For what you did on the cliff—" the Ansha began.
"Leave her alone!" Xiao Yan roared, his aura surging violently.
The Ansha turned slowly, his gaze settling on Xiao Yan. "Come," he said calmly. "Take her, then."
Something snapped.
Xiao Yan's aura exploded outward, flames and divine light tearing through the battlefield. Ancient symbols flared beneath his feet as the earth itself responded to his will.
He activated the Spirit Killing Formation.
Nem's voice rang out instantly, layered with false concern, honeyed and sharp all at once.
"Xiao Yan! Stop! You'll die too—you are a spirit!"
Xiao Yan didn't hesitate.
"I would sacrifice my life," he said, slicing his palm open without a second thought. Blood poured freely, splashing onto the formation's core as ancient runes ignited, "if it means ending all evil."
The formation blazed to life.
Terrifying light erupted outward, pillars of crimson and gold surging skyward as the sigils locked into place. The ground screamed under the pressure, space warping visibly around the array.
Nem and Qiong Qi exchanged a single glance.
Mi-An tried to cry out, to stop him—but no sound came. Her throat tightened, eyes wide with horror as she realized what he was doing.
The Ansha's pupils contracted. Crimson light burned within them as his voice dropped, heavy with something dangerously close to wrath.
"You would give your life to kill me?"
"It is worth it," Xiao Yan replied, blood dripping steadily from his hand. His gaze never wavered. "For the world."
"Help him!" Nem barked sharply.
Qiong Qi hesitated for a fraction of a heartbeat—then poured a portion of his inner energy into the formation. The air screamed as a massive artifact tore itself into existence.
The Spirit Killing Staff manifested.
It hovered above the formation, ancient, wrathful, vibrating so violently that even space recoiled from it.
"The Spirit Killing Staff…"
The Ansha's voice darkened.
"I have tolerated enough of your insolence."
Power surged from him like a tidal wave.
Xiao Yan rose into the air, divine wind carrying him as he grasped the staff with both hands. He swung downward—
—but the Ansha vanished.
In that same instant, Xiao Yan twisted mid-air, grabbed Mi-An, and carried her out of the formation's immediate range, placing her gently beyond the killing radius.
Qiong Qi struck from behind.
The blow was devastating.
Xiao Yan was hurled backward, crashing directly into the heart of the formation. Blood sprayed from his mouth as the sigils flared violently.
The formation activated fully.
One by one, figures stepped forward—Nem, Qiong Qi, and others—each slicing their palms, letting a single drop of blood fall into the formation to seal it. The array roared, tightening like a noose around the battlefield.
"The formation is almost complete…" Xiao Yan gasped, struggling to remain conscious, his body already beginning to fracture under the strain.
The Ansha looked at them all—his gaze cold, ancient, and utterly disgusted.
"You are all beasts," he spat.
The Spirit Killing Formation blazed brighter still.
And somewhere within the roaring light, the line between sacrifice and betrayal was about to be crossed.