NOVEL NEXT Chapter 233: Immortal Blood Body!
An endless stream of blood and essence surged into his body, turning Qi Xiu's complexion crimson as if dripping with blood. His body emanated intense heat, radiating high temperatures.
The Gu Clan demon possessed an extraordinary lineage. A casual display of its true form alone would stretch its body over a hundred meters. After advancing to the Blood-Stained Realm, the robustness of its physical essence became even more profound, like an abyss, far surpassing that of Human Cultivators of the same rank by hundreds, even thousands of times. This Green-Faced Lion Demon was considered a noble even among the Gu Clan demons.
As Qi Xiu used the Star Absorption Skill to devour its blood and essence, he felt an endless, magma-like scorching power infusing his body. His vital energy and blood boiled as if set aflame.
Feeling his vigorous vital energy and blood almost overflowing, Qi Xiu directed it with a thought, and a substantial amount of blood and essence surged towards the Dao Blood Heavenly Palace in his spine. At his coccyx, a golden seal shone faintly. Simultaneously, light radiated from his brow bone as the Ancestral Aperture drew upon the surrounding Divine Marvels. These marvels then followed the Heaven and Earth Bridge—the path connecting the soul to the Ancestral Aperture—to incessantly scour his spine.
In the Heavenly Palace, the blood and essence combined, condensing into streams of colorful, lustrous, and crystal-clear liquid, like nectar. These liquids gathered in the central region of the Heavenly Palace. And in this place, a headless torso sat cross-legged.
The vibrant Dao Blood, like swallows returning to their nests, streamed into the headless torso, creeping upward bit by bit, attempting to sculpt a head.
This headless torso seated within the Heavenly Palace was the secret to immortality in the Blood-Stained Realm.
The Immortal Blood Body!
Once Blood-Stained Great Cultivators opened their Spinal Palace, they could use Dao Blood to condense such an Immortal Blood Body within the Heavenly Palace. This blood body possessed the ability to continuously regenerate. All injuries inflicted upon the cultivator's true body would transfer to the Immortal Blood Body. As long as the Immortal Blood Body remained, the main body would never die. Even if the entire body was destroyed, it could regenerate swiftly.
Therefore, cultivators at the Pinnacle of the Blood-Stained Realm, who had opened the Ninefold Palace and condensed nine Immortal Blood Bodies, had to be killed effectively nine consecutive times to destroy all nine Immortal Blood Bodies and truly eliminate them.
Qi Xiu had only stepped into the Blood-Stained Realm for a little over twenty years. The Immortal Blood Body in his First Level Heavenly Palace had not yet fully condensed. The still-unformed head was his vulnerability. If an attack could destroy his head in that instant, it would kill him directly!
Qi Xiu possessed the Innate Mixed Yuan Holy Body. His physique, marked by the essence of 'Saint,' set him apart from other Blood-Stained Great Cultivators. His Immortal Blood Body also possessed a unique Divine Marvel that other Great Cultivators lacked.
"With this unending supply of blood and essence at my disposal, I'll soon cultivate the First Level of the Blood-Stained Realm!" Qi Xiu laughed brightly, his expression filled with joy.
Refining Dao Blood was an exceedingly tedious and painstaking process. One needed to use the Ancestral Aperture to guide the surrounding Divine Marvels to scour the Spinal Palace. Simultaneously, one had to nurture the body's physical essence, combining it with these Divine Marvels in a complementary fashion, to transform it into Dao Blood. However, nurturing the physical essence had to be delicately balanced, requiring extreme control. Otherwise, excessive consumption of physical essence could lead to physical frailty and a listless spirit. This, in turn, would impair the Ancestral Aperture's ability to guide Divine Marvels, creating an increasingly detrimental vicious cycle.
But now that he possessed the boundless and majestic blood and essence of the Lion Demon, even though the Star Absorption Skill could only absorb and convert one-tenth of it into his own vital energy and blood, it was more than enough for him to refine Dao Blood and form the Immortal Blood Body!
Just as Qi Xiu speculated that draining this Lion Demon might allow him to break through to the second level of the Heavenly Palace and condense a second Immortal Blood Body, a torrential surge of fierce, resentful demonic miasma suddenly erupted from the esophagus above them. Three huge figures with blood-red eyes, radiating murderous intent, rode this demonic miasma into the stomach chamber.
"Now let's see where you can run!"
Having chased them directly into the Lion Demon's stomach, the Elephant Demon could no longer maintain its mountainous size and reverted to its normal five to six-meter-tall form. Although its size decreased, the oppressive force radiating from its body became even more intense and pure. The muscles beneath every inch of its skin seemed to contain the power to move mountains and overturn seas. Merely by standing there, one could feel the daunting, formidable power within!
Gazing down at Qi Xiu and Bai Qingfeng, the murderous intent in the Elephant Demon's eyes was so thick it seemed almost palpable, ready to drip. They had been five against one. Yet now, one was missing, and another crippled. If news of this outcome spread, they would truly lose all face and be unable to return. They'd be the laughingstock of their entire clan.
And now, there was only one way to wash away this shame!
CHH—
The Elephant Demon snorted white steam from its thick, powerful trunk. It took a step forward, causing the very void to tremble.
That is, to kill these human beasts!
BANG!
Without another word, the enraged Elephant Demon instantly appeared before the Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array. Its right arm rose, muscles and tendons bulging, and as its fingers clenched into a fist, it delivered a ferocious strike!
BOOM!!!
The punch unleashed explosive power. The air, violently compressed and stacked, suddenly detonated, sending shockwaves billowing out and causing the entire stomach chamber to swell.
THUD—
An irresistible Vigor thundered and raged, shaking the entire Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array so violently that a web of barely visible cracks appeared on the surfaces of the eighteen Supreme Sun Mirrors. Behind it, the vague silhouette of a colossal elephant emerged—with long tusks, ears that could cover the sky, and a body thousands of feet tall. The Elephant Demon's physical form faintly radiated halos of light, its terrifying aura tearing through the void.
Blood Sacrifice Skill!
This was a Dharma Gate that Great Demons in the Blood-Stained Realm excelled in and commonly used. It involved sacrificing an Immortal Blood Body from the Spinal Palace. In exchange, their physical strength would double, granting them overwhelming power.
Historically, a particularly savage ape Great Demon at the Pinnacle of the Blood-Stained Realm had daringly used the Blood Sacrifice Skill nine times. By sacrificing all its Immortal Blood Bodies, it gained ninefold physical strength and battled a Dao Expert for three minutes. Although it was ultimately defeated and perished, the feat was enough to showcase the formidable power of the Blood Sacrifice Skill!
"They caught up so quickly..."
Qi Xiu furrowed his brows slightly, not expecting the Elephant Demon to catch up so swiftly. His Immortal Blood Body was not yet fully formed. If he stopped now, it would be difficult to stimulate his Ancestral Aperture again in the short term to channel the surrounding Divine Marvels. Moreover, without the Star Absorption Skill restraining the Lion Demon, it would undoubtedly use its physical power to join the other three demons in a pincer attack. Most crucially, if the Immortal Blood Body was not fully formed, the unique Divine Marvel of his Innate Mixed Yuan Holy Body could not be utilized.
The thought of cutting down the Elephant Demon and its companions without suffering any harm himself might just have to be abandoned.
As Qi Xiu's eyebrows furrowed tightly, he weighed whether to unseal his full combat strength and pay a small price to slay the three demons directly.
Bai Qingfeng, beside him, spoke up, "Brother Qi, if you trust me, you can hand over control of this Great Formation to me. Although I achieved the Initiate Realm through talismanic techniques, having cultivated the Array Talisman Dao, I also have some proficiency in array methods. With me controlling this Fierce Fire Great Formation, although I can't annihilate these three demons, I can hold them off for a while."
Seemingly noticing Qi Xiu's hesitation and deliberation, Bai Qingfeng, who had recovered slightly, volunteered to take control of the Great Formation for him.
"Your condition, can you hold on?" Qi Xiu glanced at Bai Qingfeng with a frown. His complexion was still poor, but it was indeed better than the deathly pallor from before.
Bai Qingfeng nodded. "Don't worry, I can manage." He then took control of the Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array from Qi Xiu.
Previously, Qi Xiu had to divide his attention between using the Star Absorption Skill and managing the Great Formation, so its power was naturally insufficient. Now, under Bai Qingfeng's full control, the Great Formation's power surged dramatically. Eighteen Supreme Sun Mirrors hung high, emitting brilliant, blinding rays—supremely Yang and Unyielding—that contained the divine might of the fierce sun's fire, unleashing a torrent of golden light. In an instant, the light engulfed the three Great Demons. Within this endless sea of light, ten great suns manifested, exuding a domineering force capable of incinerating all demons, relentlessly crushing down upon them.
"Hmph! A deceitful trick!" With a cold snort, the Elephant Demon's eyes narrowed fiercely. Its physical strength soared again, and its trunk, raised skyward, let out a deafening howl. Layers of piercing sound waves crashed down. They clashed with the great sun's fierce flames, and a tremendous force surged and raged, tearing countless bloody gashes in the surrounding stomach walls. The Elephant Demon alone resisted the crushing power of the Great Formation!
The Ape Demon and Snake Demon immediately rushed forward to join the attack. Behind them, a giant ape phantom, roaring towards the heavens, and a massive, cold, and sinister python phantom dimly appeared. Evidently, they too had activated the Blood Sacrifice Skill, a Dharma Gate for physical empowerment!
BOOM! BOOM!
Empowered by the Blood Sacrifice Skill's augmentation to their physical strength, the two demons hammered fiercely at the Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array. The void rippled with each blow, and waves of Qi Force spread wildly, stirring up storm-like turbulence within the stomach.
"Aah!"
"Aah! I'm going to die!"
"Stop hitting, please stop!"
While the inside of its stomach was being turned upside down and devastated, the Lion Demon outside suffered immensely. It had thought that once the Elephant Demon and its allies entered, they would quickly capture and kill the two 'human beasts.' Who would have expected such a fierce and protracted battle to erupt between them? The shockwaves from the violent explosions caused the Lion Demon's stomach to churn violently. Indescribable agony made it grind its fangs to pieces and tear the corners of its eyes. It rolled on the ground, wishing for death to end its torment.
「Inside the stomach.」
The Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array was in a precarious state under the overwhelming, murderous assault of the three Great Demons; six of the ten great suns had already been extinguished. The eighteen Supreme Sun Mirrors were now almost entirely covered in cracks, looking as if they might shatter at any moment. At the center of the Great Formation, Bai Qingfeng was as pale as a sheet, his eyes tightly closed. The Ancestral Aperture at his brow pulsed with light, and his aura was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, on the verge of collapse.
"Break for me!"
A roar shot towards the sky as the Elephant Demon's vital energy and blood erupted. It descended like a demonic mountain, its massive arms, thick as heavenly pillars, slamming down fiercely. The void itself seemed to explode with a series of detonations, as if ten thousand volcanoes were erupting simultaneously, unleashing an unimaginably terrifying force!
If this fist were to land!
The Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array would surely be destroyed!
The sea of radiant sunlight dimmed in an instant, and the void around the point of impact was crushed into dust.
Suddenly, an opening appeared in the battered Ten Directions Fierce Sun Demon Subduing Array.
A tall figure stepped out, bathed in brilliant radiance, surrounded by infinite colors, his brilliance extending immensely.
Like a sacred being!
...