Chapter 721: Return of the Blood God

Chapter 721: The Blood God Returns

Zhao Changhe could pretend to be the Snowy Owl when fooling novices, but when truly facing experts, disguise was useless—his Blood Fiend Art shone like a firefly in the dark night, and he could probably only pass for Xue Canghai. So, while searching for the "Lich King," he had already shed his disguise, not wanting to reveal that "Snowy Owl" was him, keeping it for possible future use...

The Lich King was not called Ner'zhul or Arthas; his name was Yin Kui, a name Zhao Changhe had heard from "subordinates" earlier. This was also why he had reacted faster than the Thief Saint and Si Si to the yin corpses—the name carried that flavor, and sure enough, he had found the right place.

Though classified as yin corpse types, Yin Kui looked far better than the withered corpses like Huang Yang. He had already taken on a fleshy human form, albeit somewhat pale—this meant Yin Kui's recovery might be the highest among all the ancient demon gods seen so far, already a very complete Imperial Realm, stronger than Huang Yang and the others!

Good thing he had found him; if this fellow took advantage of the chaos to open mountains on a grand scale and dig out the bones of the top ancient spirit race experts buried deeper inside, then the game would be over...

The yin corpses and skeletons that had crawled out so far weren't that strong yet—there was still hope!

The broadsword clashed with the white banner. The opponent was clearly not a power-type, and momentarily unable to withstand the might of the Dragon Sparrow, he drifted back like a ghost.

But Zhao Changhe thought his slash was very "Zhao Changhe," yet in the opponent's eyes, it drew a surprised "Eh?" and a low murmur: "Lie..."

Zhao Changhe's heart stirred. The opponent actually recognized Lie! In this world's eyes, this blade technique was Zhao Changhe's signature; in the eyes of the previous era, it was indeed Lie's signature without a doubt.

He had no time for idle chatter. "Swish, swish," he slashed twice more, instinctively refraining from using his newly realized Galaxy Blade Technique, sticking to the standard "Hell As Such." The opponent dodged swiftly, surrounded by layers of blood shadows, "Blood Fills Mountains and Rivers!"

"Good, good, good... Hell As Such, Blood Fills Mountains and Rivers... Standard Blood Rakshasa Body..." Yin Kui parried left and right, his expression growing even more delighted: "This 'Heaven and Earth Without Self' is effortlessly applied, fused into every move, even 'Gods and Buddhas Scatter' as well... Every slash carries terror, every slash stirs blood energy surging, every slash triggers corrosive killing intent... Your blade technique, one slash's power like three moves unleashed at once, you must decide victory or defeat within a few moves in daily combat, fierce and unmatched..."

He praised it to the skies, but his parrying showed no sign of distress, as if admiring a work of art.

Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes. The sword he had intended to use remained still, as he continued to pour out blade techniques, now combining the earlier sword moves fused with "Yuan Tu's Sword," "Waves of the Styx," and so on, but no longer the Blood Fiend Blade Technique.

"Eh? No, no... Why do you only have these four moves, only up to Blood Fills Mountains and Rivers? What about the rest? Sword Emperor's techniques? Or Sword Emperor's early techniques, flashy and utterly boring. What's this? Frontier blade technique? Yellow Sand intent? Spirit Fox intent? ...Are you joking?" Yin Kui grew angry: "Your Blood Fiend Blade Technique—why only the first move of the Secret Vault level? What about the subsequent two moves and the ultimate one?"

"..." Zhao Changhe listened, feeling a bit nostalgic.

Back then, following Lie's footsteps, step by step pursuing the breakthrough of the Blood Fiend Art, was actually quite interesting. If written into a book, it would be a standard level-up story, with clear direction at every step...

Unfortunately, though Lie was a hero, he was also a true demon. From the first slash, he rebelled and roared against "gods and buddhas," then carved out his own world, creating his own hell and blood, each slash accompanied by brutal slaughter and ferocity. Earlier, it suited Zhao Changhe's rebellion and arrogance when facing strong foes after emerging from the mountain stronghold, the so-called "lawless and heavenless," but it was no longer suitable to continue.

Ever since deciding not to follow Lie's old path and to explore his own, he had been dabbling here and there, unsure of his own direction. Just before leaving the capital, under Vermilion Bird's suggestion, he had adopted the Galaxy imagery.

He knew the content of Lie's subsequent blade techniques but hadn't practiced them. If forced, he could use them, but the intent didn't quite match...

For instance, the so-called two subsequent moves: after Blood Fills Mountains and Rivers, the next was called "All Living Beings Annihilated," and the final one "Shatter Heaven and Earth."

Just from the names, it was a whole "Great Western King" vibe—how could he learn that intent? That was nonsense...

The so-called ultimate move was somewhat interesting, but Lie himself hadn't perfected it until the end, only able to use it through an array plate with engraved formations. That move was called "Recreate Creation."

It carried a sense that this era was cleaved into existence by his blade, though Zhao Changhe knew it wasn't true, but it could still match Lie's expectations, couldn't it?

Zhao Changhe could roughly guess what Yin Kui was getting at with his obsession over the blade technique and probed deliberately: "I never inherited Lie's subsequent blade techniques, so naturally I don't know them. Since you're so familiar with Lie, why not use his higher-level blade techniques to suppress my low-level moves? Let me witness the might of the ancient Blood Demon I've long admired."

"Tsk, tsk... Incomplete inheritance..." Yin Kui sighed with a tsk, as if both regretful and satisfied: "Good thing, too. If the inheritance were too complete, I'm afraid I might not be your match right now. Lie's might of 'Ten Thousand Spirits Extinction,' tsk, tsk..."

He parried another of Zhao Changhe's slashes and asked with a smile: "Do you know the relationship between the Spirit Race and Lie?"

"Lie's birthplace."

"Correct. He was the Spirit Race's slave and traitor... All his murderous aura and Blood Demon intent sprouted from here. This is the birthplace of the Blood Demon, and naturally, the place of his return."

Zhao Changhe's heart leaped as he saw ripples shimmer in Yin Kui's eyes. His mind seemed to shake with a bang, as if something was about to split open.

Yin Kui's laughter still echoed in his ears, but it seemed to come from another dimension: "Though Lie is dead, his technique is the key to his return... Originally, when you reached 'Recreate Creation,' he would have returned... You didn't reach it, no matter. Who told you to meet me, and here, in the original birthplace of Lie's technique, as if by divine will... Let me help Lie with a hand—Blood God Returns!"

In truth, Zhao Changhe had never been surprised from start to finish. From the moment the opponent started studying his Blood Fiend Blade Technique, he had sensed it—why else would he be so interested in his blade technique for no reason?

But this matter was always a buried landmine in his own technique, something he had mentally prepared for.

He had two preparations: on one hand, he secretly activated the Diamond Sutra to see if he could stabilize his spiritual platform and use Buddhist intent to counter the Blood Demon intent; on the other, he deliberately showed that he didn't know the subsequent moves, hoping the opponent couldn't guide him. Even if guided, the evoked Blood Demon intent should be much weaker, within his ability to handle.

Sure enough, the opponent's laughter turned suspicious: "Buddhist Diamond? Damn it..."

Zhao Changhe breathed a sigh of relief inside. If he had fallen into a confrontation with Lie while Yin Kui struck from outside, he would be dead for sure. Fortunately, the Diamond Sutra had its first effect, forcing the opponent to maintain guidance and unable to do much else.

So, deal with Lie first, then settle accounts with you!

Damn, if only someone could sneak an attack on Yin Kui right now...

Zhao Changhe had no time to think further. In his eyes, he saw a vast expanse of bones and blood-soaked fields. A burly man strode forward from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

A familiar VR illusion, but this time it wasn't in the Heavenly Book—it was in the deepest part of his own consciousness.

The Blood Fiend Qi, which had long been as obedient as an arm and had not rebelled for a long time, now surged violently, ravaging his body like a thousand cuts, causing excruciating pain. His consciousness quickly fell into chaos, with only violence and slaughter occupying his soul, his eyes turning bloodshot.

This was the state of Blood Fiend backlash from the very early days, and he tasted it again.

The burly man strode before him, his tone angry: "Who awakened me prematurely! This person's Blood Fiend intent is far from complete! Eh..."

Before he finished, Zhao Changhe's soul, seemingly curled up in pain like a shrimp, suddenly raised its head. His eyes remained bloodshot, his expression wild and ferocious: "If gods and buddhas are to scatter, then now, the one to scatter is you!"

"Roar!" A domineering and mighty fist blasted out, causing tidal waves to reverse and clouds to part for ten thousand miles!

Zhao Changhe's version of My Fist!

The burly man's expression shifted slightly: "Good!"