"Instead of going through the trouble of collecting fresh blood, why not directly sacrifice this city?"
The blood in the huge Blood Pool bubbled like it was boiling, with blood bubbles rising and turning into a dense array of crimson droplets the size of fingernails after passing through a layer of the blood-colored array.
The blood droplets were essence blood extracted from ordinary blood.
Xia Ming spoke with seriousness in his tone: "After all, this city is filled with people from the Demon Path; their deaths are not to be regretted."
Lu Jin'an walked to the Blood Pool, inserting the short blade into the array to absorb the refined essence blood as he spoke: "The total amount of blood obtained from a one-time sacrifice is limited, how can it compare to a sustainable approach of fishing by draining the pond?"
Watching the blood level in the eye-like Blood Pearl on the short blade slowly rise, Lu Jin'an said with a smile: "Anyway, cultivators recover quickly; killing them all at once wouldn't accumulate so much blood."
Xia Ming tilted his head to look at him: "There are so many demon cultivators across the continent, why don't you raid a few more dens? Why are you targeting such a small place like the Blood Emperor Sect? The strongest here is only a Yun Dao Stage Real Person; there's not even a Seated Observation Stage True Monarch, and the quality of the blood is not high."
"Quantitative change leads to qualitative change, and I naturally have my reasons," Lu Jin'an spoke softly: "It's not the right time now, and someone will do this anyway; I can't involve others' karma just yet."
"Is that so..." Xia Ming nodded thoughtfully, then set aside his doubts and said: "Oh, by the way, as per your instructions, last night I had your wife's little maid discover this place."
Lu Jin'an responded with a light "Mm," as it was indeed his arrangement.
Before going upstream in the river of time, he was already prepared to leave the Nanzhuo Domain after his business was concluded, so he wanted Zhu Nanzhi to know about this Blood Pool. Suspicious of Zhu Nanzhi's inexplicable kindness, he thought that no matter how she 'harbored ulterior motives' against him, she would part ways with him because 'her husband is a demon cultivator.'
The result was useless, and it even gave her a grand excuse to refine her husband into a Sword Spirit.
"Does she like you that much?" Xia Ming looked at him and continued without much thought: "Even the misunderstanding that you're a demon cultivator doesn't make her leave?"
"She truly likes me, and she truly wants to 'never part,'" Lu Jin'an said helplessly: "Overall, she won't let me go."
"Are you planning to clear up the misunderstanding and take her back to the sect?"
"Originally, I did have that idea." Looking at the essence blood completely absorbed by the short blade, Lu Jin'an's tone returned to calm: "Now, I don't have that confidence."
"Afraid of being punished?" Xia Ming thought he was afraid of the Deputy Sect Master's reprimand.
"Something like that."
Lu Jin'an shook his head, reached out to take the short blade from the array, observing the Blood Pearl with blood still a third from full, and thought to himself, "Without the power to protect myself, how dare I always carry a yandere wanting to refine me into a Sword Spirit?"
Besides, Zhu Nanzhi had subdued the 'Zhan Ming' of Qingmiao Palace, which hadn't chosen a master in a thousand years. If he truly brought her back to Wandao Sect, Qingmiao Palace would come looking for answers the next day.
Although Wandao Sect and Qingmiao Palace are both part of the Five Sects and Seven Schools of the Human Clan, the overwhelming presence of Qingmiao Palace coming in full force still feels oppressive.
He would continue to be at someone else's mercy until removing the poison.
"Let's go." Lu Jin'an turned and walked toward the outer hall.
"When are you planning to return to the sect?" Xia Ming followed and emphasized: "You've already been staying here for more than a year!"
In the outer hall, Lu Jin'an looked at the crowded hall and slowly said: "Within three days."
"Three days?"
Xia Ming blinked, just about to speak when he caught the noisy conversation within the medical hall and appeared thoughtful.
"Have you heard? The Blood Emperor Sect can't hold off the Nanzhuo Alliance's attack on the front line. At this rate, they'll reach here in two days; should we be preparing to run?"
"Why panic? This is just their last-ditch counterattack before death."
"That's right. Our Sect Master Li found a breakthrough method and unparalleled mysterious treasures in the True Monarch Ancient Tomb discovered some time ago. Once out from closed-door cultivation, he'll be the unprecedented True Monarch at the Sitting and Illuminating Realm in the Nanzhuo Domain. The so-called righteous Nanzhuo Alliance will be eradicated in no time."
"Really?"
"Why else do you think Sect Master Li and the elders haven't come down the mountain? They're all acting as protectors for the Sect Master!"
"Great... By the way, we contributed quite a bit to your sect. Can we expect..."
"Haha, rest assured, once the Blood Emperor Sect unifies the Nanzhuo Domain, the Sect Master will surely reward those who contributed."
"Hahaha, finally, we can make those orthodox zealots kneel at our feet!"
"Especially the Nanzhuo Alliance's Leader Lin Mu; thanks to him, I'm the only one from the Wang Family who escaped... My brother merely seriously injured one of his Lin Family elders, yet he exterminated my entire clan. I must make him wish for death!"
"Speaking of Lin Mu, it's rumored he was average in the Lin Family, then suddenly soared to fame from some opportunity, becoming a Yun Dao Stage Real Person at a young age, unrivaled at the same level..."
"Pfft, whatever opportunity he got, once Sect Master Li leaves seclusion, what waves can he make?"
"Exactly. Once our Sect Master leaves seclusion, not only must he be accountable for killing the Young Sect Master, but also make him wish for death. Perhaps let his female companions witness the Sect Master's actions… hahaha!"
"That should be the case. He once turned Blood Emperor City upside down disguised. This scar I bear is thanks to him. It's imperative we let him experience pain more profound than his wounds!"
"I'm eager for Sect Master Li to finish with his female companions and share some spoils with us, hahaha..."
Xia Ming was disinclined to continue listening to the increasingly vulgar noise. As she followed Lu Jin'an to the doorway, she quietly asked: "Did you just say someone will destroy the Blood Demon Sect? Did you mean this Lin Mu?"
"Yes." Lu Jin'an watched the organized army of the Blood Emperor Sect passing through the city: "Isn't it surprising for such a small place in the Nanzhuo Domain to produce a True Monarch at the Sitting and Illuminating Realm?"
Xia Ming nodded and then asked: "Does this indicate the rise of another era of great competition among geniuses?"
"You could say that."
"Oh~ Did you come here to recruit this genius into our Wandao Sect? Waiting for him over a year was to test if he could destroy the Blood Emperor Sect. If not, it means that although he is a genius, he lacks destiny; a dead genius is no genius.
Come to think of it, many prominent figures recorded in the classics rose from obscurity. Is it Nanzhuo Domain's turn this time?"
Lu Jin'an shook his head: "I want to kill him."
"What?" Xia Ming's eyes widened: "Did he offend you? I can..."
"If he had offended me, I would have killed him long ago."
Lu Jin'an toyed with the short blade in his hand, his expression calm as he watched two Dog Demons tearing at each other not far away. As a Reincarnator, the first time he learned of Lin Mu, he inevitably questioned with past-life thinking if this Lin Mu might be a Possessor, but a year ago during an exploration in the Ruins Cave Heaven, he knew it wasn't as he thought.
"He hails from a place proclaiming itself as the Upper Realm, and it has ties to the Ruins."
"The Upper Realm?" Xia Ming looked at Lu Jin'an puzzled: "Ruins? Are there people living in the Grotto Heaven?"
"Not clear yet." Lu Jin'an didn't elaborate further and changed the subject: "Just curious, did you bring the Ice Soul Frost Flower when you came?"
"I left immediately at the Deputy Sect Master's urging." Xia Ming shook her head: "Do you need it for something?"
"To settle a score." Lu Jin'an sighed: "Since you didn't bring it, I guess I'll have to take a trip to the Blood Emperor Sect."
"Does such a wonder herb exist in the Nanzhuo Domain?"
"It's something the Blood Emperor Sect obtained from the True Monarch Ancient Tomb some time ago. As for why it'd be in a True Monarch's tomb... Consider it as part of the great era of competition."
Lu Jin'an started walking: "Stay and watch the medical hall for me."
Once he obtained the Ice Soul Frost Flower, he would have the confidence to counter Zhu Nanzhi.
"Got it."
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