Chapter 575 - World In Blood Sacrifice
Higher realms, inside of a mottled ancient palace.
“I could vaguely see the world dyed in blood and countless lives withering away.” Someone spoke with a calm voice. Chaotic energy surrounded this individual.
“When night falls in Heavenly Country, all life will praise respectfully. A path forged through blood and bone will appear, and a blood moon will hang in the sky. A crack in the void will thus be opened.” On another praying mat, mists pervaded the air, hazy and malevolent.
Lower realm, Three Life Mountain.
s.h.i.+ Hao remained in isolation for two months. That day, he felt something strange, as if he couldn’t calm his mind. He woke up from his state of dao comprehension.
“A long time has pa.s.sed, and it had always been peaceful. Will something happen?” He said softly to himself. He got up and looked around him. The mountains were green and the valleys were lush with life.
He walked out from the mountain range and arrived in a small town. He sat down inside a family’s wine shop, and then he suddenly wished to return to Stone Village. For some reason, he began to long for them, and he wanted to immediately meet his parents.
“What is going on with me? Why did I suddenly think of my close ones and wish to meet them?” s.h.i.+ Hao said to himself. He hadn’t even left the lower realm, yet he was already feeling this type of reluctance.
A group of children clamored about, running around in the alleys. There were even smaller kids tottering about, trying to catch up to the others. The last child fell on his bottom, causing him to cry with wawa sounds while rubbing his eyes.
A larger kid immediately ran over and lifted him up. There were tears hanging from the little fellow’s eyelashes as he cried and smiled at the same time. Eventually, he began to laugh extremely happily.
s.h.i.+ Hao was greatly influenced. That type of pure smile and happy tears made him feel as if he returned to his youth, a time when he was carefree and without any worries.
“Truly was a happy period of time.” He stood up.
An hour later, a group of children followed around s.h.i.+ Hao’s side, making a racket as they walked through the large street together.
“Big bro, I want to eat tanghulu!”
On s.h.i.+ Hao’s left shoulder sat a two or three year old little girl. She reached out her hand and pointed at a tanghulu stand in front of her, saliva appearing at the corners of her mouth.
“I want one too!” On his right shoulder was the little boy that had fallen on the ground not too long ago. He had just learned how to walk recently. He was also drooling while pointing outwards.
“Boss, give every child one.” s.h.i.+ Hao chuckled.
“Alright!” The boss was beaming with joy.
The group of children immediately cheered and flocked forward, cramming their way forward and surrounding the tanghulu stand. They all reached out their little hands with longing expressions.
Eventually, everyone was satisfied. They were all extremely happy as they surrounded s.h.i.+ Hao and walked together.
s.h.i.+ Hao began to reflect upon himself. Did he miss out on something? The hearts of children were the purest and easiest to satisfy. They were carefree and without worries, while he himself was going to go to the higher realms and place himself inside of a great storm. He had been forcefully forging ahead this entire time.
“This is my path. These children will eventually have to grow up.” He looked at the people walking at both sides of the street, constantly on the move to survive. Ten or so years later, these children would become just like them.
Comparatively speaking, for the sake of seeking the dao, for the sake of transcending, there was a higher starting point. He should be satisfied, and he should be laughing happily every day.
“I have to smile, have to be happy. Even if I leave my loved ones and enter the higher realms, I still have to be like that.” s.h.i.+ Hao began to laugh simple-mindedly, revealing his sparkling teeth. “If those shameful fellows really want to deal with me, I’ll eat them all!”
“Smells so good! Earth Dragon meat buns! I heard that that there is a lot of spiritual essence inside. Those vicious beasts are really strong and I never tried them before.”
When they pa.s.sed by a large steamed bun shop, a few larger kids swallowed their saliva and quietly muttered and covered their embarra.s.sment with their tattered sleeves.
After hearing him speak like this, the other kids looked forward too. Their little faces were all dirty, but their large eyes were bright. They all swallowed their saliva.
“If you guys want to eat, then I’ll treat all of you until you’ve all had enough.” s.h.i.+ Hao smiled.
“Really? Awesome!” The group of kids cried out happily and excitedly. The two little fellows on his shoulders couldn’t behave themselves any longer either. They really wanted to crawl down and run around on the ground.
Eventually, s.h.i.+ Hao brought them around all around, eating along the way, using all types of snacks to satisfy these little fellows’ mouths and appet.i.tes. When they separated, the kids were all reluctant to part with him. They grabbed onto his sleeves, not willing to let go.
“Byebye!”
s.h.i.+ Hao left. After leaving this small town, he disappeared with a flash and returned to Three Life Mountain. He became self-aware that even though his cultivation had become powerful, he didn’t have the high and aloof mind that wanted to transcend the mortal world. He instead quite liked this type of feeling.
“I am a flesh and blood person. I really can’t understand those so-called deities who like to look down on everyone from so high up. Since it’s like that, why even bother coming down? Just keep playing your part as a deity.”
Flood region, inside a marsh.
Mists scattered about. There was a heavy yin energy, and a few mud alligators were roaming about, waiting for prey to appear.
Up ahead, there was a strange and remote altar that was entirely black and flickering with l.u.s.ter. There were many demonic symbols carved on top, as if it lead into the nine layers of the underworld.
Several figures descended onto the altar, all of them silently occupying a corner of this place. They carefully examined the symbols on the altar, seeing if there were any imperfections.
Finally, an individual in a gray robe said with a hoa.r.s.e voice, “Begin!”
After this person spoke, everyone departed from the altar and stood in the distance. They chanted incantations, causing that altar to light up. Dark light rushed into the heavens, affecting tens of thousands of living things.
The mud crocodiles in the swamp immediately began to flee for their lives. However, it was all futile, and they quickly exploded, their blood and soul turning into scarlet light that drifted towards the altar.
“World in blood sacrifice, darkness of deities, open up an eternal path and allow Heavenly Country to descend onto this world.” Someone muttered, as if they were chanting a curse. The trees all around him appeared dreary, and leaves fluttered about in disorder.
Hong!
A white clad individual waved a sleeve, and then over ten million people howled in grief. They poured down from the sky like rain onto the black altar.
This was a calamity, like a living h.e.l.l.
Some of these people landed on the altar, while others already exploded in midair, turning into a b.l.o.o.d.y rain. Strands of scarlet light rushed out, flying into the altar’s demonic symbols.
At this moment, the altar seemed to have formed a world. Regardless of how many people dropped down from the heavens, they couldn’t fill it up. They were all absorbed, causing blood to flow through this place, dyeing the foundation stone in red and seeping into the engravings.
Strings of demonic symbols lit up, wriggling about like little snakes. They turned into streaks of lightning, carrying b.l.o.o.d.y light and the power of souls. The anguished wailing of countless people resounded through the air.
This was a tragic calamity!
The blood and lives of tens of thousands of people were used as a sacrifice for that demonic altar, all for the sake of linking up to the higher realms and calling down a supreme deity, opening a path for one to come down.
Hong!
Another person moved as well. The blood gourd in his hand opened, and countless creatures fell outwards. Some of them exploded in the void, while others fell to their deaths on the altar. It was an extremely tragic scene.
Others took action at the same time, each displaying techniques to unload all of the creatures they captured onto the altar. Souls were sucked out, and countless lives withered away.
The altar was bright red in color. Powerful soul power and life essence combined together, making it appear more and more sinister. It was as if it would suck one’s mind straight out from their bodies.
“I don’t want to die! What happened? Why am I here?” There were cultivators who cried out loudly. However, there was nothing this person could do. This person’s life was still ended, having bones broken and muscles hacked apart.”
Even cultivators that were captured were like this, let alone ordinary people.
“Mother, where are you? What is going on? We…” A few children cried out loudly. When they fell from the sky, cold winds battered their bodies and entered their mouths. They weren’t able to say anything else again soon afterwards.
“Oh, heaven, can you see what is happening? How can you allow this? For demons to run amok and tear through this world…” A white haired elder howled in grief.
It was too difficult to change anything. Countless creatures have been thrown into the altar, their bodies turned into blood essence and their souls absorbed. This was a great calamity that was difficult to watch.
“Blood sacrifice!”
Finally, all of the grief, tears, and cries of anguish were drowned out by these two emotionless words. Several supreme experts joined together to guide the process into the final phase.
On the altar, endless soul force surged. It was accompanied by b.l.o.o.d.y light and black mist, forming a ghastly sight. It immediately connected to the higher realms to open a gate.
Inside the higher realms’ mysterious palace.
“I’ve have received the cries. The blood sacrifices have startled, so let’s cooperate to open up a pa.s.sage and have creatures that have ignited their divine flames descend into the lower realm to search for those natural opportunities.” A seemingly illusory figure sat there while speaking. He began to form an imprint.
On the side, someone waved a sleeve.
An enormous skeleton appeared, towering in the ancient palace. Its surroundings directly became vague, distortion and warping about. All types of pa.s.sages appeared on its own.
This was a Void Beast, one with strength that could match a supreme giant. It had fallen in Underworld Earth and had now turned into a skeleton that was excellently preserved. It could be used to break through the boundary between realms.
“This is my Underworld Earth’s sect protecting supreme treasure. You wouldn’t be able to find many void beasts like this even if you searched all of the higher realms. Everyone, why don’t we begin.” Underworld Lord spoke with an ice-cold voice. His body that was seated on a praying mat was enormous.
“It isn’t enough. Please sacrifice the void beast skin as well. Only then can we truly open a path and it will allow us to fight the will of heaven. Only then can our disciples remain forever in the lower realm and not just temporarily.” Another individual said.
A wave of silence filled this place. Underworld Earth’s master raised his hand, and an enormous beast skin flew out, landing on that skeleton and covering it.
“Have them proceed!” Someone said.
Over ten creatures appeared. They came from different races, and all of them had their divine flames lit. Compared to those that resided in the mortal realms, they were incomparably powerful and undefeatable!
“We can’t choose anyone more powerful and can only choose them, or else when we go against the will of heaven, they would all be wiped out without any chance of success.”
These people all flew into a copper furnace, using this to protect themselves. This was a sect protecting magical artifact that normal deities couldn’t refine, use, or even see before.
“Void furnace!” Someone said softly. This was definitely quite the great expense.
This furnace shrank, turning into the size of a fist. Then, it entered the void beast’s skull before disappearing.
“World in blood sacrifice!”
“Against heaven’s will!”
These voices sounded from within the main hall. Then, everyone formed imprints and worked together to open a pa.s.sageway to form a connection with the lower realm.
Evil winds immediately roared angrily through this place. Chaotic energy surged, and the palace hall twisted about, becoming indistinct.
Meanwhile, above the heavens, an abnormal streak of lightning appeared. It turned into a heavenly blade and hacked towards this palace. With a hong sound, this place was cut open, sending rubble flying everywhere.
One should know that there was an exceptionally powerful great formation laid here, but it was still blasted apart, damaging the palace.
“Fight against heaven’s will! Everyone, we must cooperate, or else we will suffer severe backlash and the consequences will be great!”
Kacha!
This was chaotic lightning, and it would only appear when the heaven and earth emerged. It was normally rarely seen, but right now, it covered the sky and poured down in torrents.
The bodies of these sect masters shone, and all of them turned into mediums for the dao. They erupted with endless light, filling this place with symbols!
Chi!
The boundless chaotic light descended from the sky, drowning this place. One could vaguely see a few terrifying figures solidifying.
Hong!
A final collision happened. Everyone released stifled grunts.
A crack appeared, opening up a path. The Void Beast dove down, disappearing into the lower realm in the blink of an eye.