The blood-red stream tossed and turned, connecting the sky with the ground. It produced an endless rumble, as if countless demonic faces were shrieking and roaring.
The three Receival experts were swallowed by the blood-red stream. They immediately sensed that the mysterious power in the stream was rapidly suppressing their powers. They could not even use half of their power. Thus, they could no longer protect themselves. They bobbed up and down in the rapids, like tiny boats in the vast sea. They were unable to control themselves at all.
In just a short few seconds, the barrier of origin energy around the three experts shattered, exposing their bodies. The blood-like liquid made direct contact with their skin. Their bodies immediately began to dissolve at a visible rate.
Their bodies dissolved in the rapids, becoming a part of the blood-like water. All their flesh and origin energy was turned into the river’s power.
This was an inhumane torture. The three Receival experts all produced chilling shrieks, unable to break free from the stream.
When the three Receival experts were about to pass away, the Returnance elder, who had not taken part in a battle yet, shifted his eyes to the cloud. A gleam of light immediately flashed through his eyes as he murmured with a deep voice,
You’re actually able to force one early and two mid Receival experts into such a state in such a short amount of time with strength at early Receival, and you don’t even seem to be using your full strength. I sure did underestimate you earlier.
With that, he no longer stood by and finally began to move. He hurled a punch toward the cloud from over ten kilometers away.
The punch shattered space, reducing the area several thousand meters away from him into a pitch black hole. A terrifying energy tore through space, directly colliding with the cloud of blood in the distance.
Boom!
With a deafening boom, the cloud of blood began to violently tremble before rapidly collapsing. In just a few seconds, the entire cloud vanished, revealing Houston, who had remained hidden in it the whole time.
Houston staggered back through the air as he trembled. A smear of paleness appeared on his face. Not only had the punch from the Returnance expert destroyed his cloud, but it had injured him quite a bit as well.
After all, he was only at early Receival. Although he possessed impressive strength due to the Empyrean Demon Arts, able to kill mid Receival experts, he was still not the opponent of a Returnance expert.
As the cloud dispersed, the three Receival experts broke free. They avoided death, but a portion of their bodies had been eaten away by the stream of blood. They looked utterly terrifying. They were bathed in blood with parts of their bodies missing. Even their heads had shrunk in size while their noses and ears had been completely eaten away.
Go heal up,
the Returnance expert said coldly. His gaze remained fixed on Houston the entire time as an odd light flickered through his eyes.
Thank you for saving us, elder Zhang!
The three Receival experts no longer lingered around after thanking their benefactor. They all returned to the World of Forsaken Saints through the tunnel.
On the other hand, elder Zhang arrived before Houston. His face was emotionless and cold. He stared at Houston condescendingly and said,
What is the name of your cultivation method, for it to possess such power?
The Empyrean Demon Arts!
Houston replied with a heavy voice. His face was extremely stern. An extremely slim spike that was four inches long suddenly appeared in his hand. Soul-devouring Force permeated the spike as he stabbed it at elder Zhang with lightning-like speed.
The cultivation method of the Bloodsword sect was a modified version of the Empyrean Demon Arts. The Baleful Yin Force cultivated by people of the sect was a weakened form of Soul-devouring Force. As a result, Soul-devouring Force obviously possessed the unique characteristics of Baleful Yin Force. It was countless times more powerful Baleful Yin Force.
The elder Zhang was affected by the Soul-devouring Force the moment Houston stabbed out. He became dazed as blankness filled his eyes. However, he was a Returnance expert, who much more powerful than Houston. He recovered in the blink of an eye, but at that time, Houston’s spike had already arrived before his forehead.
Elder Zhang narrowed his eyes. In a crucial moment, he used his hand to catch the spike as he urgently retreated. He dodged the fatal strike, but a bead of blood appeared on his forehead. The spike had pierced his skin, only slightly piercing his skull.
Elder Zhang was covered in cold sweat. The hand he had used to catch the spike bled profusely as well. It had been injured even though it was protected by origin energy.
A soul attack. This is actually a soul attack! What power did you just use? It actually possesses the ability to influence the soul
Elder Zhang was no longer able to keep his composure. He questioned Houston in shock.
But his face was soon replaced with joy. Before Houston could answer, he immediately said,
Hand over your cultivation method and I’ll spare you!
Elder Zhang spoke urgently. He was filled with greed. Houston’s cultivation method had piqued his interest very much. He was rather eager to obtain it.
This cultivation method was just far too great. Not only could it allow an early Receival expert to kill two mid Receival and one early Receival expert, but it also possessed the capability of attacking the soul. Even Returnance experts would face the threat of dying if they lost focus.
Houston sneered when he heard that elder Zhang actually wanted his cultivation method,
You sure have some insight. You understand just how extraordinary my cultivation method is, which is why I possess this strength and not because of some secret techniques. However, even if I give you my cultivation method, you have no right to practice it.
Houston poured some strength into his right hand and snatched the spike back. Elder Zhang originally held the spike in his hand, so as it was recalled, his hand was injured once again. It was covered in blood and almost chopped in half.
Elder Zhang did not seem to sense his injuries at all. He sneered,
Since even you have the right to practice it, I obviously have the right as well. I can only take it myself if you’re not willing to offer it up. Even if the cultivation method isn’t on you, I have ways of drawing it out of your soul. It’s just a little harder, but you’ll die for sure.
Elder Zhang’s eyes glowed with a frightening light. After witnessing the power of the Empyrean Demon Arts, he had decided he would obtain this cultivation method. He then raised his bloody hand and powerful origin energy surged out. He directly sent it toward Houston.
Houston felt no fear at all. His red spike turned into a streak of red light as it stabbed toward elder Zhang. The Soul-devouring Force, which covered the spike, affected elder Zhang’s soul again.
Elder Zhang was now prepared after having experienced the soul attack the first time. The moment Houston stabbed out, he retreated, immediately reappearing over ten kilometers away. He was so far away that the Soul-devouring Force was unable to reach him. At the same time, a sword appeared in his hand, and he stabbed out with it. It tore through space and sent powerful sword Qi toward Houston.
The sword Qi moved just far too quickly, arriving before Houston in the blink of an eye. Moreover, the sword Qi had locked onto Houston’s presence, so he was unable to dodge it. All he could do was forcefully endure it.
This was a powerful strike from a Returnance expert. No matter how impressive Houston’s cultivation method was, his strength still remained at early Receival. He became extremely stern as he faced the terrifying sword Qi. The Soul-devouring Force on the spike became as dense as possible before shooting toward the sword Qi as a dazzling red glow. A thumb-sized orb that was a blood-red color hovered above his head, producing a shroud of red light that enveloped Houston.
Boom!
Houston’s spike collided with the sword Qi and its glow immediately dulled. The clothes on his right arm were torn to shreds before being reduced to dust. The sword Qi from elder Zhang dulled slightly after having been obstructed by the red spike. However, its power still could not be underestimated. Without slowing down at all, it struck the red shroud created by the Empyrean Demon Orb.
The Empyrean Demon Orb was the famed treasure from the greatest Demon Monarch of the Demons’ World, the Empyrean Demon Monarch. It was an extremely powerful demon artifact, but using its true power required an extremely powerful strength as well. Houston could not even use a hundredth of the orb’s power with his strength at early Receival, so the shroud collapsed in just a few short seconds after being struck by the sword Qi. The remaining sword Qi hit Houston’s chest after having made its way through the many obstructions.
Spurt! Houston vomited blood and paled. A vicious slash appeared on his chest, dyeing his coarse clothes red.
Let me ask you one last time. Will you hand over the Empyrean Demon Arts or not? I will never make it difficult for you if you hand it over, but if you don’t, I can only put in the effort and extract it from your soul. Your soul will also perish during that process.
Elder Zhang arrived before Houston. He did not hurry to continue the fight. Instead, he asked for the cultivation method again.
He was enraptured by the Empyrean Demon Arts.
