Chapter 12: Insane Liu Ruyan, The Great Plundering Immortal Art

Saintess Peak. Alchemy Room.

“Ruyan, your teacher can only help you this far. Whether you can break through these shackles depends on your own fortune.”

Ji Yaoyue handed a pill to Liu Ruyan, her voice heavy with gravity. As an alchemist, providing the most direct assistance for her disciple’s breakthrough was all she could do. This Barrier-Breaking Five Elements Pill represented the culmination of her efforts; it was filled with her highest hopes.

“Thank you, Shifu!”

Liu Ruyan took the pill and bowed. A flash of satisfaction crossed her eyes. The pill Ji Yaoyue refined was exactly what Master Fox had mentioned: it was the strongest guarantee for her to break through her cultivation in a short time, perhaps even multiple times in a row.

Suddenly, Ji Yaoyue coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. Her aura instantly withered.

“Shifu!”

Liu Ruyan rushed to support her, but Ji Yaoyue waved her off. She quickly swallowed a medicinal pill to steady herself.

“The grade of this Barrier-Breaking Five Elements Pill is infinitely close to the Earth-grade. This is the highest level of medicine your teacher can refine. Ruyan, I hope you do not fail my expectations. You must crush Lu Jin and join the Blood Moon Holy Land!”

Nearly everyone knew that once a disciple was accepted by the Blood Moon Holy Land, their family and sect would receive immense benefits. Every year, the Holy Land would bestow massive wealth: pills, manuals, weapons, and opportunities that other sects would fight to the death over.

As the master of such a disciple, the rewards were even greater. There were legends of teachers who received a direct “Top-Level Empowerment” after their disciples joined, allowing them to become titans of their region overnight. The very ceiling of a sect’s development often depended on the wealth granted by the Holy Land.

With the right supreme manual, a sect could produce experts in droves, transforming from a minor player into a major power. This was exactly what Ji Yaoyue was betting on. Compared to the potential rewards, her current sacrifice was trivial.

Liu Ruyan left the alchemy room with the pill in hand. She summoned a flying mount and soared toward the north. Eventually, she hovered above a distant sect.

Master Fox, are you ready?

Liu Ruyan looked down at the bustling scene of the sect below. Her eyes filled with a bloodthirsty greed.

The moment her thought faded, a surge of black spiritual Qi erupted from her body. It enveloped her completely; with every move she made, the black mist swirled around her, making her look like a demonic witch.

“Go. This time, I will assist you with my full power!”

Liu Ruyan’s gaze turned cold. Spiritual Qi exploded from her. A black longsword manifested in her hand. Her first move was to strike downward, slicing her own mount into pieces!

Buzz!

As the mount’s blood sprayed into the air, the black sword unleashed a terrifying devouring force. It drained every drop of blood in an instant. Simultaneously, the Supreme Bone inside Liu Ruyan’s body flashed with brilliant light before returning to normal. A faint, new rune appeared upon its surface.

“Great Plundering Immortal Art! Hahaha! Kill!”

Liu Ruyan’s eyes were bloodshot and manic. She descended from the heavens like a demon lord, clutching her black sword as she began a frantic slaughter of the disciples below. With every kill, the sword’s devouring power drained the victims of their blood. In seconds, the corpses were turned into withered husks.

There was no powerful expert guarding this sect. Even their Sect Master was only at the seventh stage of the Spirit Pearl Realm. The chaos did not last long; soon, all sound vanished. Over a hundred withered husks were strewn across the ground. The scent of blood in the air dissipated almost as quickly as it had appeared.

After slaughtering an entire sect, Liu Ruyan swallowed the Barrier-Breaking Five Elements Pill. She transformed into a streak of black demonic light and vanished into the depths of the dark forest.

“Wait… the Kaishan Sect has been wiped out?”

Sometime later, two figures—a man and a woman—flew over the Kaishan Sect. When they saw the withered corpses scattered below, their brows furrowed.

“Senior Brother Mo Chen, could this be the work of the Blood Messengers again?”

The woman was dressed in blue. Her long hair draped over her shoulders. She had a beautiful face and a tall, graceful figure. In her hand, she held a large saber that seemed mismatched with her refined temperament.

“Blood Messengers usually take the living to sacrifice to the Blood Moon Ancestor. The situation here at the Kaishan Sect is different.”

The man named Mo Chen had eyes like stars and a handsome face. His aura was powerful. Both of them were Jindan experts. He descended to investigate, but after finding no clues, he led the woman away. Their destination was the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

The Ten Thousand Swords Sect was heavily guarded, but as they reached the gates, Mo Chen released a bird made of profound light. When the guards saw the bird, their expressions changed. They nodded respectfully and allowed the pair to enter the inner sanctum.

Mo Chen and the woman followed the bird until they reached the place where Sect Master Chu Tianxiong was staying. Although he was usually impossible to find, the bird led them straight to him.

“Hall Master!”

Mo Chen and the woman bowed respectfully. Chu Tianxiong nodded, getting straight to the point.

“Is there news?”

“Hall Master! Junior Sister Zi Xuan and I passed the Kaishan Sect and found the entire sect slaughtered. Everyone had been turned into husks, completely drained of blood. This doesn’t look like the work of the Blood Messengers.”

Chu Tianxiong frowned. “The Kaishan Sect was wiped out? Did you find any clues at all?”

Mo Chen shook his head helplessly.

“Fine. I am aware of this now. I will investigate it personally. How are things for you two in the Blood Moon Holy Land?”

Zi Xuan spoke up. “Hall Master, the Blood Moon Ancestor’s strength is growing. He requires more and more blood food. The Blood Messengers capture over a hundred people every day! Furthermore, the Ancestor has entered a state of complete seclusion. Neither we nor the members of the four great families in the Holy Land can get near him.”

Chu Tianxiong’s brow knitted together. He closed his eyes for a moment, then grabbed their wrists to inspect them. He shook his head slightly.

“The Blood Moon Curse marks on you are growing deeper. You must be even more cautious in your actions. I know how you feel, but those who achieve great things must endure minor slights. For now, swallow your resentment and hide your anger.”

“Hall Master, we understand!”

“For the Holy Tabernacle, we are willing to die!” Their eyes were filled with resolve.

“I don’t want you to die,” Chu Tianxiong said. “I want you to see the Blood Moon Ancestor die without a burial with your own eyes!”

“We will remember!”

As the two left the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, Chu Tianxiong vanished as well. His movements were hidden and mysterious: a dark current gathering strength.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a transmission talisman vibrated within Zi Xuan’s spatial ring. Her face went pale.

“Senior Brother Mo Chen, this is bad! Ling Tao is trapped in the Fire Dragon Cave! His life is in danger!”

“You mean the Fire Dragon Cave in the Thunder Abyss?”