They Will Soon Come to Keep You Company

Before Jiang Lan, blood-colored mist billowed, so dense it had reached an extreme, like a blood-red domain impervious to all laws.

Divine light rained down from all directions, yet it seemed blocked by that blood-colored mist, unable to advance another inch.

Some talisman treasures were even tainted by the blood-colored mist, emitting sizzling sounds as the runes within them rapidly and inexplicably dissipated. In the blink of an eye, they lost their spirituality and fell to the ground.

At the same time, a faint trembling rumble arose in the void.

Countless strands of blood-colored mist seemed to come alive. At Jiang Lan's command, they became rain, swords, and blades, whistling as they slashed down with sharp pops, effortlessly piercing the bodies of those Myriad Laws Sect disciples.

Beneath the cover of the blood-colored mist, Jiang Lan's face grew increasingly pale. Waves of weak, hollow dizziness surged through his mind.

Controlling such vast and surging life force in this place was still somewhat beyond him at present.

Yet his expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

"Does he actually disdain to make a move?"

Seeing Jiang Lan so composed and unhurried, his expression even indifferent, Wang Yan faintly felt a sense of unease and dread rise within him.

He was, after all, an inner disciple of the Myriad Laws Sect, and he had entered the Illuminating Nether Realm of the Fourth Realm many years ago.

Even in Danzhou Prefecture, he was one of the foremost geniuses. Though he was currently injured, he did not even seem qualified to force Jiang Lan into taking action.

Could this mysterious young man before him truly be powerful to such an extent?

"Are you truly fools, or merely pretending to be?"

"If you really intend to stand by and watch, then wait to die with me. This man's strength far exceeds anything we imagined. If you still refuse to act, once I die, none of you will survive either."

"Do you really think this man will spare you?"

At once, Wang Yan let out an enraged roar and looked toward Ye Ming and the woman surnamed Song in the distance, hoping they would lend him a hand.

The woman surnamed Song and the people beside her all had slight changes in expression.

Ye Ming's brows furrowed tightly, and he silently took several steps backward.

"It does not matter. They will soon come to keep you company."

Jiang Lan spoke blandly, then abruptly thrust forward one hand that had been held behind his back.

The skyful of blood-colored mist before him immediately intertwined and gathered, transforming into a terrifying blood-red hand that reached out to seize Wang Yan.

"You..."

Wang Yan was furious and terrified. He immediately retreated backward.

Yet in that instant, his expression changed drastically. A horrifying pain suddenly erupted from his neck, as though some sharp weapon had pierced straight through it.

His gaze swept over, and he could only see a strand of blood-colored mist as thin as a hair flash past like lightning, piercing through with a pop before spreading and exploding at his neck.

When had this happened? His heart trembled violently, filled with terror.

The excruciating pain immediately made Wang Yan nearly faint, but what frightened and horrified him even more was that his life force was rapidly draining away...

Pfft...

The next moment, the blood-red hand in the void seized Wang Yan in its grasp.

As it slowly closed, no blood flowed out. Instead, he turned into ashes like grains of sand filling the sky, vanishing without a trace.

"How could this be..."

Ye Ming could not conceal the shock and terror on his face as he watched this scene.

"Run..."

That hoarse, deep voice rang out in his mind, carrying a rare note of urgency as it urged him on.

The voice did not need to say more. Ye Ming reacted just as swiftly. Before the voice had even sounded, he had already exerted his full strength, turning into an afterimage as he rapidly fled back along the way he had come.

Boom!!!

At the instant Ye Ming fled, a blood-red hand abruptly slammed down.

The entire underground palace shook with it. The stone walls quivered, rocks tumbled down, and dust filled the air, but Ye Ming's figure was nowhere to be seen.

"What a pity. That fellow ran quite quickly..."

Jiang Lan lightly shook his head, and there seemed to be a trace of regret in his calm tone.

But if anyone could have seen through the blood-colored mist concealing his face at this moment, they would have discovered that not a trace of color remained in it. He was so pale that he was nearly transparent.

The horrifying hollow pain in his mind had already pushed Jiang Lan to the brink of fainting.

After all, he currently possessed no cultivation whatsoever. Though this place was saturated with dense life energy that he could control, he had in fact already reached his limit.

His ability to kill Wang Yan had relied entirely on calculation and catching him off guard.

After all, who could have imagined that he truly possessed no cultivation at all...

The years of torment from the pain of "Heart Devouring" had, in a way, tempered his will. Even while forcing himself to endure at a point where his mind was nearly dried up, he had revealed no abnormality whatsoever.

However, although he had frightened Ye Ming away, there was still a bit of trouble left.

"You also had a chance to flee. Why did you not? Did you not wish to abandon your companions and live alone?"

Jiang Lan looked toward the woman surnamed Song and the others in the distance. His expression did not change, and his tone remained as indifferent as ever.

With the support of the maid beside her, the woman surnamed Song forced herself to stand steadily.

Shock and alarm could not be hidden in her clear, bright eyes, nor could a faint trace of fear. Yet she still tried to remain calm as she said, "Young Master sees clearly. Youwei is not someone who fears death, nor am I someone who would abandon my companions and scrape out an ignoble life alone."

Jiang Lan gave an apparently surprised oh, then smiled faintly. "A righteous and renowned sect like the Myriad Laws Sect is full of petty scheming and mutual intrigue, yet a demoness like you from the Blood Immortal Sect insists on remaining unstained though emerging from the mud. That is rather interesting."

In truth, when Jiang Lan had seized Wang Yan's life force earlier, he had already searched through Wang Yan's memories and learned this woman's identity.

Of course, when he had heard Wang Yan address her earlier, he had also made some associations and guesses.

But under the present circumstances, it was truly difficult to connect her with that infamous demoness of the future.

Song Youwei—such a scholarly name sounded more like that of a young lady from a distinguished household than a demoness of the Blood Immortal Sect.

Moreover, she appeared to be far weaker than expected... No, there must be something wrong with her body. Her current state was not her true strength.

Song Youwei's expression became slightly unnatural at Jiang Lan's use of "demoness," but she was even more astonished. How had Jiang Lan learned of her identity?

"There are countless things in this world that cannot be helped. If there had been no need, Youwei would not have wished to choose such an origin. Please forgive the laughter I have brought you, Young Master."

She brushed several loose strands of hair beside her ear and spoke with what seemed to be a touch of helplessness and bitterness.

She did not know Jiang Lan's identity, but from the situation before her, he did not seem intent on killing her. She could only follow along with his words and do her best to preserve her life first.

"Not bad. I do admire such resolve of yours. But on that basis alone, it is not enough to make me spare you," Jiang Lan said blandly.

Song Youwei's expression changed, and the people behind her abruptly became tense as well.

The scene from moments ago remained vividly etched in their minds, and fear still lingered deep within their hearts.

"Youwei does not believe she has offended you, Young Master. Why must you exterminate us all..." She lightly bit her lip as she spoke.