Splat!
After dozens of consecutive slashes, the eerie figure before him was finally hacked apart alive beneath Jiang Dao's terrifying blade technique, turning into a cloud of white powder that drifted to the ground.
Jiang Dao finally came to a stop, blood energy steaming all over his body, his form terrifying. Even the long blade in his hand had become riddled with pits and dents.
The Blood Shadow Soulchaser Blade had revealed its might in its first battle!
His gaze swiftly turned to one side.
He saw the maid Bi Yu, her little face deathly pale, unconscious and lying motionless behind the corridor.
Jiang Dao immediately strode over to Bi Yu and grabbed her up.
But the instant his palm touched Bi Yu, his expression changed slightly.
The little girl's entire body was incomparably cold, icy to the bone, like some eerie block of ice. It was unspeakably frightening.
"Yin energy has entered her body?"
At this moment, Pang Lin, Fang Biao, Wang Xing, and the others had all been alarmed and hurried over.
Jiang Dalong also came swiftly under the protection of a group of people, his face filled with shock.
"Dao'er, could another Malevolent Spirit have come?"
Jiang Dalong asked, trembling.
Jiang Dao nodded grimly and looked at the crowd. "The Malevolent Spirit has already been killed by me. It's fine now. Find a doctor to examine Bi Yu tomorrow!"
"Alright, alright. I'll have someone call for a doctor first thing tomorrow morning!"
Jiang Dalong nodded hurriedly.
Pang Lin and the others were all terrified.
Just what realm had their eldest young master cultivated to?
He had killed Malevolent Spirits one after another with nothing but flesh and blood!
It was simply inconceivable!
But what made them even more uneasy was Hengzhou City's situation!
Could it truly be as Old Daoist Changbai had said—that this would not end until thousands died in Hengzhou City?
It was now obvious that a terrifying force had set its sights on the Jiang residence.
Jiang Dao looked at the pitted long blade in his hand, his heart sinking. He casually tossed the blade aside.
Ordinary weapons were already far too inadequate for his needs!
Elsewhere.
The darkness was gloomy and oppressive.
Two hazy figures stood facing each other.
One was the Eerie Youth whom Jiang Dao had just met during the day. Black robe, black hair, black pupils, black nails—at this moment, even his lips were black. His grin stretched all the way to the roots of his ears, revealing a mouthful of fine, dense teeth as he looked across at the other person.
Opposite him was a young girl, likewise wearing a sweet smile. Her features were exquisite, and she looked sixteen or seventeen. Dressed in a short white skirt, she swayed gracefully toward him.
"I never expected even a nonhuman like you to come. Aren't you afraid of running into those people from the Corpse Dao Sect and being refined by them?"
The girl in the white skirt giggled.
"Miss Bai, you jest. I am not human, but are you human?"
The Eerie Youth grinned.
"What do you want? Do you also intend to seize that Sacred Artifact?"
The white-skirted girl's expression turned solemn as she asked.
"The Sacred Artifact stirs people's hearts. No one does not want it. But I know my own weight well. As a lone man, I definitely cannot contend with your Spirit Child Palace and the Corpse Dao Sect. Rather than risk my life fighting over the Sacred Artifact, I might as well cherish what is before me. My goal is simple. It is actually you, Miss Bai."
The Eerie Youth smiled.
"Me?"
The white-skirted girl's eyes froze slightly before she burst into laughter. "Since She Gongzi is interested in this little woman, it is naturally this little woman's honor. If you can help my Spirit Child Palace seize the Sacred Artifact, what would it matter if this little woman offered herself to you?"
Her body was slender and curvaceous, full where it should be and narrow where it should be, every line exquisitely formed. She walked toward the Eerie Youth, one fair little hand lightly stroking his shoulder, her face brimming with a sweet smile as she circled around him. Her other little hand silently reached toward his lower abdomen, cool and slick, a faint fragrance filling the air.
Sinister light surged in the Eerie Youth's eyes.
But in the next instant, his brow furrowed as he sensed something. He turned to look into the distant darkness and said eerily, "Damn ant, did you kill another one of my Malevolent Spirits?"
"What? One of She Gongzi's Malevolent Spirits was killed too?"
The white-skirted girl was surprised, then smiled. "How unfortunate. One of my Spirit Child Palace's spirit children also died. I had originally intended to settle the matter tonight."
"Who killed it? I am willing to be of service!"
The Eerie Youth smiled.
"The Jiang Family estate."
The white-skirted girl answered calmly.
"What a coincidence. The same as my Malevolent Spirit..."
The Eerie Youth chuckled.
Boom!
Suddenly, the earth shook and mountains swayed as an eerie red light erupted from the eastern part of the city.
Both raised their heads at once, their pupils shrinking sharply.
"The Sacred Artifact has emerged!"
Whoosh!
The two figures vanished in an instant, leaving the place.
A low rumble shook more than half of Hengzhou City.
A dazzling red light shot into the sky, accompanied by surging blood-colored mist that swept mightily and swiftly across all of Hengzhou City.
No one knew how many people were jolted awake in an instant. Their faces filled with terror, they stared at the dense red light outside their windows and trembled, almost believing that hell had descended.
Inside the Jiang residence.
Jiang Dao rushed into the courtyard at the first opportunity, raised his head, and felt his heart quake.
In the eastern region, a stretch of eerie red mist was spreading rapidly.
Beneath this red mist, the stars, the moon, and the entire world had all turned red.
An unimaginable wave of yin energy swept over them, blotting out the sky and covering the earth, making people shudder uncontrollably.
"Young Master, what... what is happening?"
Pang Lin's face was filled with horror.
Even with his broad experience and knowledge, this terrifying sight had completely stunned him.
Blood mist covered the heavens!
It was as if a sea of blood hung overhead, and even the air had become thick and viscous.
"The Sacred Artifact has emerged. Could the Sacred Artifact have emerged?"
Jiang Dao muttered.
"Dao'er, what happened now?"
Jiang Dalong rushed out swiftly with his men.
"Father, something is wrong. Tell everyone not to come out!"
Jiang Dao shouted.
"Alright!"
Jiang Dalong's expression changed. He quickly nodded and yelled, "Everyone, get inside immediately! Quickly, all of you get inside!"
Jiang Dao also returned to his room at once.
Yet he did not close the door. Instead, he stood before it and looked upward.
The blood mist surged, carrying an indescribable aura.
He lightly touched it with his palm and clearly felt moisture on his skin. Bringing it to his nose for a sniff, he immediately caught an eerie stench of blood.
This shocked him even more.
Was this truly blood?
But how could that be possible?
Time passed bit by bit.
Inside the room, the water clock ticked steadily.
Jiang Dao did not sleep for the entire night. He stood before the door the whole time, gazing upward.
Gradually, the sky began to brighten, but there was still no sign that the blood mist above would disperse.
Through the blood mist, he could see the sun overhead.
Yet after the sun's rays passed through the folded layers of blood mist, they too had turned a dark crimson.
"Daybreak..."
Jiang Dao's expression was grave.
He looked into the courtyard and found that the blood mist was so thick that it covered everything, making visibility extremely low.
The dense red mist was eerie in a way that could not be described.
"Father, Master Pang, I'm going out to take a look!"
Jiang Dao suddenly said.
"Young Master, rest assured. I'll guard the house!"
Pang Lin replied from within the blood mist.
Jiang Dao casually picked up a new steel saber and rushed outside.
Hengzhou City was a sea of scarlet.
The blood-colored mist rolled vast and mighty, making the road ahead almost impossible to see. A pungent stench of blood filled every corner.
Jiang Dao followed the main road, heading east all the way.
Vaguely, he heard crying. It seemed that many people were weeping bitterly.
Jiang Dao frowned and quickened his pace. Soon, he discovered many figures ahead, carrying bundles on their backs and dressed in mourning clothes. They wept as they headed into the distance.
Paper money had been scattered before many homes.
Others carried bundles, kowtowed several times in the direction of their homes, wiped away their tears, and then ran off into the distance.
Jiang Dao frowned.
Had something happened in all these people's homes?
Where were they going?
"Hyah! Hyah! Move aside! Everyone, move aside!"
Suddenly, chaotic hoofbeats sounded from behind him. Many people were shouting as carriage after carriage charged through the red mist, carrying threads of chill. They were loaded with all kinds of goods.
Quite a few people were even knocked down by the carriages.
Jiang Dao swiftly stepped back and swept his gaze over the convoy.
Dragon City Auction House?
He instantly recognized the banners on the convoy and shouted, "Manager Su, what are you doing?"
Su Mingyuan, inside one of the carriages, heard the voice and hurriedly poked his head out through the curtain. Recognizing Jiang Dao, he called out, "Young Master Jiang! I just received word that all the soldiers guarding the city are dead. Hengzhou City is unguarded now, and many people have already fled. Your family should leave quickly too!"
"All the soldiers guarding the city are dead?"
Jiang Dao was startled.
After saying that, Su Mingyuan immediately pulled his head back inside and continued urging his men to drive the carriages toward the city gate.
Jiang Dao made a prompt decision and hurried back home as well.
Before you continue