Bloodthirsty Lord

Exclusive! An interview with author eoiUFz and behind-the-scenes details of the creation of <Swallowed Star: Starting by Binding the Epiphany System>, limited availability.

Seeing Bai Yuan's grave expression, Pusis took the initiative to ask, "Do you need help? Since this matter involves Kulu, Hundred Tiger Tower naturally won't stand by and do nothing."

"Help? Can you invite a World Lord?" Bai Yuan countered.

"You're joking, right? How could I possibly invite a World Lord?"

Pusis looked utterly stunned, staring at Bai Yuan as though he had lost his mind.

"Fine. Looks like I'll still have to rely on myself." Bai Yuan sighed softly.

Seeing that he was not joking, Pusis immediately grew serious as well.

"You didn't really offend a World Lord, did you? How about... considering joining Hundred Tiger Tower? As long as you enter Hundred Tiger Tower, even a World Lord wouldn't dare barge in and make a move so easily."

Bai Yuan curled his lip. The gap between one World Lord and another could be greater than the distance between mountains.

Back when Luo Feng was still a World Lord, he had slaughtered a group of King-Rank Immortals until they fled in disarray. Though he had relied on external help, his own strength had still been nothing short of shocking.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. I still need to find someone else," Bai Yuan said.

"Tsk, other people would love to chat with me a little longer, but you're in such a hurry to end the call," Pusis said half-jokingly.

"What are you trying to do? My mental age may be that of an adult, but my body hasn't caught up yet. Don't tell me you're planning to do something bestial to a minor?"

"Pah, pah, pah! What nonsense! Besides, you're not even my type, especially that big bald head of yours," Pusis shot back without mercy.

Bai Yuan's expression immediately stiffened.

He rarely looked in mirrors, and he had nearly forgotten that he had no hair.

"Should I find some secret hair-growth remedy to try later?" he muttered to himself.

After ending the call with Pusis, Bai Yuan began seriously preparing to call in reinforcements.

About half an hour later.

Creak, creak, creak!

The castle's heavy gates slowly opened, and Bai Yuan strode out laughing, his demeanor exceptionally warm.

"Hahaha, Brother Kulu, your arrival honors this place. Forgive me for failing to welcome you properly! I was in secluded cultivation earlier and only just came out. I've truly neglected you!"

The moment Kulu saw Bai Yuan appear, he was overjoyed. He hurried forward, grabbed Bai Yuan's hand, and said enthusiastically:

"Not at all, not at all. I was the one who came to your door so abruptly, disturbing you without permission. The situation was simply urgent, which is why I was in such a hurry."

Bai Yuan smoothly picked up the thread. "I already roughly understand the situation. But there's still one thing I don't understand. Why did you specifically seek me out instead of Pusis and the others?"

"Ah, Brother Yuan and I hit it off at first sight. This time, I also wanted to use this opportunity to grow closer to you. If I could befriend a genius like Brother Yuan, then forget splitting the inheritance equally—even if I gave it all to you, I would be willing."

Kulu's words were so sincere that Bai Yuan almost believed him.

"You flatter me. We can simply split it equally," Bai Yuan said with a wave of his hand, before turning serious.

"However, this matter is of great importance. Please give me two more days to make some preparations."

A trace of impatience flashed through Kulu's eyes, too subtle to notice, but he still nodded with a smile.

"Of course. I'll come find you again in two days."

"Then it's settled."

After seeing Kulu off, Bai Yuan returned to the castle, and the smile on his face vanished in an instant.

"Two days should be enough... But I need to hurry up and improve my own strength too."

"System, use Epiphany!"

Two days later, Bai Yuan met with Kulu as agreed, and the two flew toward a remote region of the planet.

According to Kulu, it was best to keep a low profile on this trip, so they would travel by flight alone rather than use a spacecraft.

Before long, a cave appeared in Bai Yuan's field of vision.

The entrance looked completely ordinary, but with careful sensing, one could detect an abnormally powerful energy fluctuation faintly emanating from within.

"This is the place. I'll go first. Stay close behind me," Kulu said in a lowered voice.

Bai Yuan nodded and followed him into the cave.

Not long after entering the cave, Bai Yuan sensed that something was wrong.

"Xingwu? Xingwu?"

He called out repeatedly in his mind, yet received no response. His connection to his intelligent assistant had been completely severed.

Bai Yuan's heart sank. There really was something seriously wrong with this cave.

After walking for about half an hour, Kulu, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped and spun around!

At some point, a jet-black spear had appeared in his hand. The spearhead gleamed with cold light as he unleashed a fierce backthrust straight at Bai Yuan's heart!

But Bai Yuan had long been prepared. With a raise of his left hand, a shield with a metallic sheen appeared out of thin air, firmly blocking the sudden strike.

Kulu was quite astonished. He had not expected Bai Yuan to react so quickly, and what alarmed him even more was the aura emanating from him.

"Planet Fourth Rank! You actually broke through within these two days!"

Bai Yuan remained calm and asked in return, "Is breaking through to Planet Fourth Rank that difficult?"

With ample Wood Bud Crystals supporting him, advancing had simply been a natural progression.

Even with only a sixth-grade bloodline, he would not be stuck at the threshold of the Planet Realm.

Kulu gave a bitter smile. He had originally wanted to rely on being one rank higher to see whether he could defeat Bai Yuan. Who would have thought Bai Yuan would happen to break through in the past two days?

Before he could say anything else, his expression suddenly froze. Then his eyes rapidly dimmed, and he toppled forward, utterly devoid of life.

"Dead!" Bai Yuan was shocked. He had not even sensed any energy fluctuations or signs of an attack just now.

"Hehe, his talent was not even a fraction of yours. Naturally, there was no need for him to remain alive."

A voice drifted lazily from behind him.

Bai Yuan spun around.

The newcomer wore a dark crimson robe. His blood-red eyes seemed capable of seizing one's soul, while his long pointed ears and slightly exposed fangs revealed his race.

"Bloodthirsty Clan!"

The Bloodthirsty Clan sounded intimidating by name, but in truth, they possessed merely an eighth-grade bloodline—lower even than the Blade Clan's.

Yet they had a talent that made countless races envious: they could rapidly increase their strength by absorbing the blood of powerful beings.

Thus, so long as their blood source was powerful enough, breaking through to the Planet Realm or Star Realm was extremely easy for the Bloodthirsty Clan.

However, the Universe Realm was an exceedingly difficult threshold to cross.

Their genetic level was insufficient, their method of raising strength was too distorted and left their state of mind lacking, and their comprehension was generally poor. In battles against opponents at the same realm, they could scarcely defeat anyone.

"Before I subdue you, let me test your strength first."

Before the words had faded, the Blood Domain erupted outward, and a heavy stench of blood swiftly spread through the air.

Bai Yuan did not dare let his guard down. The Gold Domain unfolded as well, sharp golden light radiating around him and blocking the incoming crimson tide.

"Oh? A second-level Gold Domain!"

Delight appeared on the red-robed man's face. To comprehend a second-level domain at Planet Fourth Rank—such talent was practically monstrous!

The more so, the more determined he became to subdue this person!

Bai Yuan's expression turned grave. Although he had used an enlightenment opportunity to raise his domain to the second level, the other party's domain was clearly stronger, already having entered the third level!

Buzz!

Crimson and golden light collided fiercely in midair, producing a deep roar.

"Take a palm strike from me!"

The red-robed man suddenly raised his hand and struck out with his palm.

That blood-red palm seemed to bear the weight of an entire world, crashing down with an aura capable of suppressing galaxies.

Bai Yuan's gaze sharpened. His saber was in hand, and the golden light surged explosively.

"Sharp Gold Twenty-Fold Slash!"

He roared, and his saber light transformed into an incomparably condensed golden streak, tearing through the crimson aura as it cleaved toward the massive blood-red palm!