Blood-Devouring Divine Saber

These Four Symbols Divine Talismans had been hastily made by Zhou Qing. They could form the most powerful formation Zhou Qing had learned so far—the Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation.

The Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation gathered spiritual energy from all four directions and formed the spirits of the four quarters. Zhou Qing had long known the Japanese devils would not be easy to deal with, but who could have expected the added variable of the Grand Elder? His painstaking preparations had finally come in handy. Iga Grand Elder and Mitsui Taro had only just recovered from their shock at the sudden appearance of the Yellow Curtain when the scenery before them abruptly changed. It was as if they had fallen into an extraordinarily bizarre space. All around them was a vast, hazy emptiness, and the oppressive sensation made Iga Grand Elder and Mitsui Taro feel so miserable they nearly vomited blood. Mitsui Taro stared blankly at the immense amount of azure energy suddenly gathering around them, pressed a hand to his waist, and a vicious glint flashed through his eyes.

The azure energy grew denser and denser. Under the incredulous gazes of Iga Grand Elder and Mitsui Taro, the boundless azure energy slowly formed into an Azure Dragon dozens of zhang long. That was right—an Azure Dragon. Zhou Qing had pushed the Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation to its utmost limit. The Yi Wood Spiritual Energy within ten li had all been drawn in by those enormous Four Symbols Divine Talismans, and thus the Eastern Yi Wood Azure Dragon, representative of the wood element, took shape.

The Azure Dragon let out a roar, and azure giant trees came crashing in from every direction with thunderous rumbles, hurtling toward Iga Grand Elder and Mitsui Taro. Judging by that momentum, if they were struck, their bones and flesh would surely be ground into pulp. Iga Grand Elder's face turned livid. Where did he have time to speak? He rubbed his hands together, and a bizarre suit of armor emerged over his body. An eerie green glow enveloped both men. A giant tree three zhang long and as thick as a water barrel slammed into them. With a tremendous boom, it struck the green light emitted by Iga Grand Elder's armor. The green light suddenly erupted in a mass of corpse-fire, burning that giant tree to ashes. Yet Iga Grand Elder also gave a muffled groan and staggered back three steps. His face became even uglier.

Zhou Qing and Liao Xiaojin watched the situation within the formation as clearly as if a fire were reflected in their eyes. "Tsk, tsk! That old Japanese devil does have some skill. He can actually hold out this long against the Azure Dragon Yi Wood attack. If we fought him head-on, we might not necessarily be able to take him down," Liao Xiaojin said to Zhou Qing. "Hmph! This Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation can continuously gather spiritual energy without end. Unfortunately, I can only bring out one-quarter of its power. Otherwise, if all four aspects emerged together, wouldn't those two old devils be killed in an instant?" Zhou Qing shook his head.

Inside the formation, Iga Grand Elder was battered so relentlessly by the giant trees that he could barely catch his breath. He had already suffered serious injuries, and now there came this endless barrage of giant trees. His protective armor was wondrous, but how could it withstand such consumption? Seeing Iga Grand Elder spit out another mouthful of blood, Mitsui Taro asked in panic, "Grand Elder, how is it?" Iga Grand Elder's face was deathly pale as he replied weakly, "This is one of China's strange arts. Once trapped within it, even abilities reaching the heavens are useless. It seems we will die here today. I cannot hold on much longer."

Before he had even finished speaking, another giant tree crashed into the armor's protective green light. Iga Grand Elder finally could not remain standing and fell flat onto the ground.

"Is that so? Then you are useless now. Die!" Mitsui Taro snarled as he suddenly drew a blood-red short blade from his waist, over a chi long and thin as a cicada's wing, and viciously plunged it into Iga Grand Elder's back. Caught completely off guard, the Grand Elder was stabbed straight through the heart. He stared fixedly at Mitsui Taro. "Why?" Then his gaze fell upon the blade in Mitsui Taro's hand, and a look of understanding appeared on his face. "So the Sacred Blade is in the hands of your Nine Chrysanthemum Sect."

"That's right, it is the Sacred Blade! Fortunately, Grand Elder, you cultivated the Celestial Shikigami. Once the Sacred Blade absorbs the shikigami within your body, its seal will be undone! Hahaha! Wouldn't that let us break this strange formation?" Mitsui Taro burst into mad laughter. With a flick of his hand, he twisted the blade. Sshh! Sshh! Blood-red light surged from the blade, and boundless bloody radiance instantly swallowed Iga Grand Elder and Mitsui Taro. When the azure giant trees struck that sea of blood-red light, it was like stones sinking into the ocean—not even the slightest sound emerged.

The sudden turn of events startled even Liao Xiaojin and Zhou Qing, who were watching outside the formation. In particular, when Zhou Qing saw Mitsui Taro draw that blood-red short blade and spotted the double-headed wolf on its hilt, he leaped up in shock. "The Nether Blood-Devouring Divine Saber! How is that possible? How could it be in the hands of the Japanese devils? This is bad!" Seeing Zhou Qing so startled, Liao Xiaojin knew something had changed. "Master, what is the Nether Blood-Devouring Divine Saber?" "Stop talking nonsense! Protect me with everything you have! You absolutely cannot let him break out of the formation, or both of us are finished!" Zhou Qing cried anxiously, rapidly changing hand seals. "Heaven and Earth Without Limits, Taiji Grand Formation!" Six jade plaques flew above the Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation and spun in circles. Streams of mysterious light flowed from the plaques, forming a gigantic Taiji diagram. Scarlet-red light gathered from all directions. The jade plaques, originally the color of black jade, turned blazing red as though they were about to melt. Sshh! Having absorbed enough essence of Southern Bright Fire, the Taiji diagram shot forth a pillar of fire as thick as a water barrel, blazing toward Mitsui Taro, who was wrapped in bloody light and visible only as a blurry silhouette within the formation.

Liao Xiaojin knew the Grand Taiji Fire Formation was Zhou Qing's specialty, but when he saw the Taiji diagram above the Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation, ten times larger than usual, and that fire pillar as thick as a water barrel with faint golden light flickering at its center, he was still stunned. So this is Master's true strength. This guy! He usually never shows his hand! "Awoo!" Mitsui Taro let out a roar that sounded utterly inhuman. Bloody radiance thick with the stench of blood and the cries of ghosts and howls of wolves shot out from the Nether Blood-Devouring Divine Saber, now five times its original size, and heavily slammed into the Azure Dragon formed from Yi Wood Spiritual Energy within the Four Aspects Absolute Killing Formation. The Azure Dragon, dozens of zhang long, gave a pained roar before the bloody light blasted it to pieces. It dissolved into wisps of azure energy and vanished into the air. Waving his long blade, Mitsui Taro laughed madly. "Chinese dogs! Let me show you the might of the Sacred Blade! Hahaha, I'll tear you both into ten thousand pieces!" Sshh! Sshh! Sshh! The sounds rang without end. When the Azure Dragon formed from Yi Wood Spiritual Energy had been shredded by the bloody light, the light's remaining force did not diminish. It even shredded the Four Symbols Divine Talismans Zhou Qing had temporarily drawn into fragments, just as it met the Southern Bright Fire unleashed by Zhou Qing's full activation of the Grand Taiji Fire Formation. Countless palm-sized strips of yellow cloth fluttered through the sky, then were burned into trails of green smoke by the firelight and scattered with the wind.

The bloody light and fire pillar were locked in an even contest. Mitsui Taro's eyes were blood-red as he gripped a saber nearly as long as his own body in both hands. Especially on its hilt, the huge double-headed wolf carving had four eyes that emitted a ghastly green light, making one feel as though they had fallen into the eighteenth level of hell. Liao Xiaojin stood dumbstruck. Seeing Zhou Qing controlling the fire pillar as it battled the bloody light in full swing, Mitsui Taro gave a vicious sneer, gathered all his strength, and slashed through the air at Zhou Qing. Crash! Another, even thicker streak of bloody light slammed into the fire pillar, merging with the previous one and gradually forcing the pillar down. Watching the fire pillar grow thinner and shorter under the pressure of the bloody light, Liao Xiaojin knew things were going badly. He kicked off, pushing his speed to the limit, transforming into a shadow as he lunged at Mitsui Taro. Yet when he was still more than a zhang away, an irresistible force sent him flying two zhang back. An extremely viscous, almost tangible stench of blood drilled into Liao Xiaojin's nostrils. Even as a Vampire Clan member, Liao Xiaojin could not bear such a heavy bloody smell and nearly vomited.

"Come over here. The Japanese devil has the Nether Blood-Devouring Divine Saber protecting him. You cannot get close." Zhou Qing spoke. Just then, seeing that the bloody light had failed to overcome the fire pillar for so long, Mitsui Taro simply rushed forward himself and hacked at the fire pillar. The Blood-Devouring Divine Saber's true body possessed terrifying power. With one slash, the fire pillar shrank by more than half. Seeing this, Zhou Qing gave a long howl and spat out the Azure Lock Sword, barely managing to entangle the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber. The pressure eased considerably. "Master, what do we do now?" Liao Xiaojin asked anxiously as he watched Mitsui Taro madly swing his blade at the Azure Lock Sword. Whenever the Azure Lock Sword touched the bloody light of the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber, its own azure glow dimmed greatly. Though the Azure Lock Sword was a spiritual treasure refined by an expert, it was still an imitation. How could it compare to this ancient ferocious artifact? Although Zhou Qing controlled the Azure Lock Sword to avoid directly clashing with the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber's true body, even the bloody light on the blade was something the Azure Lock Sword could not withstand.

Hearing Liao Xiaojin's question, Zhou Qing suddenly had an idea. "There is still a way. That Japanese devil cannot bring out the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber's true power. Hold out your hand." Though deeply puzzled, Liao Xiaojin still extended his hand. Pfft! Even amid such urgency, Zhou Qing divided his attention three ways and spat out a streak of yellow light, slicing a wound more than an inch deep across Liao Xiaojin's wrist. Blood immediately gushed out. "Master, what are you doing?" "Stop talking! Circulate your power and force out your blood with all your strength, quickly!" Zhou Qing shouted anxiously. The Azure Lock Sword had just been struck by the bloody light again and was on the verge of falling to the ground.

Liao Xiaojin also knew the situation had reached a critical moment, with a thousand jun tied to a single hair. There was no room for further words. Circulating his power with all his might, he made blood gush forth like a fountain. Zhou Qing freed both hands, guided with a sword seal, and the blood was drawn through the air like lightning and sparks, becoming one glittering golden talisman after another. Zhou Qing formed a strange hand gesture, stomped his foot hard, and roared, "I respectfully invite the Nine Heavens Thunder God! Heed my command! As the law decrees, so it shall be!"

Meanwhile, without Zhou Qing presiding over it, the Taiji Diagram Array's fire pillar was blasted apart by the bloody light. The instant the fire pillar dispersed, the bloody light struck the endlessly spinning Taiji diagram. Bang! The Taiji diagram shattered into pieces, and the six jade plaques turned into the finest dust. Mitsui Taro also slashed the Azure Lock Sword, breaking it into two. Its spiritual energy completely vanished as it fell to the ground. Mitsui Taro laughed wildly. "Damn Chinese dog, die!" Before his words had faded, lightning flashed across the sky. A bolt of thunder at least ten zhang in diameter and of unknown length crashed viciously down toward Mitsui Taro. The Blood-Devouring Divine Saber gave a mournful cry and erupted with an even larger, thicker mass of bloody light to meet the thunderbolt. "Now! Move!" Zhou Qing and Liao Xiaojin shouted at the same time. Whoosh! Liao Xiaojin transformed into a black shadow. The claws on his hand viciously tore open Mitsui Taro's chest and ripped out his heart. Strike, kill, rip out the heart, retreat—Liao Xiaojin performed it all in one fluid motion, taking less than a second. At the very instant Liao Xiaojin withdrew, Zhou Qing's Lesser Heaven Flipping Seal followed. The enormous iron seal smashed Mitsui Taro into a pulp, reducing even his bones to powder. Zhou Qing added a fire talisman at the last moment, burning that indistinct mass of flesh and blood clean away. It was truly a thorough destruction of corpse and evidence.

Now, the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber had collided head-on with the heavenly thunder. The bloody light filling the sky was shattered by a single strike, but the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber was indeed an ancient vicious artifact. It had offset ninety-nine percent of the heavenly thunder's power, leaving only one-tenth to strike its true body. Zhou Qing had used Liao Xiaojin's blood as the catalyst to borrow the divine power of the Nine Heavens Thunder God. Moreover, Liao Xiaojin's blood contained Nine Li Sacred Blood, so the divine power borrowed was no trifling amount. Even with only a tenth of its force remaining, the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber suffered a heavy blow. It gave a heaven-shaking wail and slowly shrank back into its original form: a blade over a chi long and thin as a cicada's wing. Seeing how spiritual and wondrous this blade was, Zhou Qing and Liao Xiaojin could not help nodding to themselves. Zhou Qing stepped forward and used Liao Xiaojin's remaining blood to draw a Demon-Sealing Talisman, temporarily sealing the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber's spiritual energy before putting it into his sleeve.