"Hmph. That little scorpion is indeed extraordinary. I can refrain from competing with the Clan Elder over it, but the Blood Wolf King brought by a disciple of your lineage has the faint aura of a Heaven-Howling Moon Wolf King. It would be perfect for cultivating the Blood Hand Lineage's Blood Transformation Technique, so I'll have to ask the Clan Elder for a favor."
As soon as the old man finished speaking, a palace-dressed woman who looked to be a young married woman spoke up. She wore a palace gown embroidered with elaborate, shadowy patterns. Her thin veil fluttered gently, and her cloudlike black hair was swept into a high bun. She had willow-leaf brows and phoenix eyes, her gaze filled with killing intent.
"Of course, of course..."
The Clan Elder nodded with a smile.
"Eh?! Look at that silver fox beast. It can actually withstand a trace of our pressure. Beasts like this usually have noble bloodlines or possess special innate abilities. It's certainly worth looking forward to."
On the altar, many powerful figures spoke up, reserving the promising beasts that had caught their eyes. Some even argued heatedly over beasts that seemed extraordinary, their tempers flaring as they faced off, on the verge of coming to blows.
"Enough, everyone. It's too early to say anything now. We can only get a rough idea at this point. Let's send them into the blood pool first. Once the results are in, we can fight over the spots."
Just then, a middle-aged man seated in the very center, who had been sitting with his eyes half-closed as if resting, slowly opened them and spoke calmly.
His eyes were like divine blades, purple light swirling within them as if ready to slice through the void!
"Li Juekong, master of the Heaven-Overturning Lineage!"
As soon as Li Juekong spoke, everyone fell silent and calmed down. Clearly, he commanded great authority.
Another half-incense stick's worth of time passed. A flash of purple light crossed Li Juekong's eyes as he nodded to the Punishment Elder, Chu Duanyu, standing beside him.
Chu Duanyu bowed slightly, then floated into the air. The next instant, he appeared above the blood pool.
Pressure spread everywhere. The aura around Chu Duanyu grew increasingly intense, bearing down on the beasts below until they lay prostrate, trembling in fear.
After a long moment, he gave a deep shout. His voice rang like a great bell, then boomed forth like thunder crashing across the sky!
"Listen up! I know that many of you are intelligent enough to understand me. Today, the Myriad Demon Sect is holding its fifteen-yearly Heavenly Demon Blood Pool cleansing for you. After the cleansing, only by joining the Myriad Demon Sect will you qualify to cultivate into demons! As for those who fail, you will die! Everything depends on your fate and fortune!"
As soon as he finished speaking, quite a few of the beasts below understood his words and grew restless, but they soon quieted down.
"The blood pool is made from the gathered essence and blood of fallen Heavenly Demons, and contains immense power. It holds the essence left behind by peerless great demons throughout the ages. Though it cannot increase your cultivation, combined with our sect's unique formation, it can stimulate your potential, awaken your bloodlines, and break through their shackles. With good fortune, you may even awaken an innate ability!"
Hearing this, the more intelligent beasts gazed toward the central blood pool, their eyes burning with desire as they stirred restlessly.
The Heavenly Demon Pool churned with waves of blood, and killing intent assailed the senses. An immense, violent pressure roiled beneath the surface, but a stone stele in the center of the pool suppressed it.
The stele stood over eight zhang tall, like a dragon's head thrusting upward from the blood pool. Blood energy shrouded it, and wave after wave of blood slapped against its pitch-black surface, creating an eerie sight.
"The blood pool has limited capacity. The seventy-two demon lineages will undergo the cleansing in order of rank!"
Chu Duanyu did not waste words. He began the cleansing at once. A flash of light entered his eyes. He flicked his index finger downward and barked, "Formation, rise!"
"Bzzzz—"
"Bzzzz—"
The statues surrounding the plaza suddenly trembled strangely, as if they had come to life. Blood-red chains shot from their tops, stretching in every direction!
Runes shimmered along the chains. They seemed almost alive, crisscrossing and overlapping until they formed a strange formation.
The instant the formation took shape, the killing intent in the blood pool seemed to be suppressed, and the surface grew eerily still.
"Heaven-Overturning Lineage, enter the blood pool for the cleansing!" Chu Duanyu shouted.
The beasts gathered near the pool immediately stirred. At the disciples' directions and commands, they filed into the blood pool!
Nearly two hundred beasts entered before the pool could hold no more.
Once every beast was in, Chu Duanyu wasted no time. He pointed at the towering stele in the center, and a crimson beam of light shot skyward, vanishing into the clouds. The formation activated the entire blood pool. The sea of blood churned, undercurrents surged, and killing intent crashed wildly in every direction like a hellish asura prison!
"Caw!!"
A golden-feathered fire crow had only just found its footing in the blood pool when it could no longer endure the overwhelming killing intent in the bloody waves. It let out a piercing scream, and its entire body exploded with a boom, scattering blood like rain!
"ROAR!!"
The fire crow had only just died when another agonized beastly howl rang out. A strange-looking, three-eyed jackal stiffened all over, and a bowl-sized bloody hole suddenly burst open in its body. Its flesh peeled away, and it died a gruesome death!
Every few breaths, another beast perished in the blood pool, leaving no intact corpse behind!
Even when they sensed death looming, they could not struggle. Once they entered the blood pool, the formation suppressed them, leaving them unable to move!
"Did you think cleansing in the Heavenly Demon Blood Pool would be easy? This is both a fortuitous encounter and a trial of life and death. If you endure it, the worst you'll get is outer-sect disciple status. If you fail, your entire body will shatter!"
Around the blood pool, Myriad Demon Sect disciples watched the brutal scene with cold, emotionless expressions, their eyes even carrying a hint of cruelty.
"These little brats have such weak wills. They can't even endure the blood pool as soon as they enter. I'm afraid not many will survive this cleansing."
On the altar, several lineage masters looked displeased. Some had even seen beasts they had admired earlier go berserk and die, leaving their faces dark with anger.
"The essence in the Heavenly Demon Pool is growing thinner and thinner. In a few hundred years, it may be completely exhausted."
Other lineage masters watched and spoke in low voices, their eyes filled with worry.
Below, the blood pool cleansing continued.
Chen Lin felt a chill in his heart and grew vaguely uneasy. Looking at the carnage in the blood pool, he truly didn't dare imagine whether he could survive in there.
In the blink of an eye, half an incense stick's worth of time passed.
Every few breaths, another beast died a gruesome death. In the end, only a scant seventy-odd beasts held on, while more than half had perished!
"ROAR!!!"
Suddenly, an earth-shaking roar rang out from somewhere in the blood pool. Everyone involuntarily turned to look!
Its scarlet body blazed like molten lava, and its huge frame towered like a small mountain. Its mane burned like flames, while its savage head resembled a lion's and a tiger's. It let out roar after furious roar, its thunderous cries shaking the soul!
Behind it, a phantom suddenly appeared! The phantom grew increasingly solid. Looking closely, it was a strange creature with two heads, roaring up at the sky!
"Flaming Mane Tiger-Lion Beast!"
On the altar, several lineage masters straightened up. When they saw the phantom clearly, one of them cried out in surprise!
"Indeed, it's the Heavenly Demon, the Flaming Mane Tiger-Lion Beast! This beast has actually condensed its ancestor's phantom to such a degree. Its bloodline is extraordinary, likely Earth-grade or higher—perhaps even Heaven-grade! It's worth cultivating!"
"The Flaming Mane Tiger-Lion Beast excels in fire-based arts, making it ideal for cultivating the Burning Extinction Lineage's Nirvana Ten Directions Immortal Art! No one's going to fight me for it, are you?"
"Hmph! The Burning Extinction Lineage has quite a scheme. The Flame Baleful Lineage's Flame Baleful Golden Body is also a fire-based immortal art! This time, I have to compete with you!"
Leaving aside the lineage masters on the altar, who were once again arguing until their faces flushed, dozens more beasts in the blood pool soon condensed phantoms behind them. These phantoms took all kinds of forms, yet each carried an extraordinary aura and came from an ancient lineage.
At last, the Heaven-Overturning Lineage's cleansing results were in: a full thirty-two beasts had successfully condensed phantoms!
Next, several disciples went to the blood pool and directed the surviving beasts to gather at one end of the plaza.
Once the blood pool had returned to calm, Chu Duanyu clasped his hands behind his back and said coldly, "Next, the Hidden Calamity Lineage. Enter the blood pool for the cleansing!"
Before you continue