Demon Vine Minor World, night.
A river of blood flowed through the sky, glittering and undulating alongside the moon and stars. Having weathered wind, frost, rain, and snow, it had become part of nature.
Over the years, the countless living beings of the Demon Vine Minor World had grown accustomed to the river of blood in the sky and no longer lived in constant dread.
The many slave races slaughtered one another, rioted, produced, multiplied, as they always had across the land through countless ages. The only difference was the absence of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, and the myriad races lived much more easily.
Cultivators no longer had to use their own blood essence and lifespan to refine treasures. Qi Refinement cultivators could easily live past a hundred, Foundation Establishment cultivators could easily live past two hundred, and Golden Core cultivators were no longer frail with age, their blood essence and vitality drained dry...
Everything was so beautiful.
Until today, when the river of blood in the sky began to revive once more.
Thump!
Thump-thump!
Thump, thump, thump...
A heartbeat like a great drum resounded from within the river of blood. A colossal life-form, formed from the mingled auras of countless lives, appeared once more between heaven and earth, carrying boundless killing intent and endless greed for the blood and lives of all beings.
Countless creatures trembled in terror. For tens of thousands of miles, there was utter silence.
All war, production, dancing, reproduction, farming, marching... came to a halt. Every living being stood rooted to the spot in fear, not daring to make the slightest sound.
Within the blood river that reached through the heavens, a face began to emerge—blurred, handsome, and demonic.
"It's hereeeee..."
"Finally, it's hereeeee..."
The enormous blood-red face murmured.
A voice arose.
It was