Chapter 12

The battle zone locations for the Blood Sea Trial usually did not change, allowing experts from all factions to gather smoothly.

Although the three unlucky fools he had slain knew the location, they had not dared approach the core battle zone due to their insufficient strength—after all, on a large battlefield, the weak would only become cannon fodder.

The Asura Race's classification of combat strength was rather interesting. They divided Golden Immortals into three levels: ordinary, Law, and Origin Law. Which tier do I belong to?

Lu Tian sorted through the information in his mind.

The Asura tribes classified Golden Immortals as follows:

Ordinary Golden Immortals—mediocre bottom-tier fighters who could at most command squads of True Immortals on the battlefield;

Law Golden Immortals—those who comprehended branch laws, with the strongest possessing combat power a hundred times greater than ordinary Golden Immortals;

Origin Law Golden Immortals—experts who controlled Origin Laws such as the five elements, space, and time, whose combat power could even exceed that of ordinary Golden Immortals by a thousandfold!

Silver light flowed across the Cloud-Treading Boots as Lu Tian tore through space and sped onward. In half a day, he reached the core battle zone in the northern Crimson Continent.

The moment he approached the towering blood-red city, tens of thousands of fierce auras rushed at him. He removed his concealment and revealed himself, only to be stopped by the city-guarding Asuras as soon as he took a step forward.

State your name! The pressure of a peak Golden Immortal crashed down upon him.

Lu Tian of the Wuzha Tribe, here to join the battle. The early Golden Immortal aura he displayed was flawless, and even his voice and appearance were completely identical to his avatar's.

The guard tossed him a blood-red token. Take this to the Golden Immortal Hall and verify your identity. A reminder—he licked his fangs—the city is covered by a great formation, so you'd best behave yourself.

Lu Tian caught the token and rose into the air. The management of this battle zone, which mixed multiple tribes together, was loose. That was precisely what he needed. In the blink of an eye, the Golden Immortal Hall carved with Asura battle patterns was right before him.

It was a seven-story pavilion. After showing his token, Lu Tian walked directly into the first floor.

The instant he crossed the threshold, a crimson blade light cleaved toward him head-on, so sharp it was suffocating!

What a tyrannical blade intent!

Lu Tian's pupils narrowed slightly. This strike not only tore through the void, but also froze the surrounding space and time. If an ordinary Golden Immortal took this attack head-on, body and soul would surely be obliterated.

Fortunately, he had been prepared.

The moment the blade reached him, his figure vanished like a bubble. Just as the afterimage was cut apart, his true body leisurely appeared a hundred miles away, his robes not even disturbed.

Only then did he have time to inspect the interior of the Golden Immortal Hall—this place had actually been expanded into a boundless wasteland through a spatial secret art by some mighty expert.

Excellent movement technique! Those spirit boots must have helped quite a bit, no?

A teasing voice rang out. An elderly one-horned Asura stood there, stroking his beard.

Wuzha Tribe... Lu Tian?

For someone from a small tribe, you have some ability. You actually managed to evade Chixin's strike. Approval shone in the old man's eyes.

Lu Tian remained silent.

That strike had indeed exceeded his expectations. The blade intent was so pure that it had already touched the domain of Laws. Such combat strength was enough to instantly kill peak Golden Immortals like Crow Daoist.

You have passed the assessment and may join the alliance.

Your early Golden Immortal cultivation is acceptable... You shall serve as the vice-captain of the 18th Squad. The old man tossed him a blood-red jade slip, then turned into a streak of light and departed.

The so-called assessment had merely been a formality.

The battle zone itself was a meat grinder meant to make the weak perish faster. As long as Taiyi Realm experts remained alive, even the total annihilation of the entire force would not matter.

His Spiritual Sense swept over the jade slip:

The 18th Squad consisted of eight hundred True Immortals, with one captain and one vice-captain. That captain he had yet to meet...

Central battle zone of the Crimson Continent, the 18th Squad's encampment.

Heh, a mere early Golden Immortal is worthy of being vice-captain?

Captain Moka narrowed his eyes, openly scrutinizing Lu Tian, who had come to report for duty.

Lu Tian's expression remained calm as he allowed the other man to examine him.

To him, it made no difference which squad he joined, as long as he could find enough enemies to replenish his origin.

Since you're here, behave yourself.

There is only one rule in this squad—internal fighting is forbidden before the decisive battle.

Moka withdrew his gaze and added casually.

This squad was nothing more than a community of interests. So-called camaraderie was a joke. Once the other competitors were cleared out, they would still turn their weapons on one another in the end.

When do we fight? Lu Tian got straight to the point.

What's the rush? We're only clearing out the small fry right now. Moka sneered. Once those small tribes are dealt with, it will be time to face the encirclement of the Four Great Tribes.

The situation of the Crimson Continent became clear in Lu Tian's mind: the Four Great Tribes occupied the four key regions, while their squad in the central battle zone was destined to bear the fiercest impact.

Prey has come to us!

Moka suddenly perked up, bloodthirsty light flashing in his eyes.

Several small tribes have formed an alliance to the southeast, with three Golden Immortals stationed there. He licked his lips, battle intent boiling over. On the battlefield, everyone relies on their own abilities. Anyone who holds us back—

His icy gaze swept across the crowd before finally landing on Lu Tian.

Lu Tian raised an eyebrow indifferently.

He knew the Asura Race's bloodthirsty nature all too well. But in his eyes, these people were merely stepping stones on his path of cultivation.

The path of cultivation should have always been one of decisive slaughter.

**

Devour!

He needed to devour more Asuras to make up for the deficiencies in his foundation.

Disguising himself as an Asura was merely to make killing more convenient.

Therefore, those tests and provocations could not shake his state of mind in the slightest.

They would be devoured sooner or later anyway, so why care about the moment?

Just like now.

With dedicated scouts searching and missions being assigned, the efficiency was far greater than wandering about alone.

Moka snorted coldly. Immortal Power surged around him as he swept five hundred True Immortals directly toward the southeast.

Lu Tian likewise led three hundred True Immortals and followed closely behind.

After all, the other side had three Golden Immortals. Bringing these True Immortals along would at least allow them to restrain one of them.

Meanwhile, nine hundred and sixty thousand miles away.

"Afiro, how are the preparations? The aura we deliberately leaked just now must have been noticed by those scouts."

"Hehe, don't worry."

"You still don't trust my formation? Three Law Golden Immortal squads from the Four Great Tribes have already fallen inside it. These ordinary tribes can have at most two Golden Immortals. What is there to worry about?"

"Hmph, easy for you to say. I nearly died holding them back for you!"

"Hehe, I'll give you twenty percent more of the spoils. What else do you have to complain about?"

"Unfortunately, we were chased all the way here and don't dare return to the northern battle zone. We can only try our luck here and target these ordinary Golden Immortals."

"Yes... Those Law Golden Immortals are all wealthy. Kill a few more, and my formation's power can increase by another ten percent. What loot can these ordinary Golden Immortals possibly have?"

"They're here. Stop talking and get ready!"

**Lu Tian led three hundred True Immortals, following Captain Moka as they raced toward the southeast.

Their speeds were comparable, and they arrived one after the other at the mountainous region nine hundred and sixty thousand miles away.

The crimson mountain range stretched endlessly, its terrain complex and difficult to discern.

Lu Tian raised his brows slightly, a hint of amusement flashing through his eyes.

"Interesting, it seems these people are fishing as well?"

He thought to himself but did not say it aloud. He merely raised his hand and released the three hundred True Immortals.

Moka's Spiritual Sense swept over the surroundings, but he found nothing unusual. He said coldly, "The intelligence says they have not left. They must be hiding within a formation."

"You think you'll be safe just by hiding?"

He gave a stern order. "All of you, listen! Cover the thirty-thousand-mile mountain range with Daoist arts. Bombard every inch of it and see how long they can continue hiding!"

Eight hundred True Immortals responded in unison. Multicolored lights of Daoist arts erupted—flames, surging water, lightning... all poised to strike.

Lu Tian likewise condensed a ball of divine flame. Its blazing heat scorched the surrounding sky with web-like black cracks.

The corner of Moka's eye caught the dancing flame in Lu Tian's palm, and understanding flashed through his gaze—a standard Golden Immortal-level power, nothing unusual. Blood mist churned around his body, while crimson liquid spread beneath his feet, rapidly flowing across the ground like a living thing.

With Moka's furious roar, all eight hundred and two attacks erupted simultaneously!

The mountain range stretching thirty thousand miles was instantly vaporized by the torrent of Daoist arts. The earth was torn open into a savage wound ten thousand miles deep, and the entire range became a bottomless abyss spanning thirty thousand miles in an instant.

One location within the abyss was especially conspicuous.

Amid a violent vortex of spiritual energy, flickering Formation Patterns flashed like breathing. The three Golden Immortals wore grim expressions as each raised a dazzling protective barrier.

A futile struggle. Moka sneered and rolled up a blood-red storm, carrying eight hundred True Immortals through the void. In the blink of an eye, they were suspended above the three men. A blood-crystal spear appeared, and eight thousand crimson spear shadows poured down like torrential rain!

At the same time, Lu Tian closed in on another Asura Golden Immortal and casually sent out a palm strike. The eight hundred True Immortals formed a formation to restrain the last one, instantly splitting the battlefield into three.

Moka's spear moved like a dragon, completely suppressing his opponent. Although the True Immortals were steadily losing ground, they barely managed to entangle their target. Lu Tian alone deliberately maintained the appearance of an even match.

The opportunity came sooner than expected.

The Golden Immortal battling Moka was struggling to hold on. Countless chips burst from his sword blade as he roared through blood-covered skin, "Bayan! If you don't act now, we'll all perish!"

Before the sound waves faded, a sudden change occurred!

The Golden Immortal fighting the True Immortals suddenly formed hand seals. That desperate roar had actually been a feint to lure the tiger from the mountain. As the heavens trembled, spiritual energy across ten thousand miles surged together like a hundred rivers returning to the sea. Moka immediately tore through space to flee—

The sword cultivator who had been suppressed all this time suddenly formed a hand seal, and the space within a thousand miles instantly solidified like iron. The three Golden Immortals had coordinated flawlessly: the formation master Bayan hid in the shadows, the sword cultivator sealed the escape route, while the one who had initially called out the formation master's true name was an illusion master skilled at confusing enemies!

He had deeply studied the Law of Space and mastered a unique secret art for sealing the void, capable of preventing enemies from opening spatial passages to escape.

The moment Moka realized the spatial passage had been sealed, he immediately activated an Evasion technique and attempted to rush into the sky!

This battle-hardened expert had instantly judged the formation's power from the changes in heaven and earth, realizing that he had fallen into a trap!

But before his escaping light could rise, a piercing howl suddenly exploded!

Awooo—!

That roar, neither quite beast nor human, had burst from the throat of the Golden Immortal fighting Lu Tian.

As the howl reverberated, all Daoist arts between heaven and earth froze!

The magical power of the eight hundred True Immortals and Moka's escaping light all froze in an instant.

A victorious sneer crossed formation master Bayan's lips.

His body abruptly rose, transforming into the nexus of heaven and earth, the master of the great formation!

An ancient mirror emerged from his palm—it was the core formation eye of this killing formation.

The mirror surface erupted with eight hundred and two deadly cold rays, instantly piercing through the hearts of everyone in Lu Tian's camp!

Even Lu Tian could not escape pursuit at the speed of light. At the moment the cold rays reached him—

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

Blood arrows shot from the bodies of eight hundred and one cultivators, while Lu Tian's figure alone dissolved like ripples on water.

How was that possible?!

Bayan's pupils shook violently. Since unleashing this move, even Law Golden Immortals had been unable to avoid death. Yet today, a mere Golden Immortal had broken the rule?

One had to know that the mirror light's speed was beyond even Taiyi Realm experts!

Just as his Spiritual Sense searched frantically, shattering pain suddenly erupted from the back of his head.

Within the arc of the falling ancient mirror, Lu Tian's figure slowly solidified.

It turned out that when the mirror light had first appeared, Lu Tian had already slipped into the space between void layers.

The one struck had merely been an afterimage he left behind.

Before the remaining two cultivators could recover their senses, the mirror light pierced through their brows.

After a chaotic battle lasting half an hour, only the black-robed young man remained atop the mountain of corpses.

Lu Tian coldly circulated his technique, and the blood mist filling the sky transformed into a torrent of origin that poured into his meridians.

He had deliberately withheld help so that all eight hundred portions of origin would belong to him alone.