Looking at the Mysterious Origin Water-Control Banner that blotted out the sky and covered the earth, its grandeur alone proved it lived up to its name. It truly deserved to be one of the Innate Five-Element Banners.
Rise!
Li Yu shouted softly. With a sweep of the banner, the Blood Sea immediately churned with wind and clouds, enormous waves surging skyward with terrifying force.
The disturbance immediately drew a reaction from within the Blood Sea. A warrior-like being emerged, horns growing from his head, followed by a dense mass of more than ten thousand Blood Sea beings wielding all manner of weapons.
"Who goes there? Why are you causing trouble in my Blood Sea?" the leader demanded.
Before Li Yu could react, Hongyun stepped forward and said, "Dafantian, I am Hongyun. Surely you recognize me. Go summon Minghe at once!"
Dafantian was one of the Four Great Demon Kings under Minghe.
"Hmph!"
Upon hearing Hongyun's words, Dafantian said disdainfully, "You still have the nerve to come back? Last time, our Patriarch beat you into a miserable rout and sent you fleeing in disgrace. Sparing your life was already a tremendous kindness, yet not only do you fail to show gratitude, you have come here to stir up trouble again. Do you truly think our Patriarch cannot kill you?"
"You're nothing but Minghe's lapdog, and you dare lecture me!"
Hongyun flew into a rage. He immediately took out the Soul-Scattering Gourd, releasing crimson red sand that swept toward Dafantian.
Though Dafantian spoke fiercely, he was no fool. He was merely in the Golden Immortal Realm; before a Quasi-Saint powerhouse like Hongyun, he could not make much of a fuss.
Seeing the crimson sand flood toward him, Dafantian plunged into the Blood Sea without even looking back. Those Blood Sea beings who reacted a moment too slowly were swept up by the red sand and drawn back into the gourd. Before long, their souls would scatter and their spirits would dissipate.
"That bastard ran pretty fast!" Hongyun snorted coldly.
Li Yu also raised his hand and put away the Mysterious Origin Water-Control Banner, waiting quietly for Minghe to emerge.
Not long after, a crimson lotus rose from the Blood Sea. It had twelve ranks, and aside from its color, it was identical to Li Yu's Pure World White Lotus.
The Twelfth-Rank Karma Fire Red Lotus!
Minghe sat cross-legged atop it as he emerged from the Blood Sea. Behind him stood the Four Great Demon Kings, the Four Great Demon Generals, and a host of Asura warriors. His presence was truly imposing!
"Minghe! Release Jin Shan at once, or we will not let this matter rest today!" The instant Hongyun saw Minghe, he began cursing loudly.
"Who did I think it was? So it's you, Hongyun. I spared your life last time, and you still dare to return."
Minghe sneered and continued, "It seems you found some helpers!"
"Enough with this useless talk. Take this!"
Zhen Yuanzi had already run out of patience. He directly unleashed his Dharma treasure and struck at Minghe.
Minghe merely smiled. The Karmic Fire Red Lotus blazed with light, and the spiritual treasures Zhen Yuanzi had launched were all sent flying back.
"Hehe, don't embarrass yourself with such petty tricks!"
An innate defensive spiritual treasure truly was extraordinary!
Li Yu watched from the side, unsurprised by this. But he could not simply let Minghe act so arrogantly, or the three of them would become laughingstocks in the Primordial World.
Whoosh!
Li Yu flung out a streak of black light straight at Minghe. Minghe paid it no heed and continued channeling the Karmic Fire Red Lotus.
With a thunderous boom, even a vast section of the Blood Sea was blasted apart.
Minghe and the Karmic Fire Red Lotus were struck by the black light. Though he struggled desperately to resist, he could not withstand its power and was smashed deep into the Blood Sea. After enduring for several breaths beneath that black light, his body directly collapsed.
The Godslayer Spear!
The most powerful offensive treasure among innate spiritual treasures!
Li Yu's strike had immediately inflicted a devastating loss on Minghe. Had this not been within the Blood Sea, it was uncertain whether he would have survived. Although Minghe's body had collapsed, it had merely been one of his incarnations.
The Godslayer Spear flew back into Li Yu's hand.
"Minghe, does this method meet your standards?" Li Yu called out loudly.
After some time, Minghe reappeared within the trio's sight. This time, however, he was exceedingly cautious. The Karmic Fire Red Lotus constantly emitted blazing radiance as it was driven at full force.
Furthermore, he held two treasure swords in his hands, both giving off a chilling gleam.
Yuantu and Abi!
"If I am not mistaken, you must be Fellow Daoist Li Yu," Minghe said with a dark expression.
Li Yu chuckled. "Though Cult Master Minghe never leaves the Blood Sea, you seem quite attentive to the affairs of the Primordial World. She is only a Blood Sea being. Why are you so stubborn over this matter, Cult Master?"
"Hmph! Fellow Daoist Li, do not grow too smug. So long as the Blood Sea does not run dry, my incarnations will never cease. You cannot truly do anything to me. What have I to fear?" Minghe declared arrogantly.
"Then we'll kill another one of your incarnations!"
At the side, Zhen Yuanzi activated his accompanying spiritual treasure, the Book of the Earth. A hazy earthen-yellow radiance descended and enveloped Minghe.
Though Minghe could not move after being covered by the earthen-yellow light, he still wore a mocking expression. "Even if I abandon this incarnation, what can you do?"
As soon as Minghe finished speaking, that incarnation suddenly collapsed on its own. The Karmic Fire Red Lotus transformed into a streak of blood-colored light and fled into the Blood Sea, while Yuantu and Abi became streaks of light that slashed toward Hongyun.
Li Yu had long guarded against such a move. He immediately flung out Chaos Qi, which swept toward Yuantu and Abi.
However, the Chaos Qi only captured the Yuantu Sword. The other sword, the Abi Sword, suddenly changed direction and shot back into the Blood Sea.
Wrapped in Chaos Qi, the Yuantu Sword flew back into the Innate Gourd. The Yuantu Sword was Minghe's treasure, which he had painstakingly refined at his side for countless years. Though it had been captured, it still struggled to return to its master.
Yet under the suppression of Chaos Qi, no matter how the Yuantu Sword struggled, its efforts were futile. This spiritual treasure could not be used for the time being.
Having lost the Yuantu Sword, Minghe stood at a distance beneath the Karmic Fire Red Lotus and said, "Return my spiritual treasure, and the grudges between us shall be written off!"
"Release Miss Jin Shan and fulfill her union with Fellow Daoist Hongyun, and the Yuantu Sword will naturally be returned to you!" Li Yu said.
"Jin Shan is already dead. That is absolutely impossible! Even if she were still alive, I could not agree!"
Seeing Minghe's attitude, Li Yu said, "In that case, this Yuantu Sword can only remain with me!"
After hearing this, Minghe said nothing further and turned back into the Blood Sea.
"This Minghe truly is not someone who can be reasoned with. He values his pride above everything else!"
Li Yu sighed. "Brother Hongyun, I fear this matter will be difficult. And if what Minghe said is true, Miss Jin Shan..."
"Alas!"
Hongyun also sighed. "Minghe probably was not lying. Jin Shan was merely one of many Asura princesses. To make an example out of her, Minghe was capable of such a thing."
"Brother Hongyun..."
Zhen Yuanzi wanted to offer some comfort, but realized he did not know what to say. He had never experienced anything like this and could offer no useful words.
"Alas! After all these years, I had long accepted it in my heart. Let us return, then. Seizing one of Minghe's Yuantu Swords can at least be considered venting some of the resentment in my heart!" Hongyun said.
Zhen Yuanzi and Li Yu nodded as well. With Minghe hiding in the Blood Sea, there was nothing they could do. For now, they could only withdraw. However, Li Yu remembered it. When Houtu transformed into reincarnation and the Blood Sea greatly diminished, he would return to take a look. Perhaps he could capture the other Abi Sword as well!
Before you continue