You're here? I'm here!!

Outside the Star Gazing Platform, on higher ground.

The red-robed Blood Eye Protector stood with his hands behind his back, his blood-red gaze sweeping over Wang Lang and Xiong Yue.

He paused briefly on Wei Qing, who was rushing towards the Star Gazing Platform in the distance.

Beside him, the green-robed Painted Skin Ghost leaned against a stone pillar, lightly stroking her smooth cheek with her fingertips as she said softly:

"Splitting into two paths, quite clever. Dharma Protector, that burly man charging straight at us is the one who came to Black Stone City to investigate last time."

"He's clearly only in the Spirit Condensation Realm, but he gives me a... very unsettling feeling."

The Blood Eye Protector nodded slightly. "He managed to kill my second-tier blood corpse and break through the flesh and blood barrier. He has some skill."

Despite his words, his tone was full of disdain.

The Painted Skin Ghost asked again, "What about the few who retreated the way they came? Should we intercept them?"

"No need." The Blood Eye Protector waved his hand. "Three days have passed, the blood sacrifice is complete, and the Nine Nether Return to Ruins Grand Formation has been fully activated."

"Within today, fragments of the Mask of Immortality will appear."

"By then, we will have long since departed. Even if the Central Province Demon Subduing Division gets the news and rushes over, they will only find an empty city."

The Painted Skin Ghost inwardly shook her head upon hearing this.

She had worked with the Blood Eye Protector for many years and knew his strength was formidable, but he had a flaw: he was too confident.

In a cultivator's battle, things could change in an instant. How could anything be completely foolproof?

"I'll still send a squad of skin corpses over. It's better to be careful," the Painted Skin Ghost said calmly.

The Blood Eye Protector glanced at her, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "As you wish."

The Painted Skin Ghost chuckled and waved her slender hand.

Nine pieces of skin, as thin as cicada wings, flew out from her sleeve.

The skins were crystal clear, with the contours of eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth perfectly formed, all resembling stunning women.

The human skins unfolded in the air and floated down onto the writhing flesh and blood surrounding the Star Gazing Platform.

Upon contact with the flesh and blood, the skins quickly took shape, transforming into nine exquisitely formed female bodies. Their skin was fair, their hair cascaded like a waterfall, but their eyes were hollow and their faces expressionless.

The nine skin corpses bowed in unison, then turned into nine wisps of green smoke, drifting towards the direction of retreat for Zhou Xuantong, Centurion Zhao, and the others.

The Painted Skin Ghost watched the skin corpses depart with satisfaction. Just as she was about to speak, the blood-red altar deep beneath the Star Gazing Platform suddenly erupted with blinding light!

Nine thick, pillar-like beams of blood-red flame shot up into the sky, piercing the clouds.

Where the light pillars passed, the clouds were torn open, revealing the deep night sky behind them.

In the night sky, the stars had shifted, arranging themselves into a bizarre pattern that echoed the pillars of light below.

At the same time, a strange rhythm spread out from the Star Gazing Platform as its center.

The rhythm was silent, yet it caused the very air to tremble, as if the entire city were breathing in unison.

Blood-red formation patterns lit up successively on the streets, houses, and city walls of Black Stone City.

These patterns, neither like words nor pictures, flickered in and out of existence within the black mist, illuminating the entire city like a ghost realm.

This was the scene Wang Lang saw when he arrived.

The blood-red pillars of light connected the sky and the earth, casting his face in a crimson hue.

On the Star Gazing Platform ahead, two figures stood beside the pillars of light, one red and one green, exceptionally conspicuous.

"Heh heh heh..."

A strange laugh came from the platform.

The Blood Eye Protector's blood-red eyes locked onto Wang Lang, the corners of his mouth stretching into an exaggerated arc as he said, "You've come."

Wang Lang's steps faltered, and he looked up. "I have come."

"You shouldn't have come." The Blood Eye Protector shook his head and sighed.

Wang Lang frowned, finding the direction of the conversation familiar yet strange, but he still responded in a deep voice, "But I am here."

"What are you here for?"

"I'm here to kill people."

"Kill whom?"

"Kill those who deserve to be killed."

"Who deserves to be killed?"

"Those who kill deserve to be killed."

"Have you never killed anyone?"

"I only kill those who harm others."

The question-and-answer exchange was as fast as lightning.

After the last sentence fell, a brief silence descended upon the Star Gazing Platform.

Beside him, the Painted Skin Ghost covered her mouth with her sleeve, her shoulders trembling slightly, clearly struggling to suppress her laughter.

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She had known the Blood Eye Protector for a hundred years, and this was the first time she had seen him so interested.

The Blood Eye Protector, however, seemed quite pleased with the conversation, a hint of pleasure flashing in his blood-red eyes.

Just as he was about to speak again, he suddenly heard a furious roar from behind:

"Young Master Wang, Xiong Yue is here to help you!"

It was Xiong Yue who had arrived.

He had rushed all the way, his breathing slightly uneven, but his fighting spirit was high.

The Blood Eye Protector frowned, seemingly annoyed by the boorish man disturbing his mood.

Without any apparent movement, he casually raised his hand and waved it through the air.

With a crisp sound, Xiong Yue was sent flying backward as if struck by a heavy blow, kicking up a cloud of dust.

His chest caved in, he vomited a mouthful of blood, and with a tilt of his head, he fell asleep.

The attack was incredibly fast.

Wang Lang's pupils constricted sharply; with his cultivation at the fourth level of Spirit Condensation Realm, he couldn't even see how the opponent had attacked!

He quickly glanced at Xiong Yue.

Seeing that his chest was still rising and falling, and his breath, though weak, was not extinguished, he felt a little relieved.

Now was not the time to be distracted with a powerful enemy before him.

Wang Lang withdrew his gaze, refocusing on the two on the platform, his mind racing:

To be able to so easily cripple Xiong Yue, who was at the ninth level of Body Tempering, and prevent him from reacting...

This person in red robes was at least in the late stage of Spirit Condensation, or perhaps even... a third-tier Profound Connection Realm expert!

Looking at their appearances, both were human-like, with no demonic features. They were likely Heretical Cultivators or high-level ghosts.

The Blood Eye Protector had regained his composure. He sized up Wang Lang with his blood-red eyes and said:

"Boy, I took a liking to you the moment I saw you."

Wang Lang was taken aback: "Why?"

"You have a strong and upright build, and there's an awe-inspiring righteousness about your brows."

The Blood Eye Protector said earnestly, "I just love that."

Wang Lang's face immediately darkened.

Good heavens, this dog actually has a thing for me and wants to...

"I'm not interested in men," Wang Lang said word by word, his tone icy.

The Blood Eye Protector was stunned at first, then became furious: "You scoundrel! I'm not interested in men either!"

"I saw that you have Spirit Condensation cultivation at such a young age and possess extraordinary talent. I wanted to invite you to join my Kunlun God Sect!"

Beside him, the Painted Skin Ghost could no longer hold back and burst into laughter, her giggles like silver bells drifting in the night wind.

Hearing the name Kunlun God Sect, Wang Lang's heart tightened.

He had heard of this force; it was one of the most mysterious heretical cults.

He stopped dwelling on these irrelevant words and swept his gaze across the surrounding mountains of corpses and seas of blood, asking in a deep voice:

"Were the people of this city all sacrificed by you?"

The Blood Eye Protector chuckled, spreading his hands and pointing around: "Can't you see these mountains of corpses and seas of blood? Why ask such a question?"

Even though he had already guessed it, the moment he heard the confirmation, Wang Lang's heart still trembled violently.

Tens of thousands of civilians, men, women, old, and young, had been refined alive to become nourishment for this evil formation!

He had still held a sliver of hope that all of this was just an illusion created by dark arts, but now...

Wang Lang took a deep breath, suppressing the surging anger, his eyes growing even more chilling.

"You truly deserve to die."

Before his voice even fell, golden light erupted from Wang Lang's body!

"Vajra Subdues Demons!"

Wang Lang transformed into a Vajra Dharma Idol, with three heads and six arms, his eyes wide with fury.

With a single step, the ground cracked, and he shot forward like a cannonball towards the Star Gazing Platform!

Seeing this, the Blood Eye Protector did not panic but instead smiled: "Interesting."

He turned his head and instructed the Painted Skin Ghost: "This kid's Dharma Idol is quite unusual. I'll play with him."

"The woman following behind him is yours."

"Remember, leave her alive. The owner of the Black Tortoise Dharma Idol has an extraordinary background. She can serve as a bargaining chip for our God Sect in negotiations with those important figures from the Central Province of the Limitless Dynasty."

The Painted Skin Ghost nodded and smiled charmingly, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Although the Nine Nether Return to Ruins Grand Formation had been activated, it would still take some time to draw in the fragments of the Mask of Immortality.

During this boring wait, it would be nice to find some fun to pass the time.

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