You Came? I Came!!

Outside the Star Gazing Platform, high above.

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

It paused briefly on Wei Qing, who was hurrying toward the Star Gazing Platform in the distance.

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

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

"He is clearly only in the Spirit Condensation Realm, yet the feeling he gives me... is quite wrong."

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

Yet despite his words, his tone was steeped in contempt.

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 a hand. "Three days have passed. The blood sacrifice is complete, and the Nine Nether Return to Ruins Grand Formation has fully activated."

"Before today is over, the fragment of the Mask of Immortality will definitely appear."

"By then, we will already be gone. Even if the Demon Subduing Division of Central Province receives word and rushes here, all they will see is an empty city."

Hearing this, the Painted Skin Ghost secretly shook her head.

She had worked with the Blood Eye Protector for many years and knew that although he was immensely powerful, he had one flaw: he was far too confident.

When cultivators fought, circumstances could change in the blink of an eye. How could there ever be anything foolproof?

"I should still send a squad of Skin Corpses after them. Better safe than sorry," the Painted Skin Ghost said blandly.

The Blood Eye Protector cast her a sidelong glance, neither agreeing nor objecting. "As you wish."

The Painted Skin Ghost gave a soft laugh and waved her slender hand.

Nine sheets of human skin, thin as cicada wings, immediately flew from her sleeve.

The skins were crystalline and translucent, their brows, eyes, mouths, noses, and facial contours all distinct. Each bore the appearance of a peerlessly beautiful woman.

The human skins unfurled in midair and drifted lightly down onto the writhing flesh surrounding the Star Gazing Platform.

The instant flesh met skin, it rapidly took shape, transforming into nine exquisitely curved female bodies with fair skin and waterfall-like hair. Only their eyes were hollow and their faces expressionless.

The nine Skin Corpses knelt in unison to salute, then transformed into nine wisps of green smoke.

They drifted toward the direction in which Zhou Xuantong, Centurion Zhao, and the others had retreated.

The Painted Skin Ghost watched the Skin Corpses leave with satisfaction. Just as she was about to speak, the blood-red altar at the center beneath the Star Gazing Platform suddenly erupted with blinding radiance!

Nine blood-red pillars of flame, thick as columns, shot into the heavens and pierced the clouds.

Where the pillars passed, the cloud cover was forcibly ripped open into a massive hole, revealing the deep night sky beyond.

Within that night sky, the stars shifted out of place and formed a bizarre pattern that echoed the pillars below from afar.

At the same time, a strange rhythm spread outward from the Star Gazing Platform.

The rhythm was soundless, yet it made even the air tremble, as though the entire city were breathing along with it.

The streets, houses, and walls of Black Stone City lit up one after another with blood-red formation markings.

Those markings resembled neither words nor diagrams. They flickered in and out amid the black mist, casting the entire city into the likeness of a ghostly realm.

When Wang Lang arrived, this was the sight that greeted him.

The blood-red pillars connected heaven and earth, dyeing his face crimson.

Ahead, atop the Star Gazing Platform, two figures stood beside the pillars, one in red and one in green, strikingly conspicuous.

"Heh heh heh..."

A burst of strange laughter came from the platform.

The Blood Eye Protector locked his crimson eyes onto Wang Lang and split his lips into an exaggerated grin. "You came."

Wang Lang halted and looked up. "I came."

"You should not have come." The Blood Eye Protector shook his head and sighed.

Wang Lang frowned slightly. The direction of this conversation felt both familiar and strange, but he still answered in a low voice, "But I have already come."

"Why did you come?"

"I came to kill people."

"What people will you kill?"

"People who deserve to die."

"What kind of people deserve to die?"

"People who kill others deserve to die."

"Have you never killed anyone yourself?"

"Those I killed were all people who harmed others."

The questions and answers came as swiftly as lightning.

When the final sentence fell, the Star Gazing Platform sank into a brief silence.

At the side, the Painted Skin Ghost covered her mouth with a sleeve, her shoulders trembling slightly. Clearly, she was struggling hard to hold back her laughter.

She had known the Blood Eye Protector for a hundred years, yet this was the first time she had seen him take such interest in a conversation.

The Blood Eye Protector, however, seemed quite pleased with the exchange. A trace of delight flashed through his blood-red eyes.

Just as he was about to speak again, an angry roar suddenly came from behind:

"Young Master Wang, Xiong is here to aid you!"

Xiong Yue had arrived.

He had sprinted all the way here, his breathing slightly unsteady, but his battle intent soared high.

The Blood Eye Protector frowned, seemingly displeased that this reckless brute had interrupted his enjoyment.

Without any visible movement, he merely raised a hand and casually waved through the air.

With a crisp crack, Xiong Yue was struck as though by a heavy blow. His entire body flew backward, kicking up a cloud of dust.

His chest caved in, blood spewed wildly from his mouth, and with his head lolling to one side, he collapsed into unconsciousness.

That strike was so fast it defied imagination.

Wang Lang's pupils shrank. With his Fourth Level Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation, he had not even seen how the other party attacked!

He swiftly glanced at Xiong Yue.

Seeing that Xiong Yue's chest was still rising and falling, and that though his breath was weak, it had not been cut off, Wang Lang felt slightly relieved.

With a powerful enemy before him, this was indeed not the time to let his mind wander.

Wang Lang withdrew his gaze and fixed it once more on the two figures atop the platform, calculating rapidly in his heart:

To so easily cripple Xiong Yue, who was at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering, before he could even react—

This red-robed man was at least in the late Spirit Condensation Realm, perhaps even... the Third Rank Profound Connection Realm!

Judging by their appearances, both were humanoid and bore none of the traits of demons. They were most likely Heretical Cultivators or high-level ghosts.

The Blood Eye Protector had already regained his composure. His blood-red eyes examined Wang Lang as he spoke:

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

Wang Lang was startled. "Why?"

"You are burly and upright in appearance, and there is a stern, righteous aura between your brows."

The Blood Eye Protector spoke seriously. "That is exactly what I like."

Wang Lang's face immediately darkened.

Well, damn. This bastard had taken a fancy to him and wanted to fuck him in the ass!

"I do not like men." Wang Lang spoke each word slowly, his tone icy.

The Blood Eye Protector was first stunned, then flew into a rage. "Bastard! I do not like men either!"

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

The Painted Skin Ghost could finally no longer hold it in. She burst out laughing, her laughter like silver bells drifting through the night wind.

When Wang Lang heard the words Kunlun God Sect, his heart tightened.

He had heard of this force. It was one of the most mysterious cults.

He no longer bothered with such irrelevant words. His gaze swept across the surrounding mountains of corpses and seas of blood as he asked in a grave voice:

"Were all the citizens of this city blood-sacrificed by you?"

The Blood Eye Protector chuckled and spread his hands toward the surroundings. "Can you not see these mountains of corpses and seas of blood? Why ask such a needless question?"

Though he had long suspected it, the moment he heard it confirmed with his own ears, Wang Lang's heart still shook violently.

Tens of thousands of citizens—men and women, old and young—had been forcibly refined into nourishment for this evil formation!

He had still harbored a sliver of hope that all this was merely an illusion created by wicked arts, but now...

Wang Lang drew a deep breath and suppressed the surging fury within him, though the chill in his eyes only grew sharper.

"You truly deserve to die."

Before his words had even faded, golden light burst forth around Wang Lang!

"Vajra Subdues Demons!"

Wang Lang transformed into the Vajra Dharma Idol, with three heads and six arms, his furious eyes wide open.

With one step, the ground cracked apart, and he shot toward the Star Gazing Platform like a cannonball!

Rather than being alarmed, the Blood Eye Protector laughed. "Interesting."

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

"The woman following behind him is yours."

"Remember, leave her alive. The wielder of the Black Tortoise Dharma Idol has an extraordinary background."

"She will make an excellent bargaining chip for our sect when negotiating with those great figures of the Limitless Dynasty in Central Province."

The Painted Skin Ghost nodded and smiled sweetly. "Rest assured. I know the proper limits."

Though the Nine Nether Return to Ruins Grand Formation had already activated, drawing out the fragment of the Mask of Immortality would still take a little time.

While waiting through such boredom, finding some amusement to pass the time was not bad either.