Blood Miasma Heavenly Being

In an instant.

Everyone who emerged from the tomb was targeted by the scarlet barrier and turned into blood mist, which streamed into the air to nourish the pill.

On the city wall, Cui Wenshan, the Heavenly Being of the Aohai Cui clan responsible for guarding Jianning City, knitted his brows. He looked toward Cui Yuanxi, who was hiding beneath the great tomb, and sighed in relief after confirming she was unharmed.

Mortals and practitioners of outer qi refinement were merely expendable materials. Even the Qi Refinement Perfected of the Gang Sha Path amounted to little in his eyes, frankly speaking. As long as Cui Yuanxi was safe, he would not grieve no matter how many of them died.

After all, Cui Yuanxi was not only his niece from the same clan, but also the most gifted member of the Aohai Cui clan's younger generation.

She possessed profound fortune predestination in the path of ingesting baleful intent and swallowing gang. Although she had only reached six-turn qi refinement, three of those six turns were Heavenly Dipper.

Beyond that, Cui Yuanxi was also extraordinarily gifted in the outer qi refinement path. Possessing an immortal spiritual root, she had attained an outer dao golden core a year ago.

She cultivated both paths simultaneously and possessed exceptional talent in each, far surpassing her peers.

Nothing could be allowed to happen to such a favored daughter of heaven within the clan.

Cui Wenshan moved from the city wall to the air above the barrier and struck downward with his palm, intending to shatter it.

Yet although his full-force palm strike made the barrier tremble and ripple, it failed to break it.

"Which fellow Daoist is acting here? A member of my Aohai Cui clan is inside that barrier. If you know what's good for you, release her. Otherwise..."

Cui Wenshan's voice spread outward.

Standing upstairs, Zhang Yuan waited just as Cui Wenshan did for the mastermind to appear.

"Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Tongxuan, I trust you've been well. Since she belongs to your Aohai Cui clan, what harm is there in letting her go?"

A burst of laughter rang out.

Zhang Yuan frowned slightly.

Why did that laughter sound somewhat familiar? And its source seemed very close to him, almost directly beneath his feet...

He hurriedly looked down. Below him, the innkeeper had changed into a black Daoist robe. Black mist swirled around him as he rose into the air, laughing.

Zhang Yuan's expression shifted slightly. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Should he count himself lucky, or consider himself unfortunate?

He had taken every possible precaution to avoid the schemes of Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings. Who could have imagined that the Foundation-Building Heavenly Being pulling the strings had been right beside him!

This world is still far too dangerous, especially these Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings. Not only are they powerful, every last one of them is incredibly devious.

Zhang Yuan reflected inwardly.

Although he kept his [Read People] talent active, he had to deliberately look at someone to see the label above their head. Otherwise, simply walking down the street would have left his eyes overwhelmed long ago.

In truth, his failure to discover the innkeeper's identity was partly due to his own carelessness.

Had he used [Read People] earlier to inspect the innkeeper's label, he would surely have discovered his true identity and fled well in advance, instead of walking straight into the net like this.

I'm still not cautious enough.

After all, who could have imagined that a distinguished Foundation-Building Heavenly Being would disguise himself as an innkeeper, and the keeper of a shabby inn at that?

Zhang Yuan resolved that the next time he dealt with anyone, regardless of their cultivation or identity, he would check their label before deciding what to do, lest he encounter another situation like today's.

Having learned the innkeeper's identity, Zhang Yuan immediately packed his belongings and left the inn far behind.

Although the innkeeper did not seem to intend to attack him, fleeing sooner was still the wiser choice.

"Blood Miasma."

Upon seeing the innkeeper, Cui Wenshan uttered the man's Daoist name.

One of the few rogue cultivators who had become a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being through the demonic Dao, his Daoist name was [Blood Miasma], and his Daoist attainment was exceedingly high. He had already reached late Heavenly Being when he last appeared. Now that he had surfaced again, he had probably advanced another step and attained Heavenly Being perfection.

Cui Wenshan glanced at the pill continually absorbing blood qi within the barrier, and a suspicion formed in his mind.

Although this pill was founded upon blood qi, it gleamed with golden light and gave off a rich pill fragrance. Without the surrounding blood mist, it would have looked extraordinarily sacred at first glance.

Foundation establishment perfection, plus this golden core... does he want to prove himself a True Lord?

For a mere rogue cultivator to reach Heavenly Being perfection already meant heaven had smiled upon him. To now dream of seeking the truth was truly overestimating his own abilities.

Does he think becoming a True Lord is so easy?

Although Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings were rare, across the entire Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm, there were at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand.

And Golden Core True Lords? Even counting every last one, there were fewer than fifteen in the world today.

A rogue cultivator attempting to prove himself a True Lord was simply laughable.

Cui Wenshan did not voice any of these thoughts.

After all, Cui Yuanxi was still in the other man's hands.

"Release my clan's junior, fellow Daoist, and I can pretend I saw nothing of what you've done," Cui Wenshan said coldly.

"Easily done."

The innkeeper whose Daoist name was [Blood Miasma] pointed at Cui Yuanxi inside the barrier and transported her out.

He had no wish to make enemies of aristocratic clans, especially a top-tier clan ranked among the Five Surnames and Seven Houses. Even at foundation establishment perfection, provoking one would surely leave him dead without a place for burial.

In any case, there were enough expendable materials within the formation. Sending out the Cui junior would also let him grant a favor in passing.

Cui Wenshan breathed a sigh of relief, then bestowed a life-preserving divine ability upon Cui Yuanxi. "At least you know what's good for you, fellow Daoist," he said gravely.

"I've released her. Now, please leave this city, Fellow Daoist Tongxuan," Blood Miasma said with a smile.

Cui Wenshan remained where he was. "Since you're so sensible, fellow Daoist, release the others as well. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Although the remaining people were unimportant, this city was under his protection. People could die, but not too many, or he would have difficulty answering to the court and his clan.

As for his earlier promise to leave once Cui Yuanxi was released... heh, since the man was so sensible and so afraid of his Aohai Cui clan, surely making one more demand was not excessive?

He was only at late Heavenly Being, and his Daoist attainment fell short of Blood Miasma's Heavenly Being perfection.

But so what?

The other man was merely a rogue cultivator. How could he possibly compare to him!

Blood Miasma stared in astonishment, then flew into a rage. "What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist Tongxuan?"

"Release them, or this day next year will be the anniversary of your death," Cui Wenshan said bluntly, not bothering to answer.

"Fine, fine, fine. The Five Surnames and Seven Houses truly are impressive. I've seen it for myself now. But you think you can kill me alone, with nothing more than late Heavenly Being attainment?" Blood Miasma said, his gaze darkening.

"When did I ever say I was alone?" Cui Wenshan said coolly.

The moment Cui Yuanxi had fallen into danger, he had notified both his clan and the Ao Kingdom's court.

As soon as he finished speaking, several figures arrived from the four directions of Jianning City. There were four of them in total, each a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being, and their leader had even reached Heavenly Being perfection!

"The Aohai Cui clan truly are beasts!"

Terrified out of his wits, Blood Miasma shot into the air, opened the barrier, and retrieved the "golden core." With a sweep of his other hand, he summoned the towering, pagoda-shaped inn standing in the city and smashed it down upon the great tomb beneath him.

For a moment, the surviving people's screams rose one after another. The pagoda tore the entire tomb open, and radiant light instantly filled the sky, scattering like rain.

Without exception, those rays of light were treasures and fortuitous opportunities from within the great tomb, things countless cultivators had flocked toward like ducks. Now Blood Miasma had flung them out to draw attention, using them as a shield.

Seizing the opportunity, Blood Miasma transformed into a streak of blood-colored light and fled east at tremendous speed.

"You won't escape, demon!"

Cui Wenshan spoke with an air of righteous authority.