The golden-winged roc Shi Yi had become plunged like a falling meteor, crashing headlong into the blood-red canyon! Its wings swept across like heavenly blades, instantly shattering the rock walls on either side. Countless boulders tumbled down, raising clouds of dust, and the entire canyon trembled beneath the impact!
"Whoosh-!"
Suddenly, a blood-red spear tore through the air, its tip wreathed in sinister killing aura, aimed straight at Shi Yi's back!
"Hmph!"
Cold light flashed in Shi Yi's eyes. His golden roc wing swept out, its blade-like edge seemingly cast from divine metal. It struck the blood spear with a piercing metallic clang, sending it flying into the rock wall, where it buried itself deep!
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-!"
Dozens of blood spears immediately shot from the depths of the canyon like a torrential downpour, each carrying a terrifying killing power capable of piercing a Venerable!
Shi Yi beat his wings. Golden runes surged like waves and formed a barrier, deflecting every incoming blood spear. They blasted enormous craters into the surrounding rock walls!
"Who dares trespass in my Blood Shadow Canyon?!"
An icy voice rang out from deep within the canyon, laden with sinister killing intent, as though rising from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds.
Shi Yi sneered, his voice as biting as ice. "I came here today for one thing alone-submit or die! If you dare make a desperate stand, today I'll turn this Blood Shadow Canyon..." His Double Pupils abruptly contracted, and an aura of chaos spread. "Into rivers of blood!"
"Arrogant fool!" The voice from the canyon's depths erupted in fury. "A mere Array Formation Realm cultivator dares boast so wildly? You're courting death!"
Shi Yi's lips curved into a mocking sneer. "Naturally, I'm not qualified. But my boss will be here shortly. As for you..." He deliberately paused, sweeping his gaze toward the depths of the canyon, his tone chilling. "Just wait for death!"
Before his words had faded, the golden-winged roc beat his wings and became a streak of golden lightning, racing out of the canyon!
"Rumble-!"
Almost at the same instant, a terrifying tremor erupted deep within the canyon. Countless blood-red runes shot into the sky, as though some dreadful being had been utterly enraged!
And at the very instant Shi Yi burst out of the canyon-"Roar-!"
Behind him, the Wind-Thunder Leopard Venerable's furious roar was already closing in! "You little bastard! Where do you think you're running?!"
Cold light flashed in Shi Yi's eyes, yet his lips curled with the satisfaction of a successful scheme. "Perfect timing..."
"Boom-!!!"
An enormous dark-blood-red bat formed from ancient runes slammed into the Wind-Thunder Leopard, carrying an overwhelming killing aura! The two savage energies exploded on contact. Dazzling bloodlight intertwined with lightning, and a terrifying shock wave swept in every direction, making the entire canyon shake violently!
"Bam!"
The Wind-Thunder Leopard flew backward from the center of the explosion. His four paws plowed furrows dozens of yards long through the ground before he barely steadied himself. Yet the instant he landed-
"Rumble-!"
The rock walls on both sides of the canyon collapsed under the force of the earlier impact. Countless boulders rained down, each bearing crushing weight!
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
The Wind-Thunder Leopard moved like lightning, darting between the falling rocks. His silvery-white fur traced sharp streaks through the dust. At last, he landed firmly on a jutting boulder and looked up-at the far edge of the sky, that golden figure had already dwindled to a barely visible speck of light, about to vanish!
"Roar-!!!"
The Wind-Thunder Leopard threw back his head and roared in fury, the sound waves shattering every rock within a hundred yards! Never had he imagined that a Human Race junior in the Array Formation Realm could make such a fool of him!
Savage lightning burst around him. He stamped down with all four paws, ready to resume the chase. But-
"Whoosh!"
A blood-red spear tore through the air, its tip entwined with chilling curse runes, heading straight for his throat!
"You're courting death!"
Already seething, the Wind-Thunder Leopard was driven into utter fury. Lightning gathered inside his gaping maw, and he blasted out a ball of lightning brimming with destructive power!
"Boom-!"
The instant the lightning ball collided with the blood spear, the shock wave swept directly through the bat swarm deep within the canyon. Dozens of low-level Blood Shadow Bats were reduced to ash in the dazzling lightning before they could even scream!
"Wind-Thunder Leopard! You dare slaughter my kin?!"
From deep within the canyon came a voice even colder than before, and the entire sky darkened with it. Countless blood-red runes appeared in the void, as though some terrifying being were awakening...
The void trembled, and a blood-red figure abruptly appeared. Bat wings that blotted out the sun slowly unfurled, while a sinister killing aura spread like a rising tide. It was an enormous Blood Shadow Bat, dark red from head to toe, with eyes as scarlet as blood and mysterious runes winding around his body-a terrifying being in the late Venerable Realm!
The two immense pressures collided in midair. The air seemed to freeze, and even light warped beneath them. Unable to withstand the pressure, the rock walls on either side of the canyon began flaking away, sending rubble raining down.
"I heard..." The Blood Shadow Bat's voice was chilling to the bone, every word seemingly steeped in blood. "That your subordinate declared this blood-red canyon must submit to you? Or you would slaughter every last member of my Blood Shadow Bat clan?"
The Wind-Thunder Leopard's pupils abruptly contracted, and his lightning-charged fur stood on end. He was so furious that he laughed. "Absurd! When did I ever say such a thing? Get out of my way at once! Don't delay my pursuit!"
Rage surged through his heart. He had nearly caught that Human Race brat, only for this Blood Shadow Bat to inexplicably block his path. Now he was even being saddled with these groundless accusations.
"Heh..." The Blood Shadow Bat sneered, giving his wings a slight beat as blood mist roiled across the sky. "That man said it himself just now. How could it be false? Does your Wind-Thunder Leopard clan truly think my Blood Shadow Valley is so easily bullied?"
At those words, the Wind-Thunder Leopard understood at once-that Human Race brat had schemed against him!
"Bastard!" he roared, lightning surging wildly. "That human said it? I'm hunting him down!"
"Hunting him down?" Bloodlight blazed in the Blood Shadow Bat's eyes. "You invent such a pathetic excuse and expect me to believe it like a three-year-old child? You won't leave so easily today!"
Before his words had faded, the Blood Shadow Bat spread his wings fiercely. Countless blood-red spears condensed in the void, each entwined with powerful, lethal energy, and shot toward the Wind-Thunder Leopard in a sky-blotting barrage!
Knowing explanations were useless, the Wind-Thunder Leopard's eyes blazed with ferocity. "Since you insist on courting death, I'll grant your wish!"
"Boom-!"
The sky full of lightning storms crashed into the blood spears, and the entire canyon was instantly swallowed by dazzling light...
Meanwhile, far away, Shi Yi glanced back at the terrifying shock waves of battle on the horizon behind him. His lips lifted slightly. "When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman reaps the spoils..."
An earth-shaking rumble suddenly sounded behind Shi Yi. He looked back and saw the winds and clouds change above the blood-red canyon, the entire sky dyed
an eerie dark red.
Millions of Blood Shadow Bats poured from the depths of the canyon like a churning sea of blood. The sound of their wingbeats merged into a spine-chilling hum that made even the air tremble.
These Blood Shadow Bats were not flying chaotically. Instead, they followed some ancient, uncanny pattern, each precisely occupying a specific position.