"You..."
"Pwah!"
The next moment, Ji Zhan was so furious that he spat blood, his face turning as pale as paper. He had never imagined that his own son's soul had been seized by a Blood Demon from the moment he was born. Over the years, he had taught him everything he knew, only to discover that the one he had raised was not his son, but a Blood Demon lying in wait to devour him and bring disaster upon all living beings. The revelation shattered the composure he had cultivated for years.
"Even demons have feelings. After more than thirty years together, day and night, didn't you develop the slightest trace of humanity?"
One of the court masters was afraid, but his fury had reached its peak, and he confronted the demon.
"Humanity?"
"Hahaha! Did Ji Zhan ever truly care about me?"
"He didn't. If he cared about me, I would have become the academy's heir to the position of Grand Libationer long ago. Even now, he still won't let me study the sages' writings or cultivate the human race's Invincible Dao. If he cared about me, why did he consider a disciple whose name and origins he didn't know for Grand Libationer ten years ago? He only thought of me once he knew there was no chance of that person becoming the academy's Grand Libationer. I am an ancient Blood Demon. Do I need that ant's charity? I'm about to break free of the seal. Do I need your pity? Ten thousand years of imprisonment, ten thousand years suppressed by righteous power-what was it all for? Are you playing dumb?"
"You only wanted to purge me of my hostile Qi and refine me into a Blood God Pill to forge an Invincible Golden Body! I am an expert from the ancient Blood Barbarian Demon Realm. Even if ten thousand years of suppression withered my bloodline and left me with nothing but my demon soul, I am still not yours to covet!"
"I'll slaughter you all and use your blood to reforge my demon body. I'll imprison your souls and show you what it means to be shut away from the light of day, never to be reborn!"
"Hahahaha!"
At that moment, Ji Zhan's body was wreathed in blood mist as he laughed without restraint, the terrifying power of the Blood Demon spreading outward.
"Do you think you can defeat us working together after being suppressed for ten thousand years?" The academy's countless experts knew they had no chance of tricking the demon soul. They exchanged glances, a chilling gleam in their eyes, and prepared to kill the Blood Barbarian demon soul by attacking in waves and overwhelming it with numbers.
"Hahaha!"
"Kill me? You?"
"Without an Invincible among you, you're nothing but ants!"
"Overwhelm me with numbers? How ridiculous! Slaughter will only make me stronger. The more of you die, the faster I'll recover. Once I break free of the seal, there'll be no suppressing me again. If no Invincible appears, who can stand against me?"
The man's words made the Blood Barbarian demon soul burst out laughing, as though it had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
"You...!"
Hearing the Blood Demon's words, the court masters and elders all paled. They had forgotten that detail and treated the Blood Barbarian demon soul as a human. The Blood Barbarian demon soul was extraordinarily sinister, which was why its breaking free of the seal would mean a catastrophe.
Moreover, after merging with the multitude of demon souls that had broken free of the seal, Ji Zhan was now terrifyingly powerful. Even if he hadn't taken Ji Zhan by surprise, they would have been no match for him. Now Ji Zhan, the strongest person in Southern Heaven Academy, had also lost the ability to fight. Everyone suddenly came to their senses and fell into despair.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"I don't understand. If you could lie hidden for so many years, why didn't you quietly break the seal long ago? And why didn't you show your formidable talent so I would give you the position of Grand Libationer?"
Ji Zhan coughed violently several times, even coughing up blood, but he still couldn't understand. If Ji Wuming had acted earlier, when the seal showed no signs of movement and no one was paying it any attention, wouldn't he have had a better chance of breaking free?
At that moment, every pair of eyes fell on Ji Wuming.
"At first, I wanted to. But don't you know what happened to Su Xiuyi? The wind always breaks the tree that stands tallest in the forest. I understood that much. With Su Xiuyi's example before me, how could I take that risk? Of course I waited. I'd endured ten thousand years; why would I be impatient over a little more time? As for acting in secret, I couldn't be sure whether that mysterious person from Southern Heaven Academy had left. The Avici Dao is no simple thing. How could I take the risk? Over the past ten years, I observed and sensed the presence of every disciple in Southern Heaven Academy, and even everyone in Southern Heaven City, but found no sign of that person. That meant the person had left. Moreover, the power of the realm has descended, and the power of the Blood Realm has seeped through, greatly empowering my Blood Demon race. Only now is it safe." Ji Wuming smiled coldly.
"You schemed so deeply!"
"Do you have a problem with me?"
As Ji Wuming's voice fell, blood-colored Gang Qi suddenly formed a vicious blood claw and shot forward, piercing the elder's heart. It moved with unbelievable speed, killing him in an instant.
The bloody heart was crushed before everyone's eyes.
At that moment, everyone's expression changed.
"Half-Step Invincible! He's actually Half-Step Invincible!"
Sensing Ji Wuming's presence, they were all struck dumb with fear, their bodies stiff. Ji Wuming was even absorbing the man's blood essence, and his body seemed to grow a little stronger.
"Blood Demon!"
"Truly sinister. That ability is terrifying."
Su Xiuyi, who had been watching everything with the Pupil of Void Breaking, had a flicker of surprise in his eyes. This was his first time witnessing a Blood Demon's ability.
Seeing the Blood Demon begin its slaughter, Su Xiuyi's lips curled with killing intent.
Although many people in Southern Heaven Academy had joined in denouncing and pressuring him back then, and afterward had ostracized the Literary Court and his teacher Wang Lin, and even Ji Zhan was no good man, having become one of the Great Zhou Emperor's lackeys assigned to watch him, this vast academy was where he had been born. He had been born and raised within it. Every brick and tile, every blade of grass and tree here felt familiar to him. And there were countless academy disciples, all of them human, each cultivating with a heart full of passion, hoping to drive out the Demon Race and build a paradise.
"People are not grass or trees; in the end, they cannot be heartless!"
Su Xiuyi waved his hand, and a young bamboo stalk beside him snapped off. As though transformed into an unparalleled divine weapon, it flew toward the sealed land.
"Blood Demon, I'll fight you to the death!"
Seeing the Blood Demon begin its slaughter, Ji Zhan burned his blood essence and charged at Ji Wuming, his eyes scarlet.
Hmph!
"An ant like you dares try to shake the heavens?"
Facing Ji Zhan's charge, Ji Wuming's face showed a trace of mockery. But in the next moment, his expression changed drastically.
He abruptly turned and looked into the void.
Terror appeared in his eyes. "Blood King Armor!"
Ji Wuming roared, and a suit of armor flew out from within the seal, enveloping his body.
The Blood King Armor was an ancient suit of armor with terrifying defensive power.
He also flashed behind an iron pillar forged from black iron.
"Psh!"
But in the next instant, the young bamboo pierced straight through the black iron pillar and into his heart.
The Blood Demon watched as the Blood King Armor was pierced, and the exceedingly fragile young bamboo still managed to stab into his heart. The terror in his eyes deepened.
This new book is competing in PK; I'm on my knees begging all you great readers to vote and support it. Thank you. The next chapter will be out around twelve.
(End of chapter)