The Battle of Blood Refining, the First Appearance of the Variants
Another dilapidated neighborhood.
Xiahou Jing walked briskly along the cracked asphalt road, his hands in the pockets of his gray trench coat, in a cheerful mood.
"The bait has been laid; now, we just have to wait for the fruit to ripen."
He could even imagine the look of ecstatic joy and greed on the face of that commoner boy named Dongfang Yueming when he discovered those two Profound Grade cultivation manuals.
Enjoy!
Xiahou Jing's lips curled into a cruel, cold smile.
Just then...
"Buzz--!"
An extremely sharp blade of light suddenly slashed out from the shadows at the side!
The blade flashed like snow, carrying a chilling aura, aimed straight at Xiahou Jing's throat!
"Who?!"
Xiahou Jing's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly retreated backward!
"Sizzle!"
Although he reacted extremely quickly, the blade still managed to tear through his trench coat, leaving a Qianqian bloodstain on his chest.
"Quick reaction."
A cold, clear voice rang out.
A tall figure leaped down from the high wall of the ruins and landed steadily opposite Xiahou Jing.
The newcomer was dressed in a smart black combat uniform, his ponytail tied high, holding a gleaming Tang sword upside down in his hand, his eyes as cold as ice.
It's Zhan Qiushui, a senior student and member of the disciplinary committee!
"Zhan Qiushui?!" Xiahou Jing recognized the person at a glance, and his heart sank.
However, he maintained his composure on the surface, even managing to force an awkward smile.
"So it's Senior Zhan. I wonder what you mean by this? Although my Xiahou Family is also Martial Dao family, we don't think we've ever offended the Disciplinary Committee, have we?"
Don't pretend with me.
Zhan Qiushui stared at him coldly, the Tang sword in her hand slightly raised.
"What did you put in that cave just now? Do you really think I didn't see it?"
"What cave? I don't know what you're talking about, senior." Xiahou Jing continued to feign ignorance, but his eyes darted around, searching for an escape route.
"Have no idea?"
A flash of undisguised disgust and murderous intent crossed Zhan Qiushui's eyes.
"Those commoner students who were 'sponsored' by your Xiahou Family and then mysteriously disappeared or became neither human nor ghost... Am I wronging you?!"
"Use cultivation techniques and elixirs to accelerate their growth and development, and then eat them like livestock!"
"Xiahou Jing, what kind of monstrous creature is your Xiahou Family hiding?!"
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Jing's smile vanished completely.
His eyes instantly turned sinister and terrifying, and his originally human pupils even showed a faint tendency to change into vertical pupils!
"It seems you do know quite a lot."
He stuck out his tongue and licked the Qianqian knife scar on his chest, his Spirit Transformation incredibly greedy.
"However, the more you know, the faster you die!"
"Boom--!!!"
A terrifying aura, far surpassing that of the Blood Nourishing Realm, suddenly erupted from Xiahou Jing's body!
Blood Refining Realm Seventh Layer!
His vital energy was no longer rising smoke, but had become as viscous as mercury, incredibly heavy! Even the slightest wisp of his aura made the surrounding air scorching hot!
"Since you're courting death, I'll start by making you my appetizer!"
"Kill!"
Xiahou Jing roared, his claws like hooks, hurtling straight at Zhan Qiushui with a piercing sound!
"Snort!"
Zhan Qiushui did not back down at all, and also unleashed a terrifying Blood Refining Realm aura!
Moreover, her aura was more refined and sharper than Xiahou Jing's!
The Blood Refining Realm Eighth Layer!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Blades and claws clashed wildly amidst the ruins!
The two moved at incredible speeds, and each clash produced a deafening clang of metal against metal. The surrounding ruins crumbled like tofu under the force of their dissipated energy!
at the same time.
"Um?"
Dongfang Yueming suddenly looked in the direction where Zhan Qiushui and Xiahou Jing were fighting.
"Such powerful fluctuations in qi and blood! This is... Blood Refining Realm fighting?"
He stood up and activated [Heaven Grade Profound Technique: The Great Sound Is Inaudible, the Great Form Is Shapeless], instantly blending into the surrounding environment without leaking even a trace of scent or heat.
"One is that guy who released the 'opportunity,' and the other... is that pair of eyes that were keeping watch at the city gate before?"
"Interesting."
Dongfang Yueming, like a Ghost, silently swept towards the battlefield.
"Bang--!"
In the center of the battlefield, the two clashed again before retreating.
Zhan Qiushui was slightly out of breath, and her hand holding the knife felt a little numb.
She glanced at Xiahou Jing opposite her, her brows furrowed.
Although her cultivation level was a level higher and her swordsmanship was more ferocious, giving her the upper hand in the previous exchange, what alarmed her was...
Xiahou Jing's recovery speed is insane!
The deep, bone-revealing wounds inflicted by her Tang sword stopped bleeding within just a few breaths and even began to heal at a visible speed!
"This is a level of resilience that no human could possibly possess!"
Zhan Qiushui was secretly alarmed.
"It seems we can't delay any longer!"
She took a deep breath, her Spirit Transformation incredibly sharp!
"Buzz--!"
An extreme chill emanated from the Tang sword in her hand!
"Profound Grade Profound Truth - [Icebound Vanishing Shadow]!"
Having mastered a Profound Grade blood technique to Perfection and comprehended its mysteries within the Blood Refining Realm, she has every right to be proud!
With a Zhan Qiushui transformed into a streak of icy blue light, instantly traversing dozens of meters, her blade carrying a terrifying, freezing intent as she slashed towards Xiahou Jing's head!
"Good timing!"
Faced with this deadly strike, Xiahou Jing not only did not dodge, but instead revealed a cruel and eerie smile!
"Since you've forced me..."
"Then let me show you the true power of the Holy Clan!"
"Roar--!!!"
A terrifying roar, utterly unlike anything human, exploded from deep within Xiahou Jing's throat!
Under Zhan Qiushui's horrified gaze, Xiahou Jing's body underwent a nauseating deformity!
His bones cracked like popping beans, and his body instantly grew to over three meters tall! His entire body was covered with a layer of dark red, hard scales! His hands transformed into sharp claws, and his clothes burst open from his back, revealing a thick tail covered in barbs!
"Bang!"
Zhan Qiushui's deadly strike landed squarely on Xiahou Jing's transformed scales!
Sparks flew everywhere!
"Snap!"
The Tang sword, powerful enough to cut through alloy, only left a half-inch wound on the scales!
"What?!"
Zhan Qiushui turned pale with shock!
Her attack should have severely injured or even instantly killed other Blood Refining Realm cultivators!
"What... what kind of monster is this?!"
Die!
After transforming, Xiahou Jing's strength and speed increased several times over! He grinned maliciously, and his barbed tail lashed out like a steel whip, striking Zhan Qiushui's chest hard!
"Puff--!"
Zhan Qiushui was struck as if by lightning, spitting out blood. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the ruins in the distance!
"Cough cough..."
She struggled to get up, only to find that several of her sternum bones were broken, and she didn't even have the strength to hold a knife.
Despair instantly enveloped her heart.
Hehehehe...
Xiahou Jing walked heavily to her, looking down at her with mockery and tyranny in his eyes.
"Profound Grade Profound Truth?"
"The power is indeed impressive, but unfortunately, it's like a tickle to the great ' Holy Clan '!"
"If you could comprehend the Earth-Level Profound Truth, you might be able to force me to back down a bit."
But now...
Xiahou Jing stuck out his long, scarlet tongue and licked the blood off his claws.
"You can only be my appetizer!"
He raised his sharp claws high and stabbed them down fiercely towards Zhan Qiushui's head!