C1589 The Unfamiliar Ann Ziqing

In the Dim Starfield, beyond the Origin Blood Continent, there existed numerous Domain Boundaries.

The region was home not only to the Blood Devil Clan but also to the Crypt Clan, Fire Lizard Tribe, and a few from the Mondnacht Clan and Silver Scale Clan.

As the crimson full moon's glow intensified, becoming more eerie and startling, members of the non-Blood Devil clans were deeply alarmed.

Those from the Stars Realm who gazed upon the crimson full moon found their focus dissolving.

Many Seventh Level warriors from the Fire Lizard Tribe and Crypt Clan, after watching the crimson moon for a time, experienced a sudden loss of consciousness as their rich blood energy unknowingly drained away.

By the time they sensed something amiss, it was too late, and death was upon them.

Across the vast Dim Starfield, numerous beings from high-bloodline clans other than the Blood Devils perished in an unsettling and mysterious manner.

However, those of the Blood Devil Clan bathed in the crimson moonlight felt a comforting warmth.

Their blood circulated more rapidly, and the dormant power within their veins seemed to be stirred awake by the lunar radiance.

They grew exhilarated, as though infused with an additional, external force, eager to vent this newfound energy.

Deep within their souls, a voice guided them, compelling them to gravitate towards Yu Yuan, with an innate desire to extinguish his life.

"This feels familiar..."

As the massive blood shadow, refined by Munch, converged from all directions, each towering figure stretching thousands of meters, Yu Yuan whispered under his breath.

In that moment, he was reminded of the time, years ago, when Ann Ziqing had established the blood sacrifice array in Darkmoon City, amassing power for her junior brother's breakthrough.

The murky blood-red canopy filled the skies, intent on annihilating every mortal and practitioner within Darkmoon City.

Starting with the practitioners, those of higher realms were most susceptible to the array's influence and met their demise first.

Once the practitioners were gone, it was the mortals' turn to sacrifice their blood, enriching the hue of the blood sacrifice array and augmenting Ann Ziqing's strength.

Now, the crimson full moon in the Dim Starfield wielded a power akin to, yet far surpassing, that of the blood sacrifice array.

Yu Yuan could sense that any non-Blood Devil Clan member within the Dim Starfield, upon noticing the peculiar crimson moon, would succumb to death, starting from the highest in rank to the lowest.

As the deep crimson moon shone brighter, the Blood Devils surrounding him appeared to have been blessed by a deity, their blood energy surging dramatically within them.

This augmentation of their blood energy was fueled by the deaths of those from other clans, a sacrifice of their life force.

"The other races residing in the Dim Starfield are truly unfortunate. They might believe that under the protection of the Blood Devil Clan, they would be spared from the wrath of other mighty beings and not become targets of the vast cultivators. Little do they know, when the Founder truly requires it..."

Yu Yuan shook his head, feeling a pang of sympathy for the other races within the Dim Starfield, "They are merely sacrificial offerings."

A colossal demon, thousands of feet tall and shrouded in dark red mist, let out a roar, its Demonic Eyes ablaze with red fury, exuding violence and cruelty.

Boom!

Before him lay a massive tiger, its flesh torn and Demon Bones exposed, clearly of the same lineage as the Vast Ocean's Sky Tiger.

It must have fallen in battle to Munch, now reduced to a Blood Slave.

As it growled lowly, the clanging of gold metal echoed through the space beside Yu Yuan.

He could just make out a Demon Army of tigers, standing their ground around a lifeless star.

These vibrant Demonic Tigers, each as formidable as a mountain and as swift and savage as any, clashed fiercely with the warriors of the Asura Clan, Blood Devil Clan, and Silver Scale Clan.

In a bygone era, a brutal and bloodstained war raged. The Demonic Tigers, though grievously wounded, showed no fear and fought until their last breath.

Ultimately, the Demon Army was decimated, their leader slain by Munch and turned into one of his Blood Slaves.

"I'll help you find release."

Yu Yuan sighed inwardly.

He understood that Vast Ocean's current golden age and esteemed status were built upon the countless fallen armies like the Demon Tiger force.

Should one fall victim to Munch or another of the Blood Devils, death would not bring peace, for they would be transformed into Blood Slaves.

The tip of the Demon Blade, Blood Prison, pointed towards the towering blood-colored Demon Tiger. Yu Yuan could see its Demon Soul saturated with blood, shimmering with alien crimson lights that bore Munch's signature. Upon closer inspection, one could discern numerous blood sigils etched within.

Those were slave imprints.

Munch used this method to control the Demon Tiger, weaving puppet threads from his blood to eternally enslave the beast.

"Burst!"

With a mere thought, a hundred rays of bloody light burst forth from the Demon Blade, raining down upon the Demon Tiger like a torrential downpour.

The hundred beams of bloody light that he unleashed pierced the Demon Tiger's battered form, severing the hidden evil life force within.

The Demon Tiger halted in midair. The blade light sought out and destroyed the slave imprint Munch had etched within it, along with his consciousness, crushing them meticulously.

Munch snorted, a hint of blood tracing the corner of his mouth.

Yet, in that fleeting moment, he felt an immense surge of blood energy under the glow of the deep red full moon, healing him instantly.

"Asura Clan, Silver Scale Clan, and Star Race..."

Yu Yuan whispered, not even bothering to manifest his imposing Dharma form. He wielded the Demon Blade Blood Prison, casting out arcs of bloody radiance like crimson rainbows.

At times, they resembled a blood river streaking across the sky, and at others, a fierce dragon, claws bared and teeth gnashing.

The Demon Blade Blood Prison was particularly adept at dealing with beings like the Blood Devil Clan. With one glance at a Blood Slave, Yu Yuan could instantly discern its vulnerability.

As the blade light flashed, Blood Slaves refined by Munch and those of the Blood Devil Clan burst apart in succession.

None of the blood energy from those slain by Yu Yuan could return to the source of the Yang meridian or ascend to the deep red moon above. It was all absorbed by the Demon Blade.

Indeed, the Demon Blade had indulged in a voracious feast.

"With such relentless slaughter, this blade will inevitably transform into a divine weapon."

Yu Yuan smirked, completely disregarding Munch and the Ninth Level Blood Devil Clan members present. As he casually dispatched the Blood Slaves, he was essentially feeding the Demon Blade.

Suddenly, a sense of alarm washed over him.

He gazed at the deep red moon overhead, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

Blood Devil Clan elites like Munch felt it too, their attention fixed on the moon above.

On the cratered surface of the moon, a vast bowl-shaped pool bubbled with thick, red blood. From its depths, a figure slowly rose.

It was a woman emerging from a pool of blood, ascending slowly into the air. Her beautiful face radiated a bewitching glow, and her long eyelashes fluttered as though it took considerable effort to open her eyes. From the depths of her eye sockets, a scarlet light shone, mirroring the deep red moon below.

With a whoosh, her elegant figure swelled rapidly, growing larger than the recently exploded Sky Tiger, transforming into a blood-colored shadow just slightly smaller than the moon itself.

Members of the Blood Devil Clan gazed at the blood-colored shadow with astonishment.

"Her name is Ann Ziqing. I recently introduced her to our Founder. Unexpectedly, she ascended to the rank of a Ninth Level Demon God in such a short time. She has harmonized the profound mysteries of the human race with our divine essence. She is now one of us, virtually indistinguishable from the rest," Munch declared with grave seriousness.

Further explanation was unnecessary. A Ninth Level Blood Devil like Munch could detect a familiar essence emanating from Ann Ziqing's blood-colored shadow. It was the unmistakable scent of kinship.

Regardless of her past, having been baptized by the source of the Yang meridian and accepted, she was now a bona fide Blood Devil.

Whoosh! Yu Yuan, previously encircled by Munch and his cohort, found himself instantly transported to one end of a golden bridge. The other end connected to the Dragon Slash Platform, now outside the Dim Starfield. Standing on the luminous bridge, Yu Yuan could harness the platform's power for a clearer view.

He let out a soft sigh, his emotions a tangle of complexity. Ann Ziqing, now a colossal blood-colored shadow, seemed foreign to him. He realized that, like him, Ann Ziqing had almost simultaneously broken through to the Unrestrained Stage.

Ann Ziqing's Yang God had metamorphosed into a true Blood Devil. She was now an authentic Ninth Level Demon God, perfectly attuned to the Yang meridian.

Ann Ziqing had grown more powerful, yet the bond that once connected her to him had vanished without a trace. Her gaze, now cold and indifferent, lacked the playful teasing and deep-seated emotions of the past.

But then again, wasn't it he who had encouraged her and Ann Wen to venture beyond the heavens in search of the Yang meridian's source, in pursuit of the ultimate Dao?

Ann Wen's departure ultimately enraged the Demon Phoenix, who first dispatched the Qilin before taking matters into its own hands, resulting in Ann Wen's death. This left Ann Ziqing with no choice but to set foot on the Origin Blood Continent.

She then became one with the Yang Meridian and embarked on the quest to discover her own path of blood.

When she had encouraged herself and Ann Wen to leave the Vast Expanse, hadn't she foreseen such a day?

Why then did she harbor regrets?

Perhaps it was because the look in Ann Ziqing's eyes had lost its original flavor...

Yu Yuan sighed softly and took steps forward, once again departing from the Dim Starfield, gradually vanishing from the sight of the Blood Devil Clan.

He also faded from the watchful gaze of Ann Ziqing and the deep crimson moon.

The previous time he left the Dim Starfield, he had to summon the full force of the Dragon Slash Platform and draw upon the strength of his primary soul from his first life. Subsequently, all his power was depleted, reducing him nearly to a mortal.

Yet this departure was different. He stepped onto the golden beam of light emanating from the Dragon Slash Platform, making his exit seem effortless.

Invisible bloodlines attempted to bind him, but the blood laws within him imposed no constraints.

In this world, no one else could defy those blood laws with such ease—not even the Demon Phoenix.

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