Boom!
The sky shattered in an instant.
Roiling waves of blood descended from the nine heavens, transforming the sky into a blood-red sea.
“Hah!”
Yinggou stood amongst the sea of blood, as relaxed as a fish in water. With a flash of fluorescent light, his corroded skin instantly healed.
He placed both hands on the enormous floating rose and pushed. Soon, the rest of the flower was completely enveloped in the sea of blood.
“Yinggou, I told you to get back here!”
As he looked into the horrifying sea of blood, Jiangchen’s expression was extremely tense – even more than it had been earlier, when he assumed he was about to die.
“Get back here right this instant. I know what you’re trying to do, but you don’t need to go that far.”
Jiangchen was truly frantic. The “Rakshasa’s Sea of Blood” was Yinggou’s ultimate technique. After using it, he’d instantly perish.
His body’s former owner died using this very same technique!
Soul.
Yinggou’s body housed a third of Denglong’s soul. If it shattered, he…..
“Yinggou, hurry back here!”
As he considered this, Jiangchen shouts grew even more frantic. However, up in the sky, Yinggou’s carefree smile didn’t budge.
“Boss, I’m going on ahead.”
“Don’t be a hero, come back…….” started Jiangchen, but before he could finish his sentence, he saw countless Rakshasa demons emerge from the sea of blood, their bodies emanating intense bloodthirst. They marched in formation towards the flower-petal at the center of the sea of blood.
“Yinggou!”
Yinggou lifted the petal, his face red with exertion, and roared, “Live on!”
Then…..
Boom!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
It was as if everything went white; a rapid, non-stop stream of deafening explosions shook them to the core, practically shattering their eardrums.
A full half-minute passed.
The explosions went on for a full thirty seconds before dissipating completely.
When the crowd came to their senses, they saw bloody rain pouring down from the heavens. Although it was red, it had no smell.
As for that giant rose, the one that shook their very souls? It had vanished completely.
“Yinggou!” Jiangchen roared, eyes bloodshot. Meanwhile, Hanba and Houqing seemed relieved to have survived this ordeal. When they heard Jiangchen shout, they assumed he was upset about Yinggou’s death and instinctively tried to comfort him.
“Boss, Yinggou, he….. We owe him our lives,” said Hanba with a sad look. To her surprise, Jiangchen slapped her mercilessly in response.
“Hurry up and search for him! At the very least we have to find his corpse!”
The blow left Hanba baffled. She clenched her face and looked lost.
Houqing glanced at Jiangchen. “Yinggou self-destructed. How could there be a corpse?”
“Then go retrieve his soul! If you can’t…. You can accompany him to the grave!”
Gulp.
Sensing his explosive fury, Hanba and Houqing gulped instinctively, then frantically dashed off.
After they left, Jiangchen’s gaze fell on Hua Hai. “This is all your fault!”
“It’s all your fault…..”
Slap!
Hua Hai was still just barely conscious. Suddenly, an enormous hand slammed into his skull. As the blow landed, he perished instantly.
Earlier, when he watched Yinggou destroy his final rose, he sighed in relief.
Perhaps, deep within his heart…..
He truly didn’t want the people of the Three Realms to accompany him to the grave.
You all still have a chance!
“Master.”
Off in the distance, Lia Jiayi looked over just in time to witness Hua Hai’s final moments. As Jiangchen’s attack landed, she froze. She could do nothing but watch as her master’s eyes gradually shut.
Then she hurried to his side as if maddened.
In response, Jiangchen turned to look at her. “Master?”
Then he saw Lia Jiayi rushing to Hua Hai’s side.
Whoosh.
He disappeared. Soon, Lia Jiayi felt hands tighten around her neck.
“You’re that freak’s apprentice?”
Despite Jiangchen’s stranglehold, Li Jiayi didn’t hesitate. “Bring my master back!”
She hefted her flexible sword and stabbed Jiangchen with all her might. However, it had long since dulled; she struggled to cut even ordinary blood zombies. How could it possibly work on Jiangchen?
“Hmph.”
Jiangchen was still preoccupied with finding Yinggou’s soul. All of this was Hua Hai’s fault! Now even his apprentice dared provoke him?
He tightened his grip, only to feel a sudden, intense burst of pain.
Someone had cut a bloody gash into his arm. He turned around and saw…..
Lin Xihe.
The one who’d stopped him was none other than Lin Xihe, the city lord of Hundred Flowers City. Hua Hai was largely responsible for the city’s existence. Furthermore, she’d become city lord in large part due to his efforts.
She thought of him as part mentor, part friend.
Hua Hai died for the Three Realms. She felt the utmost respect for his sacrifice. She hadn’t been able to save his life, but at least she could take care of Li Jiayi, his only apprentice.
That’s why she’d been fixated on Li Jiayi right from the start.
Even though Lin Xihe knew she was no match for Jiangchen, the moment she saw Li Jiayi charge at the zombie, Li Xihe decided to rush to her aid.
“Jiayi, run! You can’t defeat them.”
“You’re seeking death.”
Jiangchen was in an absolutely terrible mood. It was bad enough for one worm to provoke him. Now there were two of them?
As expected, everyone from the Three Realms deserved to die!
Fury flashed across his face as energy exploded out of his body. He let go of Lin Jiayi, then lunged for Lin Xihe’s neck with all his might.
“Jiayi, run!”
Li Jiayi’s body shook violently. She’d lost her wits in a fit of anger, otherwise, she never would have chosen to attack Jiangchen. As she recovered her rationality, she realized how utterly insignificant she truly was.
She could only watch as Jiangchen seized Lin Xihe by the neck, Lin Xihe’s frantic shout echoing through her ears.
Run.
She ran without hesitation.
“My apologies, but…. I’m truly sorry,” she thought inwardly.
Even so, she didn’t dare try and save Lin Xihe.
Despite her perilous situation, as she watched Lia Jiayi’s departure, Lin Xihe visibly relaxed.
Was she going to die?
She didn’t care at all!
Her younger sister was already an adult; she no longer needed Lin Xihe to take care of her.
As for the man she’d once loved so much, he’d wounded her far too deeply.
There was nothing keeping her here.
Death?
Who cared?
Lin Xihe resigned herself to her fate, but as Jiangchen furiously squeezed her neck she suddenly started struggling.
She couldn’t die! She still had her unborn child!
“Die!”
Jiangchen snapped her neck. The instant she died, a figure hurtled towards him.
When he saw Jiangchen toss Lin Xihe’s lifeless body to the ground, the figure came to a sudden stop.
“Xihe!”
The figure dashed towards Jiangchen, then stopped before Lin Xiehe and firmly embraced her, crying out in wordless agony.
Seeing this, Jiangchen’s brows arched in surprise. “Oh, I almost forgot. She was your woman, wasn’t she?”
“Enough, she’s just a woman. What are you crying about?” said Jiangchen. “Zhao Zizhao, I order you to lead the blood zombies into battle and eliminate the forces of the Three Realms!”
“Shut up.” Zhao Zizhao had feigned humility this whole time. Now he looked directly at Jiangchen, gaze maddened, and roared, “Jiangchen, I want your dog life!”
