Chapter 318: Two Choices A Test and Extortion
"Earth Supreme Peak!"
Blood Lingzi's startled exclamation echoed through the Blood God Clan's territory. The gathered clan members instinctively stepped back, their faces pale with fear.
Their strongest warrior, Blood Lingzi himself, was only a High Earth Supreme. But now, their opponent turned out to be an Earth Supreme Peak cultivator someone just a step away from the Heavenly Supreme realm.
Xiao Tiance swept his gaze over the frightened faces of the Blood God Clan. He chuckled mockingly and said,
"So this is all the mighty Blood God Clan amounts to? If I had known you were this weak, I wouldn't have bothered being cautious or using Qinghou to lure you away."
Blood Lingzi's face darkened with a mix of shame and anger, but he didn't dare act recklessly. The oppressive aura emanating from Xiao Tiance left him no doubt that this was an enemy he couldn't afford to provoke.
Swallowing his resentment, Blood Lingzi forced a smile and said,
"Sir, this is all a misunderstanding..."
His words were calculated. The Blood God Clan had stood tall on the Western Heaven Continent for hundreds of thousands of years. Their prestige rivaled even the once dominant Luo God Clan. Yet now, this single individual posed a threat grave enough to annihilate them completely.
A Weak Excuse
"A misunderstanding?" Xiao Tiance sneered. "Do you take me for a fool?
"When I found my cousin, he was barely alive, and the injuries on him were anything but fake. If this was truly a misunderstanding, shouldn't you have treated him as an honored guest rather than locking him in a dungeon and torturing him?"
Blood Lingzi quickly responded,
"Sir, your cousin appeared unannounced in our clan's forbidden grounds. That area is restricted even to most of our own members. Were you in my position, wouldn't you also detain the intruder to ask questions?"
Blood Lingzi's tone was laced with desperation. He knew the Blood God Clan was teetering on the edge of destruction. If this man unleashed his full wrath, it wouldn't just cripple their leadership their enemies would seize the opportunity to wipe them out entirely.
Xiao Xuan Speaks
Before Xiao Tiance could reply, Xiao Xuan spoke weakly from behind him,
"Don't let him fool you. They didn't lock me up to question me they wanted the formation jade talisman and the method to create it."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance smirked. "So that's it. You've got a keen eye, I'll give you that."
He understood the value of the formation jade talisman. If mass produced, it could greatly enhance the Blood God Clan's safety and even allow them to ambush and eliminate stronger enemies. However, Xiao Tiance had no intention of sharing its secrets. This was one of the tools he planned to use to establish a future superpower.
"Sir, I assure you, this is a misunderstanding!" Blood Lingzi tried again, sensing the growing danger in Xiao Tiance's tone.
"What will it take to resolve this? Name your terms, and as long as it's within our means, the Blood God Clan will do everything to make amends."
Xiao Xuan's Plan
Xiao Tiance glanced at Xiao Xuan, ready to escalate the situation, but Xiao Xuan transmitted a private message to him:
"Tiance, leave the Blood God Clan to me.
"When I recover, I'll settle accounts with them myself. This time, they've humiliated me, and I won't let it slide. But I want to handle it on my own terms, to show the world what I can do.
"Besides, the Blood God Clan is the perfect target for me to make a statement. It's time people learned that Xiao Xuan isn't someone to trifle with. You've done enough for the family, Tiance. Let me take some of the burden off your shoulders."
Xiao Tiance mulled this over, then nodded subtly. He turned back to Blood Lingzi and said,
"Blood Lingzi, your words do make sense, but the fact remains my cousin has suffered greatly at your hands. That cannot go unaddressed.
"So, I'll give you two choices."
Two Choices
"First," Xiao Tiance began, "I personally kill your three Earth Supremes, including yourself, before leaving.
"Of course, if I do that, your enemies will seize this golden opportunity to annihilate what's left of the Blood God Clan.
"I trust you've already realized this, haven't you?"
Blood Lingzi's heart sank. He couldn't refute Xiao Tiance's words. If their three Earth Supremes fell, it wouldn't just devastate their clan's strength it would invite their rivals, the Luo God Clan and the Force God Clan, to attack.
"Second," Xiao Tiance continued, "you compensate us handsomely for what you've done to Xiao Xuan. In exchange, I'll leave peacefully."
Blood Lingzi hesitated. "What kind of compensation are we talking about?"
Xiao Tiance smiled coldly. "That depends on how much you value your clan's survival."
Submission
Blood Lingzi knew he had no real choice. He bowed his head and said,
"Name your price, sir. The Blood God Clan is prepared to pay whatever it takes to resolve this matter."
Xiao Tiance's smile widened. He leaned closer and whispered,
"I'm glad we understand each other."
Once the balance is broken, who would be foolish enough to not act?
"Hahaha, wise people know when to adapt. It seems that Blood Lingzi, the esteemed patriarch of the Blood God Clan, understands the bigger picture. Very well, let me explain the second option," said Xiao Tiance, his tone dripping with mockery.
"I heard a rumor before I arrived in the Western Heaven Continent. Your Blood God Clan possesses an artifact known as the Blood God Arm, the treasure of your clan.
"It is said that this artifact surpasses the level of top grade divine artifacts and wields destructive power capable of rivaling the Luo God Sword should all its seals be released.
"Now, I've just arrived in this grand world, yet I find myself lacking a suitable weapon. Tell me, Patriarch Blood Lingzi, do you have the sincerity to offer this artifact to me as a token of goodwill?"
The Blood God Arm
The Blood God Arm was no ordinary treasure. According to The Great Ruler, the novel documenting this world's events, it had been wielded by the current Blood Lingzi to grievously injure Luo Lishang, the father of Luo Li the female protagonist. Luo Lishang's Supreme Sea was destroyed in that battle, and the injuries eventually claimed his life.
Xiao Tiance smirked. According to the timeline, Luo Lishang hadn't yet been injured. Perhaps taking the Blood God Arm now could prevent that tragedy and earn the goodwill of the Luo God Clan a strategic move in the long run. Moreover, if Xiao Xuan planned to use the Blood God Clan as a stepping stone for his rise, removing such a powerful artifact would weaken their top tier combat strength.
Was this demand excessive? Absolutely.
But could Blood Lingzi afford to refuse? Likely not.
Testing the Waters
Xiao Tiance wasn't just extorting the Blood God Clan he was testing them. Despite their apparent strength, the clan had been established for tens of thousands of years. They must have hidden cards up their sleeve. The Blood God Arm might not even be their greatest trump card.
With a calm smile, Xiao Tiance released his Earth Supreme Peak aura fully. Though he did not summon his Supreme Avatar, the oppressive force alone made the Blood God Clan members feel as if a mountain had crashed down on them.
The gap between Earth Supremes was like an unbridgeable chasm. A single Earth Supreme Peak could hold their own against three High Earth Supremes and potentially suppress them one by one over time.
Blood Lingzi's expression darkened. He didn't dare take a chance. He had no way of determining the true depths of Xiao Tiance's strength or the power of the "Xiao Clan" that Xiao Tiance had mentioned. What if their clan had more strong fighters waiting in the wings?
Faced with the unknown, Blood Lingzi could only tread cautiously.
Blood Lingzi Backs Down
Sweat beading on his forehead, Blood Lingzi forced himself to remain composed under the overwhelming pressure. He stammered,
"Sir… The Blood God Arm is… the sacred treasure of our Blood God Clan. Perhaps we could discuss an alternative solution?"
Xiao Tiance's smile grew colder.
"An alternative? You seem to misunderstand. I'm not negotiating with you I'm informing you.
"If you refuse the second choice, it means you've chosen the first: I will personally take down your clan's three Earth Supremes before leaving.
"But don't worry. Your enemies, such as the Luo God Clan, will certainly step in to finish what I started. Shall we test my resolve and see whether your Blood God Clan will still exist tomorrow?"
A Final Gambit
Blood Lingzi's heart raced. He wasn't ready to gamble the survival of the Blood God Clan. Just as Xiao Tiance prepared to strike, Blood Lingzi gritted his teeth and shouted,
"Wait!"
He produced a small blood red chess piece. The artifact exuded the aura of a low grade sacred artifact, surpassing even top grade divine artifacts.
The Blood Demon Banner
Xiao Tiance recognized it immediately. The Blood God Clan was famous for two artifacts:
The Blood God Arm the clan's sacred treasure.
The Blood Demon Banner a low grade sacred artifact capable of unfurling into a massive blood soaked flag. In the original story, even the Purple Gold God Needle, a legendary weapon, couldn't penetrate the Blood Demon Banner.
Though he was interested in the Blood God Arm, the Blood Demon Banner wasn't a bad alternative.
"Sir, this is the Blood Demon Banner, a low grade sacred artifact. It surpasses the Blood God Arm in rank. Would you be willing to accept this instead?" Blood Lingzi pleaded.
Before Xiao Tiance could respond, Xiao Xuan transmitted a message to him:
"Tiance, it's enough. Whether it's the Blood God Arm or the Blood Demon Banner, they'll both belong to us eventually.
"Let them keep the Blood God Arm for now. Once I recover, I'll personally take it from them and bring it to you."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance nodded slightly and turned back to Blood Lingzi.
"Very well. Since you're offering the Blood Demon Banner, I'll accept it in place of the Blood God Arm."
Seizing the Artifact
Xiao Tiance extended his hand, summoning the Blood Demon Banner with a powerful suction force. As soon as the artifact entered his grasp, a surge of malicious blood energy attempted to invade his body.
Smirking, Xiao Tiance whispered,
"Is that all you've got?"
With a flick of his wrist, a golden flame Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame burst forth, engulfing the Blood Demon Banner.
"Boom!"
Under the oppressive heat of the golden fire, black smoke billowed from the banner, and a faint, pleading spiritual consciousness echoed from it.
"Pathetic," Xiao Tiance said with a sneer, withdrawing his flame. The Blood Demon Banner fell silent, its rebellious nature thoroughly subdued.
Blood Lingzi's Fear
Watching the display, Blood Lingzi's face turned pale.
"What… What kind of flame is that? It's even more domineering than the Fire Spirit Clan's flames!"
Xiao Tiance laughed but didn't answer. Instead, he pocketed the Blood Demon Banner and turned his gaze back to Blood Lingzi.
"Consider this the price for offending my Xiao Clan. Take this lesson to heart. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
(End of Chapter)
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