A streak of crimson suddenly appeared in the clear blue sky. Then, like a drop of red ink falling into clear water, it quickly spread out, dyeing Song Changsheng's vision blood-red.
"As I thought… a Blood Demon," Song Changsheng muttered with a grave look in his eyes. He had suspected the identity of these black-robed men from the beginning, and now they had completely dropped the act.
Watching the Blood Demon Overseer being engulfed in the blood-colored glow, Song Changsheng realized the man had decided to go all out. He immediately raised his guard and focused all his attention.
"Youngster! Forcing me to this point, you can be proud of yourself. But today, one of us dies!" the Blood Demon Overseer snarled, his face twisted with malice and his eyes glinting with a strange, demonic light.
"Cornered dogs bark the loudest. Come on, show me everything you've got. I guarantee the one who dies today… will be you!"
Song Changsheng held the Heaven-Measuring Ruler in his hand, and above his head floated the Yin-Yang Soul-Slaying Gourd. Streams of yin and yang energy flowed down from it, forming a black-and-white Tai Chi diagram beneath his feet.
"Die!" the overseer bellowed. With a sharp motion, his hands slammed down, and the sea of blood in the sky surged toward Song Changsheng like a tidal wave, intent on swallowing him whole.
"Let's see how you like getting burned!" Song Changsheng swept his sleeves wide as the Soul-Slaying Gourd shot forward. A streak of icy blue flame erupted from the gourd's mouth and collided head-on with the blood tide.
Boom!
Sizzle, crackle...
The moment the blue flame met the blood sea, it exploded into a blazing inferno that ignited the sky. Blood and fire clashed violently like water hitting hot oil, instantly causing the heavens to boil.
Though the flames seemed small compared to the boundless blood sea, they had the upper hand. Spiritual fire was a natural nemesis of demonic blood arts, and no matter how vast the sea of blood, it could only be devoured by the Earthheart Cold Flame.
"Damn it! That's the Earthheart Cold Flame! You're Song Changsheng!" the Blood Demon Overseer finally realized the truth, a venomous look flashing in his eyes.
"Took you long enough. Don't you think that's a little slow?" Song Changsheng sneered and shifted his hand seal. "Gourd, slay the soul!"
The floating gourd spun rapidly, and a blade of invisible energy shot straight toward the overseer's head.
If it had been the old version of the gourd, it would've only injured his soul. But now, having evolved into a mid-grade spiritual artifact, its power was on a whole different level; it completely shredded the overseer's soul sea.
"Aaaah!"
The Blood Demon Overseer screamed in agony, thrashing like a madman. The searing pain of a shattered soul left him unable to think clearly.
"Die!"
Seizing the moment, Song Changsheng activated Flickering Shadowstep, and in a flash, he appeared above the overseer. The Heaven-Measuring Ruler in his hand shimmered with ghostly light as he brought it crashing down.
Crack!
The overseer's skull exploded like a watermelon. A transparent blob containing a demonic treasure, the Demon Wheel, shot out and tried to flee.
"So, you still had a trump card…" But Song Changsheng wasn't about to let him get away. He hurled the Heaven-Measuring Ruler, which turned into a streak of light and pierced the escaping soul clean through.
Sensing its master's death, the Demon Wheel tried to flee on its own.
But Song Changsheng summoned the Lu Wu Bell, which came crashing down and sealed it in mid-air. It trembled in place, unable to move.
Though a demonic artifact, it was still a high-grade spiritual tool worth a small fortune on the black market. No way he was letting it go.
Having ended the battle overwhelmingly, Song Changsheng turned around and rushed back toward Song Yulong and the others.
Meanwhile, the still-conscious Song Yushi and Song Muqing were utterly numb with shock.
Two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators… one mid-stage… and even a late-stage Blood Demon, and all of them had been wiped out so easily. That kind of force ranked upper-mid tier even in Ling Prefecture, yet now they were corpses. The whole scene felt surreal.
Could this young man just be mid-stage Foundation Establishment?
Looking at Song Changsheng's youthful face, Song Yushi couldn't help but wonder: Is this a seasoned old monster in disguise, just pretending to be weak?
Unaware of their thoughts, Song Changsheng didn't stop to chat. He went straight to the unconscious Song Yulong, who was in dire straits even without checking.
Grabbing his wrist, Song Changsheng didn't immediately use Light of Rejuvenation because he could already feel a ferocious baleful energy rampaging within his body.
"The bastard's already dead, and you're still throwing a tantrum?" Song Changsheng muttered.
He gathered the sinister energy in one place and then ripped it out in one clean motion.
Then he began using Light of Rejuvenation, channeling pure, life-infused spiritual energy into Song Yulong's body.
A quarter of an hour later, the pallor on Song Yulong's face began to fade, replaced with a faint, healthy flush.
However, his injuries were far too severe. Even with Song Changsheng's skills, healing him in a short time was impossible. Fortunately, he had arrived in time to save his life; any later, and Song Yulong would have been crippled at best, if not already dead.
"His injuries are grave. I've purged most of the demonic energy, but traces remain in his meridians and dantian. He'll need a long period of rest and recovery," Song Changsheng said as he handed over a healing pill and turned to Song Yushi.
Hearing this, Song Yushi finally breathed a sigh of relief. A warm tear silently slid down her cheek. She bowed deeply, her voice full of gratitude. "I'm Song Yushi. Thank you, Daoist friend, for saving our lives. Qing'er, kneel and thank your elder."
With that, she pulled Song Muqing down into a kneeling position.
Startled, Song Changsheng quickly waved his hand. "What are you doing? We're all family. No need for such formality."
Even though Song Yushi relented under his repeated insistence, she still gently guided Song Muqing to knock his head a few times on the ground out of respect.
This time, Song Changsheng didn't refuse. By seniority, he was indeed Muqing's elder, so it was a courtesy he could rightfully accept.
Only then did Song Changsheng turn his gaze toward the woman sleeping against a tree. He sighed softly. "So it was because of you… Still, you're lucky. If someone else had found you, your corpse might be rotting in the wild by now."
"You know her, cousin?" Song Yushi asked curiously as she cleaned the blood from Song Yulong's face with a handkerchief.
"I do. You two probably heard some rumors along the way, didn't you?" Song Changsheng said as he checked Xia Qingxue's injuries.
"She's the missing core disciple from the Golden Crow Sect?" Song Yushi had already guessed as much and wasn't surprised.
Song Changsheng nodded. "Yes. Not long ago, the governor of Yuanzhou issued an order to locate her. I didn't expect you to be the ones to find her."
At that, Song Yushi fell silent. If she hadn't acted out of compassion, the Blood Demons wouldn't have come after them, and Song Yulong wouldn't have ended up like this.
Song Changsheng had no idea what was running through her mind. Instead, he turned to Song Muqing and asked, "How old are you? What's your name?"
"Song Muqing. I'm fifteen," the boy replied, his eyes filled with awe.
Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow in surprise. At just fifteen, the boy was already at Qi Refining Level 7, even stronger than Changsheng had been at that age.
"Good. I have a task for you. Think you can handle it?" he asked, looking into the boy's eyes with encouragement.
Song Muqing straightened up and answered firmly, "Yes!"
"Go burn the bodies over there. Retrieve their storage pouches. Then wipe away all traces of the battle."
Watching the boy's pale face as he walked toward the corpses, Song Changsheng couldn't help but shake his head. He saw no fierceness in the boy's eyes. Though his cultivation wasn't low, it was clear he had never seen blood before. He still needed a lot of tempering.
Sensing Song Changsheng's intention, Song Yushi said softly, "The family's protected him too well. This is his first real battle… his first time touching a corpse. Hopefully, this will help him grow up a little."
"He's just a kid. He's already done well," Song Changsheng said with a comforting smile before turning back to treat Xia Qingxue with Light of Rejuvenation.
Compared to Song Yulong, her condition was far worse. Anyone else with such injuries would've died multiple times over by now.
The healing effect wasn't ideal either, but at least her condition stabilized. Her life was no longer in danger.
By the time he finished treating her, Song Muqing had returned, face pale but holding several storage pouches in his arms. He had no prior experience, but he had done a decent job. The battlefield was cleaned thoroughly, and without any special tracking techniques, no one would suspect a thing.
"Well done. This one's yours," Song Changsheng said with a smile, patting the boy's shoulder and handing him one of the pouches.
"This is your war trophy, cousin. I-I can't accept it…" Song Yushi hurriedly tried to stop him. After all, this was a Foundation Establishment cultivator's storage pouch, likely worth a fortune.
Song Changsheng waved it off. "Call it a welcome gift from an elder. Now, pack up, we need to return to the clan. This place isn't safe."
Hearing that, Song Yushi no longer argued. Song Muqing accepted the pouch joyfully.
Song Changsheng then flew over to the Lu Wu Bell, forcibly refined the demonic wheel sealed within it, and claimed it as his own.
"That makes this the third high-grade spiritual artifact I've obtained," he murmured with a sigh. "Too bad the Heavenweb Net was destroyed. And this one's a demonic artifact too…"
With everything finished, he led Song Yushi and the others toward Cangmang Peak.
Some time after they left, a sword-riding figure arrived at the former battlefield. He landed and scanned the area.
"The spiritual fluctuations came from here. Who was fighting? The shockwaves were massive."
He searched the surroundings, but found nothing and left with empty hands.
...
When Song Changsheng and his group returned to Cangmang Peak, Song Luzhou and Xia Wanyun were already waiting with several others at the mountain gate. Though Song Yulong and Song Yushi were technically juniors, they had crossed thousands of miles to escort the Foundation Establishment Pills, so the clan needed to show due respect.
"We're not worthy of such an honor, elders," said Song Yushi as she quickly stepped forward with her brother and nephew. Though born in Central Province, she had returned with her father, Song Luke, a few times in her youth and recognized everyone present. She and Muqing bowed respectfully.
"So it is Yushi. It's been, what, twenty years since you last visited?" Song Luzhou looked her up and down, visibly moved. "And you've already reached Foundation Establishment… If you'd been born into the clan, you'd probably still be struggling to reach that point."
"Greetings, Fifth Uncle. Qing'er, call him Fifth Grandfather," Song Yushi said as she continued her greetings one by one.
At that moment, Xia Wanyun noticed that Song Changsheng was carrying someone on his back and holding another person in his arms.
She immediately recognized Song Yulong, but the other woman was a stranger to her.
"Changsheng, is Yulong alright?" she asked with concern.
"He's badly injured, but the damage has been contained. He just needs proper rest and recovery."
"And this young lady is…?"
Song Changsheng glanced around cautiously before replying in a low voice, "This isn't the right place to talk. I'll explain later."
...
That night, after the welcome banquet, Song Changsheng, Song Luzhou, Song Yushi, and several others gathered in a private room.
Song Yushi solemnly placed a wooden box on the table and said, "These are the Foundation Establishment Pills promised to us by the main family, three in total. Though the quantity is limited, my father managed to secure the highest-quality batch."
"Luke went out of his way for this," Song Luzhou sighed emotionally. "Over the past century, the Song Clan has sent more than a dozen of its best to the main family."
As time passed, most of those people had completely severed ties with the family. Only Song Luke remained loyal, always keeping the Wangyue Song Clan in his heart. Even his descendants held a strong sense of belonging to the clan.
Song Yushi quickly replied, "Fifth Uncle, you flatter him. My father always said he was born and raised here, and when the time comes, he'll be buried here too. We're one family, what he's done is only natural. There's no need for formalities."
Song Luzhou laughed heartily. "Indeed, we are family. No more of that. But why didn't your father come himself this time?"
"The main family recently acquired a batch of Yin-Yang Zishu Cores and decided to hold a trial to determine who gets a share. A few years ago, my father reached Foundation Establishment Perfection and qualified to participate. He couldn't step away, so I came in his place."
Hearing this, everyone present lit up with joy.
"That means Luke might have a chance to attain the Purple Mansion realm?" an elder exclaimed excitedly as he stood up.
"If there's anything the clan can do to support him, don't hesitate to ask," Xia Wanyun added sincerely.
After a moment's hesitation, Song Yushi gritted her teeth and said, "My father didn't want to trouble the family, but it'll be hard for him to stand out in the trial on his own. I humbly ask for the elders' help!"
"Luke may be talented, but he lacks influence. Competing with those others won't be easy," someone said gravely. "Yushi, tell us what you need. As long as the clan has it, we won't hold back."
Even the notoriously stingy Song Luzhou stood up and firmly voiced the clan's support.
A wave of warmth spread through Song Yushi's chest as she spoke up: "My father lacks a suitable magical weapon."
"A magical weapon…"
Everyone fell silent, deep in thought.
After a few moments, Song Luzhou looked up. "The clan only has three top-grade spiritual artifacts. Two are with the Clan Head. The last one is the Sky-Shielding Umbrella. What do you all think?"
All eyes turned, in unison, to Song Changsheng.
This wasn't a trivial matter. Aside from the Clan Head, only Song Changsheng, being the young clan heir, had the authority to make such a decision.
-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 160+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader