Chapter 470: Black Tortoise Demon Blood (7k1)

Chapter 470: Black Tortoise Demon Blood (7k1)



"Nonsense!"

Just as Ji Xuanzhen's expression turned unsightly, Wan Qingxuan, who was standing beside him, finally spoke up in a deep voice. She scolded Zhao Lie and then pulled Ji Xuanzhen aside, fleeing towards the West Heaven Gate.

"Your Highness, don't listen to his gibberish! Let's go!"

Although she herself believed Zhao Lie's words to some extent, staying here now meant certain death. A desperate attempt to break through might offer a glimmer of hope, and she couldn't give up on that chance.

Ji Xuanzhen's face had already turned somewhat pale, but upon hearing Wan Qingxuan's words, he managed to muster a bit of strength. Together, they bypassed Zhao Lie and fled towards the exit of the West Heaven Gate.

Zhao Lie did not pursue them.

He simply stood there, hands behind his back, watching Ji Xuanzhen and Wan Qingxuan flee. With a shake of his head, he sighed.

It was undoubtedly a fool's dream for the two of them to escape. Who didn't know about the grudge between Chen Mu and Liang Wang Ji Xuanzhen? If Ji Xuanzhen managed to escape the capital, and Chen Mu became furious because of it, the consequences of him rampaging across the land would be unimaginable.

Before Chen Mu swept through the Jade Capital, flattening the Imperial City, almost everyone had considered whether to assist the court in stopping him and how to go about it. But after Chen Mu's conquest, all such thoughts had been extinguished.

The only concern now was how to avoid incurring Chen Mu's wrath and protect themselves.

Swish! Swish!

Ji Xuanzhen and Wan Qingxuan fled at an incredible speed. After all, they were both top-tier Grandmasters, and with their advanced body techniques, no ordinary person could even catch a glimpse of their figures. In the blink of an eye, they had reached the West Heaven Gate.

The gate stood wide open, and faint array lights flickered above it. Ordinary people couldn't force their way through without triggering the array and being stopped. However, Ji Xuanzhen was prepared, and with a wave of his hand, he produced an order talisman.

"Let's go."

Ji Xuanzhen whispered, and without hesitation, he and Wan Qingxuan headed straight for the gate. The order talisman in his hand quietly activated, touching the faint array light curtain of the West Heaven Gate.

The array light curtain remained calm, silently allowing Ji Xuanzhen and Wan Qingxuan to pass through without causing any disturbance.

"We're out!"

Ji Xuanzhen's heart lifted as he and Wan Qingxuan took two steps outside the gate. His biggest worry had been that Zhao Lie and the others would try to stop them. Even with his hidden trump cards, facing a Blood Replacement Realm expert like Zhao Lie would be a challenge.

Even if they managed to get past, it would undoubtedly create a huge commotion, making escape difficult.

"Let's go."

Wan Qingxuan's eyes flashed, and without hesitation, she whispered, urging Ji Xuanzhen to flee with her, far away from the Jade Capital.

But—

Just as they took a step forward, their movements froze almost simultaneously. They slid forward about ten zhang before coming to a stop on the ground.

Wan Qingxuan's eyes widened in surprise, and a thin line of blood appeared around her delicate neck, circling it once.

"Qingxuan!"

Ji Xuanzhen's pupils constricted as he looked at Wan Qingxuan.

Wan Qingxuan instinctively raised her hand towards Ji Xuanzhen, but before she could complete the motion, her exquisite and beautiful face slid forward, and her head silently detached from her neck, falling to the ground with a clean, straight cut.

The severed head's eyes quickly dimmed.

At that moment, a complaining voice came from the nearby void.

"Old Wu, you went too far! You killed her! What if it angers the master?"

"It's just a woman, and not an important one at that."

Another deep voice replied indifferently.

"Who says so? What if the master has a unique interest and wants to play with the princess in front of everyone..."

"Silence! Don't dare to gossip about the master behind his back if you value your life!"

Several other voices, some laughing and some scolding, joined the conversation.

Ji Xuanzhen lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes gazing forward. In the void, several figures had appeared, some dressed simply, some extravagantly, some old, some young, but all of them exuded a profound and dense aura.

Blood Replacement Realm experts! All of them!"

These individuals were the supreme elders of various sects, powerful experts who dominated the world. Yet, they had gathered here at the West Heaven Gate solely to block Ji Xuanzhen and Wan Qingxuan's escape and to curry favor with Chen Mu, the rebel who defied the heavens!"

One of the figures stood nearby, holding a simple longsword, slightly unsheathed, revealing a mere inch of its chilling blade. This faint glimpse alone gave off an overwhelmingly sharp aura, indicating that this person had likely been the one to strike Wan Qingxuan down.

Wan Qingxuan, a top-tier Grandmaster, was powerless before a true Blood Replacement Realm expert.

"You..."

Ji Xuanzhen's eyes were filled with bloodshot as he clenched his teeth.

Once, he had been the mighty Liang Wang, with all Blood Replacement Realm elders showing him respect. The sects in the Central Region dared not ignore his authority.

But now—

These people laughed and chatted in front of him, and their carelessness had led to the death of her sense of urgency.

In his anger, facing so many Blood Replacement Realm elders, Ji Xuanzhen could do nothing. He was merely a top-tier Grandmaster, and the numerous Blood Replacement Realm experts supporting him had already perished at the Golden Supreme Authority Hall. Now, he was alone, and his identity as Liang Wang had become a death sentence.

He glared at the crowd, his expression turning despondent.

He looked at Wan Qingxuan's body beside him, his eyes revealing a hint of loneliness. Then, a strand of energy stirred within him, about to explode and shatter his heart pulse.

Just then, a gentle hand rested on his shoulder, belonging to an old man with a walking stick.

The mere touch of that hand forcefully suppressed the Yuan Gang True Vigor within him, rendering him unable to make any decisions on the spot.

"Please don't be hasty, Your Highness Liang Wang. If you were to die here, it would be difficult for us to explain. It's best to leave the decision to that person." The elder with the walking stick spoke in a calm and composed manner.

This was also a Supreme Elder at the Blood Transformation Realm.

Ji Xuanzhen couldn't even take his own life, his body completely under the control of another, and his eyes were filled with a sense of defeat and gloom.

Zhao Lie's words were indeed a warning. Staying in the city, he still retained a shred of dignity, at least being able to end his life in the royal manor, preserving a sliver of royal honor. But now, having escaped the city and being controlled by others, even his life and death were no longer under his control.

...

The White Jade Square resembled a wasteland.

Chen Mu slowly emerged from the underground Imperial Secret Treasury located on the east side of the White Jade Square, followed by a Grand Master Eunuch, head bowed and respectful, as if attending to an emperor.

Although Chen Mu was not an emperor, with his strength, he had single-handedly conquered the capital, standing above the world. Not an emperor, but surpassing one, he was a sanctified existence in the mortal realm, capable of deciding the fate of the world with a single word.

Tap, tap,

As Chen Mu stepped onto the ruins of the White Jade Square, several figures approached from a distance.

Leading them was an elder with a walking stick, the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Pivot Sect from the Central Region, holding a lifeless figure. He brought the figure before Chen Mu, tossed him to the ground, and then bowed to Chen Mu.

"I am from the Heavenly Pivot Sect, Fu Lian Guo, and I pay my respects to Saint Chen."

Chen Mu's gaze swept calmly over the crowd, then landed on the man lying on the ground, his eyes dull and lifeless. Chen Mu had an inkling of the man's identity and asked, "How can I, Chen Mu, a mere martial artist, be considered a saint?"

Fu Lian Guo replied, "Since ancient times, the human race has excelled in martial arts. Through countless years of development, there have been many number one figures in the world, but only those who can break free from the shackles of the mortal world with their own strength, rise above the world, and diminish the supremacy of imperial power, can be truly considered saints."

As Fu Lian Guo spoke, even the Blood Transformation Realm experts behind him nodded in agreement, their eyes on Chen Mu filled with admiration. They were among the top martial artists of their generation, and even before imperial authority, they did not easily bow down. But now, they genuinely acknowledged Chen Mu's status as a Martial Saint.

This was not flattery towards Chen Mu. As Blood Transformation Realm experts, they had their dignity and had never fawned over imperial power, at most showing a modicum of respect. Their acknowledgment of Chen Mu came from the heart.

Looking across the world, no one would likely disagree.

In history, there had been self-proclaimed saints, number one figures, and martial artists of supreme prowess. But they had not altered the course of martial arts development or influenced the changes of an era. Chen Mu, however, had achieved this.

Before Chen Mu, it was an era where martial arts and power rose together. All martial artists sought to expand their influence and their sects. But after Chen Mu, martial arts would surpass power, and more people would pursue martial arts without the constraints of authority. Chen Mu had shown the way for all martial artists—reaching the pinnacle of martial cultivation meant transcending everything and breaking free from the mortal world.

If not Chen Mu, there would be no saint in this world.

"Who is this person?" Chen Mu asked after hearing Fu Lian Guo's words, knowing they were not mere flattery. These Blood Transformation Realm beings genuinely acknowledged and revered him, so he didn't bother to differentiate. He casually glanced at Liang Wang Ji Xuanzhen, who was at his feet.

Fu Lian Guo replied concisely, "Liang Wang Ji Xuanzhen. This person disrupted the court, caused chaos in the world, and attempted to betray Emperor Xuan. He fled the capital but was captured by us and brought before you, Saint Chen, for judgment."

Chen Mu was not surprised. Although Ji Xuanzhen was dressed in plain clothes, at this moment, it was only him that a group of Blood Transformation Realm experts would specifically capture and bring before Chen Mu.

Previously, he hadn't paid much attention to Liang Wang, but the outcome was exactly as he had expected. After resolving the matter with Ji Xuanzhen and conquering the Imperial City, the entire world's attitude towards him changed. There was no need for him to take action personally; someone would keep an eye on Ji Xuanzhen and even capture him, bringing him before Chen Mu.

"I only have one question. Who was the one who plotted against my master, Qin Mengjun?" Chen Mu asked, looking at Ji Xuanzhen with a calm gaze.

Ji Xuanzhen's face was filled with gloom, and he sat on the ground, devoid of any dignity befitting a Bone Marrow Washing Master. He had lost the air of an Eight Princes. He seemed like a lifeless corpse, unresponsive to Chen Mu's words.

"Answer me, and I'll allow you to end your life with dignity. You were once the Liang Wang, and you wouldn't want to die without any honor, would you?" Chen Mu added.

Upon hearing these words, a slight flicker of emotion appeared on Ji Xuanzhen's gloomy face. His lifeless eyes slowly moved, and he slowly stood up before Chen Mu, looking straight at him.

Ji Xuanzhen stared at Chen Mu for a moment, then slowly spoke, "The decision back then was mine. It was Nie Yuan of the North Mystic Sect, and he has already died by your hand."

"Is that so?"

Chen Mu's mind flashed back to the figures of the Blood Transformation Realm who had fallen before the Hall of Supreme Authority, including one like this man, whom he had effortlessly killed without a second thought.

He had originally planned to let Qin Mengjun personally deal with the mastermind, but since he had unintentionally killed him, it didn't matter anymore. The current Qin Mengjun had already achieved Blood Transformation, and his mental state was calm, likely no longer holding any grudges.

Chen Mu shook his head slightly and turned to walk towards the west.

Behind him, Liang Wang Ji Xuanzhen watched as Chen Mu turned and left. Compared to Ji Xuanzhen, Chen Mu was younger, yet he had earned the sincere respect of Fu Lian Guo and many other Blood Transformation Realm experts. Ji Xuanzhen let out a light sigh, looked up at the vast sky, and a hint of self-mockery flashed in his eyes.

Even now, he still couldn't understand why such a person as Chen Mu would emerge from the remote Hanbei region. Born into the royal family as a prince, with the utmost reverence, why would the heavens allow the existence of someone like Chen Mu?

Ziz.

Ji Xuanzhen tilted his head, gazing up at the sky, as blood suddenly flowed from his mouth and nose.

This time, Fu Lianguo and the others didn't stop him. They sat by indifferently, watching the former Liang Wang Ji Xuanzhen, once one of the Eight Princes, who had wielded immense power in the Central Region within a short year after Prince Hanzhao's succession. Now, his lifeforce was severed, and his vitality faded, leaving only a standing corpse.

"Saint Chen, what are your plans for the upcoming changes in the Central Region and the Capital Region?"

Someone watched Chen Mu walking westward and, after a brief hesitation, asked.

Chen Mu continued walking without stopping, his tone calm as he replied, "The Capital Region's eleven states are vast and densely populated, with countless commoners. I will soon summon the various government departments for discussions. You are all welcome to attend, and I also ask that you inform the various sects and powers in the eleven states to send representatives of their respective factions."

"Understood."

Hearing Chen Mu's words, the person responded.

The other Blood Transformation Realm experts present exchanged glances, seeing the hint of concern in each other's eyes that hadn't completely faded. They didn't know Chen Mu's intentions, and as leaders of their factions, they couldn't help but feel anxious.

...

Tap, tap, tap,

The same green stone steps, the same underground treasury paved with white jade.

Compared to the royal treasury on the other side, the Ji Clan's treasury was much simpler. It lacked the solemnity and grandeur of the royal treasury, consisting only of square white jade blocks, and its interior space was also much smaller.

Soon,

Chen Mu reached the bottom of the steps, his gaze sweeping over the 'Western Treasury,' taking in its contents.

The layout of this treasury was similar to the royal 'Eastern Treasury,' with numerous large boxes neatly arranged, each crafted from various special materials like cold jade and fiery jade.

However, the materials used in these boxes were noticeably inferior to those in the royal treasury. Some boxes were made from materials that clearly didn't meet the highest standards.

Snap.

Chen Mu casually opened a cold jade box.

Inside were various resources neatly arranged, but unlike the royal treasury, these were not rare treasures for Bone Marrow Washing Masters and above. Instead, they were spirit objects for Organ Refining, Nourishment, and Bone Marrow Washing, all gathered here.

The quantity was considerable, but the quality was noticeably inferior.

"The Western Treasury is rather ordinary."

Chen Mu shook his head slightly, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

Compared to the royal treasury, which represented the main lineage of the Ji Clan and the imperial family, the Western Treasury was the treasury of the Ji Clan's branch families. It was primarily used to reward talented members of the Ji Clan's branches or those who excelled in court examinations, trials, and demon-slaying. Naturally, they wouldn't focus on collecting spirit objects suitable only for Bone Marrow Washing Masters.

After all, the imperial family's main lineage had numerous princes and an extensive harem, but compared to the millions of members in the Ji Clan's branch families, the numbers were vastly different.

Chen Mu had expected the Western Treasury to be similar to the Eastern Treasury, but it seemed that while the Western Treasury had more in terms of quantity, it fell short in quality.

However,

Even spirit objects for Organ Refining and Nourishment were foundational resources for any major sect. After all, Five Viscera and Six Bowels Realm cultivators were the core strength, supporting those above and guiding those below.

Without numerous elite Five Viscera and Six Bowels Realm experts and geniuses, it was impossible to nurture Bone Marrow Washing Realm masters.

Swish.

Chen Mu didn't pause for long, despite his disappointment. He waved his hand, gathering the spirit objects from the box, and then stepped forward to the next box, continuing to collect them.

In a short while, he had gathered all the jade boxes in the hall.

Then,

Chen Mu turned his gaze to the interior of the white jade treasury.

Unlike the royal treasury, this treasury had three green jade gates deep within. These gates were also engraved with various formation patterns, through which Earth Pulse Power flowed, binding the aura within and isolating the inside from the outside.

Chen Mu's eyes flashed with curiosity as he approached the first green jade gate, placing his hand on it and gently pushing forward.

Buzz!

The green jade gate glowed, the formation patterns lighting up and connecting, slowly opening.

As the gate opened, a terrifying and vast demonic aura rushed towards Chen Mu, as if an unparalleled heavenly demon lurked behind it!

The grandmaster eunuch following Chen Mu nearly shrank back, his pupils constricting as he instinctively tried to retreat, his eyes filled with shock.

As a royal eunuch, he wasn't qualified to enter the Ji Clan's treasury and had never been inside. This was his first glimpse of the interior, and he was slightly horrified. Could there be a heavenly demon imprisoned within the Ji Clan's treasury?!

But as the green jade gate fully opened, revealing the space behind it, the grandmaster eunuch's tense body relaxed, and he breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes reflecting a strange light.

Standing tall at the forefront, Chen Mu, unperturbed by the overwhelming demonic aura rushing towards him, narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the scene within the Jade Platform.

What he saw was astonishing!

Inside the Jade Platform was an inner treasury even larger than the outer one, devoid of any spiritual weaponry or heavenly treasures. Instead, there was only an incredibly vast pool!

The pool was about twenty to thirty zhang in diameter, filled with a blinding crimson liquid that was unmistakably a blood pool. Surprisingly, despite its enormity, the pool emitted no foul stench of blood, but rather, it gave off an eerie sense of sanctity.

A Heavenly Demon Blood Pool!

With just a glance, Chen Mu identified it, even determining that it wasn't a blood pool formed from the blood of ninth-rank Heavenly Demons, but rather, it belonged to a peerless tenth-rank Heavenly Demon!

The blood in the pool gave Chen Mu a strange yet vaguely familiar feeling, and after a brief observation, he could roughly confirm the type of tenth-rank Heavenly Demon the blood originated from.

The Black Tortoise!

Indeed, this pool of blood was that of the Black Tortoise!

Chen Mu, having assisted Qin Mengjun in hunting down a Xuanwu turtle, was intimately familiar with its blood. If the Xuanwu turtle underwent another metamorphosis, reaching the tenth rank, it would completely revert to its ancestral form, becoming the legendary peerless Heavenly Demon, the Black Tortoise.

The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise were the oldest and most powerful tenth-rank Heavenly Demons from ancient times, and their bloodlines were the most extensive, almost considered the origin of all demons. Every demon in the world, to some extent, carried the blood of these four ancient beings.

The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise Armies established by the Great Xuan were named after these four most ancient and peerless Heavenly Demons.

"The Great Xuan had once slain a Black Tortoise, hence the existence of the Black Tortoise Army and this pool of its blood. It's not surprising, but after so many years, the Black Tortoise blood has yet to be exhausted, indicating its immense quantity."

Chen Mu muttered to himself as he stared intently at the enormous pool of Black Tortoise blood.

Just as the Great Xuan had slain the Azure Dragon and crafted the Azure Dragon Heavy Armor from its scales, the Black Tortoise also had its Heavy Armor made from its scales, and during its heyday, there were also a million Black Tortoise soldiers.

In the present world, tenth-rank peerless Heavenly Demons were incredibly rare, almost non-existent within the Great Xuan realm, with only a slim chance of survival in the outer seas. As a result, the blood of tenth-rank Heavenly Demons was on the verge of extinction in the world. Even a small bottle's worth was invaluable, enough to incite a desperate struggle among Grandmaster-level figures, and even Blood Transformation experts might covet it.

But here,

There was an astonishingly vast quantity of Black Tortoise demon blood in this enormous pool!

"Excellent, excellent..."

Chen Mu took a deep breath, and finally, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.

He needed to temper his martial blood, and the tenth-rank Black Tortoise demon blood would undoubtedly be a valuable resource to aid him in his endeavor.

For ordinary people, the tenth-rank Black Tortoise demon blood might barely be enough to temper their martial blood to the 'Blood Refinement Mastery' stage, which was the limit for martial practitioners of this era, making further progress nearly impossible.

Unless one had a large amount of the more precious 'Black Tortoise Heart Blood' for tempering, there was a chance to continue elevating the martial body slightly higher, but even then, reaching 'Blood Refinement Perfection' would be difficult. This was because the current martial arts had not yet reached its peak in blood transformation, and there were no sufficiently efficient cultivation methods available.

However, Chen Mu did not face this issue!

The Red Dragon's blood could aid his blood transformation, and the Black Tortoise demon blood would undoubtedly have the same effect. As long as the demon blood could be converted into system panel points, nothing else mattered!

With the system's help, he didn't need resources of the highest quality; instead, he needed quantity. As long as the quality was sufficient to yield results, more was always better!

Previously, at the Eastern Treasury, Chen Mu had already acquired a vast amount of heavenly treasures and resources, but he was still unsure if it would be enough to cultivate his Heaven Earth Martial Body to perfection.

But now,

With such a vast pool of Black Tortoise demon blood, he would likely have more than enough resources to advance his cultivation!

Moreover, the Ji family's inner treasury had two more doors, and behind those doors might be similar demon blood from the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and others, all of which would be beneficial to him!

Not only would he be able to cultivate to Blood Refinement Perfection with ease, but even breaking through to the Blood Refinement Limit seemed within reach.

Taking a deep breath,

Chen Mu quickly calmed the distracting thoughts in his mind.

It wasn't the right time to enter closed-door cultivation to absorb the demon blood for cultivation, as he had other matters to attend to, and he didn't plan on staying in the Central Region for long. He still needed to return to the Cold North.

Swish.

Chen Mu took out the Heaven Earth Flask once again.

The internal space of the Heaven Earth Flask was roughly thirty zhang in diameter, similar in size to the blood pool. It seemed insufficient to contain the vast amount of Black Tortoise demon blood, but in reality, it was more than enough.

The Heaven Earth Flask's internal space was square-shaped, nearly thirty zhang in height, while the pool of Black Tortoise demon blood was far from thirty zhang deep. Chen Mu took a rough estimate and determined it to be about ten zhang deep.

Perhaps in the past, this blood pool had been filled to the brim, but now, only a fraction remained.

Hiss! Hiss!!!

With a slight movement of his fingertips, Chen Mu separated a section within the Heaven Earth Flask, using stone slabs carved from the pool's walls to create a barrier. Then, he began to pour the enormous pool of Black Tortoise demon blood into the flask, a continuous flow without end.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end