Chapter 93 Blood Pool in the Valley

"Mmph...!"

Yu Linglong's exclamation was completely swallowed up. Xiao Ming's kiss, filled with unquestionable dominance and burning aggression, instantly stole away all her breath and thoughts.

She endured it stiffly, her mind a blank slate. Those eyes, originally filled with humiliation and resignation, widened instantly due to this sudden kiss, brimming with panic and helplessness.

The initial stiffness and resistance slowly dissipated under Xiao Ming's skillful and teasing caresses. She felt her strength rapidly draining away, and a strange tingling sensation spread through her limbs. Her small hands, which had been pressed against Xiao Ming's chest to push him away, had somehow softened and were now resting on his shoulders, her palms gripping him tightly.

Amidst that domineering yet skillful lingering, a strange, unsettling heat rose from her lower abdomen and spread throughout her body, causing a faint, shameful whimper to escape from her throat.

Xiao Ming keenly sensed the change in Yu Linglong within his arms. From the initial stiff resistance to her current delicate weakness and even her clumsy attempts to respond, his sense of conquest surged. Just as he intended to go further to thoroughly savor this delicate flower—who appeared gentle on the surface but was strong-willed inside—and was preparing to pull the already dazed Yu Linlang into his embrace as well—

"Knock, knock, knock!" A slightly urgent knocking sound suddenly rang out from the palace door, breaking the romantic atmosphere in the room.

This sound was like a thunderclap, instantly waking the somewhat dazed and intoxicated Yu Linglong. She opened her eyes abruptly, a flash of panic and shame crossing her misty eyes. Summoning strength from who knows where, she began to struggle weakly.

Yu Linlang was also startled by the sound and instinctively shrank into Xiao Ming's arms.

Xiao Ming's movements stopped abruptly, and his brows furrowed with displeasure. He slowly released Yu Linglong's slightly swollen lips, his tongue lingering to lick the corner of his own mouth, as if still savoring that sweet and soft taste.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging Qi and blood in his body, and his eyes temporarily regained some depth.

"What is it?" His lazy voice came through the palace door, carrying the impatience of having his good time interrupted, along with a faint sharpness.

Outside the door, Elder Li's voice, intentionally lowered but unable to hide his panic, immediately rang out: "Saint, I have an urgent matter to report! Ying Gong has just snuck out of the City Lord's Mansion with several of his trusted subordinates. His movements are suspicious, and judging by the direction... it seems he is heading towards the 'Blood Pool'!"

Ever since witnessing Xiao Ming's display of forcing back the enemy with a single finger, Elder Li had felt an inexplicable sense of awe and wariness toward this new Saint. Although he had been respectful to Xiao Ming before, that was merely following the Vice Sect Master's orders to take extra care of him.

'Blood Pool?' The flames in Xiao Ming's eyes instantly cooled, replaced by a deep, cold glint.

Since the banquet, Ying Gong had been diligently toasting him, and Xiao Ming knew this old guy wasn't honest. To sneak off to the Blood Pool now—it seems he is wary of the strength this Saint has displayed!

The warm, fragrant jade in his arms remained tempting, but with serious business at hand, especially concerning that "mysterious Blood Pool," Xiao Ming instantly regained his clarity. He slowly released his arms from around the sisters and leisurely began to dress.

Freed, Yu Linglong immediately shrank back like a startled rabbit, retreating all the way to the edge of the pool. She hugged her chest tightly with both arms, her head slightly bowed and her long hair disheveled. Her expression was obscured, but her slightly trembling shoulders and bright red earlobes exposed the tumultuous waves in her heart.

Yu Linlang also managed to free herself from Xiao Ming's embrace. Flustered and helpless, she followed her sister and retreated into that corner, her little face buried against her developing chest, revealing only the tips of her red ears.

Xiao Ming glanced at them. At this moment, the pair of sisters were like begonias beaten by the rain—delicate, shy, and pitiful, possessing a unique charm. The corners of his mouth curled into an ambiguous arc as he said in a low voice, "Tidy up and follow this Saint!"

With that, he rose to his full height, stirring up a spray of water. Amidst the splashing, he stepped out of the hot spring pool and tied his clothes. His wet black hair clung to his temples, and water droplets slid down his well-defined jawline. The previous laziness and evil charm were completely restrained, leaving only the coldness and sharpness belonging to someone in a superior position.

Carrying the lingering moisture and an imposing aura, Xiao Ming strode out of the Bibo Pool. With a slight movement of his mind, a voice transmission was sent to the quiet courtyard behind the City Lord's Mansion. In just a moment, Mo Qingzhu's figure appeared slowly before him like a wisp of smoke.

She had changed into a black martial outfit convenient for movement, outlining her slender and graceful figure. Her beautiful and moving face showed confusion, but she didn't ask any questions. She merely glanced indifferently at the Yu sisters following Xiao Ming. Seeing the flush still on their faces and their shy, head-bowed appearance, she knew what her Saint had just been up to.

"Saint." Mo Qingzhu bowed slightly.

"Hmm, follow me to a place." Xiao Ming was concise. He turned his gaze to Elder Li, who was standing by with his hands at his sides, and said indifferently, "Lead the way."

"Yes!" Elder Li dared not delay. He unfurled his figure, blending into the night like a ghost, and led the way. Xiao Ming, accompanied by Mo Qingzhu and the two Yu sisters, led the group as they silently swept past layers of palaces and sped toward the city gate.

The night was deep. The outskirts outside Yuan City were desolate, with jagged rocks and overgrown dead trees, a world apart from the hustle and bustle inside the city. The further they went, the thinner the Spiritual Qi in the air became, while a faint, cold, and dead aura seeped through, unsettling the heart.

Following Elder Li, the group finally stopped before the entrance of a hidden valley. The valley entrance was shrouded in dense black fog. Even with perception probing, it was difficult to see far; one could only sense the nauseating stench of blood and a faint ripple of spiritual power emanating from within.

"Saint, this is the place. After Ying Gong and his trusted subordinates went in, they didn't come out." Li Feng reported in a low voice.

Xiao Ming squinted at the valley entrance, calculating in his heart: 'It's been a while since I intercepted an Opportunity to gain villain points. I'd better go in early; I don't want any unexpected trouble.'

With that thought, he no longer hesitated and stepped into the valley first. Mo Qingzhu followed closely without hesitation. Yu Linglong pulled her sister, Yu Linlang, who was still a bit scared but couldn't help being curious, and followed in as well.

Upon entering the valley, the scenery changed abruptly. The space inside the valley was far more vast than it appeared from the outside. In the center was a giant pool built of dark red crystals. The pool water was not ordinary water but thick, scarlet blood! At this moment, the pool water was churning as if boiling, bubbling and gurgling, emitting a suffocating stench of blood and violent energy fluctuations.

But these were not the main points. What was most hair-raising was that beside the Blood Pool, several shriveled corpses were lying helter-skelter—they were the trusted subordinates Ying Gong had brought in! Each of them had a twisted face, bulging eyes, and their essence blood had been drained dry, their state of death extremely miserable. Clearly, they were the "sacrifices" used to open this Blood Pool!

Ying Gong was currently standing by the Blood Pool, his back to the entrance. His face, which was usually somewhat refined, was now twisted with excitement and greed. His eyes flashed with a crazy red light as he stared fixedly at the blood in the pool, which was becoming increasingly bright red and whose energy fluctuations were becoming more and more intense. He couldn't help but spread his arms and let out bursts of irrepressible, maniacal laughter:

"Hahaha! It's done! It's done! Such pure and vast power of blood and Qi! As long as I absorb it, I will definitely be able to reach a Soul Transformation Breakthrough! Or even higher! What Saint! What Elder! At that time, they will all be trampled under my feet! In this Yuan City, only I, this old man, have the final say!"

A moment later, feeling that the abundant energy in the Blood Pool had accumulated to its peak, he could no longer hold back and was about to go and absorb it.

Just at this moment, a lazy and playful voice sounded slowly from behind him: "Oh my, City Lord Ying, it's better to share the fun than to enjoy it alone. With such a good thing, why didn't you let this Saint know?"

Ying Gong's movement to step forward stalled. The maniacal laughter on his face froze instantly, and his raised foot remained frozen in mid-air. He turned around abruptly. When he saw Xiao Ming, who was standing not far away, looking composed with a cold sneer on his lips, and the group behind him, his pupils contracted sharply. The color drained from his face, as if he had seen a ghost!

"Xiao... Saint Xiao! How could you be here?" Ying Gong's voice became sharp and distorted due to extreme panic and disbelief.

Seeing that Xiao Ming remained silent for a long time, only looking at him with mockery—that gaze was like watching a clown perform—he was suddenly shocked and angry, so stifled he almost vomited blood. But just as his gaze swept over the Yu sisters behind Xiao Ming, who still had faint flushes on their pretty faces, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he understood everything instantly.

That's it! It must be that these two Yu sisters brought Xiao Ming here. He couldn't help but spit in his heart: 'How long has it been? They were tamed by him so quickly?'

Just as Ying Gong figured everything out and was about to curse, Xiao Ming suddenly moved. He clapped his hands lightly, making a crisp sound that seemed particularly harsh in the dead silence of the valley. "Clap, clap, clap."

The playful arc at the corners of Xiao Ming's mouth widened, carrying undisguised sarcasm, and he said loudly: "Not bad, not bad. City Lord Ying, you've worked hard. This Saint really has to thank you properly."

Ying Gong was taken aback by this sudden "thanks," his throat choked with rage, and for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

Xiao Ming strolled forward two steps, his gaze sweeping over the shriveled corpses on the ground, then landing on the churning Blood Pool, and finally looking back at the bewildered Ying Gong, his tone extremely relaxed and comfortable:

"Many thanks to City Lord Ying for going to the trouble of finding this place of Opportunity for this Saint. What's even more rare is that you are so thoughtful, even completing the step of activating it with a blood sacrifice for this Saint in advance. Ahem! Look at this pool water, the energy is abundant, the blood Qi is pure, it is the perfect state for soaking and absorbing. It really... saved this Saint a lot of trouble."

With every word he said, Ying Gong's face turned a shade bluer, and his body trembled violently due to extreme anger and humiliation. He finally realized that Xiao Ming was not thanking him at all, but was mocking him in the most vicious way!

The Blood Pool he had racked his brains to open, not hesitating to betray his master and ancestors, and sacrificing his trusted subordinates, turned out to be a wedding dress made for someone else!

"You... you! Xiao Ming! You are deceiving people too much!" Ying Gong was shaking with rage, pointing at Xiao Ming, his voice hoarse with fury.

Xiao Ming looked surprised: "Hmm? Could it be that everything City Lord Ying has done with such toil was not for this Saint?" His tone was innocent, but the mockery in his eyes was almost overflowing.

This light sentence was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely igniting Ying Gong's sanity. He knew that words were useless and begging for mercy was a dead end; only by fighting to the death could there perhaps be a glimmer of hope! And the biggest variable right now was Elder Li, who had been standing silently behind Xiao Ming!

A crazy and bold idea instantly formed in Ying Gong's mind. He no longer looked at Xiao Ming but suddenly cast his gaze toward Elder Li, while transmitting his voice:

'Li Feng! How vast is the power of this Blood Pool. Are you really content to always be ranked below others, acting like a dog that is called upon and dismissed at will? There are only a few of us here. As long as you and I join forces to kill him, and then wipe out those three women, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know! I am willing to share this Blood Pool Opportunity with you! At that time, the world is vast, where can we not go? Why suffer the cowardly anger of this yellow-mouthed child here!'

Ying Gong's voice transmission was fast and urgent, full of temptation. He stared fixedly at Elder Li's cloudy eyes, hoping to see a glimmer of greed or wavering. This was his last chance!

How could Xiao Ming not see through his little schemes? But he didn't stop him; in fact, the playful smile at the corner of his mouth deepened. He watched the two of them with composure, as if waiting for an interesting performance. He really wanted to know how Elder Li would react when faced with such temptation. If his loyalty was evident, then he wouldn't mind reusing this person in the future. As for the two of them joining forces? Hehe, it would be perfect to solve them together, saving trouble.

There was still no expression on Li Feng's withered face, like a monk in meditation. But if one looked closely, one would find that his fingers hanging by his side curled almost imperceptibly. Ying Gong's words had indeed cast a stone into his calm, waveless heart. The Blood Pool Opportunity had a fatal attraction for any Cultivator; if he obtained this Opportunity, perhaps there would be hope to peek into a higher Realm...

His gaze subconsciously swept over the churning scarlet pool water, and a tiny ripple flashed in his heart. But just at the moment this ripple rose, the corner of his eye caught sight of Xiao Ming—that young Saint, standing there lazily, his face not only without the slightest tension but instead carrying a kind of cat-and-mouse playfulness and... absolute confidence.

In an instant, the terrifying scene of Xiao Ming killing a Soul Transformation Cultivator with a flick of his finger not long ago flooded into Li Feng's mind like a cold tide. That power was far beyond his scope of understanding! That was absolutely not the power a Nascent Soul Cultivator, or even a Soul Transformation Cultivator, could possess! This Saint was unfathomable!

The tiny bit of greed that had just risen in Li Feng's heart was instantly extinguished by an even greater fear. He slowly raised his head, his cloudy gaze becoming firm again, even carrying a trace of pity for Ying Gong's overestimation of his own abilities.

Seeing that the two of them had been fiddling with voice transmissions for a long time without any reaction, Xiao Ming shook his head in boredom and ordered: "Elder Li, I see that the power of this Blood Pool has not yet reached its peak and still needs sacrifices. What do you think..."