24: Chapter 24: Acting Alone

Blood Fiend Sect.

When the blood bone boat hovered above the Black Fiend Mountain Range, Xiao Ran truly saw the current state of the Blood Fiend Sect.

In the past, with a Void Refinement Stage expert presiding, it could be considered a first-class demonic Sect.

At this moment, at the mountain gate, the Sect-protecting formation had long been shattered, with only a few remaining formation bases flickering with dim spiritual light.

Most of the palaces and pavilions on the main peak had collapsed and been damaged; charred marks and dried bloodstains were particularly glaring against the grey-white stone walls.

There was no sign of anyone on the mountain path, only the occasional screech of a passing vulture.

The entire mountain range was shrouded in an atmosphere of deathly silence and decay.

"Hmph, a bunch of trash."

Blood Child stood at the bow of the boat, his scarlet eyes sweeping over the area below, his voice full of disdain.

"The Sect Master failed to break through to the Dao Integration Stage and died from the backlash of his Cultivation Technique, causing the entire Sect to scatter like monkeys when a tree falls."

"They didn't even put up a decent resistance; it's a waste of several hundred years of foundation."

Liu Meier chuckled, "Senior Brother is right, but this is also good; it saves us the trouble."

The blood bone boat slowly descended onto the main peak square.

On the square, over a hundred people were kneeling sparsely.

They were all the remaining members of the Blood Fiend Sect.

Most were ragged and terrified, with cultivation levels ranging from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.

There were only three at the Golden Core Stage, and all of them had withered Auras and were wounded.

The leader was an old man in a black robe at the Middle Stage of the Golden Core Stage, but his left arm was missing, his sleeve fluttering in the wind.

Seeing the blood bone boat land, the old man hurriedly kowtowed, his voice hoarse, "Zhao Yuan, Elder of the remnant Blood Fiend Sect, welcomes the envoys of the Eternal Night Demon Sect!"

The crowd behind him followed suit, kowtowing in silence.

Blood Child jumped off the bone boat and paced in front of Zhao Yuan, his small figure carrying an overwhelming Aura.

"Is this all that's left?"

"Replying to the envoy... on the day the Sect Master fell, the Sect was in chaos. Many Disciples fled, and others... died in the chaos."

Zhao Yuan buried his head even lower.

"Fled?"

"Where could they flee to? Although the Northern Territory is vast, without a nod from the Eternal Night Demon Sect, which Sect would dare to take in you stray dogs?"

Blood Child let out a shrill laugh.

Zhao Yuan's body trembled, not daring to reply.

"Enough."

Blood Child waved his hand, his tone casual.

"I have been ordered by the Sect Master to come and take over everything belonging to the Blood Fiend Sect. From today on, the Black Fiend Mountain Range, along with the three affiliated mines and seven herb gardens, all belong to the Eternal Night Demon Sect."

"Those of you who are willing to surrender may enter the Outer Sect as servants; those who are not..."

He paused, his scarlet eyes scanning the entire crowd.

"May end your own lives, saving me the trouble of doing it myself."

The square was deathly silent.

Several young Disciples showed expressions of humiliation, but were held down tightly by their Elders.

Zhao Yuan closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were numb.

"We... are willing to surrender."

"Very good."

"Then hand over the Sect treasury, the Scripture Pavilion, and the spiritual field deeds. Don't think about hiding anything, otherwise..."

Blood Child nodded in satisfaction and stated his demands.

Before he had finished speaking, a red-faced Elder at the Early Stage of the Golden Core Stage kneeling behind Zhao Yuan suddenly erupted!

"Zhao Yuan! You spineless old thing! The Sect Master treated you well, and you're just going to hand over the Sect's foundation like this?"

The Elder's eyes were bloodshot, and he summoned a blood-colored Flying Sword, thrusting it straight at Blood Child!

"I'll fight you to the death!"

This change happened extremely quickly.

The red-faced Elder was only three zhang away from Blood Child, and the Flying Sword's blood light surged—it was clearly a desperate strike.

Zhao Yuan's expression changed drastically.

"Junior Brother Liu, no!"

Xiao Ran stood by the boat, watching coldly.

Seeing the incoming Flying Sword, Blood Child didn't dodge or evade; instead, he grinned.

He raised his right hand, his five fingers spread out in the air.

The next moment, a bizarre scene occurred.

The menacing blood-colored Flying Sword, when it was only a foot away from Blood Child's face, suddenly trembled violently, then with a 'bang', it exploded into a mist of blood!

As for the red-faced Elder himself, it was as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat, lifting him into the air.

He struggled frantically, his skin shriveling up at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His essence blood turned into wisps of red threads, seeping out from his seven orifices and flowing into Blood Child's palm.

"Ahhh!!!"

A shrill scream echoed across the square.

In just three breaths, a Cultivator at the Early Stage of the Golden Core Stage turned into a skin-wrapped corpse, falling to the ground with a thud.

In Blood Child's palm, a blood bead the size of a pigeon egg, crimson and dripping, condensed.

He tossed it casually, then threw it into his mouth.

He chewed twice and swallowed it.

"The taste is alright, but there are too many Impurities."

He licked his lips, his scarlet eyes scanning the kneeling crowd.

"Is there anyone else who wants to try?"

The square was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

All the Blood Fiend Sect members didn't even dare to breathe, many of them trembling like chaff.

Zhao Yuan kowtowed deeply, his forehead pressing against the cold ground.

"Please calm your anger, Envoy... Elder Liu was momentarily confused and deserves to die, but we have absolutely no second thoughts, absolutely none!"

Blood Child then withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.

"Tu Gang, Liu Meier."

"Here."

"Take people to audit the treasury, spiritual fields, and mines; register all resources, and don't miss a single thing."

Blood Child ordered.

Although the Blood Fiend Sect had already been looted by its own Elders, it was, after all, a former first-class demonic Sect.

Even if a little bit of the foundation remained, it would be enough for them to fill their pockets.

After Blood Demon Son finished ordering the two, he glanced at Xiao Ran.

"Junior Brother Xiao."

"Senior Brother."

"You are new here and unfamiliar with the Blood Fiend Sect, so the work of auditing resources is too trivial; I won't trouble you with it."

"How about this: you go and patrol the various parts of the Sect to see if there are any remnants that slipped through the net or any hidden dangers."

"After all, this Sect has just been in chaos, and there's no telling which corner might be hiding a few people with malicious intent."

Blood Child said with a kind smile.

Xiao Ran sneered inwardly upon hearing this.

The words sounded nice, but in reality, it was just to send him away so he wouldn't have access to the resources.

However, this suited him just fine.

"Junior Brother accepts the order."

"Go, and return to rendezvous before sunset."

Blood Child waved his hand and turned to walk towards the main hall.

Tu Gang and Liu Meier exchanged glances, each taking a few Outer Sect Disciples of the Eternal Night Demon Sect and leaving in different directions.

Xiao Ran left the square alone and walked into the depths of the Blood Fiend Sect.