130: Chapter 130 Demonized Army

Patriarch Lin Tianyou could no longer remember how many times he had knelt here.

At first, he had been afraid—afraid of Venerable Lingyun's pressure, afraid of the wails of the sacrificed Cultivators before they died, and afraid that one day he, too, would become a part of the blood pool.

But as time passed, and as those dark red crystals bestowed by Venerable Lingyun accumulated within his body, that fear was gradually replaced by something else.

The crystals bestowed by Venerable Lingyun not only planted a demonic seed within him but also subtly transformed his Physique, allowing his cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds in a short period of time.

In just one year, Patriarch Lin Tianyou had broken through from the Peak of the Void Refinement Stage to the Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage; in the past, he would never have dared to dream of such speed.

Power is addictive.

A glimmer flashed in Patriarch Lin Tianyou's eyes, vanishing in an instant.

"Rise."

Venerable Lingyun's voice drifted from the blood pool, hoarse and deep, yet carrying a majesty that made one's Soul tremble.

Patriarch Lin Tianyou straightened up and stood with his hands hanging by his sides, not daring to meet Venerable Lingyun's gaze.

"How is your Cultivation progressing?" Venerable Lingyun asked in a flat tone.

"Reporting to Venerable, this Junior has broken through to the Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage," Patriarch Lin Tianyou replied respectfully, his voice tinged with irrepressible pride.

"This is all thanks to the crystals bestowed by Venerable; otherwise, this Junior might never have been able to step into the Body Integration Stage, even if I spent my whole life trying."

Venerable Lingyun's lips curled slightly, forming a cold arc.

"The Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage is merely a beginning." He opened his eyes, the churning waves of the blood pool reflected in his pupils.

"I bestowed power upon you not so you could show off before those ants, but so you could better serve me."

Patriarch Lin Tianyou bowed hurriedly. "This Junior understands. Whatever Venerable commands, this Junior will go through fire and water to accomplish, without hesitation."

Venerable Lingyun glanced at him, his gaze like two sharp swords piercing straight into the depths of Patriarch Lin Tianyou's Soul.

Patriarch Lin Tianyou's body shuddered violently, cold sweat beading on his forehead, yet he dared not retreat even half a step.

"My current cultivation has recovered to the Peak of the Mahayana Stage," Venerable Lingyun withdrew his gaze and said indifferently. "I am only one step away from the Tribulation Transcendence Stage."

He raised his hand, looking at his paper-pale palm; a flash of greed, as well as impatience, crossed his eyes.

"The essence blood of those low-level Cultivators is no longer enough for me."

He lowered his hand, his gaze falling back onto Patriarch Lin Tianyou.

"From now on, I require higher-level blood food—Void Refinement Stage, Body Integration Stage, or even Mahayana Stage. The higher the cultivation, the better; the more, the better."

Patriarch Lin Tianyou's heart trembled, his expression changing slightly. "Venerable, Cultivators above the Soul Transformation Stage mostly come from the seven major powers of the Southern Wilderness. If we act against them, I fear…"

"Fear what?" Venerable Lingyun interrupted him, his tone tinged with disdain. "In my prime, those so-called major powers of the Southern Wilderness were nothing but ants beneath my feet."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Besides, why do you think I bestowed those crystals upon you?"

Venerable Lingyun stood up and slowly walked out of the blood pool. Dark red blood plasma slid off his body and dripped onto the ground, emitting a series of corrosive hisses.

He looked down at Patriarch Lin Tianyou, who was kneeling on the ground.

"What I want is an army that completely obeys me—an army composed of demonized Cultivators, an army that knows no fear and only knows how to kill."

He raised his hand, and a dark red light flew from his fingertips, sinking into the center of Patriarch Lin Tianyou's forehead.

Patriarch Lin Tianyou's body shuddered violently as countless pieces of information flooded into his mind: Cultivation Techniques, battle formations, demonization arts, and the complete diagram of a blood sacrifice formation.

"After you return, organize the demonized Cultivators of the Lin Family according to the method I have given you."

Venerable Lingyun withdrew his hand, his tone brooking no doubt.

"From now on, your Lin Family will no longer be a mid-sized family in the Eastern Southern Wilderness, but the first army under my command."

Patriarch Lin Tianyou clutched the information flooding his mind with both hands, his eyes full of wild joy. He kowtowed to the ground, his voice trembling. "Thank you, Venerable! The Lin Family will never forget Venerable's great kindness!"

Venerable Lingyun waved his hand, walked back into the blood pool, and sat down cross-legged.

"Go. I need to enter seclusion for a few days to break through to the Mahayana Stage." He closed his eyes, his voice cold and flat.

"When I emerge from seclusion, I hope your Lin Family has prepared enough blood food."

"Yes!" Patriarch Lin Tianyou kowtowed again, then turned and exited the Immortal Cave.

His footsteps were much lighter than when he had arrived, and the dark red light in his eyes was a bit more intense than before.

Those things that had once terrified him—the blood pool, the vengeful spirits, Venerable Lingyun's pressure—had now turned into a craving for power in his heart.

Lingyuan Family, Council Hall.

Patriarch Lin Tianyou stood in the center of the hall with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the Elders and Core Disciples of the Lin Family below.

Behind him was the diagram of the blood sacrifice formation bestowed by Venerable Lingyun, its surface covered in dense runes and emitting a faint, dark red glow.

In the hall, the expressions of the Lin Family Elders varied.

Some looked solemn, some had eyes flashing with excitement, and others lowered their heads, not daring to meet Patriarch Lin Tianyou's gaze.

"I know what you are thinking," Patriarch Lin Tianyou said, his voice not loud, yet carrying an unquestionable majesty.

"You are afraid—afraid of Venerable Lingyun, afraid of those sacrificed Cultivators, and afraid that one day we, too, will become a part of the blood pool."

The hall was silent; no one dared to respond.

"But have you ever thought about what Venerable Lingyun has bestowed upon us?" Patriarch Lin Tianyou's voice suddenly rose, the dark red light in his eyes flaring brightly.

"It is power! It is power you could never dream of!"

He waved his hand, and a surge of dark red spiritual energy poured from his palm, exploding in the air above the hall and turning into a sky full of blood-colored light.

The aura contained within that spiritual energy made the expressions of all the Elders present change drastically.

"Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage!" an Elder exclaimed. "Patriarch, you have broken through to the Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage?"

Patriarch Lin Tianyou's lips curled up, forming a smug arc. "A year ago, I was still at the Peak of the Void Refinement Stage. In one year, to go from the Peak of the Void Refinement Stage to the Early Stage of the Body Integration Stage—you should know better than I do what kind of speed that is."

A low murmur of discussion arose in the hall, and the hesitation began to appear in the eyes of those Elders who had previously looked solemn.

"Venerable Lingyun has said that as long as our Lin Family serves him loyally, not only will he not harm us, but he will also bestow even more power upon us."

Patriarch Lin Tianyou's gaze swept over the crowd, his voice tinged with seduction. "Body Integration Stage, Mahayana Stage, even the Tribulation Transcendence Stage—all are within reach."

"By then, what will the seven major powers of the Southern Wilderness count for? What will Kunlun count for? The entire Southern Wilderness will be the territory of my Lin Family!"

The murmurs grew louder, and the hesitation in the eyes of those Elders who had still been wavering began to be replaced by greed.

Watching this scene, the smile on Patriarch Lin Tianyou's face deepened.