“What?”
In that instant, everyone’s expressions changed.
The Blood Demon Body had broken through?
The forces from the three states all showed looks of despair.
Clearly, this was a sign of the Blood Demon Body’s breakthrough. Otherwise, it could not have caused such a massive disturbance.
With the slayer of four Martial Saints inside, a Demonic Saint and an Array Saint outside, and now another Blood Demon Body achieving sainthood, what hope of escape did they have?
Lin Xiao’s heart surged with joy. Huo Ruyan had finally succeeded in breaking through?
He wondered how terrifying the combat power of a Blood Demon Body at Martial Saint realm would be.
“It has been six years. I wonder how she has changed.”
A trace of delighted anticipation appeared on Lin Xiao’s face.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
At that moment, as the disturbance from the Blood Demon Body’s breakthrough erupted, the battle outside between the Array Saint and Demonic Saint grew even more intense. Suddenly, the location of the fight shifted far into the distance.
In mere moments, it moved beyond everyone’s sight. The sounds vanished from their ears, and the rolling air waves gradually dissipated.
Before them now was only surging, boundless blood qi.
After a long while, the torrential blood qi finally cleared. A shocking figure appeared in everyone’s view.
It was a young woman in her early twenties, her long robe dyed red with blood, like a vivid, dripping crimson garment. The blood-soaked cloth clung to her body, faintly revealing her alluring curves.
Her figure was not particularly tall, yet delicately beautiful, curvaceous and enchanting, radiating feminine charm.
Her appearance was even more breathtaking, a beauty capable of toppling nations, stunning to the point of suffocation.
Yet even such peerless looks and grace inspired no improper thoughts.
Because the aura erupting from her was too terrifying, like an unrivalled demonic overlord gazing down upon heaven and earth, pressing upon the void, oppressing all living beings.
Even though everyone stood within the array barrier and could not directly feel that aura, it still filled them with heart-pounding terror.
As if a single glance could end their lives, leaving them barely able to breathe.
“Welcome, Sect Master!”
At that moment, a unified chorus rang out. Behind the blood-robed woman, a large group of figures had appeared at some unknown point.
All wore uniform blood-red robes, prostrating on the ground in utmost reverence.
Clearly, they were all from the Blood Sect.
The woman said nothing, merely sweeping an icy gaze over the crowd.
Gazing at that peerlessly beautiful woman, Lin Xiao could not help a gratified smile. The fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl from back then had finally grown up.
Though her eyes were filled with indifference and killing intent.
Yet he saw humanity in them, not emptiness, not a mindless demon. Instead, a calm, extreme calm.
Blood Slaughter Quiet Demon possessed the effect of bringing calm, even amid slaughter filled with calm.
Huo Ruyan had clearly succeeded in her cultivation.
Seeing the situation, Lin Xiao quickly removed his human skin mask, lest Huo Ruyan fail to recognise him.
As everyone watched in fear, the indifferent and terrifying blood-robed woman, when her gaze swept towards the inner barrier of the saint-slaying killing array, suddenly widened her eyes. Surprise and a touch of playfulness appeared as she exclaimed in astonishment, “Lin Xiao?”
Hearing this, everyone froze in bewilderment, faces filled with incredulity.
This invincible demonic overlord could actually show such an expression?
“Lin Xiao, is that not the number one spiritual controller, the top genius of the nine provinces, Mu Haoran?”
Someone cried out in shock. Everyone followed Huo Ruyan’s gaze towards the inner array.
Inside the array, the slayer of four Martial Saints no longer wore a middle-aged man’s face. Instead, it was a youthful countenance.
The youth’s features were clean and sharp, carrying a hint of handsome indifference. His eyes fixed ahead, a smile on his face as he said, “Long time no see!”
“Mu Haoran. It really is Mu Haoran!”
“No wonder, no wonder he could defy saints!”
“Fifth-level Martial Emperor defying saints. This is too terrifying!”
“Defying saints at twenty-two. A world-defying genius. Truly a world-defying genius.”
“He actually knows the Blood Demon Body?”
“No wonder he slew four Martial Saints. He knows the Blood Demon Body!”
“The Blood Demon Body is also only in her early twenties, achieving Demonic Saint?”
“We are finished!”
Shocked exclamations rose one after another. Everyone was utterly astonished.
Ge Jiuwei stood stunned on the spot, speechless in shock.
The man who had travelled with him was such a figure?
Not only possessing Martial Saint power, but an old acquaintance of the Blood Demon Body?
At that moment, Huo Ruyan smiled sweetly. The demonic majesty on her face vanished completely, replaced by a smile like bathing in spring breeze, sunny and bright. She said, “How are you here?
Those Martial Saints inside, you killed them?”
Lin Xiao nodded, smiling broadly. “I have not been in the Central Continent long. I happened to have business in this region. Hearing of a Blood Demon Body appearing here, I came. I never expected the Blood Demon Body to truly be you.”
Huo Ruyan’s eyes sparkled like autumn waves, filled with joy. She was so excited she seemed nothing like a demon, more like a little girl, wishing she could immediately fly to Lin Xiao’s side.
However, just then, a figure suddenly streaked from the horizon, speed like teleportation. In moments, it arrived near Huo Ruyan.
This figure was worlds apart from the peerlessly beautiful Blood Demon Body.
It was a young man appearing twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wearing a robe speckled in cyan and green.
His appearance was utterly grotesque, with a bumpy, toad-like face, truly like a toad’s skin. Paired with his speckled robe, it gave an immediate feeling of goosebumps and chills.
They had seen ugly people before, but one ugly enough to inspire such revulsion was a first.
Moreover, being so grotesque was one thing, but wearing a robe that matched his looks perfectly was ugliness taken to the extreme.
At that moment, the youth standing beside the Blood Demon Body truly embodied the toad lusting after swan meat to perfection.
“Congratulations on your successful breakthrough!”
The grotesque speckled-robed youth spoke gently, with clear admiration towards the peerlessly beautiful woman.
Everyone saw that the peerlessly beautiful woman showed no rejection due to his ugliness. Instead, she respectfully bowed slightly to the grotesque speckled-robed man. “Many thanks to Brother Qing Yan for your assistance!”
Everyone felt shock, followed by another wave of chills. Qing Yan? With looks like that, he dared call himself Qing Yan?
Lin Xiao was also surprised, astonished by the man’s grotesque appearance.
However, it was merely surprise at his ugliness. He felt no contempt or other thoughts because of it.
Because he knew this youth was surely the Demonic Saint who had attacked the Array Saint earlier. Truly terrifying.
He appeared under thirty in looks and figure, but his true age was hard to discern.
Huo Ruyan breaking through in her early twenties was understandable, being the Blood Demon Body, achieving sainthood through blood devouring.
But this youth reaching Demonic Saint before thirty truly shocked him, or rather made him doubt the age.
After all, achieving sainthood before thirty was exceedingly difficult, rare in the world.
To date, he had never truly seen someone break through in their twenties.
Even Long Tutian had achieved sainthood in middle age, already the youngest Martial Saint.
Seeing the speckled-robed youth’s appearance, Huo Ruyan’s, and their mutual attitudes, Lin Xiao could not help feeling a trace of worry, or perhaps a hint of jealousy.
Though he and Huo Ruyan had shared nothing, nor did he have such intentions towards her.
But seeing the youth’s looks so vastly different from Huo Ruyan’s, Lin Xiao truly felt pity.
Perhaps this stemmed from a man’s instinctive psychology.
Or perhaps, for the first girl he met upon leaving seclusion, an intangible special feeling had imprinted in his heart.
