Wilderness Blood Sacrifice Formation, Activate!
In an instant, blood gushed from the earth's veins, and the ground trembled.
Across the borders of Qianxue Province, anomalies erupted—cracks spread across the land, revealing a crimson glow as an ominous aura surged skyward.
Beneath the blood-colored shroud— Hidden altars, long concealed, began channeling the will of evil deities.
Statues of worship bled from their eyes, their lips curling into sinister smiles, accompanied by the eerie murmurs of malevolent gods.
From the shadows, hordes of heretical cultists, frenzied by the corrupting power, twisted and grotesque, descended into madness, unleashing indiscriminate slaughter across the land...
In the depths of secluded mountains, an unremarkable cliffside suddenly split open—a demonic nest revealed. Black winds howled as a swarm of dark cultivators and fiendish practitioners burst forth, their savage laughter echoing as they swept across the land, mercilessly butchering any cultivators in sight...
In some small and mid-sized immortal cities, demonic cultivators gathered in droves, laying siege and painting the streets with rivers of blood.
In scattered villages of wandering cultivators, dark sect practitioners emerged, devouring flesh and gnawing on bones.
Even in broad daylight, on bustling streets, seemingly ordinary cultivators suddenly tore off their human skin, shedding their disguises. Fangs sprouted from their mouths as they lunged at unsuspecting passersby...
Meanwhile, prisons across various provinces fell into chaos.
Inmates—cultivators imprisoned for heretical and demonic crimes— had their eyes suddenly turn blood-red, empowered by the sinister force. They rioted, breaking free from their cells, engaging in a desperate battle against the Dao Court enforcers...
Across Qianxue Province, the bloodshed was relentless, and the chaos unceasing.
Blood soaked the land.
Flesh and corpses piled into walls.
At countless altars, severed heads, frozen in terror, were placed upon shrines—offerings to the evil gods…
Blood and slaughter gradually stained the sky red.
The cultivators of Qianxue Province looked up in horror.
They had witnessed five Void Piercing manifestations emerge simultaneously, illuminating the sky in golden light.
They had seen the grand formation of the Five-Rank Dao Mountain activate, suspending a river of stars in the heavens.
And now, in the blink of an eye, they bore witness to this scene— an infernal omen, the demonic path running rampant, with blood surging to the heavens.
In a short span, catastrophe struck one after another, otherworldly phenomena unfolding without pause. Fear gripped every heart, plunging them into a waking nightmare.
The Qianxue Dao Court immediately sprang into action.
From the highest ranks to the lowest, every adjudicator, enforcer, and even auxiliary cultivator obeyed orders without hesitation, flooding the lands in an attempt to quell the demonic calamity.
Across the provinces, regional Dao Court officials personally took charge, their expressions grave, their vigilance unyielding.
A heaven-and-earth omen. A sudden surge of demonic disaster. This was an upheaval unseen in a thousand years.
If mishandled, these commanders would at best face dismissal and imprisonment—at worst, they would be executed, their heads rolling from their shoulders.
Slaughter spread everywhere.
Demonic cultivators butchered righteous ones. The Dao Court fought to suppress the heretics.
And in the deepest shadows, an even greater force of monstrous evil stirred…
...
Everything was witnessed by the Void Refinement Patriarchs of various sects and clans from the Sword Observation Tower.
A long-forgotten, blood-soaked, and terrifying name surfaced in their minds:
The Demonic Grand Formation.
Someone was activating a Demonic Grand Formation in Qianzhou.
At first, the patriarchs were in disbelief, but soon, their shock turned into indescribable fury.
The world was at peace, yet someone dared to activate such a massacre-driven demonic formation within the borders of Qianzhou, a land filled with sects and noble clans, a flourishing hub of cultivation, right under the noses of the Void Refinement Patriarchs?!
It was sheer madness—reckless beyond belief.
Yet beneath their rage, a chilling fear crept into their hearts.
This was clearly a meticulously planned scheme.
From the Asura battlefield simulated by the Dao Discussion Astronomical Apparatus, to the anomalies within the Five-Rank Grand Formation, to the void teleportation at Xuantian Peak leading to its collapse into Yanluo Mountain's borders...
Across various regions, demonic strongholds had been established, wicked creatures and demonic cultivators had been nurtured, and countless vile deeds had been committed—all laying the groundwork for this Demonic Grand Formation in secret.
They had abducted hundreds of geniuses from Qianzhou's top sects during the Dao Discussion Conference.
Then, amidst the upheaval at Xuantian Peak, they struck again—this time kidnapping a peculiar child from the Shangguan Clan.
Such intricate planning could not have been accomplished overnight, nor could it have been orchestrated by ordinary cultivators.
Beyond remnants of the demonic path, there had to be a greater force behind this—someone with higher status, immense power, and deep mastery in formations, capable of manipulating a Five-Rank Grand Formation for such a nefarious purpose.
This person's identity… must be truly terrifying.
So terrifying that even the assembled patriarchs, though filled with suspicion, dared not speak their thoughts aloud.
Some things could not be said without solid proof.
As elders and patriarchs, they understood this principle well.
For now, their top priority was to destroy the Demonic Grand Formation as quickly as possible and quell the demonic threat.
If this formation were to fully activate, a catastrophe would engulf Qianzhou, turning the surrounding lands into a blood-soaked wasteland.
Every extra day this Demonic Grand Formation remained intact meant countless more cultivators would die in vain.
The urgency of the situation left every patriarch grim-faced.
"The Dao Court Division has already begun its campaign to eradicate the rampaging demonic cultivators."
"Every sect has issued orders for their elders to lead disciples to various territories and assist the Dao Court Division in suppressing the demonic threat."
"All demonic cultivators—eliminate them. All evil formations, artifacts, and scriptures—destroy them completely."
"Most importantly, no trace of the Demonic Grand Formation must remain."
"The Shangguan Clan's abducted child must also be rescued. We don't know why the demonic cultists took the child, but it's clear that they are crucial to the formation and the demonic path's plans."
One of the patriarchs sneered coldly.
"A prominent Five-Rank noble clan, and even a Yuha Realm elder, was willing to risk ruin to kidnap that child. That alone proves their importance. We cannot let the child fall into demonic hands."
"And more importantly, those hundreds of abducted genius disciples from Qianzhou's major sects."
"They include the finest talents from the Four Great Sects, the Eight Grand Clans, and the Twelve Streams—some even from the elite among Qianzhou's Hundred Sects. If anything happens to them, years of cultivation efforts will be destroyed in an instant."
Though the Qianzhou Conference was held every three years, bringing forth new generations of talent, this particular generation was different.
The prodigies emerging this time surpassed previous generations in spiritual roots, talent, and comprehension by a great margin.
This was the most promising generation in recent history.
Perhaps it truly reflected the saying:
"In an era of great turmoil, outstanding talents will rise."
If these disciples were allowed to grow, they would become the backbone of their sects in the future.
They might even lead their sects to unprecedented heights.
If they were wiped out, it would be akin to tearing the hearts from the patriarchs' chests.
"No matter the cost, the Demonic Grand Formation must be destroyed!"
"No matter the cost, the genius disciples of the Four Sects, Eight Grand Clans, and Twelve Streams must be rescued!"
This was an iron command issued by the patriarchs, relayed directly to the most powerful sects within Qianzhou's borders.
Sect elders mobilized en masse.
Inner disciples rushed toward Third-Rank Yanluo Mountain.
This was a true war between righteous and demonic forces.
A battle unlike any seen in nearly a thousand years—one of the largest, most widespread, and most devastating demonic uprisings Qianzhou had ever faced.
The cultivators weren't just fighting demonic practitioners and evil beings—they were facing an entire Demonic Grand Formation.
Even in a Third-Rank Region, if a mere Second-Rank Demonic Formation were established, it would already be an overwhelmingly bloody and powerful disaster.
But this formation...
It radiated the aura of a Third-Rank Demonic Grand Formation.
A Third-Rank Region… hosting a Third-Rank Demonic Formation…
Nearly impossible to overcome.
Even if they could break it, it would come at a terrifying cost—a battlefield soaked in blood, littered with countless corpses.
Every Void Refinement Patriarch's expression was grim.
Old Master Xun lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon.
He could see it—the sinister aura of the formation taking shape.
He could see it—the flickering blood-red light shrouded in evil intent.
His frown deepened.
A Demonic Grand Formation was already an extremely difficult crisis.
But Old Master Xun knew—this demonic calamity was far from that simple.
Within that Demonic Grand Formation, something far more horrifying was lurking…
Something far beyond what they could comprehend.
His greatest fear at this moment was for the one trapped at the very heart of this evil storm—
Mo Hua.
"No matter what… You must survive..."
He silently prayed.
...
At the same time, those journeying toward Yanluo Mountain under the Dao Court Division's orders—
Gu Changhuai, temporarily assigned to assist in demon-slaying operations.
Zhang Lan, leading a force to eradicate demonic threats.
Murong Caiyun, Hua Qianqian, and numerous sect disciples, along with other cultivators who had deep ties to Mo Hua—
All carried the same unspoken fear in their hearts.
They could only pray—
"Mo Hua, please… don't let anything happen to you…"
...
"Mo Hua!"
"Mo Hua..."
"Senior Brother..."
"Senior Brother, wake up..."
Amidst the darkness.
Mo Hua felt that many people were thinking about him. He could hear them calling his name.
Half-conscious, the voices seemed both near and far. As his awareness gradually cleared, he struggled to open his eyes, only to find a group of heads gathered in front of him.
Faces filled with worry called his name.
Situ, Cheng Mo, Xiao Xiao, Hao Xuan... and more than ten others—all his junior brothers.
"Senior Brother is awake!"
Seeing Mo Hua open his eyes, Situ Jian, Linghu Xiao, and the others showed relief and joy.
Mo Hua rubbed his eyes, recalling what had happened.
He had been teleported onto Xuantian Peak. Then, Xuantian Peak itself was transported away before collapsing entirely, dragging him down with the falling debris.
With no foothold in the air and too much debris from the collapsing peak, Mo Hua couldn't maneuver freely. His physical body was also weak.
Fortunately, the five Tai'a brothers and several disciples with strong physiques took turns acting as "cushions" for him. Thanks to them, he avoided severe injuries. However, he still fainted upon impact with the ground.
Rubbing his head, Mo Hua gradually regained clarity and looked around.
The surroundings were a grayish haze tinged with blood. Crisscrossing mountain paths, toxic mists rising into the sky, a foul-smelling swamp flowing with putrid water.
Both dangerous and eerie—yet oddly familiar.
"This is... Yanluo Mountain?"
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
Back when he led the campaign against the Demonic Sect, he had studied the terrain of Yanluo Mountain. Later, he had personally set foot there.
Yanluo Mountain was already a chaotic and treacherous place, which was why the Demonic Sect had chosen it as their base.
But now, it was even more bloodstained and sinister than before.
And more than that—an overwhelming, ominous formation aura filled the air.
"A grand formation?!"
"The demonic energy is so strong... Is this a demonic formation?"
Mo Hua was stunned.
Was he now trapped inside a massive demonic formation?
A mix of nervousness, fear, and a strange sense of excitement surged in his heart.
Suddenly, he remembered the bone monuments he had once discovered in Yanluo Mountain.
Those bone monuments were carved with sinister, bloodstained patterns. The surrounding blood energy gathered from all directions into the monuments, nourishing the blood patterns.
These patterns, after absorbing enough blood, wriggled as if alive, accompanied by eerie ghostly wails.
Now, looking at the situation, those bone monuments might very well be part of this demonic grand formation—serving as formation nodes.
They absorbed the blood, resentment, and fiendish energy of the fallen cultivators, converting them into demonic power, which was then channeled into the earth's veins to sustain the formation.
This was no ordinary arrangement.
The person who set this up possessed extraordinary planning, skill, and formation expertise.
Perhaps this was the work of that "Mister Tu."
Yet, Mo Hua couldn't shake the feeling that even Mister Tu alone might not be capable of such a feat...
Or rather, this kind of colossal demonic formation couldn't have been arranged by a single person.
Back when he first saw the bone monuments in Yanluo Mountain, Mo Hua had suspected they were connected to a terrifying demonic formation.
But at the time, it was just speculation. He had no evidence, little experience with demonic formations, and no means to investigate further.
Now, however, it turned out to be true.
And in an instant, he had fallen right into its trap.
"Senior Brother, what do we do now?" Cheng Mo asked in a hushed voice.
The others also looked at Mo Hua.
Fighting and killing—they had no problem with that. But when it came to handling danger, finding a way out, or deciphering formations to ensure survival, it was far beyond their abilities.
Especially since they were trapped in a large-scale demonic formation.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, scanning their surroundings before asking, "Where are the others?"
The disciples of the Taixu Sect who advanced to the Earth Sword Tournament should have numbered thirty.
Yet, now, only a little over ten were with him.
Even the five Tai'a brothers—who had protected him and cushioned his fall—were nowhere to be seen.
Situ Jian and the others shook their heads. "When we fell from Xuantian Peak, we were scattered. Only the dozen of us ended up in this area. After we finally found you, we stayed here, waiting for you to wake up..."
They couldn't leave Mo Hua behind.
Besides, with such an eerie environment, they dared not move without him leading the way.
Mo Hua nodded. "Let's explore the area first, check the surroundings, and look for the others."
"Understood."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
The group responded in unison.
Mo Hua led the way, with Linghu Xiao guarding the rear while Cheng Mo and the others protected him. They moved cautiously in formation, beginning their exploration.
As they walked, Mo Hua observed the terrain, sensed the formation energy around them, and mentally reconstructed the layout based on his knowledge of formations.
Gradually, he began to grasp the situation.
This was indeed a demonic grand formation.
Moreover, they were near its central core—an extremely complex demonic formation zone.
The area was vast and completely sealed off.
Inside the formation, an oppressive demonic aura stirred emotions—hatred, greed, jealousy—all being subtly provoked.
A thin blood mist mixed with the poisonous fog lingered in the air.
Scattered throughout the mist were tiny, leech-like demonic parasites—completely invisible to the naked eye of an ordinary cultivator.
Mo Hua took a few steps forward with his fellow Taixu Sect disciples before his expression suddenly turned serious.
"Be careful!"
Everyone immediately halted, their expressions wary.
The atmosphere was eerie and sinister.
A few breaths later, a ferocious figure suddenly burst out from the nearby thicket, carrying a foul wind as it let out a savage roar and lunged at Cheng Mo.
Cheng Mo was prepared. He sidestepped swiftly and, with a backhanded swing of his axe, struck the assailant's shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. He then stepped forward and stomped down, pinning the attacker in place.
Situ Jian and the others quickly followed suit, piercing the figure's limbs with their swords to subdue him.
Only then did Mo Hua step forward.
Cheng Mo and the others flipped the attacker over, allowing Mo Hua to examine his face.
It was an unfamiliar face—Mo Hua did not recognize him. However, he wore the Daoist robes of the Free and Unfettered Sect, meaning he was likely one of its disciples.
At this moment, however, the disciple's eyes were blood-red, filled with nothing but murderous intent. He let out feral snarls, his expression twisted like that of a beast. His mouth reeked of blood, and bits of flesh were still caught between his teeth as he produced incoherent, guttural sounds.
The sight made everyone feel sick.
Situ Jian frowned. "Senior Brother, this..."
Mo Hua sighed. "The corruption has reached his mind. His brain has been eaten away."
Situ Jian and the others stiffened.
"Then..."
"Kill him." Mo Hua spoke indifferently.
Cheng Mo and the others fell silent, hesitant.
During the Sword Tournament, though they fought fiercely, it was still just a competition—no one truly died.
But now, this was different. They were in Yanluo Mountain, without the protective grand formation of Mount Daolun. If they died here, they would die for real.
Though they came from different sects, they were all disciples cultivating within the same state of Qianxue. There was no deep-seated hatred between them—how could they truly bring themselves to kill one of their own?
Mo Hua let out a slow sigh. He didn't want to do this either.
But this disciple was beyond saving.
His divine sense had been completely devoured by the corruption, leaving no trace of his original consciousness.
Judging by the flesh caught between his teeth and under his fingernails, after being tainted by the corruption, he had already attacked—and even devoured—other disciples like some kind of monster.
There was no way to save him.
And if they didn't kill him, he would continue his rampage, spreading the corruption further through blood and flesh, leading to even greater carnage...
"He is already 'dead.' If we don't kill him, he will only kill more people," Mo Hua said flatly. "Or rather, he is already a 'demon.'"
Eradicating demons was the duty of the righteous path.
Even if this "demon" had once been one of their own.
A chill ran through Cheng Mo and the others, but soon their gazes hardened, and they nodded.
The demonized disciple of the Free and Unfettered Sect was then executed by Linghu Xiao and the others from a distance, cut to pieces by sword energy.
After his death, his blood and flesh seeped into the ground, while his resentment and malice dissipated into the air, merging into the grand demonic formation—nourishing the sinister array and feeding the unseen "embryo" growing within.
Mo Hua watched all of this unfold, powerless to stop it.
This was the rule of the demonic formation.
The rules forced them to kill—if they didn't, they would be killed.
And whether they killed or were killed, both would become nourishment for the demonic array, sacrifices to the sinister embryo.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows slightly.
He realized that things were not going as he had planned.
His original plan was to use his divine sense to forge a sword and strike down Shen Linshu and the other three, thereby eliminating the Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament in one move.
The foundation of the Four Great Sects was simply too strong, and they had already joined forces against the Taixu Sect.
Taixu Sect alone could not stand against them.
If the Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament proceeded as planned, there was no way Taixu Sect could seize first place from the Four Great Sects.
Mo Hua had deduced this scenario countless times, and every single time, the outcome was the same—Taixu Sect would lose.
There was no chance of victory.
Since there was no way to win, Mo Hua decided not to play by the rules.
One decisive strike—eliminating the Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament entirely.
That way, as long as Taixu Sect took first place in the Earth-Ranked Sword Tournament, they would naturally become the overall champions.
By manifesting his divine sense as a sword and shattering his Natal Longevity Talisman, he would inevitably provoke a Void-Illusion Manifestation.
His senior brother and senior sister had demonstrated this technique to him before.
And once the Void-Illusion Manifestation appeared, it would surely try to kill him.
The Grade Five Grand Formation of Mount Daolun would have to intervene to protect him, clashing with the manifestation.
Such a high-level confrontation would be too destructive, likely forcing the Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament to be canceled.
At first, everything had gone as Mo Hua expected. But what he hadn't anticipated was that someone else had also been setting up a scheme in the shadows.
His strike had indeed eliminated the Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament—but it had also triggered an unforeseen catastrophe.
Now, all the prodigious disciples were trapped within this demonic array, caught in a battle of life and death.
This was a slaughter driven by confinement, corruption, and parasitism—a test of their Dao hearts, where former comrades turned on each other in a brutal, blood-drenched melee.
Or perhaps, this massacre within the demonic array was, in truth, the final "Heaven-Ranked Sword Tournament."
A demonized Battle Royale.
(End of this Chapter)