A drop of golden soul blood floated out from Shangguan Mo’s forehead, radiating a gentle glow.

  Yun Che remained expressionless. He glanced at Shangguan Mo and beckoned with his hand.

  The soul blood immediately flew into his palm.

  After examining it briefly, Yun Che swallowed it without hesitation.

  The soul blood instantly entered his sea of consciousness, where it was wrapped by his Extreme Divine Sense. From that moment on, with a single thought, Yun Che could kill Shangguan Mo instantly.

  Likewise, if Yun Che were to die, Shangguan Mo would not escape death either.

  Soul blood was essentially similar to a restriction spell. Though it was more direct and effective, the sea of consciousness—while seemingly sturdy—was actually extremely fragile. If too many drops of soul blood accumulated there, the sea of consciousness could fall into chaos, resulting in unimaginable consequences.

  Because of this, soul blood was usually only used as a temporary restraint, and most cultivators disliked relying on it. Compared with soul blood, there were at least a thousand different restriction techniques that could achieve the same result.

  There was another key point.

  Soul blood could only be offered voluntarily. If forced by external power, it was nearly impossible to extract—unless one possessed heaven-defying abilities.

  Shangguan Mo had been left with no choice.

  He had already prepared himself for the possibility that Yun Che would place some terrifying restriction upon him. His request to become Yun Che’s disciple had merely been an excuse—a way to give the other party justification and give himself a step down.

  But he never expected Yun Che to remain unmoved.

  Left with no alternative, he offered his soul blood to save his life.

  When he saw Yun Che accept it, the panic in his heart finally eased somewhat.

  Yun Che glanced at him coldly before turning toward Mu Nan.

  “Continue leading the way.”

  From the moment Yun Che killed the first Douxie Sect elder, he had already made a decision.

  This matter would not end peacefully.

  If he had only killed ordinary disciples, perhaps it would have been different. But killing elders meant the sect would certainly investigate the matter to the end.

  Yun Che was no longer the simple village youth he once had been. His temperament and methods had long matured.

  The chain of events triggered when he killed Teng Li years ago had taught him a harsh lesson.

  If you kill one enemy, you might as well kill ten.

  And if you have already killed ten—

  Then eliminate the entire sect.

  Only by eradicating the Douxie Sect could he prevent future trouble.

  With this thought, Yun Che grabbed Su Wanqing and leapt forward.

  At the same time, the Gravity Technique transformed into two giant invisible hands that seized Mu Nan and Mu Bei and hurled them forward.

  The brothers turned pale but dared not complain. They quickly stabilized themselves and continued leading the way in silence.

  As for Shangguan Mo, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurried after them.

  Inside, bitterness filled his heart, but he dared not reveal the slightest hint of it.

  “Death Curse… he must be using a Death Curse Technique. Anyone capable of cultivating such a vicious technique must be extraordinary,” Shangguan Mo speculated inwardly, occasionally sneaking glances at Yun Che.

  Su Wanqing felt a complicated emotion rising within her.

  Looking at Yun Che, she still found it hard to believe he had truly formed his Golden Core.

  And everything that had happened since they left the cave seemed to prove the words he had spoken earlier.

  “Below the Nascent Soul stage, none can match me.”

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  Thinking back on the past few years in the Demon Sea, Su Wanqing felt as if she were living in a dream.

  Her previous life had been completely different.

  Back then, her days consisted mostly of meditation and pill refining. Whenever she left the sect, her elder brother accompanied her personally.

  Under his protection, she had rarely encountered danger.

  She was also extremely talented—especially in alchemy and formation techniques—making her a rare genius. The elders of the Luohe Sect cherished her greatly.

  Many fellow disciples had pursued her.

  But none had ever moved her heart.

  The first time she met Yun Che, she had mistaken him for Sun Youcai and nearly caused a misunderstanding.

  Looking back now, if they had really fought that day, even her brother would probably not have been Yun Che’s opponent.

  Based on what she now knew of him, the likely outcome would have been simple:

  Everyone would have been killed.

  Even she herself.

  No matter how beautiful she might have been, Yun Che would never have shown mercy.

  “He is a ruthless man…” Su Wanqing sighed inwardly.

  Over the years she had become certain of one thing:

  Yun Che had never harbored any improper thoughts toward her.

  In his eyes, she was nothing more than a living pill furnace.

  A bitter feeling rose within her heart, growing stronger and spreading throughout her body.

  While flying, Yun Che frowned slightly and glanced at her.

  After a moment of silence he said coldly,

  “You don’t need to worry. Once I finish my matters, I will send you back to the Fireburn Alliance.”

  Su Wanqing’s face turned even paler.

  She bit her lip and nodded softly.

  The two fell into silence.

  Suddenly—

  Mu Nan and Mu Bei, who were flying ahead, abruptly stopped.

  Their expressions changed drastically.

  In front of them, more than a hundred cultivators emerged from the fog.

  Their gazes were fixed on the huge blood-red “Slaughter” character above Yun Che’s head.

  Greed filled their eyes.

  Yet within that greed lingered a trace of fear.

  Yun Che swept them with a cold gaze.

  “Continue forward.”

  “If anyone blocks us—kill them.”

  Shangguan Mo immediately bowed.

  “Yes, Master!”

  My chance to prove myself has come!

  He jumped forward and stood beside Mu Nan and Mu Bei.

  With a sinister laugh he shouted,

  “A bunch of Foundation Establishment trash! Listen carefully! Anyone standing in our way—dies!”

  As Yun Che’s group passed through, the cultivators quickly moved aside.

  Most of them had not intended to attack anyway.

  They had merely come to see who had been marked by the legendary Hundred-Day Slaughter Token.

  Especially after seeing the ten corpses bound behind Yun Che by the dragon tendon.

  Even if they were tempted, they had to hesitate.

  However, the news of the Slaughter Token spread too quickly.

  Within a million li around Nandou City, nearly every cultivator had heard the news.

  More and more people took to the skies to investigate.

  Gradually, the number of cultivators in the air increased.

  As Yun Che’s group continued flying, they encountered watchers again and again.

  Their speed slowed.

  Yun Che grew impatient.

  He snorted coldly.

  Seeing the greed in nearly every cultivator’s eyes, killing intent began rising in his heart.

  Even worse—

  Many cultivators were following from afar, their gazes flickering with malicious intent.

  Mu Nan and Mu Bei felt their scalps go numb.

  Among the cultivators they encountered were many far stronger than themselves.

  Some were even old monsters whose names they had only heard in legends.

  Even Shangguan Mo felt his heart pounding wildly.

  He sighed bitterly.

  If this continues… cultivators from outside the million-li region might come.

  And if that happens… even Nascent Soul experts might appear.

  Why hasn’t that demon made his move yet?

  If it were me, I would have slaughtered them already.

  Only overwhelming brutality can scare them away.

  Cultivators filled the sky.

  Su Wanqing felt frightened.

  But when she glanced at Yun Che, she calmed slightly.

  The killing intent in Yun Che’s eyes grew heavier.

  Finally—

  He stopped.

  Looking at everyone around him, he revealed a cold smile.

  His voice spread like the wind of a frozen glacier.

  “Within three breaths…”

  “Anyone still here—dies.”

  He closed his eyes.

  One breath later—

  They opened again.

  Red lightning flickered within them.

  At the same time, Yun Che released Su Wanqing’s wrist and instead wrapped an arm around her waist.

  Before he could even feel the softness beneath his hand, his body shot backward like thunder.

  His Extreme Divine Sense exploded outward.

  A beam of crystalline light flew from his mouth and vanished after several flashes.

  For the first time—

  Yun Che began a large-scale slaughter.

  Within the range of his Extreme Divine Sense, killing Foundation Establishment cultivators was as easy as crushing ants.

  Screams erupted everywhere.

  The remaining cultivators showed unprecedented terror and began retreating.

  Soon most cultivators fled with all their might.

  But many did not escape far.

  Whenever the crystalline light flashed—

  A head exploded.

  Blood scattered across the sky.

  Yun Che’s expression was cold and merciless.

  His eyes shone with killing intent.

  Wherever he passed, cultivators bled from their seven orifices and died screaming.

  Every time a corpse fell from the sky, the dragon tendon behind him would lash out, binding it and dragging it back.

  Yun Che’s speed increased.

  He specifically targeted Core Formation cultivators.

  The Foundation Establishment ones were merely collateral damage.

  At this moment, the cultivators surrounding Yun Che felt no more greed.

  Only fear.

  The Slaughter Mark above his head darkened with every kill.

  Eventually it shone like a bloody lantern in the night.

  Its color grew so deep it seemed ready to drip blood.

  Meanwhile the crystalline flying sword moved silently through the sky.

  Each flash meant death.

  Like an invisible assassin, it harvested soul after soul.

  In the time it took for a single incense stick to burn—

  Even cultivators who had fled far away suffered massive casualties.

  Those who died under Yun Che’s Extreme Divine Sense were too many to count.

  Behind Yun Che, the dragon tendon now bound over a thousand corpses.

  They spread across the sky like a massive cloak of bodies tied behind him.

  At this moment—

  Within the fog a thousand li away—

  Seven or eight elderly demon cultivators stood silently.

  They watched Yun Che with furrowed brows.

  The fear in their eyes grew deeper and deeper.