Chapter Forty-Six: Spreading the Faith on the Grasslands (VI)

Between life and death lies great terror, but also great opportunity. Now beset by enemies on both sides, Liaochen could no longer afford to plan for the future. Seeing the great formation about to break, he steeled himself and drew from his sleeve a purple-gold bronze lamp. This was the Seven-Star Lamp, which Liaochen had used to gather the myriad household lights, originally intending to collect the wishes of humanity to cleanse his muddled spirit and temper his divine consciousness. Yet now, he was compelled to use it before the time was ripe.

“Let fierce fire refine gold, cleanse my spirit, illuminate my soul. Now!” Liaochen lit the bronze lamp, pinched a flame from its fire, and placed it between his brows. Instantly, the flame burrowed into the sea of consciousness at his spiritual platform. In a heartbeat, a flush rose to his face—he felt as though cast into a blazing inferno, tormented by the agony of a thousand fires consuming his body. The searing pain threatened to overwhelm him, but his steadfast will endured, and he gritted his teeth through the ordeal.

As the fire burned within his mind, clarity swiftly returned to his spirit. Sinking his consciousness into his lower dantian, the long-dormant golden core within him began to spin rapidly. Surging magical power burst forth like a river breaking its banks, flooding into every meridian. Confidence surged in Liaochen’s heart. Silently reciting an incantation, he rose into the air, walking upon empty space, and looked down from on high, declaring coldly, “Prepare to die.” The peachwood sword, infused with his power, blazed with dazzling light as he struck at the Blood Sea Asura who had just broken through the formation.

A thousand rays of golden light rushed forth. The Blood Sea Asura, freshly escaped from the array, had no time to react before Liaochen was upon him, sword in hand. The Asura had no choice but to brace himself, curving his left arm to block the blow.

With a ringing metallic clash, wood and flesh met as if sword struck steel. Missing his mark, Liaochen withdrew at once, hovering in the air and casting a frosty gaze over the enemies below. The Blood Sea Asura staggered back several steps from the attack, shock flickering in his eyes. Since when did the mortal world boast such a master?

Suddenly, three arrows shot up in a triangular formation—an unmistakable sign of the rapid-fire archery technique. It seemed the shaman’s guards included a rare master archer. Unfortunately, though such skills might turn the tide on a battlefield, they posed no threat to one of Liaochen’s caliber. With a gentle wave of his sleeve, he redirected the arrows in midair, sending them straight back toward the shaman’s followers. Three screams rang out—the shaman’s guards, unable to dodge, fell dying with arrows in their flesh. Liaochen dismissed the matter lightly, but the shaman’s face darkened.

The shaman had anticipated Liaochen’s spiritual power, but clearly had not expected his cultivation to approach that of a celestial being, beyond what mortals could withstand. The shaman’s eyes grew grim; he steeled himself and handed several pills to his guards, commanding them to swallow. The guards hesitated, but dared not disobey, and forced themselves to comply. Satisfied, the shaman uttered a string of strange syllables. The guards immediately began to howl in agony, rolling on the ground, tearing their clothes to rags in their torment, blood streaming from their eyes. When their screams finally faded, their forms had changed beyond recognition. Their bronzed skin turned a sickly green, fangs sprouted from their jaws, and their eyes swelled to the size of oxen’s. Their hands grew long, blood-red claws, each more than an inch long. No longer human, they had been transformed into demons.

Though Liaochen was locked in fierce combat with the Blood Sea Asura, he kept a watchful eye on the shaman’s doings. Seeing this transformation, he resolved to first restrain one side and defeat his enemies one by one. With a sudden flick of his sword, he shouted, “True Law of Five Thunders!” At his command, thunder split the night sky, and a bolt of lightning struck the Asura squarely on the head. Unable to dodge, the Asura was hit directly; his face twisted in pain, and the bloody miasma that swirled around him diminished. As Liaochen prepared to press his advantage, a gust of wind rose behind him—the demonized guard pounced. Liaochen spun aside, evading the attack, and flung a talisman that struck the demon squarely between the eyes. Instantly, the creature was paralyzed, falling from midair to crash onto the ground below. Liaochen ignored him—having trapped one, he resolved to focus on vanquishing the strongest foe first; the others were no more than rabble.

Divine thunder rained down; Liaochen’s sword flashed with ever-greater vigor. The Asura, battered and forced on the defensive, was driven back step by step. Desperate, he let out a fierce roar, his form swelling by another ten feet. Fixing his gaze on Liaochen, he spat out a string of unrecognizable syllables. At once, a blood-red vortex appeared at the Asura’s feet, spinning faster and faster, growing ever larger until it spanned several yards. From within the maelstrom rose the wailing of ghosts; countless spectral heads floated about, wailing and weeping in anguish.

“The Blood Sea?” Liaochen recognized the description from ancient sect records, though such things had not been seen for a thousand years. He had not expected to witness its return to the world of men. This foul art was cultivated with human blood as water, nurtured by the pain and malice of all beings, growing on its own and devouring all living things to feed itself. Truly the work of the demonic path in every sense.

“Now that the Blood Sea has manifested, you cannot be allowed to remain in this world,” Liaochen thundered. This Blood Sea required the blood of living beings to grow—if left unchecked, how could any life remain in the mortal realm? Liaochen pressed a finger to his brow, drew forth a strand of his own inner fire, and hurled it into the blood-red whirlpool—using fire against water, hoping to burn away the evil within and suppress the Blood Sea’s growth.

“Heaven and earth without limit, let the righteous weapon fulfill its purpose! Now!” Liaochen cast forth his magic sword, employing the art of the flying sword to strike at the Asura from afar. At close range, he unleashed the relentless True Law of Five Thunders, using lightning to banish evil, vowing not to rest until the Asura was utterly annihilated.