627 Blood Beast, Sacred Heart Sectâs Secret Weapon? At a spirit stone mine, thousands of warriors gathered. The sight of these martial artists was overwhelming, with various factions and allegiances creating a dense, charged atmosphere. The mountain felt like a powder keg, ready to ignite.
From amidst this tension, an elderly warrior with a goatee stepped forward. Despite his simple gray attire, he seemed different from the sect-affiliated martial artists.
âWhy not cultivate and mine together?â he suggested. âSpirit stones benefit everyone, whether in the visceral prefecture, blood refinement, or bone pattern realms. With so many spirit stones here, thereâs more than enough for everyone. Wouldnât it be wise to cultivate now and then move on to the next mine?â
His words resonated with many. âHeâs right!â someone shouted. âWe should cultivate together. If someone breaks the trust, we all act.â
There was a chorus of agreement, and as one, the martial artists began to meditate and cultivate.
However, the peace was short-lived. One of them suddenly turned pale, shouting, âIâve been poisoned!â
In response, many tried to activate their cultivation techniques to fend off the poison, causing the temperature around the mountain to soar. Some, foreseeing potential threats, had taken antidotes beforehand.
But just as they thought the danger had passed, over a hundred of them spat out blood.
âDonât activate your blood essence!â someone warned too late. It dawned on them that the poison targeted their blood essence, activated upon stimulation.
Panic ensued, and accusations were thrown, âIt was a trap! He tricked us!â
The scene became chaotic, with martial artists collapsing or battling each other. The mountain was soon drenched in blood, with a crimson mist enveloping it. As clashes broke out, the number of casualties skyrocketed.
Watching the chaos from a nearby tree, the goateed elder who had proposed the idea sneered. âFools.â
âThe Supreme One wants the blood guillotine refined. These warriorsâ vitality should condense into a perfect drop, right?â Beside the goateed elder, a young man stood with an air of arrogance.
The elder nodded. âMany here are from the three sects and six clans. Their vitality will suffice.â
The young man responded confidently, âWeâll raise ten thousand blood beasts in this secret realm. Itâll be enough against the Qiongqi clan.â
The Sacred Heart Sect was trapped between two foes in Barren Stateâs north, struggling to progress. Despite the strength of their cult members, the situation was far from ideal. However, the opening of Pingwang countyâs secret realm, drawing martial artists from all over, provided them a golden opportunity.
âWe canât let the white-robed king of Qingzhou outdo us. If we fail, our lord wonât be pleased,â the elder said, rising. âCome, itâs time.â
Landing from their perch, they saw fewer than a thousand warriors remaining on the mountainâs peak. The battleâs ferocity was evident in the fallen.
The young man, revealing his crimson robe, declared, âThank you all for your sacrifices!â
The surviving warriors connected the dots. âSacred Heart Sect!â
An elder holding prayer beads challenged, âYouâre bold to show yourselves. Do you seek death?â But he didnât make a move.
âYouâll soon know what weâre capable of,â the goateed man replied with a sinister grin.
Boom!
Suddenly, the ground shook, and dust and debris filled the air. As the dust settled, all eyes focused on an unfamiliar object next to the goateed elder.
The prayer-bead-clutching elder gasped. âIs it the Four Great Guardians of the Sacred Heart Sect? Have they dared to breach this realm? Arenât they afraid weâll surround and kill them?â
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Many considered retreating, fearing the legend of the âkingsâ. Those who had witnessed their power firsthand were even more apprehensive.
However, the goateed elder and the young man appeared just as stunned, exchanging a glance of confusion.
âDid reinforcements come from above?â
âWhy wasnât there any warning?â
âBut the precision⊠It must be,â the two reasoned, cautiously approaching the pit.
Suddenly, an arm shot out, grabbing the goateed man. The scarlet-robed youth swiftly aimed a slash, but missed and stumbled back, his eyes wide in surprise. Before he could fully react, blood sprayed, revealing the goateed elder, his arms skewered through to his chest.
The power of Pingwangâs secret realm was clear: every player was on a level field, with no advantages. No wonder even the mightiest feared to enter.
Whoosh! The scarlet-robed youth, puzzled, evaded a swift attack, narrowly missing a gash to his face. As the dust settled, a figure in a black robe with blood-red skin emerged from the pit.
âI misjudged. I expected a full body, not just an arm,â Qin Huai reflected.
Surveying the scene, the robed figure advanced, legs unbending. Despite the scarlet-robed youthâs recognition, âWeâre on the same side!â he defended desperately, but showed no hesitation, his blade creating a blur of motion.
However, his strikes were futile on Qin Huai, who seemed unaffected by any blows. In moments, a finger, still connected to a blood vein, pierced the scarlet-robed youthâs throat.
The surrounding martial artists stared, speechless. Was this the Sacred Heart Sectâs secret weapon? Ruthlessly taking out one of their own first was very characteristic of the Sacred Heart Sect.