"How many people have been confirmed dead?" A figure stood at the edge of a vast pool of blood, his gaze fixed on its eerie surface as he posed the question to the kneeling man behind him.
"We estimate that around 2,000 people entered the secret realm, and so far, approximately 1,000 have been confirmed dead. There may be more, but our members are likely still in the process of devouring them and have yet to report their deaths," the kneeling figure replied, his voice laced with unwavering respect as he looked up at the man before him.
"And what of the Saint and that so-called champion?"
"We have yet to receive any reports on them," the subordinate answered solemnly.
Upon hearing this, the standing figure fell into silence, his expression remaining unreadable. After a moment, he finally spoke. "Proceed as planned."
"Yes, Holy Son." Without hesitation, the kneeling man rose to his feet and swiftly made his way toward the gate, disappearing into the distance.
As the subordinate's silhouette faded from view, the Devil Sect's Holy Son, Nie Mingjue, remained standing in place, his gaze locked onto the pool of blood before him. He observed closely, noting the subtle yet undeniable rise in the liquid's level.
A powerful force emanated from within the pool, something dark and unfathomable.
When the Devil Sect first discovered this secret realm, they found nothing of immediate value—just an endless expanse of sky and ground, both bathed in an unnatural shade of red. It wasn't until they experimented that they made a startling revelation: the pool of blood would gradually fill as people perished within the realm.
At first, they attempted to bring mortals and low-level martial artists into the realm and slaughter them, but the increase in the pool's volume was barely noticeable. However, when they began killing cultivators, they quickly realized that the pool filled at a much faster rate.
Not long after, they stumbled upon a mysterious cave shrouded in a dense red mist. Scattered throughout the cave were strange tokens in three distinct colors. Their initial investigations revealed that the mist had the ability to forcibly pull people into the secret realm, though the purpose of the tokens remained unknown. To uncover their secrets, they distributed some of these tokens to their stronger members and sent them to explore the secret realm, but thus far, no significant discoveries had been made.
As for the pool of blood, extensive experimentation had been conducted. At first, they attempted to directly slaughter people and drain their blood into the pool, but to their disappointment, the increase in volume was negligible despite the sheer amount of blood absorbed. However, when they consumed the pool's blood, the results were astonishing.
Not only did it significantly enhance their cultivation, but it also seemed to improve their very constitution, making the path of cultivation far easier.
They had conducted countless trials, yet no adverse effects had been observed. This pool of blood had become one of the Devil Sect's most invaluable resources.
That was why, when they heard that countless geniuses from the three great sects would be gathering for the tournament, they rejoiced, as if the heavens themselves had delivered them a gift. Without hesitation, they devised a plan—not only to weaken the sects' forces but also to greatly strengthen the Devil Sect in the process.
As Nie Mingjue gazed at the pool of blood, now nearly reaching the surface, a faint smile played across his lips. Before this, the pool's blood level had been pitifully low, barely reaching the average man's waist.
Although they were capable of stepping into the pool, its inner workings remained a mystery. Yet, they did not concern themselves with understanding its secrets. The results were undeniable, and that was all that mattered.
Now, after slaughtering the geniuses from the three sects, the pool's volume had increased nearly twentyfold.
Now, he only needed to wait until all the geniuses were killed and the higher-ups arrived. right now they still guard the entrace to the secret realm. after all they dont know if the three sect capable of tracing their member to this secret realm making it risky if they decided to absorb the blood now. as for killing all that genius. he find it just a child play. after all he has eat one of the genius comparable to the saint in the past and know how much it will help him. compare to the blood in front of him, all the so called genius look nothing but a cheap snack.
----
As the robed figure disappeared into the distance, Bai Mulan and Chen Fan let out a subtle sigh of relief. Though confident in his own abilities, Chen Fan couldn't ignore the ominous aura emanating from beyond the door. If possible, he would rather avoid confrontation for now.
"What should we do next?" Bai Mulan asked, turning to Chen Fan. She, too, could sense the lurking danger, and if there was a way to minimize their risk, she would rather take it.
"Let's search for another place first and try gathering more information from other members. Despite so many people going missing, they still haven't seemed to notice, which means they likely aren't keeping track of each other's locations." Chen Fan cast a glance toward the door before making his decision. Avoiding it for now was the wiser choice.
"Alright," Bai Mulan agreed without hesitation.
With their decision made, they ventured deeper into the area. Along the way, they encountered several enemies, interrogating them before swiftly eliminating them. However, after questioning multiple individuals, they all gave the same answers—none of which were particularly useful.
According to them, they had no knowledge of how to enter or exit the secret realm. Only the higher-ups and a select few disciples knew the method. Most members relied on the elders to bring them in and out, ensuring they remained ignorant of the finer details. As for the mysterious door from earlier, rumors suggested that it contained the realm's greatest treasure, but none of the lower-ranking members knew the specifics. Their sole purpose here was to slaughter all the geniuses who entered, their usefulness as informants had run dry.
"It seems our only options are to either capture the so-called Holy Son or core disciples… or enter the gate ourselves to uncover more clues." Chen Fan glanced at Bai Mulan, silently seeking her thoughts.
"Or we could check out the other two doors first?" Bai Mulan suggested, clearly preferring to strengthen themselves further before taking any unnecessary risks.
"It's a reasonable idea, but leaving now would be a waste after all the effort we put into getting in," Chen Fan replied, acknowledging her logic but weighing the alternatives. "Before we make any moves, it's best that we at least uncover one crucial piece of information—the enemy's true strength, what lies beyond that door, or a way out of this realm. Even knowing just one of these could make all the difference."
"Then should we kill more members now? Sooner or later, they'll notice, and that will give us the perfect opportunity to enter the door," Bai Mulan suggested.
"I think that's the best course of action for now," Chen Fan agreed, sharing the same thought. "It would be even better if we could encounter one of the core members."
Earlier, they had interrogated several sect members, but aside from the Holy Son guarding the door, all of the core members were out hunting geniuses. Their only option was to hope they crossed paths with one of them.
Chen Fan glanced at the concealing talismans they had left—only two remained intact. They had been using them efficiently, activating them only when sensing nearby enemies before swiftly eliminating them. Once they ran out, there would be no choice but to storm through the door.
Without hesitation, they resumed their previous strategy. Their kill count had already reached the hundreds, and the spoils of battle were piling up. The total value of their loot had soared to the hundreds of millions in high-grade spirit stones, along with an abundance of precious pills. Even without their primary goal in mind, this alone was enough to make Chen Fan eager to keep going.
Recalling how he had left the mountain with barely a single spirit stone, he couldn't help but grin. Compared to his past struggles, his current fortune felt almost surreal. With newfound enthusiasm, he set his sights on the next group of Devil Sect members.
Before long, they finally encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator who perfectly matched the description of a core disciple.
Chen Fan and Bai Mulan silently observed the man before them. Chen Fan could immediately sense that this individual was stronger than the other Nascent Soul cultivators they had encountered thus far. However, that didn't necessarily mean he was unbeatable. The real concern lay in the consequences of capturing him—keeping him alive would likely create a commotion.
As Chen Fan studied the direction the man was heading, his brows furrowed slightly. He was moving toward the very door that the Holy Son was guarding. This suggested the possibility of a prearranged meeting. If Chen Fan were to kill him now, it could alert the Holy Son that something was amiss.
Letting out a quiet breath, Chen Fan swiftly made his decision. Sooner or later, they would have to face the Holy Son, so it was better to take the initiative rather than wait. Without hesitation, he sprang into action, launching himself toward the core disciple while using a concealing talisman. The enemy was caught off guard and reacted too late, only noticing Chen Fan at the last moment.
Chen Fan unleashed his darkness ability, instantly plunging his target into pitch-black blindness. Unable to see anything, the enemy was momentarily disoriented. However, he could feel a dangerous surge of energy heading his way. Without a second thought, he dodged, barely avoiding the attack.
Seeing that the man had managed to react to his Annihilation Slash, Chen Fan swiftly retaliated. He conjured a black orb, sending it flying toward his opponent. The core disciple was forcefully pulled toward it, unable to resist its gravitational pull. Seizing the opening, Chen Fan delivered another devastating Annihilation Slash, severing all four of the man's limbs in one decisive strike.
Before the core disciple could let out a single scream, Chen Fan grabbed his mouth, muffling any sound, and instantly shattered his cultivation. As he looked around, he noticed a door creaking open, revealing another enemy who stood there, momentarily stunned by the sight before him.
But before the man could react, Chen Fan's blade sliced through the air. An Annihilation Slash cut the enemy cleanly in two, erasing his presence entirely. Without wasting another moment, Chen Fan dragged the Devil Sect's core disciple into the now-open room. Bai Mulan followed close behind, shutting the door behind them.
Once inside, Chen Fan released the crippled man and immediately demanded, "How do we leave this place?"
The captured disciple, still blinded and writhing in agony from the loss of his limbs, spat out a curse, his voice dripping with venom. "You'll die h—"
Before he could finish his threat, an intense burst of pain wracked his body, and his mouth was once again covered by a firm hand.
Chen Fan was all too familiar with the Devil Sect's empty threats. Unbothered, he proceeded as usual. Time passed as he worked his methodical torture, the captured man gritting his teeth and refusing to talk. However, as his strength drained and his willpower eroded under the relentless torment, his defiance began to crack.
"In… inside the… door…" the man finally gasped out, his voice weak and trembling.
It wasn't loyalty that had kept him silent until now—only his pride and burning hatred. But now, he had reached his limit.
Just as he prepared to speak further, another wave of excruciating pain shot through his head.
He wanted to curse. I already answered! Why the hell are you still torturing me?!
Chen Fan, however, remained unmoved. He pressed on. "The others said the exit is outside," he countered, increasing the pressure.
"No! They were lying. It's inside the door!" the man blurted out desperately. "If you go through the big door, you'll find a pool… and another door."
"A pool?" Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
The core disciple hesitated. He was about to speak when—
SPLASH!
Without warning, his head exploded into a burst of blood and brain matter, splattering the walls.
Chen Fan stood there for a moment, slightly stunned, before his expression turned grave. His eyes darkened as he wiped the blood from his face.
"Prepare the token," he ordered. "We're heading for the door now."