Chapter 883
In exchange for your life!
Lady Bixiao stood atop the highest point of the ridge, her short flute pressed to her lips. The sound she played was no longer a single sonic blade, but a continuous, nine-layered killing chord. The sound waves surged like a tide, crashing against the light barrier wave after wave, widening the cracks with each impact. Her skirt fluttered in the wind, her long, dark green hair dancing like venomous snakes come to life.
"Li Tianque!" Her voice was clear yet filled with deep-seated hatred. "Three years ago, you stole my spiritual field and forced my husband to his death. Today, I will make you pay for your crimes in blood!"
The sound waves penetrated the light curtain and seeped inward along the chains. Suddenly, a series of cracking sounds rang out in the third layer of the light curtain, like countless pieces of porcelain shattering at the same time.
Iron-Armed Marquis laughed wildly, raising his one arm to swing his black iron warhammer, the crimson runes on the hammer shining brightly. He leaped up suddenly, his entire body crashing into the center of the light screen like a cannonball.
"I should have returned my life to the Li family long ago!"
The warhammer crashed down.
boom!
The center of the third layer of light curtain instantly caved in three zhang (approximately 10 meters), large sections of the chains snapped, and purple light gushed out like a punctured blood sac. When Iron Arm Marquis landed, he knelt on one knee, his hammer handle embedded half a foot into the rock, spitting out a mouthful of blood, yet his smile became even more ferocious.
"Again! I haven't smashed enough yet!"
The Ghostly Elder moved like a phantom, weaving through the cracks in the light barrier. Each time he appeared, his bone blade would pierce into the gap, and ghostly blue flames would burn along the broken chains, quickly dimming the purple light.
"Li Wuji..." His voice was sinister, like a demon crawling out of the ground, "You personally killed my entire family back then, and today I've come to take your dog's life!"
The other eight cultivators were not idle either.
Some people brandished a bronze giant sword, ten zhang long, and swept across the light barrier; others threw out blood-red talismans, which spontaneously combusted in the air, turning into a sky full of fire crows that swooped down towards the east gate; some people formed hand seals and summoned a frost domain to freeze the surface of the light barrier, making the cracks more likely to expand; some people directly crushed a thunder pearl, drawing down nine bolts of purple lightning, which struck the light barrier and shattered the chains that flew everywhere.
The sounds of magic boomed in unison.
The aftershocks churned the river surface, creating waves dozens of feet high. Water spray mixed with pebbles and fragments of broken chains, crashing against both banks like a reversed downpour.
Li Tianque's face turned from green to white, and then from white to purple.
He slashed out with his sword, trying to block the Iron-Armed Marquis's second hammer blow, but was forced back three steps by the sword energy. The Bloodscale Lion let out a mournful cry, its front hooves fell to the ground, and blood spurted from its mouth and nose.
"Ancestor!" he roared, his voice almost cracking, "The mountain-protecting formation can't hold! If you don't intervene, we'll all die here!"
The main peak of the ancestral land.
The ninth level of the Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower.
Li Wuji stood on the edge of the tower's platform, his blood-red robe fluttering in the gale. The roar of the battlefield below surged in like a tide, each loud bang causing the tower to tremble slightly. In his hand, the head on the bone staff had green flames flickering in its eye sockets, as if mocking him or burning with rage.
He looked down, gazing towards the east gate.
There, dozens of cracks had appeared in the third layer of light curtain, running from top to bottom, and purple light was leaking out wildly, like a purple heart about to burst.
Li Wuji took a deep breath.
The blood mist surged wildly around him, almost solidifying into a tangible form.
"I... have been in seclusion for 327 years."
"This is the day we've been waiting for."
He raised the bone staff, and the human head at the top of the staff suddenly opened its eyes.
Two eerie green flames surged and instantly engulfed the entire top of the tower.
"Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower—"
"Ninth level, Soul Lock of All Spirits!"
The words fell.
The entire nine-story stone pagoda shook violently.
Blood-red light simultaneously illuminated all nine floors of the tower.
The crimson light converged upwards along the tower, eventually condensing into a fist-sized crimson sphere of light on the ninth floor.
The ball of light hovered in Li Wuji's palm.
It seemed as if countless distorted human faces were wailing, struggling, and roaring inside.
Li Wuji's face was pale, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
He was clearly forcibly activating this forbidden technique, and his breathing was already somewhat disordered.
“Dark Night…” His voice was deep, yet it pierced through the battlefield and reached Zheng Yi’s ears, “You destroyed my spiritual veins, killed my descendants, and crippled my clansmen… Today, I will use this Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower to imprison you for ten thousand lifetimes, so that you may never be reborn!”
He threw it suddenly.
A crimson orb of light shot into the sky.
It rapidly expanded in mid-air, transforming in the blink of an eye into a blood-red giant sphere with a diameter of hundreds of feet.
Countless phantom chains appeared on the surface of the giant sphere, each chain wrapped with a distorted human face. Those faces screamed silently with their mouths open, their wails and howls echoing through the heavens and earth.
The blood cell hovered above the ancestral land.
The third layer of light curtain below the East Gate was instantly held up by an invisible force, and the cracks began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The chains regenerated, like countless snakes that came back to life, frantically coiling and repairing the cracks.
The spells on the battlefield crashed into the healing light barrier, producing a dull thud. The aftershocks scattered, but could not advance any further.
Li Tianque was overjoyed.
"Ancestor! The Ancestor has made his move!"
"Dark Night! You're dead!"
Zheng Yi was suspended in mid-air, his black robe fluttering in the strong wind.
He looked up at the blood-red giant sphere.
Golden flames danced wildly on the sword.
His voice was calm, yet tinged with a hint of solemnity:
"Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower... Ninth level."
"it is good."
"Then let me see just how strong your trump card of the past three hundred years really is."
He suddenly raised his sword.
The sword tip pointed directly at the blood cell.
"Everyone!"
"Full-force attack!"
"Today... I swear I will not return to the city until the Li family is destroyed!"
The twelve cultivators roared in unison.
The light from spells and magical artifacts surged.
The illusory image of the blue lotus behind Master Kulian solidified completely, transforming into a ten-zhang-tall blue lotus dharma image. The dharma image clasped its hands together, and twelve lotus petals flew out simultaneously, like twelve giant flying knives slashing towards the blood sphere.
Lady Bixiao played her flute to its fullest extent, and the sound waves condensed into a long, dark green river, within which countless sonic blades tumbled and surged toward the blood orb.
Iron Arm Marquis swung his warhammer again, this time the crimson runes on the hammer were all ignited, and he was like a burning cannonball, crashing hard into the light screen.
Ghost Shadow Elder's figure flickered, already close to within a hundred feet of the blood sphere, his bone blades dancing into a dark blue storm as he drilled into the blood sphere.
The other cultivators all attacked at once.
Sword light rained down, thunder roared, frost covered everything, poisonous mist filled the air, and a sea of fire raged...
The entire battlefield seemed to be set ablaze.
The aftershocks churned the river into towering waves, the spray mixed with fragments of blood-red chains, raining down on both banks like a storm of blood.
Li Wuji hung at the top of the tower, his face growing paler and paler.
He gripped the bone staff tightly with both hands, veins bulging on his forehead, and a trickle of blood slowly seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Tiny cracks began to appear on the surface of the blood cells.
Although the crack was small, it was expanding at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Li Wuji was breathing rapidly.
He looked down at the allied forces bombarding him relentlessly.
She looked up again at Zheng Yi, who was suspended in mid-air.
His eyes held a mixture of murderous intent and exhaustion.
“Dark Night…” His voice was hoarse, yet tinged with madness, “You think… this is all I have to offer?”
He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue.
He spat a mouthful of blood onto the bone staff.
The head on the staff suddenly opened its eyes wide.
The green flames surged.
The blood cells trembled violently.
The crack stopped expanding.
Instead, it began to heal slowly.
An even more terrifying aura emanated from the blood sphere.
The aura was cold, sinister, and despairing, like countless hands crawling out from the depths of hell, trying to drag all living things into endless darkness.
Zheng Yi's pupils contracted slightly.
He spoke in a low voice:
"There's another trump card up your sleeve?"
A sinister smile tugged at the corner of Li Wuji's mouth.
Blood trickled down his chin.
His voice was very low, yet it traveled clearly to everyone's ears:
"Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower...Tenth level."
"Souls are sacrificed to all spirits to suppress all living beings."
"Dark night... what will you use to defend yourself today?"
The words fell.
A tenth phantom image appeared on the surface of the blood cell.
The shadowy figure was blurry, yet a huge human face could be vaguely seen.
The face opens its mouth.
A silent roar.
The entire world seemed to be stunned by this roar.
The wind stopped.
The river was still.
The aftershocks of the spell lingered in mid-air.
Everyone felt an irresistible pressure emanating from the blood sphere, like an invisible giant hand gripping their throats.
Li Wuji's face was ashen.
He gripped the bone staff tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white.
His breathing was erratic, and more and more blood was appearing at the corners of his mouth.
Clearly, this tenth level was the limit he could forcefully push.
But he was still smiling.
They laughed wildly, they laughed menacingly.
"Come on... Dark Night..."
"Break through this final barrier of mine!"
Zheng Yi was suspended in mid-air.
Golden flames swirled around the sword, and the blade hummed.
He looked at the blood sphere, at Li Wuji, and at the giant human face that was coalescing.
Then he smiled.
Extremely pale.
Extremely cold.
"it is good."
"Then... I'll break it for you."
He suddenly raised his sword.
The sword tip pointed directly at the center of the blood cell.
The golden flames surged.
The entire sword seemed to transform into a small sun.
"Tian Gang—"
"cut!"
A flash of sword light erupted.
A blindingly bright golden sword beam tore through the sky.
Wherever the sword's light passed, the mist evaporated instantly, and a ditch tens of feet long was cleaved in the river, with water splashing back.
The sword's edge pointed directly at the blood orb.
The tenth illusory face suddenly opened its eyes.
A human face with its mouth open.
A silent roar.
The tenth layer of chains on the surface of the blood cell grew wildly, like countless blood-red pythons lunging at the sword's edge.
The two sides are about to collide head-on.
At that very moment—
Li Wuji's expression suddenly changed drastically. He abruptly lowered his head.
Look at your chest.
There, an extremely thin golden thread had silently slipped into his blood mist without anyone noticing.
The gold thread was extremely fine, yet it carried a familiar feel.
Heavenly Qi.
Li Wuji's pupils suddenly contracted.
"What...when is this?!"
He looked up sharply.
He looked at Zheng Yi.
A very faint smile appeared on Zheng Yi's lips.
The voice was very soft, yet it reached his ears clearly:
"From the moment you appeared."
The gold price suddenly surged.
Countless golden threads exploded from Li Wuji's body.
Those fine threads coiled around his meridians, dantian, and soul, like a golden net, threatening to strangle him to death.
Li Wuji's face instantly turned ashen.
He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The blood mist trembled violently.
The phantom face on the tenth floor contorted in pain.
The cracks on the surface of the blood cells expanded rapidly.
Li Wuji gripped the bone staff tightly, his voice hoarse:
"Dark Night...you...you dare to..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
The golden threads had already wrapped around his dantian.
Inside his dantian, the nascent soul that was halfway through the tribulation struggled violently.
But the golden threads, like maggots clinging to bones, only tightened more and more.
Li Wuji's aura weakened rapidly.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Zheng Yi.
"I... have one last move..."
He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue.
He spat another mouthful of blood onto the bone staff.
The bone cane trembled violently.
The staff and the human head suddenly burst open with two streams of green fire.
Green flames shot into the sky.
It coalesced into a blurry, illusory shape in mid-air.
The phantom was extremely tall and enormous, like an ancient demon god.
The demon opened its mouth.
A silent roar.
An indescribable aura of terror erupted from the phantom.
This aura even caused the twelve Mahayana cultivators below to groan simultaneously and take several steps back.
Shen Changyuan, who was at the very back of the group, suddenly frowned.
"This is... a sacrifice of Li Wuji's life soul?!"
Zheng Yi was suspended in mid-air.
Golden flames entwined the sword.
He stared at the phantom image of the demon god.
Looking at Li Wuji's increasingly pale face.
Seeing the blood constantly gushing from the corner of his mouth.
Looking at the last trace of madness and determination in his eyes.
Zheng Yi suddenly laughed.
Extremely pale.
Extremely cold.
"Li Wuji".
"You still have the strength... to sacrifice your life soul?"
Li Wuji was panting heavily.
The voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
"Even if I die today, I will drag you down to hell with me!"
The phantom of the demon god slowly raised his hand.
A giant hand blotted out the sky and the sun.
He slammed his fist down on Zheng Yi's head.
A crimson vortex appeared in his palm.
It seemed as if countless wronged souls were wailing, struggling, and roaring within the vortex.
Zheng Yi looked up.
The sword tip pointed directly at the giant hand.
The golden flames surged.
He seemed to transform into a golden shooting star.
Facing the giant palm.
It rushed straight up.
The two sides are about to collide.
At that very moment—
Li Wuji suddenly swayed.
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood.
The blood mist surged violently.
The demonic phantom suddenly froze.
Li Wuji's face was ashen.
His breath weakened rapidly.
He stared intently at Zheng Yi.
The last glimmer of madness in his eyes gradually faded.
Instead, there was extreme exhaustion and... resentment.
"Dark night..."
His voice was weak, but it carried a deep-seated hatred:
"You... won this round..."
"But I... still have..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
The blood mist suddenly contracted violently.
It felt like something was forcibly pulled away.
The phantom of the demon god also distorted.
The giant hand stopped in mid-air.
No more falling.
Li Wuji swayed.
The bone staff fell to the ground.
It made a crisp sound.
He slowly knelt down.
His knees slammed onto the platform at the top of the tower.
It smashed out two deep craters.
He looked up.
He looked at Zheng Yi.
The last glimmer of light in his eyes was fading.
"My... trump card... isn't finished yet..."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
That laughter was tinged with blood.
With madness.
With... a kind of impending despair.
Zheng Yi was suspended in mid-air.
The sword tip was still pointing at Li Wuji.
Golden flames flickered on the sword.
He looked at Li Wuji.
Looking at that pale, almost transparent face.
Looking at those eyes that were about to lose their luster.
He suddenly spoke.
The sound was very soft.
Yet it reached everyone's ears clearly:
"Li Wuji".
What other cards do you have up your sleeve?
Li Wuji did not answer.
He simply raised his right hand slowly.
Palms facing up.
In the center of the palm.
A tiny blood-red rune slowly emerged.
The rune was only the size of a fingernail.
Yet it exuded an aura that made everyone's heart tremble.
The runes flashed.
Blood suddenly flowed backward from the corner of Li Wuji's mouth.
It flowed back into his body.
His aura... began to slowly recover in a very short time.
Extremely slow.
But it's real.
Zheng Yi's pupils contracted slightly.
"This is……"
Li Wuji slowly stood up.
The movements were extremely slow.
Like a puppet about to fall apart.
He looked at Zheng Yi.
His voice was hoarse, yet carried a hint of manic laughter:
"I... have been in seclusion for 327 years."
"How could... there only be the Nine Nether Soul Suppressing Tower?"
"This talisman... is called—"
"Blood sacrifice to take someone's place."
"Today... I will use my life... to exchange for your life!" (End of Chapter)