The Blood Pool and the White Bone Banner

It was as if heaven and earth had shattered. When the Asura King's thirteen divine ropes smashed the enormous stone door deep within the underground palace, a horrifying wave of energy surged forth like an ocean overturning mountains, shaking the entire space continuously as if it would overturn the cosmos itself.

The kings staggered backward; not one was unaffected. The Asura King bore the brunt of it most directly. Profound and unfathomable as his power was, facing the overwhelming force of the seal, he was still shaken and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The mighty sealing energy raged for a full half hour before slowly subsiding.

The underground palace was deathly still. None knew how many ages had passed before someone finally opened the stone door today. Everywhere lay withered bones.

The Asura King was the first to step inside; the other kings, unwilling to fall behind, rushed forward with all speed.

Crack, crack, crack.

The bones stretched white and endless throughout the hall. As the kings charged in, they trampled over them, producing a chilling, hair-raising sound.

Suddenly, from within this silent palace, a ghastly wail like a demon's shriek erupted. All the white bones on the floor seemed to come alive; in an instant they stood upright and tore toward the kings.

This abrupt change startled everyone. The kings struck out, each displaying their divine arts. All kinds of godly techniques of devastating power blazed forth; countless beams of light rent the void, and the underground palace shimmered with flowing radiance.

The endless bones shattered and burst apart. Before the overwhelming combat power of the kings, not a single skeleton remained intact; almost all were reduced to white bone dust.

Dust filled the air like a heavy snowfall, piling thick on the ground.

Shuah, shuah, shuah—

Figures flashed in succession as the group rushed through the bone-dust-ridden region and flew deeper inside.

The underground palace was dark and gloomy, yet the surroundings were still discernible. When the twenty foreign kings reached the inner depths, they all shuddered—a sinister, deathly aura billowed toward them.

Ahead lay a river of blood, its roar like rolling thunder, surging past before their eyes. Yet until this moment, they had heard no sound; only as they drew near did the deafening noise suddenly assault their ears.

A yin wind howled, and great waves rose from the blood river, sweeping toward the assembly.

“Damn it! This place is cursed!”

One of the foreign kings cursed in fury and raised a hand to blast out a blaze of blazing light, only to find that it could not break the blood waves. Instead, a few drops of blood splashed onto his body.

“Ah…”

A scream of agony tore from him. The foreign king was in terrible pain; several bloody holes appeared on his body, pierced through front and back. The blood droplets that had struck him were corroding his flesh. It was a horrifying sight—a king at the Fish-Leap realm could not even withstand the erosion of the blood. One could imagine how terrifying the scene was.

Only when he resolutely carved out the corrupted flesh did the corrosion stop, leaving the wounds on his body even larger. Even a Fish-Leap realm foreign king could barely endure such agony, groaning in pain.

Everyone’s face changed color. Gazing at the blood river, they all showed expressions of disbelief.

“This is… the blood of a Sovereign! It can corrode all things under heaven!” the Death Spirit King cried out in shock.

The Zombie King nodded as well. “The vital blood of a peerless Sovereign can kill any expert below the Half-Ancestor realm!”

Both were kings of the death lineage; like the Skeleton clan, when they evolved to the highest level, they too would transform into undying Sovereigns, so they were deeply familiar with such secrets.

Everyone drew in a sharp breath. If a Sovereign’s blood flowed here, did that mean a Sovereign had fallen in this place? After so many years, his blood had not dried—still so terrifying—it was truly appalling.

Just then, from upstream of the blood river came a sound like an infant’s cry, jarringly incongruous within the underground palace and sending a chill up everyone’s spine.

Keke had been following at the very back. Hearing the infant cry, it showed a look of curiosity. Xiao Chen was not far from it; he quickly sent a telepathic message to the little creature, warning it not to act rashly.

The infant cry grew closer, as if right before their eyes. Yet no matter how they searched, they could not see anything.

“Playing tricks! What kind of evil spirit is this? Get out here!”

The Golden Giant King was hot-tempered. His enormous battle-axe, weighing tens of thousands of jin, gleamed with a sinister cold light as he swung it toward the depths of the blood river. Blood waves surged, and a vast, heaven-filling baleful aura exploded forth. Ten thousand bloody blossoms drifted down, and the kings recoiled as if from venomous serpents, retreating swiftly.

“Wuwu…”

The infant cry sounded once more, then vanished completely.

Every expert present had keen spiritual instincts. They all sensed that a great treasure lay upstream of the blood river, and they followed the river upward.

They soon reached the source of the blood river. There stood a blood pool ten zhang in circumference; all the blood water gushed forth from it. It seemed there was a blood spring there.

Even more astonishing was that within the blood pool, demonic clouds roiled, and at its center stood an altar—entirely built from skulls!

The altar blazed with brilliant light. Among the skulls were white, blue, purple, yellow, and even multicolored ones—no fewer than a thousand of them, combined to form this terrifying altar.

Even those not of the Skeleton clan understood what those multicolored skulls meant: they were super-evolutionaries, existences of formidable power. Especially the dozens of yellow-diamond and multicolored skulls—those were even more shocking.

But the most stunning and welcome sight was that at the top of the altar, built from translucent multicolored diamond bones, a white bone banner was thrust into it! The terrifying fluctuations it emitted made even Fish-Leap realm kings feel a tremor in their hearts.

No doubt—this was the great treasure of the underground palace!

More than twenty foreign kings had descended here, and every one of them was red-eyed. Some had already recognized this treasure: it was a supreme relic of the death lineage, the White Bone King Banner.

The foreign kings all erupted with powerful energy fluctuations. Every one of them wanted to claim it; a treasure of this level, if grasped, would dramatically boost one’s combat power.

“Hahaha…” The Asura King laughed heartily, his blood-red hair streaming wildly, the thirteen divine ropes in his hand clattering as he held them crosswise before his chest. “This king’s banner exists for me! It is mine!”

The Zombie King grew agitated at once. If this Heavenly King at the Perfected Man realm wanted to fight for it, few could stop him. He shouted, “Asura King, do not be too overbearing! This is our death lineage’s supreme mountain treasure—what has it to do with you?”

The Asura King smiled coldly, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “I say it is mine, so it is mine! If I disagree, what can you do about it?” His dominance was absolute, his killing intent filling the air; at the slightest provocation, he would strike.

The Death Spirit King quickly held back the furious Zombie King and stepped forward, saying, “Everyone knows that this treasure has nothing to do with the Asura clan. It was forged by the Skeleton clan’s ancestors. Asura King, do not go too far. Otherwise, so many kings here will not tolerate your recklessness.”

“Since it is the Skeleton clan’s supreme treasure, you two should say no more. Back off, or don’t blame me for showing no mercy and beating you both into nothingness—body and soul!” The Asura King’s words were chilling.

“Brother, come over and say a few words,” the Death Spirit King called to Xiao Chen at the back of the line.

Xiao Chen had no desire to be drawn into the vortex; he had come to fish in troubled waters. But now he had to show himself. Just then, the Asura King also noticed him. Pointing at him with a sinister look, the Asura King said, “I say this treasure is mine—what do you say?!”

Killing intent shot from the Asura King’s eyes like sharp swords, an outright threat. If Xiao Chen did not speak in his favor, he would likely strike without hesitation to kill.

Xiao Chen was unafraid. “Your words are worth less than nothing!”

At these words, all the other kings were greatly pleased. Many deeply hated the Asura King but dared not show it. Xiao Chen had spoken what they wished to say but dared not.

“You seek death!” The Asura King flew into a rage. The thirteen ropes in his hand suddenly expanded, thickening to the size of a bowl, clattering loudly like thirteen divine spears as they shot straight toward Xiao Chen.

“What are you waiting for?” Xiao Chen shouted at the several foreign kings who had earlier fought the Asura King in the underground palace. “Bring down the Asura King! I’ll give this king’s banner to all of you!”

Two foreign kings immediately responded and charged into the fray.

“Gentlemen, do not think of holding back. If you don’t eliminate the Asura King, none of you will get the king’s banner. Remember, he has already reached the Perfected Man realm—he is the greatest threat to everyone. We must kill him!”

Though his words smacked of incitement, they were also the truth. Several foreign kings struck together, going all out to destroy the Asura King.

“You insignificant ants dare to contend with me?!” The Asura King’s thirteen divine ropes shot out like ten giant pythons, sweeping in all directions, smashing the void, severing space, blocking every foreign king who rushed forward. None could approach.

The Death Spirit King and the Zombie King looked displeased. When they searched for Xiao Chen again, he was nowhere to be found. While everyone else focused on the altar in the blood pool, he had moved in the opposite direction.

Xiao Chen and the snow-white beast kept a certain distance, both moving away from the blood pool.

“You are a king of the Skeleton clan?” The Fallen Angel King had followed them. She looked at Xiao Chen with suspicion. “War King Jing Pu has fallen, yet you came through unscathed. I feel you are somewhat different from before…”

She had seen the genuine Yellow Diamond Skeleton King earlier, and now she harbored some doubt about Xiao Chen.

“Do you mean that because War King Jing Pu died, I should die too? What are you implying?” Xiao Chen stared at her coldly.

“Skeleton King, do not misunderstand. I mean no harm, hehe…” Here she let out a charming, seductive laugh. “I only feel that you are a little special.”

Suddenly, her expression changed, an incredulous look spreading across her face. “You… it’s you!”

“What are you talking about?” Xiao Chen watched her calmly.

“Do not try to hide it. I finally know who you are—unbelievable! The mysterious man wielding the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree is actually a Yellow Diamond skeleton!” The Fallen Angel King was utterly shocked; her captivating, seductive manner had completely vanished, replaced by a harsh tone.

“How did you find out?” asked Xiao Chen.

“Before entering the underground palace, I secretly placed a mark on the mysterious man wrapped tightly from head to foot. Now I sense it on you.” The Fallen Angel King stared coldly at Xiao Chen.

“So when you falsely accused me of killing War King Jing Pu and incited the kings to attack me, you had already set this trap. No wonder…”

But the Fallen Angel King unexpectedly broke into a charming smile again. “If I shout now, what do you think will happen? You have multiple identities. If I am not mistaken, you may be a powerful human of great origin, reborn from death… Let me guess who you really are.”

Xiao Chen snapped, “Knowing too much rarely leads to a long life.”

“Hehe…” The Fallen Angel King laughed so hard her body swayed. “How shocking. I think I may have already guessed your true identity. After all, over the past few decades, top young human experts can be counted on one hand. But do not worry, I can keep your secret—on one condition: you must listen to me and do a few things.”

“Unfortunately, I do not like negotiating with others… Take her!” Xiao Chen shouted, dashing forward at full speed.

The Fallen Angel King did not want to fight Xiao Chen to the death; she turned and fled toward the blood pool. But at that moment, a white light flashed and blocked her path. The snow-white beast had opened Paradise Lost, as if waiting for its prey to walk into the trap, and drew her inside.

“Keeping her alive will be of great use.”

The Five-Colored Peacock King was the first to reach the blood pool. He swept out with his Five-Colored Divine Light, trying to pull the king’s banner over, but to his surprise, it failed. The banner seemed rooted in place, firmly lodged in the skull altar, unmoving.

Gold charged toward the blood pool from another direction. With the help of the Peacock King, he leaped into the air, protected by the Five-Colored Divine Light, and rushed toward the banner, trying to grab it.

Yan Qingcheng and Ying Ying watched all this with tense attention.

Shuah—

Baleful energy shot up from the banner, instantly enveloping Gold.

“Ah…”

A bloodcurdling scream rang out. The golden demon ape king’s physical body collapsed on the spot. Golden light flickered several times in rapid succession, and Gold fled back. This was his innate divine ability—the Nine Lives Undying Body. In an instant, one life had been extinguished. If it had been any other foreign king, he would have surely perished body and soul.

Shuah, shuah, shuah—

Figures flashed. Aside from the few foreign kings locked in battle with the Asura King, all the other kings descended beside the blood pool, unleashing their divine arts to seize the banner on the altar.

Hss, hss, hss—

From the blood pool shot streaks of horrifying baleful energy, forcing all the kings back. Every one of them wore an ashen expression.

“Wuwu…”

The infant cry sounded once more. A blood lotus floated up from the pool, about the size of a millstone. On it sat a blood-red infant, scanning everyone present.

Every person he looked at felt a bone-deep chill. The blood infant’s gaze was extremely vicious, as if all the kings had been locked onto by a venomous serpent.

“How sinister! It is him causing the trouble!”

All the kings attacked him together, but what happened next was astonishing. The blood infant opened its mouth and spat out streaks of blood light, dissolving every divine technique and combat art.

The Asura King took in everything before him. He mocked the kings without mercy. His combat power was sky-shaking; now that he had reached the Perfected Man realm, he was nearly unkillable, so he cared nothing for their feelings.

“Clear the way! I will kill him!”

At that moment, the Golden Lion King appeared. From his left eye shot a terrifying beam of blood-red light, and from his right eye, a jet-black light. His left eye represented Destruction, his right eye, Reincarnation.

The void shattered under the blood light, and a reincarnation gate was fixed in the air by the black light. The powers of Destruction and Reincarnation converged toward the blood infant.

The blood infant seemed to understand the danger. Letting out a piercing shriek that set teeth on edge, it sank into the blood pool.

Phut, phut—

The blood light and black light struck the pool but dissolved without effect. The Golden Lion King soared into the air, flying toward the skull altar.

“Waa…” A sharp scream rang out. Blood light shot skyward as the blood infant emerged, spewing streaks of blood radiance that shot toward the Lion King. Moreover, it seemed no longer afraid of the Destruction Eye and Reincarnation Eye—it had been luring him in.

Just then, a blood-red battle spear suddenly appeared in the Golden Lion King’s hand—the Basde Ancient Spear. The terrifying fluctuations it emitted caused the blood pool below to seethe and boil.

Only then did the blood infant seem to feel fear, shrieking incessantly.

“The Basde Ancient Spear?!” The Asura King’s eyes flew wide. With a great roar, he shook off all his opponents and in an instant appeared above the blood pool. The thirteen divine ropes in his hand swept toward the Golden Lion King.

Boom, boom, boom—

Blood light surged to the heavens. The Basde Ancient Spear blazed with ten-thousand-zhang radiance. The Golden Lion King clashed head-on with the Perfected Man realm Asura King. It was like a great earthquake; the entire underground palace shook violently. Had it not been sealed by ancient power, the whole palace would have shattered.

The Asura King battled the Golden Lion King. Heaven and earth trembled. Above the blood pool, it seemed the sky was caving in and the earth splitting apart. The blood infant even hid within the pool.

Meanwhile, the other kings seized the chance to strike, attacking the skull altar at the center of the blood pool.

Hss, hss, hss—

The sound of tearing air was continuous. A chaotic melee erupted.

“Ah…”

Screams rang out one after another. In an instant, the blood infant began to ambush. It pierced through one foreign king and dragged two more into the blood pool, where they quickly dissolved into white bones.

The blood infant’s strength exceeded all expectations; everyone was shaken. It seemed to have the power to contend with the Asura King.

The Zombie King and the Death Spirit King’s voices trembled as they involuntarily retreated.

“That… that is the blood soul of a dead Sovereign!”

“Yes, it must be the reborn blood soul of a Sovereign. Otherwise, how could it move freely within a Sovereign’s blood?”

“The blood pool is… a Sovereign’s vital blood!”

The two of them fell back, but the other foreign kings fought desperately for the prize, even Yan Qingcheng and Ying Ying joining the fray.

Among them, the strongest were the Golden Lion King, wielding the Basde Ancient Spear, and the Asura King, who had reached the Perfected Man realm. They fought fiercely with neither gaining the upper hand.

Meanwhile, the Five-Colored Peacock King displayed extraordinary ability. With a sweep of his Five-Colored Divine Light, he could brush away all things, and no foreign king could withstand him.

In the chaos of battle, the Asura King seemed to sense something. He suddenly let out a great shout and charged toward the altar.

There, the terrifying White Bone King Banner was actually beginning to sway. A tall figure materialized beside it—the War God King. At this critical moment, he finally revealed himself.

The Golden Lion King and the Five-Colored Peacock King also rushed forward at the same time, exchanging blows as they advanced. They had fought each other long ago in the Southern Wastes’ Heavenly Emperor City, and the Golden Lion King had emerged victorious.

But now the Five-Colored Peacock King possessed five primordial Chaos Feathers, having evolved to a terrifying level. The Five-Colored Divine Light was a peerless chaotic treasure, now barely able to match the Basde Ancient Spear.

The War God King finally pulled the White Bone King Banner from the altar and shook it violently. But for unknown reasons, the banner did not unleash any destructive power.

The Asura King, rushing over, shouted angrily, “War God King, dare you fight me? The victor takes the banner!”

“Ah…”

A piercing shriek came from the blood pool. The blood infant seemed to have gone berserk, severely wounding two foreign kings in quick succession, then flying out of the pool toward the War God King.

The War God King’s purple hair danced wildly as he was forced to meet the attack.

Boom!

The Asura King arrived, striking together with the blood infant from front and back, knocking the White Bone King Banner from the War God King’s grasp.

A flash of light, and the banner fell into the Asura King’s hands. Laughing heartily, he charged out of the blood pool and fled toward the palace exit.

Xiao Chen had been waiting in the underground palace. Though far from the battlefield, he had been watching everything. When the Asura King flew past, he emerged from the shadows and struck at him from behind.

Bam!

His bone palm landed squarely on the back of the Asura King’s head. With a sharp crack, the Asura King only stumbled forward, tumbling once—but he did not lose his head or die.

“You insignificant little ant—how dare you strike at me! You truly don’t know your place!” The Asura King turned around, his face full of contempt, then twisted into a ferocious, murderous grin.

Shuah—

At that moment, the snow-white beast opened Paradise Lost and cast it down from above.