Chapter 969 : The Vow of the Blood Spring

The Eastern Barrens Blood Spring [a legendary and perilous location], also known as the Boundless Sea of Blood [the Endless Crimson Ocean].

This Boundless Sea of Blood lies deep within the earth beneath the endless Eastern Barrens, a place of utter desolation for all living beings and one of the most terrifying forbidden lands within the Purple Seal Realm.

It is said this Blood Spring is a crucial nexus where the world's malignant energies [the corrupt and impure spiritual forces of heaven and earth] converge and accumulate. Within its depths, wicked specters and vengeful ghosts are constantly born, and on occasion, great demons gestate, destined to bring calamity upon the world.

Tens of millennia ago, a peerless Path Lord named Compassionate Ferry Path Master once dwelled within the Purple Seal Realm. His cultivation had touched the very edge of Creation [the primordial act of world-formation], and he sought to purify the Blood Spring, aiming to ascend to immortality through the accumulation of supreme Merit [virtuous karma accrued through great deeds].

At that time, the Compassionate Ferry Path Master entered the Eastern Barrens Blood Spring and made a grand vow: he would not ascend until the day the spring ran clear. Empowered by the will of heaven and earth, he attained a Path Fruit [the condensed essence of one's cultivated Dao] of near-immortal potency.

Thereafter, the Compassionate Ferry Path Master spent day and night wielding his supreme magical power, striving to completely refine the karmic obstructions [the accumulated negative karma and impurities] within the Blood Spring, to purify it to a state of absolute clarity and purity.

Yet, the Blood Spring is formed from the convergence of the world's filth-energies [the impure spiritual essence]. As long as the Purple Seal Realm exists and the myriad beings harbor impure thoughts, these foul energies will perpetually regenerate. To purify them utterly was nigh impossible.

The Compassionate Ferry Path Master sat in meditation for tens of thousands of years, attempting to use his great Dharma-power to liberate the spring. However, the world's filth-energies continuously bred anew, and in the end, he found it impossible to completely cleanse the Blood Spring.

Ultimately, even with the culmination of his lifelong efforts, the Compassionate Ferry Path Master's endeavor ended in failure. As his lifespan neared its end, he fell into a state of cultivation deviation [a dangerous loss of control over one's spiritual energy], driven mad. He sought to slaughter all living beings in the world, aiming to eradicate the very root source of the world's filth-energies.

Yet, given the glorious might of the Purple Seal Realm at that time, how could a mere Compassionate Ferry Path Master hope to defy heaven's will? Visit (audio-novel.com) to enjoy the complete series.

Several Immortal Path Lineage joined forces to strike, suppressing and slaying him within this Eastern Barrens Blood Spring.

The dying resentment of the Compassionate Ferry Path Master [a master of the compassionate path] never dissipated, merging into this blood spring. This caused its foul energy [corrupt and defiling spiritual essence] to grow increasingly terrifying and astonishing, transforming it into the most dreadful locus of defilement within the Purple Seal Realm.

Today, however, was different. A youth stepped silently into the boundless Sea of Blood.

"Heh heh heh!"

The moment the youth set foot into the Sea of Blood, a strange, cackling laugh echoed from the void.

From within the Boundless Sea of Blood, a figure condensed from fresh blood stepped forth through the air. It was none other than the long-missing Blood Demon Patriarch.

"In the past, the Compassionate Ferry Path Master cultivated to the very edge of Creation [the act of world-creation], yet failed to understand that the foul energies of heaven and earth are themselves one aspect of the Polarity Dual Energy [the fundamental duality of cosmic forces, like light and dark, purity and corruption]."

"It is like the great Cosmos itself. Even in a world where the Immortal Path [the righteous path of cultivation] flourishes, the Demonic Path [the corrupt and destructive path] can never be wholly eradicated. It can only be suppressed, never utterly purged. How could it ever be completely purified?"

"This humble one has long since mended his ways and turned from evil. I no longer harm the myriad spirits of this world. Why must you, young fellow Daoist, press so relentlessly?"

Alistair Ye listened quietly, his longsword cradled in his arms. A trace of serene detachment flickered in his eyes as he calmly shook his head at the words of the Blood Demon Patriarch.

Having cultivated under Eldrin Chen for millennia, Alistair Ye had, almost imperceptibly, ascended to the level of a Primordial Solar Path Lord. He was no longer the unpolished talent of yesteryear.

"There is some merit to your words,"

"Yet, before this journey, my master offered guidance."

Alistair Ye offered a faint smile, his gaze settling calmly upon the Blood Demon Patriarch before him as he shook his head. "My master taught that the Polarity Dual Energy [the fundamental opposing energies of the cosmos] coexist within heaven and earth, yet they bear no inherent distinction of good or evil."

"However, the Defiled Energy [a corrupted, impure form of spiritual energy] is a later-born affliction. Though it belongs to the Polarity [the principle of dualistic forces], it excels at clouding the mind and heart. To restore the natural order, one must return to the source, to the Pure Lunar Energy [the pristine, cleansing essence of the moon]. Only then can the eternal cycle of heaven and earth be sustained."

Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon Patriarch's expression twisted into one of savage fury. "So, Eldrin Chen truly refuses to spare this old man?" he snarled.

"Wretched fiend!"

Alistair Ye's eyes sharpened like honed blades, and his voice finally thundered with righteous wrath. "You have plagued this world for countless years. Today, I shall vanquish this demon in my master's stead and cleanse the Purple Seal Realm [a major cultivation realm] of its corruption, restoring it to its true source!"

"With just you?"

The Blood Demon Patriarch let out a derisive sneer. From the churning depths of the vast Sea of Blood, countless crimson phantoms surged forth. One after another, Blood God Avatar [manifestations of the Blood God's power] took to the skies, their numbers seeming endless.

A full nine Blood God Avatar [a powerful avatar formed from condensed blood essence and demonic power] of the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of cultivating one's primordial spiritual core] soared into the air, surrounding Alistair Ye completely and sealing off all avenues of escape.

The Blood Demon Patriarch seemed utterly confident of victory, a cold sneer twisting his lips as he spoke, "If your master himself were to come, this old man would naturally turn and flee without a second thought."

"But you are merely a junior. How dare you act so arrogantly before me?"

"Today, this Patriarch [a title for a venerable clan or sect leader] shall capture you. Let us see if that That upstart Eldrin still dares to be so insolent!"

As the Blood Demon Patriarch's words fell, the nine Blood God Avatar lunged forward in unison, their bloody auras converging to seize Alistair Ye.

Yet, Verdant Edge Ye remained unmoved. He simply held a single sheet of pristine white paper in both hands and gently offered it forth. Original publication: *audio-novel.com* - The source of this chapter.

"Master, I beseech you to act!"

"*Hummm—*"

Only then did the Blood Demon Patriarch notice that upon that sheet of paper was written but a single, stark character: Slay.

A mere slip of paper, a single word, yet within it brewed an astonishingly profound Sword Intent [the conceptual will and sharpness embodied by a master swordsman]. Even before it was unleashed, its overwhelming Sword Intent congealed the very void, freezing all things in place as if time itself had stopped.

It turned out that Eldrin Chen had infused a wisp of his own Sword Intent [a cultivator's concentrated will and concept of the sword, given tangible form] into that single written character.

This Sword Intent contained half the might of Eldrin Chen's full-powered strike. While it could not claim to slay all Nine Heavens Celestial Immortals and Demons with a single character, it was a force no power of the Mortal Realm could hope to withstand.

Its sole flaw was that mere paper could not truly seal such a peerless Sword Intent. Within a hundred days, the Sword Intent within would dissipate completely, rendering it useless as a lasting legacy for the clan.

Yet even so, it was more than enough to slay a single Demigod Patriarch!

"*Screeeech—*"

A sword cry that could sunder heaven and split earth rang out, and a blade-light of unparalleled brilliance erupted.

In that instant, the Blood Demon Patriarch's heart quailed, a nameless sense of mortal peril flooding his mind.

Alas, it was too late to flee. The Sword Intent of the Immortal-Slaying God-Slaying technique suppressed all. Before the Blood Demon Patriarch could even form a second thought, his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest form of a cultivator's consciousness] was extinguished by the sword's stroke.

The stroke annihilated everything, utterly destroying the Blood Demon Patriarch along with all nine of his Blood God Avatar [manifestations of power created from blood and demonic energy]. Not a single wisp of remnant soul escaped to find life anew.

To the very end, the Blood Demon Patriarch, that supreme existence of the Primordial Spirit 9th Tier, did not utter a single cry.

A peerless prodigy of the Demonic Path, the greatest demonic sovereign the Purple Seal Realm had seen in thirty thousand years, yet he could not withstand a single strand of Sword Intent [a concentrated will and energy manifested as a blade's edge] from Eldrin Chen.

From beginning to end, Eldrin Chen had not even deigned to appear in person. He had merely sent Alistair Ye with a blank sheet of paper.

"Our master's power is supreme," Alistair Ye murmured, a note of awe in his voice. "I fear it rivals even that of an Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation] who has weathered the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly lightning that refines a cultivator's body and soul]."

Witnessing the demise of the Blood Demon Patriarch, Alistair Ye could not help but sigh deeply.

He then strode towards the depths of the Sea of Blood. A sudden, profound inspiration struck him like lightning. He rose to his full height and, facing the heavens and the earth, swore a solemn oath.

"Let the heavens and the earth bear witness! I, Alistair Ye, hereby swear the Oath of Reincarnation [a binding vow that transcends lifetimes, its power woven into the cycle of rebirth]."

"I vow to dedicate the entirety of my power to purifying the foul energies of the blood springs within the Purple Seal Realm. So long as a single drop of this tainted power remains, I shall not ascend to immortality."

"Only when the blood springs run clear as mountain water shall I tread the Great Path [the ultimate Dao of cultivation and enlightenment] to immortality!"

"BOOM—"

As Alistair Ye's words faded, a profound, intangible will—the consciousness of the world itself—cast its gaze down from the Nine Heavens Above.

In the silence that followed, a torrential cascade of Pure Light of Merit [a divine radiance born from accumulated virtuous deeds] descended from the Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realms], completely enveloping Alistair Ye.

Alistair Ye closed his eyes, immersing himself in the power of the Pure Light of Merit. After a profound moment of introspection, he slowly opened them again, his gaze now clear and serene.

"My gratitude for your guidance, Master," he said with a bow. "This disciple has attained understanding."

For in that very instant, a sudden flash of divine insight had illuminated Alistair Ye's mind, revealing to him the true nature of his destined opportunity. Continue reading this story at audio_novel.com.