Chapter 652 : Stellar Flames and the Blood Demon Cave

In the past, when The Vast Sea's Qing the True Lord allied with several Half-Step Primordial Spirit cultivators to launch an assault, they still could do nothing against him. Instead, they suffered a significant setback under his Heaven-Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Blade.

Thinking of this, Nine Rivers Daoist spoke up, "That Hemlock the Bloodweaver has not yet begun his breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit [the highest spiritual core of a cultivator]. Should we wait a while longer?"

"Unnecessary. We attack directly."

So saying, Alkaid, the Star Lord turned to the nine True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators] beside him. "I must trouble my nine junior brothers to take action."

The nine True Lord nodded. Each produced a resplendent Starry Treasure Orb. Astonishingly, every single one of these orbs was a Superior Grade Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier enchanted artifact].

"Starry Heavenly Flame Demon Refining Formation."

Eldrin Chen's heart stirred slightly, recognizing the origin of these nine precious orbs.

This Starry Heavenly Flame Demon Refining Formation was a Sixth Rank Formation [a powerful magical array]. Composed of nine Starry Treasure Orb, when jointly activated by nine Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators, it could draw upon the Nine Heavens Stellar Power [the celestial power of the highest heavens], transforming it into the fires of the Starry Heavens [the celestial realm of stars] to descend. It was said to be capable of incinerating anything.

It was said the power of this formation barely brushed the threshold of the Primordial Spirit realm. It was one of the Star Palace's Deep-Seated Foundation [core, foundational assets that ensure a sect's longevity].

As the nine cultivators worked in unison, boundless starlight cascaded down, transforming into magnificent stellar flames that bombarded the exterior of the Blood Demon Cave. In an instant, the entire Blood Demon Cave began to tremble violently. Official source: audio-novel`com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

"We're in deep trouble!"

Within the Blood Demon Cave at this moment, Desolation Morgrim, Pyroclast the Elder Demon, Fang the Elder Demon, and over a dozen other Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivators had gathered, each wearing expressions of horror.

Pyroclast the Elder Demon, gazing at the forces outside, said with a grave expression, "It's the people from the Star Palace. How have they returned so swiftly?"

"This is dire. Since the Star Palace has made its move, there will surely be a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme expert at the Nascent Soul realm] to obstruct the Dao. I fear we cannot hold them off for long."

The assembled Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivators all revealed looks of panic, their hearts already contemplating retreat.

Desolation Morgrim's gaze turned towards a figure seated at the head of the grand hall. With a solemn face, he asked, "Brother Darius, what is truly happening with Hemlock the Ancient Ancestor? Why, after three years in seclusion, is there still no sign of him attempting the breakthrough to Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, a realm beyond Nascent Soul]?"

Darius the Demon Fiend's expression was also grim. By all logic, after several years in seclusion, Hemlock the Bloodweaver should either have already broken through to Primordial Spirit or at least be manifesting the celestial phenomena that accompany such an attempt. Yet, after all this time, there was not the slightest ripple of activity.

Even though he was Hemlock the Bloodweaver's own son, he could not help but feel a profound sense of unease.

Yet, so fearsome was Hemlock the Bloodweaver's reputation that even he dared not entertain any treacherous thoughts. He thus sneered coldly and declared:

"Breaking through to Primordial Spirit is not an endeavor accomplished in a single day. My father has plotted for many years, and now is the critical moment. Your task is simply to hold off those fools from the Star Palace."

Seeing that Morgrim Wang still stood guard here, the demonic fiends, wary of Hemlock the Bloodweaver's authority, gritted their teeth and channeled Demonic Fiend Qi [the malevolent energy cultivated by demonic practitioners] to resist the Starry Heavens fire, though a sliver of retreat already flickered in their hearts.

The Starry Heavens fire, drawn down from the Nine Heavens Above [the highest celestial realms], rained upon the Blood Demon Cave in an unending torrent. After a full half-day of relentless bombardment, it had already worn away more than half of the Blood Demon Cave's protective shroud of Demonic Fiend Qi.

As the Demonic Fiend Qi neared the point of collapse, Desolation Morgrim could not contain his alarm. "The Demonic Fiend Qi can barely hold! Why hasn't Hemlock the Bloodweaver begun the Heavenly Soul [the process of drawing down celestial tribulation energy to forge one's Primordial Spirit] ascension yet?"

His words struck a chord, and the others immediately sensed that something was amiss.

By all logic, initiating the Heavenly Soul ascension now would leave even Desolation Morgrim with no time to attempt a breakthrough. To delay at this juncture was tantamount to courting death. Was Hemlock the Bloodweaver truly waiting to perish?

"Disaster! We have been deceived!"

Pyroclast the Elder Demon's expression shifted violently. Ignoring the presence of Morgrim Wang, he unleashed a thunderous palm strike that blasted open the entrance to Hemlock the Bloodweaver's secluded Cultivation Cave.

Within the shattered Cultivation Cave, there was no sign of Hemlock the Bloodweaver. All that remained was a single, blood-red, cicada-like husk.

"The Blood-Cicada Molting Art [a forbidden technique that allows a cultivator to shed their physical form like a cicada to evade calamity]," one of them hissed.

"The Tribulation-Substitution Path-Ascension Art [a profound and perilous method to use a tribulation's power to forcibly advance one's cultivation realm]," another realized with dawning horror.

A group of Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivator paled drastically, their faces etched with despair.

The Blood-Cicada Molting Art is an exceedingly profound life-preserving Great Divine Ability [a supreme mystical technique]. When paired with the rare Blood Cicada [a mystical insect of profound metamorphic power] found in the Heavenly Layers [the higher strata of the world], it allows the user to instantly flee across the Void [the empty space between realms] for hundreds of millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], even evading the perception of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator at the Nascent Soul realm].

As for the Tribulation-Substitution Path-Ascension Art, it is an exceptionally vile technique for transferring calamities.

The dozen or so Nascent Soul True Lord present, including Hemlock the Bloodweaver's own son, Morgrim Wang, had all unwittingly become the scapegoats for Hemlock the Bloodweaver's tribulation.

By having them bear his calamity in his stead, Hemlock the Bloodweaver could escape the divinations of the Human Race cultivators. When the time came for him to attempt his breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], the Human Tribulation [the karmic retribution faced by cultivators] would be largely mitigated, greatly increasing his chances of success.

"So that's it," someone gasped. "How ruthless of Hemlock the Bloodweaver! He dared to use even his own flesh and blood as a shield against fate." Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel*com.

Pyroclast the Elder Demon and the others were consumed by despair. They had gathered at the Blood Demon Cave, never imagining that Hemlock the Bloodweaver's heart was so black, that he had coldly calculated the doom of them all, his own son included.

Now, with Hemlock the Bloodweaver having shed his mortal coil via the Blood Cicada, they faced the Star Palace with nothing but a dead end before them.

"BOOM—"

The sky erupted with a deafening roar. Though potent, the Demonic Fiend Qi [malevolent demonic energy] shrouding the Blood Demon Cave was no match for the combined assault of the Starry Heavens fire and the gathered forces. It was finally, violently, torn asunder.

The Nascent Soul Demon Fiend [a powerful demonic cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul realm], seeing their sole barrier destroyed, could only flee in a frantic attempt to save their lives.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Alkaid, the Star Lord let out a cold laugh and unleashed a brilliant sword beam, cutting off the escape of Pyroclast the Elder Demon.

The others all sprang into action, surrounding the Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who use malevolent and unorthodox methods to cultivate power]. A great battle was imminent.

Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang charged directly toward Desolation Morgrim, intent on slaying this formidable foe from the outset. The tip of the Green Abyss Sword [a legendary enchanted blade] was likely on Desolation Morgrim's person, and Eldrin was determined to reclaim it.

At that very moment, the sky above blossomed with starlight. A figure, radiant as a Nine Heavens Star Fragment [a mythical ore said to be a shard of celestial stars], strode forth.

She was clad in a gown woven from starlight, and between her brows shimmered a stellar Dao Patterns [mystical sigils representing profound truths of the Dao]. Her presence alone seemed to dim the brilliance of even the Endless Mountain's Ronan.

"It's her."

In an instant, Eldrin Chen recognized her origins.

She was once the foremost of the Eastern Wastelands's Ten Great True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators at the Golden Core realm], hailed as the Eastern Wastelands's premier Nascent Soul [the realm of cultivation where one forms an independent spiritual entity] expert—Xuan Yue the Celestial Alchemist. Now, she was known as Dao Lord Merak [a title for a supreme expert who has comprehended a profound Dao path].

At this moment, Xuan Yue the Celestial Alchemist [a powerful alchemist and cultivator] furrowed her brow slightly. With a graceful motion of her fair hand, she tore open the Majestic Mountain Range [a vast and imposing chain of mountains]. Within the Demon Cave [a cavernous lair of demonic beings], she beheld a single Blood Cicada [a mystical insect associated with blood and rebirth].

"The Blood Cicada [a mystical insect associated with blood and rebirth] Molting Technique."

"Was it the Blood God Ancient Fiend [a powerful and ancient demonic cultivator]?"

Xuan Yue the Celestial Alchemist [a powerful alchemist and cultivator]'s gaze turned icy, an infinite tide of killing intent surging forth from her heart.

To execute the Blood Cicada [a mystical insect associated with blood and rebirth] Molting Technique, one required a Netherworld Blood Cicada [a rare and sinister variant of the Blood Cicada] as a medium.

The true form of that Netherworld Blood Cicada [a rare and sinister variant of the Blood Cicada] was the Heavenly Mountain Snow Cicada [a cicada of pure spiritual essence found on sacred peaks], a Spiritual Object [an object imbued with potent spiritual energy] of immeasurable value. Only through a specific, esoteric method could it be transformed into a Blood Cicada [a mystical insect associated with blood and rebirth].

Within the entire Purple Realm [a vast and mystical cultivation world], aside from the Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor [a progenitor of demonic blood cultivation] who was slain long ago by Jiang the Sovereign Emperor [a legendary emperor and cultivator], the only one who knew this technique was the Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor [a progenitor of demonic blood cultivation]'s disciple, the Blood God Ancient Ancestor [a powerful and ancient demonic cultivator].

Only such a Supreme [a classification for the highest tier of techniques] Demonic Path [the collective practices and factions of demonic cultivation] secret art could deceive the eyes of the Star Palace [a powerful celestial organization] and allow escape from their surveillance and divinations.

"To think he actually escaped."

Xuan Yue the Celestial Alchemist [a powerful alchemist and cultivator]'s elegant brows knitted together. She raised her hand, and a cascade of starlight descended. Apart from Desolation Morgrim [a powerful demonic cultivator] and a few other Nascent Soul Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Nascent Soul cultivation realm] experts who barely managed to preserve their wretched lives, the remaining Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who cultivate using demonic or unorthodox methods] all perished in violent, bloody demise.

Simultaneously, in a Blood Cavern deep within the Depths of the Eastern Domain Great Wilderness, an elder clad in a robe of congealed darkness opened his eyes and let out a chilling, unnatural laugh.

"Heh heh heh... The Tribulation-Substitution Path-Ascension Art [a forbidden art that allows one to evade heavenly tribulation by transferring its calamity onto another] is complete. My path to immortality is now assured." Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audi0-n0vel.c0m.