The True Lord has arrived

Chapter 322 Crimson Ritual, Surging Killing Intent

At this moment, Zhou Yan's essence, energy, and spirit were all condensed into one, as if he had truly cultivated for three hundred years. With a thought, the Gengjin sword energy circulated, much more smoothly than before.

The figure lurking in the shadows, seemingly harboring intense killing intent towards him, was completely unprepared for this change. Before he could react, a sword aura rushed towards him. Startled, he activated his magic, and a layer of blue light, resembling water mist, appeared.

The Geng metal sword energy cleaved and slashed.

The mist dissipated almost immediately.

The innate Geng metal energy breaks the energy and the method!
Zhou Yan's eyes gleamed with golden light as he immediately spotted the retreating entity. At first glance, it appeared no different from a human, but its skin was a pale white with a pearly luster, its pupils would slightly contract in the dark, and faint phosphorescent scales would appear on the side of its neck.

As the assassin retreated, he left a trail of moisture, a knife in his hand. Zhou Yan's figure transformed into a shadow, instantly covering dozens of feet and appearing beside the assassin.

Escape Technique - Layers of Light and Shadow!
Snapped!
The moment Zhou Yan appeared, his hand reached out to grab the assassin. The latter's curved blade slashed out in a strange way, like a turbulent sea with surging undercurrents. The water elemental power gathered and transformed into several snakes, which pounced on Zhou Yan's vital points from behind.

A crimson ripple spread across Zhou Yan's body.

The ripples suddenly expanded!

The eight-armed, seven-fold Buddha form unfolded instantly, then contracted.

This is a method of using the Dharma form learned from the Golden Heavenly King. It is released and then withdrawn immediately, with little consumption. However, the ripples that burst forth in an instant were enough to shatter those water snakes and turn them into water elemental energy.

! ! ! !
The Dharma form, primarily composed of fire and earth, exuded a terrifying intensity. The power of the drought demon fire it had once possessed caused the assassin's skin to crack, giving him a sense of dread as if he had encountered his natural enemy.

At the same time, Zhou Yan's hand changed, and he tapped the assassin's curved knife.

"Let go!"

The assassin growled, his swordsmanship becoming increasingly unpredictable, like the raging waves of a stormy sea. His moves were fierce, his energy and magic power mingling as he slashed layer upon layer. Zhou Yan, however, had no interest in wasting any more time. He took a half-step forward and clenched his fist.

boom--!
In this land, the power of the Central Pillar Mountain blesses this body.

Ripples spread around Zhou Yan, as if the entire space was trembling. Then, he calmly threw a punch, the most basic level punch, but Zhou Yan carried the power of the central pillar of this world.

The mountain god's inherent power told him intuitively that this was the right approach.

With a single punch, the layers upon layers of blade light, like waves, solidified instantly, and then shattered at an even faster speed. The shattered light then mixed into the concentrated momentum of the punch, fiercely striking back.

The assassin had never expected such an outcome. His expression changed drastically, and he could no longer conceal himself. A flash of spiritual light and water-like brilliance appeared, and his eyes transformed into a complete crystalline structure, like the finest black jade or amber. Gill slits appeared behind his ears, and translucent webbed membranes grew between his fingers.

Its entire body is covered with fine scales that change color with the environment, shimmering with a deep blue luster under the moonlight.

With his arms crossed in front of him, the force of the energy blasted cracks into his scales.

That's how they barely managed to block the attack.

Gasping for breath, he lowered his arm, only to find that the human Taoist was no longer there. The next moment, five slender white fingers descended, tapping his head, and a calm voice said, "...Mermaid?!"

The Book of Natural History says: In the South China Sea there are mermaids who live in the water like fish, yet they do not stop weaving, and their eyes can weep pearls.

Zhou Yan read many books while in the Zhongnan Mountains.

The assassin roared and changed his move again, suddenly raising his arms to grab Zhou Yan's wrists. His mouth opened as if he was roaring, but no sound came out. Zhou Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and he noticed that his blood was starting to flow backward.

Controlling water flow?

The Dharma Realm? No, it's just racial innate bloodline.

However, it was truly like showing off one's limited skills before an expert.

Zhou Yan did not make a move. The merman assassin, relying on his instinctive talent, guided and controlled Zhou Yan's blood, intending to reverse the impact on his heart and directly shatter this human. However, the next moment, he found that he could no longer control and guide Zhou Yan's blood.

A peculiar ripple spread out!

[Shuiyuan Tongjian]!
Zhou Yan obtained the divine power of the Dharma Realm by slaying Qingyuanjun, the lord of the ancient Bagua Serpent. At this moment, he was unable to control the power of the water veins. The conditions for using this Dharma Realm were harsh, but these water creatures actually took the initiative to try to control Zhou Yan's bloodline, which was tantamount to courting death.

The elite merman assassin felt ripples in Zhou Yan's bloodline, and even his own blood was being controlled, flowing uncontrollably through his body. Zhou Yan spun around and landed behind the merman, shouting, "Get down!"

In an instant, this powerful merman coughed up blood and trembled all over.

Pale blue blood spurted from his scales.

He was severely injured in an instant and collapsed to the ground.

Struggling to get up, Zhou Yan stepped forward, raised his hand, and the Dragon Gallant Silver Spear, which had transformed into a long spear, appeared and was pressed against the merman's throat. The chilling aura caused the already seriously injured merman assassin to collapse there, unable to move.

Zhou Yan's moves were swift and ruthless, subduing the assassin in an instant. He then asked with an open mind, "South Sea merfolk? How could such aquatic creatures appear here?!"

Zhou Yan said, "It's just related to Gonggong."

The merman, having lost a lot of blood to Zhou Yan, was now dizzy and disoriented. Even with his magical power, he was helpless. He could only stare intently at Zhou Yan's left arm and sneered, "Despicable traitor, human, someone that the Great God Gonggong must kill. Even if you kill me, I will only return to the embrace of the Great God Gonggong."

"I won't tell you anything you want to know."

Zhou Yan said, "Is that so?"

"I have no intention of asking you these questions."

With a flick of his sleeve and a clench of his fist, the blood that had been guided out stopped flowing. With a thought, the scattered blue blood reversed and flew up, gathering in Zhou Yan's palm and turning into a ball of blood.

Zhou Yan's mind stirred slightly, and the jade scroll in his consciousness flipped open, leading to [Lord Qingyuan].

[Shuiyuan Tongjian]!
In ancient times, the tribe of Gonggong, the water god, recorded hydrological events!

Just by touching a single drop of water, one can trace its origins from the condensation of clouds and the flow of rivers, and even all the sights and sounds it has reflected—nothing can be hidden from its presence, all reside within the heart.

The merfolk assassin, seeing the wisps of blue light swirling around the young Taoist, recognized the divine nature attached to this move and exclaimed in disbelief, "You!!!"

Zhou Yan used the blood of the merman assassin to trigger the scene.

The scene was incomplete and fragmented, yet much could still be perceived. Images flashed before Zhou Yan's eyes, including one of an incredibly tall merman conversing: "...In ancient times, our clan's emperor, Cangming, sought immortality and made a deal with a human sorcerer, nearly endangering the entire clan. It was the great god Gonggong who helped us."

"The great god Gonggong was betrayed, and our people suffered greatly because of the beauty of women and the pearls formed from their tears... Now, it is our chance for revenge... In Langzhong, all forces that stand in our way will disappear."

"Only by sacrificing the blood of living beings can the seal of the Human Emperor be defiled!"

"An eye for an eye."

"Kill them, and liberate the Primordial Dragon-Turtle God..."

The image is blurry, and the fragmented pieces that follow are simply the result of this merman race leaving their homeland in the South China Sea and arriving in Langzhong, making preparations step by step, and finally accumulating strength. Before this, in Langzhong, there were [Shi] and [Li Yuanying], two enormous forces, as well as the Humanity Luck Array and the Dream Array.

The Gonggong clan, mainly composed of merfolk, had always been in a state of lurking and suppressed, silently lying in wait. But now, Li Yuanying's plan had been thwarted, and he had died. Both the Tengwang Pavilion Dharma Realm and the Dream Array had been broken.

At this moment, the largest remaining force in Langzhong is the remnant clan of Gonggong.

They must seize the opportunity!
Finally, only the frenzied roars and howls of these aquatic creatures remained. Kill! Kill! Kill!

The mermaid assassin before us was once innocent and naive in his youth. It wasn't until his mother was captured and tortured by a powerful clan in the South China Sea, leaving her to shed tears, that he became an assassin and came to earth.

He realized Zhou Yan's difference, struggled to speak, and roared, "You are also a water god, so you are also a follower of the great god Gonggong. Why, why are you helping them?"

Zhou Yan looked at him and said, "I am very sorry for what your family has gone through."

The merman assassin was slightly taken aback.

The next moment, the spear swirled like a dragon, piercing the mermaid's throat.

Blue blood continued to flow out. Zhou Yan said, "I may go and quell this matter, but your hands are stained with blood in Langzhong. In this matter, there is only one way: to kill."

The merman assassin stared at the Taoist priest enveloped in water-attribute divinity, at his signature [Water Element Chronicles] divine power, and said unwillingly, "Why..."

Zhou Yan drew his spear:

"I am a human."

The merman assassin's hand fell, and he died instantly.

It transformed into a water elemental jade talisman—Tear-Condensing Thorn.

A magical power that condenses water elemental energy, transforms it into tears, and then bursts forth at close range.

After killing someone, the blood and veins around that person can be condensed into pearls, a signature supernatural ability of merfolk assassins.

Before he died, he shed a tear, which turned into a blue-silver pearl. Zhou Yan raised his hand and summoned the pearl, which was about the size of a thumb's fingertip, hovering in his palm and emitting a faint glow.

Kaiming paused for a moment, then sighed deeply and said:

"The tear shed by the Xuan Guan of the Merfolk clan before his death, amidst extreme resentment and confusion, is mixed with blood and tears. It is a special treasure, and simply wearing it can enhance one's connection with the Water Element."

"It can be used to transform talismans, which can increase the power of the talismans; simply breaking it and absorbing it can also improve the resistance of water elements. It is a pretty good treasure. However, because of this, humans, demons, and even some mountain and river gods will capture merfolk, torture them, and then extract their tears."

"Only Gonggong protected them, which is why they were so loyal."

Zhou Yan looked at the single teardrop and clenched his fists.

The pearl shattered, transforming into pure water elemental power.

Zhou Yan circulated his Dao Foundation, absorbing the power of water element into himself. He vaguely sensed that his ability to sense water element had slightly improved, and his resistance to water-attribute spells had become stronger.

If he had enough of these treasures, he could even become immune to a certain degree of water-attribute magic.

Kaiming's lips twitched: "...I thought you would feel a little pity for the merfolk because of their plight."

Zhou Yan said, "They are one of the forces behind the calamity in Langzhong."

“Past tragedies do not justify wrongdoing.”

"Evil is evil, and it cannot be disguised by any legitimate reason. He killed me, so I will naturally kill him. I will not let this cause internal strife."

Zhou Yan looked at Li Pingyang and Yang Taizhen and quickly made a judgment, saying, "Pingyang, you two take Zhiwei back to recuperate. It seems that the Merfolk have another plan. Kaiming, let's go and take a look."

After discussing it, everyone decided to split up and act according to Zhou Yan's instructions.

Yang Taizhen was also at the fifth rank, and came from the Three Mountains overseas. Li Pingyang wielded Li Taibai's sword and had also received the inheritance, making him three times stronger than before. Zhou Yan reached out and gently pressed on Li Zhiwei's brow, leaving a mark.

Then, Kaiming and he headed towards the location in the merman assassin's memory.

At this moment, Langzhong seemed to be plunged into absolute darkness, with only the bright moon hanging high in the sky. After Zhou Yan and Kaiming arrived at that location, their noses twitched, and their expressions changed drastically.

"The smell of blood?!"

"Good weight!!!"

Zhou Yan's speed suddenly increased, and he saw two merfolk wearing scale armor carrying a corpse out. They were two children who were about fourteen or fifteen years old, and the blood almost soaked the ground.

Zhou Yan closed in instantly, and with just two moves, he directly blasted the throats of the two ordinary merfolk. The immense force sent their bodies flying backward, eliciting screams: "Who?!"

"what!!"

The two merfolk died while they were still in the air, as if they were two giant cannonballs that blasted into the merfolk, their flesh and blood exploding and sending the merfolk flying.

Zhou Yan saw everything ahead, and Kai Ming quickly arrived as well.

Kai-ming's expression changed drastically.

Ahead lies a ward in Langzhong, the capital of the Tang Dynasty. A ward in the Tang Dynasty typically consists of 500 to 1,000 households, with 5 people per household. This place could house at least 2,500 people. What you see now is a crimson mess, with men, women, and children lying on the ground, their blood soaking the earth. Inside the houses, mermaids are moving about.

They pierced people's bodies with their spears, ignoring their screams and cries, dragging them out, and even letting out bursts of cheerful 'laughter' while people were crying.

The blood on the ground outlined ancient characters that were both terrifying and grotesque, yet possessed a unique charm.

Zhou Yan recognized that it represented a sacrifice to the great god Gonggong.

Human blood sacrifice.

Beneath the massive wooden stakes, a child, perhaps only three or five years old, sat in a pool of blood, his face raised, weeping bitterly. As he cried, he pushed at the corpse beside him; the corpse's abdomen had been cut open, and its intestines were spilling out.

The child cried as he tried to stuff his parents' intestines back in.

This scene was reflected in Zhou Yan's eyes, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. For the first time in his life, intense anger and murderous intent tormented his heart, causing him to even experience a splitting headache.

The child cried, "Father, Mother!"

It felt as if a string in Zhou Yan's heart had snapped.

The merfolk spotted Zhou Yan and roared, "Kill him!!!"

In Langzhong, human blood sacrifices were performed...

Without the slightest hesitation, Kaiming, as the mountain god of Kunlun, should have treated humans and other sentient races equally. However, upon seeing this scene, Kaiming simply withdrew his hand, took a half step back, thought for a moment, and then activated the barrier.

Enlightenment has blocked the exit from this place.

Zhou Yan transformed his spear into a three-pointed, double-edged sword and stepped forward.

He suddenly charged forward.

"die!!!"

(End of this chapter)