In the Underworld, Qing Xuan Daoist opened his eyes and sighed, "It is time."
Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang, who were by his side, bowed and asked, "What does Your Excellency mean?"
Qing Xuan Daoist chuckled and said, "It's fine to tell you. Although I am a great power of heaven and earth, I will never reach the pinnacle in this life. Do you know why?"
Bai Wuchang's eyes widened, and he asked, "Great powers of heaven and earth are already formidable. Not reaching the pinnacle still means you are a renowned figure in one region."
Hei Wuchang quickly glared at Bai Wuchang and said with a smile, "Your Excellency's cultivation is immense. We truly do not know."
Qing Xuan Daoist said with a faint smile, "Because I am merely a clone."
"What?" Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang were greatly shocked.
They had been in the Underworld for tens of Yuanhuis, always believing that they were following the Lord of the Underworld. But they never expected that such a powerful being would be a mere clone.
"Let's go, come with me for a journey."
Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Northwest of the Sea of Blood, outside the ancestral land of the Bloodworm Tribe, countless insectoid creatures were desperately devouring countless humanoid monsters from the east.
These monsters were bloodthirsty, fearless of death, born to kill, and slayed all living beings they saw.
In the sky above the Sea of Blood, the Bloodworm Tribe's ancestral treasure, the Innate Wind Fan, hovered at a height of ten thousand zhang, casting a long wind curtain. Within the curtain, powerful gusts of wind tore apart countless monsters, greatly easing the pressure on the Bloodworm warriors.
Beside the fan, Luo Hua, the newly promoted Grand Unity of the Bloodworm Tribe, wielded the fan.
In front of her stood five Grand Unity cultivators of the same tribe.
The Bloodworm Tribe, once the foremost tribe below the seven great royal clans, possessed a foundation no weaker than the seven great royal clans, even far surpassing the current eight great royal clans, like the Xishan Snake Clan. Their only lack was an ancestor who was a great power of heaven and earth.
Luo Gong stared with a somber expression at the God of Slaughter ten thousand zhang away.
In the past thirteen Yuanhuis, the seventeen tribes of Xietian had been annihilated one by one, five Grand Unity Golden Immortals had fled heavily wounded, and the Great Power of Heaven and Earth of the Qilin Clan could only fight him to a standstill within the Sea of Blood.
Only the Grand Unity cultivator of the Blood Sky Youdie Clan remained, who had formed a Dao companion with this God of Slaughter.
This God of Slaughter, using his innate blood-path divine abilities, had created countless blood spirit monsters that existed solely for slaughter. He conquered the Sea of Blood, killing without mercy, unifying the northeast, southeast, and southwest of the Sea of Blood. Now, only the Bloodworm Tribe in the northwest remained.
This God of Slaughter then proclaimed himself ancestor, calling himself Patriarch Minghe, and enfeoffed his Dao companion Wu Mo as Celestial Consort. He also had four Great Blood Generals: Indra, Vishnu, Rudra, and Ghost Mother, whose names were known far and wide.
Minghe looked at Luo Gong with bloody eyes. "Luo Gong, disperse the Bloodworm Tribe and seek refuge elsewhere."
Luo Gong's face was grim. "Minghe, you are too arrogant! Our tribe is at least the foremost tribe among the eight great royal clans that are subordinate to the Dragon Clan's myriad clans. If you cannot do anything to me, can't the Dragon Clan?"
Minghe sneered, "The Sea of Blood is remote and a place of earthly filth. I am not of the Qilin or Phoenix tribes. This is an internal conflict, and the Dragon Clan will not easily interfere, otherwise how would all the tribes in the world view the Dragon Clan?"
He then turned and smiled, "Wu Mo, isn't this Luo Gong the enemy you have always longed to avenge? Today, you can repay your great enmity."
Wu Mo chuckled, alluringly beautiful. "Then thank you, my husband."
Minghe's smile faded as he drew his formidable weapon, the Abi Sword. This sword was a hundred times more ferocious than when it first appeared, testament to the immense karmic sin it had created!
Behind Luo Gong, the four Grand Unity cultivators couldn't help but change color. The names Abi and Yuantu were truly terrifying.
An old man couldn't help but sigh, "Luo Gong, why don't we migrate our tribe? With our foundation, why worry about having no place to settle?"
Luo Hua said with a heavy heart, "But if we leave the Sea of Blood, can our tribesmen continue to thrive? Though the world is vast, the Sea of Blood is unique!"
Luo Gong said sternly, "With the enemy before us, how can we falter before the battle?"
With that, his body erupted in blood-red light, his cultivation at the eighth layer of Grand Unity fully displayed. His overwhelming aura clashed with Minghe's.
Minghe sneered, "Overestimating yourself!"
He drew the Abi Sword and unleashed a thousand sword lights, dazzling and filling the heavens and earth with purple. A primal fear descended upon their hearts. A top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and a supreme treasure of the slaughter path, what might it possess?
Luo Gong's expression shifted slightly. He raised his long saber, transforming it into a million-zhang blade. The saber strike was like splitting the heavens and earth, bringing death to a vast expanse.
"Boom~"
Purple light and blood-red light intertwined and scattered. Minghe smiled calmly, while Luo Gong's hands trembled slightly. The surging blood within him reverberated, but he forcefully suppressed it, refusing to spit out blood. Nevertheless, he retreated three steps, shattering three voids.
Minghe laughed, "Luo Gong, you are indeed remarkable, but unfortunately, you are bound by your tribe. Today, let me measure your strength."
With that, he moved again, sword in hand.
Luo Gong felt bitterness welling up in his heart. This one strike had made him clearly see the gap. The opponent was not much different from a great power of heaven and earth.
Just then, a golden bell sound echoed from the Sea of Blood, its sound resonating with their souls. Countless blood spirit monsters and Bloodworm warriors fell into a deep slumber.
Two lights, one black and one white, descended and positioned themselves between Minghe and the Bloodworm Tribe.
The six Grand Unity cultivators of the Bloodworm Tribe felt a surge of joy in their hearts.
Minghe sneered and asked, "Who dares to trespass?"
From within the black and white light emerged two young men wearing black and white robes, crowned with tall, long hats.
The one in black held a soul-hooking chain, and the one in white held a soul-binding rod.
"Under the command of the Lord of the Underworld, Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang."
Patriarch Minghe scoffed, "Mere Taiyi cultivators, on what authority do you dare to be so presumptuous?"
Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang said in unison, "We act on behalf of the will of the Earthly Dao's Lord of the Underworld. All beings within the Underworld must abide by the Lord's decree."
Patriarch Minghe's eyebrows twitched. "I have heard that a great power beyond the Sea of Blood has demarcated the Sea of Blood from the Underworld. Does he intend to govern the Underworld and also interfere in the affairs of my Sea of Blood?"
Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang said, "Patriarch Minghe, our Lord has decreed that the Sea of Blood is a place of extreme Yin and filth within the Primordial World. The Nine Nether Sea of Blood is naturally subordinate to the Netherworld."
Patriarch Minghe's eyes narrowed, and he said with a leering smile, "This Lord of the Underworld intends to swallow my Sea of Blood? Then I would like to see what ability he possesses to claim it!"
Hei Wuchang felt a flutter of panic in his heart, but his face remained calm. "Our Lord was once the guardian deity of the Azure Dragon Ancestor of the Dragon Clan."
Bai Wuchang added, "Our Lord is the God of the Four Seasons of the Primordial World, in charge of the celestial phenomena."
Upon hearing this, Patriarch Minghe's raised hand paused slightly. He was lawless, but that didn't mean he didn't know his limits. The Primordial World was vast, with many great powers, and he could distinguish between those he could provoke and those he couldn't.
Minghe sneered, "Even with his immense power, to send just two Taiyi cultivators to stop me is simply too audacious."
"Clang~"
The golden bell rang, and a vast red light came from the east.
Hei Wuchang and Bai Wuchang immediately bowed with utmost respect. "We welcome the Lord of the Underworld's arrival."
The Grand Unity cultivators of the Bloodworm Tribe beside them couldn't help but sigh. Such loyal and devout subordinates were truly rare.
Moreover, despite being mere Taiyi cultivators, they inexplicably gave off an aura of great presence, instantly elevating the occasion.
Wu Mo, standing beside Minghe, showed a hint of unease and transmitted mentally, "Husband, do not easily engage this senior Lord of the Underworld."
Minghe nodded upon hearing this and looked eastward.
Above the void, a flower bloomed, its color like blood. A road paved with vibrant and enchanting Shore-Crabapple flowers appeared. A figure in green robes strode forward.
"Minghe, show mercy where mercy can be shown. The annihilation of the seventeen Xietian tribes is done. The Bloodworm Tribe, as a subordinate of the Dragon Clan, must not be touched."
Minghe looked at the figure standing taller than him, who seemed to look down on him from a great height. Discontent began to brew in his heart.
"Senior, although you are the Lord of the Underworld, this is an internal affair of the Sea of Blood. The Dragon Clan should not interfere."
Qing Xuan Daoist said with a faint smile, "We are both called 'Ming', but I am the 'Lord' and you are the 'River.' Do you still not understand?"
All the Grand Unity cultivators were startled. These words were indeed too harsh, so harsh that they stripped away a person's facade, and with blood to boot.
Upon hearing this, even with his excellent temperament, Minghe could no longer control himself. His face flushed red and he exclaimed, "Presumptuous! Do you think too highly of yourself!"
Before his words even fell, he had already attacked.
The sky was enveloped in purple energy and red light, and the ultimate killing weapon transformed into billions of sword lights. The fear of life and death covered the entire northwest of the Sea of Blood, and countless beings prostrated themselves in unease, weeping in panic.
The Yuantu and Abi swords, carrying endless killing intent, struck forth. Empowered by the might of the Sea of Blood, even great powers of heaven and earth would have to retreat.
Qing Xuan Daoist shifted his foot, and myriad Shore-Crabapple flowers bloomed, then withered and scattered their petals. A sword rose in mid-air, and red flowers filled the sky. The flowers and the sword existed, the flowers bloomed and perished, in an instant and yet for eternity.
The sword light dissipated, and the Dao of Flowers still stood with the figure in green. However, countless petals rained down from the sky.
Minghe's expression moved. That sword strike had involved him using a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the combined power of the Slaughter Dao, and the authority of the Sea of Blood. Even great powers of heaven and earth would have to show respect.
Yet, the Lord of the Underworld before him had merely taken a step, crushing ten thousand sword lights.
Qing Xuan Daoist's face still held a faint smile. Although Minghe's cultivation at the tenth layer, coupled with his spiritual treasures and the authority of the Sea of Blood, was indeed powerful.
Unfortunately, he possessed the authority of the Earthly Dao.
The Sea of Blood rightfully belonged to the Earthly Dao. The will of the Earthly Dao's authority far surpassed the will of the Sea of Blood. No matter how powerful or heaven-defying Minghe was, he could not overcome him.