Chapter Eighty-Seven: Flight

The Hundred Blossoms Fairy was seized by a bone-chilling fear. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her figure vanished in an instant, darting back into the forest and away from Hundred Blossoms Town. She glanced back at the town. Two suns shone in the world, one blazing on earth and another burning fiercely in the sky. Even though she had fled ten miles from Hundred Blossoms Town, she could still feel that terrifying aura of blood. Her whole body felt unbearably hot, and the skin touched by that bloody energy was charred in large patches. Fortunately, she had escaped quickly; otherwise, she would have been dead or gravely wounded. Injuries from the Blood Refining Divine Power were almost impossible to heal, and the wounds to the soul were even harder to mend.

Waves of scorching heat continued to surge after her. The Hundred Blossoms Fairy dared not linger and fled swiftly. The Seed of Demon Suppression. The Demon Suppression Office had actually cultivated such a fearsome blood refiner. Seventh level of Blood Refining! Perhaps even higher.

“How did he cultivate such immense blood energy?” she wondered. “Could it be that the legendary Kunpeng essence blood of Eastern Shore City truly exists, and this Demon Suppressor has obtained it?”

A deafening roar—flames soared into the sky, engulfing Hundred Blossoms Town. The world's vital energy was set alight. The merciless fire devoured the entire town.

“Demoness, where do you think you’re going?” The art of Free Roaming was pushed to its limits, a single stride sending him skyward like a missile, directly pursuing the Hundred Blossoms Fairy.

“Hmph!” The fairy’s figure grew indistinct, her small divine power shifting her body away—Heavenly Demon Illusory Steps. She dared not entangle herself with this blood refiner. At least seventh level of Blood Refining, the Demon Suppressor’s power rivaled that of a Nascent Soul master, yet his blood refining divine powers were too terrifying. If she faced him, she would certainly be restrained.

“What a pity.” The lingering afterimage dissipated, leaving behind a trace of floral fragrance.

Never pursue a desperate foe—Baili Feihong understood this well. His opponent belonged to the Sect of Blossoms. Though the Sect was heretical, it was a powerful major sect with many formidable old monsters. If he could spar with a Nascent Soul level master from that sect, it would be an excellent test of his own strength. But if the opponent refused to engage, there was nothing he could do. At the Nascent Soul stage, one could skillfully wield the world’s vital energy, possessing countless means. Without using the Blood Suppressing Rivers and Mountains divine power, Baili Feihong might not be a match.

He turned to look at Hundred Blossoms Town, a sea of fire swallowing all the evil before him. Dense smoke rose like clouds into the sky.

This would surely attract the attention of many powerful beings from the Hengduan Mountains. It was unwise to remain here. Adopting the Free Roaming movement technique, as light as the breeze, he plunged into the sea of fire. Sensing the Demon-Settling Compass, he retrieved it and escaped the flames. Everything else, even his own belongings, could be abandoned—only the Demon-Settling Compass could not be lost. It contained information about the Night Demon. As long as the Night Demon reappeared, he would be able to track it. This was the mark left at great cost by Master Four Seas, who had wounded the Night Demon. The Night Demon itself was not powerful, but its concealment skills were exceptionally advanced.

“A blood refiner? The second-tier divine power, Blood Suppressing Rivers and Mountains?!” The figure of the white-robed female scholar appeared once more, now restored to her true form. She stared in utter shock at the scene before her. She had seen even stronger Seeds of Demon Suppression, but never a Demon Suppressor as young as Baili Feihong, who, without yet breaking through to the Nascent Soul, had refined his blood energy to the seventh level or higher. Even the Blood General, famed for his cultivation of the Blood Origin Technique, had only reached the fifth level at the Spirit Refining stage—a feat already considered extraordinary, since the limit for blood refining at that level was the fifth refinement.

Yet this Demon Suppressor from Eastern Shore City had clearly surpassed all other Blood Generals of his rank.

“Who exactly are you? What is your connection to Gongyang Yan?” Sima Qingxue murmured to herself. She had grown interested in this mysterious Demon Suppressor. All she knew so far was that he was a Seed of Demon Suppression cultivated by Gongyang Yan.

Her brows knitted in mild displeasure. In the imperial capital, it was well known that she and Gongyang Yan were rivals. He pursued martial arts, she walked the path of the Divine Inspectorate’s mystic arts. In a direct fight, she was no match for him; given enough preparation, she could handle ten Gongyang Yans. Of all methods in the world, blood refining was the most domineering.

“Eastern Shore City—it's said that Lord Yu once appeared there. The ancient Mystic Ice Lady Han Su has been revived. And now, a blood refiner breaking through the limits has emerged. This place is getting interesting.” Sima Qingxue immediately set off for Eastern Shore City.

Hundred Blossoms Town had been destroyed. The Sect of Blossoms had lost one of its bases in the Yuan Empire. Yet for the sect, this place was of little consequence. The only result was that the parasites attached to the sect began to harbor doubts. But in the face of immense profits, such suspicion meant little.

Baili Feihong made his way back. Passing the Mountain God Temple, he saw that the statue of the mountain lord had already been shattered. With a single punch, he demolished the entire temple, then returned satisfied to Nanshan County.

At that moment, however, the upper ranks of Nanshan County were beset with trouble. Corpses smoked black, victims of unnatural deaths. Hao Donglai of the Demon Suppression Office was at his wits’ end.

“Puppets? No—ghost retainers!” When had the county magistrate and the garrison commanders all become ghost retainers, and he had not noticed at all? He realized the gravity of the situation—such a dereliction of duty might cost him his position as Warden. What terrified him even more was that the entire leadership of Nanshan County had been infiltrated, and he had remained oblivious. Such skill was beyond his ability to handle.

“Lord Warden, Baili the Demon Suppressor has returned to the city.” This time, Baili Feihong did not go to the Demon Suppression Office, but to the local constabulary.

“Lord Baili, do you find this house satisfactory?” Director Yang asked respectfully.

“It’s good. By the way, have the tailor come—I need a few sets of clothes made for me.” His black python robe had been burned, and his other possessions destroyed as well. His stay in Nanshan County would not be brief; daily life and clothing would all have to be replaced.

By slaughtering Hundred Blossoms Town, he had gained a wealth of skill points. The Black Tiger Mountain Lord alone provided 1,200 points. The four attendants of the Hundred Blossoms Fairy gave 800—2,000 skill points in total. In addition, the population of the town was about 1,500, each person yielding an average of 7 skill points. His total had accumulated to 18,172 skill points.

“Now, I need to cultivate martial techniques and raise my martial will as much as possible.” Successfully nurturing the Nascent Soul required 30,000 skill points. He already had more than half.

Everyone in Hundred Blossoms Town was guilty of heinous crimes. Killing them caused Baili Feihong no psychological burden. Yet, compared to them, slaying the pirates from across the sea would grant even more skill points.

“This Book of Skills is truly steeped in murderous intent,” Baili Feihong thought. Whether killing humans or monsters, skill points were earned by killing. “I hope the pirates to come won’t disappoint me.” Those who crossed the seas were fine warriors; killing them yielded twice as many skill points as those from the outer circles of the Sect of Blossoms.

Hao Donglai hurried over, only to be kept outside the door. Such was his arrogance.