Not far from the Mo family's fishery stood a small city. Its walls were not high, but the defensive formation was fully activated. Teams of Qi Refinement cultivators and Initiates patrolled atop the walls with weapons in hand. Somewhere close to the main gate, a gaunt old man stood quietly atop the wall. His face was lined with worry, while fear flickered in his eyes.

Behind him, a cultivator stepped forward with caution. "Patriarch, are we really not going to help?"

The patriarch did not turn his head and said in a low voice, "Help? How am I supposed to help? That kind of battle is beyond my capability to interfere with."

The man said worriedly, "But the Wu family and ours have been tied by marriage for three generations. We're close. That rogue cultivator just killed three of their Adepts. He's their sworn enemy. Now he's fled into our fishery. If we just stand by—"

"And if we don't stand by?"

The patriarch suddenly turned back and stared at the man. Under that gaze, the man fell silent.

The patriarch snorted coldly. "Ol' Third, I know you married a woman from the Wu family, but you must understand that we are only related by marriage. We're not their vassals."

When the man called Ol' Third heard the last few words, cold sweat instantly poured down his back. Indeed... without realizing it, he had been influenced by his wife into believing the Mo family was a vassal to the Wu family. Now, the patriarch's words struck his mind like the call of a temple bell, jolting him awake.

"You have to understand: whether I go or not won't change anything. I'm only at the early stage of Golden Core, and I won't be of much help. But if I fall there, the Mo family loses its only Adept and drops down in rank. The Wu family may protect us, but they probably won't. We'll be finished. And besides..."

Those words were sound and well-reasoned. They gradually cleared the mind of Ol' Third—the Initiate with the greatest chance of advancing to the Golden Core Realm among the entire Mo family. The Wu family could afford to lose three Adepts, but the Mo family could not afford even the slightest loss. When it involved the family's future, the so-called ties of marriage meant nothing.

Not understanding what his patriarch meant with those unspoken words, Ol' Third asked, "Is there anything else?"

The patriarch's expression turned grave as he looked into the distance. "Others far stronger than me are only watching. What right do I have to step in?"

***

On a hill stood several figures. At the front was a graceful and dignified woman with flowing sleeves. It was Luo Yuqing, the leader of the Cold Elegance Sect. She stood silently before the crowd. Behind her, Adepts from other forces on Coldlight Island discussed among themselves.

"That rogue cultivator is truly formidable. Six Adepts joined forces and still couldn't take him down. Instead, they lost their lives."

"Six? It wasn't just six. The mountain lord of Hundred Craft Mountain also took action, and he's at the eighth stage. Didn't you see?"

"I did. I thought once he stepped in, it'd be over in an instant. But he got blasted away without even putting up a fight. From the looks of it, he's already hundreds of li away. It'll take time for him to get back... if he even dares to."

"Where did this Luo Hai come from? He's only at the fourth stage, yet he fought five of his peers and even two late-stage Adepts. And he's got two powerful Demon Kings under his control. Among Adepts, that puts him at the very top."

"Didn't you hear? He Yuan called him Devil Lord Azure Yang."

"Devil Lord Azure Yang? Who's that? I remember that some low-tier disciples of the Primordial Devil Sect used to refine a kind of flame with that name using living beings as fuel. Could he be from that sect too?"

"No idea. But I do know Wu Qi from Divine Witch Island was secretly searching for a person with that title. He even caused quite a scene at the docks and ended up angering a true inheritor of the devil sect."

"Right, that was He Yuan. I heard Wu Qi actually mistook He Yuan for someone else. You mean it was this so-called Devil Lord Azure Yang?"

"Seems like it. Heh... so now they've finally crossed paths. No wonder He Yuan ordered that no one is to make a move on Luo Hai. Leaves the rest of us with nothing to do."

The discussions behind her continued endlessly. Luo Yuqing remained calm, though a strange glint flickered in her eyes as she silently repeated the name "Devil Lord Azure Yang." No one knew what she was thinking.

At this moment, everyone's attention was on the two figures in the distance. In their minds, another great battle might soon begin. Would He Yuan, a true blue disciple of the Primordial Devil Sect, prevail? Or would Devil Lord Azure Yang, riding the momentum of victory, surpass him?

Everyone waited in anticipation.

***

Within the fishery, spirit energy churned in chaos and violent waves surged skyward. Yet a lone boat floated steadily upon the sea, completely unmoved. As for Luo Chen, he struggled to remain standing in the air. He used his divine consciousness to probe the surroundings, and his expression shifted at once.

He Yuan chuckled from the lone boat. "See? I didn't lie to you. If they all swarm you, what chance of victory do you have? Have you looked at yourself?"

Luo Chen took a deep breath and focused entirely on He Yuan. "If that's the case... then I should thank you."

"No need," He Yuan said lightly. "After all, you already belong to Devil's Snare."

Luo Chen frowned. "I don't!"

"Why not?" He Yuan put away his smile and said seriously. "You carry the Blood Nightmare Token, and that makes you one of Blood Nightmare's people."

Seeing Luo Chen remain silent, He Yuan explained patiently. "You've made too many enemies in this battle. The Qian family, the Wu family, the Tempered Edge Workshop, Hundred Craft Mountain... none of them will let you go. And there are plenty of others waiting to take advantage. If you don't join me, do you really think you can walk away unscathed?"

Luo Chen seemed tempted. After a while, he asked, "Then tell me... what does Blood Nightmare see in me? My alchemy skills?"

He Yuan smiled again and said, "Alchemy is part of it. But if it were just alchemy, you'd only be just useful, but nothing irreplaceable. Even with what remains of the Primordial Devil Sect's foundation, raising a capable alchemist isn't that hard. What truly convinced me was how you performed in this battle. Your spells are exquisite, your physique techniques are refined, and your illusion techniques are almost impossible to defend against. You have no real weaknesses. Even back when the Primordial Devil Sect still stood, you would've earned a place among the geniuses.

"Devil's Snare is trying to restore the sect's former glory, but right now, we're lacking on all fronts. If you join us, you could become a pillar among our Adepts. Azure Yang... I truly think highly of you."

Luo Chen fell silent once more after hearing those words. Elsewhere, the Adepts listening in on the conversation held their breath.

Luo Hai's performance in battle was truly amazing. It was not limited to the spells, physique techniques, and illusions that He Yuan had mentioned. His attainments in formations, beast control, and even his life-bound treasure were all remarkable.

And there was also the alchemy He Yuan had mentioned. No one had expected the Devil Lord Azure Yang to be such an outstanding master alchemist even valued by Blood Nightmare himself. In that case, it was understandable why Wu Qi had been so eager to search for him. Everyone knew Wu Qi had been stuck at the sixth stage of the Golden Core for years. With the help of pills, a breakthrough might happen overnight.

He Yuan gave Luo Chen plenty of time to consider. He had already noticed that Luo Chen was quietly recovering his mana, and his aura had risen slightly. Yet he did not care. He was confident, as if everything was under control. After a while, he spoke again, "Well? Have you made up your mind? If you join me, I can settle matters with those petty forces chasing you. Not only that, I'll grant you your own third-tier island to cultivate on, however many subordinates you need, and ten top-tier cultivation furnaces. I can even let you command half of Devil Snare's forces!"

Luo Chen raised his eyes. "And what do you want in return?"

"Fight for me and carve out the name of the Devil's Snare," He Yuan replied without hesitation.

Luo Chen's lips twitched. "Don't you think sending an alchemist onto the battlefield is a bit of a waste?"

He Yuan laughed. "In times like these, alchemy is a minor path. Only by fighting can we secure our place. Besides... what you just did—was that what you call 'an alchemist on the battlefield'? I feel that's not bad at all."

Luo Chen fell silent.

Seeing him hesitate again, He Yuan's patience wore thin. "Azure Yang, I am running out of patience!"

Luo Chen took another deep breath and gathered the little mana he had left. "One last question."

"Go on."

"These terms... are they your decision, or Blood Nightmare's?"

He Yuan answered without thinking, "Of course they're mine—no, Blood Nightmare... no, mine... what's wrong here..."

A strange scene unfolded, and through this exchange, Luo Chen finally pinpointed the source of the unease he had felt upon meeting He Yuan. The man was riddled with contradictions. His words, his actions, and even his thoughts all clashed with one another. It felt as if a single person were speaking in two voices.

At first glance, everything he said aligned with his new status as a representative of Devil's Snare and Blood Nightmare's lineage specifically. Yet the terms he offered sounded as though they had come directly from Blood Nightmare himself. What ordinary Adept would dare promise that half of Devil's Snare would be placed under Luo Chen's command?

Moreover, in this intense battle, Luo Chen had demonstrated formidable strength. Even a late-stage Adept would have treated him with caution, let alone someone like He Yuan, who was just at the fourth stage. Yet this man behaved so arrogantly, as if none of it mattered. There could be only one explanation. This He Yuan was not the real He Yuan!

"Forget it. Think it over and give me an answer later. I won't keep you any longer," Luo Chen said as he turned to leave.

On the sea, the lone boat swayed gently. He Yuan's expression darkened, the earlier turmoil in his mind seemed to vanish without a trace. "You want to leave?"

Just as he was about to act, Luo Chen suddenly turned back with a strange light flashing in his eyes. But He Yuan bared his teeth. "That illusion again? It might've worked on that so-called mountain lord, but it won't work on me."

Before that strange light could fully bloom, an invisible power surged out from the Myriad Soul Banner and struck first. Sea winds howled, and robes snapped sharply in the air. He Yuan stood upon the lone boat with clear disdain, but in the next instant, his body jolted as if struck head-on. A sharp force tore through his soul defenses and drove straight into the depths of his sea of consciousness. Within that blood-red ocean, towering waves rose. At its center, a blurry figure slowly lifted its head. It seemed to be held in place by some kind of restraints.

At that same moment, He Yuan locked onto Luo Chen.

Luo Chen shouted, "Mirror Flower, Water Moon!"

In an instant, the blurry figure trembled as dense black light erupted from it and surged outward with violent force. It forced back the blood-red ocean and dyed more than half of it black. "Old bastard, get out of here!!!"

At this moment, within He Yuan's sea of consciousness, half was crimson and half was black, and the two sides opposed each other.

"Damn it!"

A furious roar erupted within the sea of consciousness, and a bloody shadow condensed from the blood sea. It advanced step by step, and the sea surged with it. The black light was forced back step by step. The burry black shadow saw this and knew it had missed its final chance. It fixed a resentful glare on the blood-colored figure.

"You old bastard, you've defied the ancestral teachings and committed a grave crime. When our Grand Elder returns, you'll be cast into the endless hells and never be reborn!"

"He Yuan, stop dreaming. The Grand Elder... isn't coming back."

The blood-colored shadow let out a low shout and raised both hands. Towering waves crashed down with overwhelming force. In the end, the endless blood sea engulfed the black shadow once more. Then, the blood sea calmed, and He Yuan's sea of consciousness returned to unity. Endless blood light formed a robe that draped over the blood shadow, making its figure more solid. It glanced across the sea of consciousness, then focused its awareness toward the outside once more.

When "He Yuan" opened his eyes again, Luo Chen was long gone.

He muttered under his breath, "No wonder that boy felt so strange at the auction. I thought he was tainted by demonic energy, or maybe he had some kind of half-demon body. But now it's clear. He's hiding a Sage's soul. One misstep just now, and this avatar would've taken a serious hit. Well, in any case, that explains it. Only someone at my level could block the perception of my Blood Nightmare Token... It has to be a Sage."

At that moment, a fierce wind swept across the sea and arrived. As soon as it reached the scene, it shouted loudly, "Where is Luo Hai?"

Before the echo faded, the man's expression shifted as his gaze fell on He Yuan. He Yuan looked at him with a frown, then smiled. "It's not a wasted trip after all. Mountain lord, from today on, you'll submit to the Blood Nightmare lineage of Devil's Snare."

The Mountain Lord's expression changed, and he instinctively stepped back. "The Hundred Craft Mountain has always remained neutral. We do not involve ourselves in conflicts between outsiders."

He Yuan smiled faintly and reached out toward him. "Things have changed. From now on, Jadecold City and Coldlight Island both fall under Devil's Snare. Hundred Craft Mountain will be no exception!"

A titanic hand, made of blood and radiating overwhelming power, descended from the sky; the stench of blood filled the air. The mountain lord cast forward the small mountain in his hand, which expanded once more to form a towering peak. But as the blood hand came down, the mountain shattered piece by piece. Just as he tried to do something about it, a ghostly voice entered his ears. "Do you want to die?"

In his vision, He Yuan's face shifted between his own and that of Blood Nightmare Devil's Snare. Then, in a blur, He Yuan appeared beside him. With hands behind his back, he glanced at him and casually tossed back the captured mountain. The mountain lord swallowed hard and bowed down in fear. "Liang Baizao[1] greets you, lineage lord!"

He Yuan nodded slightly and looked toward the far north. "I have a task for you. Azure Yang is badly injured, and his mana is nearly depleted, so he can no longer fight. Go and capture him for me."

Liang Baizao opened his mouth and said with difficulty, "Just me alone? That man has too many tricks... too many hidden cards. I'm afraid—"

"It's fine," He Yuan cut him off. "You're worried about his illusions, no? I will cast a spell on you, and they will no longer affect you."

As he spoke, He Yuan reached out and grabbed with one hand. A shrill wail rose from the sea below, and a phantom was forcibly dragged out of the world. Liang Baizao was stunned, because he recognized it instantly—it was that Adept from his sect who wielded a giant hammer and who had died in the battle earlier. He Yuan grasped the soul, formed seals rapidly, and then slammed it into Liang Baizao's body.

"Go. With this substitute soul, you can withstand three of his illusion attacks. Three chances should be enough to take him down. And if you bring back a corpse... that'll do as well."

Liang Baizao drew in a deep breath. The discomfort in his body gradually faded, yet a trace of fear lingered in his heart. Wasn't Blood Nightmare supposed to be an elder of the Blood Sea Lineage of the Primordial Devil Sect? How is he also skilled in soul refinement techniques?

After Liang Baizao left, He Yuan looked toward where Luo Chen had fled and snorted coldly. "You made me take a loss today. You'll pay for that!"

1. His given name Baizao (百造) literally means "hundred crafts/creations" and is also the name of his sect. ☜