CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 225 DEMON BLOOD_2

However, this sound fell into Zhao Honglie’s ears like a beautiful symphony. He closed his eyes to listen intently, his expression filled with enjoyment.

After another quarter-hour, Zhao Honglie grabbed the thin membrane enclosing Zhu Hong’s head in his hand. Using his palm like a blade, he sliced the membrane open. "Break!"

The membrane scattered, releasing wisps of black mist, and a semi-transparent, somewhat illusory figure emerged.

The appearance of this figure was identical to Zhu Hong. This was Zhu Hong’s soul!

All living beings possess souls, particularly Martial Artists, whose soul power is far stronger compared to ordinary people.

The perception of Martial Artists is directly linked to their soul.

The soul power of a Refining Oblivion-level Martial Artist isn’t particularly strong. Normally, the soul of a Martial Artist at this level is fragile and invisible unless they possess a unique constitution. However, through Zhao Honglie’s methods, he forcibly extracted Zhu Hong’s soul and made it manifest.

Zhu Hong’s soul had endured extreme torment moments ago. Now, he struggled desperately like a prisoner newly freed from a cage, yearning for escape.

"Heh, you’re my food. How could you possibly run?"

Seeing Zhu Hong trying to flee, Zhao Honglie let out a mocking laugh. With a gesture, the dense black mist around him condensed into a giant hand and grabbed him.

The soul is an extraordinary, mystical force. Normally, Qi Blood Power and Spiritual Power cannot touch it. However, the black mist surrounding Zhao Honglie was a unique entity, as its power originated from the extraterrestrial Holy Demon Clan!

Using this specialized Demonic Qi, Zhao Honglie seized Zhu Hong’s soul. With a casual motion of his hand, he pulled Zhu Hong back effortlessly.

Zhu Hong, who had previously thought death to be the end, now realized that death might not bring true release. The agony he had endured in the black membrane moments ago far exceeded all the pain he had experienced in life.

Zhu Hong was firmly clasped in Zhao Honglie’s grasp, his face contorted in despair as he pleaded, "Master, please spare me! I’m already dead; don’t torment me further!"

If only souls could shed tears, Zhu Hong would undoubtedly be sobbing uncontrollably by now.

With a grin, Zhao Honglie said, "Torment? Oh no, no. You are about to merge with the magnificent me. I will lead you to the pinnacle, to behold heights you’ve never imagined. You should feel honored!"

Shaking his head frantically like a rattle drum, Zhu Hong cried out, "Master, I beg you, spare me! I... I just want my soul to descend to the Underworld and reincarnate."

Hearing his words, Zhao Honglie’s expression froze, his gaze becoming as cold as ice from the depths of the netherworld, chilling Zhu Hong’s soul as though it were about to freeze solid.

"Hmph! Ignorant fool! I intended to leave you a shred of consciousness so that, when I ascend to the utmost peak, you could witness the grandeur. Yet, since you are so ungrateful, then you shall perish!"

Opening his mouth wide, countless fine black tendrils extended from within. He directly shoved Zhu Hong’s soul into his mouth.

"Ah! No! Please, no!"

Zhu Hong let out an inhuman scream, struggling desperately to escape. Unfortunately, the tendrils inside Zhao Honglie’s mouth were condensed from the purest Demonic Qi. Zhu Hong’s Soul Body had been forcibly extracted through Zhao Honglie’s Holy Demon Clan techniques and was far too weak to resist.

Zhao Honglie closed his mouth and began chewing, emitting crunching sounds as he did so. His expression was one of utmost pleasure.

"Ah, the taste of the flesh and soul of someone with great potential is indeed far superior to that of ordinary people. The Holy Demon Source generated from it is much greater as well. The individuals within the Red Cloud Secret Domain, particularly in the Red Cloud Prefecture, are all exceptionally gifted. If I can devour all of them, I might be able to fully forge a genuine Holy Demon Body!"

As this thought crossed Zhao Honglie’s mind, he couldn’t help but burst out in hearty laughter.

"Heh, let them live a little longer for now! I’ll first absorb the Demonic Blood beneath this ground!"

With a low roar, Zhao Honglie’s back bulged as four fleshy masses erupted, revealing four skeletal wings.

He crouched, placed both hands on the ground, and closed his eyes. Strange tones escaped from his mouth once again. At the same time, the eerie black runes on his body began to flow like liquid, cascading down and expanding rapidly across the earth. The dense Demonic Qi around him quickly spread outward.

Half an hour later, the black runes on Zhao Honglie’s body had completely vanished. His face was as pale as paper, and his aura weak. However, the Demon Suppression Sect now looked drastically transformed, as black Demonic Qi blanketed every corner.

From an aerial view, bizarre black symbols sprawled across the ground of the Demon Suppression Sect. These symbols gradually interconnected, and waves of strange power were slowly emerging.

"Phew! The Demon Suppression Sect truly deserves its reputation as an Ancient Sect. Even after millennia of erosion, the Array of just one branch palace still possesses such formidable suppressive power. It’s hard to imagine how strong it must have been in its prime."

Collapsing to the ground, Zhao Honglie gasped in exhaustion.

Though he marveled at the power of the Demon Suppression Sect’s array, his eyes burned with fervent zeal.

The underground array of the Demon Suppression Sect was designed to suppress the Demonic Blood beneath it. The stronger the array, the more potent the suppressed Demonic Blood must be!

Zhao Honglie, who bore an unrivaled Holy Demon Seed, was eager to swiftly devour powerful Demonic Blood or Demon Corpses. Such consumption would rapidly elevate his strength. His anticipation for the underground Demonic Blood grew immensely.

A day and a night later, the ruins of the Demon Suppression Sect began to tremble violently. The sound of shattering reverberated loudly.

Hearing this commotion, Zhao Honglie’s face lit up with a smile. "Finally got rid of this worthless array! Come forth, Demonic Blood!"

As Zhao Honglie’s words fell, dense Demonic Qi erupted once again from beneath the earth.

This corrosive Demonic Qi quickly obliterated everything within the Demon Suppression Sect. However, they posed no threat to Zhao Honglie.

"Boom!"

The former site of the Four Symbols Demon Suppression Array detonated with a deafening explosion. A massive pit had appeared, and from it emerged a ball of eerie black light.

As the black light sought to flee, the ever-watchful Zhao Honglie was ready to block its escape. He raised both hands, causing the strange black runes on the ground to float upwards. A peculiar yet powerful force emerged from space itself, firmly restraining the black light.

Peering through the layers of Demonic Qi, one could clearly discern that the black light was a fist-sized droplet of black blood.

The droplet of blood seemed alive, pulsating like a tiny heart. Even as Zhao Honglie’s rune array confined it, the droplet violently thrashed about, attempting to break free.

Upon seeing the black droplet, Zhao Honglie closed his eyes and extended his senses toward it.

After probing for a moment, he opened his eyes, his face brimming with elation. "It’s actually a droplet of Demon General’s Essence Blood! Though its spiritual essence has nearly faded after all these years of suppression, its stored power remains immense! For a cultivator at my current stage, it’s more than sufficient! Heh, if it were stronger, perhaps I wouldn’t dare refine it directly!"

Zhao Honglie pressed down with both hands, causing the floating runes to descend, dragging the Demonic Blood with them.

He eagerly grabbed the Demonic Blood, and, feeling its exceptional energy, he wasted no time in swallowing it.

As the Demonic Blood entered his body, Zhao Honglie’s expression twisted in agony. The Demonic Qi around him swirled violently, his aura fluctuating chaotically, mirroring Zhu Hong’s state during his demonic possession.

The overwhelming power of the Demonic Blood rampaged through Zhao Honglie’s body, swiftly tearing him apart. At the same time, a weaker yet profound stream of Demonic Qi flowed from his Dantian.

These two opposing forces of Demonic Qi clashed fiercely within Zhao Honglie’s body, transforming it into a battleground of chaos.

Zhao Honglie had grossly underestimated the potency of this droplet of Demon General’s Essence Blood. The power of his Holy Demon Seed was gradually being overpowered. If the Demonic Blood’s energy entirely consumed his seed, he would face total annihilation!