Chapter 47: Blood Tempering

Jiang Family Hall.

Song Yan and Li Qingfeng returned to Qin Ying’s side, sitting upright and composed.

“Is it an illusion technique?” Li Qingfeng stared at the paper figure in Song Yan’s hand, bewildered. “Or perhaps a demonic beast?”

Among humans, few cultivators specialized in illusion arts.

“I’m not sure,” Song Yan shook his head. “I once encountered such paper figures during a previous mission…”

“But that time, three demonic cultivators appeared. I slew them, and only then did the paper figures manifest.”

“This time, it seems a little different…”

Little He, hidden in Song Yan’s sleeve, seemed intrigued by the novelty, quietly poking its head out from the collar, those blue-gold serpent eyes scanning the scene.

Suddenly, chaos erupted in the hall.

“The auspicious hour has arrived!” Someone shouted, and outside in the village, the sound of suona horns rose.

Drums and gongs, flutes and pipes, a joyful cacophony filled the air.

Qin Ying abruptly stood and strode outside. Song Yan and Li Qingfeng naturally followed close behind.

At some point, mist began to creep across the village.

The moss on the eaves and corners grew damp, dewdrops formed on the creeping vines, faintly tinged with red.

…

Shadows flickered in the fog—a group of villagers, clad in festive attire, each holding suona horns and drums, slowly approached.

Every face wore an exaggerated expression of joy.

At the front, musicians played; behind them, eight porters bore a bridal sedan chair on their shoulders.

Trailing at the rear were the village women.

The large sedan chair settled firmly at the Jiang family’s doorway.

“Huh?” Little He gave a soft sound, tilting its tiny head, blue-gold eyes swirling with light.

The sedan curtains fluttered with no wind, crimson mist seeping from below.

Qin Ying summoned frost at her fingertips, shielding Song Yan and Li Qingfeng behind her.

Thick blood began to flow from the top down, steadily dissolving the entire bridal sedan!

Inside, seated not a bride, but a massive blood-red cocoon.

“Yan Yan, there’s a girl inside. Her scent is familiar… I think we’ve met her before.”

…

Song Yan gazed at the blood cocoon, his expression grave.

Combining Qin Ying’s words and the fact that Gu Qingqing had vanished after coming here alone on a mission, it was clear—the girl inside must be Gu Qingqing.

Swoosh—

Frost at Qin Ying’s fingertips transformed into a blade, slicing at the massive cocoon’s corner.

A section peeled away, revealing what lay within.

Dense blood-red threads extended inward, adhering to a layer of blue-white, solid spiritual energy.

Gu Qingqing’s eyes were closed, her lashes trembling faintly, her gentle, tranquil face starkly out of place amid the blood.

“Junior Sister Gu…”

The surrounding villagers pressed in, faces twisted, muttering under their breath, “So it’s true…”

“We knew you’d come to cause trouble…”

Several middle-aged villagers’ mouths jerked open, their throats producing hoarse, guttural sounds.

“Uhh…”

On their foreheads, cheeks, necks, irregular tumors and swellings bulged.

“Peach Blossom Hollow…”

“Immortal… village…”

Something seemed to writhe beneath their skin and veins.

…

“Ascend to immortality…”

“Careful!”

Boom!!!

In the night, blinding fire erupted, followed by a deafening explosion that thundered across Peach Blossom Hollow.

The roaring blasts surged like a tide, spreading madly in all directions.

…

Li Qingfeng spread his hands, a wave of scorching fire spiritual energy enveloping the three.

Nearby houses, battered by the shockwave, collapsed with a crash, bricks and tiles flying everywhere.

Through the transparent, flowing spiritual energy, Song Yan looked around.

All the villagers of Peach Blossom Hollow now shambled toward them like walking corpses, eyes overflowing with blood.

Strangely, despite the upheaval, not a single spot in the area was stained with blood.

Song Yan’s gaze sharpened; in the place where the two had stood, only two paper figures remained.

A few wisps of pure blood essence floated upward, drifting toward the incense burner’s tip.

Blue frost surged in Qin Ying’s palm.

Buzz—

Her palm opened slightly, cold radiance spreading outward.

Wherever the frost swept, all villagers were frozen in place, collapsing, motionless.

Not even a single scream escaped.

Qin Ying’s brows furrowed tighter, her gaze fixed on the incense burner’s direction.

Through smoke and flame, two figures slowly approached.

“I am Jiang Xiao, greetings to you three fellow cultivators.”

Jiang Xiao’s clothes were disheveled and loose, far from the appearance of a true immortal…

Beside him, Bai Yulu’s attire was revealing, her index finger pressed to her lips, gently licking something.

“On such an auspicious day, why do you attack the villagers without cause? Are you here to steal the bride?”

Buzz—

Qin Ying’s vast spiritual energy pressure no longer concealed itself, instantly sweeping across Peach Blossom Hollow. At the same time, spiritual power rapidly condensed at her side, two icy blue sword beams shooting toward Jiang Xiao’s face.

Jiang Xiao’s smile faded, but he remained calm. In his hand, a ball of filthy blood gathered, its crimson glow flashing at his fingertips.

The foul blood wrapped around the blue sword beams, circling him once before shooting back, colliding with the other sword energy and dissipating with a bang.

“My, my, the Dongyuan Sect is a famous orthodox school—how could you be so bloodthirsty…”

Jiang Xiao suddenly grinned cruelly. “But don’t worry… I can make the villagers live again.”

He formed a spell with his hand.

…

The villagers who had collapsed suddenly began to tremble, then, in bizarre postures, wriggled across the ground.

The sounds of bones shifting and flesh moving echoed endlessly.

Soon, all the villagers stood upright once more.

Their skin began to split, vivid blood igniting.

A dangerous smile curled at Jiang Xiao’s lips.

Bang!

Within the crowd, a villager’s body suddenly exploded.

As the explosion spread, bone and blood contracted.

Qin Ying’s brows drew together, but she remained silent, several icy blue sword beams shooting toward Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao’s hands lifted slightly; the blood coalesced in his palms into a solid bead, resembling a pill.

A surge of blood energy erupted beside him, filthy blood swirling like quicksand, devouring all the frost spiritual energy.

The towering blood light was oppressive, the stench overwhelming Peach Blossom Hollow…

A Foundation Establishment cultivator!

At this moment, all the villagers, zombie-like, suddenly threw down their weapons and knelt toward Jiang Xiao.

Scarlet, gleaming blood appeared drop by drop from each villager’s brow and chest, drifting outward.

Jiang Xiao tapped his fingertip.

A flying sword wrapped in black flame emerged from the ancient well, hovering at his side.

…

Blood light erupted from all directions, a grand blood array enveloping Peach Blossom Hollow.

At its center was the ancient well.

“Blood-refining the mortal realm…”

His eyes burned red, wild with madness.

“Help me ascend to immortality!”