Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1289 - 698: Innate Origin Blood and Fighting Back (Part 2)

Following Emperor Jiang, the next to reach the location was the yellow-robed Huo Dou, with the slightly shorter Soaring Snake trailing close behind.

The pair arrived at the Ice Peak Ruins almost at the same moment.

After exchanging brief pleasantries, Zhao Sheng informed Huo Dou about the situation regarding Emperor Jiang, who had voluntarily dived into the Blood Pool.

Huo Dou scratched his head as he listened, feeling conflicted about whether to remain or depart!

If they chose to wait for Emperor Jiang to finish his "bath," there was no telling how much time would pass.

Naturally, Zhao Sheng understood that it wouldn’t be long before Emperor Jiang’s condition—whether he survived or perished—became apparent.

A short while later, a hostile Wuzhiqi arrived at the ruins in a hurry, successfully linking up with Zhao Sheng and the others.

Upon hearing the mention of Innate Origin Blood, Wuzhiqi’s robes began to flutter despite the lack of wind, and a terrifying aura leaked from him unconsciously, betraying his internal agitation.

Observing Wuzhiqi nearly lose his composure, Zhao Sheng felt even more convinced that the Innate Origin Blood possessed extraordinary value.

Setting the matter of the blood aside, Zhao Sheng weighed whether he should "share" the discovery of the nearby palace ruins with the three newcomers.

It was worth remembering that, apart from the irrational Mad Woman Feng Xianxian, they suspected a Lost Cave Heaven was hidden there.

"Forget it. We should wait for Emperor Jiang to reemerge before making any moves. That Mad Woman possesses unfathomable power; only Emperor Jiang can truly contend with her," Zhao Sheng thought after much deliberation, temporarily setting the idea aside.

...

Zhao Sheng shifted backward to evade a lunge from an Ice Demon, then violently thrust his hands into the creature's skull, ripping it apart with ease.

However, he had no intention of stopping there. With a quick movement, he positioned himself in the center of several more Ice Demons, as a layer of scale armor rapidly manifested over his skin.

This time, he refrained from attacking, focusing solely on defense to test the durability of his armor.

Bang bang bang!

The Ice Demons snapped and tore at him with ferocity, looking quite terrifying, yet they failed to even scratch the outermost scales. Zhao Sheng remained completely unharmed.

Having finished his test, Zhao Sheng spun like a whirlwind, his palms cutting through the air like blades across the necks of the Ice Demons. In an instant, several heads were severed, dissolving into gray dust that scattered into the wind.

"Look out!"

Huo Dou suddenly shouted a warning.

Alerted by the cry, Zhao Sheng instinctively leaped back several miles, narrowly escaping a disaster.

In the following breath, the ground erupted, sending shards of ice and stone flying in every direction.

Zhao Sheng turned his gaze to see a massive humanoid eagle monster rising from the crater. It gripped a lethal nine-foot bone claw, and black wings beat steadily behind its back.

Unlike the mindless Ice Demons, this Human-faced Eagle Monster appeared to possess some level of spiritual wisdom. It showed clear irritation when it saw that Zhao Sheng had dodged its initial strike.

With a powerful flap of its wings, an invisible gale swirled around its form, and it moved with such speed it seemed to be flickering through space.

Raising an eyebrow, Zhao Sheng decided not to dodge this time. He clenched a fist covered in diamond-shaped scales and punched toward the Human-faced Eagle Monster.

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion rang out as two overwhelming forces smashed into each other.

Within seconds, the Human-faced Eagle Monster was forced back. Against Zhao Sheng, who possessed the power of multiple rare bloodlines, the beast was suppressed before it could even land a proper blow.

At that moment, Wuzhiqi called out a reminder, "Kui Niu, stop playing around! Be careful not to cause a commotion that attracts monsters we can't handle."

Wuzhiqi was currently surrounded by a murky river, his technique seemingly dragging two mountain-sized Ice Demons beneath the watery surface.

Hearing this, Zhao Sheng opened his scale-armored hand, extending sharp claws that were three feet in length.

The Human-faced Eagle Monster desperately tried to shield itself with its wings, hoping to intercept the devastating strike.

But before it could react, massive bolts of lightning descended from the heavens, slamming directly onto the monster's exposed head.

The charred agony inflicted upon its forehead was enough to plunge it into eternal unconsciousness.

Shaking his head, Zhao Sheng flew over to Wuzhiqi’s position.

Elsewhere, Huo Dou and Soaring Snake worked together to take down the final "big guy."

With that, the Ice Peak Ruins were officially under their command.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Boom...

A massive blast rocked the Ice Peak Ruins, propelling ice and debris high into the sky.

In the midst of the chaos, Emperor Jiang rose from beneath the earth, his body wreathed in a fierce spiritual flame, his aura significantly more powerful than before.

Unfortunately, his ultimate "vision" had not been realized. His deep connection with the Treasure of Emperor Jiang meant that even his Primordial Cell carried the "imprint" of Lord Wanxing.

A single, imperfect drop of Innate Origin Blood was insufficient to wipe away the mark of the Immortal Monarch.

Floating in the air, Emperor Jiang appeared confident, yet his internal frustration caused his aura to lean toward a darker, more somber tone.

When Zhao Sheng and the others arrived, they noted Emperor Jiang's grim mood and offered only simple salutes, avoiding unnecessary formalities.

As the five of them gathered, the Ice Peak Ruins suddenly gave way completely, collapsing into a bottomless abyss.

...

"Repeat that! What did you find earlier?" Huo Dou’s sudden exclamation cut Zhao Sheng off.

Emperor Jiang glanced at Huo Dou with clear annoyance before gesturing toward Zhao Sheng. "You... continue."

Zhao Sheng took a brief pause, then resumed his story starting from the moment he found the Platinum Platform.

Emperor Jiang and the others listened with intense focus, making sure not to miss a single detail.

Over the duration of a meal, Zhao Sheng meticulously explained the entire context of the event.

Excitedly, Wuzhiqi looked toward Emperor Jiang and blurted out, "Boss, let me scout ahead. We’ll know soon enough if it's the real deal."

After hearing everything, Emperor Jiang answered calmly, "That won't be necessary. I trust Brother Kui Niu."

Wuzhiqi was stunned, while Huo Dou nodded vigorously. "Brother Kui Niu is a man of his word; he wouldn't speak nonsense. Boss, let’s move out now!"

Emperor Jiang raised a hand to stop them. "There is no rush. We have burned through a significant amount of Heart Power. We will rest here for a few days and proceed once we have fully recovered."

Since their leader had made his decision, Zhao Sheng and the others raised no objections.

The party rested for three days before beginning their journey again.

Guided by Zhao Sheng, the group soon reached the ruins of the sprawling palace complex a thousand miles away.

Looking at the strangely pristine area, Wuzhiqi felt a sense of relief when he spotted the tall Platinum Platform in the distance, his heart finally feeling lighter.

He had been worried about facing severe punishment upon their return, but discovering what appeared to be a Grotto Heaven would not only clear their names but also guarantee their safety.

Zhao Sheng found it peculiar; despite their loud arrival, why hadn't the Mad Woman appeared? Was she plotting an ambush?

However, even as they touched down on the platform, Feng Xianxian was nowhere to be found.

Emperor Jiang walked around the perimeter, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"Did you find anything, Brother?" Wuzhiqi asked with a serious expression.

"It appears this platform served as a gateway to some form of 'treasure.' However, determining when this 'treasure' will manifest will take more study."

Reaching a conclusion, Emperor Jiang gave a firm order, "Take your positions at the four cardinal directions. Stand your ground and ensure no one disturbs me while I am casting."

Zhao Sheng and the others nodded solemnly, spreading out to the four corners of the platform and fully expanding their Will Fields.