Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 1079 - 1048: The Rise of the Skeleton Blood Vine Monster

Millions of the Slave Clan's army, together with the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, gathered at Huo Shi Imperial Palace and were then commanded by Yanliu Imperial Child. They went through the teleportation Formation to launch an assault near the location of the Magic Vine Minor Realm where Cangkong Imperial Child resided.

A Star Domain war was on the brink of erupting, and for a time, the Magical Stone Minor Realm had quieted down.

Most of the strong Golden Pill and Nascent Soul experts had been summoned away, and the backbone of those at the Foundation Establishment stage as well, leaving behind mainly the weak and the elderly, who could not cause any turmoil even if they wanted to.

"Those nine people, with no weak strength among them, have managed to influence and control warriors of the king rank in such a short period of time."

"Compared to them, I am indeed falling behind."

Jiang Ding mused to himself.

The little demon he possessed was named Hua Teng, an utterly ordinary member of the Skull Blood Vine Demon Clan, at the Fifth Level of Qi Practicing. Her skeleton had a dull luster, her body had entwining vines that were somewhat withered and yellow, showing only weak vitality. A pink flower was drooping powerlessly, and the blood holes in her pupils were also not very lively.

This was a very average Skull Blood Vine Demon.

Neither talent, aptitude, nor family background was anything remarkable.

However, she had a unique trait.

After bidding farewell to the departing army of her tribe, this Skull Blood Vine Demon returned home, carrying a jug of blood wine, and came to a cave hewn from the mountain stone.

The worn-out door of the cave was pulled open, revealing an aged skeleton lying on the ground, deeply asleep, surrounded by the cheap scent of ordinary beast blood wine.

The distinguishing sign of age among the Skull Blood Vine Demon Clan is the vine coiled around the skeleton—the fewer green leaves and the more wrinkles on the vine, the older its age.

This old skeleton must be around forty or fifty years old, nearing the average lifespan limit of an ordinary Skull Blood Vine Demon in the Magical Stone Minor Realm.

Similar to a Human Cultivator in their forties or fifties, reaching this age under the rule of the Demon Rock Clan was already considered exceptionally talented.

"...Grandpa Bai... Grandpa Bai..."

Hua Teng nudged the old skeleton, coquettishly said: "Teach me the Bone Refining Technique again... one more time..."

This old skeleton was his great-uncle.

Years ago, when Hua Teng's father used his thigh bone to nourish the birth of Hua Teng's life, this old Bone Bloodvine Demon was watching by the side, had even infused Hua Teng's bones with spirit, and under difficult conditions, enhanced her aptitude slightly with his own vitality.

"Hua Teng..."

"Don't disturb me..."

The old skeleton had sleepy eyes, seemed to sense something but didn't want to wake up, swatted away Hua Teng's prodding hand, and continued to snore thunderously in his sleep.

"Heehee!"

Hua Teng had anticipated this and was not in a hurry. She took out the blood wine she brought and uncapped it.

A rich scent of blood spread out.

This was a specialty of the Skull Blood Vine Demon Clan—blood wine, made of fresh blood from living beings and a mixture of a thousand kinds of elixirs, then naturally fermented using the secret technique of the Skull Blood Vine Demon Clan. It invigorated the soul and forged bones. It had a rather good reputation in the surrounding domains and was one of the tribute items designated by the Magic Stone Clan.

The quality of blood wine depended on the fresh blood of the beings, the tier of elixirs, and the Skull Blood Vine Demon who brewed it.

Legend has it that some ruler greatly favored the blood wine personally brewed by the ancestor of the Skull Blood Vine Demon Clan, and because of this, the clan prospered and produced king-tier powerhouses.

Although Hua Teng's blood wine could not be compared to that divine substance, it was still considered spiritual liquor.

The thunderous snoring of the Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon suddenly paused.

The two withered, wrinkled yellow vines on the cheekbones and nostrils moved back and forth, checking repeatedly, hardly believing it, as if thinking it was a dream.

"Whose Blood Spirit Wine is this..."

Hua Teng feigned surprise.

"Blood Spirit Wine!"

The old skeleton instantly woke up, initially somewhat annoyed, but upon seeing the Blood Spirit Wine, his mood instantly blossomed, grabbing it: "Hua Teng, my girl, you're still the best, remembering this old thing who's close to death."

"Great-uncle, don't talk nonsense, how could you die."

"You should live to a hundred years. I've heard that there was a senior called Bone Li who lived for a hundred years; you should be able to do that too."

Hua Teng let the old skeleton take away the Blood Spirit Wine, and admonished sweetly.

"Hahaha!"

"A hundred years, alright, alright, then I'll live for a solid hundred years."

The old skeleton laughed heartily.

Contrary to Hua Teng's expectations, the old skeleton did not drink down most of the Blood Spirit Wine in urgency but carefully stored it in his chest, as if planning to save it for later.

"How is your progress with the Little Flower Vine's Bone Refining Technique?"

The Old Bone Bloodvine Demon asked with concern, "You must not underestimate this Bone Refining Technique. It was an extraordinary gain from your great-uncle's youth, and the reason he could live to this day, unlike other Bloodvine Demons who die at forty, is all thanks to this Mana Technique."

"Regrettably, your father is as dumb as a pig and just couldn't learn it..."

"Great-uncle, I'm almost done mastering it!"

Hua Teng proudly declared.

One teaching, and one learning – the grandparent and grandchild duo spent several hours like this in no time.

Hua Teng felt a bit reluctant, but the time had come for her to return to the cave to brew Blood Spirit Wine using her life's Essence Blood, hence the reluctant farewell.

With the departure of the girl, the Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon's stony grotto returned to its previous quiet, desolate silence.

"Alas,"

"Hua Teng is a good girl."

The Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon sighed softly, taking out a bottle of precious Blood Spirit Wine that used to be sampled no more than once in ten years, staring absently and lost in thought.

He knew that this was Hua Teng's savings accumulated over many years, meant to give this dying old creature one last indulgence before death.

Unfortunately, this bottle of wine was brewed from human blood, specifically from a young girl of the Human Cultivators in the Qi Practicing Phase. Though not slain by Hua Teng, it was brewed by her hands.

The Old Bone Bloodvine Demon looked at it for a while longer, then buried the Blood Spirit Wine in the ground, paying no more mind to it.

He rummaged through his storage, pulling out a bottle of cheap common blood wine, gulping it down in one go, and then fell back into a deep, groggy sleep.

"You,"

Just then, a faint voice emerged in the cave, tinged with curiosity.

"Why didn't you drink this bottle of Blood Spirit Wine?"

"A servant born in suffering like you, frantically fleeing for life, a Cultivator currently in recovery, should not pass up any thread of Spiritual Energy, as Blood Dao Cultivators are always so greedy."

This voice echoed through the cave.

"Who?!"

The Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon suddenly awoke, utterly confused.

"Who?"

"Of course, it's our Blood River King, the greatest Elite of the Human Race since ancient times..."

The soft, ethereal voice continued without any emotion, simply stating the fact.

The Old Bone Bloodvine Demon's pupils constricted.

Referencing by name, he had no more luck to speak of, and once again, a powerful enemy had found his doorstep.

Whoosh!

Instantly, without wasting words, the Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon started Burning Essence Blood, using his most powerful Escape Skill to vanish without a trace, with a resolute decisiveness not to waste a fraction of a breath's opportunity.

Clang!

A gentle sword hum reverberated close to his ear, its lingering tone crisp and pleasant.

To the Old Bone Bloodvine Demon's ears, however, it was as if the heavens had collapsed and the Great Sun had fallen, his Divine Soul instantly suppressed, his body stiffening, tumbling out of space all of a sudden, all Blood Escape techniques rendered useless.

"What is this?"

The Old Kulou Blood Vine Demon exclaimed in disbelief.

A mere sound wave had completely suppressed him, leaving him powerless – this was beyond his comprehension.

Boundless despair burgeoned in his heart.

Even when facing the mightiest from the Horned Demon Imperial Clan back in the day, he had never felt so helpless; at least then, he had the power to resist.

No response came from the other side.

He, too, seemed to pause, as the Sword-light that was about to strike slowly retracted.

After a long while.

"Even though you're at the Peak of Divinity Transformation, how are you so weak? Not much stronger than someone in the Early Stage of Divinity Transformation."

"How lacking your legacy must be."

Jiang Ding sighed faintly.