Chapter 211: Blood Turns to Demon—A Mix of Life, Death, and Anxiety

Life is filled with truths everywhere. Life can be compared to any metaphor. Some say life is like a play; perhaps in this play, what we need is a good script and a heartfelt performance. Otherwise, so many unforgettable moments will forever remain unknown to us.
…
Everything happened so suddenly, so eerily. In a dream, he unknowingly returned to the mortal world, to that place full of happiness and sorrow from ten years ago. The sweetness of past memories couldn’t conceal the pain in his heart. In the nightmare, Liu Yi saw that blue figure whose smile remained eerily fixed.
What surprised Liu Yi even more was that this blue figure didn’t intend to fight him. What did the words coming from its mouth mean? Who else wanted to kill him? Liu Yi quickly searched his memories for anyone who might be his enemy in the dream, but everything seemed vague. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of anyone with greater strength than the blue figure who still wanted his life.
Ye Luo Baihua also seemed uneasy. She naturally knew how formidable the Emperor of the Netherworld was—someone with extremely high cultivation and mastery in both martial arts and strategy. What was most terrifying wasn’t his combat skills but his cunning schemes. Though he didn’t directly confront Liu Yi now, his arrogant laughter made it clear that a true enemy lurked behind.
Liu Yi gripped the sword hilt tightly with his left hand while letting his right hand hang vertically, ready to draw his sword at the best angle and fastest pace… Yet the silence around them caused slight irritation. Time passed, but nothing happened. The sky remained as blue as the sea, the sunlight as warm as ever, birds continued to fly around, and everything remained unchanged—only emphasizing the eerie abnormality.
Ye Luo Baihua gradually relaxed, saying, “It seems nothing has changed. Let’s keep going. That blue figure probably just came to scare you.”
Liu Yi glanced at her and couldn’t help but laugh. A princess who ruled a clan could say such naive things. The appearance of that blue figure was just to scare him? How could that be? With its selfish nature, it surely wanted to eliminate Liu Yi right away and erase his soul forever. Even though it was just a dream, it was absolutely impossible to be just a prank.
Just as Liu Yi planned to move forward, something strange happened. The blue sky was instantly covered by dark clouds, and a cold wind blew. In an instant, everything became eerie and terrifying. There was no sunlight, only darkness everywhere. No blue sky, just black clouds. Petals flew everywhere, and countless birds took off in panic from the distant forests…
Liu Yi instinctively tightened his grip on his sword. A terrifying feeling he had never experienced before arose in his heart. Who could this be? Why did fear surge in his heart? He stopped moving immediately and said to Ye Luo Baihua, “This is very dangerous. If anything happens, you must take care of yourself.”

Ye Luo Baihua nodded. Her previously relaxed mood was once again tightened by this suddenly changing world. She felt both curiosity and fear—curiosity about who Liu Yi’s enemy was, and fear because this enemy seemed terrifying; even without seeing a figure, she could already sense that dreadful aura.

At that moment, dark clouds in the sky continued to roll in, pressing the world low and darkening the surroundings. In the cold wind, a white lightning bolt split the sky, illuminating the world for a brief instant. As that light appeared, a large drop of red blood fell from the sky, landing right in the sea of flowers ten zhang in front of Liu Yi.

In an instant, the red blood formed a circular pattern on the ground. Around that circle, countless hair-thin channels appeared, through which the red blood spread throughout the entire sea of flowers. As the bright red blood flowed wildly, with no sunlight and the cold wind and dark clouds covering the sky, all life around lost its meaning. Birds fell to the ground, trees began to wither, and all life in the sea of flowers came to an end.

In that instant, both the process and the outcome were revealed. The meaning of life no longer mattered—only the strong would survive. Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua exchanged glances, unable to comprehend what was happening. What exactly was that circular pattern of red blood? Just as all life around perished, Liu Yi suddenly thought of something and said coldly, “Back up.”

Sure enough, as Liu Yi spoke, the red blood slowly rose upright. As it condensed, it grew taller and thicker, until a human figure made of blood appeared before Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua. Liu Yi tightly gripped his sword with his left hand. He had never felt such immense pressure. That invisible aura made him realize the opponent’s strength was no less than his own. What could it be? A blood man?

As Liu Yi was filled with doubts, the blood man continued to change. His entire body slowly twisted as space warped around it. With those blurred changes, his body gradually turned black—no, not black, but a set of black leather clothes appeared on his body. What happened next made Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua hold their breath…

The face of the blood man across from them gradually became clear—broad eyebrows, prominent nose, a sharply defined face that seemed both familiar and distinct. Long white hair fluttered chaotically in the cold wind. His hands wore black gloves, and at his left waist hung a strange, four-foot-long black sword… Everything was so familiar.

Ye Luo Baihua looked at Liu Yi, then at the person before her, and back at Liu Yi, before she couldn’t help asking, “Who is that person? Is he your brother? Why does he look so much like you? Even his attire, weapons, and build are almost identical.”

Although Liu Yi didn’t know who this person was, from the evil laughter of Lan Ying at the beginning to the strange occurrences now, he had a pretty good idea. He said slowly, word by word, “He’s not my brother. He’s me.”

Ye Luo Baihua was filled with confusion—what was going on? Just then, Lan Ying’s voice appeared again, saying, “I truly admire the wisdom of the Demon Lord. Of course, you weren’t completely right—the person before you isn’t you at all, but your inner demon, the hatred, resentment, and unexpressed emotions piled up within you, forming a demon—a demon utterly devoid of emotions, completely corrupted, without the ability to think, knowing only how to use a sword. Its goal is to kill you, haha…” The voice gradually faded away until it disappeared completely.

Liu Yi’s right hand moved slightly instinctively. He now understood why Lan Ying hadn’t appeared—because he knew this demon could already kill him. His own mental techniques couldn’t be used at the thirteenth level, and even if he could, he might end up like this demon, forever devoid of emotions, with no chance of redemption. Moreover, the opponent was merely an illusion of himself—heartless, without love or attachments. Even if he could use his thirteenth-level techniques freely, he had no confidence of winning against this demon.

Liu Yi said to Ye Luo Baihua beside him, “Step back a bit.”

As Ye Luo Baihua obediently stepped back, Liu Yi gripped his sword more firmly with his left hand. Though he knew the vast gap between himself and that fake version, he knew he was unique. Even if he lost, he would have done his best. The only thing to blame was the capricious arrangement of fate.

At that moment, the Blood Demon across from him also moved. A red glow flashed in its eyes, and as its right hand moved slightly, a familiar afterimage appeared as it reached for the black sword hilt. Liu Yi naturally noticed its movements—every gesture was all too familiar.

Seeing the black glove grasp the black sword hilt, Liu Yi already knew the opponent’s next move. Without further thought, he moved his right hand as well. Just as both reached for the hilt, with a clang, a red light suddenly appeared at Liu Yi’s throat. Along with that sound, Ye Luo Baihua saw Liu Yi’s black sword blocking that red light.

Ye Luo Baihua was filled with panic—there was no time to react at all. The sword was fast beyond recognition. As Liu Yi blocked the sword light, his entire body was struck by immense force, causing him to slide backward through the withered sea of flowers. Liu Yi was even more surprised—he suddenly realized he had underestimated his opponent. That sword strike had been casually launched using his true energy, and Liu Yi understood this clearly.

After resisting with all his might, he was still pushed back far. A badpremonition arose in his heart—his opponent was far stronger than him. Just that one sword strike was beyond his ability to counter. And this Blood Demon in the dream didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath. As soon as Liu Yi stabilized himself, the opponent’s sword swung downward in a circular motion, with the red light flashing as it aimed straight at Liu Yi’s torso.

Just as Ye Luo Baihua saw it, another “ding” sound was heard, and Liu Yi’s long sword stood upright in front of him, deeply embedded in the ground. Although Liu Yi didn’t retreat, as soon as that sound ceased, two deep sword marks appeared on both of his shoulders. Black blood slowly flowed onto the ground. Liu Yi was even more shocked—that sword technique was one he usually used himself. It appeared as just one strike on the surface, but due to his powerful vital energy, he could unleash two consecutive strikes using the sword’s edge. Yet, to his surprise, this demon-blooded Liu Yi managed to deliver three strikes in that instant, with the latter two being faster than the first, all of which he couldn’t withstand.

Ye Luo Baihua watched, wanting to say something but unable to speak. Her eyes were filled with urgency, on the verge of tears. She knew that the demon before her was someone Liu Yi could never defeat. If things continued like this, there would only be one outcome: death. But what could she do in such a sword duel? Both sides relied on the sharpness of their swords, supplemented by powerful vital energy—how could she possibly help?

At that moment, Liu Yi also felt the opponent’s strength. He knew that continuing like this meant only one possibility: death. But what about Ye Luo Baihua? She was innocent. If he died, would this killing machine spare her? Without hesitation, Liu Yi channeled his powerful vital energy, raising his long sword high above his head…

As the black sword emitted a glow brighter than blood, red clouds in the sky swiftly gathered. Liu Yi’s eyes turned blood red, his white hair fluttered in the wind, and his black robe billowed. He had only one belief in his heart: there were people he needed to protect here, and he couldn’t die here. No matter how high the cost, he would kill this demon.

In that instant, four dragon shadows appeared on Liu Yi’s sword. Driven by his powerful vital energy, those four-colored dragon shadows circled the black blade, leaving trails of light behind Liu Yi like white lightning. As the red clouds compressed the space above him, his sword and body emitted red light, and his third-level demonic cultivation technique, “Heart of Murder,” was activated once again.

But this time, the killing aura was clearer than ever—it concentrated solely on the sword blade without affecting his soul. His consciousness was sharper than ever. He knew only one thing: kill this demon and protect those he cared about. No matter how dangerous the path ahead, he couldn’t abandon his responsibility to Ye Luo Baihua.

With a loud shout of “Slash!”, the four dragon shadows appeared. After resonating with the sword’s intent, the four divine dragons summoned by his vital energy became even more ferocious, carrying an incomparable destructive force. They instantly dispersed in all directions, charging at the blood demon Liu Yi. Although the four dragon shadows weren’t as fast as ordinary sword techniques, their destructive power was unmatched. Any sword technique that came into contact with them would be melted away.

As the four Divine Dragon Shadows shot rapidly toward the opponent, something chilling happened to Liu Yi. The Blood Demon Liu Yi across from him didn’t move at all. With his long sword raised high, he instantly gathered the same four Divine Dragon Shadows. Just as his sword was about to touch the opponent’s body, the Blood Demon Liu Yi’s sword descended swiftly. Along with a thunderous dragon roar, the four Divine Dragon Shadows dispersed in all directions, charging at Liu Yi’s own shadows.

The immense power caused the ground around to crack, with dead trees flying everywhere and withered flowers scattering. When the four Divine Dragon Shadows made contact, another dragon roar echoed, and the opponent’s shadows instantly transformed into a red dragon. It was all in vain—Liu Yi’s shadows vanished the moment they were struck, becoming intangible and eventually disappearing.

But the red dragon didn’t stop. It continued to charge at Liu Yi at incredible speed. Liu Yi knew he couldn’t dodge this summoned sword energy. Even if he tried to avoid it, it would still pursue him. So, he had no choice but to defend himself. With his willpower surging, his vital energy quickly condensed in his hands. Liu Yi raised his long sword in front of his chest, right in front of the red dragon’s head.

Liu Yi slowly stepped back, using his right leg to brace himself, trying to stop and stabilize himself as quickly as possible. But the red dragon’s power was too great, forcing him to keep retreating. As he fought desperately to resist, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. Soon, his entire body lost its strength, overwhelmed by agony. At that moment, as his strength faded, the red dragon instantly pierced through his body.

Unable to bear the pain in his chest, Liu Yi’s sword clattered to the ground. His arms stretched out to the sides. At that instant, a familiar face appeared before his eyes—the Blood Demon Liu Yi, holding his sword and thrusting it straight into Liu Yi’s heart…

Confusion filled Liu Yi’s eyes. He knew the past could not be undone, and failure meant death. He had wanted to protect Ye Luobaihua from this nightmare, but now he realized how fragile and powerless that dream was. In the end, he would die by his own sword.

At that moment, Lan Ying’s evil laughter rang out again. “Well, Lord Demon? Some things in this world aren’t as simple as you think. Did you really think having demonic powers meant you were invincible? You’re wrong. This world is very real. Everyone is striving to improve themselves under the pressure of survival. But among them, how many realize that their greatest enemy isn’t anyone else… it’s themselves?” His voice was calm, yet laced with sarcasm.

Liu Yi’s body was in excruciating pain, devoid of any strength. Hearing Lan Ying’s words, he seemed to realize something. Yes… just as he said, how could there ever be eternal enemies in this world? Even if there were, they wouldn’t be everlasting foes. The real opponent was himself… his worldly heart, his heart that couldn’t see beyond the world.

Liu Yi glanced at the blood demon before him. He knew that if he didn’t die here, he might truly become the blood demon before him—someone who only used a sword, only killed, and had no emotions. If that were the case, dying under his own sword now would be a good thing, preventing a massacre in the world.

As Liu Yi used his last strength to think, the blood demon’s sword was suddenly pulled out of his body. The intense pain made him pass out, and his body, no longer supported, collapsed with a thud.

At the moment Liu Yi fell, Ye Luo Baihua felt as if something inside her had vanished. She couldn’t find any explanation for herself; it seemed she had lost some hope. Ignoring the danger around her, she rushed over quickly, picked up Liu Yi’s body, and his black blood instantly stained her snow-white clothes. His pale face still looked familiar, his white hair no longer moving, his closed eyes seemingly announcing his fate. His breathing gradually became softer, and his entire body grew colder and colder…

Extremely worried, Ye Luo Baihua no longer cared whether the blood demon’s sword was pointed at her. She kept slapping Liu Yi’s face, saying, “Wake up! I know you’re fine. You’ll definitely get better. Wake up! Wake up…”

For some reason, the only simple thought in Ye Luo Baihua’s mind was that she wanted Liu Yi to open his eyes, no matter whether they would die under the blood demon’s sword or not.

Time passed unknowingly. The blood demon just stood there, not attacking Ye Luo Baihua. By then, her beautiful voice had become hoarse. She didn’t know what she was saying; she had only one thought: “Liu Yi, wake up.” In her confusion, she seemed to sink into memories. Looking at Liu Yi’s pale face, she said, “I know you’ll be fine. Look, we’ve gone through so much—died and come back to life. I believe… there are miracles in this world. You’ll definitely wake up.”