236: Expedition to Minghu

Xiao Zhuo's heart suddenly tightened. Before he could react, Xue Tian's finger, seemingly slow but in reality faster than lightning, had already touched his glabella!

A vast Sea of Consciousness-like Divine Thought instantly pierced into his Sea of Consciousness!

Fortunately, this power carried no ill will. After intruding, it swirled once and forcibly pulled out the enlightenment tea tree that Xiao Zhuo had been nurturing in his Sea of Consciousness.

"I've been discovered!" Xiao Zhuo realized, secretly feeling lucky.

It was a good thing the origin divine weapon was not hidden in his Sea of Consciousness, but rather had been reduced to an infinitely small size and integrated into a cell within his Physical Body.

As long as Xue Tian didn't inspect his Physical Body cells inch by inch, this greatest secret would not be exposed.

"Good boy! The enlightenment tea tree actually fell into your hands!" Xue Tian's Divine Thought, wrapped around the tea tree, compressed it into a palm-sized sphere of light, holding it in his palm.

The spirit of the tea tree trembled, and the entire tea tree shivered. Under Xue Tian's terrifying Divine Thought's confinement, it couldn't even call out to Xiao Zhuo for help.

Even if Xiao Zhuo had the will, he was powerless at this moment.

Fortunately, Xue Tian only examined it briefly before, with a thought of his Divine Thought, stuffing the tea tree back into Xiao Zhuo's Sea of Consciousness.

"Xue Hai," Xue Tian's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority, "Your Sea of Consciousness's structure is quite special, superior to the traditional methods of my Demon Realm. It's rather interesting! This enlightenment tea tree can be planted in your Mingchang Hall, but in the future, you must supply a good deal to the Blood Palace."

Although he didn't forcibly seize it, his words already treated the enlightenment tea tree as the private property of the Blood Palace.

Given the circumstances, Xiao Zhuo suppressed a hint of dissatisfaction in his heart, his Face creased with utmost respect: "Old Ancestor's discernment! This Disciple had exactly this intention. Having obtained this tree, it should naturally be used for the Blood Palace!"

"Very good." A satisfied arc crossed Xue Tian's majestic Face. He waved his hand, "You may leave."

"Yes, Old Ancestor!"

It wasn't until he exited the secret chamber and left with Xue Qin that Xiao Zhuo's taut heartstrings finally relaxed slightly.

Inside the secret chamber, Xue Tian's smile vanished, his gaze sharp as a blade: "This time, being forced by the old scoundrel Changqing to use the Three Venerable Six Paths Blood Gods, many of my trump cards were exposed. The old fellows from the Dao Yi, Minghun, and Minghu Three Realms were all scared away... But those old things think they can fight when they want and retreat when they want? Hmph, how can there be such a convenient thing in this world!"

The next day, a decree from Xue Tian shook the entire Demon Realm — a full-scale invasion of the Minghu Realm to seize its boundary realm Origin!

The various forces of the Demon Realm, who had just caught a breather due to the ceasefire of the Three Realms, were all in an uproar.

Although the Demon Realm frequently encroached upon surrounding boundary realms, the last time there was a world-destroying war of this scale was thirty thousand years ago.

Old Ancestor Xue Tian was truly enraged this time, intending to stir up a bloody storm!

At the same time, Xiao Zhuo had received explicit instructions: he must dedicate at least three months each year to study palace affairs with Xue Qin.

Xue Qin had clearly regarded him as her First Holy Son, teaching him everything without reservation.

His authority consequently surged. Aside from Xue Tian's private property, Xiao Zhuo could almost make a decision on all Blood Palace resources with a single word.

For the next month, Mingchang Hall was bustling with Blood Palace Elders coming to pay their respects.

Though Xiao Zhuo found it tedious, he knew it was a necessary step to consolidate his Foundation, so he received each one.

As many Elders explicitly declared their allegiance, the Third Holy Son's faction, which originally had the shallowest Foundation, suddenly surpassed the First Holy Son Ye Kongwu in power, becoming the most sought-after force in the Blood Palace.

Even Zhao Wuji, one of the three giants of the Elder Council who had always been obsessed with the Dao of Medicinal Pills and maintained a neutral stance, sent someone to show goodwill, seeking enlightenment tea leaves.

Although the Palace Lord's faction and the Elder Council had always been at odds, given Zhao Wuji's initiative this time, Xiao Zhuo couldn't refuse him.

Moreover, the other party immediately offered a Blood Origin Golden Core he had refined — this Medicinal Pill was a divine item that greatly supplemented vital blood, and the effect of one was far beyond what Xiao Zhuo gained from absorbing the vital blood of ten Undergoing Tribulation Prodigies!

For Xiao Zhuo, whose vital blood was currently depleted, it was a timely help.

Xiao Zhuo then returned three tea leaves as a gesture of goodwill.

Zhao Wuji's Medicinal Pill Dao attainments were unparalleled in the Demon Realm, reputed to be able to refine Heaven-Grade Medicinal Pills. In this Middle Thousand Worlds, he could refine Earth-Grade top-grade Medicinal Pills that approached Heaven-Grade, and perhaps in the future, there would truly be a need for this Great Grandmaster of the Medicinal Pill Dao.

Now with a Golden Immortal-level mark imprinted in his body by Xue Tian, Xiao Zhuo dared not easily use his panel to Cultivate anymore.

He could only wait for the Dao Principle of Freedom's exclusive Cultivation Technique to be fully deduced. Only after a stronger Divine Ability of Illusory Dreams capable of deceiving Xue Tian was deduced, could he secretly add points to his cultivation without worries.

In the second month after becoming the designated successor to the next Palace Lord, the war of annihilation between the Demon Realm and the Minghu Realm officially began!

Xue Qin would personally lead the expedition, and Xiao Zhuo also had to accompany her — this scale of bloody battle was an excellent opportunity for him to acquire Attribute Points!

Three days later.

Outside Youquan Pass, at the edge of the Demon Realm's boundary realm sea.

The boundless boundary realm sea churned with Chaos-colored energy tides, cold and desolate.

However, at this moment, this Void Realm was completely ignited by a monstrous Evil Qi!

Most eye-catching were the colossal beasts suspended in the Void Realm — Blood Demon Beasts!

These boundary realm sea giant beasts, nurtured by the Demon Realm for countless years, all reached tens of thousands of feet in adulthood, like moving mountains of flesh and blood.

Dark red scales shimmered with metallic cold light, thick limbs with sharp claws seemed capable of tearing the Void Realm, and their crimson single eyes, like burning stars, exuded a heart-palpitating pressure.

Their backs were modified and reinforced, with ferocious bone spikes and energy turrets erected on them, and countless blood-armored warriors shuttled across them like lice and ants — these were the Blood Palace's most elite Blood Demon Army!

A thousand Blood Demon Beasts were one of the Foundations for the Demon Realm to traverse the boundary realm sea!

Amidst the countless giant beasts, a war fortress cast entirely from dark metal, shaped like a ferocious ancient castle, hovered in the center — the Blood Slaughter War City!

This was the ultimate fortress that only the Blood Palace Lord would use when personally leading an expedition!

At the foremost edge of the war city's rooftop, Xue Qin stood with her hands behind her back, her blood-colored palace dress fluttering in the chaotic energy currents.

On her exquisite Face, there was only the chilling aura of a thousand-mile ice seal up! Her powerful aura enveloped the surroundings, as if she were the center of billions of blood-colored lights.

Xiao Zhuo stood half a step behind Xue Qin, his new Saint robe accentuating his tall and straight figure.

Feeling the faint vibrations from the war city beneath his feet, and the terrifying force field formed by the surrounding Blood Demon Beasts devouring boundary realm sea energy, an unspeakable excitement was suppressed in his heart.

This overwhelming war machine, this monstrous Evil Qi gathered from billions of bloodthirsty Cultivators, was a great stimulus for him. No strong person didn't crave conquest, and moreover, he was destined to obtain an astronomical number of Attribute Points from this expedition!

This was the key to his confidence in being able to break free from Xue Tian's control in the future.

His gaze swept across the Void Realm:

Assassins from the Blood Shadow Tower merged into the gaps of the giant beasts' scales like shadows, the Heaven Refining Gate's furnace battleships spewed scorching energy streams, and the Medicinal Pill Cultivators from Demon Core Cliff shuttled within the war city.

The elites of the Five Great Sects also piloted their respective boundary realm sea battleships, hovering in the Void Realm.

The Demon Realm! All out!

The Void Realm outside Youquan Pass was completely filled by this terrifying army.

The murderous aura froze the boundary realm sea tides.

Slightly behind the war city's flank, atop a slightly smaller Blood Demon Beast, stood the First Holy Son, Ye Kongwu.

He was still dressed in his Saint robes, but his figure exuded desolation.

His vacant eyes gazed into the depths of the boundary realm sea, his former arrogance and sharp edge completely gone.

The news of Xue Tian personally appointing Xiao Zhuo, and the terrifying speculation in his heart about the whereabouts of the previous Saint, were like heavy mountains, almost crushing his will.

He numbly carried out his duty of accompanying the army, deliberately avoiding the direction of the war city, and even more so, not daring to make eye contact with Xiao Zhuo.

"The time has come!" Xue Qin's clear and cold voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated every corner of the vast army formation, suppressing all the clamor.

She slowly raised her right arm, pointing towards the depths of the boundary realm sea — the location of the Minghu Realm's coordinates!

The Old Ancestors of the Dao Yi and Minghun Two Realms had long since driven their boundary realms to flee, no longer caring about the fate of the Minghu Realm.

"Blood Demon warriors!" Xue Qin's voice suddenly rose, carrying the clanging of weapons, "A thousand days to train soldiers, one day to use them! The Minghu Realm is the hunting ground the Blood Palace grants you! Its boundary realm Origin is the resource for my Demon Realm's advancement! Its living beings' vital blood is the precious medicine for your advancement! Its territory and mineral deposits are all yours! In this battle, there is only advance, no retreat! I am invincible!"

"Roar—!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

"Blood stain Minghu, strengthen my Blood Demon!!!"

The roars of billions of Cultivators, the earth-shattering bellows of the Blood Demon Beasts, the boomming of battleship engines... converged into a world-destroying sound wave, instantly tearing apart the deathly silence of the boundary realm sea! The Void Realm trembled!

Crimson light erupted from every giant beast, every battleship, every Cultivator, finally converging into a blood-colored torrent covering the Star Domain. Its momentum was so fierce, it seemed to want to completely dye the boundary realm sea ahead crimson!

Xue Qin watched the boiling Battle Intent with satisfaction, a flash of blood-red light in her eyes, and her arm suddenly swung down: "Advance! Target — Minghu Realm!"

"Following the Palace Lord's decree!" Xiao Zhuo was the first to bow and accept the order, his voice resonant, his posture impeccable.

Beneath his lowered eyelids, a barely perceptible faint glow quietly flashed.

The massive war machine roared to life!

Countless Blood Demon Beasts swung their giant tails, tearing through the boundary realm sea energy, beginning to accelerate. Numerous ferocious boundary realm sea battleships spewed dazzling tail flames, following closely behind.

Starting from Youquan Pass, a torrent composed of flesh, metal, and destructive will, carrying the might of world annihilation, surged forth majestically, rushing towards the distant, fleeing Minghu Realm!