266: Chapter 266 Entering the Blood River

A wolf-shaped phantom, completely formed from viscous blood qi with a distinct outline and fierce eyes, abruptly 'leaped' out from the river water.

Its entire body was crimson, radiating an energy fluctuation equivalent to the third grade mid-stage.

It swiftly pounced on a nearby blood-red flower the size of a palm and 'swallowed' it in one gulp.

After devouring the flower, the Blood Wolf spirit's body seemed to solidify slightly, and the ferocity in its eyes intensified.

Immediately after, another part of the river surface broke open.

A more robust, leopard-shaped Blood Spirit with an aura reaching the third grade late stage leaped out.

It devoured a slightly larger blood flower, and the blood qi around it noticeably thickened.

Then, further away, a nearly three-meter-long, tiger-shaped Blood Spirit with an aura shockingly at the Third-Rank Peak roared as it tore through the river surface.

It swept a basin-sized blood flower with astonishing blood qi into its belly, and its imposing aura instantly surged!

These Blood Spirits seemed to follow a certain instinct, patrolling and hunting these blood flowers in the river to strengthen themselves.

On the river surface, apart from these 'native' Blood Spirits and blood flowers, there was another scene.

Vessels of various sizes, shapes, and energy fluctuations were struggling to advance through the viscous blood river.

These 'boats' were not physical entities but more like vehicles formed by some kind of energy shield or special artifact.

On the boats, prodigies from different races were carried.

Among them, some were fully focused, unleashing various dazzling attacks—arrows, fist auras, whip shadows...—blasting at the patrolling Blood Spirits in the river, attempting to kill them and seize their blood qi.

Their attacks clearly enraged the Blood Spirits.

The attacked Blood Spirits would roar in fury, counterattacking madly, sometimes even attracting attacks from other nearby Blood Spirits.

Under the assaults of the Blood Spirits and the erosion of the blood river itself, the boat hulls often flickered with light, appearing precarious. The prodigies on board were all tense, exerting their utmost effort.

However, prodigies on other boats had chosen a completely different approach.

They did not actively attack the Blood Spirits but remained quietly on their vessels.

When nearing a flower, they would use specially made tools or martial skills to carefully pick and collect it.

During this process, as long as they did not actively attack the Blood Spirits, those spirits seemed to ignore these 'gatherers,' still focused on finding and devouring flowers or joining the assault on the 'attackers.'

A vivid tableau of hunting, gathering, danger, and opportunity coexisting slowly unfolded upon this crimson river.

When Qin Yan arrived at the edge of the Blood River, many prodigies from various races who had not yet entered the river had already gathered there, either observing or adjusting their states.

Some were gathered in small groups conversing in low voices, while others sat alone in meditation with closed eyes.

The air was filled with a special atmosphere, a mixture of anticipation, tension, and the scent of blood.

A stream of chatter, accompanied by the mournful howl of the river wind, intermittently drifted into Qin Yan's ears.

"Have you heard? A few days ago, that one from the Phoenix Descendant Clan, ranked fifth on the heavenly pride ranking—Feng Jin—was right in this stretch of the Blood River, hunting down countless Blood Spirits alone."

"In the end, he actually managed to condense a High Grade blood pill!"

"With the power of that pill, it's said he has already broken through the barrier and stepped into the Third Grade Limit!"

A voice carried clear envy and awe.

"Tsk... A High Grade blood pill! Truly worthy of being the strongest prodigy of this generation of the Phoenix Descendant Clan. His bloodline talent and strength are terrifyingly formidable!"

Someone nearby chimed in, their tone filled with emotion.

"What's so big about that news? Do you know, just the day before yesterday, something even more monstrous happened right here in this stretch of the Blood River!"

"Oh? Tell us quickly!"

"According to people nearby at the time, there was a mysterious woman in white robes, with an extremely beautiful appearance, standing alone on a small blood-colored boat."

"She didn't laboriously kill Blood Spirits like ordinary people. She merely brandished a blood-colored long whip in her hand!"

"As that whip danced, it actually stirred the blood flowers in a large area of the surrounding river, causing them to detach from the river surface and gather towards her as if summoned!"

"In the end, she condensed a... supreme grade blood pill!"

"Without shedding a drop of blood, effortlessly and with ease! It's simply... simply monstrous beyond belief!"

"A supreme grade blood pill?!"

"My heavens! Is that true?!"

"Who is that woman? Which race does she belong to?"

The chatter immediately grew more chaotic, filled with disbelief and fervent curiosity.

Standing not far away, Qin Yan listened to every word without missing a syllable. His originally calm eyes suddenly sharpened!

A woman in white, a blood-colored long whip, the day before yesterday, this stretch of the Blood River...

These key words linked together pointed to a figure he was all too familiar with—Su Liuli!

The time, location, characteristics, and even that unbelievable method matched almost perfectly!

Aside from her, Qin Yan truly couldn't think of any other participant who could be so 'monstrous.'

Qin Yan couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity and a desire to investigate.

How exactly did Su Liuli manage it?

Just imagining the scene of those blood flowers actively gathering felt profoundly mysterious.

The allure of a supreme grade blood pill was undeniable; he naturally craved it too.

But he quickly calmed down.

Based on common knowledge he had heard before, the total amount of blood qi required to condense a supreme grade blood pill was staggeringly vast!

For ordinary prodigies, exerting their utmost to kill Blood Spirits and collect blood flowers, managing to condense a mid-grade blood pill was already an achievement. A High Grade one was exceedingly rare, and a supreme grade... that was practically a legend.

Precisely because of its sky-defying difficulty did Su Liuli's method seem so astonishing.

"It cannot be forced."

"Do your best. What grade of blood pill I can condense will depend on my luck and ability."

Having reasoned this through, he delayed no longer and strode towards the edge of the Blood River.

Standing before the churning crimson river water, Qin Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the awe he felt for this eerie Blood River.

He slowly activated the blood qi within his body.

A mist of blood surged from within him, slowly probing into the viscous Blood River ahead.

"Hum—!"

The river surface before Qin Yan suddenly churned violently!

The viscous blood-colored river water seemed stirred by an invisible hand, rapidly converging and swelling towards the center!

"Splash!"

Accompanied by the sound of water, a blood-colored small boat, about three zhang long and five chi wide, completely formed from solidified dark-red blood energy, broke through the river surface and slowly materialized before Qin Yan!

The small boat had an ancient, simple design with smooth lines, as if naturally formed.

Surrounding the hull was a faint, constantly flowing blood-colored halo, forming a seemingly thin but actually resilient blood shield.

This was the 'ferry boat' the Blood River granted to trial-takers—the Blood River Spirit Boat!

Qin Yan's foot tapped the ground as he leaped up lightly, landing steadily on the deck of the Spirit Boat.

"Plop."

The Spirit Boat sank, then stabilized as it settled into the Blood River, gently undulating with the undercurrents.