547: Am I worthy to be the Lord of the Blood Realm?

The voice was both familiar and strange, carrying a hint of mockery amidst its coldness, instantly bringing the cheers of the Black Wind Stockade crowd to an abrupt halt.

Everyone jerked their heads up, looking toward the direction from which the voice came, their smiles instantly freezing on their faces.

The smile on Black Impermanence's face also stiffened instantly; he jerked his head up to follow the voice, and when he saw that familiar figure in mid-air, his expression changed drastically, his pupils contracting violently as if he had seen a ghost.

"You... you..." Black Impermanence trembled uncontrollably, filled with shock and bewilderment, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "Murong Gu?! How are you not dead?! You... you actually escaped?!"

In his view, Murong Gu's Divine Soul should have long since been devoured by the Lord of the Blood Realm and turned into nourishment; even if he hadn't been devoured, he should have been imprisoned somewhere by the Lord of the Blood Realm, doomed for eternity. How could he possibly appear here, alive and well?

Moreover, looking at him, not only was he completely unharmed, but his aura was becoming even more majestic, and the pressure radiating from his body even made him feel a hint of trepidation.

Murong Gu hovered in mid-air, surrounded by faint golden and blood-colored light. His expression was calm, a faint mocking smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he looked down at the panicked Black Impermanence and spoke slowly: "Hahaha, who said I needed to escape?"

He raised his hand slightly, and the pressure of his Peak Nascent Soul Stage descended like a thousand-pound boulder, ruthlessly suppressing the Black Wind Stockade crowd below: "From now on, I, Murong Gu, am the new master of the entire Blood Realm!"

"Lord of the Blood Realm?"

Black Impermanence was stunned for a moment, then, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, burst into mocking laughter: "Hahaha! Murong Gu, have you been scared crazy by the Lord of the Blood Realm? Still the Lord of the Blood Realm? Keep dreaming! Just based on you? A mere Nascent Soul Cultivator daring to claim to be the Lord of the Blood Realm? You truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"

He sized up Murong Gu, and when he sensed the aura on Murong Gu, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Oh? Late Nascent Soul Stage? No wonder you're so arrogant, daring to spout such nonsense in front of this Protector. It's a pity, your grandfather here has already reached the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage! Right now, in my eyes, you are not even as good as an ant! I can crush you with a single finger!"

Hearing Black Impermanence's words, the crowd from Black Wind Stockade also reacted one after another, their faces once again revealing arrogant expressions.

Among them, the second-in-command, who had just reached the Early Spirit Transformation Stage, wore a face full of malice and arrogance. He stepped forward, cupped his fists at Black Impermanence, and said in an arrogant tone: "Boss, don't waste your breath on this kid! A mere ant at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage dares to spout such nonsense here and claim to be the Lord of the Blood Realm; it simply defiles the Blood Realm! Let me cripple him, extract his Divine Soul, and serve it as a side dish for your wine, Boss!"

Before the words had even faded, the second-in-command did not hesitate. The pressure of his Early Spirit Transformation Stage erupted with full force, and his figure, like a streak of dark red light, lunged violently toward Murong Gu in mid-air. He extended his pitch-black claws, slashing fiercely at Murong Gu's chest, vowing to cripple Murong Gu in one blow and claim credit before Black Impermanence.

Black Impermanence stood where he was, watching coldly without the slightest intention of intervening—in his view, for a Cultivator at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage to deal with Murong Gu, who was at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, was simply effortless. There was no need for him to act; the second-in-command could easily handle Murong Gu.

The other Disciples of Black Wind Stockade also revealed playful expressions, as if they had already seen the tragic sight of Murong Gu's chest being torn apart by the second-in-command and his Divine Soul being extracted.

But just as the second-in-command's claws touched Murong Gu's chest, Murong Gu's expression remained unchanged. He simply raised his right hand slowly and flicked his fingertips slightly. A faint blood-colored light surged from his fingertips, instantly condensing into a massive blood-colored palm.

This blood-colored palm was dark red all over, covered in complex blood-colored patterns, and radiated the majestic Blood Realm Origin Power. Although it was just casually condensed, it contained power far exceeding the Early Spirit Transformation Stage. It was as fast as lightning, instantly grabbing the charging second-in-command.

"What?!" The second-in-command's expression changed drastically. He clearly felt that the moment he was grabbed by the blood-colored palm, all the evil energy in his body was instantly sealed, and he was unable to move. A massive force came from the blood-colored palm, ruthlessly suppressing his cultivation, so much so that he couldn't even form the thought of resisting.

He struggled desperately, trying to break free from the shackles of the blood-colored palm, but no matter how hard he tried, it was useless. The power of the blood-colored palm grew greater and greater, gripping his body tightly. The "crack" sound of breaking bones was clearly audible to everyone present.

"No—! Murong Gu, how dare you! I am the second-in-command of Black Wind Stockade, my boss is a powerhouse at the Tribulation Crossing Stage! If you kill me, my boss will never let you go!" The second-in-command let out a shrill scream, his voice filled with fear and pleading.

Murong Gu's eyes were cold, without the slightest mercy, and he exerted a slight force with his fingertips.

"Bang—!" With a dull boom, accompanied by a shrill scream, this second-in-command who had just reached the Early Spirit Transformation Stage was actually crushed to pieces by the blood-colored palm Murong Gu had casually condensed! Blood and fragments of his Divine Soul splattered everywhere, emitting a thick, bloody stench, only to be instantly devoured by the energy of the Blood Realm, leaving not a single trace behind.

The entire blood-colored wasteland instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone in Black Wind Stockade froze in place, the arrogance and playfulness on their faces instantly replaced by shock and fear, and even their breathing became rapid.

They stared fixedly at Murong Gu in mid-air, their eyes filled with disbelief, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

"This... this is impossible?!"

"He... he is merely a Cultivator at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, how could he casually crush the second-in-command at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage?! This... this defies common sense!"

Indeed, it defied common sense!

The Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation stages are a Great Chasm in the path of cultivation. A difference of one major Realm means a world of difference in strength. A Cultivator at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage can easily crush a Cultivator at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage; this is recognized common sense in the cultivation world.

Yet at this moment, Murong Gu, a Cultivator at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, had casually crushed a second-in-command at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage, and it looked incredibly easy. This simply overturned all of their perceptions!

The triumphant smile on Black Impermanence's face had long since vanished without a trace, replaced by shock, bewilderment, and disbelief. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Murong Gu—he could not understand, no matter how hard he tried, how Murong Gu had not only survived but also increased his cultivation to the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, and furthermore, possessed such terrifying strength that he could casually crush a Cultivator at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage!

Murong Gu hovered in mid-air and slowly withdrew his right hand. His icy gaze swept over the panicked crowd of Black Wind Stockade below, finally landing on Black Impermanence: "Now, do you still think I am not qualified to be the Lord of the Blood Realm?"