265: Use the emperor's blood as a guide to sacrifice to all the spirits in the mountains and rivers!

The Great Priest's avatar's whispered voice, though soft, seemed to carry a strange penetrative power, echoing clearly in the depths of Prince Wei Mu Weiran's sea of consciousness.

Although he spoke to Li Shengyuan and the others, his true target seemed to be him!

Prince Wei was fully activating the Black Dragon Heavenly King Seal, resisting the triple pressure from the domain, array, and sword formation.

Hearing this, his body suddenly stiffened, and he turned his head abruptly, looking in disbelief at the figure shrouded in the shadow of the hood.

"Master... Master? What... what did you just say?" Prince Wei Mu Weiran's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor; he wondered if he was hallucinating due to excessive exhaustion.

That he actually called the Great Priest 'Master' surprised Li Shengyuan and the others.

They couldn't help but look back and forth between the two with stunned expressions.

At this moment, the Great Priest's avatar slowly turned its head, and the shadow under its hood seemed to "look" at Prince Wei. Its gaze was cold and indifferent, devoid of any affection that should exist between master and disciple, only a scrutiny akin to examining a sacrificial offering.

"Weiran, my good disciple..." The hoarse voice sounded again, carrying a chilling "benevolence."

"Your master has cultivated you for many years, given you resources, taught you demonic arts, helped you ascend to the position of Prince Wei, and guard Jiangnan... Do you know it was all for today?"

Prince Wei's pupils constricted, and an unprecedented chill rose in his heart.

"Master! What do you mean by this?! The enemy is upon us now, we..."

"Enemy?" The Great Priest's avatar chuckled softly, interrupting Prince Wei, "They are merely catalysts to bring this sacrifice to its final completion."

"And you, my dear disciple, you with the purest bloodline of the Great Qian Imperial Family, are the most crucial first cornerstone of this epoch-making Great Blood Refinement Array of Myriad Souls!"

Before the words finished, the bone staff in the Great Priest's avatar's hand suddenly changed direction, and the wriggling blood bead at its tip burst forth with blinding, splitting blood-red light!

The staff was not pointed at Li Shengyuan, Ye Hangzhou, or Luo Qingwan, but instead, like a flash of lightning, it pointed directly at Prince Wei Mu Weiran, who was close at hand!

"Om—!"

An extremely complex, dark-red array composed of countless intricate curse runes instantly appeared beneath Prince Wei's feet, enveloping him along with the tottering black dragon phantom!

"Ugh ah..."

Prince Wei let out a tragic scream, feeling his essence blood, soul light, and even the dragon qi originating from the imperial family, all uncontrollably boil and be frantically extracted by the array beneath his feet!

The demonic qi on his body instantly dissipated, the Black Dragon Heavenly King Seal let out a mournful cry, its light dimmed, and it fell from his hand.

He struggled to raise his head, his face filled with extreme pain, bewilderment, and the despair of betrayal, staring intently at the Great Priest's avatar.

"Wh-why?! Master! I am your disciple! Why would you..."

Prince Wei's voice was hoarse, filled with incomprehension and indignant grief.

The Great Priest's avatar's voice remained calm and unruffled, as if stating a foregone conclusion:

"Disciple? Yes, you are one of my most successful creations."

"Precisely because you are my disciple, possess the imperial bloodline, and hold a high position of power, your sacrifice can maximize the shockwaves to the Great Qian's national destiny, and with your 'Prince's' blood as the lead, completely ignite the Great Blood Refinement Array of Myriad Souls spread across the Great Qian's mountains and rivers!"

"Taking you as a disciple and cultivating you with all my might was, from the very beginning, to fatten you up, waiting for this day's harvest. Your value lies in your death. All of this was given to you by your master; now it's time to return it!"

He paused, his tone even carrying a strange hint of "comfort":

"Go in peace... When your master uses these Great Qian mountains and rivers as a furnace, refines these countless common people, and steps into that supreme transcendent realm, I will remember to... slaughter the Great Qian Imperial Family for you, to accompany you in death."

"Your mother's blood feud, your master will avenge for you."

"No!!!"

Prince Wei let out a desperate and unwilling roar, his eyes filled with endless regret and fury. He wanted to struggle, but the curse array was like countless steel needles, pinning down his spirit and body. He could only watch helplessly as everything within him was rapidly drained, and his body visibly shriveled and decayed.

At the same time.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

...As if responding to the activation of Prince Wei's sacrificial power, in various directions across the entire Great Qian territory.

Whether in desolate mountains, rarely visited swamps, or the corners of some remote towns, thick energy pillars, emanating dense death qi and ominous blood-red light, shot into the sky!

The source of these light pillars was, surprisingly, a series of eerie temples, some complete, some dilapidated, but all activated at this moment.

Their style was quite similar to the "bone god temple" that Li Shengyuan's second uncle encountered the common people worshipping on his way back to the capital!

Hundreds of thousands of blood-red light pillars pierced the sky, like giant shackles, pinning down the mountains and rivers of Great Qian.

Countless intricate blood-red runes, using these light pillars as nodes, rapidly spread and intertwined in the air, instantly forming a massive blood-red network that enveloped the entire Great Qian realm!

The sky was dyed an ominous dark red, the sun and moon were without light, a cold wind howled, and the wails of ghosts and gods resounded throughout the land.

Vast blood-red energy converged along the network, and an indescribable, terrifying suction force targeting all living beings began to descend.

The water levels of rivers, lakes, and seas began to drop, and vegetation withered at a visible rate.

Countless birds and beasts, and even ordinary people in some remote areas, instantly felt their essence draining away, weakening and collapsing... The world changed color, and purgatory descended!

The Great Priest's avatar spread its arms, bathed in the immense blood energy extracted from Prince Wei and the power fed back from the vast blood-red network, letting out a joyful and deranged low laugh:

"It has begun... It has finally begun!"

"With the dynasty's mountains and rivers as the altar, and the common people as fuel, forge my transcendent dao foundation!"

"All of you... will become witnesses and nourishment for this seat to reach the pinnacle!"

Li Shengyuan, Ye Hangzhou, and Luo Qingwan looked at the dramatic changes in the world with extremely solemn expressions. They could clearly feel that the land beneath their feet, and even the entire Great Qian's national destiny, were wailing and trembling!

The Great Priest's scheme was far more insane and terrifying than they had imagined!