Chapter 144: The Terrifying Demonic Cultivator

"Xi Shan is not the host? How is that possible? Aren't artifact cultivators unable to leave their natal magic artifacts?"

"No, ordinary artifact cultivators are indeed like that, but there is a supreme genius who cultivates both spirit and artifact. Once they cross the Golden Core stage and reach the Spirit Nurturing stage, they can transfer their soul and seize a body, separating their natal artifact. Finding an artifact slave is not an impossible feat."

"Sister, do you mean this Xi Shan is an artifact slave?" Le Kai's shock was beyond measure. Fairy Sister seemed to have mentioned a realm above the Golden Core stage... the Spirit Nurturing stage!

Upon reaching that realm, could one transfer their soul and seize a body?

"Indeed. The spiritual talent of a soul cultivator dictates that his spiritual power far exceeds that of ordinary people. You also practice the 'Illusionary God Art'; you should know that when spiritual power reaches a certain level, controlling others' minds is effortless."

Le Kai's heart sank. He instantly recalled Xi Shan's previous words and said in astonishment, "In that case, his young master is the true host of the Blood Trace Blade! It turns out that Xi Bao has long ceased to be Xi Bao. This is truly a shocking secret!"

Fairy solemnly stated, "I'm afraid so. Artifact slaves generally do not know they are artifact slaves. What they worship and swear allegiance to in their hearts is definitely the true host. The host uses the artifact slave to kill for them, feeding the natal magic artifact. When the artifact slave's life potential is completely exhausted, the host will trigger mind control, driving the artifact slave completely insane, feeding themselves to the blade, and ultimately being completely devoured by the natal magic artifact—including their soul, leaving them without even the release of death."

Anger surged within Le Kai once more. Thinking of how he was also a pathetic wretch whose life origin was about to run out, he felt an endless killing intent toward Xi Bao.

Poor Xi Shan knew nothing of all this. His final consciousness was already lost, and his entire body was consumed by madness and destruction. He only knew how to attack wildly and frantically stimulate his life potential. Yet all of this was absorbed without a single omission by the Blood Trace Blade, making it all the more bewitching and terrifying.

Le Kai asked anxiously, "Is there any way to stop him?"

Fairy replied, "No. The host's mental suggestion has already been triggered, and Xi Shan is doomed to die. When his life potential is completely exhausted, it will be the moment he truly descends into hell. Right now, he is merely a puppet. The one truly controlling the battlefield is the Blood Trace Blade."

Fairy's words were astonishing, but Le Kai felt no surprise at all. Gritting his teeth, he said angrily, "Xi Bao, I, Le Kai, make a vow here and now: I will kill you to avenge this!"

Xi Shan laughed hideously, as if mocking, or perhaps out of utter disdain. The Blood Trace Blade completely detached from his palm, autonomously revolving and slashing around him. The violent aura on the blade surged fiercely, resembling a howling demon viciously lunging at Le Kai.

Le Kai's body, which had already been repeatedly stimulated for its potential, found strength from unknown sources. He leaped high into the air, his eyes flashing with brilliant light like the eyes of justice piercing through the fog, casting his gaze upon the Blood Trace Blade as a massive surge of spiritual power suddenly erupted.

The Blood Trace Blade let out a shrill scream, and upon its blood-red blade body, a startlingly scorched mist rose.

Since Xi Shan was merely a puppet, would the Blood Trace Blade—a natal magic artifact raised using dark arts and possessing a certain level of intelligence—also be immune to spiritual attacks?

As the supreme culminating art of the Fairy Empire, the 'Illusionary God Art' possessed a profundity and depth far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. The spiritual power from the ancestral meridian's spiritual origin surged wildly, flowing out along his eyes like an artillery shell firing from its barrel. It slammed directly into the 'Blood Trace Blade', and sure enough, it proved effective.

Le Kai instantly felt the pressure lighten and was overjoyed. Operating the 'Illusionary God Art', his spiritual power channeled into his eyes in a peculiar operational pattern, closely pursuing the 'Blood Trace Blade'. A vortex spun, suddenly emitting a tremendous suction force, evidently attempting to directly control the Blood Trace Blade.

Suffering such heavy trauma, the 'Blood Trace Blade' acted like a true living creature, appearing even more violent. Refusing to give Le Kai a second chance to attack, it shot forward like lightning. The blood-colored tip of the blade shrieked as it detached from the main body and shot toward him.

Le Kai's scimitar vibrated three times in succession, shattering that streak of blood-colored light. At the same time, the divine light in his eyes swept forward like searchlights, rapidly tracking down the 'Blood Trace Blade'.

Although the 'Blood Trace Blade' was extremely powerful, its most formidable skills had all been rendered ineffective in front of Le Kai. Moreover, the attack power of Le Kai's 'Illusionary God Art' was terrifyingly formidable, far beyond what it could currently endure.

Within the combat domain it had constructed for itself, no matter how heaven-defying Le Kai's "Returning Step Footwork" might be, it could not outpace the blade's changes, and spiritual attacks still required locking onto a target to take effect.

For a moment, the battle presented an extremely bizarre scene.

From the front, Xi Shan's attacks were continuous, forcing Le Kai to retreat step by step while coughing up blood repeatedly. Yet behind the scenes, it was Le Kai who was fiercely pursuing and hunting down the 'Blood Trace Blade'. Such a bizarre style of combat was a first in Le Kai's life.

In the stalemate, Xi Shan's condition grew increasingly dire. A quick victory was nothing more than an extravagant hope. Le Kai was like an undying cockroach; coughing up blood time and again, knocked down time and again, yet rising every single time to resume the battle with his blade. Such perseverance was simply hard to believe originated from a human being.

Screeching, the 'Blood Trace Blade' suddenly abandoned Le Kai. With a whoosh, under Le Kai's shocked gaze, it plunged straight down from the top of Xi Shan's head, burying itself entirely into his body.

In an instant, Xi Shan emitted a ragged, beast-like, miserable wheeze. Blood beads continuously spewed from his body as if his blood vessels were bursting, and within a split second, he was transformed into a bloody man.

Le Kai sidestepped, staring cautiously at Xi Shan. Flames of light flickered in his eyes, but his expression was filled with astonishment.

"Little brother, quickly attack! It is devouring Xi Shan's flesh and soul. Once Xi Shan is completely drained, its strength will surge dramatically once again."

Fairy said anxiously.

Le Kai replied, "Sister, don't worry. I am currently contending with it for Xi Shan's spiritual power."

The soul-absorbing function of the 'Illusionary God Art' was pushed to its absolute limits by Le Kai at this moment. Although he only temporarily possessed the ability to absorb the other party's soul, it was already sufficient to compete with the 'Blood Trace Blade'.

The 'Blood Trace Blade' was thorough from the inside out, sparing even Xi Shan's flesh and blood. It was as savage as a demon starved for years, cruel to the extreme. However, Le Kai's 'Illusionary God Art' was no less formidable. The vortex in his eyes abruptly increased its force, spinning at high speed as a massive suction force acted directly upon Xi Shan's consciousness.

Had Xi Shan still been alive, given his mutated spiritual power, Le Kai would never have been able to absorb even a shred of it. But now that Xi Shan had been killed by the 'Blood Trace Blade' itself, at the very moment his consciousness was dissipating, Le Kai's execution of the 'Illusionary God Art' to absorb it met with zero resistance, much like when he absorbed Sang Qing previously.

At this moment, Xi Shan was like an undefended treasury, being frantically plundered from the inside by the "Blood Trace Blade" and from the outside by Le Kai. Pity him for his absolute loyalty, which ultimately led to the tragic end of having neither corpse nor bones left behind, and his soul utterly scattered.

This process seemed long, but in reality, it occurred in the span of a single instant.

The next moment, Xi Shan vanished entirely from heaven and earth, leaving only Le Kai and the "Blood Trace Blade" standing in distant opposition.

The Blood Trace Blade seemed extremely furious. With a piercing screech, the sea of blood filling the surrounding sky vanished abruptly, and the overflowing violent aura gathered together with a whoosh, merging into the blade body. Its color grew even more vibrant and glaring.

The next moment, with a whoosh, it suddenly darted high into the air, transforming into a dazzling streak of blood that pierced through the mist and instantly vanished from sight.

Le Kai, having absorbed a massive amount of spiritual power and currently in the middle of refining it, could only watch helplessly as it broke through the void and departed.

In truth, even if he gave chase, he probably wouldn't have caught up, for the speed of this blade was simply too fast.

"Xi Bao, you demon! When I return to the city, I will surely kill you!"

Le Kai shouted helplessly before collapsing heavily onto the ground, his face as pale as golden paper.

The hardships of this battle completely exceeded Le Kai's estimates. Someone with a will as firm as his had almost broken down.

However, he had managed to absorb the majority of Xi Shan's spiritual power. His entire spiritual origin expanded once more, and when he finished absorbing and refining it, it was already the size of a fist, dazzlingly white and glowing like a brilliant lightbulb.

Le Kai circulated the 'Illusionary God Art' and said with great joy, "After reaching the ' Subtle Perception' realm of soul absorption, my entire body feels different. It's as if within heaven and earth, the layers are distinct and various forces coexist. Although I still cannot truly see them, I can vaguely perceive them. If I truly reach the Spirit Nurturing stage that Sister spoke of, would I be able to see through this heaven and earth at a single glance?"

Fairy replied, "Within heaven and earth, various forces inherently coexist. The fact that you can perceive them shows your cultivation has advanced a step further. It is indeed a cause for celebration. However, I fear the host of this Blood Trace Blade will not let the matter rest. Little brother must not let down his guard!"

A flash of anger crossed Le Kai's eyes: "Demonic and heretical paths deserve to be slain by all. Sister should understand that to reach Xi Bao's realm, one must walk upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood, committing countless slaughters. Although I, Le Kai, am no defender of righteousness, such evil cultivators truly violate the natural order. If he is not eliminated, I fear the entire Azure Planet will become his fodder."

Fairy worriedly said, "But his strength..."

Le Kai smiled coldly: "The stronger his strength, the more he deserves to die!"

At this very moment, within a secluded chamber, a youth sat cross-legged. He was about twenty-five years old, with sword-like eyebrows, star-like eyes, and facial features as if sculpted, possessing sharp and distinct angles. Particularly his eyes—they resembled an eternal glacier, devoid of the slightest emotion, as if even the death of his beloved before him would not cause him to furrow a brow.

Perhaps he had no need for a loved one, for he considered himself the sole unique entity between heaven and earth.

Yet at this moment, he suddenly opened his eyes. His long hair fluttered without wind, and a trace of blood-red light flickered within his eyes like a beast.

Bang!

The teacup on the stone table in front of him could not withstand the intense light leaking from his eyes; it shattered instantly into countless pieces that whistled outward like bullets, piercing into the rock wall and vanishing without a trace.

However, the youth's face paled, and a trace of blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth. Reaching out to grab empty space, a long blood-red saber appeared in his hand, whimpering softly like a aggrieved child pouring out its grievances.