Refining the Mountains and Rivers

In the deepest depths of the mountain valley covered by fog, there was a crowd of young experts who were willing to do anything, even abandoning their comrades. But at this moment, they had all fallen into horror and chaos. They barely managed to survive the wild onslaught of tentacles. The weaker members of the group had already been torn apart on the spot.

They watched helplessly as their fellow cultivators were reduced to strips of flesh and blood. After splashing to the earth, their remains quickly rotted away and were absorbed, leaving behind nothing but bones. The psychological pressure this scene exerted on the survivors nearly caused them to collapse.

"Ahh! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" A female cultivator wept out loud, tears streaming down her face. Her previous days of arrogant beauty had all but disappeared.

Her magic power was about to be exhausted soon. Then, with a light 'pa' sound, the barrier of light around her was crushed to pieces.

With a sharp scream of despair, this elegant female cultivator was dragged away by a blood-red tentacle. Unfortunately, the blood-red tentacle didn't have a human judgment for beauty, and thus it didn't feel any pity at all.

Scalp-tingling sounds followed. Flesh and blood was sucked dry and all that was left were bones.

"Senior-apprentice brother Qi, let's hurry up and leave otherwise we'll die here!"

Qi Shengtian had a pale face. "Fine, I'll immediately tear through space!"

The remaining cultivators were overjoyed. They gathered together. Once the spatial crack appeared, they would all flee within.

But at this time, there were still many people looking towards the depths of the mountain valley where the blood flame fruit tree was. Their eyes blazed with greed and all sorts of calculations ran through their hearts.

When they came to this mountain valley to search for treasure they had only considered it a brief adventure to temper themselves and gain experience. They never thought they would encounter such a precious treasure hidden here.

Three blood flame fruits…just news of this was sufficient to sell for a high price!

Qi Shengtian lowered his head, looking as if he were saving his strength to tear through space. He took in everyone's reactions and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Shua -

The black light appeared once more. But this time it didn't tear through space - it instead smashed into the backs of the gathered cultivators.

In a completely unexpected situation, their protective barriers collapsed. The shaken cultivators were sent flying forward, all of them vomiting mouthfuls of blood.

"Senior-apprentice brother Qi, you…!" Angry screams filled the air, mixed with fear and disbelief.

Qi Shengtian was without expression. "My apologies, but the blood flame fruit tree can only be mine. So, my dear junior-apprentice sisters and brothers, please die."

The blood-red tentacles weren't surprised nor did they care about honor or anything like that. Since such wonderful food was delivered to its door, it had no reason to let them go.

Screams of despair filled the air, followed by loud sounds of cracking bones and flesh. The mountain valley soon fell silent.

There were only white bones left on the ground as well as the quietly waiting Qi Shengtian. The blood-red tentacles wove together, forming a humanoid shape. A pair of empty eye sockets stared at him.

For some unknown reason, the blood-red tentacles didn't attack. They seemed to feel some sort of threat coming from this cultivator.

Qi Shengtian chuckled, his expression light. "Shouldn't you be thanking me? It is only because of me that you are able to enjoy such wonderful food filled with so much strength."

The blood-red figure opened its mouth. A sharp scream erupted outwards like a hard nail striking into one's marrow and soul, causing space itself to shake around it.

Qi Shengtian's face became increasingly pale, but his eyes were incomparably bright and his attitude was even more relaxed. "Are you afraid? Well of course, facing someone like me with such a formidable bloodline, you should be afraid.

"You will die today. But similarly, it is also your lucky day. Because in this world, no one has ever truly experienced the power of my bloodline.

"You may call it Annihilation."

Hum -

A layer of black light appeared, covering Qi Shengtian. His entire body fused into it. Then, it burst outwards, sweeping over the heavens and earth like a mighty tide. Its speed was ten times, a hundred times faster than lightning, so fast that there was no chance to evade.

The blood-red figure was submerged in this darkness. Screams of anger and rage roared out from within, followed by constant thundering strikes.

But the darkness really did seem to possess an all-annihilating strength. The sounds that came out became incomparably weak, and even the aura that accompanied it became as weak as a breeze, undetectable from the outside.

Gradually, the movements within the darkness grew smaller and smaller until they thoroughly vanished.

Moments later, the darkness retreated like a falling tide, condensing back into Qi Shengtian's figure. His aura was incomparably weak and he was drenched with sweat, as if he had been fished out from a lake.

But his face was covered with a bright smile. He had forcefully erupted his bloodline that had yet to completely awaken. This would surely create certain backlashes in the future. But compared to the harvest of the blood flame fruit tree, it was all worth it.

Now, everything was his!

His feet moved and Qi Shengtian shot deep into the mountain valley. But at this time, a buzzing sound appeared in his ears.

His eyes widened and a cold chill rose in his heart. However, Qi Shengtian didn't stop, nor did he turn around to look. Instead, he erupted with his final strength as he crazily hurtled towards the blood flame fruit tree.

No matter what accident had happened, as long as he took the blood flame fruit in his hands then he had the advantage.

"You are smart, your heart is cruel, and your methods are sufficiently ruthless. If you were given enough time then you would certainly become a formidable figure in the future.

"But I really am sorry. As you said, this blood flame fruit tree can only be mine. So, while I thank you for all the effort you put in, I also ask you to go underground and accompany all your fellow sect disciples who haven't travelled too far on the road to the yellow springs."

A cold voice passed straight through Qi Shengtian's heart like a winter chill. Then, he discovered that he had lost control of his body and was soaring uncontrollably high into the air.

The last thing he saw was a black-robed youth emerging from the fog.

"There's no aura at all. I, Qi Shengtian, actually died beneath the hands of an ordinary person…"

Pa -

His consciousness fell into darkness.

Qin Yu had a faint expression. He glanced at Qi Shengtian's corpse and then focused once more on the blood flame fruit tree. Joy filled his heart.

He originally thought it would be an extremely difficult process to obtain the fruit, but it had been much simpler than expected. It seems that the heavens had thought he had been too unfortunate lately so they decided to adjust his luck a little.

He immediately dispelled this absurd thought. Qin Yu ruthlessly stomped on Big Pig who was about to plunge toward the blood flame fruit tree, and walked forward.

If this fellow was so impatient then there shouldn't be any dangers. Still, it was best to be careful. With a thought, Qin Yu commanded the ant swarm to fly forward and pluck the three blood flame fruits.

The fruits were separated from the tree. At that moment, the vibrant fruit tree that seemed to be covered in flames immediately withered away. With the next gust of wind, it was reduced to powder.

Qin Yu quietly thought this was a pity. He had thoughts of extinguishing the blood flame fruit tree and moving it away so he could further cultivate it in the future. But when he saw the three blood flame fruits delivered to him, his mood improved once more.

After quickly appraising them and determining that they were precious treasures that could nourish the body, he couldn't help but clench his fists together and cheer.

"Big Pig, listen well to me. If you even dare to touch these three fruits, I'll skin you alive and turn you into a lantern!"

Rescuing the old man was the top priority right now; it wasn't the time to swallow them. After severely warning Big Pig, he placed the fruits in Big Pig's independent space.

This strange independent space had powerful secondary effects. It was similar to a sealed jade box. If the blood flame fruits were placed inside, their potency wouldn't flow out.

One of life's greatest sorrows was to have good things in your own pocket but be unable to use them or even touch them…the life of a pig was so hard!