"I said this matter is of great importance. We must wait for the Old Hall Master to arrive before making a decision!"
"Ziyang!"
Ma Qian was furious, his eyes glaring with murderous intent as he roared, "I call you 'Senior' out of respect! If I don't give you face, you're nothing in my eyes! What do you think you are..." Before he could finish, the Bloodsha aura around Ziyang erupted. In a flash, Ziyang appeared before Ma Qian, reaching out and grabbing his throat. He growled in a low, furious voice, "No! Sense! Of! Propriety!"
Perhaps Ma Qian hadn't expected Ziyang to act so suddenly, and his speed was so fast that Ma Qian had no time to react. When he came to his senses, he immediately circulated his Nascent Soul, unleashing a torrent of Nascent Soul power. However, it was completely suppressed by Ziyang's Bloodsha aura.
Ziyang swung his arms, his hands forming seals. A brilliant light flashed, and the Nascent Soul power instantly condensed into ice, freezing Ma Qian into an ice sculpture.
Crack!
Ziyang's powerful frame shuddered, and his Bloodsha aura erupted like a volcano, shattering the ice. He roared, "You reckless brat! Daring to show killing intent against this old man? In my lifetime, I've killed more people than you've ever seen! If not for the Old Hall Master's sake, I'd end you with a single palm today! Get lost!"
Ziyang abruptly released his grip, then punched Ma Qian squarely in the chest. Ma Qian grunted, his body stumbling backward uncontrollably.
Witnessing this scene, everyone present gasped in shock.
Especially those born after the Cataclysm—they hadn't experienced that chaotic era. Moreover, after the Cataclysm, most of the original Chixiao people had gone into seclusion. Although they had heard tales of the Chixiao people's madness since childhood, many believed the stories were exaggerated.
It wasn't until they witnessed Ziyang's power firsthand that they realized the legends about the Chixiao people were not exaggerated at all.
Although Ma Qian had only cultivated his Nascent Soul for a few years, he was still a Daozun who could casually obliterate old monsters at the Nascent Infant stage. Yet, facing Ziyang, a Chixiao veteran, he couldn't even withstand a single move.
Of course.
He merely failed to withstand it.
Ma Qian wasn't injured, nor was he afraid. On the contrary, he grew even angrier. Leaping to his feet, he roared, "Ziyang, you old fool! You think you're the only one with Bloodsha aura and Dragon-Elephant spirits? Open your dog eyes and see clearly!"
Ma Qian shook his body, and as his Nascent Soul power erupted, a blood mist enveloped him, faintly tinged with baleful energy. Suddenly, an ear-splitting dragon roar shot into the sky. Two colossal figures condensed and manifested from within Ma Qian's body—two dragons, drenched in blood. These two bloody dragon spirits coiled around Ma Qian, intertwining as they spiraled upward, emitting continuous dragon roars. Their presence was astonishing, filled with overwhelming baleful energy.
When Ma Qian summoned his two Bloodsha Dragon Spirits, everyone present paled.
They could all see that Ma Qian's two dragon spirits weren't genuine Chixiao Dragon-Elephants, but their ferocious might was no less than the true Chixiao Dragon-Elephants of the Chixiao people. No one knew how Ma Qian had obtained these two Bloodsha Dragons; they only felt something sinister about them.
"You brat! Cultivating two Dragon-Elephant seeds is one thing, but you actually used blood sacrifice to refine them, employing such evil methods to forge these Bloodsha Dragon Spirits."
"Hahahaha! Evil methods?" Ma Qian laughed uproariously, his laughter wild and arrogant. "Ziyang, you old fool! Do you really think this is still the Ancient Era ruled by your Chixiao Sect? This is the Present Era, a century old now! Blood sacrifice is no longer considered an evil method. Don't embarrass yourself with your Chixiao Sect's outdated rules in front of me!"
Indeed.
In the Ancient Era, blood sacrifice was considered an evil method.
But in the Present Era, there were many reincarnated individuals and even more who had seized bodies for rebirth.
Reincarnation was a grave sin.
Body seizure was a minor evil.
Compared to these grave sins and minor evils, absorbing baleful spiritual energy or using blood sacrifice was nothing.
In the Present Era, while such methods weren't particularly honorable, they were no longer considered evil. Since blood naturally stimulated spiritual entities, many in the Present Era used blood sacrifice to refine various spiritual treasures and postnatal creations to enhance their strength.
In today's world, most cultivators absorbed baleful spiritual energy or used blood sacrifice to some extent. With so many practicing it, people had grown accustomed and indifferent.
Even though Ma Qian was the master of the Leiyun Branch Hall and the Red-Letter Sect's tenet was to vanquish demons and uphold the Dao, no one would criticize him.
After all, this was a world where strength reigned supreme, and Ma Qian was the master of the Leiyun Branch Hall. Even if someone disapproved, they wouldn't dare say it to his face.
"You are the master of the Leiyun Branch Hall and the Old Hall Master's personal disciple. Using blood sacrifice to refine Dragon-Elephant seeds—how can you face the Old Hall Master? How can you face the two characters 'Chixiao' you bear?"
"Hahahaha! Chixiao? Sorry! The characters I bear are 'Red-Letter Sect,' not 'Chixiao'!"
The two Bloodsha Dragons coiled around Ma Qian, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Pointing at Ziyang, Ma Qian sneered viciously, "Your Chixiao Sect vanished three hundred years ago! This world was won by the brothers of the Red-Letter Sect, not your Chixiao Sect."
"Good! Good! Good!" Ziyang's face turned pale with rage, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. Clenching his teeth, he uttered three 'good's in succession, his voice icy. "Good! Very good!"
"Ziyang! Open your eyes wide! This hall master will show you one more thing!"
Without any visible movement from Ma Qian, a pure, jade-white Radiance suddenly flashed within the blood mist enveloping him.
The Radiance was exceptionally pure, slightly holy. As it shimmered, it transformed and evolved, mystically forming a pure, holy halo that encircled Ma Qian.
Witnessing this, everyone present was shocked and horrified.
Because they could all see that the pure, holy halo around Ma Qian was none other than a Radiance Halo.
The sight of a Radiance Halo inevitably brought two words to mind: Immortal Dynasty.
The Immortal Dynasty was the ruler of the world, the absolute sovereign of this realm. It wasn't until the end of the Ancient Era, when it was overthrown by Lord Chixiao, that the Immortal Dynasty's rule—which had lasted for countless millennia—came to an end.
With the Cataclysm, the Ancient Era ended and the Present Era began. The Immortal Dynasty descended once more, reclaiming dominion over this world.
The Immortal Dynasty was the Immortal Dynasty, but not everyone within it was an Immortal.
To better rule the world, the Immortal Dynasty conferred official titles across the lands.
Those who received such titles were granted a Radiance Seed by the Immortal Dynasty. Nurturing this Radiance Seed would give birth to a pure, holy halo. This halo contained powerful and inconceivable Radiance power, hence it was called the Radiance Halo. Bestowed by the Immortal Dynasty, it was also known as the Immortal's Protection or the Immortal's Halo.