The former Tongguan City, now Blood Path City.
Within the giant city, completely shrouded in blood mist, lived countless mortal slaves, toiling day after day in arduous labor, their lives akin to a nightmare.
The Blood Clan, on the other hand, lived in opulence, feasting and drinking with unparalleled ease.
Xue Zhuzi, the City Lord of Blood Path City, was in high spirits today, his face beaming with joy. He wore a benevolent expression towards everyone he met, even the low-ranking members of the Blood Clan, leaving many feeling flattered and honored.
This was understandable, as the three-thousandth birthday of Xue Zhuzi, the City Lord of Blood Path City, was fast approaching.
As the ruler of a prominent city, even the lords of two neighboring cities were coming to celebrate his birthday today. For Xue Zhuzi, this was naturally a matter of great pride and boastfulness.
The low-ranking members of the Blood Clan in Blood Path City dared not slack off in the slightest, diligently working everywhere, fearing any mishap that might draw the City Lord's wrath upon them.
It was known that the hierarchical rules among the Blood Clan were even stricter than those of the Human Clan; high-ranking members of the Blood Clan could dispose of their inferiors at will.
The Blood Clan's aesthetic favored gore and darkness, so the banquet hall was primarily decorated in blood red and pitch black, presenting a rather bizarre appearance.
"Tong'er, what's the matter with my two old friends? Why haven't they arrived yet? Are they going to stand me up?"
Xue Zhuzi, clad in a crimson robe, glanced at the time, his smile slowly fading. His words carried a hint of displeasure.
Though his voice was not loud, it exuded an air of authority, befitting a City Lord. He certainly had an imposing presence, if nothing else.
"Father, the City Lord of Blood Flame City and the City Lord of Blood Movement City are your old friends. How could they possibly ruin your celebration?"
"They will definitely come to celebrate your birthday, Father. I suspect they were delayed by some matters. I believe they should arrive within a day or two."
The young man stood respectfully with his hands clasped. Despite being Xue Zhuzi's son, Xue Tongzi dared not show any disrespect. His father's temper was truly formidable; he could discipline his own son if provoked.
"Alas, I don't know why, but the closer it gets to my birthday, the more uneasy I feel. I've been anxious and trembling all day, as if some momentous event is about to occur..."
"Have we offended any formidable enemies or powerful figures in these years?"
Xue Zhuzi suddenly sighed, speaking with a hint of melancholy.
Hearing this, Xue Tongzi paused slightly. After a moment, he replied cautiously, "My Lord Father, as you know, although our Blood Clan has become exceptionally powerful under the leadership of the Blood King Chunyu, expanding our territory and population considerably..."
"But Father, you also know that the underground cultivation world's cake is only so big. If we take more, it means we've encroached upon the interests of many other races. Naturally, many will hate us with a passion."
"If you speak of people intending to harm us, then the scope of possibilities is too vast. We simply cannot investigate them all."
...
"A bunch of defeated foes. They couldn't defeat us head-on, so they stir up trouble behind our backs. They truly have no ambition!
Xue Zhuzi sneered coldly upon hearing this, then furrowed his brow slightly and spoke slowly, "However, if these fellows choose to act during the birthday banquet, and if it causes any chaos, we will lose all face. It's like a toad crawling on one's foot; it doesn't bite, but it's bothersome."
"Then, Father, what is your intention..."
Xue Tongzi asked cautiously.
"Issue my decree: the personnel at all sentry posts must be more than doubled. The protective formation of the mansion must be fully activated. Do not spare the Blood Stones. For any outsiders, especially unfamiliar foreign races, assign more people to monitor them closely."
"Yes, your son will attend to it immediately!"
Upon hearing this, Xue Tongzi immediately acknowledged the order and departed.
At this moment, Xue Zhuzi was left alone in the grand hall. Looking at the empty hall, he still felt a sense of unease. He then summoned a few trusted confidants and arranged some further matters.
Only after completing these arrangements did he breathe a sigh of relief. In his opinion, with so many contingency plans in place, any troublemaker could be dealt with.
...
Seven days later, the entrance to Blood Path City became extremely lively. Numerous people from various races gathered before the city gates, carrying an assortment of gifts, clearly there to offer tributes and curry favor.
It appeared that as the Blood Clan's influence grew, more and more individuals sought to appease the powerful figures of the clan. It was perfectly normal for many to seize this birthday occasion to try and win Xue Zhuzi's favor.
Meanwhile, Wu Tao, traveling at full speed, happened to arrive at Blood Path City precisely on the day of the banquet.
Gazing at Blood Path City, bathed in a skyward surge of blood-red and dark hues, Wu Tao could no longer suppress the killing intent within him. The pervasive malevolence caused the surrounding air to involuntarily turn frigid.
In just over two hundred years, the familiar Tongguan City had transformed into this wretched state. This feeling was deeply unsettling, especially for him, who was personally involved.
Wu Tao was unaware that after the fall of Tongguan City, all the Human Clan cultivators were slaughtered, and most of the mortals became blood slaves to the Blood Clan.
These countless mortal blood slaves were exploited by the Blood Clan, forced into various arduous labors, and periodically bled dry until their last drop of blood was squeezed out. Only then, as cold corpses, were they "freed."
Just as Wu Tao drew his sword, "Chu Xi," ready to strike, several Blood Clan warships suddenly descended from the sky.
From these warships emerged a group of individuals with an imposing presence, clearly of significant status.
Leading them were two late-stage Dukes, equivalent to late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators of the Human Clan, one male and one female.
...
"It's the City Lord of Blood Flame City and the City Lord of Blood Movement City. Our City Lord truly has influence, with two City Lords coming to celebrate his birthday."
Upon seeing these individuals, the assembled guests from various races at the gate stirred, and some even whispered.
"Indeed, I've heard that the City Lord of Blood Flame City, Xue Leto, and the City Lord of Blood Movement City, Xue Zhongsheng, are good friends of our City Lord. Their relationship is exceptionally close."
Those with more insider knowledge quietly discussed this with their companions, careful not to be overheard by the increasingly domineering Blood Clan members.
With Wu Tao's current cultivation, he could naturally hear these words clearly.
As his gaze fell upon these two individuals, his expression grew even colder.
At this moment, he remembered who they were.
They were Xue Leto and Xue Zhongsheng, the very ones who attacked Tongguan City all those years ago. Truly, enemies often cross paths.
Xue Leto and Xue Zhongsheng ignored everyone else and swaggered into Blood Path City!
Several low-ranking Blood Clan members responsible for the reception respectfully guided them.
...
Wu Tao, who had been brimming with killing intent and was about to slaughter his way through the city, let out a cold laugh upon witnessing this scene. He no longer seemed in a hurry.
He wanted to see how many more enemies from his past would appear today. It was fortunate that they had all gathered in one place, saving him the trouble of searching for them one by one!
Over the next hour or two, more guests arrived in succession.
...
In a grand hall designed in the style of the Blood Clan, many were enthusiastically greeting each other, enjoying fine wine and delicious food. The atmosphere was exceptionally lively.
The number of guests today was considerable, totaling five to six hundred. Some had arrived just today, while others had come days in advance.
Among the guests were not only members of the Blood Clan but also individuals from other races.
Given the Blood Clan's current formidable standing in the underground cultivation world, these people who came to curry favor naturally showered the Blood Clan members in the banquet hall with praise.
Xue Zhuzi, as the protagonist of the birthday banquet, made his grand entrance last.
With hearty laughter, Xue Zhuzi entered the banquet hall and greeted each of the congratulating guests one by one.
Xue Zhuzi was quite eloquent, further enlivening the atmosphere.
Hundreds of guests offered their collective congratulations. Xue Zhuzi, with a smile on his face, projected an image of harmonious conviviality.
Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the entire City Lord's mansion, making it tremble as if an earthquake had struck.
Before everyone could recover, continuous screams could be clearly heard from outside.
The chorus of congratulations in the banquet hall instantly ceased, and the numerous guests exchanged bewildered glances.
Many non-Blood Clan congratulators immediately adopted a wary demeanor, looking at Xue Zhuzi, fearing they had fallen into some trap.
"Everyone, remain calm, do not panic. There might be some minor incident outside. I will have my son send someone to investigate and ascertain what has happened."
Xue Zhuzi's expression also flickered slightly, but he soon regained his composure and spoke to reassure everyone.
Following this, Xue Zhuzi turned and gave a few instructions to Xue Tongzi, who immediately hurried out of the hall.
Xue Leto and Xue Zhongsheng exchanged glances, and a sense of unease suddenly gripped them, as if something terrible was about to unfold.
In this regard, Xue Zhuzi, Xue Leto, and Xue Zhongsheng shared a striking, identical premonition.
The screams continued. Not long after, Xue Tongzi's head was thrown back into the hall.
The pale head rolled into the hall, bloodied and terrifying to behold.
All the guests in the banquet hall witnessed this clearly, and everyone began to panic.
Especially Xue Zhuzi, upon seeing his son's severed head, his eyes turned bloodshot. The murder of his son was an unpardonable sin, and he was determined to avenge it!
An hour ago...
Seeing that most of the guests had arrived, Wu Tao calmly drew his sword and proceeded towards Blood Path City.
Along the way, anyone who dared to obstruct him was killed. Sword lights flashed, heads rolled, and the Blood Clan members cried out in terror!