Chapter 13: Catastrophe

“What? He’s the legendary Blood Demon?”
The entire assembly of the Sky Cloud Sect was struck with utter terror.
The name Blood Demon inspired fear wherever it was heard. A century ago, he had challenged all the great sects of this region, and not a single one could withstand him.
That era had been the darkest days for the sects; countless cultivators fell, rivers of blood flowed, and mountains of corpses rose.
Afterward, the Blood Demon vanished without a trace, showing utter contempt for the sects. In his eyes, they were nothing more than a swarm of ants.
And now, unexpectedly, after a hundred years of silence, the Blood Demon had reappeared—and his first target was the Sky Cloud Sect, and on the very day of its Sect Master’s grand birthday celebration!
“Blood Demon, our Sky Cloud Sect bears you no grudge. A century ago, we did you no harm—why do you seek to destroy us now?”
Though bitterness filled Baili Song’s heart, as Sect Master he had no choice but to step forward, bellowing in anger.
“No grudge? No enmity? How laughable!”
Tu Wuchang burst into booming laughter. “My disciple, Blood Wuchang, set out on his first trial, only to be slain by your Sky Cloud Sect. And now you stand before me, old man, and claim there is no grudge? Baili Song, today every last one of you in the Sky Cloud Sect will join my disciple in the grave!”
“So the Blood Demon came for Blood Wuchang’s death!”
Mu Wanqing’s delicate frame trembled. Back then, Blood Wuchang had pursued her, but in the end, it was Chen Changsheng’s daughter who killed him.
Father and daughter Chen Changsheng were recluses of legendary power; to reveal the truth would be a grave offense to such beings. But if she remained silent, calamity would surely befall the Sky Cloud Sect today.
What should she do?
Her heart burned with anxiety!
“Tu Wuchang, you slander us! How could your disciple have died at the hands of my Sky Cloud Sect? Today is my birthday—why would I kill anyone?” Baili Song roared in fury.
“My disciple’s remnant soul, left before his departure, shows that he died three days ago while pursuing one of your disciples. Old man, do you still intend to deny it?”
Tu Wuchang’s voice thundered: “It has been so long since I indulged in slaughter—today, your Sky Cloud Sect brings this upon itself. Prepare to be buried together! Sky Cloud Sect, die!”
With a single sword strike, a howl like a legion of vengeful spirits tore through the air. The radiant sword aura surged with the scent of death, slashing down at terrifying speed.
“Everyone, fall back!”
Baili Song’s face was drained of color as he hurriedly drew his battle sword to meet Tu Wuchang.
A crack sounded—his sword was shattered instantly by Tu Wuchang’s strike, leaving a massive gash across his body.
Cries rang out as many disciples, too slow to evade, were slain outright by a single blow.
The air was instantly filled with the stench of blood.
“Baili Song, look at your Sky Cloud Sect—what a collection of worthless trash, unable to withstand even one of my strikes!”
Tu Wuchang sneered, striding forward with utter disdain.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
His every step echoed like muffled thunder upon the earth.
He was terrifying beyond measure!
The hearts of all Sky Cloud Sect members pounded wildly; the man striding toward them was Death incarnate.
“I hereby declare: the Sky Cloud Sect is dissolved!”
Baili Song, grievously wounded from Tu Wuchang’s sword, called out in desperation: “Run! Everyone, escape at once!”
Tu Wuchang was too fearsome; none in the sect could oppose him—whoever could escape, must do so.
His heart was filled with both rage and sorrow. Today was supposed to be his grand birthday, but Tu Wuchang, the dreaded Blood Demon of a century past, had come to bring doom. At this point, he no longer cared which disciple Blood Wuchang had been hunting three days ago.
“Sect Master, the Sky Cloud Sect carries a legacy of a thousand years—we cannot dissolve it so easily!”
“We swear to live and die with the Sky Cloud Sect!”
“Kill!”
From top to bottom, the sect erupted in defiant shouts, recklessly charging at Tu Wuchang.
“Hahaha, a swarm of ants rushing to die—it’s laughable! For all its grand name, this sect is nothing but a rabble!”
Tu Wuchang’s laughter was scornful as he slaughtered his way forward like a fiend.
Screams and tearing sounds filled the air.
It was clear that the disciples’ assault was nothing but sending themselves to death; they posed no threat to Tu Wuchang at all.
In just moments, corpses piled high.
Blood flowed in rivers!
Confronted with this carnage, Baili Song trembled violently, his face as pale as death itself.
He had only just extended his life by a thousand years with the birthday character gifted by Mu Wanqing, and in the blink of an eye, annihilation had descended upon the sect.
“Heaven has truly doomed my Sky Cloud Sect. So be it—let me perish with it!”
With a long sigh, he snatched up another sword from the ground and, disregarding everything, charged at Tu Wuchang.
Mu Wanqing did not blindly rush to her death. Staring at the horrific scene, her eyes suddenly shone. “Wait—I still have the sword character that the master gave me. Perhaps that calligraphy, bestowed by the great one, can save the Sky Cloud Sect.”
“I must comprehend the true meaning of the sword within that character!”
She had tried before, but the sword intent within the character was so vast that she could not bear it.
Yet now, she had no choice but to risk her life.
“Master, if I die today unable to comprehend your sword character, it is only because I am too dim-witted—I will deserve my fate. But if your sword character can save the Sky Cloud Sect from disaster, I, Mu Wanqing, will devote my life to your service!”

Gritting her teeth, Mu Wanqing hurriedly took out the sword character and fixed her gaze upon it.
Within moments, the character seemed to move before her eyes; it was no longer a mere word, but a person, sword dancing in hand, merging with the Dao, uniting with heaven and earth.
The vast sword intent surged forth, roaring toward Mu Wanqing, striking at her very soul.
She frantically summoned all her spiritual power to resist the torrent of sword intent.
But she could not withstand it.
“Aah!”
She cried out in agony, blasted away by the overwhelming sword intent, crashing more than ten meters away.
“I don’t believe this!”
Blood streaming from her orifices, Mu Wanqing struggled up from the ground, threw herself forward, grabbed the sword character again, and stared at it intently.
“Aah!”
Once again, the torrent of sword intent hurled her away, sending her sprawling.
With a violent cough, she spat out a mouthful of blood—she was gravely injured.
“I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!”
Driven nearly to madness, Mu Wanqing cried, “I must comprehend you!”
Once again, she dragged herself up, ignoring the dust clinging to her wounds, and rushed desperately to seize the sword character, fixing her gaze upon it.
And—
“Aah!”
As expected, she was blasted away by the vast sword intent yet again.
“I refuse to give up!”
Boom!
“Master, why did you embed such terrifying sword intent in your gift? Couldn’t you have made it just a bit weaker?”
Boom!
Again and again, she charged at the character, seizing it and staring, only to be hurled away by the boundless sword intent within.
She was battered beyond recognition, her robes in tatters, pale skin exposed, her face streaked with blood—only her eyes remained visible.