Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 55 Blood Shadow in the Demon's Den: Using Kill to Stop Killing

The Blood River Sect's mountain gate is located in a deep, sunless canyon.

There are no immortal cranes or spiritual clouds of the Flowing Cloud Sect here, only churning bloodthirsty energy and mournful ghostly howls.

Countless mummified corpses hang on the rock walls on both sides of the canyon, serving as a warning left by generations of failed adventurers.

The Blood Swordsman stood before the massive skull gate, his murderous aura even more chilling than the surroundings.

"A new guy?"

One of the early Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivators guarding the mountain glanced sideways at the Blood Swordsman, his eyes filled with scrutiny and ill intent.

He could smell the strong stench of blood on the person in front of him; it was definitely the product of killing many people.

"The rogue cultivator Blood Shadow has come to seek refuge."

The Blood Swordsman's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of iron rubbing together.

Without wasting any words, he directly threw over a bag of righteous disciples' heads that he had collected in the Netherworld Pool.

The demonic cultivator took the bag, opened it, and smelled it. A greedy, sinister smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Such pure resentment! Looks like a formidable character. Go in, all the way to the Blood Refining Hall. Whether you survive or not depends on your own fate."

The Blood River Sect does not tolerate idlers, nor does it concern itself with background checks.

Here, strength is the only passport.

The Blood Swordsman stepped into this demonic realm.

Along the way, countless divine senses swept over him like tentacles, carrying a malicious probing.

Several demonic cultivators at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining even attempted a sneak attack, hoping to gain rewards by hunting down the newcomer.

But the Blood Swordsman didn't even draw his sword.

He merely released a wisp of pressure belonging to the Foundation Establishment stage, and those ants that tried to approach were instantly sent flying backward, coughing up blood, and kneeling in terror, begging for mercy.

Soon, he arrived at the Blood Refining Hall.

This is a grand hall built from countless white bones. In the center of the hall is a huge pool of blood, which churns with viscous blood and emits a nauseating, sweet smell.

Li Tianxing was soaking in the blood pool, his face pale, to heal his wounds.

In the last battle at Yunmengze, he not only lost his Ghost Bone, but was also attacked by Yin energy, damaging his foundation.

At this moment, seeing the Blood Swordsman walk in, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.

"Foundation Establishment stage? Who are you?"

Although Li Tianxing was injured, he was still a formidable figure, and his influence remained.

The Blood Swordsman merely bowed, not kneeling, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "I am Blood Shadow. I was fortunate enough to witness the young master's divine might in Yunmeng Marsh. Hearing that the sect is eager to recruit talented individuals, I have come to offer my services."

"Yunmeng Marsh?"

Li Tianxing raised an eyebrow, as if he had remembered something: "You're the bastard who took advantage of the chaos to devour my Yin energy and even broke the trapping formation?"

Although the scene was chaotic, Li Tianxing was, after all, the one in charge of the formation, and he still noticed something unusual.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding demonic elders immediately surrounded the Blood Swordsman, their killing intent fully revealed.

The Blood Swordsman remained unfazed, even letting out a soft chuckle.

"Young Master, you are mistaken. If I hadn't broken the formation, you and the elders would probably have become snacks for that ghostly hand. Besides, that Yin energy is an uncontrollable thing; if I didn't contain it, it would have dissipated anyway. I'm just making use of it, which can be considered as salvaging some of the sect's losses."

"Insolence!" an elder roared. "How dare you call the Blood River Sect's formations useless?"

Li Tianxing waved his hand, stopping his men.

He stared intently at the Blood Swordsman, a dangerous glint flashing in his sinister eyes.

"You're right, it's out of control."

Li Tianxing suddenly changed the subject, his voice becoming somewhat low: "You've noticed it too, haven't you? That ghostly hand... isn't what I wanted to summon at all."

Blood Swordsman's heart stirred; this was precisely the truth that Gu Yan, in his true form, wanted to uncover.

He nodded, his tone becoming serious: "The array diagram given by the young master was meant to summon the Demon Lord, but what emerged was a Netherworld Ghost General. Although both are Yin in nature, their characteristics are completely different. The former is to invite a deity, while the latter is to open a door."

"Open the door?" Li Tianxing's pupils shrank sharply.

"That's right."

The Blood Swordsman pointed to the array patterns below the blood pool, "Someone has altered the core nodes of the array, changing 'descent' to 'boundary breaking.' This isn't about diverting the Demon Lord's attention to the mortal realm; it's about turning the entire Yunmeng Marsh into an entrance to the Ghost Realm!"

These words shocked everyone in the room.

Li Tianxing's expression changed drastically, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

This formation diagram was personally given to him by his ancestor!

Could it be... that the patriarch would even betray his own grandson?

Or is it that there is someone even higher up behind the ancestor who is controlling all of this?

"You are very smart and perceptive."

Li Tianxing took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

He needs people right now, and this Blood Shadow is not only incredibly strong, but also quite knowledgeable about formations and the Netherworld.

If such a person could be used by him, he might be able to find out the truth.

"Since you're going to surrender, then you should offer a pledge of allegiance."

Li Tianxing pointed to an elder with a fierce face standing to the left of the Blood Swordsman and said coldly:

"This is Elder Zhao, the newly appointed head of the Punishment Hall. If you can kill him within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the position of head of the Punishment Hall will be yours."

Elder Zhao was also in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and was a body cultivator known for his strong physique. Upon hearing Li Tianxing's words, he was not afraid at all, but rather extremely excited.

He grinned maliciously, his muscles bulging like a furious black bear.

"Kid, you think you can climb over me to get ahead? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror..."

"Whoosh."

Before Elder Zhao could finish speaking, a blood-red sword light flashed.

There are no fancy moves, only extreme speed and killing intent.

The Blood Swordsman's figure, like a ghost, passed through Elder Zhao's impenetrable defenses.

"Pfft."

A huge head shot into the sky, the sinister smile still frozen on its lips.

The audience was silent.

From the moment Li Tianxing gave the order to the moment Elder Zhao's head was severed from his body, only a single breath had passed.

This is the fighting style that Gu Yan set for his clone by combining the spirit-enhancing characteristics of the Grandmaster-level paper-crafting technique: kill instantly if possible, never waste words, and ambush if possible, never engage in a head-on confrontation.

The Blood Swordsman slowly withdrew his hand, which had transformed into a sharp blade, wiped away the blood, and bowed slightly to the stunned Li Tianxing:

"Thank you for your appreciation, young master. I will take the position of elder of the Punishment Hall."

Li Tianxing looked at the headless corpse, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but more than that, he was overjoyed.

"Very well! From this day forward, you are an elder of the Punishment Hall!"

Li Tianxing laughed loudly and threw a dark red token from the blood pool: "Also, find out the truth about that matter. I want to know who really wants me dead!"

The Blood Swordsman took the token, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

It became.

Not only did he infiltrate, but he also rose to a high-ranking position and even gained access to core secrets.

"Your subordinate obeys."

……

Meanwhile, at the Green Bamboo Peak of the Flowing Cloud Sect.

Gu Yan's true form was cleaning up the Bloodstained Bamboo Forest that Shen Youwei had just raided.

He dug out the last bamboo root, and his consciousness suddenly jolted.

That was a message relayed back by the clone.

"Is there a problem with the array diagram given by the ancestor? Is it going to turn Yunmeng Marsh into an entrance to the Ghost Realm?"

Gu Yan frowned, his hoe hovering in mid-air.

This is a rather big game.

It seems that this conflict between the Flowing Cloud Sect and the Blood River Sect is just the prelude to a power struggle between two major forces.

And the mastermind behind it all might not even be in this realm.

"Never mind, if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up."

Gu Yan shook his head and continued swinging the hoe.

"I should first clean up this land, plant more spiritual herbs, and improve my cultivation level; that's the most important thing."

As long as I don't step forward, this conspiracy won't find me.

Gu Yan carefully put the blood-curdling bamboo root he had dug up into his storage bag. This was excellent material for making a scapegoat, much better than those scraps.

In the setting sun, his shadow was stretched long, resembling that of a lonely but busy old farmer.