Shen Jinsuo closed his eyes.

He knew about that ancient ceremony.

To become the Blood Emperor, he would need to split off a part of himself for sacrifice to initiate the ancient ceremony.

Strictly speaking, Blood Clan Pure-blooded Beastmen do not possess the Undying Body.

Only Pure-blooded Beastmen of the same clan can kill them.

It is akin to mutual destruction; only by sacrificing one’s own can the ancient ceremony be activated to kill a Pure-blooded Beastman.

And only the Blood Emperor can initiate this ceremony.

"The Blood Clan cannot be annihilated, the Holy Mountain cannot be annihilated; this is the responsibility of the Blood Emperor."

Shen Jinsuo spoke solemnly in his heart: "No matter who survives, be sure to protect her."

The "her" naturally referred to Su Muyao.

They all understood.

At this critical moment, a voice echoed in his mind; it was Xuan Che’s.

Actually, when he merged back in the past as the Blood Empress, the power of the Blood Emperor suppressed Shen Ci’an’s thoughts.

Later, possessing memories of Shen Ci’an and influenced by these memories, Shen Jinsuo continued to feel an affection for Su Muyao akin to Shen Ci’an’s.

Yet, Shen Ci’an’s consciousness seemed to remain dormant, never fully awakening.

Shen Jinsuo looked at the Pavilion Master of the Blood Killing Pavilion, a sarcastic arc curling at the corners of his mouth.

He dispelled the violent blood-colored Gang Qi around him, leaping into the air.

At this moment, he formed complex and ancient seals with his hands, chanting in the obscure and ancient language of the Blood Clan, his voice low and solemn, spreading through the Holy Mountain with the wind.

As the chanting began, the entire Blood Race Holy Mountain was instantly transformed.

The previously dim sky suddenly turned black as ink, clouds roiled, thunder boomed.

The dark clouds even took on a reddish tint.

The rolling thunder, like the roars of a giant beast, coursed through the clouds as if to shatter the entire Holy Mountain.

Soon after, a dense blood mist surged from beneath the Forbidden Land behind the Holy Mountain, spreading like a tide, instantly engulfing the entire mountain.

The blood-colored mist was thick and cold, carrying a suppressive force from deep within the bloodline.

The remaining Fierce Beasts on the Holy Mountain, disciples of the Luo Family and the Blood Killing Pavilion, under the shroud of the blood mist, their powers were instantly halved, their breaths disordered, even the strength to lift their hands weakened, their faces filled with terror and despair.

"What is this?"

"What’s going on?"

"The Blood Clan blood mist, how could it affect us, no... impossible..."

They knew of the Blood Clan’s Night of Blood Mist, during which Blood Clan Beastmen roamed rampant.

But they had never heard of it weakening the power of other Beastmen.

And weakening it so much.

What they didn’t understand was, this blood mist was not ordinary mist.

On the Holy Mountain, Shen Jinsuo, with the blood-colored lines on his body growing brighter, his skin began to crack with tiny wounds, warm blood continuously dripping from the wounds, seeming to be devoured by a force, falling into a specific place under the mountain.

Each drop of fresh blood carried potent Pure Blood Power, merging into the ground beneath the rear of the mountain.

Shen Jinsuo’s entire body was enshrouded in a cloud of blood-colored mist.

In the mist, gradually two identical figures appeared.

They stood back to back, rotating within the blood mist.

Both of them formed seals with their hands, sacrificing their bodies to exchange for that ancient power which had slumbered for millennia.

Their figures were slightly trembling, faces pale as paper, yet they did not cease the chanting, their eyes flickering with a resolute light.

The Pavilion Master of the Blood Killing Pavilion finally, for once, had his usually cold and arrogant demeanor drastically change.

His pupils contracted sharply, his eyes full of disbelief and terror, even stumbling back half a step, his voice trembling as he harshly questioned Shen Jinsuo, "You... this... what power is this?"

He was a Blood Clan Pure-blooded Beastman, never had he seen such power.

He could feel the terrifying force in the air, causing chills down his spine. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He had never experienced such a feeling before.

"No, this seems like an ancient ceremony."

We are both Blood Clan Pure-blooded Beastmen, why can you command such terrifying power?"

"Why do you know this ancient ceremony?"

His heart was filled with confusion and fear; he had grown up in the Blood Clan, the Clan had high hopes for him, he was a step away from becoming the Blood Emperor.

He believed he had mastered all powerful magic and forces of the Blood Clan.

Yet he had never seen such a strange and formidable ceremony, the pressure from deep within the bloodline, causing him unprecedented fear.

The newly split Xuan Che slowly lifted his head, his mysterious blood pupils looking at the Pavilion Master of the Blood Killing Pavilion, a cold arc at the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable majesty, speaking word by word: "Do you think, as Blood Clan Pure-blooded Beastmen, slaughter alone makes one the Blood Emperor?"

He paused, his gaze towards the back of the Holy Mountain at that already withered tree, still emitting a faint bloodline power, a hint of reverence flickered in his eyes, "Becoming the Blood Emperor is not merely about bloodline and power, most importantly, it requires the approval of the Holy Tree of the Holy Mountain."

"More than two hundred thousand years ago, though the Holy Tree has withered and died, its will still persists; only by earning the Holy Tree’s recognition can the Blood Clan’s true ancient power be awakened, and only then can one truly rule the Blood Clan as the Blood Emperor."

"And you, are just a waste possessing pure bloodline but never earning the Holy Tree’s approval."

As his words fell, the blood mist around Xuan Che grew denser, the thunder more intense, his wounds expanding, fresh blood gushing forth.

When Shen Jinsuo split his power, he showed some favoritism.

After the split, it was originally Xuan Che who held the power, choosing sacrifice, choosing to leave Shen Ci’an behind.

Because he also loved Su Muyao.

But he knew, what Su Muyao needed was Shen Ci’an.

He returned Shen Ci’an.

In the end, he said many things in Shen Ci’an’s ear with his consciousness, before being drawn by an invisible force, merging into the roots of the Holy Tree.

The withered branches of the Holy Tree unexpectedly began to emit a faint scarlet glow, a more terrifying bloodline power erupted from the Holy Tree, continuously flowing into Shen Ci’an’s body.

In that moment, Shen Ci’an fully awakened.

The moment after Xuan Che’s sacrifice, the suppressive power over Shen Ci’an disappeared instantly.

When Shen Ci’an fully awakened, his slanted, mysterious eyes emitted a sinisterly beautiful and cold aura.

He looked at the already terrified Pavilion Master of the Blood Killing Pavilion, a sarcastic arc on his lips, an intense, vibrant yet extremely dangerous aura.

Under such a gaze, the Pavilion Master felt as though he was immobilized.

That ominous aura enveloped him instantly.

"No... impossible, our Blood Clan, how could it have a Holy Tree."

This was something he had never known.

He sensed a threat.

He was a Pure-blooded Beastman, immortal.

But at this moment, he realized he was wrong.

Even the two elders and one protector of the Fierce Beast Clan, as well as the two elders from the Luo Family, and even the subordinates of the Pavilion Master of the Blood Killing Pavilion, their faces turned utterly pale.

The Blood Clan indeed had bizarre and ancient Secret Techniques, not so easily overcome.

At this moment, after their powers were weakened, they only wished to leave this place.

But how could Shen Ci’an let them leave?

With the power of the Holy Tree bolstering him, his power surged.

Yet he knew there was a time limit.

The cost of activating the ancient ceremony was immense.

He absolutely could not waste it, all threats must be eliminated.

His gaze suddenly darkened, the vicious energy churning between his brows nearly tangible.

With a slight movement of his fingertip, a dense, blood-jade-like blood-colored superpower, carrying a piercing chill, suddenly erupted from his fingertip.

This power was not scattered blood energy but condensed into countless dark red halos of blood-colored threads, the ends as sharp as cold needles, with a piercing sound, densely shooting out.

Those still alive Beastmen who had besieged Shen Jinsuo didn’t even have time to react, the blood threads pierced all their defenses, striking accurately at their brows, throats, hearts, and other vital points.

The traitors of the Blood Clan were also struck at their body’s weak points by these threads, instantly falling dead.