It seemed to be—a human figure!

The figure in the corner was extremely inconspicuous, curled up into a tight ball that no one had noticed.

This included Dongfang Xun, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and the most powerful person in the room, yet even the Daoist Master hadn't sensed anything amiss. His smile was so broad his eyes had nearly vanished. Nearly a hundred jade pendants bought from street stalls had just sold for a total of eight hundred million. He was practically emptying the cash reserves of the leading families in the Jiangnan region.

As for how Wan Yuanshan and the others would handle these 'treasures', that was none of his concern.

He checked the time. It was already ten o'clock at night. Dongfang Xun coughed lightly and said nonchalantly, "It's getting late. I should head to the airport."

Wan Yuanshan and the others were ecstatic, certain they had gotten the deal of a lifetime. They cupped their fists respectfully and said, "We wish Mr. Dongfang a safe journey."

Only Su Daiyi and Old Jiang Ba remained calm, tucking away the business card Xu Lai had casually tossed them as if it were a priceless treasure. They had both hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, they chose to follow Xu Lai.

Truth, as it happens, is often grasped by the few.

Between Xu Lai and Dongfang Xun, the Wan Family and the others had chosen Dongfang Xun, purchasing his expensive Magic Artifacts and paying no mind to Xu Lai's dignity whatsoever. But both Su Daiyi and Old Jiang Ba decided to continue standing behind Xu Lai, clinging tightly to this powerful patron for support.

CRACKLE...

Just then, the entire hotel was plunged into darkness as the power cut out.

"What's happening?"

Panic filled their expressions. They couldn't believe that a five-star luxury hotel in East Sea City could have a power outage. After all, such large hotels always had backup generators; a blackout was supposed to be impossible.

Su Daiyi felt an inexplicable dread. The temperature around her plummeted, chilling her to the bone as if someone were blowing icy air onto the back of her neck. Moreover, her feet felt sticky, as if glued to the floor, preventing her from taking a single step.

In a panic, she fumbled for her phone, turned on the flashlight, and instinctively looked down. Her scalp prickled with sheer terror.

The floor had, at some point, turned into a crimson swamp. But instead of bubbles, the morass emitted the foul stench of blood.

This was… blood!

Pairs of blood-red hands emerged from the swamp, revealing glimpses of gleaming white bone and the rotting flesh still clinging to them.

"What is this!"

Illuminated by the faint glow of Su Daiyi's phone, the Family Heads' composure shattered, and they collapsed to the ground in terror.

The next moment, countless bloody hands swarmed over their bodies, clamping onto their limbs and covering their mouths and noses, slowly dragging them into the pool of blood.

Of the Family Heads from Jiangnan's thirteen cities, three were immediately dragged under, while the others were in the process of being pulled in. Wan Yuanshan was already submerged up to his knees.

In this moment of crisis, he instinctively fumbled for the jade pendant he had bought from Dongfang Xun and roared, "Don't be afraid, everyone! We have the True Dragon Ancient Jade! No monster or devil can get near us!"

"That's right!"

The others snapped back to their senses, their faces lighting up with hopeful surprise. Thank goodness we bought them! they all thought, simultaneously casting gloating looks at Su Daiyi and Old Jiang Ba. Those two didn't buy one. They're definitely going to die here!

Though their thoughts raced, it was only for an instant. Led by Wan Yuanshan, the Family Heads viciously smashed the life-saving ancient jades into the blood pool. According to Dongfang Xun, as long as they shattered the jades on the ground, a true dragon would appear to protect them.

"Hahahaha! I don't care what kind of monster you are! Die!"

The Family Heads frantically threw the ancient jades, smashing them as if they were worthless.

However, all twenty or thirty ancient jades shattered, and absolutely nothing happened.

Everyone was dumbfounded. What is happening? Why hasn't the true dragon appeared? What happened to the promise that one jade could shatter all spells?

"Daoist Dongfang, where is the dragon? Why didn't it appear?" Wan Yuanshan cried out in bewilderment. He was already half-submerged in the blood pool, about to be completely engulfed.

It was at that exact moment that an inconspicuous figure, now crouching on the conference table, spoke in an odd, sneering tone. "Heh heh heh, True Dragon Ancient Jade? Dongfang Xun, you've got some nerve. Not even your master, Li Sanbai, could seal a true dragon inside a Jade Pendant."

The man everyone had placed their hopes in, Dongfang Xun, felt his pupils contract sharply at the sound of that voice. He suddenly realized what this monster was.

"You're the Faceless Blood Pond!" Dongfang Xun's face turned ashen as he spoke, his voice trembling.

Years ago, his master, Li Sanbai, had joined forces with the other Feng Shui Taoists of Harbour City. They expended countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures to forcefully create a Spirit Vein with a Great Array. However, the Spiritual Energy density was somewhat lacking, making it a Pseudo-Spiritual Vein. The reason for the insufficient energy density was because a vast amount of the Formation's energy was being used to seal a monster called No-Face.

This monster was bizarre. It was nearly invisible to the naked eye if one didn't look carefully. It could also transform into a terrifying, blood-red swamp that had devoured countless innocent lives. The more blood it consumed, the stronger the Blood Pond became.

But this thing was supposed to be suppressed under the Pseudo-Spiritual Vein by his master, a feat that had left Li Sanbai heavily injured. How could it possibly be here?

"Fifty years," the terrifying figure chuckled sinisterly. "So, someone still remembers my name."

GULP.

Hearing the confirmation, Dongfang Xun swallowed hard, his legs trembling uncontrollably with fear. This was a monster that even his master had struggled with. It would have been impossible to seal it without the Spirit Vein Formation. Therefore, a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself was no match for it at all.

Without another moment of hesitation, Dongfang Xun spun around and kicked at the door behind him, having no intention of fighting.

The door that he should have been able to kick down with ease now felt like the colossal Mount Tai blocking his path. It wouldn't budge. The rebound force shot up his leg, leaving it numb.

"And where do you think you're going?"

The ethereal figure floated lightly in front of Dongfang Xun, a bizarre, scar-covered face coming into view.

Scared out of his wits, Dongfang Xun immediately unleashed his Realm pressure and, forming a hand seal, frantically launched his spells.

BOOM!

Waves surged in the Blood Pond, and countless blood-red hands made of bone shattered. But Dongfang Xun felt no relief. Instead, a chill swept over him, as if he had been plunged into a frozen cavern.

Because that shadowy figure... was still standing before him, wearing a chilling smile that made one's heart shudder.

As if bored of the game, the shadow tilted its head and simply pointed a finger.

BOOM!

The gesture seemed ordinary, but it carried an immense Realm pressure, like Mount Tai crashing down, making Dongfang Xun's breathing nearly stop. His expression changed drastically as he hurriedly retrieved a Jade Pendant from his storage ring.

Unlike those counterfeit goods from the street stall, this Jade Pendant was a genuine Magic Artifact, capable of saving his life. A barrier of Spiritual Energy enveloped Dongfang Xun, one that could withstand the ultimate attack from a peak Ninth Grade practitioner of the Great Martial Sect.

Even Dongfang Xun himself only had one such item, which he had spent over a hundred million to acquire from a senior cultivator. Though the cost pained him immensely, his life was more important.

But the defense he considered his trump card was shattered with ease before the shadowy figure. Its finger never slowed, piercing straight through the Spiritual Energy barrier.

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