Chapter 30 : Blood Sea

A bridge formed from petals stretched across the blood moon.

With the blood moon hanging high,the world has turned into a weird and evil place, making people feel uncomfortable instinctively.

However, when the bridge made of countless petals appeared in the sky, it gave them a sense of unreality.

On one side was the sinister blood moon, and on the other, the dreamlike bridge, with floating petals in various colors, winding towards the blood moon.

Ji Yu was pulled by Jiang Shiqiu and stepped onto the dreamy bridge of petals.

Though the petals were delicate and soft, once her foot touched them, she felt as if something was firmly supporting her, without any sense of falling.

This sensation was quite novel, even Ji Yu was a bit surprised and couldn’t help but look around.

Jiang Shiqiu smiled and said, “Wife, don’t worry, you won’t fall.”

Ji Yu looked up at him, and under the blood-red moonlight, his appearance seemed even more enigmatic, with his crimson robe appearing as if soaked in blood.

“I’m not afraid,” she replied, gripping his warm hand tightly.

This hand remained warm.

As Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu walked across the bridge, both demon hunters and ordinary people couldn’t help but watch them.

Will they really not fall?

Some daring demon hunters tentatively extended their feet and soon found themselves on the bridge as well, standing firmly without any sign of falling.

“So it’s real…”

The demon hunters marveled and looked at the two people ahead with awe.

Such a divine technique! Without immense magical power, it would be impossible to make mere petals form such a bridge.

While they were marveling, they suddenly noticed that the water monsters blocked by the bridge were attacking the mountaintop.

Unable to reach Jiang Shiqiu and Ji Yu, the monsters turned their aggression toward the people on the mountaintop.

“Quick, get on the bridge!”

The demon hunters, anxious to block the water monsters, urged everyone to hurry onto the bridge. There were too many monsters to ensure everyone’s safety, so they had no choice but to get everyone on the bridge first.

Faced with the ferocious water monsters, ordinary people who were powerless to resist hurried onto the bridge.

As they stepped onto the bridge, they saw that the water monsters formed from seawater were kept out.

The monsters roared in frustration, crashing into the bridge, but the bridge made of petals remained solid and unmovable.

Seeing this, everyone finally felt at ease.

With their minds finally at ease, they turned their attention to the two people ahead, curious about what they intended to do.

Pei Yang, holding the little girl’s hand, followed without hesitation.

She was Ji Yu’s cousin, and she had always been very close to Ji Yu. Additionally, Jiang Shiqiu, her cousin-in-law, treated her kindly, so she wasn’t afraid at all.

Others, seeing this, hesitated for a moment before silently following.

After witnessing Jiang Shiqiu’s several interventions, they all felt that staying close to him was the safest option.

The demon hunters below, who were busy slaying fish monsters and rescuing people, also noticed the changes at the mountaintop.

When they saw the multicolored petal bridge rising in the sky and stretching towards the blood moon, they were stunned and in disbelief.

Soon, they realized that this bridge was actually a safe haven. Whether it was the fish monsters in the water or those formed from seawater, they were kept out and couldn’t attack those above.

This was far safer than the situation on the mountaintop.

Some demon hunters brought the rescued individuals onto the bridge, and even some injured and exhausted demon hunters climbed onto the bridge to rest.

Ji Yu, being pulled by Jiang Shiqiu and walking on the bridge, didn’t notice the commotion behind them.

Or perhaps she did notice but chose not to pay attention.

At this moment, her attention was fully focused on the bridge beneath her feet. As they advanced, countless petals gathered ahead, forming a path extending into the distance.

She glanced downward and saw the sea raging beneath the blood moon, with no end in sight.

“Wife, we’ve arrived,” Jiang Shiqiu’s voice called out. Ji Yu instinctively looked forward, her gaze freezing.

Ahead, amidst the turbulent waves, the long-absent Master Chen was finally visible.

Master Chen was surrounded by several of the Chen family’s demon hunters, including Chen Mu and the Chen family head. They were all standing on a rocky outcrop.

The sea stretched out endlessly around them, with violent waves crashing against the rocks, threatening to engulf them.

The waves repeatedly attacked them, as if directed by someone, transforming into various fierce water monsters and sea beasts, including seaweed monsters emerging from the sea.

Dozens of Qingluan birds circled the Chen family members. With each flap of their wings, they released a gentle azure light that enveloped the Chen family, forming a protective barrier that blocked all attacks.

Nearby, there were also several mermaids standing on the waves, using water to launch attacks.

The presence of the mermaids was not surprising to the crowd.

Mermaids are adept at controlling water, and only mermaids could stir up such massive waves to flood the Chen family. The earlier mermaid song also indicated their involvement in tonight’s events.

Seeing the mermaids, the Chen family members showed expressions of rage, seemingly eager to kill them.

When the sea began to flood the Chen family, Master Chen sensed something wrong and, following the aura, quickly found the mermaids.

Master Chen said solemnly, “My Qingyu Chen family has no enmity with the mermaid clan, and we have long had an agreement not to interfere with each other. Why is the mermaid clan attacking my Chen family today?”

His gaze was sharp, and his robes billowed, exuding an impressive aura.

A robust male mermaid stepped forward and spoke, “We have come today to seek justice.”

The mermaid’s speech had a peculiar tone, imbued with a rhythmic quality.

This was because mermaids had their own language and rarely spoke the human tongue.

Master Chen’s eyes narrowed, “Justice for what?”

“For the countless Qingluan who perished at the hands of your Chen family.”

Upon hearing this, Master Chen’s expression turned astonished, and the newly arrived crowd on the bridge was also taken aback.

Countless Qingluan? Are they talking about the Qingluan birds?

The crowd looked at the Qingluan birds flying around the Chen family members, diligently sprinkling numerous azure light spots to shield them from the mermaids’ attacks.

It was said that the Chen family’s ancestors had made a pact with the Qingluan birds. The Chen family served the Qingluan birds, and in return, the Qingluan birds granted power to the Chen family disciples.

The relationship between the Qingluan birds and the Chen family was mutually beneficial. What could they need justice for?

Master Chen retorted, “Utterly ridiculous! The Qingluan birds are sacred to my Chen family, bound by an agreement with our ancestors. Why should you seek justice from us?”

Although the Qingluan birds came from the sea, they had no connection with the mermaids.

The Chen family members further believed that the mermaids were using this as a pretext to cause trouble and attack the Chen family.

Could it be that the mermaids harbored some ulterior motive and intended to harm humanity?

It was not surprising that they thought this way. Different races often have conflicts, and the mermaid clan and humans had a history of friction.

Mermaids produce tears that become pearls, known as Mermaid Pearls. These pearls can control water and are considered sacred among mermaids, while humans also value them highly.

Once, mermaids had been hunted by humans for their pearls, leading the mermaids to retaliate by flooding human cities. This resulted in a nearly unending cycle of vengeance between humans and mermaids, until the Moon Dynasty enacted a decree banning the hunting of mermaids. This led to a gradual easing of relations between the two factions.

The Chen family, living by the sea and having a pact with the mermaids due to the Qingluan birds coming from the sea, had maintained a peaceful coexistence with the mermaids. Thus, they were completely unprepared for the mermaids’ audacious attack today.

Mermaids were clearly not skilled in negotiations; instead, they launched direct attacks.

When they saw the bridge made of petals appearing in the sky, both the Chen family and the mermaids were stunned and momentarily forgot how to respond.

Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu stood on the bridge, looking down from their elevated position.

The mermaids, seeing the demon hunters on the bridge, were slightly taken aback but quickly resumed their attack, unleashing massive waves toward the bridge.

As the monstrous waves surged toward the bridge, they transformed into fierce water beasts. However, as soon as the water beasts touched the bridge, an invisible force repelled them. The beasts exploded into water, falling back into the sea.

The mermaids were stunned, and even the Chen family members were surprised.

Master Chen’s gaze was fixed on Jiang Shiqiu on the bridge, his eyes flickering with various emotions.

He felt excitement, elation, relief, and pride all at once…

It was a rare experience, making them feel that the mermaids below were no longer a serious threat. Even though the mermaids could flood the Chen family, it seemed insignificant in comparison.

Realizing their attacks were ineffective, the mermaids grew cautious and refocused their efforts on the Chen family.

Master Chen, using his Qingyu power, spoke in a deep voice, “There must be some misunderstanding in today’s events. If you all cease your attacks now, it’s not too late!”

He did not wish to make enemies of the mermaids, sensing that there was something unusual about tonight’s events. It seemed that the mermaids were being manipulated by someone, and the true instigator had yet to appear.

Master Chen was more wary of the malevolent forces behind the scenes and wanted to flush them out.

The mermaids sneered but did not respond, continuing their water attacks.

Ji Yu observed the battle below. Although the mermaids were numerous, the Chen family consisted of elite disciples and the well-known Master Chen, capable of neutralizing the mermaid attacks with ease.

Her gaze narrowed as she noticed that Master Chen seemed to be holding back, as if wary of something.

Soon, Ji Yu understood what Master Chen was wary of.

She suddenly looked up at the blood moon in the sky.

At some point, the blood moon had begun to twist, its crimson light intensifying. The moon gradually transformed into a blood-red eye.

Ji Yu’s pupils constricted.

The scene before her was identical to the blood-red eye from the dream.

When the scarlet eye fully opened, the world turned into a sinister blood-red hue. The sea below became a sea of blood, and countless ghosts emerged from the blood sea, roaring and attacking the living around them.

The evil energy in the air quickly condensed, and the mermaids in the sea shed their skin, transforming into blood-red, skinless monsters.

They howled, their scarlet eyes filled with resentment, glaring at the Chen family.

The Chen family’s faces changed dramatically.

The people on the bridge were also terrified by the scene. The ordinary people trembled uncontrollably and collapsed to the ground.

Under the gaze of the blood-red eye in the sky, they could barely move, their bodies feeling as if they were being held captive by some malevolent force, amplifying their fear.

At this moment, the transformed mermaids exuded an increasingly powerful evil aura.

Finally, a mermaid sprang into action, attacking Master Chen.

A blood-red claw reached out toward the Chen family. The Qingluan birds’ melodious calls echoed in the blood moon, their blue light flashing. Although it blocked the mermaids’ attacks, the light grew weaker.

The claw’s attack was incredibly powerful, and the Qingluan birds’ defense could only hold for a few more strikes.

In the blood sea, countless ghosts also launched their attacks.

However, when they were about to touch the bridge, an invisible force once again repelled them.

The ghosts howled in frustration, continuing their assault. The petals that made up the bridge fell one by one into the blood sea below.

“What—what is this?”

The people on the bridge mumbled, their faces filled with terror.

Others were speechless, feeling intense pain if they looked directly at the blood-red eye, with their heads throbbing.

“Quick, close your eyes!” a demon hunter urgently warned.

Even the demon hunters dared not look directly, and ordinary people quickly shut their eyes and covered their ears, trying not to see or hear anything.

Despite this, their heads pounded painfully, with some people collapsing and writhing on the ground.

A long, white hand covered Ji Yu’s eyes.

Although she couldn’t see, she felt as if the eye was staring directly at her, just like in the dream. The only difference was that, although her body still ached severely, it was not unbearably so.

“It’s Him…” she murmured.

The eye from the dream, and her blood felt as if it was boiling and then turning extremely cold.

This was a curse…

Jiang Shiqiu’s expression grew grim. He held Ji Yu close, staring at the eye in the sky with a look of fierce malevolence that was unlike anything human.

Jiang Shiqiu’s expression darkened. He pulled the person into his embrace, glaring at the eye in the sky with a fierce, inhuman intensity.

In the next moment, he took out a red bead and hurled it at the eye in the sky.

With a crack, the eye developed black cracks, and an inhuman, ear-splitting howl erupted. The sound was deafening, causing intense pain in the eardrums, dizziness, and bleeding from the orifices.

Old Master Chen, who was fending off the mermaid’s attack below, looked over in astonishment. When he found that the eye in the sky had split open, his face was full of disbelief.

He quickly turned to look at Jiang Shiqiu on the bridge, but all he saw was a blurred, blood-red haze, unable to make out anything clearly. Suddenly, tears of blood streamed from his eyes.

Unbearable to look at!

Chen Laotai was filled with terror.

Why is it unbearable to look at?

Who is this…?

Before Chen Laotai could make sense of it, another unexpected event occurred.

When the blood-red eye split open, a figure emerged from the endless sea of ​​blood. He stood on the back of a hideous fish monster and stared at them indifferently.

When Chen Mu clearly saw that figure, she was struck with horror.

She murmured, “Yunxiao…”