The Ritual

The atmosphere in the royal palace hall remained thick with tension. The curses and shouts of hatred from several ancestors of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty echoed throughout the chamber, filled with rage and resentment toward Li Huang. These ancestors admired and favored Li Chen, not only because of their bloodline connection but also because Li Chen had provided them with life-extending elixirs, granting them more time to live.

The ancestors were consumed with hatred toward Li Huang as they witnessed Li Chen being ruthlessly tortured. However, their curses fell on deaf ears. Li Huang merely smiled faintly, unaffected by their words.

Suddenly, Li Huang knelt down and began drawing something on the floor. The pattern he sketched was fearsome, consisting of overlapping circles with eight points surrounding the main circle. The design radiated a sinister and powerful energy.

Once he finished, Li Huang observed his work with a satisfied grin and gave a cold command:

"Place them at the points of the circle."

Upon his command, the Shadow Guards emerged from the darkness, dragging the bodies of the ancestors to the designated points on the circle. Furious voices erupted from the ancestors as they were forcibly moved.

"You vile child! Don't you dare do this to us!" one of the ancestors roared in anger and fear.

"I am your ancestor! Release me this instant!" another shouted in desperation.

"I was the one who cradled you when you were a baby! You should repay that kindness with respect, you damned brat!" another ancestor cried out urgently.

No matter what they said, Li Huang remained indifferent. He ignored their pleas as they were positioned around the circle.

Once everyone was in place, Li Huang's expression turned cold and cruel. His eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

"Sever them."

At Li Huang's command, the Shadow Guards wasted no time. Their sharp blades flashed, swiftly decapitating all eight ancestors. The sickening sound of blades cutting through flesh was followed by the thud of heads hitting the floor. The bodies of the ancestors collapsed lifelessly, blood spurting across the floor, staining the area with crimson.

Yi Lei, watching the scene before her, was filled with terror as tears streamed down her face. She had never expected to witness such cold-blooded brutality. Despair began to creep into her heart as her eyes fixated on Li Huang, who stood at the center of the blood-soaked circle with an icy smile.

"Gather the blood, claim the body," Li Huang commanded in a voice that was both chilling and powerful.

The blood of the slain ancestors began to pool together, slowly flowing toward Li Chen, who lay in agony. The vivid red blood seeped into the cracks of the stone floor, making its way to his battered body, soaking him in a wave of torment and tears.

Simultaneously, the blood formed a layer that covered Li Chen, encasing him in a thin veil of blood. Soon, the blood coalesced into a massive drop that enveloped him entirely.

Inside the blood cocoon, Li Chen's body convulsed violently. His form began to swell as the blood and spiritual energy fused within him. His screams of pain echoed in the minds of everyone present, filling the hall with an overwhelming sense of horror.

Li Chen's body twisted and distorted. His skin stretched to the point where it could no longer endure the pressure.

"Boom!"

Li Huang sighed softly, murmuring to himself, "A failure... but no matter."

The surviving ancestors and Yi Lei, who was still impaled by the shadow blades, stared at the horrific scene in utter fear. They couldn't understand why fate had brought them face-to-face with such a merciless demon. Their minds were filled with questions about what sins they had committed in a past life or whether they had done something so vile to deserve such an endless nightmare.

Yi Lei, still restrained by the shadow blades, wept uncontrollably. She looked at her junior disciple, whose body was now obliterated beyond recognition. All her hope had vanished. Her eyes returned to Li Huang, locking onto his crimson, soulless gaze. The blood splattered across his face made him resemble a demon straight out of her worst nightmare. She longed for death, unable to bear another second of this torment.

Suddenly, Li Huang's voice cut through the eerie silence. "Begin the next experiment."

Li Huang continued, "Reduce the circles to four."

For a brief moment, the remaining ancestors felt a glimmer of hope. They thought that reducing the number of circles might mean a chance for survival. But that fleeting hope was shattered as they counted the number of survivors—there were exactly four ancestors left.

Yi Lei, still pinned by the shadow blades, was also struck by fear. She struggled desperately, but the Shadow Guards ignored her frantic attempts to escape. They dragged her to one of the circles without hesitation. Her screams for mercy echoed throughout the hall.

"Please... please let me go..." Yi Lei sobbed in desperation as the Shadow Guards placed her in position.

Her cries grew fainter and fainter, until, finally, the air was filled with a haunting silence as her voice faded into oblivion.