C22
"Sin Blood Book, Qiao Zhouyin."
Qiao Mao's mind nearly shattered at the revelation, because Qiao Zhouyin was his great-grandfather. A century earlier, he had vanished without a trace. Despite years of searching, no information surfaced, leaving his fate a perpetual enigma. Qiao Mao never anticipated finding a clue here.
A century ago, Martial Sun City had not been home to the Qiao family. It was later that his great-grandfather, Qiao Zhouyin, along with another Qiao family expert, Qiao Diyin, founded the family.
Legends spoke of Qiao Zhouyin and Qiao Diyin as Spirit Wheel Stage Level Nine Heaven masters, holding esteemed positions within the Qiao family of South Sun County. They were the revered guardians of the Qiao family's Celestial Fault Pavilion.
The Celestial Fault Pavilion stood as the most vital site for the Qiao family, safeguarding the vast heritage amassed over countless generations within its walls—a veritable treasure trove.
The Pavilion was the heart of the Qiao family, the bedrock upon which they had stood unyielding for millennia.
The guardians wielded immense influence, their authority at times eclipsing that of many clan elders, instilling deep fear in others. Moreover, Qiao Mao's great-grandfather, Qiao Zhouyin, had mastered the formidable Celestial Astral Battle Body, his combat prowess nearly unrivaled.
As a Grade Seven Spirit Flame Master, Qiao Zhouyin's status alone was enough to send tremors through South Sun County, not to mention beyond.
Yet, a century prior, the Celestial Fault Pavilion suffered a grievous theft. Not only were numerous treasures lost, but the Celestial Yin Nether Arts—a technique originating from the Nether Clan and requiring the blood of human women for cultivation—was stolen. This malevolent practice sent shockwaves throughout the region.
The theft of the Celestial Yin Nether Arts incited the fury of the Qiao family patriarch and sent ripples of outrage across South Sun County, even implicating numerous families and the royal house of Fire Crow Country.
The Qiao family, besieged by pressure from forces within South Sun County and the Imperial Capital, had no choice but to issue the Sin Blood Book against the two guardians, expelling them from the clan. They were then commanded to establish a branch of the Qiao family in Martial Sun City.
This was the origin of the Qiao family from Martial Sun City.
It was only after Qiao Mao had slain Qiao Ping that he remembered Ping's accusations, claiming that everyone from Martial Sun City was a sinner. At the time, Mao hadn't taken those words to heart. Now, with a wry smile, he muttered, "So, we truly are sinners after all."
Qiao Mao pondered, "Why would the Blood Fiend Spell be inscribed in the Sin Blood Book?"
At the bottom of the Sin Blood Book, a line written in blood caught his eye once more – the Blood Fiend Spell. The color was distinctly different from the rest of the blood in the book; it was a dark, black purple.
Human blood is red. Only those who practice certain techniques could alter the color of their blood. In his previous life, Qiao Mao had encountered individuals who practiced the Celestial Yin Nether Arts, and their blood was identical in color to that used for the Blood Fiend Spell.
"Qiao Diyin's lust for power and gain led him to steal from the Celestial Fault Pavilion and to take the Celestial Yin Nether Arts for himself. He murdered forty-five Qiao family women. His crimes are monstrous and unforgivable. Today, he has sworn an oath before his brother, Zhouyin, that if he ever practices the Celestial Yin Nether Arts again, he will be struck down by heavenly lightning and meet a terrible end."
Reading this, Qiao Mao was taken aback. The Celestial Fault Pavilion had been left defenseless because of Qiao Diyin's theft, all for the sake of mastering the Celestial Yin Nether Arts.
At the time, Qiao Zhouyin had discovered Qiao Diyin's theft of the Celestial Yin Nether Arts. Having guarded the Celestial Fault Pavilion together for many years, Zhouyin chose not to publicly disgrace him. Instead, they bore the burden of the crime together.
Without Zhouyin's support, Diyin would have surely perished under the weight of widespread condemnation.
Yet, what Zhouyin hadn't foreseen was that shortly after their arrival in Martial Sun City, Diyin would once again take up the practice of the Celestial Yin Nether Arts and betray Zhouyin. This treachery was the cause of Zhouyin's tragic demise.
Due to the backlash of the Blood Fiend Spell, Qiao Diyin's body was destroyed. Beside Qiao Zhouyin's corpse, people could even spot fragments of bone, remnants of Qiao Diyin's demise.
"I guess I'm not the descendant of a sinner after all," Qiao Mao sighed. To spare Qiao Diyin from disgrace, Qiao Zhouyin had endured a century of wrongful blame.
The actual sinner was Qiao Guang, a direct descendant of Qiao Diyin.
Yet now, Qiao Guang and the others had cast aside the memory of Qiao Zhouyin's past benevolence, still intent on exterminating his lineage.
"I never imagined my great-grandfather's compassion would cost him his life," Qiao Mao lamented in the end.
Qiao Mao harbored no resentment toward his great-grandfather; however, the incident only fueled his desire to eliminate Qiao Guang. "A person as ungrateful as Qiao Guang deserves to die," Qiao Mao resolved.
"Qiao Guang is truly despicable," Qiao Mao mused, his gaze icy with lethal intent.
Suddenly, an explosion echoed in Qiao Mao's ears, and he was nearly overwhelmed by an oncoming surge of lava, catching him off guard and nearly causing injury.
Qiao Mao's time cultivating here had been neither short nor long, and with only his Spirit Flame for protection, he was vulnerable when attacked.
Regaining his footing, Qiao Mao looked up to see the Fire Rock Python locked in combat with a little beast that had appeared out of nowhere.
The little beast, no bigger than a palm, was dwarfed by the Fire Rock Python's massive body, which was as thick as a water bucket. The size difference was akin to that of a giant and an ant.
Despite its diminutive size, the little beast's assault was formidable. Its strength matched, if not surpassed, that of the Fire Rock Python, driving the larger creature into a relentless retreat and leaving it in a dire state.
For a brief time, the Fire Rock Python's vast form became nothing more than a target. It sustained numerous cracks under the little beast's onslaught, while the little beast itself remained unscathed.
Moreover, Qiao Mao was astonished to find that when the Fire Rock Python attacked the little beast, the creature would vanish, only to reappear moments later.
"Could it be a Spirit Flame? The Red Fire Spirit Flame," Qiao Mao realized before long. The little beast was actually a manifestation of the Red Fire Spirit Flame. When the Fire Rock Python attacked it, the beast would transform into the Red Fire Spirit Flame and blend into the magma, rendering the Fire Rock Python's attacks futile.
If this persisted, the Fire Rock Python would undoubtedly be slain by the little beast.
As Qiao Mao's tamed Demonic Pet, he was compelled to rescue the Fire Rock Python. Moreover, since the little beast was essentially a Spirit Flame, acquiring it would significantly enhance his Spirit Flame's offensive capabilities.
Additionally, Qiao Mao was aware that the Red Fire Spirit Flame originated from his great-grandfather, Qiao Zhouyin. Gaining possession of it would be akin to inheriting his great-grandfather's powers.
In that instant, a fierce gleam sparked in Qiao Mao's eyes. He swiftly closed in on the Fire Rock Python, which, upon receiving Qiao Mao's telepathic command, immediately flew over to join him.
Once united, the Fire Rock Python lamented, "I've trained in this Magma Pool for so many years, only to be defeated by this mysterious little beast."
What the Fire Rock Python didn't realize was that it owed its existence to the Red Fire Spirit Flame, which had created the Magma Pool.
"I'll help you get your revenge and tame the Red Fire Spirit Flame," Qiao Mao declared with a hearty laugh, as he and the Fire Rock Python launched their counterattack together.
