A Storm of Blood and Violence

  Yihan stealthily followed the member of the Radiant Church. It seems the Church's influence on the continent is indeed vast. The man ran wildly, stirring little commotion. Anyone keen enough could have noticed him, yet he paid no heed to his surroundings. Thus, Yihan simply concealed his presence, foregoing any need for further hiding.

  After sprinting from the east gate of Miyate City for about fifteen minutes, the man finally stopped. Yihan, standing quietly not far away, observed the four groups of people sitting around four bonfires. They were all dressed in the robes of the Radiant Church, some practicing magic, others chatting. Four of them patrolled the area. Yihan noted there were as many as fifty people present, with an additional dozen or so hidden.

  "Why are you here?" a swordsman at the nearest bonfire asked the messenger, his face stern. He seemed to be a leader.

  "The Son summoned me to tell you to keep a low profile. More and more powerful forces are arriving. Avoid entering the city if possible to prevent unnecessary trouble," the messenger explained his purpose quickly.

  "Alright, we understand. You may leave," said the swordsman, resuming his meditation after the messenger spoke.

  "You," the messenger began, his face turning pale. He was close to the Son, and this mere knight dared to dismiss him so casually.

  "What, do you need me to escort you out?" The swordsman, surrounded by a holy aura and the imposing air of a ninth-level swordsman, intimidated the messenger, who stumbled backward, his face alternating between red and white, evidently slightly injured by the swordsman's aura.

  "Very well," the messenger said firmly, turning back toward Miyate City. He gave a fierce look at the fifty-odd people before leaving, but no one paid him any attention.

  As the messenger left, Yihan quietly followed. "Just you wait. I'll have the Son teach you a lesson and show you the difference between us."

  "What difference is there between you and them?" A cold voice suddenly echoed around the messenger, who stopped in his tracks, looking around alertly.

  Suddenly, a dark figure rapidly approached. The messenger had no time to react before a strong hand clutched his throat.

  In the moonlight, the messenger finally saw his attacker, his face filled with disbelief. "You... you're just..." His mind flashed back to the black-clothed figure he had seen at the Camila auction house entrance. But he was only a fifth-level practitioner, while the messenger was at the eighth level. How could this be?

  Struggling to breathe, the messenger's face turned purple under the firm grip.

  "To thank you for leading the way, I've decided to let you die gently," Yihan said, baring his fangs in the moonlight.

  "You... you're a devil," the messenger managed to squeeze out a few words, staring wide-eyed at Yihan.

  "Devil? I prefer being called a Shura."

  Yihan pulled the messenger closer, his chilling voice taunting, "Fear, scream, unleash your anger." His elongated fangs neared the messenger's neck.

  With a soft puncture, Yihan's fangs easily penetrated the messenger's neck. The messenger felt his body's warmth dropping rapidly, his eighth-level abilities unable to shield him from the cold. He trembled uncontrollably.

  "The God of Light... will not... forgive your... sinful soul," the messenger said with his last strength before losing consciousness.

  If anyone were watching, they would see the messenger's body shrivel in Yihan's grasp, turning into a dry husk.

  After draining the messenger, Yihan, who hadn't fed on blood for days, reveled in the sensation, akin to a drug addict.

  With a beast-like roar, Yihan threw the corpse, which burst into pieces mid-air.

  Blood still dripping from his mouth, his eyes bloodthirsty, Yihan turned towards the Radiant Church members. Moving swiftly, he left a long trail, like a ghostly shadow, silent and eerie.

  Yihan, a master of speed, approached the Church's camp silently. He carefully scouted the area: fifty-three outside, fourteen hidden, all ninth-level practitioners - seven swordsmen and seven mages, positioned strategically.

  "Playing dirty, huh? Very well," Yihan chuckled. He retreated about thirty feet, recalling the Five Elements Bagua Formation from his memories of the Immortal King. He then drew a large circle around the Church members, including all sixty-seven people. Drawing the circle, he marked intricate lines on the ground with his newly acquired sword.

  Once the formation was ready, Yihan placed fire, earth, wind, and water magic cores

 at four points. This was done in an incredibly short time.

  "Captain, aren't you worried he'll complain to the Son?" a mage asked the swordsman.

  "Complain? I doubt it," the swordsman stood up, looking around warily. "Friends from the other forces, please come out," he called into the empty woods. The fifty-three people quickly armed themselves.

  "Didn't expect you to notice," Yihan's cold voice floated in the air.

  "It was hard not to notice. Such silence is rare in these woods at night," the swordsman replied, surprised at his own ability to detect the enemy.

  "I underestimated you," Yihan admitted, impressed by the swordsman's vigilance.

  "What do you want, friend?" The swordsman, sensing the situation worsening, grew increasingly anxious.

  "Your lives," Yihan declared, a strong scent of blood filling the air.

  "Sacrifice your blood," Yihan charged forward, his sword trailing along the ground, creating a deep curve. The formation activated.

  "Five Elements Bagua Formation, begin!" Yihan pressed his hands to the ground, channeling a massive amount of energy into the magic cores. The formation glowed, absorbing energy from the air.

  Realizing something was wrong, the people in the formation tried to escape. The swordsman, surrounded by a holy light, led the charge.

  "Run, run as the wind rises," Yihan laughed. Wind and fire raged within the formation, with no magical energy to counteract.

  "Swordsmen, attack the perimeter! Mages, use your magic!" Despite their efforts, nothing could break the formation.

  "Combine the Five Elements, freeze three feet deep," Yihan commanded. The fire and wind ceased, replaced by an intense cold, freezing everyone in place.

  The Five Elements Bagua Formation, utilizing the elemental energies of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, was not at full strength due to the absence of metal and wood energies in this world. Otherwise, more than half would have perished under the initial assault.

  Yihan, a vampire, entered the formation, feeding on the frozen victims. Blood was both the sustenance and the source of power for vampires.

  The killing had begun. Yihan, the vampire, was a harbinger of slaughter.

  PS: The slaughter has started. Please support and recommend.