From what he'd learned, the Scorpionmen's Demon God Altar could grant blessings from a mysterious, otherworldly demon god through blood sacrifices. That demon scorpion had used the altar to sacrifice large numbers of venomous scorpions, forcibly spawning numerous Scorpionman warriors—skipping over the long and tedious process of natural reproduction and growth. Such a method was practically creation-like in nature, bearing the power to reshape heaven and earth.
Altars of this kind were always among the most mysterious and revered treasures.
This belonged to the Way of Sacrifice.
The Way of Sacrifice revolved around offering, giving, and receiving divine grace—an act akin to a transactional exchange. Sacrificing was in itself a form of faith, and typically required belief in a certain existence in order to gain any response. Only when a target was acknowledged could a sacrifice be rewarded.
This Dark Altar, clearly, had a master. Whoever that master was, it was obvious from the corrupted state of the city that its nature leaned heavily toward darkness and evil. Otherwise, such horrors could never have occurred here.
This altar stood three zhang high and occupied a space of nine zhang in diameter. Its surface was inscribed with countless mysterious runes and patterns, interwoven to form a complex, arcane design. Lines of pitch-black symbols flickered with a glow as sinister as demonic flames—ancient, profound, and deeply unsettling.
It stood grounded as if fused completely with the earth, inseparable from the land beneath.
At that moment, the plaza was filled with civilians. Each of them gazed at the Dark Altar with reverence and fear, not daring to show the slightest hint of disrespect, as if the very act of blasphemy would bring disaster.
They all kept a distance of at least five to six zhang from the altar.
Surrounding the altar were a group of black-clad men forming a circle—clearly members of the same faction. Judging by appearances, they were from the Tiger Gang.
One imposing middle-aged man with a tall and burly frame stepped forward toward the altar. His body radiated a formidable aura that stirred fear in the hearts of those who beheld him. His very presence exuded ferocity and menace.
This man was none other than Wu Hai, the Tiger Gang's leader—also known as the Tiger King.
He strode up the steps swiftly, reaching the summit of the altar in an instant. In his hand was an extremely rare storage ring, and with a flick of his wrist, a flash of light revealed a massive corpse upon the altar.
It was the corpse of an insectoid creature. Its thick carapace shimmered with dark light, a sign of immense natural armor—resilient to the point where most attacks wouldn't even leave a scratch. This species of insect was clearly terrifying.
For Wu Hai to have slain such a creature demonstrated just how formidable he truly was.
"This beast's aura places it among the peak of first-tier ferocious beasts," Yi Tianxing observed. "If he took it down solo, then Wu Hai's strength is far from ordinary."
The aura radiating from Wu Hai marked him as a top-tier expert in the Divine Sea Realm, likely only a step away from reaching the Life Aperture Realm. It was almost certain that some of his life apertures had already been awakened—otherwise, his combat power wouldn't be this monstrous.
Yi Tianxing made no move, standing quietly with Little Nannan, his eyes fixed on the altar.
"Great Dark God, your faithful servant Wu Hai offers this new tribute. May it please you," Wu Hai intoned reverently.
He bowed deeply, offering his prayer in solemn piety.
Swish!
The ritual was rudimentary and crude—an amateur's attempt at best. In the eyes of a true priest, this would be laughable. Yet, despite the clumsiness, the Dark Altar responded.
Rays of divine black light erupted, enshrouding the insectoid corpse in darkness. The corpse then vanished—completely and utterly—as if it had never existed.
Swish!
The air shimmered as a drop of pitch-black blood essence appeared above the altar and instantly flew into Wu Hai's body.
A dark divine light surged from the altar and enveloped him entirely.
Boom!
An overwhelming aura burst forth from within Wu Hai. Heaven and earth essence flooded into his body like a tidal wave. For a brief moment, one could see star-like radiance glimmer from within him. In his flesh, somewhere deep, a life aperture ignited, glowing with celestial brilliance.
"He broke through—to the Life Aperture Realm!" Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed with seriousness.
The aura was unmistakable—it was the power of a true breakthrough. From Divine Sea to Life Aperture—completed instantly, right atop the altar. Whatever that black divine light was, it had catalyzed his transformation.
The divine light lasted only a few breaths before fading.
"Hahaha! Wonderful! I've finally broken through to the Life Aperture Realm! My strength has doubled at least!" Wu Hai laughed heartily, overflowing with confidence and elation.
To break through from the Divine Sea Realm to the Life Aperture Realm was nothing short of an evolution—a complete transformation in the very foundation of one's life force. For any cultivator, it was a tremendous gain.
"Congratulations, Chief! On your breakthrough to the Life Aperture Realm!!"
The Tiger Gang members roared in unison, brimming with fervent respect.
"Excellent! Tonight, we feast—meat and wine without restraint. No one leaves sober!" Wu Hai shouted gleefully, practically bursting with pride.
"Thank you, Chief!"
Cheers broke out among the gang members. After all, a feast like this was rare—even in the Tiger Gang. Hunting beasts wasn't easy. Some needed to be sacrificed, others eaten, and the rest stored for survival. A night of free indulgence was the highest of rewards.
Then—
"Huh? Outsiders?"
Wu Hai's eyes suddenly locked onto Yi Tianxing and Little Nannan. Their brocade clothing—made from cloudweave silk—stood out like a torch in the dark, utterly distinct from the surrounding rabble. Even without looking for them, they drew attention.
Wu Hai's gaze brightened at the sight of Yi Tianxing's outfit.
"You there, boy! Take off that outfit. Only I deserve to wear something that fine. I just broke through—it'll be my celebratory gift," he barked.
His voice rang out over the crowd—imperious, domineering, brooking no refusal. In his mind, his words were law.
With one glance, he had already recognized that Yi Tianxing's robes were of a kind he'd never seen before—clearly extraordinary.
"A gift? Did I agree to give you anything?" Yi Tianxing frowned. He hadn't even made a move, simply standing quietly, yet trouble came knocking. And now, the man was demanding his clothes?
If he complied, wouldn't that be the end of his dignity? How could he ever raise his head again?
"You refuse?" Wu Hai's eyes narrowed coldly, malice flaring. He sneered. "Then go die!"
Before the words had even faded, Wu Hai leapt from the altar like a feral beast, moving with such speed it seemed like he teleported. One second he stood above, the next he was in front of Yi Tianxing.
With a swipe, a tiger claw of black energy—larger than a man's head—raked toward Yi Tianxing's skull. Formed of condensed true essence, the claw exuded the aura of a Tiger King, shaking the air with phantom roars and unleashing a cutting gale strong enough to sting the skin.
This strike was meant to kill—no mercy, no hesitation.
"Courting death!" Yi Tianxing's gaze sharpened, a surge of killing intent rising in his heart.
This City of Darkness was full of lunatics—resorting to murder at the slightest provocation. No talk, no negotiation—just a simple, brutal choice: kill or be killed.
Boom!
He raised his fist and smashed it directly into the oncoming tiger claw.
Fist met claw. But instead of being torn apart, Yi Tianxing's fist shattered the claw into fragments with explosive force—like a thunderclap tearing the sky.
"A powerhouse!" Wu Hai's heart shuddered. That claw was forged from his true essence and imbued with tens of thousands of pounds of strength—easily capable of ripping steel. Yet it had been destroyed by a single punch.
He instantly knew—this unassuming man before him was a true force to be reckoned with.
Yet the arrow was already loosed. Wu Hai was committed.
Black light flashed as his palm streaked forward like lightning, aimed directly at Yi Tianxing's heart. The palm carried a strange rhythm, unpredictable and lethal—striking in the blink of an eye.