Chapter Sixty-Seven: An Uninvited Guest Arrives at the Banquet

Bai Xuanji naturally remained seated; cold sweat broke out on his back, yet he sat upright and rigid.

“All present are brothers; let’s dispense with formalities,” said the middle-aged scholar known as “Mister Yin,” who calmly settled himself in the seat of honor.

When he sat down, he was not far from Bai Xuanji, who observed him closely.

Around Mister Yin, a terrifying radiance shimmered, barely visible—a stream of blood energy, like a banner, encircling his entire body!

“A blood-refining master…” Bai Xuanji’s heart churned with turmoil.

“Blood energy like a river… No, not fully complete—there’s still a flaw. Yet even so, with this strength, he could sweep through all opponents single-handedly!”

He noticed that the back of Mister Yin’s left hand was bare, not covered by the river-like blood energy. But aside from that, his entire body was shrouded in this formidable manifestation, like a great river—truly frightening.

“In a single instant, he could kill me,” Bai Xuanji knew. With such power, one flick of his finger, and the blood energy would solidify and end him instantly. Even with his Azure Scale Claw, he could barely withstand a blow or two.

Yet at this moment, Bai Xuanji drew a deep breath, his spine straight as a rod.

“If I flinch here, the fish dies, but the net remains intact. Only if I stand firm is there a chance to break the net,” he thought grimly, biting his teeth.

If he lost his nerve now, it would be over. Only courage could grant him a glimmer of hope.

Servants entered from both sides, swiftly pouring fine wine and laying out dishes. The banquet featured roast suckling pig, roasted lamb leg, and other delicacies, each exuding a faint aura of blood energy.

This entire meal was made from exotic beast meat; half of it was even monster flesh. Not a single sea fish was used—a display of extravagant luxury!

“Captain Bai, you’ve come a long way to our Holy Sect’s territory. Yet instead of paying your respects to the Holy Sect, you use our name to scare children? That seems rather aloof,” Mister Yin said with a light smile, raising his cup.

He spoke without hesitation, openly declaring his affiliation with the White Lotus Sect—natural, calm, and unhurried.

Around them, the eyes of dozens of formidable warriors who had broken through their blood energy three times were fixed upon Bai Xuanji, cold and menacing.

“King Yin, I have no intention of opposing the White Lotus Sect. It’s just that our Azure Water Blade has been taken by someone, and I don’t know how to retrieve it,” Bai Xuanji replied, clenching his teeth.

He had no other option now but to stand his ground!

“The Azure Water Blade? Yes, that matter exists. But I believe, Captain Bai, you have yet to reach the blood-refining level?” Mister Yin remarked calmly.

“Yes, but what of it?” Bai Xuanji’s heart sank.

“Let me be frank. Our Holy Sect is now preparing to battle the Sea God Cult and Star Hunters; we need the Azure Water Blade and armor. If the Bai family wants them back, that's possible. However, Captain Bai, I’m afraid you lack the authority to speak on this matter,” Mister Yin spoke slowly, but with a terrifying dominance.

“Finish this meal, return home, and send your Bai family’s master here. I’ll return the Azure Water Blade then.”

“What do you say?”

Bai Xuanji’s heart plummeted. As he began to speak, a crushing pressure of blood energy swept over him, tangible and overwhelming—he could not utter a word!

“Blood energy solidified… a master’s pressure!” Bai Xuanji felt cold inside, a sense of helplessness washing over him.

He was powerless—his resistance was feeble words, but faced with thirty-odd experts, let alone Mister Yin, the master’s presence alone suffocated him, making speech impossible.

But just then—

Bang!

The doors burst open. A frightened servant rushed in, “Sir, someone’s come to visit, claiming to have received an invitation for the banquet!”

“Hm?” Mister Yin’s expression flickered.

Swish!

He withdrew his blood energy pressure.

His cultivation of the “White Lotus Rebirth Mystical Sutra” had sharpened his senses to an extreme—a rare martial art.

Seated here, he could hear—

Someone’s blood flowing through their body like a mighty river, heavy and daunting.

Out of the darkness, a figure emerged.

“The banquet is pleasant enough,” a deep, hoarse voice intoned slowly. “But how could you leave me out? In that case, no banquet can be called a good banquet.”

This unexpected guest appeared suddenly, causing the expressions of all the blood energy experts to shift.

“King Yin is hosting—who dares intrude!”

Swish, swish, swish!

The nearest swordsman sprang up, his form agile as a hawk, flipping through the air. A flash of sword light stabbed toward the intruder!

His strike comprised three consecutive sword beams, each infused with powerful blood energy, threatening to form a sword aura.

He was Li Yu, the Flying Hawk Sword, renowned for his subtle swordsmanship—three swords in a breath, a rarity even in the East Sea.

But—

“Is this the White Lotus Sect’s hospitality?” the tall figure’s voice was deep and hoarse. He extended a single finger and flicked it.

Clang!

The swordsman’s blade shattered, its aura dispersed; with a single sound, the entire sword broke into pieces and flew aside!

This was a cold iron blade, forged a hundred times, unmatched in strength; yet with one flick, it was destroyed!

At the head of the table—

“Forty thousand… no, fifty thousand pounds of force!” King Yin’s pupils contracted.

He was famed among the Law Kings of the White Lotus Sect, ranked third, second only to two great masters, and cultivated the “White Lotus Rebirth Mystical Sutra.” Witnessing this scene, he instantly deduced—

There was refined martial skill in that finger, but most terrifying was the immense power it contained—even he was shocked.

Just a single finger!

The swordsman’s blood energy was nearly dispersed; he spat blood and retreated, defeated in a single move.

“One strike to defeat Li Yu, the Flying Hawk Sword!”

Bai Xuanji witnessed this too.

If he had to face Li Yu, it would take two hundred exchanges at least; if struck by the sword light, it could be life or death.

Yet this newcomer used only one finger to defeat a master ranked thirty-five on the Black List!

“Who is this person? Apparently, I’m not the only one who has thoughts about the White Lotus Sect’s infamous banquet!”

Despite his shock, hope bloomed in Bai Xuanji’s heart.

He was being suppressed by the White Lotus Sect’s powerful experts, unable to speak—a clear attempt to intimidate him, making resistance difficult.

But now, this uninvited guest had shattered the oppressive atmosphere, defeating a White Lotus expert with a single finger!

“Such audacity!”

“There’s a path to heaven that you ignore, and none to hell, yet you walk in! This is a Holy Sect banquet, meant for the Bai family—who are you to barge in?”

Swish, swish, swish!

With their companion defeated, six or seven White Lotus experts sprang from the banquet, displaying astonishing martial arts; palm shadows flew, legs whistled, blades and swords flashed, all attacking together!

“Not good,” Bai Xuanji thought instinctively.

These men coordinated perfectly, moving with terrifying speed—their strikes coming in a heartbeat.

Even blood-refining experts, unless their blood energy was perfected as a river, would have vulnerabilities; a thousand arrows, a hundred blades—if even one struck, a blood energy expert could be wounded or killed.

Moreover, the newcomer’s blood energy was tightly contained, revealing nothing of its strength.

But in the next instant—

“What?” Bai Xuanji’s eyes widened.

The guest didn’t dodge; he simply stood there, drew a deep breath, and his skin rippled.

Boom!

Blades and swords struck as if hitting a cannonball—clanging, splintering, every weapon shattered. Fists and feet met him, and with a crack, bones broke; it was as if a terrifying shockwave exploded, sending all six or seven White Lotus experts flying!