Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Lin Daochen's eyes flashed like blades, chillingly cold. Opportunities were fleeting! The Lightning Leopard transformed into a silver-white afterimage, leaping and pouncing through the blood mist. Wherever its claws passed, the Guang'an Ancestor's primordial spirit twisted and deformed, struggling to defend itself. Lin Daochen, meanwhile, moved in rhythm with the bell's melody, sometimes using the bell's power to propel the leopard's momentum, sometimes using the bell's vibrations to disrupt the enemy's mind. His figure moved like a fish weaving through waves, always avoiding fatal counterattacks at the last second.

"You think you can take my life with such a trick?" Guang An Ancestor grinned maliciously, his body swirling with black energy and emitting poisonous flames that surged back like a tidal wave.

But Lin Daochen had long since figured out his temperament. He stood horizontally, his divine sense controlling the lightning leopard like silk threads, their offense and defense perfectly coordinated—the moment you raised your hand, he had already turned to the side; the moment you tried to condense your magic, the leopard's claws were already at your brow.

"A mere mortal body dares to face a Grandmaster of Heavenly Sensing? They truly don't know the meaning of death!" Ancestor Guang'an sneered, but his voice carried a hint of barely perceptible fragility.

Lin Daochen merely glanced at him coldly, his lips remaining unmoved. He twisted the rhythm of the Hunyuan Bell and the heavy force of the Demon-Subduing Pestle into a single rope, making offense and defense a perfect whole. His eyes shone brightly, as if every wisp of divine thought and every direction of magical power of the Guang'an Ancestor was laid out in his palm, revealed in the finest detail.

The moment the primordial spirit of Ancestor Guang'an vanished, the entire sea of ​​blood fell silent. Ancestor Fuyun and Ancestor Mei both felt a jolt in their hearts—the faint sound of the primordial spirit dissipating and the crisp sound of their natal magic weapons shattering were as clear as if brushing past their ears. The great cultivation of the Heavenly Sensing Realm had vanished into thin air.

They had originally planned to join forces to hunt down the Dark Ancestor and steal his treasure. But now, his body was barely cold, and he had already died at the hands of another. A chill ran down their spines: if this matter were to spread, it would surely attract scrutiny from all sides, and the slightest misstep could backfire.

Without a word, Ancestor Fuyun summoned the Golden Dragon Spirit Boat—its hull shimmered with golden scales, its dragon head held high, radiating dazzling light. He grabbed Yang Kai, who was laden with spoils of war, and the spirit boat soared into the sky, its movements composed yet swift as lightning. Ancestor Mei, meanwhile, unfurled the golden forbidden banner, its surface adorned with living golden patterns that lifted him into the air. He transformed into a wisp of dazzling golden cloud, his speed even surpassing that of the spirit boat, chasing after Ancestor Fuyun.

Lin Daochen caught a glimpse of that golden cloud out of the corner of his eye, and his heart tightened slightly. To provoke another patriarch now would be tantamount to walking into a trap. But he was not one to sit idly by and await his fate. He quietly gathered his strength, ready to flee at any moment.

At that very moment, a blood-red jade slip in his sleeve suddenly blazed brightly, warm and pulsating as if alive. This item had been retrieved from the corpse of the Heavenly Ghost, and had remained silent and unmoved for a long time. Now, its light was dazzling, and Lin Daochen frowned, feeling something was amiss.

He opened his palm to examine it closely—the surface of the jade slip was covered with densely etched runes, ancient and mysterious, shaped like coiled snake bones. He deduced them repeatedly, but it was like looking at flowers through a fog; he couldn't grasp the essence.

As he stood there in a daze, the jade slip suddenly shone brightly, burning his palm. A thought flashed through Lin Daochen's mind: Could it be that blood was needed as a catalyst?

He flicked his fingertip, a wisp of sword energy slicing through his fingertip, and a drop of crimson blood fell steadily onto the jade slip. The moment the blood seeped in, the jade slip burst forth with dazzling light, its surface swirling with blood-red patterns, like a revived heart pounding violently in his palm.

An invisible yet powerful suction force suddenly erupted, pulling Lin Daochen's consciousness into a vortex. The scenery before his eyes rapidly collapsed, eventually sinking into a chaotic mist. Light and shadow flickered in the mist, vaguely outlining a broken ancient array, its patterns unfamiliar and eerie. Focusing further, he saw a suspended restrictive rune, its edges sharp as blades, faintly exuding a chilling aura that could tear through space.

What exactly is hidden in this jade slip? Lin Daochen's breathing became slightly heavy, but he did not back down. He held his breath and focused his mind, his divine sense like a needle, piercing inch by inch into the depths of the mist.

As the fog thinned, the scene became clearer—it was no ordinary teleportation array, but the long-lost "Boundary Leap Array," its base hidden among the folds of the void; and that rune was the only key to unlocking the array's core.

Lin Daochen's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart pounded like a drum. His fingertips caressed the scalding hot jade slip, as if he had touched a half-open door—behind the door lay a secret realm that even cultivators at the Heavenly Sensing Realm had never set foot in.

This is a long and treacherous road leading to who knows where? Lin Daochen held his breath, his fingertips slightly cold, yet he clenched his fist even tighter—he had to reach the end. At the same time, he knew that untying this knot might be the only way to escape the pursuit of Elder Mei.

Lin Daochen stood at the edge of the sea of ​​blood, the jade slip in his palm shimmering with a ghostly light, like a cold flame that refused to be extinguished. He didn't laugh; instead, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his gaze pressed heavily on the jade slip. This item needed to be unsealed with blood, and the scarlet, viscous method sent a chill down his spine.

He bent down and picked up the remains of the Guang'an Ancestor, made a small cut with his fingertip, and blood rolled down, hitting the surface of the jade slip.

boom--!

A deafening roar, like tearing silk, pierced the sky. The jade slip suddenly burst into bright light, its radiance like molten gold being splashed, so bright that it blinded people.

But Lin Daochen's brows furrowed even more. This bloodthirsty method of awakening felt like a dull knife cutting into his heart. He suddenly felt that the world before him might not have been created by a sage, but rather seemed like bait set by some giant hand, coated with honey and hiding a barb.

The afterimages of the collapsed old teleportation array and the twisted, burning forbidden runes suddenly crashed into his mind. He abruptly realized: if this jade slip were truly activated, it wouldn't just unleash a storm, but a monstrous blood tide sweeping across the heavens. This was no longer just a matter of his life or death, but whether the entire human race would be wiped out overnight.

Before the thought had even finished, ripples suddenly arose from the depths of the sea of ​​blood, and concentric circles of rusty ripples spread toward him—Ancestor Fuyun and Ancestor Mei had arrived.

Lin Daochen's eyes darkened, and his knuckles tightened subtly. If he were to drip blood to break the seal now, he would likely only be tearing open a crack in the door before incurring the wrath of the human race's powerful figures.

As the waves of blood surged, his expression shifted several times. Add another drop of blood? The jade slip would open; but if it did, could humanity still hold on to its last breath? Improving one's cultivation was certainly desirable, but compared to the survival of the entire race, that little bit of spiritual power was as insignificant as a grain of dust.

A sudden gust of wind arose, causing robes to flutter. Elder Mei and Elder Fuyun arrived, riding the waves, their figures already within three zhang of each other. Lin Daochen's eyes sharpened; his decision was made.

He slowly exhaled the stale air from his chest, put the jade slip into his sleeve, and turned to face the two. His face was calm and composed, but two unwavering flames burned in his eyes.

"Ancestor Mei, Ancestor Fuyun, and Ancestor Guang'an have all been executed. This Blood Sea is no longer under their control." Lin Daochen's voice was not loud, but each word was clear and resounding.

Old Ancestor Mei's gaze was like a blade, coldly sweeping across his face, a flash of cold light in her eyes: "Lin Daochen, you've also set your sights on this sea of ​​blood?"

Lin Daochen nodded, his composure unchanged: "That's right. But what I'm after is not to seize it, but to protect it—to protect it from becoming a burial ground for my human race."

Ancestor Fuyun scoffed lightly, a smile playing on his lips but not reaching his eyes: "You want to get away with everything after receiving the benefits, without wanting to get a single drop of blood on your hands. That's really the old habit of your human race."

Lin Daochen stared straight at him, his gaze sharp as a chisel: "I came here not to vie for power or profit, but solely to extinguish the last vestiges of trouble before my clan is destroyed."

The two elders met eyes and fell silent for a moment. They suddenly understood—this young man before them was not yet another hungry wolf scrambling for food, but a wall blocking the abyss.

"You are a powerful human, so we will not touch you. But if you insist on blocking our way..." Ancestor Mei's voice was calm, yet it carried immense weight.

Lin Daochen's lips curled slightly, a smile devoid of sarcasm, only one of relief. He had never wanted to fight here; who knew how many ancient taboos lay buried beneath the sea of ​​blood—a chaotic battle might not be about winning or losing, but about flipping coffin lids.

"I'll make way. I only hope that you two seniors will think of the thousands of mouths behind you when you're about to leave." He gave the two of them a deep look, then turned and left. But the weight of that jade slip still pressed heavily on his sleeve, making his steps falter.

He knew this matter couldn't be decided by him alone. It concerned the fate of humanity and required the collective wisdom of all. And beneath the sea of ​​blood, the shadow, its full form still hidden, was growing ever longer.

Lin Daochen stood before the Blood Gate, with a Thunder Leopard behind him, its mane bristling like dancing electric snakes. This was the battle pet he had subdued after slaying the Ancestor Guang'an. It had been sealed in the Hunyuan Bell for many years, and now that it was unsealed, its ferocious power was overwhelming, its eyes blazing with tearing and violence.

He waited patiently for Ancestor Mei and Ancestor Fuyun to appear. At this moment, he had already stepped into the Heavenly Sensing Realm, his aura as deep and imposing as a mountain, no longer comparable to before; and the Thunder Leopard beside him was a living weapon capable of tearing through the void.

The two arrived riding the waves, their divine senses sweeping over the remnants of the blood sea. Their expressions immediately darkened—the aura of the Ancestor Guang'an had indeed vanished. They never expected that such a fierce battle, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, had already taken place in this desolate blood domain.

Lin Daochen slowly turned around, his aura suddenly spreading out, and the overwhelming pressure of heavenly senses surged like a tide. Ancestor Mei and Ancestor Fuyun exchanged a glance, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes.

This kid has actually stepped into the threshold of the Heavenly Sensing Realm! Ancestor Fuyun swallowed hard, cursed under his breath, and a gloomy look appeared between his brows.

After a moment of silence, Elder Mei slowly spoke: Elder Guang'an has probably already perished. This person... is very likely the root of the disaster he planted himself.

Lin Daochen offered no explanation, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping coldly over the two men. He knew that if he showed even the slightest weakness now, his path ahead would be fraught with difficulty.

The blood gate rift suddenly surged, and he flashed out from the crimson crevice, standing steadily in front of the two patriarchs. Mei and Fuyun's pupils shrank slightly—they had never expected that this young man could wield the power of the blood gate so at will.

"So you are Lin Daochen?" Old Ancestor Mei's voice was as cold as a double-edged sword.

Lin Daochen nodded, his tone neither arrogant nor humble: "Indeed. Ancestor Guang'an has been defeated by me, and the Blood Sea Restriction has dissipated." Ancestor Fuyun narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Lightning Leopard crawling beside him, his knuckles subtly tightening—the beast still bore the remnants of Guang'an's demonic markings, yet it had already submitted, a chill running down one's spine.

Lin Daochen suddenly chuckled: "You two seniors don't need to bother with such plans. This leopard is already my spoils; don't even think about anything else."

Ancestor Mei frowned, a hint of annoyance rising in his heart, but he remained silent, pursing his lips. Ancestor Fuyun chuckled, his voice icy: "A mere mortal dares to act so arrogantly under our noses? Living too comfortably!"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Daochen's eyes, and his aura suddenly deepened—the entire sea of ​​blood seemed to be gripped by a giant hand, the waves stopped, and the air became stagnant.

I am not here to fight. His tone was calm, but every word was sharp: I only want to ask one question—what will become of the sea of ​​blood next?

Ancestor Mei and Ancestor Fuyun exchanged glances, both seeing hesitation in each other's eyes. With Guang An gone, this young man before them was no longer a variable to be easily manipulated.

"What do you think?" Old Master Mei asked.

Lin Daochen's lips curled slightly, but he didn't answer directly: "I hold a path in my hand that can rewrite the fate of humanity. But this path leads to the depths of the Blood Palace. I don't want to let my personal desires control the common people, so—I've come to hear your opinions."

The two fell silent for a moment. They understood that Lin Daochen's question concerned the very lifeline of the entire human race. And the answer hung in the balance, just a thought away from his fingertips.