Chapter 343: The Blood of the Executor of Karma

Just as Zhu Yan couldn’t perceive the cultivation level of the Executor of Karma, it also couldn’t fathom Jiang Li’s true strength.

It felt Jiang Li’s cultivation was like an insurmountable mountain peak with no visible summit, or like an unfathomably deep ocean without boundaries. 

Though powerful itself, Zhu Yan was merely a stubborn rock in that mountain or a swimming fish in that sea – incomparable to Jiang Li.

That nonsense about coming from the Nine Provinces world? It refused to believe it.

“An immortal?” Zhu Yan sneered. So what if he was an ascended human? He was still just human. 

Over two thousand years ago, it had already seen through the illusions of life and death, dedicating itself solely to vengeance against humanity.

“Was it you or the Executor of Karma who reduced humans to beast slaves in Lingxi World and stunted beast intelligence?”

“Of course it was all my doing! The Executor merely helped me see the truth – biting his finger to gift me a few drops of blood.”

Baixue Ling couldn’t help interjecting: “You wouldn’t even spare your own kind?”

“My kind? You mean those brainwashed beasts groveling before humans? How could they be my kind!” 

Zhu Yan looked at Baixue Ling with disdain. “You’re a spirit beast too, yet here you are following this human, licking his boots like the rest.”

“I’ve long understood – humans will never treat spirit beasts with true equality. You must be using your power to oppress them too.”

Jiang Li suddenly asked: “After reaching the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, did you ever attempt human-beast equality?”

“After slaughtering countless humans and wiping out an entire civilization, was your hatred still not sated? What grudge could you possibly hold against those born in these past two millennia? Without even trying, you claim to understand the world’s cruelty. Wasting such power on mindless vengeance – what a pathetic waste of cultivation.”

“Do you know the Nine Provinces world has nine equal imperial dynasties, one entirely composed of spirit beasts – the Baize Dynasty?”

“Do you know the oceans beyond Nine Provinces belong entirely to dragonkind, where humans rarely tread?”

“Do you know the Beast Taming Sect there uses Equal Contracts with spirit beasts?”

“Do you know moments ago, a Unity Stage Azure Dragon and Divine Transformation cultivator jointly defeated four Unity Stage beasts to become rulers of Lingxi Continent?”

“Tell me – what exactly proved to you that humans and beasts can’t coexist equally?”

“What do you know! What could you possibly know!” Zhu Yan roared, Jiang Li’s words stabbing its heart like knives. “I was betrayed by humans! Hunted by my own kind! Have you suffered that?”

Jiang Li was right. It had always assumed humans and beasts were irredeemable, never truly attempting equality. 

No – Zhu Yan suddenly remembered it had considered this before, even attempted it briefly. 

But it couldn’t admit that. To try would mean its civilization-destroying rampage had been wrong. 

As a Tribulation Transcendence being, the strongest – how could it be wrong? 

The more Zhu Yan thought, the more terrified it became, as if Jiang Li’s simple question negated two millennia of waiting.

“Shelter No. 93. The diary. Xiaodong. Yanyan. I know your story,” Jiang Li said coldly.

“You’re pitiful. So what? Does that make those you killed any less pitiful? Do you know how many contract assimilation disease victims die yearly?”

“Did they deserve to die as outlets for your rage?”

“I CAN’T BE WRONG!” Zhu Yan howled, trying to convince itself. 

But its trembling voice betrayed its crumbling conviction. 

“I can’t be wrong… can’t be…” it repeated futilely.

“You! You’re shaking my dao heart!” Zhu Yan turned on Jiang Li, accusing him of malicious intent. 

“Fortunately the Executor’s blood remains – three drops! Power strengthens conviction! I must grow stronger!” 

Despite Jiang Li’s restraints, Zhu Yan could still move its mouth – where the three blood drops were stored.

One drop. Two drops.

The Executor’s blood contained terrifying energy. Just two drops elevated Zhu Yan from late Tribulation Stage to triggering Ascension Tribulation.

Jiang Li shook his head slightly, leading Baixue Ling beyond the tribulation range.

“Aren’t you going to stop it?”

“It’s already mad. Or perhaps it became insane the moment it killed its master.”

“With its current mental state, surviving the tribulation is impossible.”

As predicted, the first tribulation wasn’t lightning but a subtle heart demon trial. Trapped within, Zhu Yan’s face contorted horrifically. 

Screaming wildly, it began self-mutilation – tearing open its chest to rip out its still-beating heart, as if trying to prove something. 

The heart regrew, the wound healed, only for the madness to repeat. Soon a hill of hearts piled at its feet.

Finally it perished in the tribulation, its true spirit dispersing without hope of reincarnation.

This was the shortest Ascension Tribulation Jiang Li had witnessed, and the first time he’d seen a living being fail it.

“So this is the Executor’s blood?” The surviving drop floated in Jiang Li’s spiritual energy as he examined it.

“Odd… it resembles your blood.” He turned to Baixue Ling in surprise.

“What?” She looked even more shocked. How could Outer Realm Demons relate to her?

After inspection, Baixue Ling gasped behind her hand: “This is Baize blood! But artificially evolved!”

“Explain.”

“As I’ve said before, not all Baize blood awakens intelligence. The First Baize Emperor researched a method and encoded it into his bloodline, allowing descendants to use their own blood for awakening. This is artificial evolution.”

“This blood works similarly – but with opposite effects. Beasts consuming it experience mental confusion, stunted intelligence, trapped in animalistic existence.”

“If this truly is the Executor’s blood…” 

Jiang Li finished her thought: “Then he’s also a Baize?”

“Yes.”

Whenever Outer Realm Demons came to Nine Provinces to die, Jiang Li had researchers study their biology. The results were disappointing.

Their blood was chaotically inconsistent – not matching any known species, not even consistent among themselves.

Varying forms, no shared blood traits. 

Was the Executor a spirit beast? Were all Outer Realm Demons beasts? Jiang Li felt the truth was more complex.

“We’ll consult Immortal Elder Changcun upon returning.” He wanted the ancient immortal’s perspective.

[Quest Complete. Claim Reward?]

By nurturing Little Green Snake and Xia Chao to repel the beast tide, Jiang Li had completed [Help Lingxi World Humans Resist a Nation-Destroying Beast Tide] – exceeding requirements.

With Little Green as Lingxi’s ruler, such catastrophes would never recur.

“Claim.”

A fragment of the Celestial Ladder materialized in Jiang Li’s palm.