As the crowd burned all the fresh corpses, the blood threads, unable to absorb vital essence, began to attack the living.
A cultivator at the twelfth level of Qi Refining was instantly desiccated.
Following this, all the blood threads on the ground writhed wildly, surging towards the remaining eleven individuals.
These blood threads were impervious to blades or swords; only fire could offer a slight obstruction.
However, those present were merely Qi Refining cultivators. Apart from those who specialized in fire elemental spells, the others, their faces flushed red, could barely conjure a few fireballs.
In this brief period, two more cultivators were sucked dry by the blood threads, leaving only nine survivors.
Xiao Fei hurled a fireball, which could only hold them back for a second or two. Once the flames died down, the blood threads immediately surged towards him again.
With his cultivation, he could at most cast a few dozen fireballs. After those, he would inevitably be attacked by the blood threads.
Xiao Fei glanced at the scattered desiccated corpses on the ground and tried to ignite one with a fireball.
As expected, it worked. The blood threads, upon reaching the vicinity of the burning corpse, stopped advancing and instead skirted around it.
The others followed suit, igniting corpses to block the blood threads, and soon, the bodies on the ground became a scarce resource.
"Everyone, conserve your fire. Move the corpses together and form a circle."
Ji Wudi, no longer able to meditate and recover, shouted loudly. The others found his suggestion reasonable and quickly began dragging the corpses to one spot, piling them up.
The corpses, arranged in a circle and set ablaze, shielded the remaining nine individuals within the fiery ring. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, but it brought them a sense of security.
Blocked by the flames, the blood threads circled the fiery ring several times but could not find a way in. Gradually, they sank back into the earth and disappeared.
"Have the blood threads retreated?"
"Why don't you go out and check!"
"I'm not that foolish. If you want to go, you go. Perhaps you'll find a great opportunity!"
With the temporary retreat of the blood threads, the nine survivors, having recovered from their initial terror, spoke with a little more ease.
"What do you think these ghostly things are? I've never heard of them before."
"The Dragonfall Abyss was formed after a black dragon fell here. This is the second layer of the Dragonfall Abyss, so it's likely a special product influenced by dragon's breath."
"Alas! Among all the cultivators who have entered the Dragonfall Abyss, we are the unluckiest!"
"Then what about these formations?"
"Who knows!"
The vengeful spirit Xiao Lan, hidden within the Soul Nurturing Pearl, wished she could say she didn't know either.
After absorbing a vast amount of souls, Xiao Lan's strength had greatly increased, and her consciousness had become much clearer.
Based on her intuition, Xiao Lan felt that the blood threads roaming the ground might be edible.
The corpses continued to burn with crackling sounds. The nine people huddled within the flames were parched, their faces flushed, and their throats felt as if they were burning. Even with the protection of their robes, they found it difficult to bear.
Xiao Fei retrieved a bucket of water from his spatial storage and poured it over his head, feeling much more comfortable.
The cool water splashed onto the ground, washing away some of the loose soil and revealing a small section of a blood thread beneath.
Startled, Xiao Fei quickly jumped back.
"Heavens! The blood threads are emerging from underground!"
A cultivator used his flying sword to clear away the loose soil, revealing several blood threads emerging from the formation patterns on the black stones.
The blood threads seemed to possess intelligence, or perhaps they were being controlled by someone from the shadows. Upon being discovered, they all shot out from beneath the ground.
Within the confined space of the fiery circle, the blood threads were dense and impossible to defend against. In an instant, three more cultivators were sucked dry, becoming desiccated husks.
Xiao Fei also found himself in trouble. Dodging a moment too late, two blood threads burrowed into his body.
As the blood threads entered him, he felt his vital essence rapidly draining away, along with his soul.
Just as he was about to follow the fate of the other cultivators, Xiao Lan's ethereal form materialized and merged with Xiao Fei's physical body, casting a shadow over him.
Xiao Lan reached out and grabbed the blood threads that had entered Xiao Fei's body, then began to stuff them into her mouth, as if eating noodles, with great fluidity.
Xiao Lan devoured the blood threads within Xiao Fei's body in just a few bites, then bent down, scooping up nearby blood threads and shoving them into her mouth.
While Xiao Lan was clearing the blood threads from Xiao Fei, three more cultivators were sucked dry.
Only Xiao Fei, Zhu Yu, and Ji Wudi remained alive.
Ji Wudi, having cultivated some unknown technique, now had golden skin that faintly emanated a golden light. No matter how the blood threads strained against him, they could not penetrate.
In front of Zhu Yu, an ancient jade floated, emitting a cyan shield that protected him.
Countless blood threads writhed around him but could do nothing to him.
After circling the three individuals a few times and finding no success, the blood threads retreated like a tide.
As the blood threads receded into the lake, they all converged.
Innumerable blood threads gathered, forming a large mass. The red threads churned and writhed, creating a disturbing sight.
This situation lasted only a few breaths before the blood threads actually condensed into the outline of a male human body.
This being was entirely blood-red, with complete facial features and orifices. He was burly, bald, and had a large mouth that, when opened, revealed no teeth but countless writhing blood threads.
"I have been planning for over a hundred years, and you few brats have disrupted it. This body is still slightly lacking."
The bald man's expression held a hint of regret.
He was supposed to have three legs, but his legs were all fused together, leaving him with only one large, thick leg, which caused him considerable inconvenience in movement.
The bald man's gaze shifted to the three living individuals, finally settling on Xiao Fei.
He recalled that this person should have a large collection of corpses. By draining the vital essence from these corpses, his body should be able to become normal.
Xiao Fei felt uneasy under the bald man's gaze. The aura emanating from him was that of a true Foundation Establishment expert.
"I'll hold him off for a moment. You two, unleash whatever hidden trump cards you have."
At this moment, the bald man moved. He extended a hand towards Xiao Fei, though they were still five to six zhang apart.
This arm instantly elongated to five to six zhang, and a hand grasped Xiao Fei by the neck.
Xiao Fei felt his neck tighten, and he was instantly pulled before the bald man.
The bald man opened his large mouth, and countless blood threads, like tentacles, extended from it, coiling towards Xiao Fei.
At this moment, Second Sister Xiao Lan's figure appeared. She grabbed these tentacles with both hands and bit into them, swallowing them directly after biting them off.
"This vengeful spirit is rather interesting, but unfortunately, still too weak!"
The bald man said, then slapped Xiao Fei across the face. The impact sent Xiao Lan's phantom form flying several zhang away.
After swatting Xiao Lan away, he opened his mouth again, and the tentacles inside extended once more.
Xiao Fei suddenly produced a black pill and, seizing the opportunity to struggle, threw it into the bald man's mouth.
The pill, made from black-leaf datura seeds, dissolved upon contact and was instantly fatal upon entering the bloodstream. It melted in the bald man's mouth and was absorbed by the countless blood threads.
"Poison? Too bad it's useless against me!"
The bald man smacked his lips, savoring the taste.
Countless tentacles burrowed into Xiao Fei's face and head. He could clearly feel his body rapidly weakening, his life force draining away.
His consciousness entered his spatial storage, where a black sphere rested—the Lightning Spirit Seed.
"If it comes to it, we'll go down together!"
Xiao Fei gritted his teeth, and the Lightning Spirit Seed appeared in his hand.
Just as he was about to activate it, a golden light flashed, severing the bald man's arm and tentacles.
It was Ji Wudi, who had finally managed to activate the talisman treasure again.
Xiao Fei felt his body loosen and quickly darted forward, simultaneously throwing the Lightning Spirit Seed behind him.
"BOOM!"
The Lightning Spirit Seed exploded, equivalent to a full-power strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Detonating at close range, the bald man's body was blasted into pieces, scattered everywhere.
"Did it work?"
But before the three could breathe a sigh of relief, they saw the scattered limbs transform into countless blood threads and converge in the center.