Without question, the Blood Demon lineage was now the most watched, most anticipated branch of them all.
Aside from the Celestial Demon lineage, no other demon branch could compare to the Blood Demon lineage. Within the demon race itself, the Blood Demon lineage had always been the most qualified to challenge the authority of the Celestial Demon lineage. Even the Celestial Demon lineage had to tread carefully around them.
The Celestial Demon lineage had their inheritance marks, but the Blood Demon lineage had the power of faith.
The Blood Demon lineage's bloodline excelled at demonizing enemies—brainwashing them, turning them into followers of the Blood Demon lineage, and transforming them into their lackeys.
Other demon branches were not without similar means. The Monster Demon lineage, the Shadow Demon lineage, the Wood Demon lineage—all of them possessed some degree of ability to control opponents and turn them into demon puppets. Even the Celestial Demon lineage had this capability.
But the Blood Demon lineage was different. Their control was not merely physical—it was manipulation of the soul.
In other words, the controlled did not lose their sanity. They knew exactly what they were doing, yet they willingly devoted themselves to serving the Blood Demon lineage.
Soul manipulation was far more formidable than physical control. Physical control merely turned someone into a puppet that fought mechanically.
But soul manipulation could make these soul puppets worship the Blood Demon lineage with absolute devotion, becoming fanatical followers to the very last.
Just like the Master of Cuihua Pavilion before, who had been controlled by Demon Emperor Xuekui and turned into a follower of the Blood Demon lineage.
Demon Emperor Xuekui was merely a Demon Emperor.
But Old Ancestor Xuepu was the supreme ancestor of the Blood Demon lineage. Once he activated his demonic arts to control human cultivators, those puppets would never be able to break free from that control for the rest of their lives.
Beyond that, the Blood Demon lineage's techniques were incredibly aggressive. In the midst of battle, they could demonize an opponent's bloodline without anyone noticing—like spring rain soaking the earth in silence—leaving the enemy ensnared before they even realized what had happened.
In ancient times, apart from the most powerful human leaders, ordinary Divine Dao cultivators had suffered greatly at the hands of the Blood Demon lineage.
Many were eventually assimilated into Blood Demon lackeys, forcing the human race to execute their own kin in the name of justice.
Such tragedies had been all too common during the ancient Demon Wars.
It could be said that in certain respects, if the Blood Demon lineage went all out, their destructive power and dominion could even surpass that of the Celestial Demon lineage.
At that moment, all eyes were on the Blood Demon lineage.
Old Ancestor Xuepu smiled leisurely and said with composure, "Our Blood Demon lineage's abilities are well known to all. Whoever can get us into Wintercliff Island, or breach the island's formation defenses, we of the Blood Demon lineage guarantee we will turn every single cultivator on the island into our puppets. However, when it comes to assault warfare, that is not our strong suit."
That was the plain truth. Charging the front lines was simply not the Blood Demon lineage's forte.
If you wanted the strongest frontal assault capability, the Metal Demon lineage and the Giant Demon lineage were unquestionably the best, followed by the Winged Demon lineage.
The Metal Demon lineage's combat strength could practically be disregarded—their main forces had already been completely wiped out. As for the Giant Demon lineage, while they still had some fighting power remaining, it was precious little.
In other words, the two demon branches most skilled at siege warfare were both severely understaffed. The Winged Demon lineage was in the same boat, their combat strength far diminished.
However, someone spoke up, "Old Ancestor Xuepu, who doesn't know how formidable your Blood Demon lineage's blood miasma is? If you surrounded Wintercliff Island with your blood miasma, the island's formation barriers would surely be corroded by it. When that happened, the formations would naturally fail over time."
"Exactly. The blood miasma's corrosive power is unmatched. If you could surround Wintercliff Island with it, the humans would be doomed—there would be no doubt about it."