The Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, once again, contracted. In less than twenty breaths, its range shrank to a thousand zhang.
However, Zi Linling's hand seals did not slow down. Instead, they accelerated, becoming even more dazzling.
The range of the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array continued to shrink, and along with it, the blood-red stream trapped in the center also diminished.
Eight hundred zhang...
Five hundred zhang...
Three hundred zhang...
A hundred zhang!
When the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array constricted to a hundred zhang in diameter, the seal in Zi Linling's hands underwent a massive transformation.
The hand seal became the Demon Suppression Seal, and simultaneously, the Demon Sealing Incantation was uttered repeatedly from her lips.
Within moments, the Demon Suppression Seal and the Demon Sealing Incantation merged into one.
Zi Linling expelled a drop of Chaos Blood from her body and infused it into the seal.
Instantly, a Chaos Seal, emanating powerful pressure, appeared above the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array.
The previously calm blood-red stream began to churn violently.
The true form of the ancient blood demon, which had transformed into the blood-red stream, abruptly awakened. It roared in fury, "Brat, you've gone too far!"
"Too far?"
Zi Linling's eyes snapped open. She emerged from the earth element energy, stepping on it beneath her feet, and sneered, "A mere drop of blood dares to call itself human?"
The blood-red stream churned even more fiercely. A human face, condensed from blood, emerged from the stream and hovered above the waves.
This face was the ancient blood demon.
Her expression was contorted with rage.
Her eyes, filled with malice, asked, "Brat, are you truly determined to fight me to the bitter end?"
Zi Linling let out a soft snort and coldly stated, "Fight to the bitter end? You are not worthy! If it weren't for my great-grandmother's sake, I could have annihilated you with a flick of my finger!"
She spoke the truth. The Law of Judgment, when enacted, enforced heavenly law and could disregard any difference in cultivation realms.
The ancient blood demon and her were of roughly equal strength. Erasing the ancient demon would indeed be a simple matter for her.
However, while annihilation was easy, capturing it alive required such elaborate measures.
"Arrogant fool!" the ancient blood demon roared contemptuously.
Zi Linling smiled coldly and sternly asked, "I will ask you one last time. Will you surrender willingly, or shall I take action?"
The ancient blood demon snorted, "A brat who hasn't even grown a full beard, you expect me to surrender? Not a chance! If you want to fight, then fight! Let's see if I'm afraid of you!"
Zi Linling's expression turned frigid. "Since you refuse the offered wine and prefer to be forced, then accept your doom!"
With that, she changed her hand seals again, and the massive Chaos Seal pressed down upon the ancient blood demon.
A look of madness flashed across the ancient blood demon's face.
"Afraid of you? Never!"
It roared, and the face swiftly sank back into the blood-red stream.
Then, the blood-red stream whipped up towering waves and slammed forcefully against the Chaos Seal.
"Ignorant!"
Zi Linling said dismissively, "Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, descend!"
As the word "descend" fell, the range of the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array shrank again. In an instant, it was only thirty zhang in diameter.
The ancient blood demon was enraged. It bellowed, "Expand! Expand! Expand!"
Immediately, the blood-red stream swelled. The two forces vied with each other, reaching a stalemate.
"Brat, do you think I am still just a wisp of my former self? You think this power can suppress me? You underestimate me too much!" the ancient blood demon scoffed.
"Is that so?"
Zi Linling smirked contemptuously and formed different hand seals with each hand.
Her left hand formed the seal for the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, while her right hand formed another wave of the Demon Suppression Seal.
As the Demon Sealing Incantation was slowly uttered, the Demon Suppression Seal blazed with light and merged into the Chaos Seal.
Simultaneously, the hand seal for the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array flowed along the five-colored energy lines and entered the array.
In an instant, the power of the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array and the Chaos Seal increased again, forcing the blood-red stream to shrink further.
The ancient blood demon roared and snorted, "Do you think I only have this much skill?"
As its words fell, the blood-red stream churned once more, and its scope gradually expanded.
Then, the two forces entered a stalemate once more.
Zi Linling raised an eyebrow and sneered, "You are not limited to this skill, and neither am I!"
She finished speaking and transmitted a message to Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu, "Divine beasts, return to your positions! Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, lock!"
Immediately, Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu began to rotate clockwise, spinning rapidly for ten thousand and eighty degrees.
The Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array squeezed the blood-red stream, rapidly shrinking its confines.
The ancient blood demon panicked and cried, "Brat, what have you done to me!"
Zi Linling smiled calmly and said, "I haven't done much. I've just taken a liking to your Crimson Origin Blood Domain and want you to make way for me!"
"Never!"
The ancient blood demon roared. The blood-red stream rapidly expanded, then violently burst apart, transforming into fine droplets of rain that rushed outwards from the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array.
"Brat, I will definitely return to settle this score with you!"
As soon as its words fell, it collided with a barrier. All the raindrops were bounced back, reforming into the blood-red stream.
Zi Linling sneered, "I thought the ancient blood demon was so formidable. You're already thinking of escaping before anything significant has even happened. You're nothing special!"
"Unfortunately, your plan is flawed. To escape from my grasp, you would have to cease being a demon!"
With that, she transmitted another message to Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu, "Divine beasts, return to your positions! Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, twist!"
At her command, Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu immediately reversed their direction, spinning rapidly counter-clockwise for 129,600 degrees, tightly binding the blood-red stream in the center.
The ancient blood demon, confined by the narrow space, was forced to reveal its human form.
"Brat, release me at once, or I will tear you limb from limb!"
The ancient blood demon, securely locked by the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, could not move at all, only roaring furiously in exasperation.
Zi Linling's lips curved into an icy smile, and she looked down disdainfully, "Tear me limb from limb? You won't have the chance!"
She finished speaking, and her hands formed seals again, sending another wave of Demon Suppression Seals into the Chaos Seal.
"Suppress!"
"Seal!"
"Activate!"
The power of the spoken word erupted, amplifying the Chaos Seal, which was formed by the Demon Suppression Seal and the Demon Sealing Incantation.
A formidable force detonated, targeting the ancient blood demon and pressing down with immense power.
Concurrently, Zi Linling transmitted a message to Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu, recalling them into the contract space and placing the contract space within the nascent world.
At this moment, they were greatly depleted, and the nascent world was the best place for their recovery.