Returning to the Mysterious Era

Cassius saw his progress bar jump up by four-fifths. With the advancements he had already previously made, only one-ninth of the progress bar for the Rune of Wisdom remained blank. It was almost within his reach!

Joy surged through Cassius's heart. He confirmed once again that the essence of calamity had nothing to do with dark essence. Even though he was at least several dozen meters away from the powerful Blood Race member, he still managed to absorb the essence of calamity after it had died. It had absorbed quite a large area.

Cassius had seen the high-ranking Blood Race member chasing them was dead. He had some guesses as to how, but now was not the time to be distracted. Escaping the ruins was paramount, so Cassius immediately began forming a Tornado Sphere on the steps.

Since achieving his third-level accelerated blood flow, he had become more adept at controlling his power. The Azure Wind Flow had also been further developed to make it even more practical in combat.

The white vortex, flat and apple-sized, gradually took shape in the center of his hand, the swirling airflow rippling through the air like waves. Under Duomo's curious gaze beside him, he hurled it forward.

The Tornado Sphere drew an arc in the air and exploded where the white scarabs had gathered. The blast rent through many of them, and the explosive billowing airflow hindered the advance of a large swarm of white scarabs.

It gave enough time for Duomo and Cassius to catch their breaths. With a few agile leaps, they reached the opening on the wall.

"Cough, cough, cough…" As soon as Duomo reached the entrance of the passage, he couldn't help but lean against the wall, coughing uncontrollably as blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

Duomo's injuries were clearly much more severe compared to Cassius's. Since Cassius was at a higher level than Duomo, in addition to practicing hardening Qigong, his physical defense was much more resilient.

Cassius aspired to reach this exact realm. In battles and perilous situations, a body with a strong defense could withstand many attacks, greatly increasing the chances of survival.

When the two were being chased by the high-ranking Blood Race earlier, Cassius had been the main fighter, and yet, his injuries weren't as serious as Duomo's. If he hadn't used the scarabs to kill the high-ranking Blood Race, Duomo would have surely died in the next clash, and the most Cassius could have done was hold on for at least two or three more rounds.

Despite how dangerous the situation still was, Cassius was already thinking about using his Rune of Wisdom to upgrade the Stone Armor Technique. Just in time too: the hardening Qigong had reached its limit and Cassius was eager to see what it would be like after breaking through.

"Follow me, let's get out of here first." Cassius patted Duomo's shoulder and led the way deeper into the passage. Since he had already passed through the traps when he first came in, their departure was smooth and unobstructed.

"Huff… huff… huff…"

In the passage, Duomo was breathing rhythmically. Cassius shot a curious glance at him. Rather than collapsing, Duomo seemed to be using some sort of breathing technique or Secret Technique.

After a series of rapid breaths, Duomo's complexion visibly improved, and his movements became self-assured again. Cassius couldn't help feeling a bit envious.

Indeed, the Three-Eyed Mad Lion Sect's foundation was much deeper than that of the Wind Elephant Sect, possessing many Secret Techniques that made Cassius green with envy.

For instance, both the technique that seemed like blood-control breathing, as well as the Heart Eye Secret Technique he had experienced first-hand when sparring with Duomo earlier could enhance a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner's overall strength. If Cassius ever got the chance to collaborate with the Mad Lion Sect, he would do everything possible to obtain these valuable Secret Techniques.

Tap, tap, tap… tap, tap, tap…

A series of hurried footsteps echoed on the slope. In a flash, two tall figures quickly broke out of the cave.

"We're finally out!" Duomo couldn't help but sigh in relief.

It also felt like a weight had lifted off of Cassius's chest. With the ruins full of danger and monotony, he had lost track of how many days he had been inside. But now, as soon as he burst out of the passage and took in the fresh air laced with the fragrant plants, his mood improved considerably.

"Both of us are badly injured. Let's head back to Mirror Lake City to recover and heal. My uncle happens to be in seclusion there, so we can discuss things while we recuperate," Duomo suggested, taking a deep breath as color returned to his previously pale face.

"Alright," Cassius agreed. Although his Rune of Wisdom was still just short of completion, he wasn't in any kind of rush. With plenty of dark creatures in the world, a few more kills would likely fill the bar.

Suddenly, both of their heads snapped up. As Covert Martial Arts Practitioners in a realm above normal humans, their senses were extremely sharp. Cassius and Duomo could vaguely hear the continuous sound of gunfire coming from below. They could also hear roars and growls that didn't sound human. Just as Cassius was about to speak, his eyes caught on a gap between the trees where a hissing sound, like something crawling, seemed to be coming from.

Duomo was a step behind but he heard it too. His expression changed drastically in an instant. He looked at Cassius and uttered a single word, "Run."

The sky was like a vast black curtain, with no clouds drifting above. Even the moon was nowhere in sight. Only a few tiny, flickering stars reflected off one another. Under the starlight, many tall and indistinct shadowy figures stood silently by a small creek below a waterfall, their heads bowed and their right hands pressed to their left shoulders. They began chanting scriptures in a strange tone, almost like they were performing an opera. The language they used was unlike any known tongue. For a moment, there was a bizarre and eerie atmosphere in the area.

"Wo shi zai bian bu xia qu le…" The ancient scripture echoed through the forest in an increasingly fervent tone, contrasting the black-cloaked figures' solemn posture.[1]

At a certain point, the lead figure pulled down the hood of his cloak, revealing an old face that was as deeply wrinkled as the bark of an ancient tree. He raised his head and shouted. Immediately, everyone else pulled their hoods down as well, revealing faces so pale that they were devoid of any color. Their expressions were eerie, and each face bore at least a few bat-like features, with white fangs protruding beyond their lips.

"Offer the blood." The old man held an ancient black pottery jar in his hands and stepped in front of each person. They would cut their wrist using a small knife that they were carrying around, letting the blood drip into the jar. The wound would then quickly heal, and the old man would move on to the next person.

A few minutes later, the basketball-sized jar was almost full. The old man carried it to the creek, pouring the blood in an arc. The moment blood hit the grass, it was absorbed by the ground, which suddenly began to ripple and churn.

It trembled before a massive gray platform rose beside the creek. From a bird's eye point of view, it looked like a circular altar covered in intricate patterns like a spider's web. The surface of the stone was lined with numerous blood channels, with a two-meter-wide blood pool in the center. The design was somewhat similar to the place where Cassius had encountered the hibernating high-ranking Blood Race.

In the center of the blood pool stood a stone pillar that was chest-level, with a dark gold chalice placed atop it.

"The ritual begins. Bring forth the sacrifices!" The old man stepped toward the center of the gray altar.

Immediately, several Blood Race members brought nine blank-faced people forward, pushing them into the inner circle of the altar's nine positions. Other Blood Race members carried ninety football-sized flesh-like bundles to the altar, placing them in ninety positions in the outer circle where there were grooves to hold them in place. The bundles were wrapped in a thin layer that resembled an animal's stomach or more accurately, water-filled balloons—except these were filled with blood. Most of the ninety humans had likely met a cruel end.

"July 1… a moonless night… the blood of immortality…" The old man's eyes were deep as he held the pottery jar in his left hand and a small knife in his right. He began with the first meat bundle in the outer circle, puncturing it with the knife to let the blood flow out, before pouring the Blood Race's blood from the jar into it. Instantly, the blood spread through the patterned grooves, forming a red spiderweb design. Some of the blood overflowed, dripping nonstop into the nearby creek, turning the flowing water red.

The old man began to chant lowly, and the tadpole-shaped black runes on the ground started to emit a faint red glow as if illuminated. The ritual had begun, and the Blood Race members below looked on with feverish eyes.

There seemed to be faint gunfire and roars approaching from a distance. The old man on the altar paused in his chanting. A figure quickly leaped over from a nearby forest.

The middle-aged man briefly explained the situation, "Reporting to the Elder, it's those damned mongrels. They've teamed up with the humans. The police from Mirror Lake City and Bright Mountain City are coordinating their attack and are headed this way. Our forces deployed on the perimeter are currently engaged in fierce combat with them." Head lowered, he waited for the elder's response.

"Damn it! How dare those blue-eyed bastards disrupt our once-in-a-decade blood ritual. Such audacity!"

A tall, muscular man stepped forward. The man looked vicious, his eyes filled with bloodlust. "Elder, I volunteer to take a few warriors over there with me to kill them."

"Good." The elder nodded in agreement, then resumed his chanting as he began strolling around the edge of the blood pool.

The man respectfully took a few steps back and shouted, "Follow me!"

Immediately, a group of silent Blood Race members on the perimeter moved, and a dozen shadows quickly vanished into the dense forest.

Below the creek, the battle had already begun. Three factions were engaged in fierce combat with dozens of swiftly moving crossbow-wielding figures in black trench coats in the forest. The Blood Race members snarled at them, their fangs bared and their hands coated in corrosive energy, resembling red gloves.

Behind the two groups, more police officers in dark blue uniforms were shooting, bullets pelting without any signs of stopping, to aid the Mercury Hunters. Most officers were using pistols, but the Special Task Force from the two police departments was also equipped with shotguns.

The firearms continuously targeted the Blood Race members from a distance away and blood sprayed out as the bullets struck the agile, ghost-like Blood Race. However, the creatures were unfazed and continued their onslaught. Fear gripped the hearts of all the officers.

Chief Kenneth was behind a tree and had deliberately placed himself on the front lines, as he fired a black pistol.

Bang, bang, bang!

Fortunately, even though there was no moon that night, the light from the stars and the torches was bright enough that most of the officers' shots hit their marks.

"Ah!!!" Far away, a police officer in a blue uniform was tackled to the ground and brutally disemboweled by a Blood Race member.

One by one, the officers fell, either seriously injured or killed; the Mercury Hunters also suffered significant casualties. The Blood Race seemed to be gaining the upper hand.

A black-clad figure in a trench coat materialized beside Chief Kenneth. He had a young, defiant face.

"Chief Kenneth, many of the Blood Race on the other side have been injected with Mercury Thorn. We can begin our assault and break through the line!" As the man in the trench coat spoke, he nodded at a female officer who had been looking over. It was Cathy.

"Alright, we'll act as your support!" Kenneth nodded, then issued orders to the officers. Immediately, the gunfire and crossbow shots intensified in ferocity and frequency.

Many agile figures darting through the gaps were hit by bullets, howling in pain as they tumbled to the ground. The Mercury Thorn had significantly weakened their healing abilities. Blood gushed out of their wounds.

The Mercury Hunters and officers began to press forward, volley after volley of bullets and arrows sweeping across the battlefield. Many of the ordinary elite Blood Race members couldn't withstand the assault and were forced to retreat, leaving dozens of corpses behind.

"It's the direct descendants of the Alphama Bloodline!"

Just as the Blood Race's defensive line was about to collapse, a dozen figures charged forward with a ferocious roar. At least seven or eight of them swelled and transformed in an instant.

Claws tore through their clothing, revealing bristly black and red bodies. The tall, half-human, half-bat monsters stormed ahead, crushing the crossbow bolts coated with Mercury Thorn, and brutally killing some of the nearby Mercury Hunters. Bullets fired at them without stopping, but the monsters rolled, dodging.

We've withstood the first wave and didn't allow those Blood Race in their Blood Gift state to break into the crowd! A white-haired old man among the Mercury Hunters breathed a sigh of relief, believing they'd won half the battle. Cooperating with the police departments of the two nearby cities had been the right decision.

Bullets could penetrate bodies better than crossbows… The old man couldn't help wondering if the Mercury Hunters should keep up with the times. Perhaps they should include firearms in their arsenal, along with the traditional crossbows. Maybe they could even try coating the bullets with Mercury Thorn…

"Will! Take some of the men and the officers to the Lusa Falls! Try your best to disrupt their ritual. If the Blood of Immortality Ritual is successful, the Blood Race in the northern part of the Federation will be practically impossible to fight against!" the old man said to the young man beside him.

Having just delivered his message to Chief Kenneth, Will rushed off again. The last group, consisting of more than thirty people, broke through the Blood Race's defenses and took a detour toward the waterfall.

Five minutes later, on the altar beside the creek, the Blood Race elder chanted loudly, slashing with his red hand blade. A headless corpse fell to the ground with a thud. Blood splashed across the entire surface of the altar, making the patterns and runes glow brighter.

"They're here."

"Over here!"

"Stop them!"

Suddenly, more than thirty people burst out from the other side of the creek. The Mercury Hunters and officers immediately launched an attack toward the altar, firing bullets and crossbow shots wildly.

"Damn it!"

"It's those blue-eyed bastards!"

"Kill them!"

Immediately, many of the Alphama direct bloodline transformed into huge, half-human, half-bat monsters and charged across the creek. The two sides clashed fiercely.

The remaining Blood Race members stood guard by the altar, keeping an eye out for enemies who may come in any direction, while the elder continued the ritual. The blood ritual could only be completed within a specific time frame.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Upstream of the creek, two tall figures, one with black hair and the other with golden hair, rushed toward the scene. Their movements were hurried as if they were running away from something chasing after them.

"More people are coming! Take them out before they get close to the altar and disrupt the ritual! Nathan, Ildan, you two go!" The elder's eyes glinted as he calmly came up with a counterstrategy.

"Yes, sir!" two tall, strong figures guarding the altar immediately responded. They exchanged glances before swiftly moving toward the upper areas of the creek. To expedite matters, both of them activated their Blood Gift transformations mid-run.

The large, powerful, black-and-red bat-like monsters sprinted across the grass, leaving behind shallow webbed footprints. One of the bat creatures roared, their voice bloodthirsty, "Lowly humans! Prepare…to…die!"

The approaching black-haired figure let out an angry roar as his white arm whipped around like a terrifying serpent!

Boom!

1. The sentence in quotation is written out as in the raw. ☜

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