Sacrifice

Zhong Shenxiu followed Feng Xi'er up the mountain, already on high alert.

At this moment, a sudden commotion erupted ahead. The ground suddenly caved in, forming a massive trap.

From beneath the earth, dozens of spear-like earth spikes erupted—clearly a form of Daoist Arts or Western magic!

Feng Xi'er let out a soft cry, and a surge of Magical Power flowed from her body, transforming into a colorful, feathered robe that protected her. She remained calm in the face of danger.

Simultaneously, countless vines emerged from above the pit, quickly intertwining to form a giant lid, which then descended from the sky, seemingly intending to trap the vanguard of this ambush.

"Kill!"

Zhong Shenxiu, hiding at the rear of the group, was among a few lucky individuals who weren't hit by the magic. However, several dark figures roared and charged forward.

They wielded long spears and charged with a savage momentum, carrying the imposing aura of a battle formation. A cavalryman in front of Zhong Shenxiu, relying on his own Xiantian cultivation, drew his saber to meet the charge.

With a clang, one spear was knocked away, and the tip of another pierced his chest.

Can't go head-to-head.

Zhong Shenxiu dodged to the side and saw a large man pursuing him.

The two chased for a short distance before carving out their own battleground.

The pursuing giant roared repeatedly, his face rugged, his short golden hair standing on end. He bellowed, "Wood of the Blacklight Knights, I am here to judge you today!"

"Judge me??"

Zhong Shenxiu let out a long cry and thrust out his right claw. His True Qi surged three feet, resembling a giant Azure Dragon's claw, and lunged at the enemy.

A faint white light emanated from Wood's body, and he fearlessly parried the attack with a horizontal thrust of his spear. He didn't even bother with the aftershocks and charged directly at Zhong Shenxiu, as if he had cultivated a body of iron and bone. His defensive prowess was on par with Tang Xiuzhen's.

True Qi? No, that's not right. It's Western... Battle Qi? It is somewhat similar to the hard qigong that legends say can lead to Xiantian in the East. His combat power is unparalleled, just lacking some finesse and subtle transitions...

Zhong Shenxiu, possessing extensive combat experience, immediately changed his tactics and engaged Wood in a fierce struggle.

He unleashed the Azure Dragon Probes the Clouds Hand, his movements unpredictable, like an azure dragon emerging from water. His attacks shifted rapidly, employing the Nine Transformations of the Cloud Dragon. He avoided direct confrontation, instead slowly draining the opponent's Battle Qi and searching for an opening.

Bang!

After dozens of exchanges, he closed the distance. His body suddenly vanished before the spear tip and reappeared to Wood's left, his claw striking his waist.

As his True Qi was released, the enemy went limp and fell, his face filled with rage.

"Sorry... I'm running out of time."

Zhong Shenxiu's face grew paler, his skin taking on a dark purple hue, as if his body was becoming stiff like a corpse.

The Blood Moon Night was his great tribulation.

If he hadn't cultivated the incomplete Daoist Arts to the peak of the third level, he wouldn't have been able to suppress it even temporarily. Now, it was about to break free and cause trouble.

Just then, a clear whistle sounded from ahead.

Countless vines scattered as nine flying daggers transformed into streaks of light, shooting out a hundred paces and killing an enemy in a luxurious mage robe.

It was Feng Xi'er, who had finally broken free from the trap and defeated the main enemy.

Upon seeing this, the knights did not retreat. Instead, they roared louder and charged forward: "For the glory of the Blacklight Knights!"

"Hmph, stubborn fools!"

Feng Xi'er pointed her delicate finger, and with each downward flick, a knight was pierced through the body by a flying dagger, dying instantly.

"This can't go on."

Zhong Shenxiu looked at a knight charging towards him, his expression fanatical and fearless. He roared, "Kill the enemy, serve the country."

He drew his saber and, instead of dodging the charging knight's sword, allowed both weapons to pierce him simultaneously.

Puff!

The head of an enemy knight flew off, yet his face held a look of satisfaction.

Zhong Shenxiu, with a sword through his chest, slowly fell to the ground as well.

"I never expected the Su Family to have someone so passionate. Truly loyal and brave."

Feng Xi'er sighed as she watched Zhong Shenxiu fall. She didn't say much more. For her, weren't the soldiers treated well normally so they would expend their lives now? Thus, she merely commanded, "Hurry up!"

At this point, only a dozen or so armored soldiers remained, led by Tang Xiuzhen. They followed behind Feng Xi'er, their expressions grave, knowing that the altar was not far ahead.

There would undoubtedly be another fierce battle!

Tang Xiuzhen, covered in blood and heavily wounded, looked in the direction where Zhong Shenxiu had fallen, a flicker of joy in her eyes.

That pretty boy had finally died.

Black Mountain Great Rift.

Zhong Shenxiu's chest was covered in blood. Like a corpse, he arrived near this area, feeling somewhat dazed, as if recalling the moment of his rebellious youth when he came here to risk his life.

Previously, he had chosen to feign death to escape.

Under the influence of the Vengeful Spirits, his body was already akin to a zombie, naturally lacking the vital weak points of ordinary humans.

A sword through the chest didn't faze him.

He even suspected that even if his heart were gone and his head were gone, he could still survive as long as the Vengeful Spirit within him remained.

This was a very strange state.

Moreover, his aura was similar to that of a dead person, making it very suitable for concealing his presence.

At this moment, under the scarlet moonlight, the mountains and plains were filled with a strange aura.

He stealthily crawled behind a dirt mound and looked down.

On the altar ruins, a peculiar small stone platform had been rebuilt at some unknown time.

It was entirely black, yet it also seemed to be composed of countless wriggling flesh and blood, forming door after door.

Door-shaped symbols were branded within the doors, seemingly leading to countless spatial universes.

Looking closely would easily make one dizzy.

On the altar, Dilia, clad in a black robe, performed various contorted movements and strange gestures, constantly muttering mysterious incantations, initiating the long-interrupted Ancient God Sacrifice.

Outer perimeter.

Fisher, leading a group of knights and mages, was desperately intercepting Feng Xi'er, who was breaking through.

'What a show.'

Zhong Shenxiu thought to himself, then carefully observed the altar, estimating the progress of the sacrifice.

With the Count's occult knowledge, he naturally knew that what that woman was doing was merely 'opening the door.'

And the door had not yet been opened.

'Even... she isn't the main participant of the sacrifice, merely a priest.'

'Is someone else truly going to bear the gift from beyond the door?'

As Dilia's incantations continued, some flesh and blood at the edges of the altar slowly wriggled, converging in the center, gradually forming a blood-red door.

From beyond the door, a terrifying aura seemed to traverse countless spaces and dimensions, transmitting itself.

Merely the overflow of this aura caused the surrounding space to fluctuate, and the world seemed to instantly turn into the underworld, its nature altered.

The group to the west rejoiced loudly and praised, while Feng Xi'er's expression turned pale as she recalled a rumor.

The Unseeable Ancient God!