The light slowly contracted and condensed, finally forming five masses that gathered within the four rings and the blood pool at their center. As the radiance gradually faded, the four spirit beasts settled down from their restless agitation.
"Ah, how could..." Red Sparrow had barely cried out before she covered her mouth. She stared at the four spirit beasts in disbelief. The beasts, which had been perfectly normal before, now had dull eyes devoid of all vitality. Clearly, even if they had not yet become puppets, they were little different from them.
The sole exception was the Jade Peony. It had no eyes and was naturally quiet. There was no obvious change in its appearance before or after the light invaded it. Perhaps this was what made plant spirit beasts special.
Xie Jiang shot Red Sparrow a glare, reproaching her for making noise. If the Blood Curse King treated them as troublemakers, both of them would be in for disaster. Xie Jiang was a seventh-level Spirit King, only one level below the Blood Curse King.
Yet Xie Jiang knew that his strength would offer little resistance against the Blood Curse King's endless array of uncanny curses. Perhaps a curse had already been placed on him when he entered. The moment the Blood Curse King activated it, his life would be forfeit. Curses were simply too bizarre and elusive, enough to send an involuntary chill through his heart.
The Blood Curse King paid Red Sparrow no attention at all. Instead, he continued steadily casting rune after rune, merging them into the Spirit Formation. At last, the light at the center gradually condensed, and the boiling blood pool slowly grew still.
Then the liquid in the blood pool suddenly surged upward, forming a red figure in the air. Judging by its outline,