Footsteps

Perhaps because they were nearing the Qilin Secret Realm, the blood-colored glow spilling from the stone fragment flickered constantly, brightening and dimming as though it were alive.

Following the method the Formation Array Golden Spider had taught him, Shi Yi channeled the power of his blood and qi into the stone fragment.

The next moment, the fragment responded, its aura merging with Shi Yi's.

Then, to his astonishment, Shi Yi discovered a thin crimson line emerging beneath his feet, stretching along the ground into the depths of the mist.

Understanding dawned in his heart. This must be the route to the Qilin Blood Pool.

By now, quite a few Pure-Blooded Younglings had already set off, their figures slipping into the mist and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Shi Yi hesitated no longer. He turned and called to the little Golden Spider, controlled his own aura to envelop it, and then the two disappeared from the Formation Array Golden Spider's sight, one following the other.

It let out a long breath of relief, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of its mouth. With Shi Yi's strength, securing the best spot in the Blood Pool for its direct descendant was practically a foregone conclusion.

With a good spot, the effects of the baptism on its descendant would surely surpass imagination, allowing it to go farther in the future.

Not far away, the adult Pixiu noticed the Formation Array Golden Spider's expression and could not help sneering inwardly.

It had already instructed the Pixiu clan's two Pure-Blooded Younglings to target Shi Yi after entering the Blood Pool. Although they could not attack him outright and kill him, they could force him into the worst spot. That would count as an indirect way of venting some resentment on behalf of the pure-blooded Pixiu that had died at Shi Zhongtian's hands.

The Formation Array Golden Spider knew nothing of this. Had it known, it would surely have laughed aloud without a shred of sympathy.

Within the mist, Shi Yi led the little Golden Spider onward. Guided by the stone fragment, their journey went very smoothly, without any trouble along the way.

Whenever they occasionally encountered younglings from other Primordial Divine Mountains, both sides would distance themselves, deliberately or otherwise, avoiding direct contact.

The real struggle would take place at the Qilin Blood Pool. No one would be so bullheaded as to exhaust themselves needlessly on the way.

Naturally, Shi Yi would not provoke others without reason. He activated his Double Pupils, his gaze deep and unfathomable as he constantly examined the ground beneath his feet and his surroundings.

This was not merely for his own safety. He also wanted to explore the Qilin Secret Realm a little. With his Double Pupils, he could pierce through illusions and look straight at the underlying essence, an advantage others could only trail far behind.

Of course, his foremost goal remained completing the Blood Pool Baptism. This would determine whether Shi Yi could complete his final push toward the blood moving extreme realm.

Through Shi Yi's eyes, the surrounding mist changed. It no longer seemed as harmless as before, instead emitting a faint red glow and seething with an inexplicable, terrifying power. Without the protection of the aura released by the stone fragment, their meager blood moving realm strength would have left them crushed into dust by the mist long ago.

The ground beneath the mist was covered in intricate, profound patterns. They intertwined to form a terrifying field, so complex that tugging a single strand would move the whole. One wrong step would summon a dreadful calamity, leaving a cultivator to die there in bitter regret.

The route indicated by the stone fragment was almost the only path to survival. At least, that was how it appeared through Shi Yi's Double Pupils.

He had already pushed his Double Pupils to their limit, countless symbols and Order Divine Chains dancing within them as they performed deductions.

Unfortunately, Shi Yi discovered no other safe route.

He did not lose heart, continuing to do the same thing. He believed that the Qilin Secret Realm surely held an opportunity meant for him.

Just as the boy and spider neared the Blood Pool, its vague outline already visible in the distance, Shi Yi suddenly stopped.

The little Golden Spider was startled by this abrupt halt, thinking something unexpected had happened.

Yet when it looked around, there was nothing. With the Blood Pool just ahead, the little Golden Spider was already growing impatient, eager to leap into that great pool.

Nevertheless, it did not urge him onward. Before they gathered, the Formation Array Golden Spider had instructed it that once inside the Qilin Secret Realm, it must obey Shi Yi no matter what happened and never overstep its bounds.

The weak obeyed the strong. This was the most fundamental rule.

"Brother Shi Yi, what's wrong?" it asked quietly.

Shi Yi did not answer immediately. Instead, his eyes blazed with light, like two golden lamps set into their sockets, shining brilliantly within the mist.

Had anyone stood before him at that moment, they would surely have seen the symbols within his eyes, as vast as a river of stars.

Just as the little Golden Spider began to feel uneasy, Shi Yi suddenly spoke and made a move that sent its heart pounding.

Shi Yi actually left the safe route, taking a step in another direction.

The Formation Array Golden Spider had warned them time and again that such an act was taboo, something they must never attempt.

Yet now, Shi Yi disregarded that taboo entirely and took the step.

"Follow my footsteps."

Shi Yi spoke softly, his expression solemn and his tone brooking no doubt.

The little Golden Spider wanted to speak but stopped. Intimidated by his presence, it swallowed its words and could only step into Shi Yi's footprints, following obediently behind him.

To its astonishment, the death without a burial it had imagined never came. Every step Shi Yi took landed on safe ground. Sometimes his strides were so long that a leap was needed; sometimes they were very short.

With so many spider legs, the little Golden Spider walked using only its rearmost pair to avoid stepping in the wrong place, making it look rather comical.

At that moment, however, Shi Yi had no interest in paying attention to such things.

After spending so long in the Qilin Secret Realm and nearly reaching the Blood Pool, he had finally found a safe path with his Double Pupils. Although he did not know where it led, he knew that not exploring it would leave his heart itching unbearably.

As for the Blood Pool Baptism, he was not worried. Part of the token needed to activate it was in his hands. With one piece missing, the others could not begin the baptism, so there was no need to hurry.

After following the safe path for several li, the boy and spider suddenly heard faint footsteps, approaching from far away as though someone were walking toward them.

Anywhere else, hearing unexplained footsteps would not have troubled the little Golden Spider. But hearing them in this mysterious Qilin Secret Realm was rather frightening, especially since this was not the route to the Blood Pool. Apart from the two of them, no creature from a divine mountain would risk its life to come here.

"Brother Shi Yi, did you hear something?" it hurriedly asked.

Shi Yi nodded and replied, "I did. Footsteps. You'd better circulate the Divine Radiance in your blood and raise your defenses immediately. Otherwise, you'll be in serious trouble."

Hearing this, the little Golden Spider immediately did as Shi Yi said without another word, not stopping to question why he had said it.