Chapter 802 - Blood (2/2)

Perhaps due to absorbing the powers from Shao Xuan’s fire crystal during the transformation, the giant bat had an aura similar to the Flaming Horns too. That was why it did not attack the Flaming Horns.

While it had an aura similar to the Flaming Horns, it also had another aura more powerful than this one from the other power within Shao Xuan. Gan Qie was ‘revived’ because of this other energy. That was why the bat saw Gan Qie more similar to itself than the other Flaming Horns, treating them as allies and became friendly.

After the battle within the strange dark realm, Shao Xuan now understood the white energy within his body. Gan Qie’s situation must be related to this.

It was not so strange after all.

“What are you looking at?” Shao Xuan turned to realise Gan Qie was searching for something.

“I smell… blood,” said Gan Qie.

“Blood? Oh, there are two Yi people there, and their slaves.” Saho Xuan pointed towards Yi Cong and Yi Qi.

“No, not them.” Gan Qie shook his head. “I can smell their blood too but I’m not looking for them. I know their blood tastes better than tribesmen but there’s another more delicious source.”

Gan Qie sniffed carefully, his eyes scanning his surroundings like radars, then looked up.

“There! It’s coming from above!” Bloodlust flashed within his eyes, his long fangs extending. He lifted his foot to scale the mountain wall, radiating killing intent. Gan Qie must have had a bloody journey here or he would not radiate such a strong aura.

Shao Xuan quickly pressed down on him. “Calm down! Retract your fangs, suppress your killing aura! This is giant mountain eagle territory, do not act rashly. You must be careful. As for the thing up there…” Shao Xuan thought for a moment. “Wait till I finish my food and replenish my energy, then we can go check it out together.”

Gan Qie’s greedy eyes turned, paused, then he nodded. “Alright.” He could sense the strong, non-living oppression here too. It made him nervous. If it was not for the smell of blood, he would not stay for long. But the smell excited him and he was willing to take the risk.

What is at the top of the mountain? Shao Xuan wondered privately. There were not many animals on this mountain range. The higher the altitude, the fewer the animals. Other than the giant mountain eagles, there was nothing on the icy plains at the peak…

Wait!

There’s an exception!

The white worms!

Shao Xuan thought about the swarm of worms that ran up the walls after emerging from the soil. He turned to ask Chacha, “Did those white worms ever come down?”

Chacha looked up at the peak, then at Shao Xuan and shook his head.

They didn’t!

So many worms but none returned!

Shao Xuan thought about the time he first came here. The white worms at the peak would eat the ice crystals, then metamorphose in their nests to turn into butterflies.

It was almost full moon now. He had witnessed the metamorphosis around the same time that year. Shao Xuan could remember the scene.

The ‘blood’ Gan Qie referred to must be these white worms. If he was talking about giant mountain eagles- Gan Qie had known Chacha for a long time and never seemed this excited.

It did not matter if they were white worms or other things, Shao Xuan decided to only go after recuperation. He remembered Yi Cong’s objectives for being here, wondering if those white worms hid other secrets. Maybe these secrets were related to weapon forging?

He had suffered so much to be here, he must find the answer.

Shao Xuan looked up at the peak, making plans for the future.

…

Within the desert, a tense atmosphere lingered. This solemn mood had kept for half a year now and the reason came from within Rock Hill City.

Shi Shu led a group of people, watching a sand mound far away nervously. Beneath the mound was an underground palace and Yi Xiang was there.

He knew exactly what Yi Xiang was doing and understood it could take a long time. He did not expect it to be this long.

Shi Shu used to be confident but after so long, the bad feeling within grew stronger. The Yi family should be too trivial to even worry about, he should not take this long to exterminate them.

What is happening? This question looped in his mind for days.

Then, his bad feeling turned out to be right.

There was a deafening rumble, like a giant, ferocious beast slamming into the walls underground. Yellow sand flowed like water down the mound. The ground shook, then swallowed the sand mound whole.

The place where they built the underground palace was already made of sturdy material. Yet the ground had engulfed the whole sand mound as if everything had been quicksand.

“Retreat!” yelled Shi Shu, getting his troops to stay back as the area of collapsing sand expanded at an alarming rate.

Boom!

Two figures shot out of the sunken area, punching a huge hole in the ground. Another three figures shot out.

The latter three were leaning together, protecting the person in the centre.

These five were reanimated corpses Yi Xiang placed within the underground chamber as guards, Shi Shu had seen them when he previously entered the chamber. His attention was currently on the person they protected.

Yi Xiang, who was escorted out of the underground palace, did not look well. There was a bloodstain by his lips and the wooden necklace in his hand was broken.

How could this be?! Shi Shu was in shock.

…

Due to Yi Xiang’s injury, Rock Hill abandoned its previous plans for expansion momentarily. It did not even have the capacity to proceed with the battles on the coast.

The desert entered an era of relative peace.