397 No Money, No Men, No IQ (1/2)
”I ask you, are you my follower?”
Amidst the hazy light, Wang Lu vaguely heard someone ask him a question. It was just that the questioning voice sounded especially weird. Although he could understand every word of it, it was as if they were separated by a layer of something, so Wang Lu subconsciously asked, ”What?”
At the same time, the light gradually dissipated a bit, so that the stature of the young woman in front of him became clearer. She was tall and straight, even seemingly not that different compared to Wang Lu. And Wang Lu, as a man, has a stature that was already considered as above average. Furthermore, her whole body was covered in a shining steel armor. Only the joints exposed a few pieces of exquisite leather. Through the armor, one could vaguely determine that the woman, though not stout, was also far from being slender and weak. Her body was very firm and toned.
The young woman's face had cold determination like her armor, her pair of clear eyes were like the eternal ice, and her two slender eyebrows were like a pair of sharp sword awns, truly a woman with threatening heroic spirit.
”I ask you, are you my follower?”
The woman's questioning voice came into Wang Lu's ears once again, and with an intonation that was unexpectedly identical to the previous. Wang Lu pondered, and decided to tell the truth.
”What kind of thing is a follower?”
”!???”
Several fine lines seemed to appear on that bone-chilling face. Then a look of shock appeared on the woman's face. ”You don't know what a follower is? Who exactly are you?”
Wang Lu asked back, ”Who are you?”
While being questioned, Wang Lu began to look around and found out that he was actually in an awe-inspiring hall, with torches hanging on the four pitch black walls. The firelight flickered in this dark hall like they were starlights in the night sky. On the flagstone below Wang Lu's feet, there was a circular array that exuded brown radiance that illuminated all around it. The atmosphere was filled with extremely rich earth type spiritual energy. And behind him was a pitch black altar that reflected all the light.
In accordance with the present situation, this hall should be used for sacrificial ritual purposes. The altar on the back was still tainted with a strong smell of blood, and combined with the array circle at his feet and his experience of coming out of the darkness, this was the inference that was most consistent with common sense...
At this time, the young girl said, ”I am your master.”
”Pfft! Hahahaha!”
Wang Lu immediately burst out laughing. In response to this, the young woman silently raised her right hand, and from the back of it, a red ray of light rose out. Wang Lu immediately felt as if there was a mountain-like pressure on his shoulder, which nearly caused him to fall.
Under this sudden attack, Wang Lu's years of Non-Phase Method training shown its brilliance. While his bones emit crackling sound under that mountain-like pressure, the index finger on his right hand pointed down and emitted out his Non-Phase Sword Qi, which reversed the shock on his body and enabled him to maintain an erect posture. However, the flagstone at his feet could not withstand the pressure and began to crack. But along with the cracked flagstone, the array glittered twice and then its light completely extinguished.
The young woman seemed a bit surprised that Wang Lu was still able to stand straight under such heavy pressure. After pausing for a moment, she carefully explained, ”It seems like the sacrificial offering is not enough, so you don't get fully enlightened… No matter, I will explain everything to you.”
Then, still with the incredulous look at the sight before her, the young woman took a deep breath, and said with a steady tone, ”You are the one that responded to my summon. You came to this temple of blood as a blood spirit follower, and I am the master who summoned you to come. The relationship between you and me is contractually maintained, and if it's not done, then it's the end of it.”
Wang Lu thoughtfully nodded. At this time, the pressure on his body gradually dissipated, but whenever he decided to go against the young woman, the heavy pressure would come with it.
It seemed like the contract relationship mentioned by the young woman was indeed true. This was clearly the symptom of a strong contract constraint… On the Nine Regions, summoning such a follower was not uncommon. It was just that, in the immortal dream lands, this was the first time he came in as a follower to a master. What was the meaning of this?
”Have you forgotten the purpose of you coming here?” The young woman shook her head rather helplessly. ”Sure enough, I should not use the defective mask to summon the blood spirit. Listen, you came to this temple of blood for the sole purpose of assisting me in obtaining the five blood spirit crown… You don't even remember the five blood spirit crown, do you?”
Wang Lu said, ”I don't remember.”
”... The so called five blood spirit crown is the most valuable treasure in this realm. It could be used to coronate the king to rule the realm.” The young woman lightly said, ”However, this most valuable treasure can only be made through the gathering of five blood spirits and refining them. And these five blood spirits…”
”It's me and the other four blood spirits?” Upon hearing this, Wang Lu was already able to understand the general direction of this plot. Its principle was like the refinement of poison insects, by gathering five formidable followers and to let them beat each other up. The winner then would take the crown. And he has to face the other four blood spirits and their masters in an all out team fight… The only thing that didn't make sense was the defective mask the woman previously talked about.
The young woman said, ”To summon the blood spirit in the temple of blood, one must rely on a corresponding tool. Unfortunately, within the hundred generations of my Gray Mountain, so far, there are only several blood spirit inheritances. Among which, this stone mask is the highest in value, which could summon the most powerful blood spirit. Unfortunately, a hundred years ago, it was damaged. Thus, for it to be used in blood sacrifice, more or less it will have an adverse impact towards the mask owner. Due to the temple being temporarily in decline, proper edifying isn't entirely completed, which makes you unaware of the five blood spirit crown and even your own identity.”
Although the young woman's voice sounded dull, a trace of anxiety was contained within it. Obviously, she wasn't quite confident with the blood spirit before her.
According to her prediction, the blood spirit summoned by the stone mask could at least be ranked three among the five blood spirits, so that she would have the capital to deal with the other four. Otherwise, with her temper, she would not risk using a broken mask to summon the blood spirit. But unfortunately, the end result was still beyond her control. Could this seemingly amnesiac blood spirit help her win the five blood spirit crown…?
While she was hesitating, Wang Lu took the initiative to ask first, ”Tell me about the situation on the other four. If you want to win the crown, you must know who the opponents are.”
The young woman said, ”The remaining four respectively are, Golden City, Harmony River, Flaming Valley, and Eternal Tree.”
”What about their strength?”