Chapter 512: Fear, Shadow, Questioning, Sacrifice, Ether |
"When did he go missing?" Duke Charles continued his questioning.
But before Xiao Xi could speak, Duke Yegu had already opened his mouth.
"Duke Charles, I believe this can stop here. Since Moon Shadow's Breath hasn't brewed any Legendary-tier Blood Brew, and we've already confirmed that the previous rumors were just rumors, there's no need to account for everything else one by one."
His meaning was clear enough. The matter of Legendary-tier Blood Brew was significant enough to warrant discussion.
But the following questions concerned their 'Newborn Faction's' internal affairs and didn't need to be explained publicly.
Charles narrowed his eyes, his gaze flicking toward the others.
The other three all sat there with expressionless faces, completely ignoring the matter.
"Fine then, let it be!" Charles Duke chuckled coldly, a hint of regret in his heart.
"But congratulations to Duke Yegu. To think such a genius would emerge among your juniors—able to brew Epic-tier Blood Brew at Bronze Rank.
If I recall, when I truly mastered the technique of brewing Epic-tier Blood Brew, I was already on the verge of being promoted to Duke.
Tsk tsk..."
When Duke Yegu heard this, although he knew full well that Charles was trying to stir up trouble, a barely detectable shadow of unease still rose in his eyes.
The matter of Moon Shadow's Breath seemed like nothing more than an interlude as the Council meeting continued.
The main focus of the meeting remained identifying the identity of that person who had infiltrated the Bloodline River.
The secondary focus of the meeting was for all Council members to be on alert against retaliation from the Wolf Clan.
Especially the threat of [The Butcher] Golgo.
Someone had already noticed that one Councilor was absent from today's meeting.
But no one expected it to be the Wolf Clan's doing. All the other Council members wore expressions of shock and disbelief.
"According to the message Maridino sent before his death, [The Butcher] Golgo's infiltration was completely without warning and utterly silent. It was a straight massacre. They had no preparation whatsoever. And through Maridino, he issued a declaration of war against our Blood Clan. So you all must be careful..."
Whatever was said after that, Xiao Xi didn't pay any attention at all.
The moment she heard that [The Butcher] could silently infiltrate someone else's world.
She froze right there.
"Infiltration without a sound..."
She thought back to that figure back then. The other party had also infiltrated her world without a sound.
"But... wasn't that person one of the Blood Duke's people? And at that time, I hadn't even been promoted to Silver Rank yet..."
Xiao Xi fell into confusion.
"What's going on here..."
But just then, a cry of alarm pulled Xiao Xi's attention back.
"Ah—no—"
A Blood Clan Count let out a terrified sound.
Then, right before everyone's eyes, that Silver-tier Blood Clan Count seemed to be erased like someone wiping away a mark with an eraser.
Slowly disappearing.
A line of golden text appeared.
—The price has been paid!
Silence. Shock. Fear enveloped the entire Void.
Even the five Dukes seated at the highest table had undisguised shock and wariness written on their faces.
Because.
None of them could see what had happened to that Blood Clan Count.
Why he had been erased by the rules.
In their memory, this kind of power was only possible for Gold-tier existences.
But...
If this was true.
Was Gold-tier already starting to attack Silver-tier...
A shadow of gloom settled over everyone's hearts.
"Meeting adjourned!"
Duke Yegu's voice rang out.
Xiao Xi only felt the scene before her change.
The Council meeting had ended abruptly, and she was back in her own castle.
But the next moment.
Duke Yegu's message had already arrived.
[Night Moving Castle: What exactly is the situation with the Blood Brew? Don't conceal anything.]
Seeing the coldness in Duke Yegu's words, Xiao Xi bit her lip.
She recounted the situation from back then to Duke Yegu, holding nothing back.
A long moment passed.
[Night Moving Castle: So that Alchemist Descendant of yours was taken away by that infiltrator, and you found no clues at all, is that right?]
[Moon Shadow's Breath Underground Castle: Yes, Duke.]
Staring at the information on the virtual light screen, Duke Yegu's eyes churned with thoughts.
He opened his friend list and contacted an old friend—the Dream Weaver of the Star Track Cult.
He asked the other party to prophesy about the situation [Moon Shadow's Breath] had just described.
But when he received the prophecy result, his eyes had already turned cold and complicated.
[Dream Weaver Airship: Night, are you just messing with me? Your Descendant's castle did have some disturbances a few days ago, but I found no trace of any intruder whatsoever.
All three dimensions—Star Tracks, Spiritual Dimension, and the real world—were completely clean.
The only person connected to her was her challenge target when she was promoted to Silver Rank.
If you're not joking, then you need to be careful with this Descendant of yours.]
Duke Yegu was silent for a long time before letting out a cold laugh.
"Moon Shadow's Breath..."
---
The ritual hall outside the Altar of Life was plunged into darkness.
Even the six candles around the altar had all gone out.
Only that drop of golden liquid suspended above the altar platform emitted a blinding golden light.
Flooding the hall with brightness.
Yu Yuan stared at the spiritually surging [Altar of Life] and the dazzling golden drop on the central altar platform.
His clenched fist tightened slightly.
This drop of golden liquid, carrying no information at all, was clearly an item beyond his current stage to touch.
But he didn't care. As long as the Altar of Life completed its sacrifice, there would be no hidden dangers or threats to him.
That was what Yu Yuan truly wanted.
Under Yu Yuan's watchful gaze, something changed above the Altar of Life.
The golden liquid rose to the ceiling level, and then stars began to appear around it. These stars slowly revolved around that drop of golden liquid.
Gradually, as more and more stars gathered.
Four rings made of stars appeared on the ceiling, and that drop of golden liquid transformed into a black hole.
Yu Yuan was stunned.
He had seen this image before.
On the cover of that "Civilization Ladder" magazine.
Watching the star tracks of the four civilization ranks—Rock, Bronze, Silver, Gold—on the ceiling slowly rotating around the black hole formed by the golden liquid.
A primal, ancient, mysterious, and dangerous aura began to spread.
"How could the Star Track pattern appear..."
And Mona's body had already started trembling.
From that black hole, she felt something like an unknown summons.
Yu Yuan grabbed Mona's arm, helping her steady her mind.
A surging wave of Psychic energy erupted from the Altar of Life, forcefully compressing and condensing the 'Star Track' above.
The 'Star Track' also resisted the Altar of Life's compression.
The energy pressure created a negative pressure field, enveloping the ritual hall. Yu Yuan watched the two forces locked in a tug-of-war.
Horror filled his heart.
What in the world was the origin of that drop of golden liquid, that it could contend with a Rare Treasure structure like the [Altar of Life]?
Just as Yu Yuan was worried whether the Altar of Life could complete the [Sacrifice].
That blue crystal on the central altar platform seemed to have absorbed enough energy. A brilliant blue light burst forth.
A beam of blue light shot straight into the black hole within the 'Star Track'.
With a soft "pop".
The blue light became the final straw that broke the balance.
The 'Star Track' shattered. Under the illumination of the blue light, it slowly disappeared.
Taking its place, a drop of transparent gelatinous substance appeared above the central altar platform.
[Altar of Life Sacrifice completed. Obtained item—Ether (Hyperdimensional)]
The notification flashing on the virtual light screen made Yu Yuan freeze for a moment.
"Hyperdimensional... what is this?"
Stepping up to the Altar of Life, Yu Yuan reached out his hand toward that drop of transparent gelatinous substance.