"Oh!"
The Blood Knight raised an eyebrow, his gaze swiftly scanning the crowd, the grim expression on his face smoothing out.
"Then let them in first."
"On what grounds?" soone in the crowd yelled.
"I don’t want to go in at all, I just want to go back..."
"SPLAT!"
Before he could finish his words, his eyes suddenly burst, and two streams of blood shot out from his eye sockets.
The corpse swayed and then fell face-first to the ground.
"SWOOSH!"
Those closer to the Blood Knight quickly stepped back, their faces filled with horror as they looked at the corpse on the ground.
Control over blood! This was the special ability of the first Legendary Knight of the City of Death. But to cause a Great Knight to lose control of his own blood and die on the spot from such a distance was indeed terrifying.
"Go back?" The Blood Knight’s voice wasn’t loud but was sharp and cold, carrying a domineering deterrence. "Do you think you have a choice?"
The others’ faces turned pale, so looking terrified at the Blood Knight whose blood-red eyes swept over the crowd. A chilling silence descended, everyone struck dumb with fear.
"Don’t be afraid."
A sinister voice rose from the crowd. "City of Death, so what if they have the Blood Knight? They are only a few, and we are many. We can take them down together!"
"That’s right!" Soone else chid in. "If they don’t die, even if we reach the core area of the inner city, we won’t get any real benefits."
The voices echoed in the space, shifting, unpredictable, making it hard to discern their exact locations.
"Who?" The Blood Knight narrowed his eyes, scanning the crowd. "Who said that? If you’ve got the guts, stand up!"
No one made a sound, although a few people’s eyes flickered, but they quickly suppressed any impulses. Together they might not fear the people of the City of Death, but who among the crowd could be trusted? It was simply impossible to unite. The speaker’s attempt to incite them was utterly futile.
"Hmph!"
The Blood Knight snorted coldly and motioned with his hand. The corpse on the ground instantly sprayed out streams of blood that gathered before him. The blood arrows rged to form a blood orb, which then exploded with a BOOM!
Countless streaks of blood rained down from the sky, avoiding a few figures and falling directly onto the others. The figures that were spared were, without exception, Legendary.
"SWOOSH!"
"SWOOSH! SWOOSH!"
Figures flickered rapidly across the area, swiftly dodging. Although they didn’t know what the Blood Knight intended, none wanted to be touched by the falling blood. However, the space was limited, and no matter how they dodged, it was inevitable that so blood would land on them.
When the blood finally hit the ground, everyone stopped and glared at the Blood Knight in anger.
"Those with three or more bloodstains on them go in first, followed by those with three bloodstains, and so on. The fewer bloodstains you have, the further back you go."
The Blood Knight’s voice was icy as he pointed at the crowd. "You! You, and you few... choose a Stone Gate and go in!"
The more bloodstains soone had, the weaker they were considered, and thus they beca the first batch to scout ahead.
"..."
Those selected showed fright in their eyes, while others quickly stepped aside, making way for them. It was always good to have soone scout the path. As for rebelling... this group was the weakest, not even comprised of Great Knights; they wouldn’t even entertain the thought of resisting. Choosing a Stone Gate ant a fifty percent chance of survival; choosing to rebel ant certain death.
"Damn it!"
One person’s eyes flickered, and with a furious roar, he exclaid, "I’m going for it!"
He charged toward a Stone Gate. The mont his body touched it, he vanished in a flash of white light.
Hmm? A transport portal? Carl’s expression shifted subtly. The white light didn’t obscure his view, so he saw everything clearly. As the man touched the Stone Gate, it turned into white mist, and the man vanished within it.
Once soone took the lead, the others followed into the Stone Gates in succession, though not without inevitable hesitation and visible uncertainty.
The Blood Knight kept his eyes tightly shut the whole ti, not uttering a sound, as if silently sensing sothing.
"Those with three drops of blood on them, choose a Stone Gate and go in!"
Matthew looked at the bloodstains on his body, a bitter smile on his face, as he stepped out under the watchful eyes of the crowd. He had three drops of blood on him.
What should I do? I have to try! He clenched his teeth, and with a thought, three golden snakes slowly crawled out from his sleeves. The snakes hissed, flicking their tongues. At Matthew’s urging, each snake chose a different Stone Gate and crawled towards it, soon disappearing from sight. Three snakes, three Stone Gates, a fifty-fifty chance... one of them has to be the correct path. If they’re all dead ends, then my luck is truly rotten.
Other people with three drops of blood on them stopped in their tracks when they saw his actions, their faces filled with hope. If soone could find a safe path, they wouldn’t have to risk a fifty-fifty chance.
The next instant, Matthew’s face turned deathly pale.
They’re gone! The connection I clearly sensed with the vipers... it completely vanished after they entered the Stone Gates!
"PEH!" one person scoffed. "All that excitent for nothing!"
Those with three drops of blood, like him, had all been waiting for Matthew to choose the correct Stone Gate; now they were clearly disappointed.
Matthew opened his mouth, his expression bitter.
"Hmph!"
Soone stepped past him, chose a Stone Gate, and entered. The others followed suit, each choosing a Stone Gate for themselves.
Urged by the others, Matthew, trembling, moved forward. The shell hanging at his waist suddenly vibrated.
Choose the Stone Gate on the left!
Matthew’s body stiffened. A hint of ecstasy flashed in his eyes, which he then desperately suppressed as he shuffled toward the Stone Gate on the left. Just like the others, after a long, agonizing mont, he chose what he believed to be a ’safe’ path.
Carl, standing at the back, looked puzzled. His gaze lingered on Matthew’s waist for a mont, a thoughtful expression on his face. How did this kid end up here? His special Bloodline has actually activated? And he’s gotten this strong in less than a year? That shell... there’s sothing fishy about it!
His thoughts whirled, but he didn’t dwell on it. Everyone had their secrets, himself included.
However, a familiar aura in the crowd caught Carl’s attention.
Yana! The Desecration Knight who had once followed him for a long ti was also present today, though he didn’t know why she was here.
I wonder if Black Sword Milia is here?
Soone from the City of Death announced, "Those with two drops of blood, enter!"
"Hmph!"
Soone snorted and stepped forward.
This ti, without needing to be urged, those with one drop of blood, and even those with no blood on them at all, orderly entered the Stone Gates.
Carl stroked his chin and headed for the Stone Gate that Matthew had just entered.
His vision blurred. In front of him was a void, with six long stone stairways each leading to a different glowing portal.
A Curio involving space! Carl’s eyes lit up. It seems the City Lord’s Mansion’s most precious treasure is these Twelve Star Palaces. I wonder if I can get my hands on them?
The six stone stairways were covered in blood, presumably traces left by the shark people who had broken in.
Carl picked one of them at random, stepped onto it, and his figure gradually vanished into the glowing portal.
"Second Elder," the Ghost-faced Knight said in a low voice, watching Carl enter a Stone Gate. "Should we follow?"
"No need," said a white-robed elder from the Holy Hall, shaking his head gently. "It’s inconvenient to make a move inside the Twelve Star Palaces. We’ll discuss it after we get out. Let’s take the second Stone Gate on the right."
"...Are you sure that’s safe?" the Ghost-faced Knight asked hesitantly. "A wrong choice ans certain death."
"You can wait," the white-robed elder smiled faintly. "People from the City of Death don’t make mistakes."
The Ghost-faced Knight shrugged. The people from the City of Death would surely go last, and even if he was confident, he wouldn’t dare provoke the Blood Knight.
...
"My God..." Matthew exclaid as his figure appeared before a massive palace, filled with various gold, silver, and jade artifacts.
Of course, there were even more corpses of all sorts!
The shell vibrated. "Kid, don’t get distracted! These are all useless trinkets. However, there’s a fire-breathing lizard hiding here. Don’t get entangled with it; run past it quickly. The Twelve Star Palaces are a very clever witchcraft creation, capable of connecting different spaces. Pass through the palace to the next area, find a suitable Bloodline for yourself as soon as possible, and then leave quickly. This place is too dangerous for you!"
"Dangerous?" Matthew retorted with a bitter smile. "You’re only realizing that now?"
"ROAR!"
Before he could finish speaking, the ground piled with gold and jewels suddenly shook and bulged, and a huge dragon’s head appeared before him.
The shell shouted, "Run!"
"I know!" Matthew snapped. "I am running! Didn’t you say the bone club in my hand would prevent Legendary Creatures from attacking ?"
"There are always exceptions!" the shell urged frantically. "Stop wasting ti talking and run!"
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