C64 The Bloodthirsty Wall Painting

The sun blazed fiercely above.

Yu Yuan sat upright, his back against the jagged rocks, on the silvery land, facing the relentless sun as heat radiated from his body.

The healing power of the Blood Elemental Pill coursed through him as a gentle stream, nourishing his flesh and replenishing his vital energy.

The wounds that Van Ning's treachery had torn in his body were mending.

The sword beams that had obliterated Van Ning's yin energy now returned to fortify his arms and bones.

These beams, like exotic sigils etched into the bone, brimmed with a vast and ancient rhythm, awaiting Yu Yuan's touch and understanding.

Some time had passed since their departure from Van Ning.

Relying on the Blood Elemental Pill and the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, Yu Yuan devoted himself to healing.

A short distance away, Zhao Yafu, Yuan Tine, and the others practiced their cultivation in the cool shadows cast by the rocks.

On this journey, they had foregone the nearby Heavenly Abysses, opting instead for the open wilderness to avoid further conflict.

Yuan Tine feared that Shadowhall's people might be searching for them within those abysses.

"Ta! Ta!"

Footsteps drew near.

Zhao Yafu, on alert, rose quietly and peered in their direction.

Soon after, Han Hui and her companions from Eastgriffin City emerged, their spirits dampened.

After Yu Yuan had ascended from the depths of the pit, the two groups had parted ways.

At Yu Yuan's suggestion, they had decided not to delve into the Moon Fragment within the pit for the moment, choosing instead to recuperate and restore their spiritual energy in the wilderness while contemplating their next steps.

Han Hui had led the Eastgriffin contingent to another pit in search of wonders.

Yet now, they too had surfaced.

"Sister Han, what brings you here?" Zhao Yafu called out, noting their disheveled appearance. "What's wrong? Did you encounter someone?"

"We clashed with people from Waning Moon City in another pit," Han Hui replied, her brow furrowed with concern. "We were the first to find a mural there. When we infused it with spiritual energy, it revealed a peculiar Matrix Diagram. It seemed to be a large-scale protective array for a sect. We were about to make an imprint when we were ambushed by Waning Moon City's people."

Yuan Tine approached and inquired, "Everyone's okay, right?"

"Waning Moon City didn't dare to flout the rules. They just wounded a few of us and told us to beat it," Han Hui said with a soft sigh. "We were at a disadvantage, so I had to lead them out of there, heads down. They were hurt, and I didn't want any more accidents happening in the pit, so we had no choice but to come up here."

"Sister Hui, we know you're not scared of them," Yu Feifei chimed in.

Zhao Yafu added, "Having you in charge here was a smart move."

Yuan Tine nodded in agreement. "Your leadership spared them from further harm."

The sympathetic souls from Darkmoon City encouraged them not to lose heart, reminding them that being alive was what mattered most.

"We've always been lucky, but unfortunately, we lack the strength to secure our victories," Han Hui mused, pausing for a moment before proposing earnestly, "Little Sister Zhao, Brother Yuan, I think our two cities should form an alliance in the forbidden area. On our own, each of our cities is the weakest link, no match for the other teams."

"But together, we'd significantly increase our odds of success."

"Take this time, for instance. If our two teams had joined forces at the mural, we might have even defeated Waning Moon City."

"Chances are, once they realize we've allied, they won't dare target the mural!"

"Divided we're weak, united we're strong. What do you all think?"

Having been burned twice already, Han Hui was convinced they couldn't keep going on like this. To continuously come up empty-handed and inadvertently benefit others was infuriating.

"An alliance..."

Yuan Tine was intrigued and instinctively turned to Zhao Yafu. "Your thoughts?"

Zhao Yafu, being the most powerful among them, had already proven her worth, which is why Yuan Tine sought her opinion on the matter.

Zhao Yafu glanced towards where Yu Yuan was meditating. "Let's wait. We'll ask for his input once he's awake."

"Do you really need his go-ahead for this?" Han Hui was perplexed. "Sure, he's a bit odd, managing to have a breakthrough in his realm on his way down into that pit. But..."

She hesitated, wanting to point out that despite this, Yu Yuan was merely in the early stages of the Spirit Accumulating Stage.

"I'm going to follow his lead," declared Zhao Yafu.

"Cough, cough," Yuan Ting interjected awkwardly, "We're in this together. Besides, the head of the Yuan family instructed me to consult with Brother Yu on any major decisions during this trial."

"Well, then, we'll wait for him to wake up before we discuss it," Han Hui conceded reluctantly. "But I truly believe that teaming up would be to our greatest advantage."

"We'll see about that later," Zhao Yafu added.

"Oh."

...

In a remote part of the forbidden zone, a vast and luminous cave housed an enormous mural on its rock wall.

The mural appeared to be etched with a sharp instrument.

It depicted streams and a dim sky scattered with sporadic clouds.

The whole mural exuded an aura of desolation, darkness, and eerie silence.

A group of teenagers, each dressed distinctively to represent their different families, had ousted Han Hui and her companions to claim the cave for themselves. They were either seated in meditation or standing, all studying the mural intently.

Silence enveloped the cave.

Time trickled away imperceptibly.

How long passed—moments or lifetimes—was uncertain.

Suddenly, one of the observers collapsed from their standing position.

"Whoosh!"

Bright red blood gushed from their mouth, splashing into the mural's waterways.

Blood began to course through the depicted streams, lending them a sinister and horrifying appearance.

Then, one by one, more youths fell, each adding their blood to the mural's rivers, intensifying the chilling spectacle.

Subsequently, the clouds painted on the mural seemed to stir to life.

"Hu!"

One cloud in particular wafted out from the mural, a murky gray wraith, and slipped into the brow of a girl lying motionless on the ground.

Drained of blood, her body had become nothing more than a desiccated husk.

Suddenly, she rose to a seated position at a languid pace.

Staring blankly, she remained seated on the ground, her gaze fixed on the mural before her.

The girl's eyes glowed an eerie dark green, reminiscent of fireflies in the dead of night, stirring an unsettling feeling in the onlooker's heart.

Eventually, the girl stood and continued to study the mural intently.

"Swish!"

Blood from a river depicted in the mural burst forth and was consumed by the girl.

The blood was not the usual bright red but shared the dark green hue of her eyes.

Her once shriveled body filled out rapidly, becoming plump and radiant with a subtle sheen, looking even more bewitchingly beautiful than before.

Suddenly, she sensed something amiss and furrowed her brow.

"Bang!"

A pearl in the distance, aligned with the Mirage Water Curtain, disintegrated silently into dust.

With a wave of her hand, the girl summoned a force.

Clouds of grey dust emerged from the mural, settling into the bodies of the fallen youths from Waning Moon City.

Streams of green blood followed, fusing with the youths.

Subsequently, seven of the youths were revived.

They stood behind her like loyal followers and guards, spreading out in silent formation.

"Chi!"

A wisp of green flame shot from the girl's fingertip, targeting the bodies of the youths who remained lifeless.

The desiccated corpses, drained of blood, caught fire instantly.

In moments, they were reduced to ashes, leaving no trace behind.

Initially, the girl's eyes were vacant, devoid of any spark.

But as she performed these acts, her pupils began to dance with vitality.

She cast a glance at the mural inside the cave, a mix of fondness and revulsion in her eyes.

The mural still featured its rivers, but the clouds were gone.

Without a word, she began to walk away.

The seven others, like marionettes, silently trailed behind her.

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