C64 The Bloodthirsty Wall Painting

The sun was blazing fiercely.

Yu Yuan sat upright against a jagged rock on the Silvery Land, directly facing the relentless sun, his body radiating heat. The medicinal power of a Blood Essence Pill transformed into a gentle stream, nourishing his flesh and replenishing his vitality. The wounds within his body, torn by Van Le's treachery, were now mending.

The sword light, which had vanquished Van Le's soft power, was once again part of his bones. Like peculiar marks, the sword light was etched onto each bone, brimming with an immense, ancient rhythm and aura, awaiting his exploration and understanding.

Some time had passed since they had parted ways with Van Le. Utilizing the strength of the Blood Essence Pill and the Nine Glories Wheel, Yu Yuan dedicated himself to healing.

Not too far off, Zhao Yafu, Yuan Ting, and others were practicing their cultivation in the cool shadows cast by the stones. This time, they had opted not to venture into any of the neighboring abysses, choosing instead the openness of the wilderness. They had made this choice to avoid the possibility of renewed conflict and combat.

Yuan Ting was concerned that the people from Sillserine might be searching for them in those pits.

"Ta! Ta!"

Suddenly, footsteps drew near. Zhao Yafu, on alert, quietly stood and peered in the direction of the sound. Soon after, Han Hui and her group from Asenalenor emerged, looking disheartened.

Before this, after Yu Yuan had ascended from the depths of the pit, the two teams had gone their separate ways. At Yu Yuan's suggestion, they had decided to forgo exploring the Moon Shard within the pit for the moment, choosing instead to recuperate and restore their spiritual energy on the plains above, while deliberating their next course of action.

Han Hui had led the Asenalenor group to another pit in search of wonders. Yet now, they too had surfaced.

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

"We clashed with the people from Wethtalos in another pit," Han Hui replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "We were the first to find a mural there. When we infused it with spiritual energy, it revealed an unusual magic diagram. We believe it's a large magic circle meant to protect a sect. We were about to make an imprint of it when we were ambushed by the people from Broken Moon City."

Yuan Ting approached and inquired, "No casualties, I hope?"

"Wethtalos City wouldn't dare violate the rules. They merely wounded a few of us and shooed us away," Han Hui sighed lightly. "Given the circumstances, I had no choice but to lead them out like shrinking turtles. They're injured, and I didn't want them to face further mishaps in the pit, so we had to come up."

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

Zhao Yafu added, "Having you take the helm in Asenalenor is a very astute move."

Yuan Ting nodded his agreement. "Your presence has spared them from additional harm."

Fellow sympathizers from Asvetaesi offered words of encouragement, urging them not to lose heart. Being alive was what mattered most.

"Our luck has always been good, but unfortunately, we lack the strength to claim our victories," Han Hui reflected, pausing for a moment before making a serious proposition. "Little Sister Zhao, Brother Yuan, I believe our two cities could form an alliance within the forbidden area. Separately, our cities are the weakest and no match for other teams."

"However, united as allies, our odds of success would increase significantly."

"For instance, had our two teams been together at the mural, we might have triumphed in a confrontation with Wethtalos."

"Moreover, once Wethtalos realizes we've allied, they might not even consider challenging us for the mural!"

"Divided we are weak, but together we are strong. What are your thoughts?"

Having been on the losing end twice, Han Hui was convinced they couldn't keep going on like this. To continue would mean toiling for naught, inadvertently benefiting others – an utterly infuriating prospect.

"To join forces, to ally..."

Yuan Ting was intrigued and turned to Zhao Yafu, seeking her counsel. "What's your take?"

Zhao Yafu, being the most powerful among them, had demonstrated her formidable abilities, which is why Yuan Ting sought her opinion on the alliance.

Zhao Yafu turned her head to glance in the direction where Yu Yuan was meditating. "Let's wait. We'll ask him when he wakes up."

"Do you really need his go-ahead for this?" Han Hui was perplexed. "It's odd, his ability to break through his realm while falling into a deep pit. But..."

She hesitated, implying that despite his breakthrough, Yu Yuan was merely in the early stages of Soul Awakening.

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

"Cough, cough." Yuan Ting felt a bit awkward and added, "We're in this together. Plus, the head of the Yuan family instructed me to consult with Yu on major decisions when we joined the trial."

"Well, then let's wait for him to wake up," Han Hui conceded, though she felt it was clear that joining forces would be to their greatest advantage.

"We'll discuss it later," Zhao Yafu reiterated.

"Oh."

...

Somewhere within the forbidden area, a bright and spacious cave housed an immense mural on its rock wall.

Carved as if by a sharp blade, the mural depicted streams and rivers under a dim sky dotted with sparse clouds.

The entire mural exuded an aura of desolation, gloom, and an eerie silence.

The Wethtalos trial-takers, a group of young men and women from various families, each distinct in their attire, had driven Han Hui and her companions away to claim this cave for themselves.

They were either seated or standing, all fixated on the mural.

Silence enveloped the cave.

Time trickled away imperceptibly.

How long had passed was uncertain—it could have been a moment or an eternity.

Suddenly, one of them collapsed from a standing position.

"Whoosh!"

Bright red blood gushed from his mouth, streaming into the rivers of the mural.

The rivers on the mural began to run red with blood.

Then, one by one, more young men and women fell, their blood joining the flow and casting an increasingly sinister and terrifying pall over the rivers.

Subsequently, the clouds within the mural seemed to come to life.

"Hu!"

One of the clouds drifted out from the mural, a murky gray that resembled a ghostly apparition, and it slipped into the brow of a young girl who lay motionless on the ground.

The girl had been completely drained of her blood, reduced to a desiccated corpse.

Yet, out of nowhere, she slowly sat up.

Dazed, she remained seated on the ground, staring at the mural before her.

Her eyes glowed an eerie dark green, reminiscent of fireflies in the dead of night, sending shivers down one's spine.

Eventually, the girl rose to her feet and continued to gaze at the mural.

"Swish!"

Blood from the river depicted in the mural suddenly leapt out and was consumed by the girl.

The blood wasn't the fresh red one might expect but shared the dark green hue of her eyes.

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

Suddenly, she sensed something amiss and furrowed her brow.

"Bang!"

A pearl in the distance, linked to the Veil of Illusions, disintegrated into dust without a sound.

The girl gestured with her hand, summoning and pulling.

Grey clouds emerged from the mural, settling into the lifeless bodies of the youths strewn across the ground.

Streams of green blood followed, merging into the youths.

Subsequently, seven of the youths were revived.

They appeared to be her acolytes, her personal guard, as they dispersed and silently took their places behind her.

"Swish!"

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

The blood-drained, withered corpses caught fire instantly.

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

Initially, the girl's gaze was vacant, devoid of expression.

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

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

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

She then strode out of the cave.

The other seven, like marionettes, silently followed in her wake.

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