Yan Hai advanced in the darkness, half his body dully aching.
The impact from that collision earlier had nearly caused his whole body to fall apart. Quite a few bones were broken. If not for his strong recovery ability, he would still be confined to his bed, paralyzed.
His blood spiritual force was still shallow but his recovery ability already exceeded that of others. Thinking about the mystical skills set his heart on fire. If he could establish enough contributions, he could possess those mystical skills.
He must have that blood crystal.
Tonight was his last chance. There was a mission the next day and everyone within the city had to battle, him included. Plus, his disguise was still useful for him.
He did not enter upon arriving at the alleyway of Vanguard Training Hall. The accident from earlier had taught him that he couldn’t afford to make the least bit of a mistake. The A-1 unit’s strength exceeded his imagination. He couldn’t defeat any one of them.
He needed the blood crystal, not a battle.
There were many ways to gain possession of the blood crystals, and battling was just one of them.
He took out a small flag; its face was badly damaged and its pole was left with only half a bone. On its face was a little demon painted with cinnabar. This was an object he had gotten hold of unintentionally while training. He had not known what it was initially, but after much researching and consulting of friends with related experience, he found out that this small flag was actually a spirit-beckoning banner.
During the Cultivation Era, the spirit-beckoning banner was the most common treasure within the blood sects. It was generally used to train spirits, blood demons, and the like.
It could develop a certain connection with the blood spiritual force within his body.
As time pa.s.sed, the spirit-beckoning banner became dilapidated. To Yan Hai, however, it was still an outstanding treasure. It was also because of this that he realized the artifact remnants from the Cultivation Era were of use to him. Later on, he committedly searched every place that collected artifact remnants, but failed to find anything else he could use.
He took out a small knife and slit his own arm, making a shocking cut.
Fresh blood dripped on the banner in a steady flow and disappeared upon contact with it. The little cinnabar demon on the flag then started to look more tender, beautiful, and alluring.
Following the unceasing blood flow, Yan Hai’s face turned rather pale.
Suddenly, a red blood mist rose from the spirit-beckoning banner and amidst it, a faint and blurry little demon could be seen.
Joy spread across Yan Hai’s pale face. He sat cross-legged on the ground and shut his eyes.
The silhouette of the little demon gradually faded and disappeared.
This was his biggest card and also where his confidence lay tonight. Able to conceal itself, the little demon was more than suitable for theft. If he could get the blood crystal, this amount of fresh blood sacrifice wasn’t even worth mentioning.
The little demon’s field of vision was gray, ice-cold, and still. Yan Hai was adept in controlling it since it wasn’t his first time.
It drifted over the wall. Yan Hai saw everyone standing in a circle with Ai Hui in the center. He could see clearly as he was looking from above.
He felt slightly puzzled. What were these fellows doing?
He scanned the surroundings but did not see the blood crystal. To the little demon, the blood crystal was of great benefit. It was like a torchlight in the dark, very conspicuous.
Then, all of a sudden, a wave of intense motion burst out from Ai Hui’s body.
Not good! Had he been discovered?
Yan Hai’s heart started beating faster, but he tried hard to remain calm. That shouldn’t be the case. The little demon beckoned by the banner had no elemental energy motion. It was impossible for even the dean of Central Pine Academy to detect its presence.
He reckoned Ai Hui was about to test a skill or something.
Yan Hai became more focused. Ai Hui hadn’t displayed any moves since the start of the day, so he was also very curious about Ai Hui’s abilities.
Ai Hui was very excited.
He did not expect the blood crystal to be able to activate the artifact remnants on the Dragonspine Inferno. The artifact remnants would cease to be. If the blood crystals could stimulate certain treasures, then the remnants left in the Silver Mist Sea which had once been considered trash would become much more valuable. Their prices would also increase exponentially.
It was a pity he had no money to start a business. Or? He could contact his master and mistress and perhaps earn more money at the embroidery workshop. Then again, he quickly started laughing involuntarily. He might not even survive this calamity, so why was he thinking about earning money?
He should further develop his Dragonspine Inferno instead. As its power increased, his chances of survival increased as well. Plus, it could be seen that the Dragonspine Inferno was still far from reaching its limit. That meant that he needed more blood crystals, since the sword had more potential to improve.
Ai Hui collected his thoughts.
He was already fairly familiar with [Crescent Moon]. Using [Big Dipper] to operate it was the challenge.
The seven palaces within his body vibrated simultaneously and out of them flowed seven rays of elemental energy. Ai Hui prepared to converge them.
Just then, without any sign, the sword embryo between his brows suddenly jolted.
An indescribable feeling overtook Ai Hui’s body. Cold. From head to toe, he felt a sense of coldness. His joy and excitement vanished as he became immersed in this unprecedented, cool state.
Feeling something, Ai Hui turned his neck and walked towards the perimeter wall.
There was clearly nothing, but he "saw" a mist-like presence.
He didn’t know what it was and could only feel its enmity.
The elemental energy circulating within his body became even fuller and richer. Before, Ai Hui had needed to mult.i.task in order to control it, but now, everything went on naturally and smoothly.
Ai Hui drew a graceful trajectory in the sky with the Dragonspine Inferno. At that moment, in the eyes of s.h.i.+ Xueman and the rest, he was like a completely different person.
He was merely waving the sword in his hand, but every movement was so co-ordinated and aesthetically pleasing that it brought about a casual freeness.
s.h.i.+ Xueman’s eyes lit up as she recalled the first time she saw Ai Hui’s swordplay. He wasn’t bad then, but now he was becoming and feeling more like an expert.
Only after seeing for herself how he had changed bit by bit did she really understand how fearsome Ai Hui was.
What was even more shocking was that each time Duanmu Huanghun felt pleased about his own progress, Ai Hui would quickly deal a blow to him. He’d thought that his progress was already very speedy but Ai Hui’s was even quicker.
Seeing Ai Hui’s grandeur, Duanmu Huanghun couldn’t help but clench his fist.
You’ve already grown so much?
How great! How exciting!
Having such a strong rival like you is my greatest honor. I won’t make you wait too long!
Duanmu Huanghun felt his blood boil. Unprecedented battlel.u.s.t agitated his body like raging flames, causing it to tremble slightly.
Suddenly, Ai Hui struck out.
The Dragonspine Inferno in Ai Hui’s hand drew a bow-like crescent moon.
The curvy sword ray flashed across the sky, matchlessly fast.
When Ai Hui looked towards him, Yan Hai jolted inwardly. He had been found! There was no time for him to figure out why and he quickly decided to turn and leave.
Before he could take any action, a dazzling light ray rose and a strong fear overtook him. The little demon turned to leave, no longer under control. He knew that this was the demon’s instinctive fear, as if there was something within the light ray that it was very afraid of.
A crescent moon came towards him at breakneck speed.
It was so fast that all he saw was a quick flash of light before feeling something run through his body.
Closely after, a numbness spread throughout his body.
He looked down and saw a hole in his chest area. A bright light ray flickered around its edges and like a dark flame consuming a piece of paper, it continued burning non-stop.
Was that… lightning?
Yan Hai blankly stared at the silver light ray, extending and spreading unceasingly.
He knew now why the little demon was so afraid. During the Cultivation Era, the undead, ghosts, and the like feared the sound of thunder most. Thunder and lightning were regarded as one of the most masculine forces between heaven and earth. It was the evil spirits’ mortal enemy.
But, why was there lightning?
There was no lightning in the Avalon of Five Elements. Amongst metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, only water elementalists were a.s.sociated with lightning. Their clouds and mists could develop lightning. The lightning between heaven and earth was then affected by clouds. Its violence and destructive force entered people’s field of vision very early. Countless water elementalists had tried creating lightning, but until today, they were still unsuccessful in using lightning in battle.
Lightning in the Cultivation World was entirely different. They were given a special name – "Thunder Stars". There were many types of Thunder Stars. Blood refinement had Thunder Stars as well, such as the Scarlet Blood ThunderG.o.d and the like.
But the Cultivation World was long gone. People today were no longer able to imagine what sort of existence the so-called Thunder Stars had been in the past.
No, not lightning, but Thunder Stars!
Yan Hai did not know why but this thought surfaced within his head and did not disappear.
He stared firmly at the Dragonspine Inferno in Ai Hui’s hand and when he saw the prismatic crystals on it, he finally understood. Artifact Remnants!
But how did Ai Hui activate them? Probably not… by using blood crystals, right?
The heart-wrenching pain caused Yan Hai to withdraw from the little demon’s body and a small wisp of electric current continued to corrode its body. The little demon was like a piece of paper, slowly being eaten up by a dark flame until there was nothing left.
Yan Hai opened his eyes and disgorged a mouthful of fresh blood, his face a few shades paler.
The spirit-beckoning banner in front of him combusted spontaneously without any fire. He couldn’t extinguish it in time so the banner was reduced to ashes. Even the bone, serving as the flag’s pole, was no more.
Yan Hai looked far into the alleyway in bitter resentment before turning to leave.
He had lost a lot today. His one and only treasure was gone and he was also injured. As compared to the blow he was dealt in the day, this psychological damage could not be repaired easily.
Like an injured wolf, he disappeared into the night.
In Vanguard Training Hall, everyone was discussing with excitement about how breathtaking Ai Hui’s swordplay was.
The sword embryo between Ai Hui’s brows fell into a deep sleep once again, and Ai Hui separated from that absolutely ice-cold state. He wondered what he had "seen" earlier. Why was the sword embryo’s reaction so big? Did it sense danger?
Ai Hui felt uneasy and immediately thought about the Blood of G.o.d. Thinking about the old prisoner, he wondered, had the Blood of G.o.d found him?
That wouldn’t be a good thing…