Chapter 273: Discovery
Chapter 273: Discovery
“Was he still alive when you found him?”
Mu Bai asked Feixue softly.
Feixue shook her head slightly and walked away without speaking.
The two elder brothers from Xingyun Ridge were heartbroken. Their task had been to protect the sect’s disciples during this journey, hoping everyone would return safely after entering the ancient ruin.
Over ten Xingyun Ridge disciples had joined this expedition, with Zuo Yi being the most outstanding in cultivation level. Yet unexpectedly, he had perished in the Blood Moon Wasteland.
Nearby, experts from various sects discussed the matter. Though Feixue remained silent, everyone found it suspicious—Zuo Yi had clearly been near Xuan Star Palace before, yet died in the Blood Moon Wasteland. None were fools; they sensed something amiss but couldn’t yet piece together an explanation.
Luo Feng the Spirit Master examined Zuo Yi’s corpse while secretly communicating with Feixue:
“I arrived when he still drew breath. He told me of a teleportation array in Xuan Star Palace that sent everyone deep into the Blood Moon Wasteland—to where the Blood Moon rises above a blood lake. Cheng Lingyu ventured alone while Xiao Lingfeng, Han Zhen, and Chen Song guarded the lake’s perimeter. Zuo Yi was returning to report when an ancient ferocious beast attacked him midway.”
Though his face remained impassive, Luo Feng felt profound shock. The ancient ruin of Xuan Star Saint being near Blood Moon Wasteland had seemed coincidental, but now this proved false. What connection could exist between the Xuan Star Saint and this cursed land?
Wan Fang studied Zuo Yi’s wounds. “The Blood Moon Wasteland lives up to its infamy. Zuo Yi ranked among the strongest Blood Martial Fourth Level warriors.”
Mu Bai observed, “This was a monster king’s work—beasts rivaling spirit beasts in power.”
As experts inspected the corpse, Zuo Yi’s cause of death became clear. Yet why he’d appeared in the wasteland remained the burning question.
Mu Hua sighed. “If hundreds venture forth, ten may return. May Cheng junior apprentice and Senior Brother Han Zhen survive.”
Pan Hong forced optimism: “They’ll be fine,” though anxiety gnawed at her.
Nie Jiaolong and Tian Feng worried for Cheng Lingyu too, yet clung to faith in his capabilities.
Luo Feng stayed silent, knowing the dire consequences if this news spread. Feixue’s silence confirmed she understood the stakes.
The Xuan Star Saint’s ruin restricted Spirit Masters, deterring their entry. But the Blood Moon Wasteland held no such barriers—even saints could enter freely.
With Lou Ri City’s limited forces here, revealing the blood lake’s secret would invite chaos. Better let their disciples compete discreetly than risk stronger factions overwhelming them.
Approving Feixue’s strategy, Luo Feng wondered how long they could contain the truth. Zuo Yi’s escape proved others might do the same—variables multiplied unpredictably.
Eventually, Xingyun Ridge’s elder brothers collected Zuo Yi’s corpse for burial in Lou Ri City. Other sects dispatched more experts to investigate the wasteland.
Watching this, Luo Feng privately consulted Feixue, Mu Bai, Qiu Yu, and Wan Fang. For now, the blood lake secret remained confined to these five.
Wan Fang said, “I guess we can’t hide this matter much longer. We must prepare to force our way into the Blood Moon Wasteland.”
Mu Bai responded, “If all Spirit Masters enter, it’d be bad for us. We should delay the strongest Spirit Masters from Three Saints and Four Peerless to limit entries. Let’s claim it’s too dangerous – those entering shouldn’t have weak cultivation levels, nor be too powerful in case accidents happen.”
Luo Feng Spirit Master nodded. “Mu Bai’s words hit the mark. If news leaks, I’ll try to stall the Three Saints and Four Peerless leaders here, stopping them from interfering.”
Wan Fang suggested, “We should send someone back under the excuse of escorting junior apprentice Zuo Yi’s corpse.”
Luo Feng Spirit Master approved, “Good plan. I’ll arrange it immediately.”
He summoned the two elder brothers from Xingyun Ridge. “This situation might drag on. Return to Lou Ri City first to bury Zuo Yi.”
The Xingyun Ridge pair bowed slightly, grief-stricken as they left with the corpse.
The crowd witnessed this but found nothing odd upon reflection.
Luo Feng Spirit Master gave no further orders, though he secretly planted an encrypted thought message on the pair – only detectable by Lou Ri City experts.
…
In the blood lake, Hu Yuer guarded Cheng Lingyu overnight. At dawn when the Blood Moon sank, the lake boiled again under immense pressure. The scroll’s defensive shield kept shrinking.
Cheng Lingyu awoke, sensing the changes. “Did the Blood Moon sink back?”
Hu Yuer answered, “Yes. It rises nightly and sinks at dawn. Both movements shake the blood lake.”
After absorbing energy all night, Cheng Lingyu’s cultivation level had risen. His Destruction of Space Divine Thought Wave buzzed more actively.
Blood rain fell into the sinking lake.
The process disrupted all detection waves here, including Cheng Lingyu’s divine thought wave.
When disturbances eased, Cheng Lingyu detected changes below the island. The original red-white lights remained, but their surroundings differed.
Last night he’d seen two pale red clusters around them. Now three crimson clusters formed a triangle around the core lights.
This excited Cheng Lingyu. Could these be three Blood Moons?
If true, did three Blood Moons take turns rising from the lake?
The idea shocked him, but uncertainties remained.
Were the moons truly alternating? What were they?
Animals? Plants? Minerals? Energy? Alive? Dead? Something else?
Current clues gave no answers.
Hu Yuer noticed something too but stayed silent, watching the lake while feeling their stone pillar slowly rise.
“Rising.”
Cheng Lingyu jolted awake at the words. He stared at the stone pillar beneath his feet, now glowing with swiftly moving spiritual patterns as eerie blood mist seeped from its surface.
The stone pillar’s ascent remained slow, requiring the time needed to burn an incense stick before returning to yesterday’s height. Scanning his surroundings, Cheng Lingyu counted only twenty-five survivors from yesterday’s twenty-eight.
On Shui Yingyue’s path, Lan Feng had died by Cheng Lingyu’s hand while others survived. Ye Anlan and Yunxiu’s groups each showed one disappearance – likely victims claimed by the blood lake.
The blood shadows stood motionless when Cheng Lingyu’s gaze found them. Hu Yuer broke the silence: “When shall we move?”
Cheng Lingyu’s body still churned with undigested energy from multiple merged Blood Fetuses. Knowing full digestion required days rather than hours, he dismissed forced refinement.
“We’ll watch others first.” His methodical nature prevailed – with the new day just beginning, rushing made no sense. Lagging behind offered advantages: learning from others’ mistakes while avoiding trouble.
Three paths held twenty-five experts divided into groups of eight, eight, and nine. Shui Yingyue maintained her lead at the Sixteenth Gate, while Ye Anlan and Yunxiu occupied the Fifteenth. Cheng Lingyu and Hu Yuer lingered at the Eighth Gate – last position proving strategic.
The Eighth Gate’s challenge dwarfed the Seventh’s, but Cheng Lingyu’s enhanced capabilities matched it. The blood shadows fell within half an hour, providing valuable combat experience to complement yesterday’s meditation.
At the Ninth Gate, they encountered their second trapped individual – a plain-faced man in black studying them warily. Though having witnessed Cheng Lingyu’s battle with Lan Feng from the adjacent pillar, the stranger remained silent despite Cheng Lingyu representing his last escape chance.
Cheng Lingyu approached with unfamiliar boldness, lips curling dangerously.
“What do you want?” the man growled under Cheng Lingyu’s predatory stare.
“Corpses make excellent gate-offerings.” The chilling smile widened. “Waste not.”