Chapter 65: The Tiny Realm

In the dark races, every rank above Viscount is divided into three levels. However, there are always cases where an individual’s strength exceeds their title. The attacks of spatial restrictions probably do not consider titles, but rather actual strength.

As a master in the field of space and prime force arrays, Li Rui Zhi was acutely aware of the perils posed by spatial restrictions. Although Duke Andu Ya had been missing for a millennium, no matter how strong the defensive power of this enclosed space might be, it would eventually be depleted. Duke Galle clearly intended to use those who entered first as cannon fodder.

Just two hours had passed when dozens of higher-ranking blood kin arrived at the scene. Under Duke Galle’s watchful gaze, they each stepped through the spatial gate, vanishing from sight.

Duke Galle stood with his hands behind his back in the void before the spatial gate, seemingly doing nothing. Yet, in Li Rui Zhi’s eyes, he saw several faint streams of blood qi spreading from the Duke’s feet to the spatial gate, seeping in like a gentle stream.

Li Rui Zhi perceived the state of the space once more and felt a stir in his heart. The ferocious power that had been hidden beneath the calm surface of the entrance was slowly diminishing. Duke Galle’s domain indeed had the ability to restrain the space. The ancient noble clan’s Grand Duke truly possessed unfathomable strength.

Any lingering thoughts or hesitations in Li Rui Zhi’s mind vanished at that moment. A flicker of reluctance flashed in his eyes as he suddenly turned around and said, “Li Zhan.”

Li Zhan stepped forward and responded in a deep voice, “What are your orders?”

Li Rui Zhi slowly said, “Take some men and enter. Capture that boy. I want him alive or dead.”

Li Zhan’s strength was already approaching that of a First-Class Viscount. Entering the space was akin to walking on the edge of the underworld, yet his expression remained unchanged, devoid of any sign of difficulty. He merely replied with a yes and led a few warriors, ranging from level eight to nine, leaping into the spatial gate.

Duke Galle did not express any opinions on this. Since they were still in the dark about the situation inside, having a few more humans enter could be considered an additional opportunity for experimentation.

Qian Ye was sprinting through the forest at full speed, with towering ancient trees flashing by his sides.

He had been running for nearly an hour, but the vast forest stretched endlessly ahead, seemingly without end.

According to human understanding of the blood kin, Qian Ye had initially thought that Andu Ya would have hidden the True Vision Eye in some ancient tomb or underground city. He never imagined that entering the space would lead him into such an immense sea of trees.

Fortunately, the Primordial Wings continued to sense a location far away, which should be where the True Vision Eye was located. Otherwise, in such a vast forest, Qian Ye might not even be able to find the right direction.

Suddenly, Qian Ye caught the faint, rapid footsteps of a blood kin viscount, who had followed him since he stepped into the space, relentlessly pursuing him. No matter what means Qian Ye used, he couldn’t shake off the pursuer.

Frowning, Qian Ye paid close attention to his surroundings while running, hoping to find a place he could use to his advantage. Though he had seriously injured Guisu’s regional leader Fang Tian Lun with a surprise attack, Qian Ye knew that his current strength was still insufficient to face a blood kin viscount head-on, even if it was only a Third-Class Viscount.

However, the forest environment was monotonous, offering few terrain advantages. Qian Ye’s attempts to disrupt the viscount’s pursuit had failed, and setting up traps was out of the question. The viscount displayed a wealth of combat experience and patience, giving Qian Ye no chance for a sneak attack, though he also couldn’t close the gap between them.

Just as the stalemate persisted, a wave of extreme danger washed over Qian Ye. Not far ahead, the scenery twisted, and the void between two large trees seemed to be torn open by an invisible hand. A figure tumbled out from within.

Qian Ye recognized the person immediately—it was a human, the leader of the first group to descend from the solitary peak!

Another person had entered? Was the spatial gate still open, or had it been reopened? Could the landing points be random?

These questions flashed through Qian Ye’s mind, but he had no time for further contemplation. Once that person landed, he would be in a perilous position, facing dangers from both sides.

A surge of fierce bravery burst forth in Qian Ye’s chest. With a roar, he charged towards Li Zhan, who was falling from mid-air. Running at full speed, he collided with all his might, like a meteorite crashing down. A dull thud resounded, and the two collided without any finesse.

Li Zhan, still recovering from the shock of the spatial teleportation, was focused on stabilizing his descent. Unprepared, he was hit squarely, and with a series of cracks, several of his bones snapped. He was flung sideways, out of control.

Qian Ye was not unscathed either; a strong, metallic taste rose in his throat. Swallowing the blood, he drew his Twin Flowers in a flash, too fast to even merge them, and fired two shots.

Li Zhan let out a muffled groan as blood splattered from his legs. The residual force of the origin bullet explosions slammed into his defenses, and he finally spat out a mouthful of blood.

But Li Zhan’s reaction was anything but slow. Despite being hit multiple times, his consciousness broke free from the brief dizziness after the spatial transition. He swiftly drew his origin gun and aimed accurately in the direction of the attack.

Yet, Qian Ye had no intention of finishing the job. After firing two shots, he fled without pausing, leaving in an instant.

Seeing the rapidly retreating figure, Li Zhan couldn’t help but be taken aback.

The blood kin viscount, now flying towards them, abruptly stopped several dozen meters away. His blood-red eyes fixed intently on Li Zhan, not hiding his greed.

For a blood kin, the vital blood of a powerful human like Li Zhan was a great tonic. If he could drain Li Zhan’s fresh blood, the Third-Class Viscount might be able to advance to the next level.

Li Zhan snorted coldly, glancing at the viscount, then put away his origin gun and sat down to treat the wounds on his legs and body, completely disregarding the menacing viscount.

The viscount was restless, wanting to pounce several times, but a powerful sense of danger always restrained him at the last moment, as if the prey before him was not a helpless lamb, but a natural enemy.

Finally, the viscount slowly retreated, increasing the distance between them. Overall, human marksmanship was superior to that of the dark races, and Li Zhan’s swift action in drawing his gun showed he was a master. Since he wasn’t planning to fight, the viscount decided to quickly exit the gun’s range.

Li Zhan spat heavily, sneering, “Cowardly vampire, if not for my master’s strict prohibition against making the first move, I would have already stripped you of your bat skin!”

The viscount’s cheek twitched. “Fine, very fine! When we get out, I will relay your words to Duke Galle verbatim.”

Only after the viscount’s figure disappeared into the dense forest did Li Zhan mutter, “Do you think you’ll make it out alive?” Having treated his wounds, he set off in pursuit of Qian Ye.

After creating some distance, Qian Ye continued to run in the direction indicated by the Primordial Wings, not looking back. Now, he was trapped in this mysterious space. Even if he ignored the number of pursuers who had followed, his lack of knowledge about the spatial channels and origin force arrays made escape impossible. His only hope lay in finding the True Vision Eye.

As the sense grew clearer, Qian Ye burst out of the forest, and the view suddenly opened up. He stood still, momentarily stunned.

Before Qian Ye lay a vast, gently rolling plain, stretching to the horizon. On the lush green land, a large river meandered. By its banks stood a majestic city.

High above, the sky was blue, with fluffy white clouds. The sun was moving slowly towards the horizon, while a giant crescent red moon hung on the edge of the earth.

This sight was entirely new to Qian Ye, something he had never seen or even read about. He had not expected such a grand expanse of sky and earth beyond the endless forest. It didn’t seem like a closed space but rather a complete, small world.

For the first time, Qian Ye questioned whether he was truly in Duke Andu Ya’s space. The mountains, rivers, and the silent city all silently attested to the power of the Black Winged King.

Shaking off his astonishment, Qian Ye began to run towards the distant city. Only a few kilometers in, the blood kin viscount and Li Zhan emerged from the forest, one after the other.

The viscount and Qian Ye matched in speed, while Li Zhan, who might have been faster under normal circumstances, was slowed by his leg injury, falling behind the viscount.

Three lightning-fast figures, with Qian Ye being chased by the other two, crossed the vast plains and charged into the city.

As soon as Qian Ye entered the city, a thick fog suddenly enveloped his vision, severely limiting it to just a few meters. This fog appeared out of nowhere, with no prior indication of its existence.

The fog greatly hindered his senses, even rendering his dark vision useless and affecting his hearing. Upon entering the city, the world seemed to shrink to just a few meters around him.

This wasn’t entirely bad for Qian Ye, as the blood kin viscount and Li Zhan would also be hampered by the city’s mist. He quickly dashed through several blocks, then turned into two narrow alleys, using his bloodline to conceal his presence and suppress all his aura.

Now, whether it was the blood kin or humans, finding Qian Ye’s trail in this city would be a matter of luck.

Leaning against a high wall, Qian Ye gradually steadied his breath and began to observe his surroundings.

The architectural style of the city was unique, with stone as the base and metal as the framework. The walls, window frames, and eaves were adorned with intricate metal sculptures and decorations, combining a sense of solemnity and elegance. The metals used were equal parts steel and copper.

From the height of the buildings and the sculptures, it was evident that the inhabitants were humanoid, slightly taller than modern humans and blood kin, averaging around two meters in height.

The high wall Qian Ye leaned against belonged to a building, with a steel door nearby. He walked over and tried pushing it.

The door was unlocked, heavy but miraculously rust-free. It opened silently, responding smoothly to his touch.