The pursuers were drawing ever closer. In the distant sky, several floating warships roared past, heading far away. Those were also the forces pursuing Night Pupil. They were traveling on the warships to set up an interception ahead. On the ground, groups of Blood Kin warriors were dashing forward, spreading out like ripples on the land.
Within a few days, the shape of a vast net for capture had already taken form. Although Night Pupil had awakened her Ancestor’s bloodline, rendering her almost invincible among peers in the Blood Kin, she began to feel increasingly strained.
Ahead, a long canyon appeared, and Night Pupil’s spirits lifted. She remembered this was one of the critical areas that Song Zining had repeatedly mentioned. Without hesitation, she rushed into the canyon, sprinting along the bottom.
Dozens of Blood Kin warriors pursued her into the gorge, relentlessly chasing after. However, as they reached the middle, the ground suddenly trembled, and large cracks formed on the cliff faces on both sides, causing massive collapses!
A high-pitched sound wave echoed through the air. Several Blood Kin who had taken to the skies screamed and fell, crushed under endless boulders.
Night Pupil emerged from the other end of the canyon. She glanced back at the dust-filled ravine and finally felt a glimmer of confidence.
In moments, she broke through several more barriers, and time and direction blurred. She only knew she was not far from the edge of the Twilight Continent. But the closer to the edge, the more perilous it became.
Before her now stood a stern-faced Blood Kin Count, with several corpses lying on the ground beside him. These were the reinforcements arranged by Song Zining, but all had perished. The Count slowly extended his hand and said, “I want half of the Ancient Source Blood.”
“Dream on!” Night Pupil gritted her teeth, drew her sword, and charged.
Moments later, the Blood Kin Count knelt, disbelief etched on his face. Clutching the area of his blood core, he murmured, “Eyes of Destruction, Eyes of Destruction…” before toppling forward into the dust.
Around the Count, his dozen or so subordinates lay dead.
Night Pupil leaned on her swords, her face pale. She lowered her head, gripped the hilt protruding from her side, and slowly pulled out a short sword. As the blade left her body, she couldn’t help but groan.
Looking at the bloodstained short sword, she tossed it to the ground. Had it been just a bit off, it would have pierced her blood core. Yet the Count was still no match; his blood core had been shattered by Night Pupil’s Eyes of Destruction.
Night Pupil searched the Count and found several high-quality blood crystals. She channeled their energy into her wounds, then quickly bound them and continued toward the edge of the continent.
A day and night passed, and the edge of the continent drew nearer, but Night Pupil moved slower. Battles raged, and Blood Kin warriors attacked constantly. Her consciousness grew heavy, and her blood core groaned under the strain. All her wounds throbbed painfully.
The Ancient Source Blood in her possession grew warm and exuded an almost irresistible allure. Absorbing it would instantly restore her, a temptation both physical and spiritual for a severely injured Blood Kin.
Subconsciously, Night Pupil touched the Ancient Source Blood, but with great willpower, withdrew her hand and trudged on.
Up ahead, a small town appeared. Night Pupil recalled it as the final stop and the last means Song Zining had arranged. From there, Song Zining’s people would protect her to the hidden location of the airship, where she would board a high-speed vessel back to the Empire.
But observing the town, Night Pupil sensed something amiss. It was too quiet, deathly silent. At the edge of the Twilight Continent, such towns were lawless places, often mixed settlements. Seeing a group of humans wouldn’t be unusual. Each continent had similar grey areas, kept alive by powerful figures’ interests.
Night Pupil halted, gazing at the town, a frown forming on her brow.
Suddenly, a soft voice called, “Over here, over here!”
Turning, she saw a ragged young man waving frantically from behind a tree. Night Pupil realized he must be one of Song Zining’s men. Key members of the mission practiced secret techniques to sense a special amulet she wore, identifying her. Otherwise, her latent bloodline would render them blind to her arrival.
Night Pupil approached, and the young man spoke hurriedly, “Something’s gone wrong. The arrangement by Seven Young Master leaked somehow, and we’ve been almost wiped out. I was the only one outside, which is why I survived. Follow me, straight to the airship port. We might still make it!”
Her heart stirred, confirming her unease. A chilling dread seeped into her soul.
She thought for a moment, then handed the Ancient Source Blood to the young man. “Give this to Zining. It’s what he wanted. Go!”
Stunned, the young man asked, “What about you?”
Night Pupil replied coolly, “If I go, neither of us will escape. Remember, what you carry is more important than I am.”
Understanding the urgency, the young man secured the blood, bowed, and in a flash, vanished into the distance. Only Night Pupil’s extraordinary vision tracked him until he was out of sight.
Withdrawing her gaze, her eyes turned cold as she walked toward the silent town.
The town seemed normal, but the silence was oppressive. The streets were empty, devoid of life.
Stopping at a low house, she pushed the door open. It wasn’t locked. A simple home with basic furnishings and a werewolf totem in the corner. The pot on the stove was cold, the fire long extinguished.
The werewolf family sat around the table, ready for a humble meal, frozen in time. All had lost their lifeforce, a method of instantaneous life extraction, even rarer among the ancient Blood Kin.
Night Pupil didn’t enter but moved to the next house.
Several houses of werewolves, all lifeless in an instant.
Continuing into the town, she finally saw signs of battle. Picking up a broken stone stick, she flicked it, and it crumbled to dust. The battle was brief but fierce, affecting everything within its range. Even the stick showed the intensity of the conflict.
Night Pupil looked up at the town square. Several wooden poles stood, each with a hanging corpse. In the grey zone, this was common, but her gaze lingered on a woman’s body.
Her skin was dark, her features delicate, and her slender frame exuded power. But now, she too was lifeless, beyond even the healing of the ancient Blood Pools.
Seeing this, Night Pupil frowned. For some reason, the woman reminded her of Zhao Jundu, the Empire’s top genius, whom she had met only once. The woman bore a faint, unmissable trace of Zhao Jundu’s aura.
A soft laugh rang out, and a clean-shaven, middle-aged man emerged, smiling. “Finally, I’ve waited for you. Luckily, you didn’t keep me waiting too long.”
Seeing the man, Night Pupil involuntarily stepped back. He felt like a snake: cold, wet, slippery, and immensely dangerous.
Spreading his hands, he praised, “Your entire plan is like a work of art, truly remarkable. In such a short time, with limited resources, to set up this escape route on the Twilight Continent—astounding! Just for this, Song Zining deserves the title of new military god. According to the plan, you should be on your way back to the Empire, all perfect… if not for me.”
“Who are you?”
“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Lü Fengshui, head of the Imperial Military Council’s Secret Division Five, currently holding the rank of General. This identity should suffice for greeting Miss Night Pupil, right?”
Slowly, Night Pupil noticed a dozen figures surrounding her, each emanating a similarly cold, wet, and powerful presence, making her feel deeply uneasy.
“Why are you here for me?” Night Pupil asked.
Lü Fengshui, confident, divulged, “Because you are important. While I don’t know why Seven Young Master mobilized such resources, your status alone makes you significant. As for why you came to Twilight, we have plenty of time to discuss.”
Night Pupil sneered, “Are you so certain you can catch me?”
“Of course,” Lü Fengshui smiled sincerely, but his smile lacked warmth.
Suddenly, his smile froze. In Night Pupil’s eyes, he saw himself!
His eyes instantly filled with blood, his face flushed, and his heart pounded. Instantly, he grabbed a subordinate, placing him in front. Using some unknown technique, Night Pupil’s eyes now saw the subordinate instead.
The subordinate’s face turned crimson, his eyes bulging in terror and pain. His mouth opened, spewing blood and internal organs, before he collapsed, clearly dead.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage