Chapter 160: The Night of Solitude

Qian Ye walked to the entrance of the cave and gazed outside.

The night had already fallen completely beyond the cave, silent as death. Both the nearby forest and the distant great lake, even the vast expanse of rubble fields, had all frozen into utter silence, the stillness so immense that aside from the howling wind, no other sounds could be perceived. The previous roars of beasts and chirping of insects had completely vanished, buried deep within this dark and suffocating night. Without wind, the entire world would appear as motionless, as lifeless, as though the dead itself gazed silently back at the void.

Again Qian Ye felt an involuntary chill shudder his frame. It was an inexplicable dread, the instinctual fear a microscopic life form bore toward an endless vast universe.

Nonetheless, his will remained firm. At will, he shook this fear from his thoughts. And with the dread dispelled, Qian Ye instantly detected the issue: strange, yes, because the surrounding temperature wasn’t extremely cold – perhaps a regular winter’s night in the frozen northlands, somewhere below freezing by a dozen degrees. Such minor subzero chill should pose nothing to a warrior of his caliber – so why did he feel this intense freezing cold?

Watching the world outside even as scanning his own body, Qian Ye was startled. His bloodcore’s pulse had greatly slowed, and was decelerating further. The flow of his Goldfire Blood slowed synchronously; the golden embers that used glow vibrantly within this sacred lifeblood now flickered feebly like sparse lonely stars dotting the lonely heavens—if once sky was a sea of stars, it now displayed merely scattered constellations above a barren wasteland.

Naturally, such reduced body functions had resulted in that frigid shivers.

Understanding the trouble, Qian Ye forcefully activated his bloodcore, urging accelerated pulsations. This, under normal circumstances, was barely an act of will, nothing requiring effort. Now however? Now each additional beat met the resistance of an invisible, immoving mass — massive slabs of stone seemed piled atop the pulsating heart, forcing Qian Ye to push with agonizing will to roll each stone away and force one more life-giving tremble from within.

But not limited merely there — every single system within his body followed this sluggish decaying cadence. The sensation similar to an organism injected with powerful sedatives: his movements weighed lead-laden, and even his consciousness slowed in tandem.

Gritting resolve into razor intensity, Qian Ye forcefully drove the bloodcore, until minutes later finally restoring its natural rhythm. Freed now from the sluggish state, he could finally act normally.

Suddenly, the thoughts that flashed through his mind made him halt.

Pang Langli sprang vividly to the forefront of recollection—immediately, his face darkened as the name surfaced.

In frantic haste, Qian Ye ran to Pang’s side and scrutinized her. Sure enough, the slowing phenomena affecting himself had now also slowed everything vital within her system—her heart beating in agonizingly rare thuds each time it fluttered weakly.

Normally, this wouldn’t have posed significant danger.

But currently?

This woman stood at death’s threshold only weeks before—the result of severe prior wounds she had yet barely scratched the surfaces recovering from. The only reason she even breath now lay solely upon Qian Ye feeding his Goldenlight Dawn’s Origin Qi into her lifeless veins, restoring her flickering vitality. Now this vital spark was faltering — if her organs continued to operate at this near-dead speeds?

Death could easily claim her — unnoticed. Unoppossed.

Faced with mortal danger, Qian Ye immediately administered a potent stimulant injection into her body. This action showed some success: color blossomed upon the woman’s pale complexion slightly; his careful observation noted her blood circulation visibly accelerated somewhat.

Yet even as effectiveness showed promise, it was only temporal—the stimulants’ effect would only last brief. And he knew, the cold hours of night ahead couldn’t be fully outlasted by relying upon mere stimulants.

Furthermore, overdosing was similarly problematic—an excess frequency in administration rapidly dulled its efficacy per each additional dosage; and fundamentally? These synthetic stimulations operated by activating inherent bodily potential; thus, the longer this was artificially forced and maintained? The worse for the recipient long-term.

Once her state stabilized marginally more, Qian Ye then infused copious quantities of Goldenlight Dawn power throughout her system. If anything could drive her body back to a stable working pace, it would be this purest origin energy he could offer.

However this time—no victory emerged so clean.

Even vast volumes surged into her being… only her heart showed the faintest flicker quickening, whereas other internal functions remained frustratingly lethargic.

At this rate?

He could deplete himself completely—yet her survival would still be far from assured, should he push origin energy this way all night.

That the pure Dawn’s Qi could produce insufficient result implied his sole remaining recourse lay with an act called ‘The Embrace.’

To grant eternal bloodlife, or die trying—this ancient gift. He had never performed a full ‘initial embrace’ nor could he guarantee possessing a bloodmaster’s capacity fully—for though half-blooded, even within his half-state, he possessed an unusually refined mastery within bloodline powers. This ability’s failure, however—if her spirit did perish?

Then his blood energy could kill her immediately — its famed dark golden potency capable of instantaneous internal destruction. Thus he absolutely avoided resorting to The Embrace except when all other avenues were sealed.

So while infusing her veins with Goldenlight Qi as aid, his thoughts whirred, assessing variables at war.

Yet strangely, while it had taxed his ability immensely driving his own bloodcore forward, it should not have been this completely blocked… This world’s strange night-born chill perhaps could not be neutralized—perhaps not via conventional means.

Could it be that this cold… was not of thermodynamics but of life itself?

If one were to defeat these anti-vital forces—might this be accomplished best, not through magic?

…Rather, by natural vitality itself—the raw force of a superior body fighting on raw biological principles alone.

The moment that thought sparked in his awareness—he knew what to do.

In haste, Qian Ye redressed, removing Pang’s inner armor. Then shedding some outer layers of his own for greater exposure—to then clutch the near-frozen maiden tightly in his arms—maximizing their skin surface area in direct physical contact.

In the following heartbeat, Qian Ye deeply drew breath, and the red fire surrounding his bloodcore flared out in a shimmering aura now encompassing their tightly connected frame — this ancient vampire’s gift.

Positioned exactly over each other heart’s pulse points, skin against hot skin, now every single tremor pulsing from Qian Ye’s bloodpowered nucleus vibrated like sacred rhythm into her weakening heart’s beat — reestablishing a lifeline.

A gift passed by ancestral bloodlines, ancient ability among elder undead: a master of pure breed blood, capable of controlling or detonating every weak creature carrying life fluid merely by their pulse command. Once upon the world’s age, these ancients loomed as near gods against the lesser.

His heritage a halfway state, Qian Ye’s blood might have lacked ancestral authority entirely, yet his bloodpower’s quality remained second-to-none. Thus, within extreme proximity—this primal vampire art might reluctantly function as lifeline support.

Strengthened temporarily by forced pulse resonance, Lirang’s condition stabilized. Meanwhile surrounding them, golden-hued blood-embers now spread throughout her system’s periphery, creating micro-traumas upon countless tissues as the invasive warmth seared and provoked defensive adaptation. Each tiny cellular sacrifice strengthened the majority left standing behind—mirroring similar biological reinforcement found when the Goldfire enhanced a mortal’s being, granted far more limited scale-wise.

Seeing positive changes occur at last? Peace returned to Qian Ye’s eyes. Still holding tight and maintaining this contact, heart locked to heart, he focused wholly on sustaining the rhythmic pulse his core beat.

Yet every beat now bore added stress — he no longer only powered himself, but drove her weak pulse along through resonance.

Though fatiguing effort, luck still lingered at this moment.

Some reserve remained deep his vital pool’s wellspring. Additionally small stashes of potent substances resided safely within his Black Codex.

Given current expenditure? Surviving this cold and saving her shouldn’t prove catastrophic.

Beyond all doubt, he must seek replacement nutrients and essence as soon as daylight came.

Night’s long fingers refused to release its grip. Unknown amounts of time passed; gradually his efforts grew easier. He noticed bloodcore pulses returning naturally, signaling peak chill finally passing.

With a distant bestial roaring cry as nature heralded the change, the world’s first stream of daylight flowed over horizon into mountain cave interior – Qian Ye’s system now fully recovering normalcy; her condition had finally returned steady breathing signs that signaled true, tangible recovery.

With relief washing his tense heart, he extinguished the enveloping bloodaura, laid her gently down upon cave-ground’s edge, redress secured back onto her form, inner layers now restored with quiet respect and consideration.

One whole night sustaining blood-core flame burned reserves. Rising unsteadily upon legs stiff from immobile crouching—immediately dizzy vision swayed as darkness swirled at the edges. He took the unsteady steps forward until stopping before the cave once more. Gazed outside.

Morning light crept upon the world like tide.

This light brought not illumination; no, not simple warmth alone — vitality surged alongside, the entire planet slowly breathing again with sunrise kiss, everything reawakened across the valley.

Brimstone gaze narrowing slightly, using Enhanced True Vision sight abilities he inspected yet this foreign, eerily quiet land anew.

He’d have to successfully find sustenance soon during daylight hours.

Without sufficient energy reserves, absolutely another night’s survival might be unendurable — and that even without carrying the responsibility for wounded Pang Langli.

Additionally: Pang’s body continued mending. Waking near-dawn was expected.

Food she’d desperately need — far unlike himself, whose metabolism functioned far longer upon internal lifeessence alone, bypassing traditional human digestive requirement utterly. Even so… the ration reserves within his Andu space only sustained a few days more — and due to spatial limitation, only bare minimal physical edible stores had been preserved, since such storage space was always devoted solely to irreplicable treasures. Unforeseen, yes—being flung into an inter-dimensional rift right after his battle against Luo Bing, with no opportunity for replenishment.

Viewing the forest below plus distant terrain of shattered rocks anew — instinct flared warning anew inside Qian Ye.

Yet to normal observation? All seemed calm. No visible movements or abnormal fluctuations of magic or life energies within normal sensory range – yet undeniable instinctive unease throbbed at the base of his mind. Reality-based, not fantasy-fed paranoia?

That rarely lied.

Pausing but slightly considering the risks, he mentally scratched exploring the river/lake area he’d eyed moments ago. Within such a unknown realm’s wilderness — getting wounded carried unacceptable penalties to both predator and prey alike. All top-tier predators innately understood how avoiding unnecessary risks was often the very price for continued life at their station.

Then came it:

Abruptly, from nearby, pebbles rattled down in tumbling motion. From the crevices — dark things erupted forth! An arrow of pure jet darkness launched straight towards Qian Ye’s frame.

Crimson-blue light flared from his eyes—the Power Seer’s Orb ignited automatically; he halted its motion midair — repositioned so he could now stare directly into the strange life’s face as he floated its tiny body inches beyond his line of sight.

The small organism appeared to resemble caterpillars with bizarre anatomy. Each creature possessing single long central quill, as long as finger from the crown of their furred body. Designed, perhaps: as weaponry. The tube-like structure of such pointed needle hinted possible usage for blood-suction or injecting poison.

The small captive twisted in rage upon being immobilized mid-air. The writhing strength behind this seemingly delicate physique astonished him. The force stored within each muscle-coil of this wormlike body approached equivalent force of a midlevel bullet blast.

Suddenly more movement stirred—multiple rock pieces rolling away simultaneously. Beneath, like insects beneath stone in dark recess, countless such creatures were crawling from their hideaways, appearing in numbers darkening earth itself.

Several creatures launched towards Qian Ye.

Unmoved. His eyes glowing a storm of blue hues now.

Power Seer’s Orb extended control, stopping entire clusters in mid-assault trajectory.

Eyes still glinting with calm fury, one hand waved through the still frozen insects with an elegant motion of fingers; fine origin blade-threads sliced thin across each insect’s abdomen and thorax. Each disintegrating midair from surgical dismemberment.

Insides revealed were surprisingly simplistic. Musculature made the primary mass—tissues bulging in bizarre exaggerative proportion. Occasionally, a strange organ was visible but of undetermined function and location.

Certainly — creatures acting purely upon reflexive impulse instead of higher intellect.

With the death magic ceased, countless insect corpses tumbled downwards to earth surface. Yet others sensed the blood-saturated air now—fleeing his direct proximity but still rushing forward — not in battle frenzy this time — but drawn to the meat of the fallen kind.

They lunged. Burrowing spiky face-tipped heads into dead kin flesh, they immediately proceeded to suck dry those remains — not one drop remained as internal nutrition transferred entirely in seconds!

The nutrition-intoxicated insects immediately paired into couplings with immediate and intense mating acts ensuing. Meanwhile, others not sharing in bloodbuff nourishment turned now upon their own kind — consuming, biting off parts to assimilate, creating chaotic scenes of utter carnage with limbs and entrails painting sand crimson red under morning sun.

Perhaps recognizing his dominance within this space, not a single insect made direct attack again against Qian Ye. Now instead, focused only on consuming and breeding.

In short seconds, population density dramatically halved — yet surviving ones were already beginning another cycle of devouring. By now, first successfully copulating pairs separated with females’ abdomens bloating visible to watchful gaze — rapid gestational growth evident — before long they began birthing.

The ovoposied spawn emerged strange as their parents—small yet mobile worm-shaped neonates, possessing movement immediately upon being deposited. These offspring began writhing into hardened rocky earth’s surface, boring in — soil as rock-hard as unyielding tungsten before them softened into clay-like ease, as though their bodies bore an unknown enzymatic secret.

The birth completed — each tiny newborn successfully burrowed beneath landscape within moments — only infinitesimal surface punctures as indicators where they vanished — as if nothing more than microscopic pinpricks marked their entry points within reality.