A man and a wolf locked eyes, the giant beast shaking its sunlit mane and striding mightily into the camp, following Zhao Ruoxi’s footsteps. Qian Ye’s eyes twitched violently, but he remained silent.
No one noticed this little episode, except for Song Zining who raised his head with a hint of confusion, glanced at Qian Ye, then scanned the surroundings. After confirming that everything was normal, he lowered his head again to fiddle with the tent flap. If he didn’t prepare in time before Miss Zhao wanted to rest, who knew what would happen next.
The agreement between the Empire and the Evernight faction to share the Starwell was, in essence, a rotation system where the Empire would refine the primordial crystals while the Evernight faction would extract the origin blood. Both parties got what they needed, and everyone was content. After all, the star power in the Starwell was inexhaustible, like drawing water from the sea; no matter how much you took, it would never run out.
Once both sides had used up their raw materials, such as the Cloudsmoke Pearls and the Bloody Pillars, the Starwell would lose its usefulness, and the ceasefire would naturally come to an end.
The Starwell had always been the Empire’s exclusive resource, so when news spread that the Evernight faction had found a way to utilize it, it made the people of the Empire somewhat uncomfortable. However, although the Starwell was a traditional resource point for the Empire, this historical state largely existed because the Evernight faction previously had no interest in it.
After this, if the Evernight faction could truly use the Starwell, the news would likely lead to a series of conflicts over the resource point between the Empire and the Evernight faction.
In reality, regardless of whether Song Zining’s capture was the trigger, the Blood Clan and the Spider Demons, who had been preparing in secret for years, would not give up this long-planned action. The appearance of the Mandala Lotus disrupted the balance of power among the younger generation, but it also provided an excuse for higher powers to intervene.
However, even if someone from the Evernight faction saw the potential benefits, they were not ready to make any substantial moves yet. The cost of getting higher powers involved might be the lives of the peak figures of the three races’ younger generations.
In the war between the long-lived and short-lived, time was not on the side of the long-lived.
At this moment, the young elites of the Evernight faction had gathered around the Starwell. According to the agreement, they would first produce the origin blood.
An Wen stood in the center and said, “Everyone, remember what I said? According to my calculations, there are five stars beneficial to the Blood Clan, seven stars beneficial to the Spider Demons, and one extremely important dark star, very close to the dark source. If anyone can sense its star power and successfully channel it, the origin blood produced might even benefit the Dukes. Even a tiny bit of its star power would produce Marquise-level origin blood.”
Edward asked, “You divided the stars into four levels just now. This dark star is the highest level?”
An Wen shook his head, “Of course not. Although the dark star is powerful, it may not be the most top-tier in the Starwell. In my calculations, there are at least seven places in the Starwell where the star power is unclear, and each place likely hides an extremely powerful star. But I cannot determine their star power properties.”
A glint flashed in Edward’s eyes, “That strong?”
If the dark star could produce Duke-level origin blood, what about these seven mysterious stars? Could they produce King-level origin blood?
Such origin blood, even a single drop, would shock the entire Evernight world!
An Wen smiled bitterly, “They are indeed strong, so much so that I can’t even begin to understand them, let alone analyze their star power properties. If Prince Edward can sense their star power, why not try it?”
Edward’s gaze flickered, and after a moment, he shook his head, “Let Baron Rolet go first.”
Rolet, however, did not rush, but instead said, “Prince An Wen, you mentioned the stars beneficial to the Blood Clan and the Spider Demons, but which ones are useful to the Demon Clan?”
“There are seventeen.” An Wen, not hiding anything, pointed out the seventeen stars.
On the other side of the Starwell, the Empire’s group stood on a high ground, overlooking the Starwell. Li Kuanglan held a star map with several prominent marks, explaining it to everyone.
For those who had entered the Starwell before, they knew that trying to channel the star power of these major stars was almost impossible. Zhao Yuying looked eager, as if she wanted to give it a try. Among them, Wei Po Tian was the most confident, his heated gaze only on those major stars.
Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan exchanged a glance, “This is actually another contest between our younger generation and the Evernight faction. Though there is no bloodshed, the danger is no less. Whether it’s the primordial crystal or the origin blood, the grade depends on the practitioner’s original force cultivation and potential. The Empire has researched the Cloudsmoke Pearls for many years, so we have an advantage in material. If the final primordial crystal is not as good as the other side, this…”
Producing the primordial crystal and origin blood is related to cultivation, but it fundamentally relies more on the quality of the original force, which is essentially a contest of future potential. The Evernight faction is undoubtedly at a disadvantage in materials and techniques, not as deep-rooted as the Empire, but if the origin blood produced is of a similar or even higher quality, the implications are obvious.
Moreover, the origin blood produced can create a batch of geniuses, and its impact on the future is self-evident.
Song Zining said solemnly, “The Evernight faction originally knew nothing about the Starwell. How did they suddenly acquire the secret method to produce origin blood? This is very strange. If my guess is correct, someone must have leaked the method to the dark races.”
Li Kuanglan frowned, “Now is not the time to discuss this. When we return, I will ask the Council to investigate thoroughly. Normally, small transactions with the dark races are fine, but if someone has truly leaked the secret of the Starwell, no matter who it is, our Li family will not protect them!”
The Jing Tang Li clan has the deepest research on the Starwell, and the Cloudsmoke Pearls are also their product. If the dark races seem to have mastered the secret of producing origin blood overnight, the most likely route is through the Li clan.
Zhao Yuying sighed, “Ah, if the fourth brother were here, things would be better.”
Everyone looked at each other, sighing inwardly. In terms of talent, Zhao Jundu is unquestionably the top of the Empire’s younger generation. If he were here, he could refine the primordial crystal, and no one on the other side, except the Witch, could match him.
Although Zhao Ruoxi was present, she had no original force, and her terrifying power came entirely from the Mandala Lotus, making it impossible for her to refine the primordial crystal.
Wei Po Tian laughed loudly, “What’s to fear? With me, Wei Po Tian, here, how can we lose?”
With a loud smack, Zhao Yuying punched him on the head, nearly knocking him down. She then snorted, “Stop bragging. Who here isn’t better than you? And have all the strong ones from the other side arrived? I doubt it. Honestly, maybe not even half of them are here. For example, there isn’t a single werewolf on the other side. The Summit of the Peaks is full of fierce wolves!”
Zhao Yuying’s lecture made Wei Po Tian nod obediently, but Qian Ye felt very odd, glancing at the thing that was neither a wolf nor a big dog. The creature, quite intelligent, immediately buried its head under its paws, pretending to be asleep.
Still, Song Zining remained calm, “This is a good thing. We can see exactly how strong those Evernight fellows are, and know their true capabilities if we meet them in the future.”
Finishing his words, Song Zining looked at Zhao Ruoxi and said seriously, “Miss Ruoxi, this is not a place for capriciousness. Once the Starwell matters are settled, you should return. I will escort you to the Empire’s camp.”
“I…” Zhao Ruoxi, who was about to argue, was stopped by Qian Ye’s look, and suddenly felt a bit guilty, lowering her head in silence.
Ji Tianqing smiled, “Alright, alright, no need to rush. Let’s finish the Starwell business first. Without Ruoxi and her Mandala Lotus, we would be running all over the mountains chased by the Witch again.”
In this generation, the Witch was too powerful. Her domain, though weak in front of Qian Ye, was still unpredictable for others. The Blood Clans and Spider Demons present were not weak either. If the Witch could lower her pride and show some team spirit, even Qian Ye might suffer a big loss.
At this moment, Rolet had already re-entered the Starwell, and the Empire’s group fell silent, watching intently, observing every change inside the Starwell.
This time, without external interference, Rolet could fully focus on extracting the origin blood. With the experience from the previous attempt, he was now much more proficient. Soon, the spider egg in front of him turned into a drop of grayish-white origin blood.
A smile appeared on Rolet’s face as he sprayed a thin, transparent web, sealing the origin blood and flying out of the Starwell. After climbing out, he looked back, a hint of regret flashing across his face. This drop of origin blood was only of the Count level, mediocre at best. However, being able to extract it was still a success.
Even Count-level origin blood could fetch a sky-high price in the Evernight. There are countless old families in the Evernight, and over time, many talented but slightly less capable individuals would appear. Count-level origin blood was perfect for them, as higher grades might be unusable.
Moreover, the biggest gain was confirming that the secret method was feasible. Organizing the process and experience and submitting it to the Council would be a significant achievement. Thinking of this, Rolet shrugged and whistled, deciding to find a place to have a good drink to celebrate his small fortune once everything was done.
Before he could leave, An Wen pulled him aside and asked a series of questions. Then, An Wen stood still, surrounded by complex patterns and symbols. Those who knew him well knew he was deep in thought.
On the Empire’s side, Ji Tianqing said, “I will go down this time. Watch closely how I do it and familiarize yourselves with the techniques and incantations, so you won’t be rusty when it’s your turn.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage