“Never!” Maitzaso’s smile was unspeakably false.
“The Queen of Night has indeed awakened, but if you push too far, we will certainly reciprocate. The Spider Demons are not to be trifled with as easily as the Werewolves!” Loksa did not budge an inch, and his tone was anything but polite.
Maitzaso stared at Loksa for a moment before turning back towards the Beast’s Slumber, as if nothing had happened.
The Wind Treader was one of the most renowned legions of the Blood Clan, primarily composed of members from the Fourth Clan, the Dracula, and the Ninth Clan, Mammon, along with warriors from other races. The problem was, the Wind Treader was a massive army of over ten thousand regular soldiers, while the Dark Hunters were a specialized unit with fewer than a hundred members. In a closed battlefield, the outcome would inevitably be the Dark Hunters being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the Wind Treader.
Maitzazo’s attempt to seize control of the Dark Hunters seemed like a mere jest. However, at the level of the Great Lords of the Evernight, would they ever engage in such frivolous acts? Every word they spoke carried deep meaning. Perhaps if Loksa had responded poorly, Maitzazo would have turned that jest into action, truly vying for the command of the Dark Hunters.
Seeing that Maitzazo had dropped the topic, Loksa, though grim-faced, decided to let it go.
Maitzazo suddenly said, “The humans have gathered quite a formidable force this time! If they were merely trying to hold their ground against us for the usual distribution of benefits, they wouldn’t need such a large army. Two-thirds of this force would suffice. Now, this scale is enough for a full-scale confrontation.”
Loksa only sneered in response, “They may fight, but that doesn’t mean they can win. Don’t forget, on their side, there’s only Zhang Boqian, while on our side, there’s you and me. What, does the esteemed King of Darkness fear Zhang Boqian after his recent visit to the Twilight Continent?”
A dense aura of blood surged from Maitzazo, and he glared at Loksa, his gaze piercing and intense.
Zhang Boqian had single-handedly invaded the Twilight Continent, causing a major disturbance, and even managed to escape the clutches of numerous powerful blood warriors, injuring several and returning to the Empire. This incident was like a slap in the face for all the blood clans, nearly making the Twelve Ancient Clans a laughingstock of the entire Evernight faction.
Especially for Maitzazo’s Dracula clan, which happened to be in the path of Zhang Boqian’s invasion, the losses were particularly heavy. Two dukes were severely injured and forced to enter blood pools to recover, and a Marquis of Glory fell. Maitzazo, who was exploring the void at the time, returned to find the damage already done, a source of deep regret.
Now, with this wound cruelly exposed by Loksa, Maitzazo’s anger flared. However, the two pinnacle figures of the Evernight stood in a tense standoff, mutually restraining their power. They hadn’t seen each other in years, and after testing the waters, they still harbored mutual respect, so there was no need to escalate the situation.
Below them, a group of dozens caught the attention of both Loksa and Maitzazo. A glance from their great minds revealed the composition of the group. It was led by the Holy Son Edward of the Pascal Clan, supported by two marquises and five counts, and their destination was the Beast’s Slumber.
To the eyes of outsiders, Edward’s every move now represented Lilith. Therefore, his presence in the Evernight, especially his intention to enter the Beast’s Slumber, immediately piqued Loksa’s interest.
Given Edward’s noble status, there was no need for him to risk his life. He could simply survive and ascend to the rank of duke. This was the safe path. Moreover, the Queen of Night already possessed five fragments of the ancient essence, and such items, which hint at the secrets of higher-level power, offer no additional benefits when used repeatedly by the same person.
Could it be that Edward’s presence here was due to Lilith’s orders? Loksa thought. No wonder the Grand Marshal of the Spider Demons believed so. Within the Pascal Clan, Edward’s authority was equivalent to a duke, and even a prince had no power over him. Only Lilith could command him.
Loksa’s gaze turned cold as it fixed on the Beast’s Slumber. Was there something else, something unknown, hidden within the Beast’s Slumber, besides the ancient essence fragments?
Maitzazo, upon recognizing Edward and his companions, shifted his gaze back to the white mist at the center of the Imperial line. He had no interest in why Edward was here; he was more perplexed by the vast Imperial army. Could it really be just for maintaining the strategic standoff at the Beast’s Slumber?
The Evernight Council’s prophetic power had just been severely damaged, and they could only rely on intelligence to discern the situation. Unfortunately, in a state of war, obtaining military intelligence from the Empire was much more difficult. If they knew how many godly generals had arrived and who they were, they might better understand the Empire’s intentions.
However, considering Zhang Boqian was alone, Maitzazo felt more reassured. The Queen of Night and the Eternal Flame were seeking the Sky Demon in the void, and the Empire had to maintain sufficient forces to guard its territory, leaving no one to support Zhang Boqian.
Maitzazo shot a disdainful glance at Loksa. The Spider Demons were formidable on the battlefield, but relying on them for strategy and tactics was like using wolves, at least those beasts could be sent to gather information.
In a dark, damp cave, a worm-like creature emerged from a hole in the ground. It was several meters wide, with over ten meters of its body protruding above the surface, and who knew how much more was still underground.
It had no eyes or nose, only a mouth filled with sharp teeth on its head, and dozens of fleshy tentacles that sensed the environment.
This giant worm appeared slow and unaggressive, but Qian Ye had encountered such creatures before and knew they were terrifying beings of up to the twelfth level.
Its seemingly soft and delicate skin was incredibly tough and highly effective in absorbing primordial energy. Qian Ye once tried to blow it up with a vampire grenade, but it only left a wound the size of a table, insignificant compared to its massive body.
The giant worm fruitlessly searched for prey, but found none. It finally gave up and prepared to retreat into the ground. Just then, Qian Ye silently leaped down from the cave ceiling, holding the East Peak sword upside down, and landed on the giant worm, piercing through its body and pinning it to the ground.
The giant worm struggled desperately, causing the ground to ripple and rocks to fly, but with most of its body still underground, its efforts only increased its injuries.
Qian Ye held the East Peak sword with one hand and pulled out the Blood Blade with the other, plunging it into the giant worm to absorb its vital essence.
The giant worm’s struggle lasted for over ten minutes before it gradually weakened, and it took another half-hour to completely die. Qian Ye, drenched in sweat, sat on the worm’s corpse, lit a cigarette, and smoked it in silence before getting up and disappearing into the dark depths of the cave.
Killing the giant worm provided Qian Ye with a massive amount of vital essence, enough to replenish the blood qi he had lost. He now needed to find a secluded place to meditate, convert the vital essence, and fully heal his wounds.
Yet, Qian Ye couldn’t shake off a sense of loneliness. Physical wounds could heal, but the wounds in his heart continued to bleed.
The battle within the bones of the Void Beast reached a fever pitch. Outside the bones, waves of powerful and elite warriors from both factions began to enter the forest. At first, they were shocked by the strange forest, but gradually, they adapted. However, some felt uneasy and couldn’t help but look up at the hive-like spherical treetops.
They sensed something within those spherical treetops, but reports from the first group suggested that these peculiar treetops posed no danger. The greatest peril in this forest came from the opposing faction, as in a world where perception was distorted, those with special abilities could easily hunt their opponents.
But the constantly writhing spherical treetops were unsettling. Unbeknownst to them, these treetops had been quiet when the first group entered the forest.
A squad of Spider Demon warriors traversed the forest, led by a second-class viscount. As they moved, the viscount suddenly looked up at one of the spherical treetops. It was trembling violently, with its orange parts bulging, as if something was struggling to break free, a sight that chilled the soul.
Suppressing his unease, the Spider Demon viscount continued forward. Suddenly, the treetop burst open, and a small figure leaped out, landing with a squawk. Without hesitation, the viscount raised his abdomen and shot a web, trapping the small creature.
He then saw a gray-skinned, ugly little man, less than a meter tall, writhing and tearing at the web, drooling saliva.
Though the Spider Demon’s tough silk cut the little man, he kept breaking free, eventually biting through the strands, and the saliva burned through the web, dissolving it.
The viscount’s face darkened, and he shouted, “Hurry, pick up the pace!”
But more treetops ruptured, and more little men sprang out, rising and rushing toward the Spider Demons with incredible speed.
In a fierce battle, the Spider Demons paid the price of two lives to eliminate dozens of the little men. These gray-skinned creatures’ bodily fluids were highly toxic, and even the Spider Demons, with their strong resistance, could not withstand multiple bites. The Spider Demons’ toxins were less effective, slowing the little men down but not stopping them.
The viscount’s face turned ashen, astonished by the difficulty of these seemingly weak creatures. His elite troops, who had survived battles with humans, had fallen to these bizarre beings.
Suddenly, he heard something and, looking up, his face changed drastically!
In the visible range, dozens of treetops trembled violently, and more gray-skinned little men burst out, quickly forming a gray tide that swallowed the Spider Demons whole.
Similar scenes played out across the forest, with previously full treetops revealing their inner hives, each cell empty, the creatures inside having hatched.
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