Within the River of Blood, Qian Ye ventured upstream.
Unlike his previous experiences where only his consciousness had entered the River of Blood, this time it was his physical form, and thus the sensation was profoundly different. Entering in his true body, he finally felt the vastness and grandeur of the River of Blood. As soon as he stepped into it, Qian Ye felt his body expanding rapidly, to the point that his origin power became somewhat unstable.
In the River of Blood, space and time followed different rules; one’s size was determined by their origin power. As long as the origin power could sustain it, the body could grow infinitely. Though Qian Ye did not fully understand the significance of a massive physique, he could not defy the rules of the River of Blood. By the standards of Evernight and the Underworld, he had transformed into a giant ten thousand meters tall in the blink of an eye.
After growing in size, Qian Ye once again felt the majestic presence of the River of Blood. Standing on its surface, he looked left and right but saw no end. The waves surged, with each ripple almost reaching his height. Instinctively, he knew that being hit by those ripples would be disastrous.
What he saw in the River of Blood was not its true substance; those waves were merely reflections within his perception. However, the River of Blood was not entirely without substance; the rushing water was a torrent mixed with time, space, and origin power. In the past, when he entered with only his consciousness, he could avoid the direct impact of the river. But this time, entering in his physical form, the danger was extreme. If he could not withstand the flow, he might be completely erased and merge with the River of Blood forever.
Gazing at the ceaseless, surging river, Qian Ye was both awed by the cosmic spectacle and curious about the essence of the River of Blood. He wondered why his ascension to Great Lord on the Evernight side had summoned the River of Blood into the real world.
Thinking of the real world, Qian Ye activated his blood core, and threads of dark golden blood energy enveloped his body. The moment the dark golden blood energy appeared, the sense of danger from the River of Blood lessened, but Qian Ye still felt it best not to immerse himself in it, uncertain of what might happen.
Looking at the boundless River of Blood, Qian Ye wondered how deep it was, what lay beneath, and if there was a bottom. If not for the rolling waves, he might have mistaken it for an ocean.
Staring at the surface for a while, he could not resist the temptation to explore beneath. After all, it was not real water, but a flood of time, space, and origin power. Moreover, as the River of Blood, its greatest secrets must lie at its source. Regardless, he had to reach the source.
Thinking of the end of the river, Qian Ye thought of the mysterious shadow beast. He wondered if it was still there, and if he, now a Great Lord, could pass this test.
Qian Ye ascended and traveled upstream. At first, he was unaccustomed to his suddenly enormous body, but gradually, he mastered its control and adapted to the environment of the River of Blood. As a Great Lord of the Blood Race, he had already gained the favor of the River of Blood in his early stages, receiving the ancient Blood Race’s heritage. Now, as a Great Lord, he naturally received even more favor. Although he did not gain more knowledge, adapting to the River of Blood’s rules was surprisingly easy and smooth.
In an instant, Qian Ye had the illusion that he was born a part of the River of Blood. As he grew more familiar and in control, his speed increased, from a gentle drift to lightning-fast, until he flashed across a thousand miles in a single blink.
Not knowing how long he had flown, and even doubting if the River of Blood had an end, he suddenly noticed boundaries forming and the current becoming much faster. The River of Blood was narrowing, indicating he was approaching the source.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Qian Ye, with his unyielding spirit, felt an overwhelming fatigue. If his sense was correct, he had flown a distance that could span the entire Evernight World, or from the lowest layer of the Evernight Continent to the highest.
How long was the River of Blood?
Yet, Qian Ye was unsure if his perception was accurate in this unique environment. He remembered Evan saying that beings born in Evernight had perceptions tailored for their world. In other worlds, these perceptions might not be accurate.
This was something Qian Ye had already experienced in the Underworld and even more so in the River of Blood. Finally seeing the source, Qian Ye rested briefly and continued onward.
The River of Blood narrowed, and the current grew swifter. Qian Ye sensed a colossal, pervasive aura ahead, covering the entire world. There, at the end of the River of Blood, his heart throbbed with excitement. He stopped, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.
Millennia-old, how many had truly entered the River of Blood and explored its end? Now, Qian Ye truly understood Evan’s words: compared to exploring the infinite world, the battles within Evernight were child’s play.
With a calm mind, Qian Ye flew towards the source. Suddenly, he saw something floating in the river ahead. After such a long exploration, he had not seen anything in the River of Blood. Hovering above the river, he saw a seal.
It was a green-edged seal entwined with branches—the symbol of the Mawei Clan, the Tenth Blood Clan, whose second ancestor was King of Verdant, Renault.
The seal was dim and insubstantial. Qian Ye could see it but could not touch it. The dimness was understandable; King Renault had fallen, and the Mawei Clan had only a few descendants with weak bloodlines, making it unlikely for the seal to be rekindled for generations.
But why was the seal here?
Qian Ye descended, trying to touch it. The seal seemed small, but when he landed, he realized it could fit dozens of him. When his fingertips touched the seal, it felt like piercing a phantom, and instantly, a profound understanding of blood energy merged into his consciousness.
The seal was not a tangible object but a manifestation of some origin rule, just like the River of Blood. Touching it, Qian Ye understood the corresponding origin rule, though he lacked the bloodline to ignite the seal. Even with the bloodline, igniting the seal would be useless. The dark golden blood energy’s essence surpassed the path represented by the Mawei Clan’s Green Tree and Blue Ridge Seal. This seal only enriched Qian Ye’s knowledge.
Ascending again, Qian Ye pondered. Why was the Green Tree and Blue Ridge Seal here, unlike what he had seen when his consciousness entered the River of Blood?
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