Chapter 91: The Sacred River Resounds Once More

The question left all the prominent figures of the blood clan in silence.

Seeing this, the old marquis sighed and said, “Our progress is only slightly ahead of the werewolves, but don’t forget, the werewolves currently control only two entrances, while we have four ‘gates.’ Perhaps we should send more warriors into the new world.”

A duke spoke up, “Our sacred tree sap is running low, so our capacity to increase troops is limited.”

“Once we conquer the fourth forest, our progress will catch up with the demon lineage.”

“The fourth forest, you mean the one with four sacred trees? I’m certainly not looking forward to facing the Radiant Sun race there.”

Silence fell once again.

After a long while, someone broke the silence, “Based on the progress, the demon lineage has probably already taken over two forests with four sacred trees.”

“There’s no helping it, considering His Majesty the Demon Emperor is currently in the awakening period.”

“Originally, we shouldn’t be too far behind…”

An elderly white-haired duke slowly said, “Perhaps there’s a way to get His Highness to join the battle.”

“What way?”

“That method, I am also unwilling to use. Let’s reserve it for when we have no other choice.”

The meeting room fell silent once more. To break the awkward atmosphere, someone said, “Let’s discuss our specific progress.”

The old marquis roused himself and said, “So far, the King of Azure and the King of Shadow each have conquered a forest with three sacred trees, while the Crown of Fire has taken down two such forests. Now, Prince Harbus is testing an attack on his side’s four sacred tree forest.”

“The Crown of Fire indeed lives up to its name!”

“Prince Harbus is so powerful, does this mean our blood clan will soon have another great lord?”

“Recently, I’ve felt a slight tremor in the River of Blood. Could it be that Prince Harbus is nearing a breakthrough?”

“That’s unlikely. His Highness has only been a prince for a short time; how could he advance so quickly? Even though he’s always been considered to have the potential to surpass the last second-generation ancestor, according to the records, it usually takes a millennium for a prince to become a great lord.”

“Don’t forget, His Highness lit the mark.”

“In ancient times, which of the second-generation ancestors didn’t light the mark? It still took them nearly a millennium to break through to great lord.”

“Hmph! You make a good point, but then how do you explain the recent anomalies in the River of Blood?”

“… Perhaps the dormant River of Blood is about to awaken?”

As they spoke, several dukes exchanged glances, their eyes filled with uncontainable excitement. The River of Blood had been dormant for many years, and as it lay quiet, the strength of the blood clan had weakened. This was something the blood clan would not openly admit, but all the dukes and above knew it well.

After Harbus relit the Crown of Fire, the sacred river had experienced several mysterious surges of power, which was undoubtedly very uplifting. In recent days, the dukes could even faintly sense the presence of the River of Blood, a profound and indescribable feeling, as if it was rejoicing.

The reawakening of the River of Blood did indeed fill several dukes with joy, but the feeling was very subtle, and none of the oldest among them had experienced the active era of the blood river, leading most to believe it might just be a false impression. But as they spoke, the dukes suddenly realized that others had the same feeling, confirming it wasn’t just a misperception.

“Maybe one of our kin is about to break through,” a duke suggested another possibility.

“A breakthrough that can cause such a significant disturbance in the River of Blood so early? If that’s the case, his achievement might not be lower than Prince Harbus’s current status.”

“We should pay close attention to who among our kin is preparing to break through.”

“Strangely, none of the original breeds seem to be making any moves. Only Dusk shows signs of a breakthrough, but her power is still too low to cause such a disturbance in the River of Blood.”

“Maybe someone is undergoing a second awakening?”

“It’s unlikely, but let’s observe first.”

At that moment, the faces of all the dukes changed dramatically. They clearly felt a massive wave rise in the River of Blood! At this instant, the sensation of the River of Blood was so clear and distinct, with the wave originating from the source, flowing downstream, and vanishing into some corner of space-time.

As the River of Blood surged, the bloodline of the descendants of the sacred blood resonated, and a surprising scene unfolded. Threads of blood energy, emanating from the source of the River of Blood, descended mysteriously from the void. Including the old marquis, everyone present sat upright, eyes closed, focusing on receiving this divine gift.

This was blood energy from the source of the River of Blood, far superior to that of any duke. Each duke, although only receiving a few threads, felt as if their internal organs were being cleansed by a spring, bringing a profound sense of comfort.

The anomaly in the River of Blood came and went quickly, disappearing into the void, as if it had never existed, and was no longer detectable. The dukes slowly opened their eyes, both enraptured and regretful. Someone muttered, “If only it lasted a bit longer.”

Everyone felt the same.

If their blood energy could be replaced with that from the source of the River of Blood, not only would breaking through to great lord be a natural progression, but it would also be imminent. Unfortunately, this was just a dream, even the Night Queen could not achieve this level, hence she was known as the second drop of blood in the River of Blood.

A few threads of blood energy were insignificant to dukes, not enough to boost their cultivation. However, that moment of contact with the source of the sacred river seemed to subtly change something, and several strong ones felt a slight enhancement in their innate bloodline power, essentially improving their potential. Any improvement, no matter how small, was invaluable.

The excitement caused by the stirring of the sacred river was already enough, and now there was such a gift!

The blood clan strongmen finally returned from their reverie, and someone asked, “What was that sudden disturbance in the River of Blood just now?”

All the dukes jumped up, saying, “Quickly check! See if anyone broke through just now!”

At the same time, not only in the ancient Dithysus Castle, but across the four continents where the blood clan resided, including the Twilight Continent, everything was in a frenzy.

Because this was another resonance that all titled blood clan members could feel, and the last time was during Harbus’s coronation. Moreover, this time, the surge of the River of Blood was no less intense, perhaps indicating the birth of another genius strongman in the blood clan.

On the icy continent of Frost, outside the gates of the new world, a massive fortress, almost like a city, had been built on what was once a frozen tundra.

The scale of the fortress surpassed that of Dithysus Castle, with hundreds of thousands of demon lineage and allied race warriors gathered here. On the tundra, groups of craftsmen continued to build and expand the fortress, constructing workshops, aiming to turn the fortress into a self-sustaining war stronghold.

At the center of the fortress stood three towers, each reaching a hundred meters high, connected by a spiral staircase. At the center of the staircase was a hall that overlooked the entire tundra.

This hall was the center of power on the Frost continent, supreme and unrivaled, for it was where the head of the prestigious Mesfield family sat.

In the hall, over a dozen demon lineage members sat, each exuding deep and profound energy, at least at the level of a glory marquis. In the central seat, there was a dark presence, a void that absorbed all energy, leaving none behind. The deep and vast darkness instilled a sense of fear in all who saw it.

At this moment, a solemn and low voice emerged from the darkness, “The River of Blood has stirred again. What news do you have?”

A demon duke rose, “Your Majesty, it happened suddenly, and there are no special reports yet.”

The head of the Mesfield family said, “Investigate immediately, especially about any recent advancements in the blood clan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A chill emanated from the darkness, signaling the end of the meeting. The dukes and marquises left one by one, but two grand dukes remained.

“I’ve asked you to stay because I want you to pay attention to the blood clan in this new world exploration. See if any new potential strongmen have emerged. If possible, eliminate them.”

Both grand dukes were slightly surprised. One said, “Your Majesty, the appearance of the River of Blood is likely a random occurrence. Moreover, a mere Harbus cannot alter the greater trend between our two races. Attacking the blood clan’s young at this time could easily provoke a backlash, and the werewolves and spider demons won’t stand with us. To suppress the potential strongmen of the blood clan seems to be too costly.”

The darkness rippled, “You don’t understand. Harbus’s advancement and the disturbance in the River of Blood isn’t just about granting him power; it’s also the world’s call and pull on the River of Blood. More such occurrences will transform the weakening River of Blood into a stronger force, drawing it closer to our world. Stopping the River of Blood’s revival is a matter of utmost importance for the entire clan.”

This was the first time the grand dukes had heard such detailed secrets, but they were seasoned figures. They only showed a slight surprise, then stood up and bowed, “Rest assured, we will handle this matter.”

The deep darkness gradually expanded, and the two grand dukes left the hall, hurriedly passing through the gate into the new world.

In the Imperial Palace’s Taiye Hall, steam rose, mingling with the thick sulfur smell and the fragrance of medicinal herbs, refreshing the soul. Threads of origin energy were almost visible, creating an aura of strange brilliance that filled the entire hall.

Such concentrated dawn origin energy was unbearable for ordinary people. If they stepped in, each breath would be like inhaling fire, and within a few breaths, their organs would be reduced to ashes. Even warlords couldn’t stay long, with “long” meaning just a few minutes.

This was originally a sacred place for cultivation, but the dawn origin energy was too pure and concentrated. Those with slightly inferior aptitude or impure origin energy would find it torturous rather than beneficial.

In the center of the hall was a pond, naturally formed. The water was slightly golden, and at the bottom lay a person, motionless.

This was the Supreme of Great Qin, the current Emperor Hao.

He had lain there for an unknown amount of time, finally opening his eyes and slowly sitting up. As he emerged from the water, soft music filled the hall, and several maids and eunuchs entered, carrying towels and clothing. These attendants, though aged, were all of remarkable cultivation, necessary to endure the conditions of the Taiye Hall.

Emperor Hao stepped out of the pond, glanced at the towel, and frowned, “I’ve told you many times, I don’t need this.”

Flames of origin energy flickered, drying him instantly, and he put on the clothes.

The old eunuch said, “Your Majesty, as the supreme ruler, you must not neglect the rites and ceremonies. Otherwise, it may invite criticism.”

“When I subdue the Eternal Night, I can truly be called the supreme ruler.”