Chapter 197: The Duel Grounds

Chapter 197: The Duel Grounds

"This should transport us to the Core Area of the Altar", Luo En analyzed as he reached out to touch the stone pillar.

A strange energy fluctuation immediately rippled from the contact point, the stone pillar’s glow intensifying. The air around them began to twist and warp.

"Daire, hold on to me!" Luo En warned, and Little Siren instantly clutched his sleeve.

In the next moment, a blinding blue light engulfed them, the surrounding scenery warping at breakneck speed.

Their bodies were pulled by an invisible force, hurtling toward an unknown destination.

At the same time, in another sector of the Bloodline Altar, Cui Xi was fighting for her life.

The Swamp Assembler’s attacks grew fiercer by the second. Each collision sent her vine barrier trembling precariously.

Worse still, this monstrous creature seemed capable of absorbing the vines it destroyed, growing stronger with every strike.

"Damn it... I can’t hold out much longer like this", Cui Xi gritted her teeth, sweat-soaked robes clinging to her skin.

Though her Forest Elves bloodline gave her an edge in plant manipulation, most flora in this environment had already been corrupted by Abyssal energy.

The plants responded sluggishly to her commands, each summon draining immense spiritual energy.

Desperate, Cui Xi decided to risk an untested approach.

"If these plants are already tainted by the Abyss... then maybe—"

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and altered her summoning technique.

Instead of resisting the Abyssal energy within the plants, she attempted to resonate with it, channeling the mana rather than rejecting it.

To her astonishment, the previously sluggish swamp plants suddenly surged with vitality!

Countless purplish-black vines erupted from the marsh depths, their numbers multiplying tenfold.

"I see... These Abyss-corrupted plants react more sensitively to specific summoning methods!"

Cui Xi’s eyes lit up, hope igniting in her chest.

She immediately adjusted her strategy. Instead of commanding the plants through sheer willpower, she let her spiritual energy flow like water, merging with the vines to guide their movements.

The Swamp Assembler sensed the threat, roaring furiously as it charged toward Cui Xi.

But each step was met with a barrage of newly sprouted vines—countless, unnervingly resilient, and capable of rapid regeneration even after destruction.

"This regenerative capacity... it’s nothing like ordinary plants!"

Cui Xi marveled at the swamp flora’s incredible vitality, amplifying her natural spell effects tenfold.

Seizing the moment, she swiftly retrieved an emerald-green potion from her Storage Bag and downed it without hesitation.

This Bloodline Awakening Elixir, specially prepared by Mentor Kelinna, temporarily boosted her affinity with natural elements.

The effect was nearly instantaneous—the Forest Elves bloodline power within her flared, a faint green glow enveloping her body. Leaf-like vein patterns surfaced on her skin.

As she adapted to her surging strength, Cui Xi was stunned by the strange connection forming between herself and the Abyss-corrupted plants.

She could now sense every plant in the swamp’s presence, as if they were extensions of her own body, awaiting her command.

"Now!" Cui Xi slashed her hands in a complex sigil before her chest, chanting an incantation.

Thick vines surged from all directions, weaving into a colossal net that ensnared the Swamp Assembler completely.

No matter how it thrashed or roared, the creature couldn’t break free from this prison of Abyssal flora.

Cui Xi wasted no time, sprinting toward the stone tablet.

Meanwhile, her sharp gaze caught sight of unique swamp plants and fragments of tissue shed during the battle.

"These materials... they emit unusual energy fluctuations."

She halted, quickly using containment vials to collect several swamp plant seeds and a piece of the Swamp Assembler’s tissue.

The seeds pulsed faintly with purple light in her palm, responding instantly to the spiritual energy she injected, forming a miniature mana circuit.

"As spellcasting mediums, their effects should be remarkable."

Carefully stowing the materials away, she resumed her dash toward the stone tablet.

When her hand finally touched the tablet’s surface, an indescribable sense of relief washed over her.

The tablet blazed with radiant light, enveloping her completely.

As the teleportation began, Cui Xi felt the newly gathered materials in her pocket, already pondering how to integrate them into her spellcraft.

"Perhaps Luo En will find these interesting."

She mused, "With his unparalleled material identification skills, he might better harness the value of these Abyssal resources."

Meanwhile, in the canyon region, Holt’s situation had grown dire.

The Bone Worm’s drill-like maw spun violently, colliding with his Earth Elemental Golem in a shriek of metal.

The golem’s right arm was completely sheared off, scattering rubble and soil in all directions.

Yet Holt remained calm, channeling spiritual energy to keep the golem fighting.

"This power... it’s practically cheating", he growled, his expression darkening with desperation.

The Bone Worm’s combat prowess far exceeded expectations.

Its drill attacks, capable of shredding any material, inflicted devastating damage against the notoriously resilient Earth Elemental Golem.

Most despair-inducing was the Bone Worm’s speed, utterly disproportionate to its massive size.

Its terrifying mobility, both above and beneath the ground, made tracking its movements nearly impossible for Holt’s golem.

"Fighting an enemy like this... even a High Apprentice would struggle."

Holt began to fear this might be his end: "Just like the Lion Scorpion in the Gladiatorial Arena... but this time, I’m alone."

The golem was now battered beyond recognition—its right arm gone, left leg shattered below the knee, a gaping hole in its chest revealing the faint glow of its mana core.

Yet the Bone Worm seemed only to be warming up, bellowing deafening roars as it circled the Altar, seeking its next strike.

"If this keeps up, I’m dead for sure..." Holt raced through countermeasures.

A direct confrontation was foolish. He needed a different approach.

Scanning the Altar’s surroundings, Holt noticed the seven stone pillars forming what appeared to be a mana array.

Each time the Bone Worm neared a stone pillar, its crimson crystal pulsed faintly.

"These pillars... could they be some kind of defense mechanism?" A sudden realization struck him.

He ordered the golem to grab a massive boulder, hurling it with all its strength at the nearest stone pillar.

The red crystal atop the pillar flared brilliantly as the boulder struck, unleashing a blinding crimson beam that lanced into the Bone Worm.

The Bone Worm shrieked in pain, its body recoiling violently from the impact.

"It worked!" Holt’s eyes gleamed as he shifted tactics.

Instead of confronting the Bone Worm directly, the golem began targeting the crystals atop the remaining six stone pillars.

The Bone Worm, sensing Holt’s intent, lunged furiously at the golem, desperate to stop him.

A frantic race began—the golem, dragging its mangled body, dodged attacks while triggering the remaining stone pillars, while the Bone Worm pursued relentlessly, determined to annihilate it before completion.

Holt focused intently, channeling spiritual energy into the golem despite the immense strain.

When the sixth stone pillar activated, the Bone Worm was nearly upon the golem, its malicious maw inches from devouring the golem’s head.

At the last possible moment, the golem channeled its final reserves of strength, hurling itself toward the last stone pillar.

"Boom!"

The golem and Bone Worm collided with the pillar simultaneously. The red crystal flared to life as the golem was obliterated, disintegrating into countless fragments.

Yet as all seven stone pillars activated, the entire Altar erupted in blinding crimson light.

Seven beams intersected at the center, forming a colossal mana vortex.

The Bone Worm writhed in agony, its body convulsing uncontrollably as the sudden brilliance engulfed it.

Seizing the moment, Holt dashed toward the Altar’s central platform, snatching the golem’s mana core mid-stride.

Golem destruction would drain his mana reserves, but as long as the core fused with the Heart of Earth—his Gladiatorial Arena Runner-up prize—remained intact, he could rebuild the golem.

As Holt’s feet touched the central platform, a powerful energy fluctuation enveloped him. The surroundings twisted and warped.

In his final moments before teleportation, he glanced back at the thrashing monstrosity, a thought crossing his mind:

"Actually pulling this off was sheer luck. Out of the Black Mist School, besides me and Cui Xi, I doubt anyone else could solo through guardians of this caliber alone."

Yet Holt’s thoughts drifted to the Potion Master who had stunned the Gladiatorial Arena—Luo En.

"Perhaps... Luo En would’ve made this look easy."

With that fleeting thought, Holt’s form vanished in radiant light, hurtling toward the unknown Altar Core Area.

...

Cui Xi was the first to arrive at the Bloodline Altar’s core zone.

As the blinding light faded, she blinked in surprise at the scene before her—the environment here was radically different from the outer regions.

The suffocating swamp was gone, the twisted Abyss-corrupted creatures absent. Even the oppressive weight of Abyssal energy felt significantly lighter.

A Hazy Open Plain replaced the previous terrain, its ground littered with coarse Rubble.

The air carried a faint dampness, but the nauseating rot had vanished.

“Here… there’s barely a trace of the Abyss left,” Cui Xi murmured, glancing around with a furrowed brow.

From a topographical perspective, this area was circular, the terrain sloping gently toward its center.

The entire space felt like a carefully designed arena, purpose-built for duels or rituals.

“It’s as if someone deliberately purified this region, crafting it into a battlefield.”

Her gaze pierced the haze, searching for more details, but the thick fog obscured everything beyond a dozen meters.

“We must first ensure our own safety, then wait for the others to arrive.”

Cui Xi took a deep breath, retrieving a small cloth pouch from her Storage Bag and untying its knot.

Inside were special spores—pale green, faintly glowing in her palm.

These were one of several unique plants she’d cultivated since her Forest Elves Bloodline Awakening.

“They’re called Perception Spores,” she whispered.

“They can disperse with the wind, transmitting environmental information back to their master.”

“Go, my little scouts.”

With a gentle breath, she released the spores. They drifted like tiny snowflakes into the fog.

Moments later, she closed her eyes, linking her spiritual energy to the spores and receiving their feedback.

Through this connection, she could vaguely “see” the terrain and objects within hundreds of meters.

Though not crystal clear, it sufficed for basic surveillance.

“No hostile lifeforms… at least not now.”

She exhaled, then fell into thought.

“In the Swamp, those Abyss plants responded to me in ways they normally wouldn’t.”

Recalling her encounter in the swamp, she still felt a touch of disbelief.

“When I changed my summons—no longer resisting the Abyssmana in those plants, but instead resonating with it—a miracle occurred.”

“The vines’ vitality was beyond imagination. Not only were their numbers staggering, but they also possessed extraordinary toughness and regenerative capacity.”

It was this unique connection that allowed her to trap the Swamp Mosaic, buying time to reach the control point.

“This might relate to my Forest Elves bloodline. Could there be an undiscovered link between Abyss plant life and natural elements?”

This discovery thrilled her. It was precisely why she’d risked collecting seeds from the swamp plants.

They might hold secrets to enhancing her natural spells.

As she pondered, a new signal from the spores caught her attention.

“Someone’s coming!”

The young lady tensed instantly, her spiritual energy flaring out to identify the newcomer.

Seconds later, she relaxed—those familiar spiritual waves belonged to Luo En.

Still, caution held her back.

In such a treacherous environment, arrogance could be fatal.

She positioned herself behind a boulder, ready if the visitor proved hostile.

“Cui Xi!” Luo En had already identified her with his spiritual energy but approached cautiously.

In this environment, anything could be an illusion or trap.

Cui Xi clearly shared the same concern.

She stood her ground, scrutinizing Luo En and Daire with wary eyes.

“Luo En? Are you really you?”

Her voice carried hesitation and vigilance.

Luo En didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out a specially crafted badge from his robe.

This was issued by the School before departure, bearing anti-fraud runes carved by Hayaek and Valen—nearly impossible to forge, or at least not worth the effort.

Additionally, the badge could teleport its user outside the Bloodline Altar, though using it meant forfeiting the trial.

“We agreed to meet here and form a team to face the challenges,” Luo En said calmly, holding the badge in his palm. The runes lit as his spiritual energy touched them, creating a unique mana ripple.

Cui Xi’s expression softened. She retrieved an identical badge from within her robe.

When the two badges resonated, they emitted faint glows.

Cui Xi finally confirmed Luo En’s identity, a relieved smile breaking through. “It really is you. Sorry, but I had to be careful. This place is too strange.”

“No problem—I thought the same,” Luo En nodded, surveying the surroundings.

“Though it seems far ‘normal’ than the outer zones, the more so, the more cautious we must be.”

Seeing it was an ally, Little Siren Daire relaxed, dissipating the Water Element in her hand.

“Phew! I thought we’d have to fight again!”

Cui Xi’s gaze shifted to Daire, curiosity sparking.

“I heard only the Bloody Arena champion could bring an assistant into the Bloodline Altar. Seems you’ve used that privilege.”

“Indeed,” Luo En nodded slightly. “With Daire present, handling dangerous situations becomes easier. How about you? What happened in your area?”

Cui Xi paused, summarizing her swamp experiences briefly.

When she mentioned how the Abyss-polluted vines had turned against the Swamp Mosaic under her guidance, Luo En’s eyes flickered with surprise.

“You’re saying the plants, originally corrupted by the Abyss, not only didn’t resist you but became unusually obedient?” Luo En mused.

“Exactly,” Cui Xi affirmed, eyes gleaming with excitement.

“At first, I was shocked too. Normally, Abyss-corrupted lifeforms reject natural elemental forces. But when I stopped resisting, instead resonating with that force, everything changed.”

She retrieved a small glass vial from her Storage Bag. Inside were seeds glowing with purple light.

“These are from those vines. I believe they hold great value in studying the Abyss-natural element relationship.”

Luo En’s eyes lit immediately.

Such rare Abyss-origin samples were invaluable for his current research.

He exchanged several healing potions and a “Spirit Shield” vial for several of her seeds and a living fragment from the “Swamp Assembler.”

“I encountered some interesting things too.”

Luo En briefly described his experiences in the “Activated Ruins” and Twist Battlefield, emphasizing how the fusion of numerous Shadow Nightmares had formed a Black Giant.

The specific combat details, however, were glossed over with a single sentence—that he and Daire had held it off together and quickly reached the control point.

As the two exchanged intelligence, Cui Xi’s spores delivered new data.

“Another one’s coming,” she said, instantly alert, then relaxed. “It’s Holt.”

Soon, Holt’s figure emerged from the fog.

Thinner than ever, his weary appearance contrasted with his sharp eyes. After verifying identities with Luo En and Cui Xi, he visibly relaxed.

“Finally found you,” Holt approached, his voice edged with exhaustion. “This area’s too strange—I almost thought I was lost.”

The trio exchanged information briefly.

Holt detailed his fierce battle against the Bone Worm in the canyon and how he cleverly used a mana array formed by stone pillars to repel the enemy.

“These are Crystallized Bones and the worm’s molted skin I collected,” Holt said, presenting two sealed containers. “Unfortunately, my Earth Elemental Golem was severely damaged—only the core survived.”

Luo En took the containers, examining them closely before his eyes brightened.

“These Crystallized Bones are exceptionally valuable. Their structure stability is remarkable, and they can resonate with elemental energy.”

He looked at Holt. “Using them to repair your Earth Elemental Golem could not only restore it quickly but might greatly enhance its defense and Spirit Vitality.”

Holt’s face lit with surprise. “Really? That’s great news!”

After a moment’s thought, he made a decision.

“As gratitude, let’s split them 30-70. In an environment like this, survival depends on mutual support.”

With that, he handed over roughly a third of the Crystallized Bones and molted skin.

Luo En carefully stored these precious materials, thanking calmly on the surface while his mind raced.

“If my Puppet Substitute absorbs these Abyssal Creature tissues, it might gain significant power.”

His gaze swept his companions before a question arose. “We’re all here, but where are the other two Sequence members?”

Holt shook his head. “Haven’t seen them. Maybe they chose another path… or failed to breakthrough the outer zone’s blockade.”

Cui Xi’s expression darkened. “Should we wait a while? Strength lies in numbers.”

“We can’t afford to wait,” Luo En pointed to the distant fog, now thinning. “Look there—the fog’s transforming.”

Indeed, the haze receded slowly, revealing the vague silhouette of a massive structure.

“This must be the Bloodline Altar’s core.”

Luo En deduced, “With the fog lifting, the trial’s entering its next phase. We must move forward.”

The trio exchanged glances, nodded in unison, and strode toward the emerging structure.

As they approached, the fog thinned further, the building’s outline growing sharper.

It was a colossal arena-shaped enclosure, entirely constructed from semitransparent Dark Red Crystal.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end