Blood and Ballock continue to move onward along the mountain chain, fighting one beast after another. They had to admit that the beasts in this region were far stronger than those they were accustomed to fighting.
Their strikes were fast, their movements aligned—it almost seemed as though they could think and act cunning like men.
The air was filled with continuous sound of powerful howls, piercing chirps, and tyrannic shrieks that echoed across the cliffs. Fear gripped both of them after each battle, however, they had managed to withstand every beast thus far.
At this moment, Ballock raised his brow. He detected a large mantis within his range. Both he and Blood quickly moved to engage but remained hidden behind the towering trees nearby.
They had learned the hard way that stealth was essential; a prolonged fight would only draw more beasts. They had even seen the beasts themselves employ such tactics, and so they adapted, and followed their ways.
Lowering their steps, they went closer, watching intently. The mantis was feasting on the carcass of a Three‑Eyed Monkey, its blood was still fresh which meant it was killed only moments ago.
Ballock went around the beast, which seemed oblivious to their presence, and launched his attack. From his sleeve, a needle‑shaped weapon shot forth, streaking through the air toward the mantis' head.
The needle looked incredibly sharp, enshrouded in Ballock's red energy, making it far more powerful than normal. Yet the beast reacted instantly, its forelimb lashed out to bat the strike, knocking the needle aside before it could complete its deadly course.
Ballock didn't relent; he had anticipated this. Another needle appeared and stabbed toward its abdomen.
The mantis quickly flipped to the side when it saw that like it were an empty mug, evading the strike. Abandoning its meal, it spread its wings and soar thirty meters into the air.
"You missed your chance, Ballock!" a scornful voice rang out as a red streak flashed past. Blood had already launched himself in pursuit.
The mantis was unable to sustain flight for long. It soon descended on the ground and dashed forward; its speed was still formidable enough to leave most cultivators of the same stage behind.
However, Blood was different.
When he had been a tenth‑stage cultivator of the Iron Realm, his speed already surpassed that of most ordinary fifth‑stage warriors of the Bronze Realm, and he could even rival exceptional talents such as Shiva. Now that he had stepped into the Bronze Realm, his speed should have grown even greater.
Blood still activated a skill he had purchased from the Blood Book's shop—Runner.
The skill heightened his speed, and the greater the number of enemies in pursuit, the faster he would become. The skill multiplied his pace with every threat that pursued him, making them act like fuel.
Although no enemies were chasing him now, the skill still granted him incredible swiftness, making him to wonder with awe how fast he might become if he were truly hunted.
In an instant, he appeared twenty meters ahead, moving through tree after tree with fluid grace. His eyes were locked on the mantis, and soon he closed the distance, the beast appeared to be within his grasp.
Fifty meters from the beast, he drew his newly acquired weapon, and with a powerful thrust, Blood launched himself off the ground, leaving a cloud of dust behind before hurling the trident toward the mantis.
The weapon moved through the air with deadly speed, nearly lodging itself in the beast's abdomen. The mantis was able to twist away just in time, and dust billowed across the clearing, veiling the scene.
Blood raised his brow, astonished by the mantis' speed. He had sensed clearly that it was a Bronze Realm stage‑3 beast. Yet Shiva, a stage‑5 Bronze expert, had once been unable to catch him when he was only a stage‑10 warrior of the Iron Realm. How then could he fail to match the speed of a mere stage‑3 beast, now that he had stepped into the Bronze Realm?
His trident had also moved with lightning speed, faster than any stage‑5 Bronze expert could match, and yet the beast was able to slip away.
This occasion was laughable!
Were the cultivators of my world faulty? Blood thought, his face growing wet with shame. "Looks like the beasts in this place are really not easy to deal with."
Blood dashed forward with insane speed, utilizing the Runner skill to its fullest. He snatched the trident mid‑air, propelling himself onward by swaying its shaft, and in an instant, he was upon the beast.
His last assault had shattered the beast's rhythm, breaking the flow of its movements. Even though he had not yet mastered the trident, he understood its basics well enough.
Flipping through the air, he swung the weapon toward the mantis' head.
He watched as the beast attempted the same approach as before, but this time it gravely miscalculated.
Its forelimbs quickly lashed out to counter the strike—only for the trident to cleave through them effortlessly, severing both in a single stroke.
A shrill cry rang from the mantis as a foul stench erupted from its abdomen, quickly engulfing the surroundings. The stench carried a deadly air that churned the body.
Blood instantly moved, twisting to the side, and drove the trident into the beast's abdomen before circulating his technique, the Blood Balancing Art.
The art allowed him to limit or enhance the functions of his body, and now he used it to reduce the amount of toxic gas he inhaled—it was a function he had discovered during his battle with a Three‑Eyed Monkey.
The gas quickly dispersed, and the mantis, grievously wounded, attempted to flee. But its escape route was compromised. It dodged desperately, narrowly avoiding a needle aimed at its thorax.
Before it could land though, an energy beam struck its exact point of descent, smashing into its body and sending it somersaulting through the air before crashing onto the hard ground.
Dark red liquid seeped from its wounds as it writhed in agony. Small needles flashed and pierced its defenseless body continuously, leaving it half‑dead.
"You can do your thing, loser." Ballock said triumphantly, his tone mocking but cooperative. He had delivered the fatal blow, ensuring the beast's wounds were beyond recovery.
Ever since Blood had revealed the secrets of the Blood Book, Ballock understood why his companion always insisted on claiming the final strike in their hunts. At first, he had thought it was nothing more than his strange fancy.
Blood smirked with a smug expression, before driving the trident cleanly through the mantis' head. The beast fell still, its cries appeared to be silenced forever.
[Bronze Realm Stage-3 Grazing Mantis slain]
[300 Exp obtained]
[Accumulated Exp: 20,700]
Ballock stored the beast away, and they pressed forward without rest. The thick presence of Blood Qi in the air replenished their reserves automatically, filling their bodies with renewed strength.
Just as Blood took another step, something sharp pierced through the sole of his shoe, pricking his foot.
"Ouch!" he cried out in alarm, quickly glancing down at the lodged object. He unhooked it and held it in his hand, examining it closely.
"Hey, where did you get that? I've got one too." Ballock said, patting himself down as if searching, though he found nothing.
Blood smirked, seizing the chance to tease him. "Didn't know you were collecting stone pieces now."
Ballock ignored the joke, his expression darkening. "What nonsense are you spouting? I kept it because I thought it might be valuable—it nearly cost me my life. I saw wolves guarding it, and at that time it was glowing with a profound light. I knew it had to be something special." His voice grew bitter.
"That was the reason I was driven into the Dark Zone, just to escape those furious wolves. Just return it when you're done with it."
He had suspected the 'stone' was extraordinary. Wolves wouldn't guard just anything, especially since they had keen senses. Their pursuit had been relentless, as though he had stolen their last hope of survival.
He had planned to take it to a blacksmith; certain it might prove to be a precious treasure.
Blood's eyes widened in surprise. He had wondered why Ballock had entered the Dark Zone before, but amidst the chaos he had forgotten to ask. Now, every strange thing in the Sand‑Scale Forest seemed to hold hidden value.
He scrutinized the object carefully, then cast his skill upon it.
[Jade Eyes]
[One‑Way Space Talisman
Description: A permanent space treasure capable of establishing a fixed passage between two points. Once set, the positions can never be changed.
Unique Feature: Camouflage
Limitation: One time use only (the passage will not shatter)
Grade: ???]
Blood read the description again and again as his heart began to pound. His eyes grew moist as realization overwhelmed him. He turned to Ballock with an unusual gaze and said, his voice trembling with a hint of joy,
"Ballock… your stone piece—no, your treasure—has given us hope." he said with relief. "I think we're saved. We're truly free. Our suffering has finally come to an end."
Ecstasy rushed through him. Thirteen days had passed since his arrival here—how worried his parents must be. Without delay, he explained the talisman's feature and its use.
Ballock smirked and kicked him hard with satisfaction.
Blood grunted, accepting the blow without protest. He knew he had earned it. Curling his lips, he shrugged his shoulders, and together they began setting the One‑Way Space Talisman.
They soon finished the preparations, designating the distance they wished to travel. However, they were still uncertain. Were they still within the reach of Sand‑Scale City, or had they crossed into another dimension entirely?
In the end, they decided to fix the distance at the talisman's maximum limit.
Blood wrapped his energy around the talisman, and a translucent portal shimmered into existence two meters ahead. Its brilliance was blinding, forcing them to shut their eyes.
"I genuinely hope your measure is correct." Ballock muttered, breathing heavily. A wrong calculation could deliver them straight into a beast's maw.
Blood did not answer. He gripped Ballock's hand tightly and stepped into the portal. If his judgment was wrong, they would both share the doom that awaited.