Cult of the Sacred Runes

Chapter 76 – Blood Cocoon

Judging from the stone giant’s original power, even if Ye Wei were to tear another medium-grade scroll and activate the Myst stance within, it would not really be effective, but now he saw a chance with the iron talisman’s aid.

“Black Ice Sword, cut!”

It was a golden opportunity, and Ye Wei naturally took the chance. He screamed and mercilessly drove the ancient ice-cold sword into the puppet’s neck.

Although Ye Wei was the owner of the iron talisman, he didn’t really know why or how it could crush the puppet, but everyone who was looking from the behind thought he did. They assumed the talisman was a powerful item given to him by his mysterious family.

While Ye Wei was driving the Black Ice Sword toward the puppet’s neck, everyone watched the highly anticipated strike; the hundreds of Warriors and also Ye Wei could not take their eyes off the sword.

How this sword struck would determine everyone’s destiny.

“Booom!”

Under the watchful eyes, the chillingly sharp ancient blade cut across the stone giant’s neck, its head rolled off from its neck immediately.

“Black Ice Sword, cut it! Cut!” Ye Wei had no other thought in his head; he just wanted to get in as many strikes as he could before the sword disappeared. He used every last bit of strength in his body to repeatedly strike the giant.

The puppet was almost invulnerable, but under the iron talisman’s suppression, it was no different than ordinary stone!

‘How could ordinary stone withstand a Myst stance?’

The sword kept striking down.

Within the frame of a few breathes, Ye Wei took full advantage of the situation and used the Black Ice Sword to attack the puppet multiple times. When the sword finally disappeared, the stone giant was completely demolished; he was turned into countless pieces of gravel.

Just as the monster crumbled, the five Blood Devourer crystals that powered the giant no longer had a host, and they shot towards Ye Wei.

These five crystals were superior to the two hundred and thirty-eight Blood Devourer crystals from before; the Qi and the violent intent were also stronger!

“No!” Ye Wei’s face changed massively. Subconsciously he wanted to dodge the crystals, but their speed was just too fast, in the blink of an eye they had already landed on Ye Wei’s body.

Five crystals violently exploded when they touched Ye Wei’s skin and dispersed into a screen of thick blood mist. Just as it was about to wrap around Ye Wei, the iron talisman flew three inches above Ye Wei’s head. At this moment, the dense blood mist had already become a three meters tall human shaped blood cocoon.

Everything happened in mere seconds, so quick that nobody could even react.

“What’s going on?”

“We have to save him!”

A couple of Warriors realized what happened and hurried to Ye Wei’s side. They anxiously looked at the three meters tall human shaped cocoon. Ye Wei has saved their lives, and to beat this stone puppet he used a total of three medium-grade mystic scrolls. This favor was as big as Mt. Tai.

Although they were here at Bloodmist Valley for treasures, Ye Wei had saved them and a lot of people were grateful! That’s why, even when the passage that led deeper into the labyrinth had appeared on the ground where the golden puppets were located after the stone giant has shattered, they were still guarding the giant human shaped blood cocoon with faces full of concern.

Hong Xun frowned while looking at the blood cocoon. Aware of how dangerous the Blood Devourer crystals were, he scanned the crowd and asked in a calm tone, “Is there a solution?”

Even one Blood Devourer crystal contained enough energy and rage to strip a Warrior’s conscience and drive the victim insane, and now Ye Wei had the energy of five large, superior-grade Blood Devourer crystal consuming him, a mere Student.

Students were not as strong willed as Warriors. As warriors already had the experience of defeating their inner demons at least once and because of this their minds were much stronger.

For cultivators, breaking through star levels meant just a minor breakthroughs, and to achieve those, one only needs to strengthen their Sentient and body, which is relatively easy.

But if one wants to advance to the next rank, from Student to Warrior, for example, one must experience a major breakthrough. During which the cultivator will have to face their inner demons. From Student to Warrior, Warrior to condensed prime Warrior, condensed prime Warrior to returned prime Warrior, during all these stages a cultivator will have to face and conquer his personal fears; otherwise, he will remain a ten-star Student or ten-star Warrior forever. Someone never strong enough to deal with their inner demons.

“He is just a Student, so his will is weaker than Warriors. These Blood Devourer crystals are stronger than the ones that powered the weaker puppets... I’m afraid...”

“So what should we do? Are you saying that we should just watch?” Zhou Hou was so anxious that his forehead was covered in sweat.

When he saw that Ye Wei was with Lin Zi Yan, he already had the idea that they had powerful people behind them, but he would have never guessed that they would have given him as many as three medium-grade scrolls.

“There is no way we can save him!”

Lu Chao gazed upon the blood cocoon that contained Ye Wei then looked at the passage that led deeper into the labyrinth, and a sense of greed flashed through his eyes. But he was also worried. The stone creatures here were very strong and deeper in the labyrinth there was bound to be something even more dangerous lurking. If he were alone, he wouldn’t dare enter.

“Now... Now what? Do we just wait?” Lu Chao asked with fake concern. He said trying to convince everyone that he cared about Ye Wei.

“Keep waiting?” There were a lot of people in the crowd who started to look down with uncertainty in their eyes. They had lived through many dangerous moments, and had many near death experiences, and as such they weren’t sure if it was worth their time when they could be exploring the labyrinth instead.

“I, Hong Xue, owe him my life! No matter the outcome, I have to know if he lives or dies!” Hong Xun straightened his face and stared at Lu Chao.

“Me too!”

“And me!”

In the end, there were a lot of people who truly appreciated Ye Wei’s effort and were genuinely concerned about his well-being.

“Count me in too!” Zhou Hou was an opportunist, but an honorable man. His life was saved by Ye Wei, and if he were to leave Ye Wei behind for his own personal gain he would be no different to an animal that has no concept of honor. No matter what, he had to know Ye Wei’s fate.

Among these Warriors, many of them knew how to be respectful and honorable; if they were not, their comrades would abandon them without hesitation.

However, some of them, like Lu Chao, wanted to go deeper into the labyrinth, but as nobody was going to take the lead they were too scared to make a move.

Everyone started to sit down and cultivate. Time passed slowly as they waited. After five hours had passed uneventfully, Lu Chao and some of the others started getting restless and annoyed. They could not repress their greed.

“It was not easy getting this far, do we really need to waste our time and wait for one person?” Lu Chao rose up and asked.

“That youngster saved my life, and I will remember his kindness for the rest of my life, but we can’t just sit here and wait. I, Lu Chao, will share half of the treasures I find here in this labyrinth with this boy in the cocoon. This I swear!” Lu Chao sounded convincing. ‘If he lives.’ He finished in his head.

“We have been through many challenges that could have easily cost us our lives to get to where we are now. My family is currently going through a crisis, and I have to get more treasure from this trip to help them through this tough time!” Lu Chao said as he excused himself and headed towards the passage.

“Is it really necessary to wait and see if the boy lives or dies?”

Lu Chao scornfully looked at the blood cocoon. In his eyes, there was no way this Student could overcome the rage intent of five superior-grade Blood Devourer crystals and therefore no point in waiting.

Other Warriors eventually stood up as well, “My mother is very ill! I am an only child, and if I don’t obtain any treasures and sell them to pay for my mother’s treatment, then I won’t be able to face my ancestors!”

“My father is ill!”

“My fiance is waiting for me!”

“My child...”

Followed by Lu Chao’s fake speech, people who cared more about the treasures hidden ahead eventually stood up one by one and gave all sorts of excuses to ease their conscience.

“If you all don’t want to stay, then leave! Nobody is stopping you! Save your stupid excuses for people who care!” Hong Xun said while opening his eyes and staring at Lu Chao and the cowards behind him.

The Warriors who were patiently waiting also opened their eyes and spitefully stared at the ungrateful.

“Ha, ha! Lu Chao, today I finally get to see your true colors!” Xue Yao laughed sarcastically, “To have you known as one of the four strongest youngsters of Frozen Sun City is a disgrace.”

“Pfft! I don’t care what you lot think of me. I have no regrets, and I am definitely not ungrateful!” Lu Chao felt shameful as his greed was exposed; he could feel the spiteful stares as he walked away.

Led by Lu Chao half of the Warriors left to explore the depths of the labyrinth.

“What is happening inside the cocoon...” Hong Xun, Xue Yao, and the cultivators who stayed couldn’t take their eyes off it; they continued to wait patiently. How Ye Wei made it out of the last cocoon gave them hope that he would get out of this one safely too.