"Ye Feng!"
As the Blood Skeleton was devouring Su Shu's heart with large bites, Jiang Shishan and others quickly approached Ye Feng. "Ye Feng, we need to leave this place quickly. It's very strange. Our arcane energy is constantly draining from our bodies, as if something is siphoning it away!"
"It might be because of that Hexagram Blood Sacrifice formation. This feeling only started after the black stone tablet in the center of the formation appeared!" Xue Yuli chimed in, clearly agreeing with Jiang Shishan.
"A black stone tablet?"
Ye Feng frowned slightly. Based on what the Blood Skeleton had just said, that should be the Nether Rune Divine Tablet that the Blood Skeleton had been searching for for over twenty years. Legend had it that it could grant power from hell...
"Wait... arcane energy draining? Being siphoned away?"
Ye Feng looked at Jiang Shishan and Xue Yuli with confusion, as he himself wasn't feeling anything like that.
"Mhm!"
"Big Brother, it's true! My control over flames has decreased, and I can sense something strange around me that's drawing the arcane energy from my body!" Xiao Xiao added her support.
"Boss, we've found an exit. Liu Lei and his men just broke through a weaker section of the mountain!"
At this moment, Guo Hai ran over and spoke to Xue Yuli in a low voice.
"Leave? You think you can get away?"
Before Ye Feng and the others could respond, the Blood Skeleton roared. Red light erupted from its body, transforming into solid, blood-red tubes that plunged directly into Su Shu's massive form.
"Sizzle~ Gurgle~ Gurgle~"
A sucking sound echoed as Su Shu's enormous body shriveled at a visible rate.
In a short while, Su Shu, who had transformed into a giant blood-red rat, was no longer blood-red. Instead, it became a skeletal frame with skin stretched tight over its bones. Its flesh and blood had been completely consumed by the Blood Skeleton.
"Truly delicious!"
Immediately after, the Blood Skeleton licked its lips, emitting a voice from its throat that was different from before.
The voice was ancient and hoarse, with an odd intonation, as if someone who hadn't spoken in a long time had suddenly started talking, showing clear signs of discomfort.
"Die!"
The Blood Skeleton's voice reverted to the one Ye Feng and the others had heard before.
As the malevolent voice fell, the condensed, solid red light from the Blood Skeleton's body transformed into several grasping claws, which attacked the vital points of Ye Feng, Xue Yuli, Jiang Shishan, and Guo Hai with grabs and slaps.
Having observed the situation, the Blood Skeleton realized these four were the strongest combatants present and thus targeted them first.
"Bang~!"
Ye Feng, who was closest, met one of the blood-red claws with a palm strike. He was instantly sent flying a considerable distance, crashing heavily into a patch of rough terrain. After a few tumbling impacts, which kicked up a lot of dust, he became motionless.
"Big Brother!"
Seeing this, Xiao Xiao became frantic and rushed towards Ye Feng without a second thought.
"Ah~ Ya~!"
As Xiao Xiao reached the edge of the uneven terrain, in her haste, her foot suddenly slipped. With a startled cry, she fell and also became silent.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shishan, Xue Yuli, and the others, facing the strange blood-hand attacks, were also sent flying backward after a few blocks. Guo Hai even spat out a mouthful of blood...
Strangely, the Blood Skeleton did not press its advantage. Instead, its expression changed drastically, and it turned sharply to look behind itself.
...
In the uneven terrain where Ye Feng had fallen,
Xiao Xiao lay on her side in a hollow. Her beautiful eyes were wide open, and she looked with confusion at Ye Feng, who was also lying on his side.
In reality, Xiao Xiao's quick rush towards Ye Feng out of concern wasn't a slip that caused her to fall. Instead, Ye Feng had grabbed her, pulled her down, and covered her mouth.
Ye Feng's earlier collision with the Blood Skeleton's blood-red claw hadn't actually injured him. He had used the force of the impact to feign injury and fall into this area to hide.
As for Jiang Shishan and the others, although they were also sent flying, they had also used the opportunity to distance themselves from the Blood Skeleton. It seemed they wouldn't be in mortal danger for the time being!
Ye Feng's actions were naturally based on his considerations!
First, the complex web of factions targeting this super sandstorm region, then entering the region, discovering the temple, and seeing the holographic projections – Ye Feng realized the situation was far more complicated than he had initially anticipated...
He might have become entangled in something extraordinary, especially with the appearance of that mysterious woman in white palace attire, as well as Mei You and Bi Mao, who had been lurking in the City of Arcane Arts for decades and were now nowhere to be found...
Therefore, Ye Feng decided it would be better to feign injury and hide to observe for a while, to avoid being inexplicably eliminated, or to work hard in a battle only for someone else to benefit from their efforts...
After her initial shock, Xiao Xiao also gradually understood. She remained silent and, with Ye Feng, they moved stealthily behind a large rock to hide...
Some distance away from Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao, the Blood Skeleton had turned around and was looking towards a passage opening. A figure was slowly walking out from it.
With each step, the person covered a considerable distance, leaving behind trails of afterimages.
"Another expert has arrived!"
Seeing this, Ye Feng's brows furrowed deeply.
"Twenty years... that traitor among humans has indeed returned!"
"These twenty years were not in vain!"
Following this, a sigh was heard.
Then, Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao felt a flash before their eyes. An old man with white hair appeared not far from the Blood Skeleton.
The Blood Skeleton remained silent at first, its gaze fixed on the white-haired elder with caution and suspicion.
Suddenly, black mist swirled around the black box clutched at the Blood Skeleton's waist.
Immediately after, the Blood Skeleton's expression contorted, and finally, it sneered, "Yo ho, who do I think it is? It's Zhao Gongzi, you old fossil!"
"I never expected you to still be guarding this place after twenty years!"
"Fine, your death will serve as the prelude to the gods' return!"
The Blood Skeleton's voice reverted to the peculiar, ancient, and hoarse male voice Ye Feng had heard before.
"What the heck is this Blood Skeleton? It's like two different people, one after the other?"
Seeing this, Ye Feng couldn't help but frown, feeling quite perplexed.
"Old man, how much of your strength remains after that battle back then?"
At this moment, the ancient, hoarse voice of "Blood Skeleton" rang out again.
With a wave of its hand, the four Yin soldiers from the Hexagram Blood Sacrifice formation, wielding semi-transparent blood-red weapons, attacked Zhao Gongzi.
The elder named Zhao Gongzi narrowed his eyes slightly. He extended his hands, and four strip-like papers inscribed with mystical runes instantly appeared. He struck them fiercely at the four Yin soldiers.
"Bang bang~! Bang bang!~"
Four golden lights erupted, followed by violent explosions. The four Yin soldiers were instantly annihilated by the explosions from the rune-inscribed paper strips.
"Hmph, let's see how many more talismans you have!"
Seeing this, "Blood Skeleton" showed no surprise or panic. With a wave of its hands, hundreds of Yin soldiers flew from the Hexagram Blood Sacrifice formation.
The white-haired elder, Zhao Gongzi, grew increasingly serious and cautious!
"Su Jianying, do you have any regard for the training your sect gave you?"
Suddenly, a clear yet distinctly indignant female voice rang out.
Immediately after, a graceful figure appeared not far from Ye Feng, standing opposite the "Blood Skeleton." It was the mysterious woman in white palace attire whom Ye Feng had met not long ago.
...