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...
Scarlet Ghosts roamed in the misty darkness, their eerie cries echoing through the desolate landscape. Nie Li and his companions moved with precision, fully aware of the opportunity before them.
Since Blood Crystals could be obtained here, Nie Li wouldn't be polite. Within his interspatial ring, he had prepared numerous crystal bottles to store them.
"Cao Wang, capture one beast and attract others. Ning'er, kill everything that comes near. The rest, help me find those Blood Crystals," Nie Li commanded, his mind already processing the refining techniques. Inwardly, he tasked his A.I. Chip to transfer the complete method of Blood Crystal purification to him.
Cao Wang dashed forward, his soul force bursting forth as he grabbed a nearby Scarlet Ghost. He restrained its limbs and forcefully twisted its hand. The creature let out an ear-piercing shriek that tore through the air like a death wail.
The ground trembled as a horde of Scarlet Ghosts rushed toward them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Xiao Ning'er's thunder-based attacks erupted across the battlefield, sending waves of deadly lightning that obliterated everything in her path. The Scarlet Ghosts shrieked as their bodies were electrocuted into charred remains.
Nie Li, scanning through the A.I. Chip's analytical data, directed the others to search the corpses for Blood Crystals. He knew that out of several hundred Scarlet Ghosts, only a rare few would have absorbed enough essence to form the coveted crystals.
Hours passed in the relentless slaughter, and soon, dozens of Blood Crystals were gathered. Nie Li didn't hesitate. He immediately set up an alchemy formation and began the purification process.
Nie Li retrieved several alchemical materials from his interspatial ring—rare herbs, crushed beast bones, a vial of dark elixir, and a crystalline refining solvent. He placed the Blood Crystals into a cauldron, pouring the black elixir over them before igniting the mixture with controlled soul force.
A deep crimson mist arose as the impurities started dissolving.
Next, he added the powdered beast bones. The reaction was immediate—black impurities coalesced and sank to the bottom of the cauldron while the Blood Crystals began to glow faintly.
Nie Li carefully introduced the crystalline refining solvent. As it mixed into the bubbling solution, the Blood Crystals slowly reformed into purer, more potent versions of themselves, now glistening with a deeper, richer red hue. (Image)
"Take one each," Nie Li said, passing the purified crystals to Du Ze, Lu Piao, and the others.
Following Nie Li's instructions, they each absorbed a trace of soul force from the Blood Crystals, refining it within their bodies. Almost immediately, their cultivation levels showed noticeable improvements.
The group continued hunting Scarlet Ghosts, gathering more Blood Crystals while steadily making their way toward the distant, light-flickering mountain.
"We can collect more Blood Crystals later. Right now, our priority is finding the Stones of Light," Nie Li announced.
Though slightly disappointed, the group understood the importance of their mission.
Nie Li glanced at everyone and declared, "I'll scout ahead."
Merging halfway with his Tempest Fang Dragon, he sprouted translucent blue wings and soared into the sky. His speed was incredible, leaving his companions in awe. (Image)
Xiao Ning'er, watching him, was also in awe. She and Nie Li were both at Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist, yet the gap between them was staggering. Not only was his soul force much purer, but his mastery over his demon spirit was something beyond comprehension. She understood that she still has much to learn from him, being well aware of the fact that even if Nie Li suppresses his cultivation realm below hers, he can still defeat her in a battle.
Nie Li flew over the terrain, keeping his altitude high enough to avoid detection but low enough to observe everything clearly. From above, he saw no immediate threats. However, as they approached the base of the mountain, he spotted the source of the lights.
Descending swiftly, he regrouped with his companions. "There's activity ahead. Stay ready for combat," he instructed.
They advanced cautiously and soon came upon an astonishing sight—a village built atop towering trees. Enormous Thunderbird demon beasts rested on massive wooden platforms, their heads adorned with glowing, crown-like ornaments.
The village was enormous, housing tens of thousands of inhabitants. Even deeper into the mountains, more clusters of flickering lights indicated additional settlements.
As they observed, Nie Li suddenly heard the crack of a whip.
"You dare slack off?! You're seeking death!"
A guard in gray leather armor barked angrily in a foreign tongue. He ruthlessly lashed a group of miners who toiled under the moonlit sky, chipping away at glowing red ore embedded in the mountainside.
Some miners collapsed, unable to bear the torment. Without hesitation, the guards continued whipping them. One unfortunate miner fell still—dead.
"Drag him away and clean the area!" the guard ordered coldly.
Du Ze, Lu Piao, Xiao Ning'er, and Xiao Xue watched from their concealed position, rage burning in their eyes. Even without understanding the language, the brutality before them was unmistakable.
Lu Piao clenched his fists, about to charge in, but Nie Li swiftly raised his hand, signaling him to stop. Cao Wang, the oldest of them grabbed Lu Piao and Du Ze's shoulder and calmed them down as well.
"The ore they're mining… it's the raw stone of Blood Crystals," Nie Li whispered, using soul force to compress his voice so only his team could hear. "Let's not act rashly. They are the local power here we may need their help to locate the Stones of Light."
Curious about the language, Nie Li commanded his A.I. Chip to identify it.
The A.I. Chip searched through its vast database, cross-referencing linguistic structures and dialects. Within moments, it identified the language as one belonging to the Woodland Empire—an ancient civilization lost to time.
"Translation framework constructed. Uploading basic vocabulary and historical records from the Woodland Empire," the A.I. Chip relayed. (Image)
Nie Li's vision blurred for a moment as vast amounts of information flooded into his mind—details of the Woodland Empire's rise and fall, their military strength, their unique bloodline abilities, various clans and their long-lost war in Age of Darkness.
Just as Nie Li was preparing to investigate further, he felt a surge of killing intent directed toward his team.
His companions, still fuming at the injustice before them, had unknowingly released faint traces of soul force—enough for a sharp observer to notice.
Nie Li instantly signaled them to remain still.
The grass to their side rustled. A shadow moved.
A figure emerged, stepping into the moonlight.
She was a tribal warrior, wielding a long silver sword. Her piercing green eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. Most strikingly, a pair of large, silver-colored wings sprouted from her back—not from a demon spirit fusion, but her natural form. (Image)
She was one of the Silver Winged Tribe.
Her expression was cold, her stance wary. Her gaze flicked between Nie Li's group, calculating and suspicious.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her tone filled with hostility.
Nie Li's eyes widened slightly as recognition dawned upon him. This was a descendant of the Silver Winged Tribe—a remnant of the Woodland Empire's past.