Chapter 127: Method

"It's rain! It can block the transmission of magic!"

Sharon immediately recognized the effect of the foul rain.

At the same time, a roar that shook the sky erupted from the Plague Botanical Garden not far away.

It was mixed with words that were impossible to understand.

【Blood Marrow Tree warns you: The true 'Great Cultivator' has discovered traces of impersonation and dispatched pursuers. Flee immediately. Additionally, the Blood Marrow Tree extends the mating invitation again. Do you accept?】

"No!!!"

Rod's face changed drastically.

He turned his head to look.

Sure enough, he saw a huge swarm of the giant bugs that had just been playing in the snail's wake, wriggling towards them!

The other four heard the commotion, turned to look, and were instantly terrified out of their wits.

"Run!"

He raised his hand and threw three 【Mirage Nets】.

The three leading giant bugs immediately fell into illusions and actually turned to attack their own companions.

This bought the five of them a little time.

Fortunately, their movement wasn't very fast.

The group successfully put distance between themselves and the pursuers.

Soon, they reached the hillside Rod had gazed at not long ago.

"The return ritual still doesn't work."

By now, they had already escaped the range of the foul rain.

But the crystal in Rod's hand still showed no reaction.

The long run left the other four, excluding him, panting heavily.

"The psychic energy and ether of the foul rain have already spread throughout the Realm of Dread... ha... ha..."

Sharon panted heavily, saying helplessly.

Rod didn't dwell on it.

He asked again: "Outside, Kalist and the others said the Realm of Dread has a normal exit procedure. We might as well try following the normal procedure... or do you mages have any other methods?"

"【Memory Purgatory】, 【Terror Manifestation】, and 【Judgment Seat】?"

Sharon thought for a moment and shook her head.

"These procedures are triggered automatically upon entering the Realm of Dread, but now..."

"Hmm, I once read relevant records in my family's library."

Leon pondered.

He said: "The 【Judgment Seat】 in the Realm of Dread is triggered by a massive golden scale. Perhaps we can search for that massive golden scale?"

"Truly worthy of you! Leon!"

Pavla and Vernon exclaimed with delight at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance; Vernon chuckled, while Pavla ignored him, looking at Leon with starry eyes.

As they spoke.

Rod felt the air in the Realm of Dread begin to squeeze him.

As if it truly intended to expel him.

"Is it because of the mental resistance added by the new pass? It feels much faster than I imagined."

Although he could reduce this expulsion by relaxing his resistance, the effect was limited; the Realm of Dread would eventually expel his soul.

"So the question is, where is the golden scale?"

Vernon asked.

"According to the records, the golden scale is located at the highest point of the Realm of Dread."

Everyone looked around and delightedly discovered that this very place was the highest elevation in the Realm of Dread.

Vernon and Pavla were overjoyed.

They hurriedly began to dig through the bones on the ground, forgetting their fear.

The scale...

Rod's heart skipped a beat.

Soon, Vernon dug out a broken golden scale.

It was the very one Rod had stepped on and broken not long ago!

It had lost all spiritual power; although its complex patterns revealed its former glory, it was now clearly just useless scrap.

The atmosphere fell into despair again.

"Don't lose heart, there must be a way... We might as well walk in the opposite direction, further away; perhaps the range of the foul rain will recede over time?"

Rod felt a bit awkward but didn't show it, instead offering encouragement.

The others had no other choice.

They could only numbly move their bodies and follow him.

Rod could feel their exhaustion; as mages, it was obvious their souls had not been trained enough.

They walked for about an hour.

The group arrived at a low-lying basin with a massive blood lake at its center.

Rivers of blood flowed between the bones, continuously gathering into the blood lake.

Rod checked the crystal again.

Still unable to activate it.

A little further ahead is where that bone dragon is; continuing forward is already more or less impossible.

And the condition of these four people—

Half an hour ago, Leon and Pavla began experiencing hallucinations and auditory hallucinations.

From time to time they let out panicked screams and anguished wails.

Among them, Leon's episodes appeared especially severe.

From his delirious ravings, one could tell he was a man with no kin in the world, bearing deep, bitter hatred.

Sharon was, after all, considerably stronger.

But she too was showing stumbling steps, eyes bloodshot, face weary.

Surprisingly, Vernon was in the best condition apart from Sharon.

Speaking of which, even though the trial of the Dread Grounds no longer exists, this place still carries a genuine portion of 【Domain of Fear】.

Actually, this place is no different from the Jade Domain of Jadeite City.

Rod sighed.

Nothing to be done.

Worst case, after I'm pulled out, I'll find another way with Lady Kali.

As for whether you lot can endure it, I'll leave it to fate.

Crack—

Rod quickly caught the dog-girl who had stumbled behind him; she crashed heavily into his arms and could not get up for a long while.

Perhaps because of the spiritual dimension, no scent drifted into his nose.

"Any last words?"

He didn't beat around the bush, stating outright that their odds of survival weren't high.

"Tell my parents—Sharon loves them. Tell Dimia—what happened before, I'm very sorry…"

"Can you tell me about yourselves? I actually quite like hearing gossip."

"…No."

Sharon caught her breath. "Also… you're a scumbag. Don't you dare make a move on Dimia. But if she makes a move on you… forget I said anything."

Rod didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"What? I'm just a little more loving than most—actually I'm a perfect gentleman."

"Heh, then… then why'd you grope my butt?"

"You know, intercourse in the spiritual dimension is a different kind of sensation. Since you're going to die anyway, why not do me a favor?"

Of course that wasn't meant seriously.

Rod just saw that she truly had no will to live, and deliberately provoked her a little.

"You—you dare!"

Sharon's face flushed red; she really did bare her teeth like a little dog, and tried to shove him away.

Unfortunately she didn't have the strength, and could only sit down weakly on the ground.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"…Cold."

Rod ignited 【Sorrowful Painful Hate Flame】 in his right hand; pink-purple flames rose in his palm.

The heat from her soul slightly eased the dog-girl's chill.

Green rot appeared on the whip-marks on her arm.

Rod watched her slowly close her eyes.

Meanwhile, the three apprentice mages on the other side had huddled together, shivering.

Boom!

Suddenly, the ground gave a violent tremor.

Sharon's eyes flew open in panic.

"What's happening?"

Rod had a vague premonition—who else could be causing this kind of commotion?

He turned his head wearily.

He saw, not far off in the blood lake, an enormous bone dragon slowly rising.

In the end, he'd still drawn that troublesome opponent here.

It was a massive wyrm-type bone dragon.

Its forelimbs had evolved into wings, while its hind legs were used for walking on the ground.

Boom—

The bone dragon's footfall on the bone-strewn ground sent out violent tremors.

Just as Rod was about to throw out a 【Mirage Net】—

A mature, charming big-sister voice drifted into his ears:

"Oh? The Hate Flame of my sworn sister Naolin?"

(End of chapter)