Chapter 660: Illusory Blood

Plop—

Luo De’s soles dragged up clots of black-red blood-mud.

His body crackled with electric light, thunder dancing.

He exploded power from his legs, leaping to dodge a sudden chain of flame.

Twisting midair, he narrowly evaded the [Fearful Warrior]’s swinging [Dark Sword].

The longsword, composed of negative energy, carried potent Corrosion damage, and each successful strike reduced resistance.

For Luo De, the reduction wasn’t too strong.

But accumulated, it would be enough to put his next resistance check at a disadvantage.

Black negative energy seeped constantly from the seams of the silver-white full armor.

The second and third [Fearful Warriors] surged with terrifying might, slashing through with black shadows.

Luo De had seen these summons before.

During the Dread Field, used by a sixth-rank student from Bahadur Magic Academy.

Their strength was not on the same level as a ninth-rank mage’s.

Before him.

Between the residual friction of spells and the craters blasted by immense force.

A sunken area entwined by colossal pale roots.

The ground sank like a bowl, surrounded by twisted thorn vines.

At the bottom lay a circular stone temple half-buried underground, its arched ceiling edges barely visible.

The entrance was a staircase descending downward, faintly discernible as stacked pale bone shards.

But now.

The exposed dome was riddled with cracks; massive stones at the staircase entrance had collapsed, completely burying it.

The ground trembled slightly, as if something beneath was breathing slowly.

The moon-shadow replica of Prophet Motas held a black staff taller than himself.

Floating above his flat left palm was a dark red crystal, occasionally revealing a blood-red human face shifting through expressions.

The replica stared blankly over, lips moving continuously as it chanted.

Another spell flashed past.

[Greater Paralysis].

Luo De stiffened slightly, then forcibly broke the immobilization.

He spun and slammed a heavy haymaker into the face of one [Fearful Warrior].

Boom!!

Its head exploded into a cloud of negative energy.

The Dark Sword in its hand kept swinging, still cutting horizontally.

Behind him, the astral ambush spirit’s black form flickered—Luo De seemed to become its shadow, vanishing instantly from his spot.

The next instant.

A fist wrapped in black fluid metal slammed into Motas’s moon-shadow’s defense shield.

Splash!

The shadow dispersed.

It reformed again, now farther away.

“Annoying.”

This ninth-rank mage’s moon-shadow replica was not strong.

First, it could not use its domain; second, for some reason, its Ring of Truth hung in void—its [Spell Metamagic] and [Truth Immunity] were exhausted.

But.

Luo De stared at the red crystal in its hand.

“‘Illusory Blood.’”

This blood-body of Moon Goddess Luka possessed [Pseudo-Ovulation], releasing blood droplets continuously while moving, with no cooldown for spatial teleportation.

Even when struck, it entered a temporary blood-mist invincibility.

I have to say, you're being a bit restrained, Rod.

The lack of spell knowledge left him without a strategy against such an enemy.

Normally, Luo De would have had to brawl it out, or forcibly stack [Julia’s Blood Explosion] to detonate it in one blow.

But then he’d have no relic to use.

Then again.

Luo De was not alone now.

“Hum—”

Magical light suddenly flared; spell circuit lines began sliding and assembling across the ground at visible speed.

Amid the roar of high-intensity magic, even the mist was evaporated clean.

The moon-shadow replica at the ritual’s center froze rigid; even the ever-shifting face on its “Illusory Blood” twisted into a snarling frenzy.

“Now, Luo De!”

Haili’s voice emerged from behind the trees.

After the mist thinned slightly, it was her and Medlin, fully controlling the ritual.

“Well done.”

Luo De smiled.

A black longsword rapidly condensed and shot out from his inner wrist; his arm caught it, then blurred as it flickered.

The next instant.

The three [Fearful Warriors] beside him exploded into countless fragments; negative energy spread, their regeneration drastically slowed.

The sword scattered, then rewrapped around his arm—so fast, no one saw it.

Zzzt—

Between flashes of lightning.

Luo De dragged thick, explosive plasma, sparks and lightning trailing behind.

The magical shield shattered again, more fragile than paper.

Seize the object, shoulder charge.

Exploded into a spray of ink-black organs and severed limbs.

Seamless.

Luo De hadn’t even properly seen the “Illusory Blood” in his hand.

When Laila Starwhisper appeared, holding a recording stone, skipping over to snap a photo of his face.

She began interviewing excitedly.

“Say something! Quick, say something—I’ll put it in the lyrics!”

Luo De pushed her away: “Don’t block my way.”

“‘Don’t block my way’—that’s great!”

She immediately scribbled furiously in her small notebook.

Luo De ignored her.

He walked over to Medlin and Haili, nearly exhausted, to give them potency-restoring potions.

“No more drinking—too many restorative potions in one day causes resistance. Now we’ve got the relic, no need to rush.”

Haili gasped, sweat beading on her forehead.

Medlin was much the same:

“This ritual drained too much magic—we’re nearly depleted. We need rest and recovery. Please, sir, guard us.”

At the same time, she glanced fearfully at Luo De.

She had no idea where Haili had found such a wealthy patron—two hundred Jin Along given without hesitation, and terrifyingly strong, easily suppressing a ninth-rank mage…

Luo De

Wasn’t the forest ranger in Shiying Town named Luo De?

But they said that man was as handsome as an elf, and a master swordsman—not much like this one.

“Meditating here isn’t a solution.”

Luo De didn’t know Medlin’s thoughts.

After all, these two weren’t his girls; their contact was limited, and [Green Vine Mutual Healing] couldn’t activate.

He paused, thinking.

Took two vials of pale white potion from his spell satchel.

—Made primarily from [Genesis Dew].

Originally used to suppress the deformed states of the [Misforged] rescued from the Campbell Family Labyrinth; properly refined by Elf Kalist, its enchantment effects were greatly suppressed.

[Genesis Dew] held vast, pure energy—alleviating the aftereffects of magical depletion was simple.

As for ingredients…

Their mage potions’ main materials aren’t as clean as mine.

Haley stared in shock at the two vials: “Such pure energy? What kind of potion is this? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Medlin grew wary: “Does it cost money? This thing looks expensive—I can’t afford it.”

“It’s a gift. Just don’t refuse it.”

Luo De smiled.

Haley stumbled forward, whether intentionally or not, and fell right into Luo De’s arms.

Soft, warm flesh pressed against her.

As she took the vials, her fingers brushed and curled around Luo De’s hand—obviously forced.

“I’m sorry. I’ve always believed in you.”

“.”

She pulled the stopper and downed it in one gulp.

Scalding energy surged down her throat, wildly nourishing her nearly depleted mana circuits.

Haley couldn’t help but let out a sigh of pure relief.

After a brief pause, her eyes opened, fixing on Luo De with an unnatural daze.

(End of Chapter)