[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory":3,"chapter-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-708":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1242314,1669,"Chapter 708 708: The Blood That Devours","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-708",708,"\u003Cp>Ethan's face froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You've got to be kidding me…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His jaw clenched instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"System, are you seriously trying to get me killed here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could even finish the thought—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the heart of the light pillar, a new sound rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chorus of hissing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sand began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood-red beetles crawled out from the glowing core, spilling down in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their wings beat the air with a sickening buzz that made the skin crawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one glowed with a crimson spark, their carapaces thick and metallic, glinting like polished iron as they swarmed forward in a suffocating tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shff! Shff! Shff! Shff! Shff—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of wings filled the air as the swarm surged toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers of Emerald Castle barely had time to react before the screaming began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spears shattered. Spellblades cracked. Energy blasts fizzled on contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Skkkreee—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One warrior's chest was torn open, blood spraying—and in the next instant, a beetle burrowed straight into the wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skin bulged, split, and burst. Flesh and blood sprayed in arcs, catching the sunlight with a sick, glistening sheen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan gritted his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sound—the wet, crunching, squelching—pounded in his ears like nails driven into his skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fall back!\" he barked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seraphina rushed to his side, her light-shield flaring to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, we have to go! These things aren't natural!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even as she spoke, the shield began to crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A high-pitched screech rang out as the beetles' mandibles clamped down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier lit up with fractures, as if a thousand tiny saws were gnawing through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Their armor's too strong…\" Ethan muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he noticed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time blood hit the sand, the swarm shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Redirected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were hunting blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not just any blood—powerful blood. Blood with lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's breath caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he inhaled deeply, steadying himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes turned cold. Focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know what to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his hand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And before anyone could stop him, he slashed his own wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp line of red burst forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent hit the air—thick, hot, laced with the pulse of something ancient and potent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield changed in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vmmm—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swarm froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with a deafening roar of wings, they turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire tide of beetles shrieked and surged, drawn like iron to a magnet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And hurled themselves at Ethan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idra's scream tore through the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lunged forward—but an invisible force shoved her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan stood alone at the heart of the desert, golden sigils blooming across his skin like firebrands. Blood dripped from his wrist, tracing a burning symbol into the sand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up, smiling faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon God Force erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pillar of light shot skyward, fire and storm entwined in a roaring column. The swarm of beetles surged toward him—and were crushed mid-flight, bursting into clouds of blood mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky rained crimson shards, thousands of them, dissolving into streams of energy that flowed straight into Ethan's body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel it—cold, pure, and dangerously addictive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah—hahahahaha!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He threw his head back and laughed, wild joy in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I get it now! Their hunger for blood makes them drop their guard—when they're drenched in it, their shells soften!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers of Emerald Castle froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, one by one, his laughter lit a fire in their chests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They slashed their wrists, letting blood spill freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent of it spread across the desert like a war drum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beetles came in droves, drawn like moths to flame—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And were shattered the moment they got close, torn apart by the energy backlash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosions came in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood and light wove together, turning the desert into a dark red inferno.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beetles' bodies, their energy, their flesh—all of it was absorbed into the soldiers, fueling new strength, new evolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>System chimes rang out in the air, one after another:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congratulations, Player Valkarion—your Celestial Dragon bloodline has evolved!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your Aqua Kirin bloodline has evolved!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emerald Castle legion overall power increased by 17.2%!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waves of energy rippled outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky blazed. The desert trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And slowly—finally—the battlefield began to breathe again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the last beetle crumbled into ash and fell from the sky, silence returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air was thick with the scent of blood, hot and heavy like steam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan drifted back to the ground, the sand beneath him soaked red, casting a warped reflection of his silhouette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him, a faint aura shimmered—light clinging to his form like mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked out over the sea of blood-tinged light, chest heaving, heart pounding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't a disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of every devoured beetle was flooding into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the energy surged, a layer of pale gold armor began to form across his skin—thin as scales, but so dense he could feel the hum of power vibrating through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't ordinary defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each plate of armor breathed—drawing in energy, pulsing with life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every inhale and exhale, light flickered across its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is… reinforced armor layer?\" Ethan murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned—and blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same golden armor shimmered across the entire Emerald Castle legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers stared at one another, stunned, then grinning with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could feel it too—their strength still climbing, still evolving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before the awe could settle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vmmm—vmmm—vmmm—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground began to tremble again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From deep within the desert, a new force stirred—vast, thick, and ancient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the blood-red sky, that power was being drawn toward a single, invisible point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It coalesced into a massive ring of light—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And slammed against the translucent barrier that still sealed the desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shockwaves rippled outward in rings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the barrier didn't break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't even crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It only shimmered—like water disturbed by a stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's brow furrowed, deep lines cutting across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They'd slaughtered thousands of those things. The battlefield was soaked in blood and energy. And yet—the barrier still held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze shifted, locking onto the towering pillar of light not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still pulsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brighter now. Stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a heart—waking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realization hit him like a slap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The barrier's power… it's coming from that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew a sharp breath, then stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step. Two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward the pillar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master!\" Elira's voice rang out behind him, sharp with warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he just lifted a hand, waving her off without turning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out with his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fingers stretched toward the blinding light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment his fingertips touched it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like the entire desert convulsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A violent backlash exploded from the pillar, slamming into him with the force of a collapsing mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan was hurled backward, his body flipping through the air before crashing into the sand with bone-jarring force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>",1149,"2026-06-05T15:15:48.805Z",1,"novelbin.me","e29848738590aafe722281d93929f6536e44ba3644b38ae092e613dab2f07c1a","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-709","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-707",1138,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmystic-calling-stone-of-glory-cover.jpg"]