Chapter 255: Crisis Returns

Two hours later, the outer perimeter of the Discarded castle.

Lin Yifan stood on the trunk of an ancient tree, gazing from afar at the ruined structure.

The castle had long since collapsed by more than half, leaving only a few towering towers and shattered walls; vines and moss covered the stone, giving it a gloomy, ancient feel. Yet strangely, a faint eerie red light flickered on the central plaza.

"Captain!" a lowered voice came from below.

Lin Yifan looked down; Ruan Qingtan was hiding in the bushes waving at him, while Hong Shaoqiang cautiously scanned the surroundings, tightly gripping a short crossbow.

He leapt down, landing lightly.

"Are you all right?"

"Temporarily safe," Hong Shaoqiang said in a low voice, his face solemn, "but this castle feels off; we discovered an altar underground, and…"

He paused, his eyes a bit uneasy.

"And what?"

Ruan Qingtan bit his lip and whispered, "Around the altar… it's all corpses."

Underground altar.

The three descended the narrow stairs, the air thick with rot and blood. The torches on the walls had long been extinguished, only the ruby at the altar's center emitted a bizarre glow, illuminating the whole space.

Lin Yifan's pupils narrowed slightly—

Around the altar lay dozens of corpses in a haphazard spread; some were desiccated, as if their life force had been drained; others were fresh, clearly having died recently.

Most chillingly, every corpse wore a grotesque smile on its face.

"They're… smiling?" Ruan Qingtan's voice trembled.

Lin Yifan approached a corpse, examined it closely, and found a tiny blood hole in the chest, as if something had pierced the heart.

"It's not ordinary slaughter…" he said softly, "they were Sacrificed."

Hong Shaoqiang tightened his grip on the short crossbow, his voice taut: "You mean someone performed some kind of ritual here?"

Lin Yifan gave no answer, but slowly raised his head, looking at the ruby at the altar's center.

"We have to destroy it."

However, just as he took a step—

"Hehehe… finally someone came."

A cold voice rang out in the darkness.

The three spun around and saw a figure cloaked in black robes emerge from the shadows, a pale face beneath the hood, a sickly smile at the corner of its mouth.

Night Priest Morris

Level:???

Danger Level: Extremely Lethal

Lin Yifan's heart suddenly tightened—

This guy is a hundred times scarier than the Shadow Wolf King!

The black-robed figure slowly raised his hand, dark red energy coiling around his fingertips like writhing veins. His voice was hoarse and cold:

"Those who trespass the altar… will become nourishment for the Red Moon."

Lin Yifan instantly drew his bronze greatsword, the golden patterns on the blade dazzling under the red light. Ruan Qingtan swiftly nocked a longbow, Arrow aimed at the black-robed figure, while Hong Shaoqiang crouched, the short crossbow ready to fire.

"Who are you?" Lin Yifan asked in a deep voice.

The black-robed figure let out a low laugh, gave no answer, and instead waved his hand lightly—

"Swish!"

The corpses around the altar suddenly convulsed, then their chests split open, crimson tendrils bursting out, writhing like living things as they lunged at the three of them!

"Careful!" Lin Yifan shouted, swinging his sword fiercely at the nearest tendril.

"Pfft!" The blade sliced through, the tendril was cut, but the cut end immediately sprayed corrosive blood, splashing onto his arm, instantly burning a charred black patch.

"Sss—" he gritted his teeth against the pain, retreating quickly.

Ruan Qingtan's Arrow shot through the air, striking another tendril precisely, but the Arrow was corroded by the tendril's surface slime, turning into black smoke in an instant.

"Physical attacks are limited!" Hong Shaoqiang growled low, quickly switching to a special explosive crossbow bolt, "Try this!"

"Bang!" The crossbow bolt struck the tendril's base, the explosion's shockwave shattering several tendrils, yet more tendrils surged from the corpses, seemingly endless.

The black-robed figure stood beside the altar, watching coldly, the smile at his mouth growing more feral.

"Useless… your struggle only makes the ritual more perfect."

Lin Yifan felt a weight in his heart—this guy hadn't even tried a real attack; merely manipulating the corpses forced them into a hard fight, and if he acted personally…

It must be decided swiftly!

He suddenly activated Shadow Step, his form flickering behind the black-robed figure, the bronze greatsword imbued with holy light slashing down fiercely!

"Clang!"

The blade halted three inches from the black-robed figure's neck, as if striking an invisible barrier.

The black-robed figure slowly turned, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Nice skill… unfortunately, you're too weak."

He raised his hand and grasped, Lin Yifan instantly felt an invisible force clamp his throat, his body lifted into the air!

"Captain!" Ruan Qingtan shouted, trying to rescue, but several tendrils coiled around his legs, immobilizing him. Hong Shaoqiang was also forced into a corner, out of crossbow bolts, only able to swing a dagger to barely resist.

Lin Yifan struggled to breathe, his vision blurring, yet he stared fixedly at the black-robed figure, gritting his teeth:

"You… actually… want to do…"

The black-robed figure leaned close to his ear, whispering:

"On the day the Red Moon descends, the night will devour everything… and you are merely offerings."

Just as Lin Yifan was about to suffocate—

Boom!

A silver‑white blade of light fell from the sky, cleaving the altar in two! The black‑robed man was forced to let go, and Lin Yifan crashed to the ground, coughing violently.

He looked up and saw a familiar figure standing at the center of the shattered altar, silver armor gleaming, long sword like frost.

Ai Ruili Ya!

She stared coldly at the black‑robed man, her voice as bone‑chilling as ice:

"Mo Lisi, you have crossed the line."

The black‑robed man stepped back two paces, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, then a mad grin returned.

"Silver Dragon Knight Corps also came to join the fun? Too bad... you cannot stop the Red Moon's arrival!"

Before the words finished, his body suddenly turned into a wisp of black mist, dissipating into the air, leaving only a cold laugh echoing in the altar.

Lin Yifan forced himself to stand, gasping, "He got away?"

Ai Ruili Ya shook her head, "Just a duplicate; his true body is not here."

She turned to Lin Yifan, brow slightly furrowed, "You shouldn't have come here."

Lin Yifan gave a wry smile, "We didn't expect to run into something like this either."

Ai Ruili Ya was silent for a moment, then raised her hand and waved; silver light flashed, and the remaining tendrils turned to ash.

"The Red Moon is approaching; this world will become ever more dangerous," she said in a low voice, "If you want to survive, get stronger quickly."

After speaking, she turned and walked toward the altar ruins, reaching for the ruby. The gem trembled violently in her palm, then with a "crack" it shattered, turning into countless red specks that faded away.

Lin Yifan watched the scene, shocked, and couldn't help asking, "What exactly is this?"

Ai Ruili Ya did not look back, merely said lightly:

"The seed of disaster."

"And now... it has already been scattered."

Ai Ruili Ya's words plunged the underground altar into dead silence. The shattered ruby turned into countless points of light, like blood‑colored fireflies drifting in the darkness, finally vanishing without a trace.

Lin Yifan stared at the fading red lights, a strong unease rising within him.

"The seed of disaster... what does that mean?" he pressed.

Ai Ruili Ya turned, her silver armor reflecting the lingering red light with a cold metallic sheen. Her gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over Lin Yifan and the other two.

"You have already seen those sacrificed corpses," she said, her voice low and solemn. "Mo Lisi is a priest of the Nightfall Cult; they worship the 'Red Moon' and believe that when the Red Moon rises, the world will undergo 'Purify'."

"Purify?" Ruan Qingtan's face turned pale. "Does it mean... destruction?"

Ai Ruili Ya nodded slightly. "They use a special ritual to convert life energy into Red Moon power, hastening the Red Moon's arrival. Each such Red Moon gem is the condensation of tens of thousands of lives."

Hong Shaoqiang inhaled a cold breath, "Then that one just now..."

"It has devoured at least fifty lives," Ai Ruili Ya said, her gaze landing on the corpses around the altar with strange smiles. "And this is only one of many altars."

Lin Yifan clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. He recalled the black‑robed man's morbid grin, and a churn rose in his stomach.

"We must stop them," he said in a low voice.

Ai Ruili Ya gave him a glance, a hint of complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

"With your current strength, you can't even handle a single duplicate of Mo Lisi," she said bluntly. "The immediate priority is to improve yourselves. Before the Red Moon arrives, the Nightfall Cult's activities will become increasingly frequent; you must be careful."

She walked to the altar's center, took a small silver vial from her waist, and poured its liquid onto the altar's patterns. The intricate runes immediately emitted a "sizzle" sound, gradually melting away as if being scorched.

"I am purifying the ritual traces here," she explained. "Otherwise this place will continue to attract dark creatures."

Lin Yifan suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Wait, you said 'the Red Moon is approaching'... how long exactly?"

Ai Ruili Ya's movements paused for a moment.

"According to this world's calendar, there are thirty days left," she lifted her head, her silver pupils reflecting Lin Yifan's shocked face. "In thirty days, the Blood Moon will rise, and darkness will descend."

"A month?!" Hong Shaoqiang exclaimed. "How can we possibly prepare in time!"

Ai Ruili Ya tucked away the silver vial and headed for the exit: "So, seize every minute."

As she passed by Lin Yifan, she whispered, "I sensed the energy ripple of 'Shadow Step' on you. This skill suits you well; make good use of it."

Lin Yifan was stunned, not expecting her to notice that, but before he could respond, Ai Ruili Ya had already turned into a flash of silver light, disappearing at the top of the stairs.

The three stared at each other, the cave echoing only with their heavy breathing.

"What now?" Ruan Qingtan asked softly, his voice still trembling.

Lin Yifan took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. He opened the system interface to check his status:

Name: Lin Yifan (All attributes increased by 50%: remaining time 8 minutes)

Age: 23

Strength: 102

Agility: 136

Physical Stamina: 84

Intelligence: 142

Remaining attribute points: 0

Life Tier: Transcendent Fourth Stage (upgrade to Supernormal Twelfth Segment, can breakthrough to the next Life Tier)

Day One Talent: 【Random Buff, one draw per day!】

【Once daily you may draw a lot, receiving various buffs with different effects; the draw resets at 12 a. m. each day. Are you an 'Euro Emperor' or a Non‑lucky? It shows on your face!】

【Today's buff: Random Attribute increased by 50%】

Day Two Talent: 【Ice Body】

【Passive Skill 1: Frost Affinity (All ice‑type skill effects increased by 50%, casting speed increased by 30%). Immune to extreme cold environment debuffs.】

【Passive Skill 2: Frozen Body (When attacked, automatically generates ice armor that mitigates 20% ice damage.】

【Active Skill 1: Eternal Frost Field (When activated, creates a 10‑meter radius ice field centered on self; enemies within continuously suffer frostbite, slow, and may become fully frozen, lasting 15 seconds (duration and strength increase with Intelligence).】

【Active Skill 2: Extreme Speed Ice Flash (Within the Frozen Domain area, you can teleport; as long as intelligence is sufficient, theoretically you can teleport infinitely.)】

Third Talent: Shadow Power

【Shadow Divinity (Fusion Rate 1%)】

【Shadow Sovereign (Beginner)】: can merge into shadows for a short time; unless a life tier is more than 5 levels higher than yours, your whereabouts cannot be detected.

【Shadow Transit: can instantly move between shadows, maximum distance 5 meters】

Life Skill:

【Beginner Skinning】 (Proficiency 1000/12)

【Beginner Cooking】 (Proficiency 1000/66)

Special Item: 【Mythril Cast Iron Pot·Unique (Creator: Barolinte)】

【Attribute: Delicious +5 Physical Stamina Recovery +3】

【Item Status: Repaired】

【Special Effect: When cooking, there is a chance to trigger "Delicious Critical Hit", doubling food attributes.】

Special Item: 【Mage Level Inherited Memory (left by Keluositin)】 (Already soul‑bound; can be learned after life tier breaks through to Transcendent Great Perfection)

【Evaluation: A very good seed contestant, already broke through to Transcendent Tier 4 so quickly; although it's not a remarkable stage, it's still worthy of praise!】

There are still eight minutes of double‑attribute time; we can still give it a shot!

"We need more points, stronger equipment and skills," they closed the interface, eyes firm, "Thirty days, we must become strong enough."

Hong Shaoqiang nodded: "I heard that the 'Gloomy Canyon' in the east has high‑level monsters, killing them yields a large amount of points."

"Too dangerous," Ruan Qingtan frowned, "Given our current strength…"

"So we need teamwork," Lin Yifan interrupted her, "Not just the three of us, we must also contact other survivors. Post a message in the chat channel to gather those willing to team up."

Lin Yifan opened the system chat channel and quickly typed a message:

【Emergency Call: Discovered a Dark Night Sect conspiracy, Red Moon will descend in thirty days! Recruiting strong teammates to go to Gloomy Canyon for point farming; interested parties contact quickly. — Lin Yifan】

After the message was sent, the channel instantly erupted.

【Zhang Hao: What the heck? What Red Moon? Is it real?】

【Li Mengqi: What is the Dark Night Sect? It sounds so scary...】

【Wang Tiezhu: Boss Lin, please take me! My Strength is 23, can tank and fight!】