Chapter 282: Slaying and Harvest

Inside the palace, Luo Jie and Yisu fought side by side with the vampire count in a chaotic melee.

After a few minutes, both were covered in wounds.

Ai Ruiting's swiftness had reached level eight, clearly faster than the two; even without a chance to cast, it fought one against two, still pressing them down. Its unmatched sharp claws easily tore through their armor, leaving gaping wounds, blood gushing.

The vampire's claws were coated with blood toxin; if the two hadn't drunk "Black Blood" in advance, Ya Ke Si would have frantically tried to find a chance to heal them, and they would likely have been infected.

For two legendary novice transcendants to entangle a powerful vampire count was already exceedingly difficult.

Nevertheless, they could not hold out much longer.

"What do we do?"

Mei Lige was anxious and worried, yet helpless.

The sorcerer fused elemental bloodlines to cast, mastering only elemental spells that focused on offense, with few support or control spells; under these circumstances, she had almost no room to intervene.

On the contrary, Ya Ke Si, a high‑rank Pastoralist, could play a greater role.

He continuously applied Purification to his teammates, healing Luo Jie and Yisu, exhausting all means, reaching the limit of what he could do, and could not do more.

"I can barely hold on, so tired!" Ya Si Ke shouted hoarsely.

Continuous casting, with his spirit highly focused for a long time, not only left him exhausted but also drove his soul power to rock bottom.

Lei En took a bottle of Soul-Returning Elixir from his ring and gave it to Ya Si Ke, easing his strain.

He stared unblinking at the battle in the palace, and a plan gradually formed in his mind.

"Mei Lige, I'm going over to help them."

Lei En knew they could not delay any longer; the longer they stalled, the worse for their side, and said, "You all be more careful, maintain protection, but don't worry too much. If it attacks you, I'll rush back in time."

"Alright!" Mei Lige solemnly nodded.

"Lord Count..."

Ya Si Ke was panicked; he was only a high‑rank Pastoralist with fragile defense, and if Ai Ruiting struck without Lei En's protection, he could lose his life instantly.

"Don't worry, with me here, you won't die."

Lei En comforted Ya Si Ke without even turning his head.

He didn't act immediately, but patiently waited for a dozen seconds, until he saw Luo Jie and Yisu drive Ai Ruiting away from the blood pool, appearing on the opposite side of the palace, farthest from his own position, and then launched a charge.

With a whoosh, Lei En stepped onto the thick fungal carpet and, a second later, appeared at the edge of the blood pool.

He intended to destroy the blood pool.

The blood pool had no rim; it was dug directly into the palace floor, about twenty meters in diameter, filled with a blood‑like liquid, extremely viscous, its depth unseen.

At this moment, the entire blood pool churned, spewing scarlet mist outward.

Lei En raised a two‑thousand‑pound great shield and slammed it hard onto the ground.

Bang!

A booming blast reverberated through half the palace.

The ground at the blood pool's edge was built from massive rocks, reinforced with blood‑colored energy barriers, as hard as steel, yet under Lei En's massive force, a piece was still shattered.

Bang bang bang…

Cracks on the ground spread like spiderwebs; Lei En struck four or five times, instantly causing a section of the blood pool's rim to collapse, debris sliding into the pool, making the blood boil even more fiercely.

These damages were only a small portion of the entire blood pool.

If given sufficient time—less than ten minutes—Lei En could shatter a ring of the blood pool, fill it with rubble, and disrupt its operation.

This was undoubtedly a death sentence for the vampire; Lei En instantly became Ai Ruiting's primary hate target.

"You're courting death!"

Ai Ruiting forced Luo Jie's silver sword to slash at his waist, flinging the two enemies aside, turning into a stream of blood mist that shot back toward the blood pool.

At the moment of reappearing, it also triggered a blood‑boiling dash.

In an instant, Ai Ruiting lunged to Lei En's front, ten claws flashing with blood‑colored light, ready to tear Lei En and his armor to pieces.

Lei En had been waiting for this moment.

At the critical instant, his spiked great shield vanished, replaced by an Arcane Torrent staff raised aloft.

A deep‑blue gem at the staff's tip radiated light.

Like a small sun rising, the intense light illuminated the dim palace as bright as day; a ring of fierce shockwaves spread with the glow, emitting a detonating roar.

Boom…

Light Burst Technique!

Ai Ruiting was caught off guard; it feared not sunlight, but vampires are accustomed to darkness, and the sudden flash seared its eyes, rendering it blind, leaving only a blinding white glare, even its thoughts stalled.

This three‑ring Light Burst Technique not only struck the enemy but also hit several teammates.

Luo Jie, Mei Lige, and Ya Si Ke each let out a painful cry and turned to dodge the flash, while Yisu, who was in the shadow plane, fared better.

At the forefront, Ai Ruiting instinctively closed its eyes, realizing it had been knocked to the ground by the shockwave.

The blinding effect lasted less than half a second; the vampire count's strong resistance let it regain sight in time, yet it still saw no enemy.

"Where are the people?"

The thought just formed when Ai Ruiting felt an energy ripple behind it.

It subconsciously turned its blood‑mist form away, but it was already too late.

Within a thirty‑meter radius, the space seemed frozen, the surrounding void pressing, causing the vampire count to emerge from the blood mist in its true form, its speed slowing to less than a normal walking pace.

Its mind was still swift, and it shouted in anger, "Stagnation Force Field!"

"Isn't that human an Iron Guard?"

"How did he become a legendary Arcane Master, not only capable of Light Burst Technique but also able to unleash a six‑ring Stagnation Force Field?"

Ai Ruiting was taken aback, finding it absurd.

It had never seen a spellcaster in heavy armor wielding a great shield; the shield it had just been struck by was stronger than itself, undeniably a legendary Iron Guard, and could even resist the effects of Blood‑Frenzy Madness. It despised such smelly, hard enemies, having no opening, so it refrained from a full assault, planning to deal with him at the end.

Ai Ruiting strained to turn his head and finally saw the enemy behind him.

There stood Lei En, still clad in heavy armor, his left hand holding a staff, the ribbon at its tip disappearing into the void, binding everything within the field.

Then his right-hand mithril greatsword vanished, turning into a warhammer crackling with electric light.

At the same time, a burst of music emanated from him.

Lei En's right arm muscles bulged, his whole body power gathering, swinging the Thunder Hammer to cast lingering afterimages that hammered heavily toward the Vampire Count.

The warhammer's terrifying roar made Ai Ruiting let out a scream.

"Ah!"

It frantically summoned a layer of blood shield; as a melee‑specialized vampire, it cannot keep a shield up continuously, lest it lose its close‑combat ability, unless it fights solely with spells.

With a booming crack, the warhammer struck the shield, unleashing dozens of thick bolts of lightning.

The Vampire's shield defense was mediocre, and Ai Ruiting hadn't invested much effort into it; it was hastily raised, and the hammer shattered it instantly.

Bang!

The shield's shattering back‑lashed Ai Ruiting, spitting blood from his mouth.

Lei En raised the warhammer and struck a second time.

Ai Ruiting's body suddenly swelled, his skin cracking to reveal blood‑soaked, knotted muscles; his once‑handsome face turned grotesquely vile, a massive blood‑filled maw bristling with fangs, eyes turning entirely blood‑red, a pair of broad bat wings sprouting from his back, his whole form slick with dark crimson blood, his aura terrifying.

Blood Demon transformation!

This ultimate Element was Ai Ruiting's final trump card, causing his strength, speed, defense, and regeneration to surge wildly while his sanity plummeted, turning him into a full‑blown killing demon.

Lei En's expression remained unchanged.

His second hammer struck the waist of the now‑Blood Demon Ai Ruiting, blood and flesh spraying, electric serpents dancing wildly, yet it failed to kill him on the spot.

The Blood Demon was slammed into the ground, emitting a low, guttural roar like a beast.

It suddenly spread its wings, its blood‑flesh writhing as it tried to break free of the Stasis Field's bind. The higher its resistance, the weaker the Stasis Field's effect, and the shorter its duration.

Lei En kept his composure and did not deliver a third hammer strike.

Instead, he generated another Stasis Field.

The Arcane Torrent Staff's attached Six‑Ring Spell can be used only twice daily, and this was the final use. The Blood Demon had just regained freedom and hadn't had time to counterattack when another Stasis Field enveloped it, binding it.

Lei En swung the warhammer and struck once more.

Boom!

This hammer landed solidly on the Blood Demon's head, denting half of it, yet its life force was terrifyingly resilient, and it still did not die.

"Damn!"

Lei En cursed, refrained from greedily pursuing the blade, and quickly withdrew from the Blood Demon's bat‑wing attack range.

He glanced at the approaching Luo Jie and Yisu, aimed his staff at the Blood Demon, and, with less than two seconds of Stasis Field remaining, unleashed a Banishment Spell on it.

A mysterious arcane light descended from the void.

As the Stasis Field vanished, the Banishment Spell seamlessly transferred, banishing the Blood Demon into an isolated space, trapping it in place.

Having half its head crushed flat and lost the ability to think, it thrashed and roared wildly within the banishment space.

Lei En keenly observed that the Blood Demon's recovery was weakened in the banishment space, evidently because the space severed its link to the blood pool.

He immediately realized this was a chance to kill the foe.

At that moment, Luo Jie and Yisu arrived, each taking a side of the Blood Demon, surrounding it with Lei En, ready to deliver a fatal blow once the banishment ended.

"How much longer?" Luo Jie asked.

Lei En stared intently at the Blood Demon, then began counting down: "Three, two, one!"

During Lei En's countdown, Luo Jie rapidly downed two bottles of elixir and a large chunk of soul fragment, his body swelling outward, aura surging; when he shouted "one," his silver sword flared brilliantly, simultaneously activating multiple Elements, slicing the strongest strike of his life.

Yisu also drew his anti‑demon slender sword; its tip glimmered with cold light, becoming a thin beam that pierced through.

The translucent banishment space collapsed, and the two attacks landed.

Puff!

The silver sword sliced off a small portion of the Blood Demon's neck, and the slender sword pierced its heart, yet it ignored both, its massive bat wings flinging the two away.

Lei En was prepared; a second Banishment Spell descended, trapping it in place.

Although its link to the blood pool was severed in the banishment space, its wounds still healed rapidly, not enough to be fatal in the short term.

Luo Jie returned, wiping the blood from his mouth, ready to strike again.

"I can only banish it once more at most,"

Lei En voiced a warning: the Arcane Torrent Staff carries five Banishment Spells, but the spell has a flaw—using it repeatedly on the same target in quick succession diminishes its effect, shortening the banishment duration each time.

The Blood Demon's resistance was too high; each banishment halved its duration, with the third lasting at most one second.

The fourth would be almost impossible to take effect.

Once the Blood Demon regains freedom, its speed makes it hard to contain; only a direct confrontation remains, and someone may have to sacrifice.

"I'll control it!" Yisu suddenly said.

He raised his hand and lightly tapped his chest; a golden orb appeared in his hand, its surface bearing several engravings, resembling a golden apple.

Lei En discovered that he could now see Yisu's soul state.

He suddenly understood that this object was what had concealed Yisu's soul.

Yisu cradled the golden orb; it radiated golden light, a soul‑stirring aura spreading outward, straight beams of light flashing around, cutting through obscure, painful symbols; the orb resembled a large lantern, its glow enveloping the banishment space.

A few seconds later, the Blood Demon broke free of the Banishment Spell.

However, as soon as it emerged, it was bathed in light; its towering, blood‑smeared form froze in place, its claws clutching its own neck, a low roar issuing from its mouth.

It was controlled.

Without Yisu's prompting, Lei En and Luo Jie acted together.

He swapped the warhammer for an Extreme Warrior's two‑handed greatsword; the two struck swiftly, and even with blood‑pool replenishment they couldn't recover in time—after a few blows, the Blood Demon's neck was finally severed.

The ferocious skull hit the ground, and the Blood Demon's corpse fell down.

Lei En saw a soul fly out, absorbed it, felt a weight lift from his heart, and this legendary Mid-stage vampire was finally slain.

The energy began to surge.

Within seconds the soul energy spent in battle was restored, then his head swelled, and Lei En hurriedly poured the soul power into several upgradable Elements.

He absorbed less than half of the soul energy; the rest was split by Luo Jie's silver sword, lingering in its head, awaiting the demon hunter to collect.

Even at only half, the converted soul power was still huge.

Lei En felt a bit regretful; had he known, he would have let a few Extreme Warriors follow, not join the fight, stay outside, receive soul power, and perhaps boost one or two more legendary Warriors.

The boiling blood pool gradually calmed.

"Huh…"

Luo Jie exhaled in relief, a look of joy on his face, looked at Yisu and said gratefully, "Luckily you're here; otherwise today would have been difficult."

Yisu nodded, tucked away the golden sphere, merging it into his chest.

Lei En discovered he could no longer see Yisu's soul.

He guessed it must be a remarkably high‑quality artifact, capable of controlling even a legendary Mid-stage monster, terrifying—at least Epic, and possibly a Legend Grade treasure!

But that was Yisu's secret, and Lei En didn't intend to pry.

Mei Lige and Ya Si Ke rendezvoused, both wearing grateful smiles; Ya Si Ke didn't forget to heal everyone's wounds and purify the blood essence in the air.

Luo Jie used his silver sword to split the Blood Demon's corpse, extracting a massive, blood‑soaked heart.

He bit into it without hesitation; the scene was rather gory.

Lei En didn't forget the blood‑colored cloak, stripped it off, and quickly identified its properties. Unsurprisingly, the cloak had high‑grade magical resistance and, regardless of energy type, could mitigate half the damage of any spell.

Just this effect makes the cloak an Epic piece of equipment.

Moreover, it also grants three daily spell reflections and a constant Conceal Aura that masks the wearer's presence.

A ring remained on the Blood Demon's finger, clearly a piece of spatial equipment.

Lei En snapped off the ring, laughing, "Put it here for now; we'll divide the loot when we return."

In less than half a minute, Luo Jie devoured the Vampire Count's heart, quickly changed, let out a low hum, his pupils dilated, his aura leaking uncontrollably, his whole being entering a strange state—signs of soul ascension.

"Great!"

Mei Lige's face was full of cheering excitement.

The others were also pleased for Luo Jie; they had ventured to hunt the Vampire Count, and the primary objective was finally achieved.

Luo Jie, excited, raised his silver sword and said gravely, "Let's go, kill all the vampires in this lair, leave no lingering threat."

"Alright." Ya Si Ke responded immediately; as long as he doesn't face Ai Rui Ting, he fears nothing.

Lei En opened the palace's stone gate, and the party rushed out.

The passage leading out of the lair was blown shut by Luo Jie; the Space Anchor's effect persisted, and no vampire could escape.

After more than ten minutes of sweeping, the vampires in the third‑level cavern were completely exterminated.

They also looted Ai Rui Ting's decades‑long amassed wealth—Gold Shields, gems, alchemical materials, rare items… Roughly valued at over three hundred thousand Gold Shields, comparable to sacking a dragon's hoard, filling Lei En's Dimensional Ring and gem brooch to the brim.

Half an hour after entering the lair, the Space Anchor's effect ended.

"We can withdraw now."

Lei En drew his Arcane Flood Staff and directly opened a portal back to Mei Lige's home.

However, as soon as the portal opened, a graceful mysterious silhouette stepped out, bringing with it a terrifying pressure that left Lei En and the others startled and bewildered, raising their weapons in defense.

(End of Chapter)