Volume 4 – Perpetual Conflict, Chapter 64: Spatial Restriction
The pair of small wings on the dark golden blood energy began to move faster and faster. The feeling Qianye was getting from the northwest was also becoming more and more intense.
He could almost see clearly, in his consciousness, a certain space in rapid transformation. It was forming an incomparably large vortex as if something was about to charge out from within. Apparently, the entrance was just nearby and would open any moment.
But Qianye’s movements had already been compromised—the warriors coming down from the isolated mountain peak were of extraordinary strength, especially the leader. He definitely wasn’t an ordinary champion.
At this time, Qianye had two choices. If he ran directly toward the entrance of Andruil’s treasure, he would surely expose its location. If he ran toward a different direction and the group sent out news of his presence, he would soon be swarmed by the dark race forces converging upon him. And that was assuming he could outrun the group coming after him.
Qianye no longer had the time to ponder on his options. He clenched his teeth and ran frantically, raising himself to top speed within moments.
Immediately noticing Qianye’s rapid fleeing movements, the leading group from the peak left the other warriors far behind and began to chase after him in succession. However, there was no way for them to shorten the distance so quickly.
A world-shaking whistle suddenly echoed from the tall peak as a number of figures rose into the air and tore through the sky at incredible speeds.
Qianye’s heart immediately sank after glancing back at the mountaintop. There were indeed characters there at the level of count or perhaps even greater. Recalling William’s top speed, he knew he would only have the chance to sprint a couple of times.
The pair of small wings in Qianye’s body shook continuously as he ran with many imperceivable fluctuations emerging from his body and spreading far into the distance.
The scenery not far in front of him suddenly began to distort. The silhouette of a great door gradually appeared with prismatic beams of lights sweeping around it. The image behind the door was rather fuzzy, but after a moment of stabilization, one could actually make out the indistinct outline of a dense forest.
If not for an obvious difference in the types of trees, one might even suspect the scene to be a mirror image of the current forest.
Qianye had no prior experience with space traversal. In truth, he had only learnt of the existence of large origin arrays and space passages while studying the basic theory of firearm arrays. But right now, he had no time to ponder what dangers might lie behind this peculiar scenery as he ran straight into it.
The tiny wings on the dark golden blood energy stopped shaking and Qianye felt his limbs being filled with energy from an unknown source. It felt as if he would rise into the air the very next moment.
His back, on the other hand, felt as if it were being pierced by countless needles—the sensation of extreme danger almost seemed to brush past his ears—this was because the experts from atop the isolated peak were closing in on him. Qianye leapt up without thinking; his body felt exceptionally light as it left the ground. After reaching the limit of his ordinary jumping height, he rose even further into the air before steadily entering the spatial door.
The prismatic beams of sweeping light suddenly became chaotic after Qianye’s figure disappeared, and the great door was even showing signs of dissipation.
Li Rui, who was just a short distance behind, let out a great roar. Dazzling origin power radiance erupted from his body as the image of a gigantic azure snake appeared behind him. Its gigantic amber eyes shot out slender beams of light which irradiated the half-dispersed door.
The haphazard beams of multi-colored lights ground to a halt and were frozen in place, effectively stabilizing the space therein. However, Li Rui seemed to have exerted himself to the extreme, turning as pale as sheet within moments with his forehead full of sweat.
The vampire count was only one step slower than Li Rui. His figure shot forward into the spatial door like a bolt of lightning, followed by a number of slightly weaker vampires.
The originally stable door immediately began to fluctuate with great intensity after the group of vampires entered. Li Rui appeared heavily injured. His bloodless face turned ashen as he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Despite his efforts to hold on, the azure snake image behind him was becoming increasingly dim and indistinct. There were thin streams of blood flowing down its eyes.
Soon afterwards, the spatial fluctuations from the door became even more intense as the vampire count was spat out amidst wretched screams.
The vampire count was enveloped by a faint layer of white light. Droplets of white water formed continuously in the air and poured down upon him like fine rain. The water drops immediately burst into raging flames the moment they came in contact with his body, charring the count’s skin until it was as black as coal.
The vampire count tumbled down from the air. The rain of white water drops was like his own shadow—it closely followed his every movement and poured onto him without the slightest deviation. The pale white flames burned the vampire count until he was screaming in continuous misery.
Li Rui momentarily drew in a breath of cold air. He had noticed that these white waterdrops were a liquefied form of condensed daybreak origin power. Such pure daybreak origin power was extremely toxic to creatures of darkness origin like vampires.
He would have a hard time imagining such an outcome if he hadn’t witnessed it personally. The defenses within the personal space of a great dark monarch actually included daybreak origin power. How was a great dignitary of the Evernight Faction actually able to command a daybreak origin power so pure that it had condensed into liquid form?
His heart trembling, Li Rui made a prompt decision to stop maintaining the spatial door.
He rushed toward the vampire count and shot out a thin beam of light from each finger which pierced through space and dispersed the lingering daybreak origin power mist in the air. Finally, the count was saved from the burning white rain.
The count lay collapsed on the ground and was barely able to stand up with support even after his subordinates arrived to apply simple first-aid.
The largely dispersed spatial door flickered a number of times and spat out two vampire viscounts before vanishing completely.
The two viscounts were similarly enveloped in raging daybreak origin flames. They were far weaker than the count and thus had already turned into charred corpses by the time they were expelled.
The vampire count was greatly astonished after the spatial door disappeared. “Don’t tell me we can’t enter anymore?”
Li Rui’s eyes transformed as he observed the area where the spatial door used to be with vertical serpentine pupils. Moments later, he said with a deep voice, “No, we might still have a chance to reopen it. However, it’ll require a great amount of resources and the help of experts.”
The vampire count immediately replied, “I’ll notify Duke Garis right away. Rest assured, anything you need will be provided as long as you can open that spatial door.”
The vampire count turned to instruct his subordinates. A certain vampire viscount flew away like a bolt of lightning without a care for his own injuries. Only afterwards did the count’s complexion recover slightly.
They had found the entrance before everyone else and had thus made a great contribution. Not only would they receive ample rewards, but they would also enter the sights of those major characters from the Evernight Council. However, not to mention them, even Duke Garis wouldn’t be able to escape heavy punishment if the Black-Winged Monarch’s treasure were to be snatched away by the mysterious person who had entered before them.
Fortunately, the spatial door had only spat out two vampire viscounts—a viscount and two barons still remained within. Presently, they could only pin their hopes on the group inside to capture the bastard who had snuck in.
At this point, the vampire count felt slightly more relaxed. Although he had no idea who this person actually was, he had seen the other party’s strength during the short pursuit, and it was only at the level of a knight or at most a baron. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been chased to the point of compromising the door’s location.
The count and Li Rui didn’t have to wait very long. Before even an hour had passed, the wind and clouds began to stir in the distant skies as faint peals of thunder echoed through the air. A number of figures appeared in the distance, and although they were still quite far, the transmitted pressure was enough to stifle everyone’s breath.
Even Li Rui’s expression was somewhat pale.
Within moments, a vampire elder stood before the group.
He was clad in a black trench coat with golden rambler roses around its sleeves and a holy grail insignia on the chest. The elder’s countenance was as pale as a sheet and his skin hung loose. Both the corners of his mouth and deep blue eyes were drooping downwards.
This vampire who seemed so old that he would die any moment was Duke Garis of the Lakins clan, one of the thirteen ancient vampire clans.
Even someone as powerful as Li Rui had to show due respect before this vampire duke.
Duke Garis tossed a briefcase toward Li Rui and said, “Here’s everything you need. Now, open that spatial door again.”
“I need about ten minutes.” Li Rui immediately opened the case and began to make the necessary arrangements. As expected of an expert in the field of arrays, he completed the deployment of a sizeable array even before ten minutes had passed.
Li Rui’s aura, at this time, was much weaker than before. He stood up and wiped the sweat of his brows while regulating his condition for a moment. Then, he walked to the center of the array and shouted, “Open!”
Several minute beams of light shot out from the origin array and illuminated the air, wherein the outline of a spatial door slowly came into being.
Duke Garis gazed at the gradually stabilizing door but didn’t enter immediately. He even stopped a certain count behind him who wanted to charge over.
Duke Garis said slowly after a moment of observation, “The Black-Winged Monarch left a restriction within this space. Those greater than the rank of viscount will suffer strong attacks after entering. The more powerful they are, the greater the retaliation.”
Everyone glanced at each other—a count was badly injured, and the corpses of two viscounts lay before them. This proved just how powerful the spatial restrictions were. Since even Duke Garis wasn’t willing to take this risk, the other experts naturally wouldn’t dare to make this attempt.
Garis turned around and instructed, “Send out this command; transfer everyone above the level of knight and below the level of viscount over here within three hours.”
A number of vampire experts immediately left.
At this time, Li Rui whispered as if he had thought of something, “Sire, if even the restrictions at the entrance are so powerful, the viscounts inside might suffer severe limitations to their activities.”
He naturally had other words he wanted to say—it was certain that Andruil had made such arrangements in order to prevent others, apart from his descendants and servants, from entering this place. Even if they sent low-leveled warriors into the space, it would only serve to avoid the defensive capabilities of the entrance. They still had no idea what kind of dangers lay within.
Duke Garis replied slowly, “It’ll be alright. I’ll attack the space continuously in order to draw away a portion of its power. It shouldn’t be a big problem for the rank-two or rank-three viscounts to enter at that time.”
“Shouldn’t be a big problem…” A chill rose from the depths of Li Rui’s heart. Not a big problem meant that there was still a problem.