Chapter 534: Chapter 534
The legends spoke of other continents beyond the seas, far from the lands ruled by the orthodox sects. Remote places that few dared to speak of, where the rules of heaven and earth twisted in unnatural ways.
Han Yu had been unsure of how true the words of his fellow disciples who had read the legends and stories were. But now... he was not so sure.
If the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect truly hailed from one of those distant continents, then everything he thought he knew about power, heritage, and cultivation paled in comparison.
Still, there was nothing he could do but observe. His curiosity burned, but he kept his head low, pretending to be just another follower among thousands.
He glanced at the disciples ahead.
They were descending the plateau through a long and winding staircase carved directly into the rock. From above, it looked like a serpent uncoiling from the mountain's heart. Han Yu followed them silently, keeping to the rear of the group.
As he descended, the view opened up before him.
Below stretched a vast land teeming with life. Entire sect compounds were scattered across the plains, pavilions, training arenas, courtyards, and great halls with roofs of black jade and crimson tiles. Streams of faint red mist drifted lazily over the forests and lakes, reflecting the moonlight like ripples of liquid blood.
It was terrifying and beautiful all at once.
The most striking feature, however, was the massive river that ran through the landscape like a living artery. Its waters shimmered a deep, translucent red, branching into countless smaller channels that flowed through every corner of the sect's territory.
Han Yu could see bridges of black stone arching over it, and from this height, the river almost seemed alive, pulsing faintly as if in rhythm with some vast, unseen heart.
His eyes followed the river upstream until he saw where it began.
In the far distance rose a mountain unlike any other... a colossal peak that dwarfed everything around it. Its base was wreathed in thick crimson clouds, and its summit pierced the heavens themselves. It looked less like a mountain and more like the corpse of an ancient god turned to stone.
Above that peak hung the moon.
The same crimson moon he had seen upon arriving, only now he realized something strange about it. It was far closer to the ground than a real moon should be. From this vantage point, it almost looked as though one could fly to it.
Han Yu's heart beat faster.
'Could it be a real celestial body, or was it something else entirely?'
The light from it bathed everything below in a soft red glow, painting the landscape in shades of scarlet and shadow. It gave the illusion of a world frozen between night and dawn, neither fully alive nor truly dead. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
As he stood there, gazing at that wounded moon, a question formed in his mind... a question that refused to fade.
What was this moon, truly?
Was it the source of the sect's power, or was it a prison for something far more terrible?
Han Yu did not know, but one thing was certain.
Whatever this place was, he was standing in the very heart of perhaps the most dangerous power in the entire Violet Eve World.
After a minute of trying to compose himsef, Han Yu quietly merged into the crowd descending the long staircase. The steps were carved directly into the black stone of the plateau, broad enough for a hundred people to walk side by side.
Crimson mist hung over the slopes like a living veil, occasionally parting to reveal glimpses of the sprawling sect below. The faint rumble of conversation echoed across the descent, mingling with the rhythmic sound of thousands of footsteps.
He kept his head low and tried to look natural. There was no point standing out. The last thing he wanted was someone to ask why a supposed member of the sect looked like he had just arrived for the first time in his life.
The air was heavy, carrying the faint metallic tang of blood. But now that the elders were gone, the tension that had gripped everyone earlier had begun to fade. For the first time since arriving, Han Yu heard the disciples talking freely among themselves.
"After a mission like that, the Enlightenment Caves are going to be packed," someone said ahead of him. "All that slaughter has my mind buzzing. I might even have an epiphany this time."
"You? Epiphany?" another voice laughed. "Last time you went in there, you fell asleep for three days. You came out drooling and said you achieved enlightenment through dreams."
"That was a special meditation technique," the first replied defensively, earning more laughter.
Han Yu's lips twitched slightly.
He did not dare smile too much, but the conversation had a strange, human normality to it that he had not expected from a sect filled with murderous lunatics.
To his left, another group was chatting animatedly.
"I'm heading to the Mission Hall first thing," one of them said. "The elder said the credits have already been added. I heard those who killed over fifty opponents get double rewards."
"Fifty? Hah. I finished off sixty-seven," another bragged. "My name should be carved on the merit stele by now."
A third man snorted. "That's only if your kills were verified. Those that were crushed under debris or died from spatial disturbance won't count. Don't forget, the Blood Stele rejects false offerings. You'll end up with your points drained instead."
Han Yu quietly absorbed their words, filing away every bit of information.
'Hmm... They don't seem too different.'
The more he listened, the more he realized that, despite their barbaric aura, the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect functioned much like any other major sect. They had divisions, a mission system, and even rewards for achievements. The difference lay only in their values. Here, slaughter itself was considered a form of cultivation.
But that knowledge did not make him feel any more comfortable.