Pool of Blood

Just as Wang Ye walked out of the passage, before he could take a look around, a ripple of energy fluctuation emerged in the air.

"Wang Ye, die for me!"

Luo Ping's roar rang out as he swung a knife towards the figure that looked just like Wang Ye, slashing at his neck.

The figure seemed to be completely unaware as the long knife slashed at his neck. It was as if the knife had slashed into a pile of mud. Under Luo Ping's astonished gaze, the long knife sank in.

Very quickly, the knife turned red hot, as if it had encountered high temperatures. Luo Ping instinctively loosened his grip on the knife hilt.

But it was already too late. His hand was severely burned, with twisted flesh and blood.

The long knife liquefied into molten iron, continuously dripping onto the ground. The wound on his neck instantly healed.

Standing behind, the real Wang Ye saw this scene and silently took note of this figure's ability.

At this moment, Luo Ping was also filled with shock. Disregarding the pain transmitting from his hand, he looked at the figure in disbelief.

"Wang Ye, when did you become so powerful? Could it be that you've awakened some other ability?"

Noticing that Wang Ye didn't respond at all, Luo Ping's eyes flickered as he cautiously retreated to the side. In this unclear situation, he didn't dare to make another move.

Hidden behind, the real Wang Ye saw this scene and inwardly sentenced Luo Ping to death, although it wasn't yet time for him to make a move.

No longer paying attention to Luo Ping, Wang Ye smelled the thick bloody odor and looked around.

The layout was similar to a basement. Not far away were several skeletons, dressed in monks' robes, sitting in a circle.

At the very center was the corpse of an old monk, seemingly dead for a very long time.

Unlike the other skeletons, his body still had a layer of skin and desiccated flesh and blood, vaguely revealing his facial features.

But there was no longer any energy fluctuation within his body.

Many lines were carved into the ground, as if some kind of sacrificial rite had been performed.

Within the circle formed by the skeletons was a pool of blood, filled to the brim, seemingly boiling and continuously bubbling.

Iron chains pierced through the monks' chests, extending deep into the blood pool.

Most eye-catching of all, the corpse-like old monk held an ancient tome in his hands, with slightly yellowed pages.

Lin Nan's eyes were now filled with excitement as he recalled the records he had read about this scene in the Buddhist texts during his time at the Buddhist sect.

The old man's eyes also contained greed, though his gaze was fixed on the blood pool.

After his unsuccessful attack, Luo Ping had swiftly retreated to a corner, adopting a stance of non-participation.

Hidden hostility permeated the air, originating from the impending confrontation between them. It seemed the skirmish had already begun.

The old man was the first to lose patience. He rushed to the blood pool, kicked a skeleton aside, and pulled the iron chains out from the skeleton's body, tugging incessantly.

All the iron chains shook, emitting clear sounds.

But something heavy seemed to be tied at the bottom, as no matter how hard the old man pulled, the chains didn't budge one bit.

It was as if a signal had been fired.

Lin Nan followed closely behind, but his target was the ancient tome in the old monk's hands. His eyes radiated scorching ardour.

If this was a lost incomplete Buddhist art, obtaining it would absolutely allow him to surpass the other candidates from the Buddhist sect. His chances of success would also be greater.

Wang Ye paid no attention to these two. He was still observing Luo Ping.

Although the old man and this Buddhist cultivator were equally unfathomable, Wang Ye felt that Luo Ping was slightly more crafty.

Perhaps it was because he had nearly died by Luo Ping's hand.

But what surprised Wang Ye was that Luo Ping showed no intention of taking action. He continued to stand calmly at the edge, coolly watching this scene, allowing the other two free rein.

One could hardly believe that he had been bursting with murderous aura just a moment ago.

The iron chains continued to shake violently, seemingly lifting up slightly higher with the old man's efforts compared to before.

On the other side, Lin Nan passed through the old monk's body in an uncanny manner, as if the old monk was merely an illusion rather than a real existence.

Lin Nan froze in place, looking at the old monk beside him in disbelief. He stubbornly grabbed at the monk once more.

Like an illusion, the old monk's form turned vague in the air. After Lin Nan's hand moved away, he reverted to his original appearance.

A projection?

Wang Ye watched this scene, constantly analyzing in his mind.

No, it couldn't be a projection.

Wang Ye could clearly sense that this old monk's desiccated corpse truly existed right before his eyes.

A bizarre ability of the Buddhist sect? Also similar to spatial abilities?

"Is this place really free of any danger?" Wang Ye had been standing guard at the passage entrance. Seeing that no strange occurrences had happened no matter what the old man and Lin Nan did, he became even more vigilant.

If the ambushes above were lethal enough, they were likely meant to shield this so-called basement to some extent. He didn't believe there were no contingencies within the basement.

At this moment, the motionless figure finally moved.

Wang Ye's gaze instantly focused on the figure. He was rather curious what this doppelganger would do next.

Under everyone's watching eyes, the figure slowly walked to the edge of the blood pool and lightly crouched down.

Next, a cut appeared on his wrist with a flick of his finger.

Bizarrely, no blood flowed from the wound, as if his body contained no blood at all.

The figure stretched his entire arm into the blood pool and silently waited.

The blood pool quieted down for a moment before seemingly boiling even more intensely, visibly decreasing at a rapid pace.

Did this ghost need fresh blood to piece together its body?

Wang Ye's pupils slightly contracted as he closely observed.

Finally, when the blood pool had decreased by about one third, the figure satisfyingly retracted his hand.

By now, blood had started oozing from the wound on his wrist.

The wound healed at an extremely swift pace, as if nothing had ever happened.

But the figure's facial expressions and gaze had become discernibly more vivid.

As the blood pool lowered, words faintly emerged at its edges, deeply carved into it.

However, the words were too ancient to make out their meaning.

But Lin Nan's eyes instantly lit up. Somewhat crazed, he rushed to the pool's edge and lay prone on the ground, excitedly looking at the words, continuously chanting some abstruse phrases.

He could understand them?

Perhaps he could be spared to serve as a translator.

That old man also seemed to know what was under the blood pool. He could be asked as well.

In that case, Luo Ping no longer had any use.

Wang Ye continuously analyzed the situation. In his mind, Luo Ping was now one step closer to death.