Chapter 167: The River of Blood

While Elara explained, Cassian surveyed the instance.

They stood in a barren expanse of gravel and hard earth. A great circle of light enclosed the arrival point behind them and the ground for a hundred meters around it.

"So there are other entrances," he said. "I wonder which races they lead to. Any other Humans?"

The barrier would last a few minutes, protecting newly arrived Lords from being ambushed by explorers from other territories. At least the system gave them that much consideration.

Several kilometers away stood a huge city, the obvious place to begin exploring. Parties of Human swordsmen patrolled the land between the city and the arrival point. Cassian could see Elite Greatswordsmen among them, and the occasional Rare Sword Dancer.

He frowned.

Everything looked peaceful. His powerful Spirit told him something was wrong.

He bought premium-grade Aether Crystals through the Exchange and fed them to the Battle Name.

"Godslayer."

Gold flickered at his brow. The Battle Name activated, raising his attributes by thirty percent.

At the same moment, Liora leaned close and lowered her voice.

"Lord. There are enemies nearby."

Cassian gave a barely perceptible nod.

Elara’s explanation had reminded some of the others of the Sword Saint too.

"I’ve heard about him," Seraphine said. "People never agreed on whether Julian Lind was a hero or a villain. In his later years, he became so obsessed with the sword that he drove every other Lord out of Swordheart Region."

She paused.

"The real reason so many people searched for it was the Swordgrave. An Epic weapon forge."

Eyes brightened around her.

"An Epic forge?" Tobias said. "Get that Blueprint, and we could keep making Epic weapons!"

An ordinary Domain Blacksmith could produce equipment no higher than Rare. For higher Qualities, a Lord needed a special Building Blueprint. The Swordgrave was one of the best-known examples.

It only forged swords. Even so, in some ways it could be worth more than a troop Building. Heroes and troops kept gaining Levels, and their equipment had to keep up.

A piece of Level-45 Legendary equipment from Glory Battlefield might offer worse attribute bonuses than an ordinary Level-70 Rare piece once its owner reached that Level.

With an Epic Swordgrave, they could keep forging Epic weapons at the Levels they needed. And sell the surplus.

"Even if we find and destroy it, there’s no guarantee it will drop a Blueprint," Gareth pointed out. "Not unless we have an Epic Heavenwork Design."

"You’re worrying about something we haven’t even seen," Darian said. "It might just be the same name. Let’s start exploring. Right, Cassian?"

"Quite right." Cassian turned to Varek. "Take the lead."

"Yes!"

Cassian knew someone was hiding nearby. He did not yet know who they were or what they could do. This was why he had brought the Sorns.

The others began preparing for a fight.

"Wait."

Maren’s sharp warning stopped them. Darian’s Hero lowered her hand, ending Aura Sight, and turned to him.

"Lord, a huge killing formation surrounds us. The arrival point is inside it too."

Everyone looked around in alarm.

"Can you tell which formation?" Cassian asked.

Maren regarded him far more favorably now. Lord Edran himself had taken an interest in him and awarded him a billion Aether. Cassian had returned the favor with three hundred grains of Legendary Moonrice for Darian. She had both personal and practical reasons to appreciate him.

"If I’m not mistaken," she said politely, "it’s a Blood River Formation."

"Blood River..."

Cassian recognized the name.

Even with Godslayer strengthening his already formidable attributes, he had only detected the enemy’s presence. Maren was an Epic Hero at Level 50, yet she had identified their methods as well.

Someone who had lived for thousands of years was a treasury of knowledge. Strong skills were only part of what made such Heroes valuable.

"To build a Blood River Formation, its caster must first connect to the River of Blood," Maren told Darian. "Our enemy must be a pure-blooded descendant of one of the ancient Bloodkin clans. For your safety, I suggest we withdraw and consider our approach."

"I think we’re too late," Cassian said.

Tobias cried out.

"Spatial travel is sealed!"

An elegant voice rang through the empty air.

"You noticed the formation. Perhaps Humans deserve a little more credit than their place in the Racial Ranking suggests."

Blood-red light spread above them.

"I meant to wait until your barrier vanished and trap you with the rivers. Instead, you’ve made me waste a precious Spatial Lock Scroll. Still, you seem strong. I hope your rewards make it worthwhile."

Blood poured from empty space, forming winding rivers throughout the surrounding kilometer. Like veins in a living body, they covered the sky and the ground, filling every approach.

In an instant, the clear world became a realm of blood.

Faces tightened around Cassian.

"The formation draws on the River of Blood," Maren said. "The longer it runs, the stronger it becomes. The cost rises too. We should break out immediately."

She had wanted to keep Darian from taking an unnecessary risk. Now that fighting was unavoidable, she had every confidence in Riftward’s strength.

Cassian accepted her advice.

"Varek, Ysel, Maera. Your Swordmasters take the front. Everyone, break through!"

"Yes!" the three answered with fierce eagerness.

Bronze light flashed at Darian’s brow, then Elara’s and Nessa’s. All three had activated their Battle Names. None had faced this formation before. They brought their full strength to bear.

As the party moved out of the barrier, one of the blood rivers began to churn. It hung two meters above the ground and was only a few meters wide.

Shapes rose from it, slowly hardening until they looked carved from red gemstones. Their lower bodies remained joined to the river. Above it, they took the forms of Humans, Insectkin, Angels, and Divines.

There were tens of thousands of those narrow streams.

[Blood Effigy]

[Level: 45]

[Quality: Common]

[Combat Rating: 240★]

"Effigies are only the formation’s puppets!" Maren called. "As long as it has energy, it can make more. Don’t get bogged down. Get beyond the rivers!"

A Swordmaster cut down two beast-shaped Effigies with one stroke. They collapsed, then swiftly formed again as power flowed into them from the river.

The Bloodkin Lord’s voice returned.

"Lords with a large instance at their doorstep are seldom weak. Unfortunately, you met me."

The sea of blood boiled.

Refined and Elite Effigies rose in great numbers. Here and there, Rare giants more than ten meters tall towered over the rest. They surged toward the party together.

The Bloodkin Lord was committing his strength, intent on ending the fight quickly. That first wave would have overwhelmed ordinary Lords.

Riftward’s leading Lords were another matter.

Nessa raised a hand. Twelve Crownward Knights advanced to meet the attack.

She had spent all the Battle Essence she had saved to raise them to Level 45. They had no Hero’s Command to strengthen them, but with her Bronze Battle Name behind them, they cut through the Effigies with ease.

"Echoing Stomp!"

One knight stamped down. Blood Effigies shattered within ten meters of him. Even the rivers broke apart, section by section.

"Epic troops?"

The hidden Bloodkin Lord sounded uncertain. Then his voice rose sharply.

"No. Those are Legendary Crownward Knights! A whole squad? Have I stumbled onto Human royalty? An heir of one of your great sects?"

The other Lords stared at Nessa too. Some had noticed her knights earlier, but had assumed they were an impressive squad of Champions at most.

Even Darian had yet to field a full squad of Legendary troops. Nessa had twelve.

Then they remembered Cassian asking her to stay behind yesterday. Envy filled their eyes.

"Something went on there," Tobias muttered. "Something definitely went on there."

High above them, a pale young Bloodkin slowly emerged from a tributary a hundred meters in the air. He wore an immaculate tailcoat. Below the waist, his body remained wrapped in the river.

"Excellent."

He clapped softly.

"But if you think one squad of Crownward Knights can get you out of my Blood River Formation, you’re dreaming."

He lifted a hand.

"Legendary troops. Do you think you’re the only ones who have them?"

His voice took on a rich, theatrical lilt.

"My noble kin, have you tired of drinking from Human thralls? Go. Make these Human champions our dinner."