89: Chapter 90 Bloodshed on the Outer Ring

Before dawn, the fog in the Western Outer Ring was thoroughly stained blood-red. A black-red trail of fire seeped out from the Main Stele Area, spreading outward along the base of the broken steles. Wherever it passed, gray soil churned and old steles trembled; the newly formed blood path of the outer ring was instantly dyed into a glowing crimson.

First came a muffled thud from behind the fog—not a beast's roar, but the crisp sound of Stele-Armor Beasts colliding with broken steles. Immediately after, countless black shadows darted out from the fog layer, lunging along the ground and causing the fire trail at the edge of the blood path to hiss and crackle.

Qiao Ye slammed his long shield onto the ground, the fire patterns on the shield's surface exploding outward as he forcibly blocked a lunging Stele-Armor Beast. His roar shook the surrounding fog: "You've come fast! We just cleared half the road, and you're already here to steal the credit?"

Lu Jin stood in the center of the blood path, the Vanguard Command in his palm burning hot. His divine vision unfurled instantly, revealing the herd of beasts behind the fog with absolute clarity: "It's not to steal credit; they're coming for the main core piece. Over forty of them, split into three waves. The center is the densest, and the flanks are feints."

No sooner had he spoken than three Stele-Armor Beasts broke through the fog, charging straight at Lu Jin. Their dorsal bone plates shimmered with gray light, and their mouths were lined with barbs. Their drool hissed as it hit the ground, instantly burning small pits into the soil.

"Press forward!" Before Lu Jin's voice had even faded, Qiao Ye had already charged forward with his shield. The shield surface collided violently with the beast's head with a boom. The Stele-Armor Beast was knocked back three steps, crashing into a broken stele, causing a crack to appear in its hard bone plates.

Wen Zhao's fingertips flared as the fire trail surged, two ropes of fire binding the hind legs of two beasts. He shouted a sharp command: "Second tier, fill the gap! Don't let them flank us; that's the blind spot of the Fire Well!"

But they were still a step too slow—two Gray-Flame Ridge Hounds seized the opportunity to dart out from the flank, aiming directly for the fragment of authority at Lu Jin's cuff. It was the most conspicuous source of divine aura aside from the main core piece.

Just as their fangs were about to touch the fragment, two cold white shadows descended from the sky. The Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow dived, its wingtips trailing icy patterns. With one talon, it pierced the eye socket of a Ridge Hound, and with the other, it slammed down onto the back of the beast, forcibly pinning both hounds into the gray soil. Black fire coiled around their limbs, instantly burning them until they let out miserable howls.

"Nice work!" Qiao Ye grinned, flicking the tip of his shield to pierce the soft underbelly of a Stele-Armor Beast. Black-red fire spread along the shield's surface, causing the beast's body to hiss and emit black smoke.

Lu Jin, however, did not relax. He pressed his palm down, and black fire surged, his divine power spreading along the blood path and tearing a gap in the fog layer: "Don't get greedy for kills! The central herd is moving toward the Fire Well. If they knock over the Fire Well, the entire blood path will collapse!"

Wen Zhao immediately retracted his line, the fire trail wrapping around the ankles of the central herd and forcibly slowing their charge: "Captain Lu, there are two hidden lines on the right, hiding behind the broken steles, and they haven't moved!"

"Leave them to me." Ning Yanqiu's voice came from the Divine Domain. With a tap of her staff, three streaks of black fire flew from the direction of the Priest Court, landing precisely behind the broken steles. The two hidden herds of beasts were instantly forced out. The moment they showed their heads, they were swarmed by the Red-Eyed Rat Tide—the rats darted along the ground, specifically targeting the soft underbellies and joints of the beasts, tearing the two herds to pieces in the blink of an eye.

Wu Fu's voice followed immediately, carrying a note of urgent shouting: "Lu Jin! Divert half a fire trail to me! The nest entrance has been grazed by the herd; if you don't do something, the egg tray will be contaminated!"

"Shift three inches to the left; you can borrow the Fire Well line." Lu Jin's tone was steady. With a flick of his finger, a fire trail from the Outer Fire Well instantly diverted, snaking along the rat path to the Second Branch Nest, perfectly shielding the perimeter of the egg tray. The small beasts attempting to approach were instantly burned to ashes by the fire trail.

Qiao Ye shouldered his shield, his back already soaked with sweat, yet he still held firm against the frontal assault of the beasts: "Lu Jin, if you don't end this soon, my shield won't be able to hold!"

"Almost there." Dark red fire patterns flared in Lu Jin's eyes, and the Vanguard Command in his palm lit up completely. "Fix the line from high altitude, close the net from below, Sacrificial Fire fill the gaps—retract!"

At his command, the entire field instantly linked up: the Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow sealed the gap in the sky, the Red-Eyed Rat Tide blocked the beasts' retreat, the Bone-Armor Furnace Guards pushed forward with the fire trail, and the Sacrificial Fire spread along the patterns of the broken steles, trapping the last few resisting beasts within a circle of fire.

With a boom, the last Stele-Armor Beast was swallowed by the black fire. The fog layer gradually dispersed, and the blood path finally became clear again. The ground was littered with beast corpses and scorched gray soil, but the blood path itself, now opened, glowed with dark red fire, leading straight toward the Main Stele Area.

Qiao Ye sat down on the ground with a thump, panting heavily, and tossed his shield to the side: "Finally over... This wave of beasts was much fiercer than expected."

Wen Zhao crouched down to inspect the fire trail at the edge of the blood path, his tone grave: "It wasn't just fierce; someone was pushing them from behind. I saw a shadowy figure earlier; it didn't look like a native beast. It looked like someone let them in on purpose."

Lu Jin rubbed the Vanguard Command in his palm, his divine vision unfurling once more. Sure enough, he caught a trace of lingering aura behind the distant broken steles—it wasn't from the Pei family, nor was it the Northern Territory team. It was an unfamiliar fire pattern, carrying a strange, eerie chill. The moment it touched his divine range, it was suppressed by the fiery aura of the main core piece.

"No need to chase." Lu Jin said, shaking his head with a firm tone. "He doesn't dare to show his face; he just wants to test our limits."

Just then, Instructor Han Tiecheng's voice came through the iron fire order, deeper than before and carrying a hint of approval: "The Western Outer Ring blood path is open. The Military Court's blockade line will retreat three zhang. Rest in place for half a quarter of an hour. In ten minutes, enter the perimeter of the Main Stele Area—remember, the fog around the Main Stele has not dispersed. Do not approach the stele base without authorization; violators will be dealt with for disobedience!"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, their voices echoing across the blood path, causing the surrounding broken steles to hum.

Ning Yanqiu put away her staff, the gravity in her eyes fading slightly, though her tone remained serious: "The power of the main core piece is still overflowing. It must be sealed into the battle map as soon as possible, otherwise it will attract another herd of beasts, and next time it won't be as simple as just over forty."

Lu Jin nodded and pressed his palm down, the black fire sinking. The main core piece instantly settled into the center of the battle map. The surrounding dark red fire patterns gradually calmed, and the old patterns on the broken steles lit up again, perfectly aligning with the battle map's patterns: "Seal position."

Gray-red threads of fire spread along the battle map, intertwining with the light of the authority fragments. The outer ring fire buckles locked firmly without the slightest deviation. The power within the Divine Domain finally stabilized completely, with no more chaotic fluctuations.

Wu Fu's voice carried a hint of triumph, as well as a touch of heartache: "The egg tray was saved, and it even picked up the fiery aura of the main core piece. From now on, I can save half the rations for the rat swarm! But Lu Jin, you owe me three batches of Gray Cavity eggs; remember to make them up!"

"Put it on my tab." Lu Jin said in a flat tone, though his gaze fell into the fog layer at the end of the blood path—the fog there had not yet dispersed. The outline of the Main Stele was vaguely visible, its surface covered in old patterns, as if scorched by fire, or perhaps markings deliberately carved by someone, exuding an ancient and mysterious sense of oppression.

Qiao Ye stood up, brushed the gray dust off his body, and shouldered his long shield again: "We should be entering the Main Stele Area next, right? We can't just keep guarding this blood path forever."

Wen Zhao organized the battle report fire talismans, his tone steady: "The fog in the Main Stele Area hasn't dispersed yet, and Instructor Han's blockade line can only hold for another half an hour. We must set up the defensive line around the Main Stele before the fog disperses, otherwise the power of the main core piece will spiral out of control again."

Lu Jin raised his hand, the black fire at his fingertips flickering slightly, synchronized with the dark red firelight of the distant Main Stele: "No need to rush."

His divine vision unfurled once more. This time, there were no chaotic images, no out-of-control power—only the low hum of the Main Stele, the trembling of the battle map, the rhythm of the troop lines. Everything was under his control—the Gate of Divinity had opened completely. The power was no longer chaotic but flowed according to his will, coursing through every section of the blood path, every broken stele, and every troop line.

"Rest for half a quarter of an hour, then enter the Main Stele perimeter." Lu Jin looked up at the massive stele body vaguely visible behind the fog, a flash of sharpness in his eyes: "This time, it's our turn to take the initiative."

Qiao Ye stood straight immediately, the surface of his shield lighting up again: "Understood! Standing by at any time!"

Wen Zhao retracted his fire line to his waist, his gaze vigilantly fixed on the fog layer: "I'll go scout the path to ensure there are no hidden lines around the Main Stele perimeter."

Ning Yanqiu tapped her staff, and the Sacrificial Fire spread along the blood path, laying out a fiery border ahead: "I'll calibrate the fire sequence to prevent the main core piece from overflowing with power again."

Wu Fu hugged the egg tray, a smile playing on her lips: "I'll guard the branch nest and the rat lines, and I guarantee I won't hold us back—but Lu Jin, don't forget the Gray Cavity eggs you owe me."

Lu Jin looked at everyone before him, the Vanguard Command in his palm lighting up gently. The dark red fire patterns echoed the light of the Main Stele from afar. The fog at the end of the blood path was dispersing bit by bit, and the massive Main Stele was slowly revealing its full appearance.

He spoke softly. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable power that resonated throughout the entire blood path: "Move out. See you in the Main Stele Area. Don't lose the lines, don't overstep, and don't break the formation."

The Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow flapped its wings and took to the sky, the Red-Eyed Rat Tide lined up in order, and the Bone-Armor Furnace Guards pushed forward steadily. The fire lines spread along the troop formations, and everyone's steps were uniform as they advanced, step by step, toward the Main Stele Area.

The fog layer gradually dispersed, and the body of the Main Stele became increasingly clear. The old patterns, scorch marks, Military Court insignia, and the crack that went deep into the stele's core were all visible with absolute clarity.

Lu Jin walked at the very front, the Vanguard Command in his palm pulsating in sync with the dark red firelight of the Main Stele. Divine power circulated within his body without the slightest disorder—he knew the real hard battle had only just begun. And this time, he was no longer the novice who needed to issue orders step by step, but the core who could command the entire situation and stabilize the battlefield; he was the backbone who could support the entire team and suppress all risks.

The blood in the Western Outer Ring had not yet dried, and the low hum of the Main Stele still echoed in their ears, but this vanguard group had already shed its greenness. Every troop line, every fire sequence, and every unit of troop resources was under his control as they advanced firmly toward the Main Stele Area.