421: Sacrifice

Su Han followed her gaze; the pillar of light twisted like a living thing, and after the dark blue pool water was drawn away, the densely packed skeletons at the bottom of the pool were revealed.

The bones were grayish-green, covered with fine runes, identical to the patterns on Bi Yao's collarbone.

“That’s an altar…”

Bi Yao’s voice was so soft it was almost inaudible; her fingers trembled slightly, and stone fragments rustled down from her fingernails.

“They are sacrificing.”

“Who?”

Su Han frowned, the burning pain in his back making it difficult for him to concentrate.

He reached out to grab Bi Yao, but found her wrist as cold as iron.

Bi Yao did not answer; her gaze was fixed on the pillar of light, her pupils slightly constricted, as if she had seen something terrifying.

Su Han followed her line of sight, and a blurry figure gradually emerged in the pillar of light.

The figure slowly sank, finally landing on the skeletons at the bottom of the pool.

“That’s…”

Su Han’s throat tightened.

The figure gradually became clear, revealing a woman who looked exactly like Bi Yao, but her skin was so pale it was almost transparent.

The dark red patterns on her collarbone were even more intricate than Bi Yao’s, almost covering half of her neck.

She had her eyes closed, her hands clasped over her chest, as if she were sleeping, or perhaps had long since died.

Bi Yao’s breathing suddenly quickened; she abruptly took a step back, her foot slipped, and she almost fell to the ground.

Su Han quickly steadied her, but found her body stiff, not like a living person.

“Bi Yao?”

He called softly.

Bi Yao’s lips moved, but no sound came out.

Her gaze was still fixed on the figure at the bottom of the pool, the fear in her eyes almost overflowing.

Su Han’s heart sank.

He vaguely realized that everything before him was likely related to the secret within Bi Yao.

Those runes, those skeletons, that figure identical to her…

“We need to leave here.”

He said in a low voice, pulling Bi Yao’s arm, intending to lead her back.

But Bi Yao was as if nailed to the spot, unmoving.

Her fingertips trembled slightly, and a faint whimper escaped her throat, like some dying animal.

“Bi Yao!”

Su Han increased his tone, pulling her firmly.

Bi Yao finally snapped back to reality; her eyes unfocused for a moment, then she suddenly grabbed Su Han’s wrist, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

“Go…”

She said hoarsely, “Hurry and go…”

Su Han did not hesitate, pulling her and turning to run.

But the moment they took their first step, the figure at the bottom of the pool suddenly opened its eyes.

They were eyes without pupils, only a dark blue light, like a bottomless cold pond.

“It’s too late…”

Bi Yao’s voice trembled.

The pillar of light suddenly surged, and the skeletons at the bottom of the pool made a clattering sound, slowly standing up.

The bones pieced together into twisted humanoid figures, with dark blue flames burning in their empty eye sockets, approaching them step by step.

Su Han gripped his short blade, cold sweat beading on him from the burning pain in his back. He stood sideways, shielding Bi Yao, and said in a low voice:

“Stay close to me.”

Bi Yao did not respond; her breathing grew more rapid, and the dark red patterns on her collarbone began to slowly squirm, as if coming alive.

The skeletons drew closer and closer; Su Han swung his blade at the foremost one, the blade striking bone and sending out a shower of sparks.

The skeleton swayed but did not fall; instead, it extended its bony claws and grabbed at him.

Su Han dodged sideways, then swung his blade again with a backhand, this time directly severing its spine.

The skeleton finally scattered to the ground, but more bones were crawling out from the bottom of the pool, densely blocking their retreat.

“Bi Yao!”

Su Han turned back and shouted, “Is there any way—”

His words cut off abruptly.

Bi Yao stood rooted to the spot, her eyes tightly closed, all color drained from her face.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she were chanting something, and the patterns on her collarbone writhed like living snakes, slowly crawling up her neck.

“Bi Yao!”

Su Han grabbed her shoulder, but her body was terrifyingly cold, and the veins beneath her skin glowed with an eerie dark red.

The skeletons pressed closer and closer; Su Han gritted his teeth and swung his blade, but there were simply too many, and his arm had already been scratched with several bloody marks by the bony claws.

Blood dripped to the ground, and was greedily absorbed by the skeletons, causing the dark blue flames in their eyes to burn even more intensely.