8: Blood Pool

The White-Haired Steward laughed toward the heavens, giving the female sword cultivator an appreciative look.

"I like the way you talk, girl."

"Follow me from now on, and I won't treat you poorly."

The female sword cultivator immediately bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Steward!"

The White-Haired Steward said, "Once this is over, we will undergo a transformation."

"We'll become Cultivators of the Treasure Pavilion once again."

"We'll Cultivate when we need to and enter seclusion when we need to."

The other silver-masked Cultivators all burst into laughter as well.

Although Gu Changan couldn't hear what they were discussing, he sensed that it certainly wasn't anything good.

And so, he waited and waited!

After about a day, hundreds of Cultivators had gathered in the woods—all of them penniless, unlucky souls!

The Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators on the perimeter finally stopped waiting.

The leading White-Haired Steward tossed something out; a palm-sized boat expanded in the wind, turning into a massive, hundred-meter flying boat.

Gu Changan and the others were then forced onto the flying boat.

As the flying boat slowly ascended, a wave of panic swept through the gathered Cannon Fodder.

No one knew what these people from the Blood Fiend Alliance intended to do.

What would be the fate of their group?

Gu Changan also felt uneasy and secretly hid in a corner.

He began frantically duplicating yellow rank supreme grade explosion talismans and yellow rank supreme grade vajra talismans.

Only these two types of Talismans could give him a sense of security.

One for massive explosions, one for massive protection.

The Crimson Treasure Qi inside the crimson gemstone was used until it was almost depleted.

He duplicated over 100 yellow rank supreme grade explosion talismans, but only about 50 yellow rank supreme grade vajra talismans.

Now, only one-tenth of the Crimson Treasure Qi remained.

This last tenth wouldn't change much in the grand scheme of things, so he kept it just in case he encountered a better treasure on the way that could be duplicated to change his situation.

Shortly after, he felt as if they had passed through a membrane.

Gu Changan immediately became alert; they had entered an Ancient Forbidden Land again.

After all, he had only recently escaped from an Ancient Forbidden Land!

Moreover, it had only been a short hour since they left the previous location.

There was no doubt this ship had entered an Ancient Forbidden Land!

Why were these people entering the Ancient Forbidden Land? Gu Changan pondered.

He couldn't figure out the key reason for a while.

Most likely, they were being used as Cannon Fodder!

Or perhaps to investigate a powerful Restriction?

Or maybe they had discovered some powerful ruins that required human blood to open the gates?

Gu Changan could only think of these possibilities; he would have to find the right moment to get away as quickly as possible.

The flying boat traveled for another hour or so before it began to descend.

It landed on a crimson-colored swampland.

On one side, there were some scattered rocks, and the stones were covered in dried bloodstains.

On the other side was a treacherous marsh where some puddles were filled with red blood-water and others with black sewage.

However, fine, dense bubbles were rising from all of them!

It seemed that either a great battle had taken place here before...

Or their boatload of people was not the first group.

Near the rocky beach, there was a massive downward-sloping cavern.

It was pitch black, and it was unclear where it led.

Gu Changan's group was driven into the cavern.

This time, the situation looked grim, but everyone was too afraid to speak out.

They slowly walked inward along the downward-sloping passage.

The ground beneath their feet was slimy soil mixed with blood-red liquid.

Gu Changan suddenly noticed stray Crimson Treasure Qi floating around, which gathered onto him and disappeared.

Through internal vision, he discovered the bronze small cauldron in his Dantian was continuously gathering Treasure Qi from all directions into his Dantian.

Gu Changan was thrilled. Could there be some kind of treasure nearby?

To be able to emit such intense Treasure Qi.

It made sense; these people had gone to such great lengths to bring so many Cultivators for sacrifice, all for the sake of a great treasure!

Gu Changan's heart was filled with complex emotions, and he didn't know what to do.

A treasure was right before him, but he didn't have the strength to get it!

And he had even been captured to serve as Cannon Fodder!

He silently followed the group, absorbing Treasure Qi while observing his surroundings.

After descending about one or two hundred meters, the passage below suddenly opened up!

Below was a massive cavern, its walls all blood-red.

Near the wall in the center was a blood-colored pool of unknown depth!

Only thick bubbles were constantly churning!

At this moment, the Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators from behind also closed in, and the leading White-Haired Steward laughed instinctively.

The White-Haired Steward said, "Hurry up."

"This time, we should succeed."

The Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators drove the large group of Cannon Fodder toward the blood-red pool.

Before they even reached it, the blood-red pool suddenly began to rise.

Red blood overflowed from the pool and flowed in all directions.

Many people's feet were covered in blood.

Gu Changan's feet were also covered in blood.

But in his heart, a storm was brewing; this blood contained a massive amount of Treasure Qi.

He saw the treasure gathering basin in his Dantian area frantically absorbing Crimson Treasure Qi, and the crimson gemstone was filled in a short moment.

The excess Treasure Qi could only be stored within the treasure gathering basin itself.

The space inside the treasure gathering basin was enormous, and Gu Changan didn't know exactly how big it was.

He felt a steady stream of Crimson Treasure Qi gathering into the treasure gathering basin through the soles of his feet.

Gu Changan didn't know what to do. For now, there was no immediate danger, so he could only take it one step at a time!

But as the saying goes, what you fear most is what you get!

Several people closest to the red pool stopped moving as they walked.

Their clothes were still intact, but the flesh on their faces slowly turned crimson.

Just like the crimson gemstone!

Gu Changan began to observe the expressions of the Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators behind them to see how they would react.

As it turned out, those people acted as if they hadn't seen anything and continued to drive the Cannon Fodder forward.

It seemed they knew what was happening and were already accustomed to it!

Gu Changan began to calculate in his mind. It seemed this red blood-water would turn people into jade.

Because of the treasure gathering basin, he hadn't changed at all!

Could the reason people were turning into jade be the Treasure Qi?

Because the Treasure Qi was being absorbed by his treasure gathering basin, he didn't undergo any transformation.

Seeing the people beside him starting to struggle to even move their feet.

Gu Changan knew he couldn't wait any longer.

If the Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators discovered his anomaly, he would be the first to die!

Looking at the Blood Pool still ten or so meters away.

Gu Changan gritted his teeth and jumped directly into the Blood Pool.

Just as Gu Changan thought, jumping into the Blood Pool did not produce any ill effects.

It was just a bit difficult to breathe, and the blood-water corroding his skin was somewhat uncomfortable!

Gu Changan took out the bronze small cauldron, which grew to be over a person's height, and then he dove directly into the treasure gathering basin.

Then, the treasure gathering basin slowly shrank to the size of a palm and sank to the bottom of the pool.