Chapter 956: Entering the Blood Pool

"Alright, you've all tested and inspected. If you haven't found anything amiss, why not come over and discuss how to activate the formation and retrieve the bones? After all, we've endured countless hardships to reach the depths of this great ruin, not just to take a look and be done with it." Although Ekuai's expression remained calm, his tone was clearly impatient.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang, Sun Tu, Qin Yuan, and the others found it hard to delay further. After all, their various investigations had indeed turned up nothing unusual.

They exchanged glances and then gathered around Ekuai.

By now, Han Li and Shi Chuankong had circled to the other side of the altar, where they saw three more white stone arch bridges spanning the abyss around the altar, leading deeper into this space.

That area lay buried in deeper darkness, beyond the reach of the firelight, and was completely invisible.

Hearing Ekuai's summons, Han Li and the other stopped, hesitated briefly, and then turned back.

"It seems no one has found anything wrong with the altar formation. Given how my previous experiences align so well with this place, I believe the content on the stone tablet is mostly true. How about we activate the altar according to the method recorded there?" Ekuai said, seeing everyone gathered.

"Ahem... In that case, please enlighten us, City Lord E, on how to activate the formation," Qin Yuan said.

"This blood sacrifice formation has five pivots, requiring five people to activate simultaneously. I asked several city lords to join me in the formation because your profound cultivation and strong physiques can withstand the immense pressure during operation. The rest will serve as protectors. Thus, each city contributes, and the distribution of gains will be fairer." Ekuai said after a moment's thought.

Many frowned upon hearing this.

No one spoke for a while, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Seeing this, Ekuai did not urge them but slowly swept his gaze over the four city lords: Sun Tu, Chen Yang, and the others.

"City Lord E, could you clarify the risks during the formation's operation? We need to be prepared to avoid panic in case of trouble," Sun Tu asked after some hesitation.

"For cultivators like us, opportunities for fortune are always born from danger. Rather than risks, I'd call it a great opportunity, depending on how much each of you can take," Ekuai said with a faint, noncommittal smile.

"City Lord E, what do you mean by that?" Fu Jian asked, frowning.

Han Li and the others also looked puzzled.

"According to my speculation, when the blood sacrifice formation operates, a vast amount of flesh-and-blood power will turn into dense blood mist and overflow from the blood pool. The five people in the pivots guard the channels where the mist emerges, like a single warrior holding a pass against a charging army. When the surging blood energy rushes out, that is when you receive the power infusion," Ekuai said, glancing back at the altar.

"So, by staying in the pivot positions, we can absorb the flesh-and-blood power from the pool and enhance our strength?" Fu Jian asked, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Most present showed delight, though Chen Yang and Han Li had some concerns but said nothing. Sun Tu also frowned, not fully believing Ekuai's words.

Han Li instinctively felt the blood formation was not that simple. Such infusion techniques were bound to be dangerous, so he had no intention of participating. His real interest lay not here but likely beyond the three stone arch bridges, behind the stone door hidden in darkness.

"Fellow Daoist Fu is correct. However, you must endure great pain. I urge you to bear it until the skeleton is drawn out by the formation's power and surfaces," Ekuai nodded.

"Infusing flesh-and-blood power into the body does bring great benefits. But if the formation runs continuously and endlessly, how can our small-pond-like bodies contain the sea of power from the blood pool? If it cannot be stopped, it would be like seawater flooding in, destroying the embankment," Sun Tu said slowly after pondering.

Qin Yuan and the others suddenly realized and turned their eyes to Ekuai.

"Rest assured, the five pivot statues are interconnected without hierarchy. If one of us cannot bear the power infusion, the excess will be evenly distributed to the others, maintaining balance. If we truly reach the breaking point, we will all fail together and explode," Ekuai said nonchalantly.

"So the risk is still considerable," Sun Tu said, still hesitant.

"City Lord Sun, if you want to seize an opportunity without any risk, that's hardly befitting a hegemon. If you find it too difficult, you can simply yield the chance to me," Shao Ying suddenly grinned.

Among those present, besides the city lords, only he was qualified to enter the formation.

Sun Tu's brow relaxed, and he laughed heartily:

"Haha... Elder Shao jokes. I merely have some doubts, not fear of entering the formation."

"Rest assured, if we all reach the breaking point simultaneously, I will lead everyone in withdrawing the formation. Follow my instructions, and you'll be safe. Any more questions?" Ekuai asked with a smile.

After murmuring among themselves, everyone indicated they had none.

"In that case, please memorize the activation and deactivation incantations. Once familiar, we will enter the formation," Ekuai nodded.

Then, without hiding anything, he recited the activation incantation aloud.

After a moment, Ekuai waved his hand and commanded, "Enter the formation!"

With that, the five city lords leaped up and landed on the heads of the five statues.

Following Ekuai's instructions, Han Li and the others moved away from the central blood pool to watch from a distance.

The five city lords sat cross-legged, forming hand seals and chanting the activation incantation.

At first, the blood sacrifice formation showed no reaction. But as the chanting continued, the blood pool began to change: the mist in the center receded toward the five corners, revealing a large area of the pool's surface.

The exposed surface was not calm; fist-sized bubbles rose with a "gurgling" sound.

At the same time, the statues beneath the five began to change.

Han Li, always wary of the five statues, was the first to notice.

He frowned slightly and let out a soft exclamation as he saw a layer of fine patterns emerge on the statue beneath Chen Yang. Without close inspection, one might mistake them for scales.

But when the patterns glowed with a bright red light, everyone realized they were tiny runes similar to flying star runes.

As the runes on all statues lit up, the statues' eyes suddenly opened, revealing blood-red, murderous glints.

Then, a rumbling sound came from underground, shaking the entire altar.

The blood in the sacrificial pool seemed to boil, bubbling violently and churning. The dense mist surging toward the five corners began to spiral upward in columns.

The statues' mouths gaped wide, and the blood mist flowed into them.

In an instant, a pentagram array appeared above each statue's head, emitting a blood-red beam that enveloped the five city lords, including Ekuai.

Almost simultaneously, the five let out a long cry, and thick blood mist surged out, entering their bodies through their seven orifices, turning their skin blood-red.

As everyone marveled, the runes on the five statues grew brighter. From their wings, a blood-red light spread outward, connecting with each other to form a light barrier that enveloped the entire blood pool area.

"This is..." Duan Tong exclaimed in surprise.

"Don't worry, it's just a barrier to protect the formation. It will disappear once the city lords stop the formation," Shao Ying said, glancing at him.

The pig-faced youth Fang Chan watched with rare focus, standing behind Sun Tu's statue, eyes wide as he peered through the barrier.

As large amounts of blood mist emerged from the statues' heads and merged into the five city lords, their eyes turned blood-red, and around their eye sockets, many blood-red crystals formed, resembling scales.

Feeling the power continuously flowing into them, each wore a similar expression.

Both tense and excited, both wary and expectant.

Chen Yang's expression was solemn. He closed his eyes and felt carefully for a moment, finding that while the barrier enclosed them and the blood pool, it had no binding force. This eased his mind somewhat.

Sun Tu exchanged a glance with him and nodded silently, also noticing this. He figured that if something went wrong, he could break free from the formation and continue activating it.

Fu Jian and the others also made similar attempts, their expressions calming as they focused on activating the formation and feeling the powerful energy entering their bodies.