Chapter Forty-Four: The Resurrection of the Blood God's Heart

“Not good!” Tolelia’s expression changed. The pillars of light surrounding them were clearly weakening, and the vampire lords nearby began to stir restlessly. Right now, they were relying on the magic formation to keep the enemy confined here—if it broke, things would get troublesome. Although a single vampire lord was no match for a Saint, there were too many of them to easily pursue. Moreover, at this moment, battles were erupting all across the city. The seven great lords had come in person; naturally, their vampire subordinates were legion. Now, numerous commanders were causing havoc everywhere in the city, forcing the Nightwalkers to race from one crisis to the next. This was mainly because the undead legion outside the city had pinned down the White Knights—otherwise, even if they were ten times bolder, the vampires wouldn’t dare barge into the city so brazenly. But now, they acted without restraint.

Meanwhile, Mu Rongxun was following alongside a Nightwalker, repeatedly slaying vampires nearby. The vampires were simply too numerous, and even they couldn’t avoid getting wounded. Thankfully, he had potions on him; otherwise, he would have collapsed long ago. Through these repeated battles, the Nightwalker finally came to approve of Mu Rongxun and was willing to fight at his side. As a result, when they joined forces to slay commander-level vampires, Mu Rongxun, being involved, earned more merit.

“What nerve!” The Nightwalker heard the angry roars echoing from afar and spoke coldly. “Follow me!” With that, he stopped trying to clear out other vampires and broke into a run. Though he didn’t know what had happened, Mu Rongxun decided to follow. This way, he could catch the spoils—a far more efficient and less exhausting way than hunting alone.

As the Nightwalker sprinted ahead, Mu Rongxun gradually realized their destination. “The treasury?” He was surprised to recognize it—never expecting to become involved in this quest in such a way. In truth, he had already planned to give up on this mission. Now that he had found ways to break free from Aphisoia’s threats, he no longer cared about quest progress and could focus on hunting vampires with peace of mind. Yet fate liked to play tricks, and so, by this twist, he was brought here.

When they arrived, they saw that the grand doors of the treasury had already been flung open. “Damn it!” the Nightwalker cursed and charged inside.

Mu Rongxun followed silently, strong and composed. Entering through the doorway, he first passed down a corridor, then descended a staircase. He had to admit, this treasury was magnificently built—tall, resplendent with gold and jade, worthy of royalty. As they descended, they finally began to hear sounds—faint at first, then clearer: the noise of fighting, and the howls of creatures. But the sounds quickly faded.

The Nightwalker sped up. Mu Rongxun, covertly using a Windwalker potion, barely managed to keep up. Suddenly, the stairs ended in another corridor. After a brief walk, Mu Rongxun saw the Nightwalker facing off against several people. In the vast hall ahead, nine figures stood in four groups. The Nightwalker stood alone at the corridor's mouth. “Don’t go in!” he warned in a low voice.

Mu Rongxun now recognized the people in the four groups. Wen Feng stood with the white-haired youth who had previously bought all his potions, while Wang Junfeng stood with an unremarkable-looking young man. On another side, Fang Yuan was with the Exile King, whom Mu Rongxun had briefly encountered at the castle. The last group consisted of Nightshade, Boya, and the Elder of Insects. It was easy to imagine that, before the Nightwalker arrived, these people had been in a tense standoff; his arrival had forced them to unite against a common foe.

Besides these, the massive hall also held a huge corpse lying still, its breath gone. Mu Rongxun was unsurprised—after all, these were people from higher realms, lurking here for a long while. They certainly had their own means, and even if some of their power had been sealed, at a critical moment, they’d use everything they had. The black ape, for example, had interfered with their mission and was finally killed in an outburst.

Thump, thump, thump! A powerful heartbeat echoed through the air. At this, the Nightwalker quickly retreated into the corridor, while the other players immediately covered their ears. Mu Rongxun was at a loss—he felt no effect. “Don’t go any closer—the Blood God's heart is awakening!” the Nightwalker warned gravely. Although he didn’t quite understand what was happening, out of camaraderie forged in battle, Mu Rongxun chose to trust him.

Moments ago, when facing the vampires, they could entrust their backs to each other; now, in this situation, the Nightwalker had no reason to harm him, so trusting him was the wisest choice. Seeing him nod, the Nightwalker said nothing more, only watched the hall and awaited what would happen next.

The heartbeat continued, growing stronger and faster than before. The more it intensified, the more anxious the Nightwalker became. Meanwhile, as Wen Feng and the others listened, it seemed as if their own hearts were beating in time with it. With each accelerating beat, their faces flushed with blood. The sound made them irritable, as if their very life force was boiling over, ready to burst from their bodies. Among them, the weakest—Nightshade, Boya, and the Elder of Insects—were the most affected, especially the Elder of Insects, whose power depended on the bugs he raised. At this moment, he seemed to have met his nemesis, unable to muster any defense. Nightshade and Boya fared no better.

“What is that thing?” Fang Yuan shouted irritably. The aftereffects of his recent transformation began to show; though brief, the irascible nature of the Iron Gold Ape was starting to affect him. “Don’t lose your head!” Wang Tian patted his shoulder.

Fang Yuan let out a long breath, slowly calming himself. “That sound agitates your emotions—don’t let it affect you!” he warned. But even without his reminder, the others were already on high alert, as if facing a deadly threat.

The heartbeat pounded like a war drum, its rhythm steady and relentless. “Enough of this trickery!” Wang Junfeng shouted, pulling out the Thunder Drumsticks to counter the sound with sound. Sure enough, the situation improved somewhat.

But soon, the heartbeat grew chaotic—now slow and methodical, now hurried and frantic. Listening to it felt as if a great weight pressed on the heart, making it unbearably oppressive.