Chapter 100: Stone-Biting Blood Mite

Chapter 100: Stone-Biting Blood Mite

General Ashford stood before the enormous gates, his expression solemn.

The first group had already entered.

Nyren. Oren. Adrian. Asher. Justin. Jules.

Elowen Serath and her younger brother, Caelis, had also crossed the threshold, followed by the remaining members of the expedition.

One by one, their figures had disappeared into the darkness beyond the gates.

General Ashford remained outside, waiting for the signal that the entrance was safe.

Then—

A faint sensation brushed against him.

It felt as though someone had passed by his side.

The movement had been so subtle that he almost dismissed it as an illusion. Yet the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

He turned his head sharply.

Nothing.

Only the empty space beside him and the dark forest stretching beyond the research base.

General Ashford’s eyes narrowed.

He could have sworn he had sensed two people moving past him.

Not soldiers.

Not cultivators from the expedition.

Two unfamiliar presences.

The sensation had lasted for less than a second, but his instincts had been honed through decades of warfare. He knew the difference between imagination and an actual presence.

"General?" one of the officers called from behind him.

General Ashford continued staring at the empty space.

"Did anyone else enter the palace just now?"

The officer looked confused.

"No, General. The expedition group has already crossed the threshold."

General Ashford remained silent.

His Kinetic Command spread through the surrounding area, gently disturbing the air and probing the ground for signs of movement.

Nothing responded.

No footsteps.

No vibrations.

No lingering aura.

It was as though whoever had passed him had never existed.

The ancient gates began to close.

GRRRRRRRR—

General Ashford looked back toward the palace.

"Keep the entrance under observation," he ordered. "If anything changes, report it immediately."

"Yes, General."

The gates slammed shut.

BOOM!

The sound shook the entire research base.

General Ashford’s gaze remained fixed on the sealed entrance.

Somewhere in his mind, a strange suspicion lingered.

We weren’t the only ones who entered.

—————————

Inside the Ancient Palace, darkness swallowed Lothe and Seana.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the world around them became completely silent.

Lothe could no longer hear the soldiers outside. He couldn’t even hear the movement of the other cultivators who had entered before them.

The Concealment Talismans remained attached beneath their robes, distorting their appearance and masking their energy signatures.

But Lothe didn’t relax.

The Ancient Palace was far more dangerous than the forest.

Every stone beneath his feet contained traces of ancient energy. The walls were covered in faded symbols, and thin strands of Qi flowed through the ceiling like veins beneath skin.

Seana stood close beside him.

"Can you sense the others?" she whispered.

Lothe shook his head.

"No."

He activated [Spatial Perception], carefully spreading his awareness through the corridor.

His perception extended several dozen meters before encountering a strange obstruction.

The space ahead was distorted.

Not broken.

Folded.

Several corridors seemed to overlap in the same location, while some sections appeared to exist both near and far at the same time.

"The interior is divided," Lothe said quietly. "The palace separated everyone the moment they entered."

"Can we find them?"

"Probably."

Lothe looked at the darkness ahead.

"But first, we need to survive."

A faint sound suddenly echoed through the corridor.

Click.

Seana’s hand moved toward the Blood Moon Sword.

Lothe raised one finger.

"Wait."

The sound came again.

Click. Click.

Something was moving inside the walls.

Lothe’s [Qi Sight] activated.

Behind the stone, several small energy signatures were approaching.

They were weak.

But there were many of them.

"Something is coming."

Seana slowly released Crimson Blood Qi into her bloodstream.

A thin crimson mist gathered around her fingers.

The walls suddenly split open.

CRACK!

Dozens of strange creatures crawled out from the gaps.

They resembled small, black insects with six legs and long, needle-like mouths. Their bodies were covered in thin metallic shells, while faint red symbols glowed across their backs.

Lothe immediately activated [Inspect].

[STONE-BITING BLOOD MITE]

[Rank: Level 4 Mutated Creature]

[Abilities:]

• Stone Burrow — Can move through stone and conceal its presence.

• Blood Drain — Drains blood and vitality through its needle-like mouth.

• Corrosive Shell — Resistant to low-level physical and energy attacks.

• Swarm Instinct — Becomes more aggressive and coordinated when surrounded by its kind.

Lothe’s expression became serious.

"There are thirty-two of them."

Seana’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"Then we’ll have to be careful."

The Stone-Biting Blood Mites spread across the walls and ceiling.

Their sharp mouths opened and closed repeatedly.

Then they rushed forward.

SHAAAK!

The first wave descended from above.

Lothe flicked his fingers.

Three sheets of Spirit Paper flew into the air.

[Binding Talisman.]

Purple Runes flashed across the papers.

The Talismans transformed into thin Qi chains that shot toward the incoming creatures.

FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

Several mites were caught in midair and slammed against the walls.

Their legs struggled against the bindings, but the chains tightened whenever they moved.

The remaining creatures rushed toward Lothe from the sides.

He stepped backward and snapped his fingers.

CLICK!

A small purple Rune appeared beneath his feet.

Then another appeared three meters away.

Then a third.

Lothe’s eyes sharpened.

[Three-Point Locking Array.]

The Runes connected.

HUMMMMM!

A faint purple formation expanded beneath the creatures.

The moment the mites stepped onto it, their bodies became heavier.

Their movements slowed.

The array didn’t possess enough power to completely suppress them, but it disrupted their coordination.

That brief pause was enough for Seana to move.

She raised her hand.

A thin crimson needle formed between her fingers.

Unlike the blood weapons she used in the past, the needle was almost transparent. It carried a faint green mist inside its sharp body.

Seana flicked her finger.

SHING!

The blood needle pierced one of the mites.

The creature trembled.

Then it collapsed.

Lothe glanced at her.

"What did you use?"

"A diluted version of the Qi-Blocker Poison I refined from the mutated hyena."

Seana formed several more needles.

"I altered it slightly. The original formula is too corrosive, so I reduced its destructive properties and increased its ability to interfere with Qi circulation."

The remaining mites broke free from the formation.

They charged toward her.

Seana moved her fingers.

SHING! SHING! SHING!

Three crimson needles shot through the air.

Each one entered a different creature.

The Stone-Biting Blood Mites froze.

Their metallic shells began trembling as the poison spread through their bodies.

One by one, their red symbols dimmed.

Then they fell from the walls.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Lothe watched the scene with admiration.

Seana’s control had become extremely precise.

She was no longer using large amounts of blood to overwhelm her enemies. Every attack was calculated, measured, and refined.

A fourth mite suddenly burst through the floor.

It lunged toward Seana’s ankle.

Lothe’s figure vanished.

CLICK!

He appeared directly above the creature.

His Void Spear descended.

[Rift Thrust.]

SHING!

The spear pierced through the creature’s shell and drove it into the stone floor.

The spatial energy spread through its body, destroying its internal organs without damaging the surrounding structure.

Lothe pulled the spear free and turned toward the remaining creatures.

Several of them had gathered together.

Their bodies began releasing a strange red glow.

Lothe’s expression changed.

"Something’s wrong."​