Chapter 421: Being A Responsible Person
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
The sudden appearance of A Ye immediately reversed the situation on the scene.
As soon as Zhan Ziye saw him, he immediately opened his mouth to call for help. However, just as he opened his mouth, Zhou Mumu suddenly increased her magical power output. A golden halo fell on that ring of light, leaving him with no gaps. Let alone opening his mouth, even his breathing had become difficult. Unexpectedly, Zhan Ziye was gradually strangled to death.
Seeing this scene, A Ye said with amazement, "Your sparring is quite heavy, I think the wood spirit is going to be strangled to death by you."
Zhan Ziye retorted angrily in his mind: "I, your father, am going to be strangled to death by your blood spirit! Yet you still say that this is just a sparring match, are you blind?"
Zhou Mumu didn't say anything. Right now, she was trying as hard as she could to get rid of Zhan Ziye as soon as possible. As for how she would explain it to A Ye later… that was for a later time.
"Speaking of which, previously Wang Lu once told me that people can find great pleasure in suffocation. Are you guys now doing it in the pursuit of pleasure?"
Zhan Ziye was almost suffocated when he heard this—he almost spewed out blood. Zhou Mumu's magical power output also shook.
"I know Wang Lu that bastard always likes to joke, but you… are actually as sick as him." Zhou Mumu thought.
However, just as she thought of this, A Ye suddenly froze his smile, walked over and then patted Zhou Mumu on her shoulder. "I have been looking for you for a long time. I have something to talk to you, so stop your sparring match first."
Being pressed by A Ye on the shoulder, Zhou Mumu's magical power stream was nearly cut off. She was inwardly anxious: "I'm trying to help you here, okay? By getting rid of this person today, your family's well-being can be guaranteed. Otherwise, with your IQ, sooner or later, your family would break!"
However, A Ye's pressure on her shoulder became increasingly forceful. "That's enough Mumu, this is urgent, so we need to hurry."
Zhou Mumu shook her shoulder, trying to shake A Ye's hand away. However, the next moment, a blood-colored light appeared on A Ye's palm. Zhou Mumu's whole body quivered and her stream of magical power was actually dispersed by that palm!
Crash!
When that Diamond Ring fell to the ground, Zhan Ziye's thunder body instantly gained freedom. He cast a glance towards the two people, and with a sneer, he immediately departed without turning back.
Unable to deal with Zhan Ziye anymore, Zhou Mumu looked at the hand on her shoulder in disbelief.
"Do… do you know what you just did?"
A Ye reluctantly said, "Can't help it, who told you not to listen to me? I can't use force on you, so I have to resort to the blood mark."
"I ask you if you know what you just did?" Zhou Mumu angrily exclaimed. The grievances in her heart had reached their limit and her eyes could not help but tear up. "Do you know what you just did?"
A Ye sighed and then patted her shoulder. "After I came back this time, I have seen everything that I need to see. Fortunately, Shaman's injury is not too heavy, and with the help of wood spirit, she is recovering very quickly. And although a part of the Eternal Tree essence has been taken away, the foundation is not damaged, so it can always slowly recover. And at that time, the two children were hidden very well, they weren't even scared. There's nothing that I can do here."
"And since everything is alright, there's no need for us to stay here," A Ye said, and then moved his spear to his other shoulder. "Let alone the five spirits power struggle is not over yet, thus, my destination should be on the battlefield. So, let's go to Golden City."
"…"
"Ai, why can't you listen to me? The blood mark is precious, so don't always squander it okay? Otherwise, when all of my blood marks are used, wouldn't I be reduced to the same level as that Grey Mountain girl? At that time, let alone handsome, I would definitely die in shame. So please let me keep my face, okay?"
After these successive blows, Zhou Mumu finally gave up her insistence. "... Very well, suit yourself."
"Mm, I've already told Shaman about this, so, without further ado, let's get started."
The two of them left Eternal Tree and went straight to Golden City. They were in a hurry as if they were a fleeing defeated army. When they came triumphantly from Golden City, they didn't even have the time to rest for a night in the Eternal Tree.
The two of them traveled quickly, and before long, they have crossed the border between Eternal Tree and Golden City.
Once they set foot on the territory of Golden City, A Ye suddenly couldn't control his body and fell down uncontrollably. Zhou Mumu was taken aback and quickly reached out to support him. However, she found out that A Ye's face was as pale as paper, as if there was no blood left.
"Are you injured?" Zhou Mumu quickly launched her healing spell but found out that A Ye had no internal or external injury. He just seemed too weak...
"What exactly did you do?"
A Ye reluctantly smiled. "When I came home after being out for quite long, I wasn't careful and played too much with Shaman…"
"Play your ass!" Zhou Mumu stretched her hand out and put it on A Ye's back. Then she sent out her magical power to probe A Ye's internal condition. What she saw there almost overwhelmed her.
What Zhou Mumu saw was an empty building with decayed walls and pillars. At any time, the building might collapse… that was A Ye's Jade Mansion.
Once upon a time, it was a prosperous and flourishing resplendent Jade Mansion. However, now it seemed like it was in its dying state. There were decays everywhere, and it was devoid of life.
In the five spirits power struggle, among the five masters, only the absolute strength of the master of Golden City could suppress everyone. The individual combat power of the others was not worth mentioning, however, that was relative to the five spirits, which were the lead disciples of five supreme sects. The individual combat power of A Ye, however, actually exceeded his peers. When he used his blood mark divine spear, he even had the strength to fight against the master of Golden City, but now, his appearance...
"What the hell is going on with you? Don't give me that stupid reason, I'm not as stupid as you are!"
Seeing that Zhou Mumu had pressed him tightly for an answer, A Ye thought for a moment, but in the end, he really couldn't come up with a reason that could fool her. Thus, he had to wryly smile at his inability to react according to the situation, unlike Wang Lu. Then he frankly told her...
"It's because of the blood mark."
"Blood mark?"
A Ye explained, "To summon the blood spirit, in addition to the necessary catalyst, there must also be a sufficient enough price to be paid to congeal the blood mark. These blood marks can then be used to control the follower. These are the rules set by the blood spirit temple. And the origin of the blood mark is only one: blood sacrifice. Moreover, it must be the blood of the loved ones."
Zhou Mumu was shocked. "The loved ones have to be blood sacrificed? I've never heard of this before!"
"Because only the five kings know about this secret. The main use of the blood mark is the evidence of the master's control of the follower, so the blood spirit temple won't let you guys know too much… Let's get back to the blood sacrifice. The so-called blood sacrifice of the love ones is not necessarily those that have blood relationship. For example, that Grey Mountain girl sacrificed all of her subordinates. They are those who have followed the master of Grey Mountain for many generations, who risked everything for their master. And when it comes to that girl's generation, there's not that many differentiation between master and subordinates. But because of the five spirits power struggle, she killed every last one of them. But unfortunately, after paying this huge sacrifice to obtain the blood marks, she still squandered them all."
Zhou Mumu still couldn't believe what she heard. "T-Then what about Shaman? Don't tell me she also blood sacrificed her own close relatives?"
"Shaman's case is better. In her capacity of Sacred Leaf, as a permanent part of Eternal Tree, she could pass this part of the cost to the Eternal Tree. Thus, her blood sacrifices were the seeds of Eternal Tree, which were reserved by previous Sacred Leaves to be used in critical times. Although it is indeed somewhat unfortunate, it is always better than sacrificing living people… As for the Flaming Valley, the King of Flaming Valley himself personally killed his wife and children. The so called blood relatives to him are no different than pigs. As for Golden City, I'm not too clear about the situation there, but they shouldn't be the exception. Finally, as for me..."
When it came to this, A Ye exposed a self-satisfied smile. However, an ominous foreboding suddenly appeared in Zhou Mumu's heart. Although A Ye's reputation in Harmon River was good, those that could be called as his close relatives were only Shaman and their two children. And since those three were safe, then that meant...
A Ye laughed. "Zhou Mumu, you're indeed smart. Since I can't sacrifice my wife and children, except for sacrificing myself, what else can I do? Mm, perhaps, if I was desperate, I think I can still able to find a few familiar friends. But to sacrifice friends in order to fight… that would make me look really ugly, so I couldn't do it.
"I am the king of Harmony River, so the glory of this country belongs to me. So if there's someone in this country that has to pay, then I would not pass on my responsibility to others. This is what I call a handsome king! I chose to use my own life to congeal the blood marks. Perhaps it's because my life force is especially tenacious, or perhaps it's because I'm too handsome, but people have to sacrifice their whole life to get the blood mark while I just need to sacrifice a certain amount of my lifespan. Moreover, the power of my blood mark is a notch better."
While speaking, his tone of voice grew steadier, and a circle of blood light appeared on his body. Suddenly, he had a bit of strength and needed not the support from Zhou Mumu to stand up. Now he radiated health and vigor.
Seeing this, Zhou Mumu actually trembled in fear. A Ye had clearly used another of his blood mark. It was just that, the object was no longer his spear, but his body. This sacrificing life force for temporary physical fitness was basically drinking poison to quench the thirst! Moreover, Zhou Mumu remembered that previously, when A Ye used the blood marks for several times, he actually used two blood marks at a time. One was used to bless the spear and the other one to bless his body. And this second one was used to forcefully offset the weakened state after using the blood mark. However, by doing this… wouldn't it tantamount to accelerating his suicide?
"From the moment I chose to blood sacrifice myself, I am doomed to not live long. The blood sacrifice is not a simple addition or subtraction. The blood spirit temple will eventually charge me the price that I have to pay. As a warrior, I am not afraid to die. My only worries are my wife and my children, especially Shaman. Although she has wisdom and intelligence, but she's very weak and clingy. In the past, there's always someone who accompany her by her side. If no one is around her, she actually can't do anything. As such, I always worry about what would Shaman do after I'm gone."
Zhou Mumu bitterly laughed. "So you, this idiot, did everything possible to wear a green hat 1 on yourself?"
"I am a dead man walking, don't tell me I have to let her live as a widow? As a qualified husband, isn't it my responsibility to provide a home to return to for my beloved wife? Fortunately, this time, it seems like Shaman has grown stronger and more mature. Thus, I have no attachment and no regret."
Zhou Mumu actually found it a bit hard to understand. "Can you… really be that free and easy?"
"Of course! Because an overly sensitive man is not handsome, and I am the most handsome," A Ye confidently said with eyes filled with sincerity.
Zhou Mumu finally had nothing to say.
"... So what are you planning to do now? Living alone in seclusion?"
"Of course not!"
While speaking, A Ye became highly spirited, and there was a fierce fighting intent in his eyes.
"I want to fight the master of Golden City! Right now!"