At the same time, underground at the casino.
A cult ritual was taking place here, with numerous mages in red magic robes clasping their hands in front of their chests, mumbling incantations.
The chaotic sounds formed a powerful mental pollution in the empty underground, causing drops of blood to seep from the rock walls, as if... this underground cavern was alive.
At the center of these mages was a scarlet altar, upon which various visceral and limbless remains were placed haphazardly, appearing extremely gruesome.
Thick blood flowed toward the center, where a young human mage also dressed in a red robe sat cross-legged, holding a square glass-like crystal with a blood-red treasure pearl inside.
As the youth chanted, the surrounding blood continually swirled around the crystal, forming a shape resembling a genetic chain, looking extremely bizarre.
Tap tap tap tap....
An incongruous, hurried footstep echoed, stopping anxiously at the entrance of the vast ritual hall.
The ritual of summoning the great Ancient Gods could not be interrupted, yet the nearing army made the members of the Scarlet Sect anxious.
"Hurry, Priest, we're running out of time...."
He murmured low, as more footsteps approached, with people in blood-red robes entering the underground from both passageways, yet only able to pace anxiously amid the chanting of the mages.
They didn't know why they were exposed. After hiding well for so many years in Dongwu City, this exposure was too sudden and unexpected.
"Chi Feng, has Chi Feng arrived?"
Suddenly, a robust man whispered, as others quickly spread the question. Soon, a plump, panic-stricken Bronze Mage responded, "What's wrong?"
The robust man swiftly replied, "The casino above is your property; go up and hold them off, buy us some time. You're a noble; they wouldn't dare harm you. Once the Priest finishes the ritual, everything will be fine."
Chi Feng hesitated; it was clearly a death sentence for him.
But before the robust man could finish, "If you can't hold them off... the blood will become the vessel of the scarlet."
Chi Feng was stunned and, after a long silence, murmured through gritted teeth, "For the God, for the Scarlet!"
The surrounding members also grew solemn, echoing quietly with Chi Feng, "For the God, for the Scarlet!"
Without hesitation, Chi Feng moved back, quickly following a hidden path out of the casino.
Standing at the entrance of the casino, he took a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and walked in directly.
"Boss, why are you here at this hour?" As he entered, a perceptive attendant approached to greet him.
Chi Feng's face couldn't regain its usual pleasant demeanor, coldly stating, "Mind your own business, I'll be on the second floor. Call me if there's anything!"
Saying this, he quickly went up to the second floor under the attendant's awkward gaze.
The external purge continued, with the fast-paced actions causing disgruntled complaints to spread, but the cold soldiers offered little explanation, firmly driving them away.
When encountering families, they would seriously say not to ask, then discreetly provide them money and firmly take them away quickly.
Mosen rode on the Demon Lion step by step, with his war intent gradually becoming apparent, a Demon Swordsman, a swordsman cultivating magic, with magic power boiling within him.
Despite the arrival of this strange message, the photos and evidence led him to decide on full-scale action.
When he could rise to gold, the city would become his.
Border cities were the toughest for tempering people, but upon reaching the Golden Peak, a legendary breakthrough became more about understanding the rules than resources.
Thus, once he grasped the intent, the City Lord would shed the identity constraints to seek his legendary path.
The City Lord position, for the powerful, was both a help and a hindrance.
It could provide innumerable resources, efficiently aiding the growth of powerful individuals in the early golden stages, but ultimately it would bind them to the city.
He knew his master wished to leave here, and he also desired to help his master.
Thus, with golden encounters, he would fearlessly take the lead, directly facing gold, as their path provided guidance for him.
His war intent intensified, the giant sword on his back started trembling, while the excited roaring of the lion beneath became faintly audible, seeming to suppress something.
The snowflakes in the sky fell even thicker, the last snow of the year was particularly heavy, and any snowflake nearing one meter of Mosen was instantly vaporized.
The powerful and oppressive presence made the two Silver Beastmen following him retreat involuntarily; their eyes filled with admiration, the Legion Commander's strength instilled a sense of pride in them.
Further back, Kami focused on the man riding the lion, her expression growing solemn. This Demon Swordsman... was strong.
Perhaps not weaker than her—perhaps due to his greater age—but talents never pursued fairness; strength was strength.
"He's building up... should be soon." Ernado remarked calmly, raising his hand, prompting 500 soldiers behind him to draw Barrett from their backs.
"Not so soon. Those small nobles' industries are scattered throughout the civilian areas, requiring negotiations. If the intel is correct, he will be the future City Lord." Kami replied calmly, with Sword Intent subtly manifesting around her.
Though the Xiya Continent now adhered to primogeniture, talent was more prized; to enter the council, achieving Golden Upper Tier was essential.
This strength-based system led to less scheming among the noble families.
Thus, despite being a girl, Kami was nurtured as the family patriarch from the moment she demonstrated her extraordinary talent.
Many things could easily be deduced with even minor knowledge.
Like Baiyi's... benevolence?
After all, pressing with Barrett directly, one shot could kill Seth, eliminating the need for disputes.
It was this seemingly coercive yet actually submissive act that compelled Kami to pay ten thousand Gold Coins to cover up the incident.
"His immediate evacuation of civilians showed it." Ernado replied lowly.
Suddenly, a faint sound of something falling came clear through the wind, snow, and chaotic footsteps.
Bang!
A loud gunshot rang out, with an intense sense of crisis arising.
Buzz~ Zing~ Clang~
The Magic Shield rose, accompanied by a crisp sword clang, followed by the sound of metal clashing.
Ernado watched as a bullet before him was sliced in half.
In his brief daze, Kami dashed forward, her longsword gleaming coldly, her immensely powerful Sword Intent disrupting the snowstorm, her target locked onto one of their family soldiers.
That soldier's gaming-like demeanor vanished, replaced with a look of gravity aimed at Kami.
At that moment, the snowstorm intensified, while a worker bee tainted with Silver Level Hidden Potion floated away in the disturbed snow.
The lion leading the way halted, with the killing intent rampant in the snowy night.
"Straight flush, full house, pay up, pay up."
Baiyi slapped his cards on the table with a smile, collecting the chips.
The arrogant rose, too, would shed its beautiful appearance and reveal its inner thorns, wouldn't it?