From the elevated platform in the Silverwood family's section, Lachlan Silverwood kept his eyes fixed on Arena Three, while secretly observing the other Family Heads around him—as if afraid they might discover sothing.
The others on the platform had shifted their attention to different arenas, each watching their own family mbers compete. But when Lachlan turned his gaze toward the House of Zane's section, soone there caught his eye, giving him a subtle headshake.
Suddenly, Liam Silverwood appeared on the platform steps. His expression, calm and composed since his arrival, now showed unmistakable panic as he hurried to Lachlan's side.
He bent down and whispered in his ear, "We have trouble. The Blood Convergence Formation beneath Arena Three is about to activate prematurely!"
"What?" Lachlan's eyes widened in shock.
At that mont, another man dressed like a mystic rushed onto the platform. He approached the Head of the House of Zane, Seamus Zane—and leaned in to whisper sothing. Seamus's eyes bulged as he turned to look at Lachlan. The two n locked eyes.
"The Soul Sacrifice Array is becoming unstable due to energy imbalance... it's losing control, I fear..." Seamus said grimly. "We may need to act ahead of schedule—or else even we will be sacrificed."
As he spoke, the Wynn Family Head, sitting on Lachlan's other side, coldly interjected, "Soul Sacrifice Array? What exactly are you planning?" He shot to his feet, roaring loudly enough to draw the attention of every Family Head.
When the words "Soul Sacrifice Array" rang out, expressions around the platform turned severe.
"Now—" soone began, waiting for Lachlan's response.
Unexpectedly, Lachlan struck first. With a sudden palm strike to the chest of the Wynn Family Head who stood blocking his path, chaos erupted. No one imagined Lachlan would attack so brazenly, in full view of the entire summit.
The palm strike landed squarely.
Hiss... Blood sprayed from Sylvan Wynn's mouth as he staggered backward and fell against Grandmaster Quinn.
Seeing this, Grandmaster Quinn reached out to support him. "Grandmaster, look out!" Samuel Wynn shouted from nearby.
Twang... Clink... Slash...
A zither note rang out, followed by the clash of tal. It ca from a young woman seated in the corner, the one Kiara usually referred to as "Aunt lody." She had drawn an ancient looking zither and made her move—but she was a step too late.
Sylvan Wynn, though struck, had produced a three-foot flexible blade, slashed the old man With lightning speed, and returned to Lachlan's side.
Grandmaster Quinn now had a wound an inch deep in his ribs. Blood bubbled steadily from the gash. Samuel rushed to his side, pulling out a vial of healing powder and sprinkling it over the wound, while lody also stepped forward to support the Grandmaster.
"Damn it all, I let myself get blindsided. Thank you for the assistance, Miss Quinn," Grandmaster Quinn grimaced.
Supporting him, she quipped, "Grandmaster, I've been married for over a decade. I'm hardly a 'miss' anymore!"
"lody... when I sent you away back then... the truth is... that worthless son of mine never deserved you..." The Grandmaster shook his head, his voice softening.
"Grandmaster, I never blad you for what happened. But now's not the ti—this situation is far more pressing!" lody replied, shaking her head.
"Exactly! What a ti for reminiscing," Samuel muttered. "Three against three, and we've got the elderly, won, and the wounded on our side. Plus an injured veteran. Our odds don't look good."
Samuel, blunt as ever, managed to offend both Grandmaster Quinn and lody with his assessnt. After years of association among the Noble Eight families, both were well acquainted with Samuel's tactless manner.
"Samuel's right. You two should go—I'll hold them off!" Grandmaster Quinn struggled to his feet.
"Grandmaster..." lody tried to protest, frowning.
"Stop wasting ti, go now! I can't escape. Hurry and find Matriarch Whitmore!"
At these words, both lody and Samuel instinctively looked at the Grandmaster's wound. Black blood now seeped continuously from the gash.
"I..." Samuel froze, his expression darkening. "Goddamn it, Sylvan, you poisoned your blade..."
"Hahaha..." Sylvan laughed coldly. "Today, none of you will escape."
"Why?" lody straightened, stepping protectively in front of Grandmaster Quinn.
Seeing her stance, the old man's eyes flashed with sorrow. Years ago, he had forcibly separated her from his son. Now, despite everything, this woman stood before him, shielding him.
Hearing her question, Seamus Zane stepped forward.
"Why?" he echoed. "The Energy Cores grow scarcer each year. The Noble Eight families are rely drinking poison to quench our thirst. If this continues, all Eight families will perish together."
As he spoke, Grandmaster Quinn's eyes narrowed. His voice dropped low. "You... you dare to secretly implent the plan from twenty years ago!"
"What plan?" lody and Samuel asked in unison.
"We must stop them," the Grandmaster said. "They intend to use endless blood energy to nourish the Silverwood family's Shell Nexus!"
Both froze, stunned. The Shell Nexus—an ancient and mysterious entity—was the source of the Energy Cores. It wasn't quite a living thing, but rather a mystical formation. Every ten years, several cores would mature within it. It required the secret techniques of all Eight Family Heads working in unison to open the seal and retrieve the matured cores, after which it would begin nurturing the next batch.
No one knew how long the Shell Nexus had existed—or what it truly was—until forty years ago, when it began projecting so kind of consciousness outward. That anomaly coincided with the decennial gathering. All Eight Family Heads were present, along with... that person.
They all received the ssage it broadcast.
Its ssage was clear: given unlimited blood energy, it could establish contact with the world of its origin. In return, it would provide even greater benefits.
The Energy Cores were ford from mystical energy it drew through the void from that other world.
Only then did the Family Heads realize—it wasn't native to their world. More shocking still was the confirmation that other worlds truly existed.
And that re traces of mystical energy from those realms—condensed into Energy Cores—were treasures beyond imagining.
The Eight Family Heads were tempted, but that person had driven them away. He remained alone within the Shell Nexus's sealed chamber.
Three days later, he erged, deathly pale and his energy utterly depleted.
He uttered a single warning: "Do not trust that monster."
Then collapsed.
Days later, the Eight Family Heads returned to the Shell Nexus's location. Through the mystical formation, they saw it—now shrouded in an erald aura.
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