Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

The Holy City Array is the ultimate protective force set up by the ancestor of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom and continuously reinforced and perfected by the emperors. It even contains the power of some of the rules of operation.

Contracts signed under his witness are extremely binding. If breached, they will be subject to direct backlash from the power of the great formation, and may even trigger punishment at the highest level of rules.

This is the most reliable and deterrent contractual guarantee.

“Good.” The Blood-Hidden Elder nodded.

Lei Zhan's expression was solemn as he raised his hand and rapidly inscribed in the void. Streams of purple-gold runes, imbued with the aura of royal blood and the laws of thunder, formed in the air, quickly intertwining and entwining to ultimately create a contract document radiating sacred and majestic light.

The document is clear and concise.

Lei Zhan needs to provide the necessary support to Elder Xueyin, and Elder Xueyin needs to do everything in his power to help Lei Zhan compete for the Heart of Thunder Source.

At the heart of the document, there is an empty space for two soul imprints.

"Please!" Lei Zhan forced out a drop of essence blood containing the aura of his soul's origin, which dripped onto one of the empty marks.

hum!
As the essence and blood merged, the contract document shone brightly, and a majestic thunderous mark slowly condensed at its core.

The Blood-Hidden Elder also extended a withered finger, from which a drop of dark red essence blood seeped, containing both a boundless life force and a profound sense of deathly stillness.

Blood dripped into another empty spot on the brand.

laugh!
The moment the dark red blood essence came into contact with the contract document, the air in the entire secret room seemed to freeze for a moment.

But then, the power of the Holy City's grand formation was activated, and a vast, majestic, and unquestionable phantom of will flashed and disappeared above the contract document.

Om-!
The contract document stabilized completely, transforming into two streams of light that disappeared into the brows of Lei Zhan and the Blood Shadow Elder, respectively.

The contract is complete!

An invisible binding force, accompanied by the vast aura of the Holy City's grand formation, enveloped the two of them, announcing the establishment of this alliance.

Lei Zhan let out a long sigh of relief, a smile of relief and hope spreading across his face.

He bowed solemnly to Elder Blood Shadow once more: "Blood Shadow! From this day forward, you will be the chief retainer of my Marquis Lei Zhan's mansion! Our journey into the Abyss depends entirely on you!"

He flipped his hand, and a palm-sized, crystal-clear token, seemingly carved from purple lightning crystal, appeared in his hand. The front of the token had a majestic ancient seal script character for "war," while the back was engraved with the four small characters "Chief Offering." Inside the token, wisps of golden lightning patterns flowed, emanating a pure and powerful primal aura—this was the token representing the highest offering status of the Lei Zhan Marquis's Mansion.

"This is the Marquis's Palace Service Token. With this token, you can mobilize some of the Marquis's Palace's resources and enjoy special privileges and conveniences in many official places in the Holy City. Please keep it safe." Lei Zhan handed over the token.

The Blood Shadow Elder accepted the token, its surface warm to the touch, containing a trace of pure lightning energy and the blessing of the Marquis's mansion. He nodded slightly: "Your Highness is too kind."

“Blood Shadow, you’ve just arrived in the Holy City, and I imagine you don’t yet have a place to stay. The Marquis’s residence has already prepared an excellent quiet room, rich in spiritual energy and with perfect restrictions, absolutely peaceful. You can rest here in peace and wait for the Abyss to open,” Lei Zhan said solicitously. “If you need anything, just give the order to the servants.”

“That’s excellent.” The Blood-Hidden Elder did not refuse.

The Marquis's residence was naturally much better than any inn outside, and it was also more convenient and worry-free.

"Someone come here!" Lei Zhan called out loudly.

The commander of the personal guards who was waiting outside the secret room appeared at the door in an instant: "Your Highness!"

"Immediately take the Chief Blood Shadow Elder to 'Purple Thunder Pavilion' to rest, and treat him with the highest level of courtesy! Any requests from the Elder are equivalent to my personal orders, and must be fulfilled!" Lei Zhan ordered in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes! Your subordinate obeys!" The commander of the personal guards looked at the Blood Shadow Elder with reverence, bowed and accepted the order, "Lord, please follow me."

The Blood Shadow Elder stood up, nodded slightly to Lei Zhan, and then left the secret room with the commander of his personal guards.

Inside the secret room, only Lei Zhan remained.

The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by an expression that was both profound and sharp.

He walked to the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of restrictions, and turned towards the Divine Thunder Emperor Palace, which floated at the highest point in the core area of ​​the Holy City.

"Lei Hao... Lei Xuan..." Lei Zhan muttered to himself, his fist slowly clenching, his knuckles crackling, purple lightning flashing and leaping in his palm. "Weren't you going to team up to eliminate me? Now... I have an ace up my sleeve too!"

"In the abyss... it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious!"

A flame of unprecedented ambition ignited in his eyes. The arrival of the Blood Elder not only gave him hope of turning the tide, but also rekindled the almost extinguished ambition for supremacy within him!

Meanwhile, in another secluded courtyard of the Prince's Palace.

Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong sat facing each other across a stone table.

The tea on the table had gone cold, and the atmosphere was even colder than the tea.

The gray bead at the tip of Granny Kurong's withered vine cane slowly rotated, emitting a flickering light of decay and life. Venerable Qingmu twirled a vibrant green vine leaf between his fingers, yet the edges of the leaf subtly showed a hint of yellowing.

Neither of them spoke, but the invisible force field of law silently collided, intertwined, and probed above the small stone table.

A silent confrontation concerning survival and the future has begun between two cultivators of the life essence who were once barely considered "allies."

The unfathomable Chief Blood Shadow Elder was like a crimson mountain looming before them, radiating endless oppression, forcing them to fight with all their might to prove their worth.

Only one of them can stay!
……

The news of Elder Xueyin's entry into the Lei Zhan Marquis's residence in less than half a day has stirred up a huge uproar in the turbulent elite circles of the Holy City, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

The Thunder Merchant Guild's intelligence update speed is terrifying.

Shortly after Elder Blood Shadow moved into "Purple Thunder Pavilion", an intelligence jade slip marked "Grade A - Urgent Update" quietly appeared on the desks of the princes and in the hands of the top forces closely monitoring the struggle for the Heart of Thunder Source.

The jade slip contained very concise information.

[Thunder War Faction Update: New Chief Offering - Blood Shadow]

Cultivation level assessment: Peak of the Chaos Realm.

The direction of the law: the fundamental path of life.

Background: Unknown.

Combat strength assessment: Unknown.

Note: When he entered the manor, he effortlessly deflected Prince Lei Zhan's full-force attack (with the blessing of the Thunder Punishment Hall).

The rigor and efficiency of the Thunder Chamber of Commerce were evident.

They wouldn't easily label a newly appeared, unknown powerhouse, but the key information—"Peak of the Chaos Realm," "Great Dao of the Origin of Life," and "easily neutralized Lei Zhan's full-force attack"—was clearly stated.

The residence of the eldest prince.

While exuding opulent luxury, it also possesses a majestic and imposing presence with its rich, bright yellow hue.

Enormous black lightning-patterned stone pillars supported the towering dome, and the walls were inlaid with countless crystals that flowed with purple lightning, making the entire hall resemble a thunderous divine realm.

At the far end of the hall, on a huge throne carved from a single piece of "Purple Thunder Jade," sat a young man dressed in a brocade robe with purple and gold dragon patterns.

He had a handsome face, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his brows exuded an innate nobility and an all-powerful confidence.

It was none other than the eldest prince, Lei Hao.

He may appear gentle and refined now, but once he gets into a fight, he transforms into a ferocious beast!

At this moment, he was holding the intelligence jade slip that had just been delivered in his hand. His knuckles tightened slightly, and even tiny cracks appeared on the surface of the jade slip.

The smile on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, gloomy expression.

"Blood Concealment?" Lei Hao's voice was deep, like muffled thunder, echoing in the empty hall. "The Great Dao of the Origin of Life? Peak of Chaos? Easily neutralized Fourth Brother's Thunder Punishment Spear?"

Every word he uttered weighed heavily on the thunderous atmosphere of the hall.

"Your Highness, please calm down." A clear, cold female voice rang out.

Behind the throne, shadows rippled like water, and a graceful figure quietly emerged.

She was dressed in a deep purple palace gown, the hem of which resembled flowing ice. Her face was exquisitely beautiful yet cold as ice, and her silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall. A faint, chilling aura, as if capable of freezing time and space, surrounded her.

It was none other than the Mysterious Yin Goddess.

She moved gracefully to Lei Hao's side, her icy blue eyes sweeping over the jade slip, the chill intensifying: "A mere peak Chaos Realm cultivator who appeared out of nowhere dares to try and stop a chariot with his bare hands?"

Her words carried a deep-seated arrogance and disdain, but she certainly had the right to say so: "Thinking that just any random peak Chaos Realm cultivator can contend with us? How naive!"

"Hmph!" Another voice, hoarse and bloodthirsty, rang out.

In the shadows on the other side of the hall, the space was slightly distorted, and a middle-aged man dressed in a blood-red robe with a rather sinister-looking face appeared.

He was toying with a small, exquisite sphere that kept changing colors—it was full of blood servants waiting to be devoured and destroyed, ranging from true gods to void true gods, and even a few eternal true gods!

He is the great demon, the master of Qiyun Palace.

“Fellow Daoist Xuanyin is absolutely right.” The Palace Master of Qiyun Palace had a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s. “The Dao of Life is not good at fighting at all. It may have some tricks up its sleeve for self-preservation, but how much of a ripple can it make in a head-on battle? That Lei Zhan was just grasping at straws in desperation.”

Arrogant and eccentric, he addressed Lei Zhan by his name with utter disdain, showing no respect whatsoever. This caused even Lei Hao, a fellow prince, to frown slightly.

“That makes sense.” Lei Hao shattered the jade slip in his hand, turning it into dust. He stood up, his body crackling with purple-gold lightning, and an overwhelming pressure erupted. “Who cares how mysterious it is? Whether it’s a dragon or a worm, we’ll find out soon enough!”

Lei Hao's eyes flashed with a cold light, like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey. "Fourth brother thinks he can turn the tables with this guy who suddenly appeared? Dream on! I'll shatter his last hope before the abyss even opens! I'll let everyone see the consequences of opposing me, Lei Hao!"

His gaze swept across Xuan Yin Niangniang and Qi Yun Palace Master: "Gentlemen, would you be interested in 'paying a visit' to my good fourth brother's new retainer?"

Xuan Yin Niangniang parted her icy lips slightly and uttered four words: "With utmost pleasure." The chill around her instantly surged, and a thin layer of ice crystals condensed on the floor of the hall.

The Palace Master of Qiyun stopped playing with the sphere, and the wicked smile on his face turned dangerous: "Since His Highness has given the order, I'll go and meet this 'Blood Shadow' and see if his blood and qi... are sweet enough?"

……

Deep within the Second Prince's residence lies the Xuan Guang Pavilion.

The style here is completely different from the heavy and domineering atmosphere of the First Prince's residence.

The interior of Xuan Guang Pavilion is decorated with great elegance, with intricately carved thunder patterns everywhere. The light is soft, and the air is filled with a faint, refreshing thunderous aura, like the feeling after a rain.

Many ancient thunder totem paintings hang on the walls, containing profound legal connotations.

Seated in the main seat was a young man dressed in a moon-white brocade robe.

He had a handsome face and a gentle, refined demeanor. A faint smile always played on his lips, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable, as if they held endless cunning.

It was none other than the Second Prince—Lei Xuan.

He also held an intelligence jade slip in his hand, gently stroking its smooth surface with his fingertips. His gentle smile remained unchanged, but a faint, almost imperceptible shadow flickered deep in his eyes.

“Blood Concealment…” Lei Xuan murmured to himself, his voice like the soft ringing of a jade chime, melodious yet carrying an invisible pressure. “Interesting. Fourth Brother always manages to give me ‘surprises.’” He emphasized the word “surprise” slightly.

“Your Highness.” A deep, resonant voice, like rolling thunder, rang out.

Behind Lei Xuan, the space parted like a curtain of water, and a giant man, nearly ten feet tall and as tall as an iron tower, emerged. He was naked, with a muscular upper body, bronze skin, and muscles that bulged like dragons, wreathed in raging red flames. Every step he took caused the ground to tremble slightly.

The Angry Flame Lord clasped his hands in a salute, his voice booming like a bell: "He's nothing but a cowardly coward! How dare he block Your Highness's path! I'll go and smash him to pieces!"

"Nu Tao, calm down." Lei Xuan shook her head and smiled.

At this moment, another ethereal voice rang out like a ghost. In the shadows on the other side of Lei Xuan, a blurry and distorted figure slowly coalesced, as if composed of countless tiny shadows. Its specific face was indistinct, but one could sense a chilling, swift, and omnipresent killing intent. It was Shadow Killer King. "This fiend was able to easily deflect Lei Zhan's full-force attack, so it is no pushover. Its life path and ability to preserve its life must be very strong."

Shadow King's voice carried a hint of irritation. He disliked cultivators of the Great Dao of Life because they would prevent his assassination techniques from being effective in one strike, thus increasing the unpredictability of the situation.

“Shadow Killer is right.” Lei Xuan’s smile remained gentle. “Fourth Brother must have gone to great lengths to recruit this person. Going straight to his door would be too drastic and make us seem impatient. Besides…”

A calculating glint flashed in his eyes. "My brother is probably even more anxious than we are. With his fiery temper, he's probably already at his wit's end."

He gently set down the jade slip, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair, producing a rhythmic sound: "Why don't we... wait and see? Let elder brother test the mettle of this 'Blood Shadow' first. If elder brother can severely injure or even defeat him, it will save us trouble. If this 'Blood Shadow' is truly extraordinary, even elder brother can't do anything about him... then it's not too late for us to make our move. Moreover, it's a good opportunity to see what this 'Blood Shadow's' trump card really is."

Lord Nutao Yan frowned, seemingly dissatisfied, but still said in a deep voice, "Your Highness is wise!"

The Shadow King's figure flickered slightly in the shadows, clearly agreeing with the strategy: "Your Highness is far-sighted. However... we cannot completely stand idly by. Perhaps we could offer that 'Blood Shadow' worshipper a special 'greeting gift' to test his reaction?"

Upon hearing this, Lei Xuan's smile deepened, her expression cunning like a fox's: "Oh? What brilliant plan does Shadow Assassin have in store?"

The Shadow Assassin's figure became even more blurred, and his voice lowered, sounding like a whisper beside Lei Xuan. After a moment, Lei Xuan's smile grew even brighter, and she nodded: "This method is excellent! It avoids a direct confrontation while still allowing that 'Blood Shadow' elder to feel our 'enthusiasm.' Go, do it cleanly, and don't leave any evidence."

"Yes, sir!" The Shadow Assassin King's figure vanished instantly, like ink dissolving in water, leaving no trace. (End of Chapter)