Xi Meiying eyed the approaching figures as they neared her. Trees shook at their speed, nearly coming off of the earth they grew on for so long.
As Xi Meiying appeared into their sight , the Sky Emperor smiled. Coming into a stop not far from her, he spoke.
"You have led us on a nice chase girl, but this is as far as you will go."
Though he said it in a joking tone, his eyes said another story.
Xi Meiying looked up at them confusingly.
"I wonder what I have done to warrant the presence of such a being?"
The Sky Emperor laughed.
"It is none of your concern. All I need you to do is cooperate."
Xi Meiying looked toward the Grand Patriarch. Wondering what her 'master' needed her so much for that they would feel the need to put a tracking device on Xi Heji to keep her within their sight.
"I wonder if 'Master' knows what's going on?"
The Grand Patriarch shook his head. Eyeing his 'disciple', he put a look of helplessness on his face.
"It's best you come with us, Meiying. We wouldn't want to start a senseless battle with a younger generation."
Xi Meiyings eyes darkened.
"And if I don't?"
A dangerous light shone in her eyes. The Sky Emperor responded.
"I fear force would be required."
The Sky Emperor excluded his Grand Stage Qi, pressure immediately dawning on her. Though no change in her facial expression could be seen. Contemplating her decisions, she then responded.
"Lead the way."
The Grand Patriarch smiled upon hearing Xi Meiyings response. Though the smile held different meanings. He knew Xi Meiying wasn't stupid, only he knew things weren't so easy.
***
Patriarchs Estate, Inner Residential Circle
Arriving at the Estate, the four of them walked through the grand doors. Xi Meiying looked at the backs of the three practitioners. Although the numbers against Xi Meiying weren't good, especially counting the being that seemed to be a stage above all of them, Xi Meiying felt even if they teamed up, they couldn't kill her. She had never truly released the full force of her Azures Frost, even in the tournament, she was somewhat able to maintain a control over her power. But fully releasing it, she wouldn't know the she could and would do.
Entering the estate she had never been in, it wasn't much different from that of the Grand Patriarchs. The same center garden, and marble walls adorned the estate. The garden was well kept, not a withered flower in sight. As she walked in behind them, the doors closed behind them, the Patriarch walked toward the center of the floor.
The entrance of the estate had two grand staircases in the center. In between the staircases was a star shape symbol engraved on the marble floor. As the patriarch approached this star, he knelt down.
Placing his hand on the Star, it lit up. Various runes shown on the floor, disappearing, and with it, the floor until a set of stairs were revealed.
"I envy you, patriarch of the Xi Clan, that is a magnificent hidden array. I would assume this was created by your founder?"
The patriarch nodded.
"That is correct, Sky Emperor."
Xi Meiying eyed the stairs that led down to a dark space.
"After you, Sky Emperor."
The Sky Emperor was the first to descend the stairs, after him, the Patriarch and Grand Patriarch, with Xi Meiying following. Stepping further down, the patriarch used a flame to light the pathway down. Even with the flame from the patriarch, the entire space below the estate couldn't be lightened up. After walking down for several minutes, the Sky Emperor stepped on solid ground. Immediately, the entire space lit up. Rows of torches of blood red flames could be seen, leading to a raised platform with mystical patterns of red engraved on it. There was no sound, almost silence if you disregarded the footsteps of the group. It was an immense space underground, even with its, age no cracks could be seen. Even without sending their senses out, they noticed this place lacked any life.
Upon witnessing this scene, Xi Meiying felt a strange feeling of familiarity. Her eyes shone a light red for a moment. The stairs appeared to be calling for her to scale them, a sort of attraction dawned her, almost irresistible. She felt her the control over her own body lost, a force prompting her to walk. Gazing upon the platform, it was almost as if Xi Meiying lost her mind, walking towards the platform like a zombie, without will of her own.
"What is happening to her, Patriarch of the Xi Clan?"
The patriarch watching as she walked down the rolls of the red flames, equally confused as him.
"I don't know either. This must be a part of the alter. Although several sacrifices were recorded in the many scrolls from the our predecessors, a reaction such as this has never happened before."
The patriarchs eyes lit up.
"Could it be that the alter has found a sacrifice it deemed fit?"
The Sky Emperors eyes also shown with greed and excitement.
Xi Meiying continued walking lifelessly as she ascended the stairs, walking towards the center of the platform. This scene gave off uneasiness to the others within the room, as the atmosphere shone a dark red. The space only illuminated by the red flames.
Finally arriving towards the center, Xi Meiying suddenly collapsed. Holding her hands to her head, she screamed as blood poured out of her 7 orifrices. Her screamed echoed in the empty space, bouncing off the aged walls. The runes engraved on the platform shone. The atmosphere shook. A primordial presence pressed down on them, as the runes shone a line as they crawled through the floor towards the shaking Xi Meiying, surrounding her.
"What… is… happaning…"
The Sky Emperor kneeled under the immense pressure, feeling as if his internal organs were about to explode. The Patriarch and Grand Patriarch were worse, completely collapsing to the floor.
Xi Meiying suddenly stopped moving. And as if following in her footsteps, the pressure faded away. Behind the platform, a building appeared. The doors to the building opened by themselves, presenting an alluring temptation.
The Sky Emperor rushed in, disregarding the lying corpse of Xi Meiying. The Patriarch and Grand Patriarch recovered, slowly following suit.
Appearing inside the building, the 3 of them looked around. The building had a very residential interior, seemingly unbefitting of an inheritance. The Sky Emperor paid this no mind as he started searching the rooms.
'A very odd God Inheritance, there might be a trial to pass. Just finding a sacrifice would be too easy. I feel the first challenge was to find and understand a character similar to the Goddess of Blood herself to identify comparability in understanding what may be her techniques.'
The Grand Patriarch thought to himself as he looked around, heading further into the building.
***
This world was pure black.
No Sound.
No Life.
No light.
Xi Meiying opened her eyes. The pure black world slowly came into focus. She looked around, seeing only infinite darkness in all directions. She brought her hands to her faces, and though her eyes saw contacted, she felt nothing.
"You don't seemed scared or surprised?"
A ethereal voiced spoke out to her from behind.
Xi Meiying turned around, her eyes widening in shock.
A human figure materialized in front of her. Her dark red hair flowing with no wind present. A blood red dress flowed around her like liquid, adoring her body. Two eyes, shining an eerie red, decorated her jade white face. Two luscious red lips revealed a bright white smile.
Her curves appeared devilish, so much so that even Xi Meiying found it alluring. A parting in the dress allowed her snowy white legs to appear through, enhancing her figure.
Even Xi Meiying couldn't help but freeze in front of such a beautiful presence. Though, the shock didn't last long as she brought herself out of the charm of the devil standing in front of her. This being was none other than:
…The Goddess of Blood!