Who gave you permission to travel through time with Earth?

Chapter 24: The Grand Parade

The searchlights on the ceiling gradually went into a flickering state. At first, only one or two abnormalities were observed, which were difficult to detect. The vast space of the courtyard dulled Fang Jin and the others' senses.

But now it's different. A good portion of the searchlights are now flashing, and large amounts of sticky blood are pouring out of the gaps like a flood, shrieking as they merge into the wildly flowing vortex!

The water level had more than doubled, and the marches from all the branches were converging on the courtyard. The water, which was gradually turning scarlet, surged and roared upwards, and it looked like it was about to catch up with them.

"This is fucking unfair!!"

Lu Chen and the others couldn't help but let out low growls. Thin, sticky blood seeped into the back of their collars. For a moment, everyone was desperately climbing upwards. Even if they died, they couldn't die in such a humiliating way!

But how could the vampires give up so easily? The million-strong procession of evil beings emitted all sorts of shrill cries, rising and falling in the courtyard as they waded through the water... They were actually trying to control the height of the waves!

Forcefully slow down downstream of the target location, relying on the wave crests and height differences generated by the vortex, artificially create a wave peak that reaches the sky! Twist the entire courtyard's vortex into a completely irregular shape!

There was even a short, crimson, two-horned demon that stood up on the crest of the wave, looking both playful and ferocious. As the wave reached its highest point, it stretched out its demonic claws towards them!

"Eee-hah—!!"

Zhou Tongtong was at the back of the group. She raised her right hand, broke off two fingers, and revealed two sections of gun barrels still shrouded in smoke. She then aimed at the blood demon's forehead and pulled a non-existent trigger!

His two horns and eyes were blown off at the same time, and his entire body quickly melted into the tide of blood, but the huge wave still crashed into the wall of the Heavenly Ladder without any way to avoid it, blasting out large patches of scarlet blood mist!

"They...climbed up!"

Zhou Tongtong frowned and said, "Because the huge wave brought not only impact and bloodstains, but as the blood receded, blood ghosts that took form broke away from the procession and appeared on the cloud ladder!"

They possess both liquid and solid properties and can freely switch between the two. This vortex and the huge ceiling have always been the vampires' greatest stage to freely display their characteristics!

Once the vampires seize the ladder, or the water level rises to submerge them, then it will all be over. Zhou Tongtong immediately opened all the gun barrels, and even if she used up all the remaining ammunition, she had to defend to the death!

At this moment, they were only thirty steps away from the cave entrance, but in terms of physical sensation, both time and space seemed to be infinitely stretched out, as if they could never reach that place...

"Move aside... I'll do it!"

Fang Jin released her arms and let her body fall freely until she took Zhou Tongtong's fourth position. She hooked her feet and grabbed a nearby section of steel bar, then pressed her body and hands down upside down!

This time it wasn't lava; he couldn't project a waterfall-level amount of lava to burn and seal these blood demons within the walls. Instead, it was another Earth-based creation that Fang Jin could handle.

"Sizzle..."

The nails on both of his thumbs broke off, and thin streams of blood flowed upwards. But then, large amounts of dark red, grayish-white, or light brown stones seemed to form endlessly beneath his palms!

Then, like a mountain collapsing, it fell from the sky, smashing into the blood demons whose grins were frozen in place amidst a large amount of scattered sparks and stone dust!

"Ugh...!"

For a moment, all vision was plunged into darkness, followed by a barrage of hard objects smashing into the flesh. The soft outer layer of skin rippled and sank like water, then burst open, releasing a murky liquid!

Indescribable pain spread throughout their bodies. Even though they tried to repair themselves immediately, the continuous landslides destroyed their foothold and sent most of the blood demons back into the churning vortex below!

"Bang bang bang—!"

Rocks, rock formations composed of various waste ores and useless metals, are the only two Earthly creations he can project, apart from melt flows projected directly from the upper mantle or other shallows.

For the Star Eater to exercise the power of projection, two conditions must be met: first, the projection must come at a price, and the greater the influence of the creation on reality, the more terrifying the price becomes.

The price of lava is blood. Using blood as a medium to extract the molten flow from the heart, the amount can't be too much to begin with. As for the rock formations... it's fingernails. A single fingernail can be exchanged for nearly a ton of waste soil and rotten rocks.

Perhaps in the future, as his physical body and energy levels improve, the price he needs to pay will be relatively "devalued"... But right now, one kilogram of lava is enough for him to sacrifice his heart.

Secondly, there is the matter of location. The creation must be located where Fang Jin can "see" it, since what replaced his heart was not a stubborn rock, but a part of a planet compressed to such a size.

Although Fang Jin has the ability to perceive inwards, he cannot take in the entirety of the celestial body. At most, he can only see rocks and lava, and naturally, these are the only two things he can project at this stage.

...but in his hands, it always produces remarkable results.

"..."

When the smoke and dust cleared and the rubble and vampires fell into the vortex, the others discovered that even the steel bars on the path they had come from had been broken by falling rocks, and the few remaining vampires hung unwillingly in mid-air.

The space in the courtyard was enormous, and it would still take time to create another wave peak. However, the gaps were already large enough for Fang Jin and the others to climb the thirty steps of the Heavenly Ladder.

"Quickly, now... now's the only time!"

Lu Chen roared loudly, grabbing the next section of steel bar with both hands as if he were lunging forward. At this moment, the searchlights on the ceiling were flashing more and more wildly, and a large number of marchers emerged from various holes and surged into the vortex below!

This is their last chance. When the next wave peak arrives, they will still be here. Whether they are submerged by the water or swept away by the massive protests, they will have no chance of survival.

He had no choice but to urge them on. At the front of the line was Xu Rou. What was originally intended as a way to take care of the weak had now slowed down the entire team's progress... Lu Chen had made another mistake!

But Xu Rou had already tried her best. She was not known for her physical strength, and her hands, which were gripping the ladder, were cracked. The wet blood was smeared on the steel bars, but she gritted her teeth and remained silent.

And she was quick enough; she truly bought time for everyone. When the round hole at the top was almost within reach, the dense waves of blood from the evil spirits below would still take tens of seconds to arrive!

"We've...we've arrived!"

Xu Rou gripped the edge of the cave entrance tightly and shouted down, and everyone's faces showed a relieved expression. At least they had managed to get through this difficult time.

...including Jin Fugui.