The morning sunlight brought some warmth to this gloomy city, but the atmosphere inside the castle was far less cozy than the exterior suggested.
In the meeting room, four people sat around a round table.
Elia tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest, her gaze somewhat distant.
Beside her, Kiz held a cup of black tea but didn’t drink.
Lisa sat in the main seat, fanning herself expressionlessly.
And of course, at some point, a Tzimisce woman named Vian had shown up. She was lying on the table, poking at a pastry out of boredom.
“So you just watched Lillian leave?” Vian asked.
Lisa glanced at her. “What else? Tie her up and bring her back?”
“At least you could’ve chased after her! She’s just a kid. It’s so dangerous out there alone!” Vian sat up straight and raised her voice.
“She’s stronger than all of us. The danger is for whoever crosses her, not her.”
Vian choked on those words. She really couldn’t argue.
Then Elia spoke. “The problem now isn’t whether to chase her… it’s how to face the next time.”
Kiz nodded. “And she’s even stronger than Elia. Everyone saw that. If we fight again, we have no chance.”
“So what do we do? Just wait around?” Vian asked again.
“In short, we need to get stronger. Not just me—all of you need to find a way to become stronger.” Elia rested her chin on her hand and spoke gravely.
Lisa looked at her thoughtfully. “How do you plan to get stronger?”
Elia shook her head. “Just training magic is way too slow. We need a method to boost our power quickly.”
Hearing this, Lisa lowered her eyes as if thinking. After a long moment, she spoke. “On the border of the Dream Spirit Continent, there’s an ancient ruin. They say it was where the strong of the ancient times trained themselves. We later generations call it the Trial Ground.”
“Oh? The Trial Ground? Sounds promising!” Elia smiled.
“It is promising, but it’s extremely dangerous. Nine out of ten people who enter never come out. Those who do emerge become powerhouses that shake the land. Also, in Blood Clan history, three princes entered it, and only one survived—my great-great-grandfather. After he came out, his power skyrocketed, and he became the strongest in the Blood Clan at the time.”
Kiz’s expression turned serious. “So where exactly is the Trial Ground?”
“Deep within the Endless Mountains at the easternmost edge of the continent. It’s shrouded in storms year-round, and only those with sufficient strength can enter. Are you sure you want to go there?” Lisa looked at Elia doubtfully.
Elia didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Then Kiz nodded. “I’m going too.”
“Alright, I’ll come along as well. I need to boost my combat power too.” Lisa picked up the glass of blood in front of her and downed it in one gulp.
At that moment, Vian suddenly raised her hand. “Me too! Me too!”
All three turned to look at her. Lisa furrowed her brow. “Vian, you…”
“Don’t even try to talk me out of it—it won’t work! Have you forgotten? Lillian is my friend too! Sure, I usually pick on her, but… she means a lot to me. I want to get stronger and bring her back!”
For once, her cynical eyes showed a glimmer of seriousness.
“Hmm… fine, let’s all go together.” Lisa smiled helplessly.
A day later, the four of them left the City of Shadows.
Lisa had arranged everything. The affairs of the Lasombra clan were temporarily handed over to the elders, and the City of Shadows’ defenses were doubled.
Then Elder Selina led the Blood Clan Royal Guards back to the Royal Capital to continue investigating the Holy Grail Order and the Wolf Organization.
Now, four nightmare beasts galloped across the wilderness. Elia and Kiz shared one, while Lisa and Vian each rode their own.
These incredibly fast nightmare beasts were prepared by Lisa. According to her, she had refined them with her Shadow Power for forty-nine days, and they had now reached a transcendent level.
“Elia, what do you think the Trial Ground is like?” Kiz leaned against Elia’s back and asked softly.
“How should I know? And why do you always ask me what a place is like every time we go somewhere?” Elia retorted helplessly.
“What are you talking about! I just want to find something to talk about…” Kiz stopped mid-sentence, then let out a mischievous laugh. She sneakily lowered her head and bit Elia’s arm.
Elia’s eyes widened, and she let out a strange sound. Looking down, she realized Kiz was up to her tricks again. Furious, she wanted to punish the little princess right then and there, but since they were riding the beasts, she had to let it go.
The two princes being fed dog food muttered, “Must they feed us on the road too?”
Ahead, the Endless Mountains drew closer.
They were shrouded in storms, lightning streaking through the clouds. It seemed to warn anyone who approached: stay away.
Yet the nightmare beasts charged straight into the storm.
In an instant, thunder roared and gales raged.
Lisa raised her hand, summoning a Shadow Barrier to shield the four of them. “Hold on! We’ll get through soon!”
The storm grew fiercer. Cracks began to appear in Lisa’s Shadow Barrier. Elia raised her hand and channeled her golden Holy Light into the barrier to reinforce it, preventing it from shattering and causing their doom.
After enduring for a while, the storm suddenly vanished, and they entered a realm completely different from before.
There was no wind or clouds. The sky was an eerie purple. The ground was paved with bluish-gray stone slabs, and in the distance stood a black hall.
“Hmm… that must be the entrance to the Trial Ground,” Lisa said.
The four dismounted and walked toward the building.
Up close, the building was even larger than imagined. The main door alone was dozens of meters tall—another door engraved with complex runes.
Elia studied the runes carefully and murmured, “These seem to record the rules of the trial… in short, the door must be opened with blood, and life and death in the trial are left to fate.”
Vian stuck out her tongue. “Life and death left to fate, huh…”
“It’s not too late to back out now~” Lisa nudged her elbow.
Hearing that, Vian immediately puffed out her chest. “But I’m not afraid of that!”
Lisa’s lips curled up slightly. Without another word, she cut her palm with her nail and pressed her bloodstained hand against the door.
With a series of rumbling sounds, the door slowly opened.