Chapter 424: The Blood God Legion
Welcome to our new Patrons: thedistraction and omar amurrio!
------------------------------------------------------
Although he was eager to test the effects of the Sand Demon Worm's fluid, Xu Yuan managed to restrain himself and spent a day resting in the Lava Basin.
There was no helping it—his journey here had left him somewhat fatigued.
Especially after the recent battle, his energy consumption was significant. That Sand Demon Worm had genuinely devoured a large amount of Xu Yuan's blood essence in a short time.
Moreover, Xu Yuan himself wasn't lacking confidence in devouring Abyss energy. Even if the Sand Demon Worm's fluid proved useful, its practical impact on him personally would be minimal. Its greater significance lay in aiding the Blood God Legion, which was responsible for combating the Abyss.
Departing from the Lava Basin, Xu Yuan piloted his mech suit toward the nearby Endless Mountain Range.
After half a day of flight, the sight of the Endless Mountain Range left Xu Yuan awestruck.
It was a vast expanse of snow-covered peaks stretching endlessly into the horizon.
Despite being near the Lava Basin—one of the hottest regions on Douluo Star—the Tian Mountain Range resembled a perpetual winter. From halfway up the mountains to their peaks, everything was blanketed in snow, and the summits appeared as if they were carved from ice.
Upon reaching the outskirts of the Endless Mountain Range, Xu Yuan maneuvered his mech suit to land on the ground.
According to the Blood God Legion's rules, every soul master who came here—even those capable of flight—had to traverse this path on foot. Only those with the determination and resolve to endure this journey could withstand life in the Blood God Legion and truly shoulder its mission.
Since it was a rule, Xu Yuan saw no need to break it.
The light faded, revealing Xu Yuan's true form.
He wore casual attire and didn't bother with heavy clothing.
His blood essence acted like a furnace, shielding him from the biting cold of the Endless Mountain Range.
---
Three days later.
Xu Yuan arrived at his destination.
Climbing the final snowy mountain, he reached the summit. On the other side stretched an endless snowy plain dotted with barracks. The scale of the encampment was impressive, with guard posts scattered around. Due to the snow cover, it was impossible to discern the materials used in these structures.
The moment Xu Yuan stepped onto the summit, the Blood God Legion reacted.
In fact, the moment Xu Yuan entered the Endless Mountain Range, the Legion's equipment had already detected his presence. His overwhelming blood essence, left unrestrained, was like a massive energy source that was impossible to ignore.
Over these three days, the Blood God Legion had been keeping an eye on Xu Yuan.
Now, as Xu Yuan reached the summit, what appeared to be an ordinary patch of snow stirred. Heads emerged, and four fully armed soldiers in thick white uniforms pointed their guns at Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan remained calm and raised his hand, addressing the four soldiers: "I'm here to report."
The four white-clad soldiers approached, inspected him, and confirmed that he carried no weapons. Then, one soldier removed his helmet and spoke three words.
"Letter of recommendation."
Xu Yuan retrieved the letter of recommendation from his storage-type soul-guided device.
It was a silver-white metal document, engraved with the image of a pure white, majestic bird resembling an eagle but larger and more robust.
This was the Snow Spirit Eagle, the guardian deity of the snowy mountains and the emblem of the Blood God Legion.
After inspecting Xu Yuan's letter, the soldier suddenly stood at attention and saluted him with a military gesture distinct from the Federation's standard salute. Here, the salute involved pounding the chest with a clenched fist—a powerful, resounding motion.
Xu Yuan mirrored the soldier's action, raising his right hand and pounding his chest, producing a loud thud.
"Follow me."
The soldier turned and strode briskly toward the distant camp.
Xu Yuan quickened his pace to keep up.
The other three soldiers retreated back into the snow, resuming their routine duties.
The soldier led Xu Yuan to the camp, where the snow had clearly been cleared, revealing some hard ground beneath. Shaking off the accumulated snow, they quickly entered the camp.
---
Inside the camp, everything was orderly. The soldier guided Xu Yuan through the encampment to a building. Placing his hand on a panel by the structure, a beam of light scanned him, and the metal door before Xu Yuan opened.
"Follow me."
The soldier's words were concise, and his actions—both speaking and moving—were sharp and efficient.
Entering the building, a wave of warmth greeted them.
After enduring the harsh cold outside for so long, the sudden rush of heat made even Xu Yuan feel as though his entire body had been soothed, leaving him with an indescribable sense of comfort.
The soldier glanced back at Xu Yuan and removed her helmet, revealing an unexpected sight.
This soldier was a woman.
She had long brown hair and appeared to be in her mid-twenties. She was tall.
Her expression was icy: "Don't space out. Follow me. Let me remind you—whether or not you can stay depends entirely on your performance from here on out."
Xu Yuan was well aware of the Blood God Legion's rules and had already guessed the identity of the person before him.
He couldn't help but remind her: "Officer, I'm a researcher sent by the Spirit Pagoda."
The woman, Long Yuxue, showed no change in expression.
Researchers sent by the Spirit Pagoda, according to procedure, would directly participate in substantive research work after passing their evaluation. The personnel involved in the Blood God Legion's research held ranks that weren't low.
In other words, upon arriving here, Xu Yuan might immediately hold a position of considerable status.
This was precisely the outcome Xu Yuan desired.
He didn't want to waste too much time climbing the ranks—he needed to quickly gain access to Abyss energy and even secure the authority to independently explore the Abyss passage.
"I know you're a researcher," Long Yuxue said. "But in the Blood God Legion, everything depends on merit. While researchers do start with higher ranks, earning respect from others requires real ability." Her tone carried both indifference and acknowledgment toward researchers.
Continuing deeper, Long Yuxue led Xu Yuan through a corridor and into a room.
Inside was another female soldier, appearing to be in her forties, with a single bar and two stars on her shoulders indicating the rank of lieutenant.
"Lieutenant, this is the newcomer. Arrange his evaluation," Long Yuxue instructed.
"Yes, Major," the middle-aged female officer immediately stood, performing the Legion's chest-pounding salute.
Xu Yuan showed no surprise—he had already deduced the woman's identity and knew her rank was that of a major.
After nodding, Long Yuxue turned and exited the room.
Once she was gone, the middle-aged female officer observed Xu Yuan and remarked, "A very young man—good!"
She was quite optimistic about such a young individual joining the Blood God Legion.
However, the evaluation process could not afford any leniency.
If he failed, he still wouldn't be able to join the Blood God Legion.
"Within the Blood God Legion, only strength and merit matter. If you can earn enough contributions and accumulate sufficient merit, you'll gain the respect and rapid rank advancement that other armies can't offer."
The middle-aged female officer continued: "Young man, no matter where you come from, I must remind you not to be arrogant. Everyone recommended here is a prodigy, but less than a third of them actually remain."
Seeing that Xu Yuan's gaze hadn't changed, she nodded, gestured for him to follow, and led him to a warehouse-like area.
"You may choose any weapon. Remember, during your evaluation, you won't be able to use soul power. You'll have to rely solely on your body and the weapons here. Choose what you're proficient with."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)