Chapter 21 - Return to Iron Lotus
We entered Iron Lotus from below.
Above us, drums thundered through the mountain.
The Blood Furnace sat beneath the main plaza, hidden under a ceremonial stage.
Forty-seven disciples were chained around it.
Jace recognized half of them.
"They told us those people transferred to branch sects."
Mira's voice went cold.
"They were inventory."
Veyr stood on the platform wearing white robes.
"Tonight," he announced to the sect, "Iron Lotus receives Heaven's blessing."
The furnace activated.
The chained disciples screamed.
My system flooded with quests.
[Save 1 disciple: +5 DP]
[Save 10: +50 DP]
[Save all: UNKNOWN]
I hated the math.
People were not points.
I closed the quest window.
Then we attacked.
Jace took the guards.
Mira froze the formation nodes with Void qi.
Sable moved through the chains.
Pebble ate a ward and got visibly fatter.
I reached the furnace.
[Blood Furnace]
[Rank: Earth]
[Break requirement: Foundation]
Fen's warning echoed in my head.
Do not accept Foundation.
The system offered it anyway.
[Emergency Advancement Available]
[Accept?]
I selected no.
[Warning: refusal reduces survival probability to 6%.]
"Six percent," I whispered.
Jace heard me.
"Better than usual?"
"Much."
I put both hands on the furnace and activated Meridian Bite.
May you like
The furnace bit back.
