The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 452 Awakening of the Temple
These knights were the elite force of the Eternal Night Council—the Eclipse Knights. They had been secretly watching David and the witches' movements, trying to find an opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Faced with this sudden attack, the witches immediately launched a counterattack.

Amy unleashed powerful ice magic, freezing the knights at the forefront into ice sculptures;
Hill then summoned the wrath of the earth, forming massive earthen walls to block the knights' charge.

Cynthia then used illusion magic to create a series of illusions to confuse the knights.

However, the Knights of the Eclipse were no ordinary force; they quickly saw through the witches' scheme and began to adjust their tactics.

Using the agility of their ghostly warhorses, they moved freely through the storm, launching continuous attacks on the witches.

At the same time, they unleashed a strange dark magic, attempting to erode the witches' will and power.

Just when the battle reached a stalemate, Liliana suddenly stepped forward.

She is the healer in the team, and is usually responsible for providing support and healing to the witches.

However, at this crucial moment, she decided to unleash her most powerful magic—the barrier woven from the roots of the mother tree.

Liliana closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened her arms.

Her hands began to emit a soft green light, which quickly coalesced into thick roots that intertwined to form a massive barrier amidst the storm.

This barrier not only blocked the knights' attacks, but also gradually stabilized the ice ship's swaying in the storm.

The witches were overjoyed at the sight and seized the opportunity to launch an even fiercer counterattack.

However, at that moment, an unexpected situation occurred.

Suddenly, the Star-Eyed Scholar Otas exclaimed, pointing to a crack in the barrier: "Look! There's an Abyss Rune there!"

The witches looked in the direction Otas was pointing and indeed found a tiny crack in the barrier, from which a deep and evil aura emanated.

This aura was exactly the same as the abyssal power they had encountered before, clearly indicating that it had been deliberately left behind.

"What's going on?" Amy asked, frowning.

Ortas, his face pale, said, "I... I may have accidentally left some traces while researching the abyssal runes. I didn't expect them to come in handy at this time..."

Before he finished speaking, the power of the abyss suddenly surged out from the crack, rapidly eroding the foundation of the barrier.

The barrier began to crumble, as if it could collapse at any moment.

"We must reinforce the barrier!" Liliana said anxiously, "or we'll all die here!"

However, the witches' magic proved ineffective against the powerful abyssal force.

They used all their magic, but the cracks in the barrier grew wider and wider, and the power of the abyss continued to pour in.

Just then, David stepped forward.

He took a deep breath and then slowly closed his eyes.

He could feel the divine power within him resonating with the ancient god's remains in the storm, and a powerful force was surging within him.

"David, what are you doing?" Amy asked worriedly.

David did not answer; he simply silently channeled the divine power within him.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide and shouted, "Divine Resonance!"

As his shout subsided, a powerful energy surge erupted from his body, instantly resonating with the ancient god's remains in the storm.

The remains seemed to come alive, emitting a dazzling light that intertwined and merged with the divine power within David's body.

Under the influence of this force, the cracks in the barrier began to heal gradually, and the erosion of the abyss's power was gradually contained.

At the same time, David seized the opportunity to control the energy in the storm, converting it into his own power and launching a fierce attack on the Eclipse Knights.

A series of dazzling beams of light shot out from David's hand, striking the knights directly.

These rays of light contained the power of the remnants of the ancient gods and the divinity of David, making them incredibly powerful.

The knights collapsed to the ground under the light, and their ghostly warhorses let out mournful neighs.

The leader of the Eclipse Knights was shocked to see this; he had not expected that David could defeat their elite troops so easily.

He immediately ordered a retreat, and disappeared into the storm with the remaining knights.

The witches breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, and they all gathered around to congratulate David.

Liliana hugged David tightly, thanking him for saving the entire team.

David smiled and shook his head, saying, "It's what I should do. We are a team, and only by uniting can we overcome all difficulties."

After this battle, David gained a deeper understanding of the power and potential of his divine abilities.

He also realized that they would face even more severe tests and challenges in their future adventures.

However, he did not fear or back down because he knew that as long as they were united and forged ahead, they would be able to overcome all difficulties and achieve their ideals and goals.

During his journey through the Chaos Realm, David also discovered an important clue—the remains of those ancient gods seemed to have some mysterious connection with the Fountain of Life.

This made him even more convinced of the existence of the Fountain of Life and the miracles it could bring.

As the dimensional storm in the Chaos Realm gradually subsided, the World Tree's massive root system slowly manifested in the void. They intertwined and entwined, as if whispering, guiding David and the witches.

This sudden guidance surprised and excited everyone.

David stood on the deck of the ice ship, gazing at the root system, and he could feel the ancient power and wisdom contained within it.

Suddenly, his blood began to boil, and an indescribable power surged within him.

This power seemed to resonate with the roots of the World Tree, stirring up a strange impulse within him.

"Look, everyone!" Amy exclaimed in surprise, pointing at David.

Beneath David's skin, blood-red lines began to appear, moving within him like living things, eventually converging in his palm and solidifying into a small, exquisite blood-red key.

The key emitted a faint glow, seemingly holding the secret to unlocking some mysterious door.

“This is…” David looked down at the key in his hand, his mind filled with doubt.

“It seems that this is the key to the Bloodborne Sanctuary,” Liliana said after a moment of contemplation. “The World Tree is guiding us, and your bloodline reveals the entrance to the sanctuary.”

“The Blood Source Sanctuary?” Cynthia asked, frowning. “What kind of place is that?”

“According to ancient records, the Blood Source Temple is a mysterious place left behind by the ancient gods, which hides endless secrets and power,” Otas explained. “But the entrance to the temple is extremely hidden, and only those with a specific bloodline can find it.”

“And I’m the one with that specific bloodline?” David pointed to himself, somewhat incredulous. “It seems so.” Amy nodded. “Now, all we need to do is find the entrance to the temple and then use this key to open it.”

Guided by the World Tree, David and the witches traversed the Chaos Realm and arrived at a desolate wasteland.

This place was once the battlefield of the ancient gods, but now only ruins and endless desolation remain.

However, hidden within these ruins is a secret passage leading to the Blood Source Temple.

David, holding the blood-red key, searched everywhere in the ruins.

After searching for a while, he finally found an ancient rune array in a hidden corner.

The rune array emitted a faint glow, echoing the key in David's hand.

“This is it.” David took a deep breath and inserted the key into the center of the rune array.

As the key was inserted, the rune array suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light, enveloping David and the witches.

After the light faded, a hidden passage leading underground appeared before them.

“Let’s go in and take a look.” David stepped into the passage first, followed closely by the witches.

The passageway was dark and damp, filled with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

They walked along the passage, and after an unknown amount of time, they finally arrived at a huge underground palace.

The palace was built of unknown materials and emitted a faint crimson glow, as if it had been forged with blood.

"This is the Blood Source Temple?" Amy exclaimed in amazement.

“It seems so.” David looked around, a strange sense of awe rising within him.

They entered the temple and found it spacious and solemn, with a huge altar standing in the center.

The altar was covered with intricate runes and patterns, seemingly containing some ancient power.

However, the most striking feature is a groove in the center of the altar, whose size and shape perfectly match the key in David's hand.

“It seems we need this key to activate the altar,” David said, inserting the key into the groove.

As the key was inserted, the altar suddenly burst forth with a brilliant light, illuminating the entire temple.

Within the light, a majestic and ancient voice resounded in David's mind:
"Welcome to the Bloodborne Sanctuary, brave explorer. The key in your hand proves your bloodline's connection to the Old Gods. But to gain the power within the sanctuary, you must pass a trial."

"A trial?" David's heart tightened.

"Yes, a trial of sacrifice and dedication," the voice continued. "You need to offer 'divine blood' to prove your thirst for power and your loyalty to the ancient gods."

Upon hearing this, the witches couldn't help but frown.

The blood of the gods is a precious thing; it is not only the source of the witches' power, but also the guarantee of their lives.

Once they lose their divine blood, their strength will be greatly reduced, and they may even face mortal danger.

However, just as everyone was hesitating, Lia suddenly stepped forward.

She walked to David's side, looked at him with deep affection, and said, "David, let me do it. I am willing to give my divine blood for you, for the team, and for the future of the multiverse."

David was shocked upon hearing this, and he quickly shook his head, saying, "No, Leah. This is too dangerous. I can't let you take the risk."

“David, trust me,” Leah said with a smile. “This is my own choice. I’m willing to give everything for the team.”

Without hesitation, Lia cut her palm, and a stream of bright red blood gushed out, dripping onto the altar.

The blood emitted a faint glow, resonating with the runes on the altar.

As the blood dripped, the runes on the altar began to flicker, and a powerful force surged forth, enveloping both Leah and David.

Under the influence of this force, Lia's body began to change. Her eyes became exceptionally bright, as if she could see through all illusions and realities.

At the same time, a mysterious totem emerged in Lia's blood—the totem of the Star-Eyed Clan.

The totem slowly rotated in the blood, emitting a dazzling light that echoed the runes on the altar.

"What's going on?" David looked at the scene in surprise.

“It seems that Lia has some kind of secret connection with the Blood Source Temple,” Otas said after a moment of contemplation. “This totem may be the key to unlocking the true power of the temple.”

As the totem appeared, the light on the altar grew stronger and stronger, and an ancient and powerful force surged from the depths of the temple, stunning everyone into immobility.

This power contains endless mysteries and wisdom, as if it can see into the essence of the multiverse.

"It seems we have truly found the true power of the Blood Temple," Amy said with emotion.

"And all of this was earned by Liya." David looked at Liya with deep affection, his heart filled with gratitude.

Just then, that majestic and ancient voice resounded in David's mind once again: "Brave explorers, you have passed the trial."

"Now, the true power of the Blood Temple will belong to you, but remember, this power is both powerful and dangerous, and you must use it with caution."

As the voice faded, a warm and powerful force surged into David and the witches' bodies.

They felt their power had been greatly enhanced, as if they were able to grasp the mysteries and power of the entire multiverse.

David became somewhat excited.

With this power, he can explore the realm of gods and the power of seventh-ring wizards more deeply.

For him, who had just condensed his divine body, this power was truly crucial.

Deep within the Bloodborne Sanctuary, they also discovered an ancient tome.

This book records the history and secrets of the ancient gods, as well as how to use the power of the Blood Temple.

David and the witches carefully studied the book, trying to find more clues about the multiverse and the ancient gods.

Of course, their exploration is not over yet.

As he continued deeper, David suddenly felt a strange force drawing him in.

Without any hesitation, he headed towards the direction of that force.

Suddenly, a force appeared and completely engulfed him, pulling him into another space.

(End of this chapter)