The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 553 Blood Origin Conspiracy
Zellros raised his hands high and chanted an ancient incantation, "Freeze the soul, purify the heart, cover the source of life with endless frost!"

His deep, powerful voice, each word like a sharp blade slicing through the air, suddenly lowered the surrounding temperature to hundreds of degrees below zero.

In a brief, suffocating chill, a thick, translucent ice shell emitting a pale blue glow rapidly rose from the altar, like a huge, sharply defined "coffin," slowly sealing Amy inside.

The surface of the ice shell was engraved with runes left by the ancestors of the Star-Eyed Clan. They seemed to have their own rhythm and shimmered with a mesmerizing light in the night, like the pulse of life.

Before this rigorous and sacred ceremony, everyone held their breath, not daring to have the slightest distracting thought.

Suddenly, a powerful surge of soul energy erupted from the core of the "Heart's Ice Coffin," illuminating the entire camp as a silver-blue ocean.

This power is both pure and sharp, as if it penetrates all illusions and reaches the true source.

David's eyes welled up with tears. He reached out his other hand and gently touched the crystalline, transparent surface. "You'll pull through."

Gradually, a faint rhythm emanated from the crystal-clear inner layer, as gentle as the pulse of life.

This is a sign of the soul awakening, a rebirth and a new beginning.

The feeling was so intense that it almost suffocated him, but even more so, hope and faith surged forth.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the earth's fissure, surrounded by a torn space in the distance, the scorching mist formed by the intertwining of lava and corrosive toxins had not completely dissipated, but it was enveloped by a strange "frozen flame" boundary.

A colossal wall, woven from flames and frost, stretched across the sky, towering into the clouds. Its surface shimmered with silver-blue light and rippled with waves, as inviolable as a cosmic barrier.

This power, condensed and constructed from the core "Heart of Ice" within Amy's body, is the most crucial element in turning the tide of the battle.

This colossal wall in the sky not only brings absolute suppression, but also combines the most advanced elements in the world to clash: scorching flames and extreme cold coexist and collide, yet form a rare and balanced spectacle. Its edges ripple with expanding and rotating energy waves, constantly devouring anything that tries to get close, making it impossible for enemies to move an inch!
On the other side of the rift, a hideous figure was faintly visible in the dark void, its tall body covered in melting black flame scales;
His scarlet eyes burned with rage;

The voice, like a thunderclap, tore through the sky: "Hmph. Insignificant mortal! How dare you try to stop my arrival with your fragile body!"
Tonight, I will personally shatter these rules of heaven and earth, plunging the far north into an eternal inferno!

The lord's roar was deafening, causing distant mountains to resonate and collapse, and the atmosphere to distort and form a strange vortex.

A burst of scorching lava, accompanied by a strange surge of dark purple chaotic energy, swept over, threatening the destruction of all nearby living beings and arousing waves of fear and trembling!
Snowflakes fell thick and fast, covering the earth, the ravaged battlefield, and the still-standing frost golems.

A complex and tense atmosphere permeated the air—a sense of crisis that subtly arose after their fate was uncertain, and an unspeakable unease in the hearts of the guardians.

David sat upright in the temporary command tent, the Chaos Observer lying quietly on the command table in front of him, which was carved with ice crystal patterns.

The instrument's living eyeball core slowly rotated, emitting a ghostly blue light, its shimmering surface revealing an indescribable mystery and oppressive aura.

Fourteen fine runes surrounded it, constantly flashing with faint pulses, as rhythmic as a heartbeat.

Inside the tent, the dim yellow oil lamp cast flickering shadows, illuminating David's face with a blend of femininity and fortitude.

His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were as deep and calm as the winter night sky, yet they held hidden turmoil.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, a testament to his intense concentration and a natural reaction to the pressure and responsibility he faced.

"Is the Abyss Mark on Liliana truly in sync with the energy flow of the dimensional ice crystals detected by this Chaos Observer?"

He muttered to himself, his voice low but clear.

Amy sat to one side, her hands lightly gripping the top of the staff, which was inlaid with pale blue crystals that emitted a soft glow from her slender fingertips.

Her expression was solemn, but her brows revealed determination and composure. "I also felt it. This resonance of frequencies is no coincidence, but rather a deep connection is gradually emerging."

Lena, clad in battle armor, stood at the tent entrance, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her scabbard, her gaze sharp as an eagle's. "This could mean that we've been misjudging the enemy's true source of power all along. The Observer is likely using abyssal energy to 'create' these bizarre ice crystals through some unknown means."

Zellos stood on the other side of the instrument, holding a longsword, but occasionally glancing at the holographic images projected by the Chaos Observer.

His lips curled up slightly, but he couldn't hide the seriousness in his eyes. "If that's the case, then we're not just facing a superficial invasion, but an extremely secretive and complex war of energy manipulation."

In front of the chaos observer, a huge three-dimensional spatial image rotates and unfolds, with countless complex symbols and flowing data lines flashing in the semi-transparent air layer.

The lines meander like a babbling brook, tightly connecting several high-density energy nodes, with the most prominent and bright spots corresponding to several huge and strangely flowing "dimensional ice crystals".

These ice crystals seem like immaterial entities, their surfaces glowing with a deep blue fluorescence that echoes the twinkling stars in the night sky, yet they also possess a distorted and even eerie sense of instability.

The energy fluctuations they slowly released constantly vibrated the spatial textures, causing nearby souls to tremble and giving people an elusive yet terrifying ominous aura.

David stared intently at one of the core nodes, his fingers hovering over the graphical interface, constantly delving into every detail through the mental link.

When he touched a dim but stable frequency, he suddenly raised an eyebrow: "There seems to be another energy waveform here, completely different from the mainstream cold soul fire. It is a more complex and destructive 'abyssal element'!"

Amy frowned upon hearing this, her eyes flickering with eerie blue flames. "I've seen this element described in ancient texts. It's an extremely difficult-to-control, corrosive, and twisting dark power. If used to create weapons or defense systems, it would pose a great threat to the environment and life."

Lena strode quickly to their side, gripping the hilt of her knife with unwavering resolve: "Then we must find Liliana as soon as possible and prevent her from being further exploited or manipulated, or the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Zellos looked up at the earth outside the tent, where the pale dawn was gradually breaking. A biting wind blew in through the crack in the door, making his robes flutter.

"This crisis is far more fundamental than we anticipated. We must make comprehensive use of all resources, not only to defend ourselves, but also to proactively investigate the enemy's secrets and true intentions."

Outside on the snowy plains, a team of Star-Eyed Clan scouts braved the biting cold winds as they traversed the frozen wasteland.

They were tasked with tracking anomalous energy signals, and although their cheeks were red from the cold, they did not flinch.

A young female scout walked with steady steps. Her name was Larisa. Her bright green eyes reflected the sunlight on the snow, like the purest and most flawless spring water in winter.

Larisa suddenly stopped, scanning the area ahead with her gaze on a cluster of wildly shifting, dark purple crystalline fragments. "Look there! Those aren't ordinary debris—they're emanating an unusually strong soul aura!"

She whispered to her teammates and quickly pulled out a portable soul scanner to record and analyze the data.

The scanner screen scrolled through several red danger markers, accompanied by a buzzing sound indicating the detection of chaotic disturbances.

When the data was synchronously transmitted back to the base, high-ranking wizards and scientists immediately began joint discussions, hoping to deconstruct the enemy's technological construction principles from the origin of the fragments in order to find a way to break through.

Back at the camp, David closed his eyes and pondered for a long time before suddenly opening them. His eyes were as blue as the deep sea, filled with unwavering determination.

"I want to see Liliana in person."

His voice was deep and resolute: "Only by confronting the holder of that emblem can we unravel the core of the mystery and perhaps find a way to contain or even reverse the situation."

Lena nodded quickly in support: "If you need protection, I'll go with you. The journey is fraught with danger, so we must work together!"

Amy exhaled a puff of white breath and said, "I will prepare the necessary spellcasting support and provide continuous mental link assistance from a distance. You must not let your guard down!"

Zelllos straightened his armor and comforted the group, saying, "No matter the outcome, this operation will determine our future. We will have no regrets if we give it our all."

As everyone prepared to set off, the heavy snow continued to fall, spreading in the morning breeze. Some of the snowflakes landed on their cheeks, their chill penetrating to the bone like needles.

But they keep their eyes on the road ahead, undeterred by the bitter cold, because every step they take is to protect their homeland, and every breath they take carries the burning flame of hope!

Inside the Star-Eyed Clan's secret research room, the lighting was dim and the atmosphere was cold. The ice crystals embedded in the walls reflected a faint blue light, making the entire space feel as if one were in a vast starry sea.

Lia stood in the center of the ice-blue magic circle, carefully observing the blood flowing in a transparent crystal bottle in front of her.

The blood did not appear to be ordinary blood; tiny yet complex fragments of runes—chaotic runes—were faintly shimmering within it.

Her brows were furrowed, and a few fine beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

"How is this possible?"

Lia murmured softly, her fingertips gently touching the bottle. The rune fragments seemed to sense her touch, their patterns shifting faintly within her blood, as if telling some secret.

The air was filled with a faint scent of herbs and magical energy, but it was now replaced by a sense of oppression and tension.

Portraits of the Star-Eyed Clan's ancestors hung on the wall. Those mysterious ancestors had solemn faces, and their gazes seemed to pierce through time and space, looking directly into the future.

Lia raised her head and looked into the cold sorrow in the portrait's deep eyes, feeling a pang of melancholy and guilt.

Elder Ares walked slowly into the room, wearing a dark silver robe and with his silver hair flowing over his shoulders like water.

His face is etched with the marks of time, but his eyes are still bright and piercing.

He stood quietly to the side, not in a hurry to speak, but staring intently at the crystal bottle in Lia's hand.

"Leah."

Ares finally broke the silence, his voice deep and authoritative, “Everything you have discovered means that we must confront a truth that we have not dared to look at or mention for many years.”

Lia looked up anxiously: "Elder, please tell me—what exactly does this fragment of the Chaos Rune mean? Why would such an evil substance appear in the blood of the Star-Eyed Clan?"

Ares sighed, picked up a yellowed ancient book from the table, and said in a trembling but firm voice, "These runes are the crystallization of chaotic energy and abyssal power, which we call 'corrosion marks'."

They spread from the depths of our souls, eroding our very essence like a malignant tumor.

He paused, then slowly closed the ancient book. "Many years ago, our ancestors tried to control a forbidden power left behind by the Observers, but they were exploited. They were forced to become 'living coordinates,' living human anchors used to stabilize and lock the path of invading planes."

"Living body coordinates?"

Lia asked in astonishment, her eyes wide with disbelief, "So our ancestors were actually transformed into such terrifying beings?"

Ares nodded: "That's right. They were modified by the Observers using extreme methods on the eve of countless otherworldly invasions."

This transformation, blending chaotic elements with our pure souls, makes these individuals both living beings and anchor points for journeys to other dimensions.

He paused for a moment, then exhaled a sigh of relief. "That's why we've never been able to completely break free from the control behind those dimensional ice crystals and abyssal emblems. They use these 'coordinates' to maintain the stability of the pathways, thereby guiding the enemy to invade."

The air suddenly became still, and a chill gradually crept up from the soles of the feet to the whole body, making everyone feel an indescribable unease and fear.

The shadows on the wall swayed and twisted with the candlelight, like countless ghosts whispering secrets that had been buried for a long time and were painful to tell.

“So,” Leah asked in a trembling voice, “then what we see now, these dimensional ice crystals, and everything entangled in cause and effect, are nothing more than the product of our ancestors being cursed and exploited?”

After a long silence, Ares replied, "That's right, this is why the Star-Eyed Clan prides itself on being pure and noble, yet silently bears the original sin of darkness."

He closed his eyes, one hand clutching his chest as if enduring intense heartache. "All future, all hope, must be based on facing this truth. No matter how cruel, we must find a way to break free, otherwise we will ultimately destroy the entire race and even all things in the world."

The atmosphere inside the laboratory was extremely tense. Footsteps approached from outside the changing room, and a young researcher pushed open the door and entered.

His name was Calvin, a senior scholar who had studied forbidden arts for many years. At this moment, his face was pale but his eyes were firm.

"Elder, I just received new information," his voice trembled slightly, but could not hide his determination, "The new samples from the ruins show that not only our blood, but also some of the remains have been infused with a large amount of chaotic rune components, and they are spreading!"

(End of this chapter)