Casinar lay like a lamb to the slaughter, placed at the ritual’s center.

He lifted his eyes, looking at the vampire traitor standing on the other side of the ritual, and asked, "What is this ritual?"

Before Little Pig could answer, the Yellow-covered Book eagerly explained how soon his blood essence would be forcibly extracted from his body, and then he would die in extreme pain.

It was looking forward to savoring the sweet emotion of fear from this vampire.

However, in the deep-set eye sockets of Casinar, there was only a flash of comprehension.

For several consecutive months, he was hung at the gate, not only exposed to the sun but also displayed like an exhibit, criticized by those tribesmen who used to find even one more glance too filthy. This humiliation was no less than the torture of sun exposure for a self-proclaimed noble vampire marquis.

Casinar’s body and mind were already exhausted, desiring only death.

As for the pain before death, could it compare to the torture of sunbathing for several months?

...

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

A shrill scream, so distorted it had completely changed, burst forth from Casinar’s wide-open mouth.

As the ritual began, a dark red light rose from the rune array on the ground, enveloping Casinar’s entire body.

No wound was visible, but beneath his pale skin, it seemed as if countless tiny blood serpents were writhing frantically, trying to break out.

Then, strands of scarlet blood mist were indeed slowly drawn out from the pores and orifices all over his body!

These mists, infused with vast power, were slowly drawn toward Little Pig on the other end of the ritual.

The next moment, Little Pig’s body trembled violently, emitting a series of muffled groans.

The blood mist, like an invader, tried desperately to penetrate her skin, merging into her body.

However, a distinctly different blood power within Little Pig resisted the invasion of the external force stubbornly. The confrontation between the two forces beneath her skin produced a sizzling sound.

As more and more blood essence was forcibly extracted from Casinar’s painfully twisting body and injected into Little Pig, this conflict reached a boiling point.

Then, with a "bang," a burst of blood erupted unexpectedly from Little Pig’s right scapula!

The splattered blood stained half of Little Pig’s face red.

Little Pig grunted heavily, but still endured without screaming.

However, the Yellow-covered Book, hosting the ritual, had already sentenced her to death:

[I said this was courting death, but she wouldn’t listen]

[Did she really think relying on an S-Class Demon Crystal would guarantee success?]

[The ritual had barely begun, and her body already rejected it to the point of bursting. Continuing will surely be fatal]

[Boss, should we stop?]

It didn’t care about this ogre woman’s life or death, but it was the one hosting the ritual.

If Louisa really died, and the boss took his anger out, it couldn’t afford the consequences.

Even though Louisa had said beforehand, "If I fail, it’s just my bad luck," the Yellow-covered Book knew that when the boss didn’t want to be reasonable, he wouldn’t care about those things.

Furthermore, when Louisa said those words, the boss merely acquiesced and did not directly agree.

"What happens if we stop the ritual now?" Lin Jun inquired, as another muffled sound issued from Little Pig’s body, with a burst of blood mist erupting from the outside of her left leg, splattering chunks of flesh beside Marshal Puki’s feet.

The Yellow-covered Book wrote straightforwardly:

[Stopping now, there’s a high probability of saving her life]

[So much blood power consumed in the ritual means a significant loss of power, and level degradation is inevitable]

[With a bit of bad luck, there might be some permanent damage]

[However... Boss, you have the Water of Life, with substantial infusion, it might slowly nurture her back]

"Yes, the Water of Life!"

With that, Marshal Puki, standing on the fungal mat, shuddered, as Lin Jun added the [Life Essence] skill.

Immediately, a mycelium tendril pried open Little Pig’s jaw, clenched tight from pain, attempting to pour the Water of Life into her mouth.

However, the ongoing internal rupture had already harmed Little Pig’s organs, causing blood mixed with shattered tissue to constantly overflow from her throat, choking back even the Water of Life being poured in.

Lin Jun reconsidered, refraining from feeding her again, and instead aimed the tendril at Little Pig’s abdomen and thrust it in!

Then, the tendril pierced into the abdomen began releasing the Water of Life, which was directly absorbed by the body, transforming into pure life force, rapidly repairing Little Pig’s already tattered flesh.

Thus, a brutal cycle began.

The blood power kept flowing in, triggering fierce rejection and rupture, while almost simultaneously, the Water of Life forcibly healed the wounds.

Explosion—Repair—Re-explosion—Re-repair...

Little Pig felt her body turned into a swirling mass of mush, enduring the ultimate pain of having her bones ground every second. She finally couldn’t suppress it anymore, a hoarse cry of pain escaping her throat.

But that cry transformed into a hoarse and exhilarating manic laugh after a few violent convulsions!

The laughter wasn’t of breakdown, but the frenzied joy of victory within reach.

As if contagious, on the other end of the ritual, Casinar, already drained of most of his blood essence and emaciated, suddenly felt his withered chest shake, letting out a raspy laugh.

His laugh was the realization of impending death and ultimate relief.

Usually sociable, Lin Jun felt this scene shouldn’t go unresponded.

Thus, a section of the fungal mat beside Marshal Puki wriggled, and a speaking Puki emerged swiftly:

"Kekeke..."

...

The fungal mat slowly dissolved and consumed the marquis, who had even lost his status panel.

After the ritual concluded, Little Pig, whose spirit was long overburdened, passed out once she relaxed.

Lin Jun called Norris over to take his Sister Blood back for care.

Meanwhile, the Yellow-covered Book expressed amazement:

[They managed to endure this!]

[Boss, you know, those vampires stuck at their levels for decades or centuries, if they learned we not only have blood extraction rituals but can force success, they’d do anything to bring their superiors’ heads and join us!]

[Of course, that guy Mortis would stop at nothing to destroy us for it]

Lin Jun looked at the dim, shattered S-Class Demon Crystals at the ritual node, considering another matter: "So, next time, do we not need to use S-Class Demon Crystals? I think Little Pig is quite tenacious; surely she can endure a bit more pain."

[Probably... not]

[With lower-level Demon Crystals, the power rejection would be fiercer. If she exploded from the rejection, boss, you couldn’t save her]

"I see, that’s regrettable..."

They were short of S-Class Demon Crystals themselves and couldn’t afford to waste them on other unimportant vampires.

Overall, it was best not to disclose this information for the time being.

...

Little Pig’s promotion was quite an important matter.

Now that crucial matters were settled, Lin Jun could address some less important issues.

For example, the vampire poles standing too profusely outside the gate, their collective chanting too loud and messy, had become a disturbance.

But if removed, many Fungus People would feel reluctant to part.

For this, Lin Jun just had an idea.