"Alright, everyone has tried and examined. If there are no issues, how about we discuss how to activate the array and retrieve the bones? After all, we've come all the way to this deep part of the Great Ruins, not just for a look." Although Er Kui's expression remained calm, his tone was noticeably impatient.

Hearing this, Chen Yang, Sun Tu, Qin Yuan, and the others couldn't find further excuses to delay. After all, their respective investigations hadn't revealed anything unusual.

They exchanged glances and then gathered around Er Kui.

Han Li and Shi Chuan Kong had already circled to the other side of the altar and saw three more white stone arch bridges spanning the abyss around the altar, leading deeper into this space.

That area was buried in deeper darkness, without the light of the flames, making it impossible to see clearly.

Hearing Er Kui's summons, Han Li and his companion stopped. After a moment of hesitation, they turned back.

"It seems everyone has found nothing wrong with this altar formation, right? And my previous experiences have many similarities with this place, so I believe what's written on the stone tablet is mostly true. Why don't we try activating the altar according to the method described?" Er Kui said as he saw everyone gathered.

"Ahem... In that case, please tell us, Lord Er, how exactly to activate this formation..." Qin Yuan said.

"This Blood Sacrifice Array has five nodes, requiring five people to activate it simultaneously. The main reason for inviting several lords to join me in the array is to consider your profound cultivation and powerful physiques, which are sufficient to withstand the strong pressure brought by the array's operation. The others will provide protection, so that each city has contributed, and the subsequent division of spoils will be fairer." Er Kui said after a moment's thought.

Upon hearing this, many people frowned.

For a moment, no one spoke, and the atmosphere seemed a bit strange.

Seeing this, Er Kui didn't urge them, but slowly swept his gaze across Sun Tu, Chen Yang, and the other four city lords.

"Lord Er, it would be good if you could explain the risks of this formation, so that we can at least be prepared, and not be thrown into disarray when something really goes wrong." Sun Tu hesitated for a moment before asking.

"The various opportunities of us cultivators are sought in danger. Speaking of which, rather than risks, it's more like a great opportunity, depending on how much everyone can take." Er Kui said with a corner of his mouth raised, noncommittally.

"Lord Er, what do you mean by that?" Fu Jian asked with a frown.

Han Li and the others also looked puzzled.

"According to my speculation, when this Blood Sacrifice Array is activated, a large amount of flesh and blood power will turn into dense blood mist and overflow from the blood pool. The five people in the array nodes are guarding the channels for the blood mist to come out, just like a single man guarding the pass, welcoming the impact of a thousand troops. When the rolling blood energy surges out, it will be the time for you all to receive the infusion of this power." Er Kui looked back at the altar and said.

"So, as long as you are in the array node, you can absorb the flesh and blood power in this blood pool, thereby enhancing your own strength?" Fu Jian asked quickly, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Most of the people present showed a look of surprise, only Chen Yang and Han Li had some hidden worries in their eyes, but they didn't say anything more. Sun Tu also frowned, not entirely believing what he said.

Han Li instinctively felt that this blood array would not be so simple, especially since this kind of infusion technique must be quite dangerous, so he didn't intend to get involved at all. The things that really interested him were not here, but most likely on the other side of the three stone arch bridges, inside that stone gate hidden in the darkness.

"Daoist Fu is right. However, you will definitely have to endure great pain at that time. I hope you can all bear with it a little, and be sure to wait until the bones are pulled out of the water by the power of the array." Er Kui nodded and said.

"The power of flesh and blood infused into the body is indeed of great benefit, but if this formation operates continuously, how can our small pond-like bodies accommodate the massive flesh and blood power in the blood pool? If it cannot be stopped at that time, it will be like seawater pouring in and destroying the banks..." Sun Tu said slowly after pondering for a moment.

Qin Yuan and the others immediately woke up and looked at Er Kui again.

"You can rest assured about this. The five array node statues are connected in spirit and have no primary or secondary distinctions. When one of us five cannot withstand the power infusion, the excess flesh and blood power will be evenly distributed to the others, thereby achieving a balance of the five array nodes. If it really comes to a point where it is difficult to support, then all five of us will be unable to resist and explode and die." Er Kui said casually.

"In this case, the risk is still not small." Sun Tu said, still hesitant.

"Lord Sun, if you want to seize opportunities but are unwilling to take any risks, you've lost your heoric nature. If it's really difficult, it's also easy to handle. Just give this opportunity to me." Shao Ying suddenly grinned and said.

Among the people present, besides the city lords, he was the only one qualified to enter the array on the surface.

Hearing this, Sun Tu's eyebrows relaxed and he laughed loudly:

"Haha... Elder Shao is joking, Sun is just a little doubtful, but not afraid to move forward, not daring to enter the array."

"Don't worry, everyone. If it really comes to a time when the five of us are about to collapse, I will naturally lead everyone to withdraw from the formation at the same time. As long as you do as I say, you can ensure everyone's safety. With that said, do you have any other questions?" Er Kui asked with a smile.

Hearing this, everyone whispered to each other for a while, and all said they had none.

"Since that's the case, please remember the incantation to activate the array and the incantation to withdraw from the array. After you are familiar with them, we will begin to enter the array." Er Kui nodded and said.

Then, he did not hide anything and directly recited the incantation to activate the formation in public.

After a moment, Er Kui waved his hand and ordered, "Enter the array!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the five city lords leapt up at the same time and landed on top of the five statues.

Han Li and the others, under Er Kui's instructions, distanced themselves from the central blood pool and watched from afar.

The five city lords all sat down cross-legged, each pinching their fingers in a magic seal, and chanting the incantation to activate the array.

At first, the entire Blood Sacrifice Array did not react, but as the chanting continued, a slight change began to occur in the sacrificial blood pool. The surging mist inside began to recede from the center towards the five corners, revealing a large area of the blood pool's surface.

The exposed surface was not calm either, with bubbles the size of fists "gurgling" up.

At the same time, the statues beneath the five people also began to change.

Han Li had always been wary of the five statues, so he was the first to notice.

He frowned and gave a soft "Huh," and saw that the surface of the statue beneath Chen Yang was covered with a layer of fine lines, which might even be mistaken for scales on the statue if not looked at carefully.

But as a layer of bright red light lit up in that layer of lines, everyone else realized that it was actually a layer of tiny runes somewhat similar to Flying Star Runes.

When the runes on all the statues lit up, the eyes of the five statues suddenly opened, revealing a scarlet, bloodthirsty light.

Then, with a "Rumble" sound from the ground, the entire altar shook.

The blood in the sacrificial blood pool suddenly boiled, bubbling up with large bubbles and surging violently, and the dense mist surging towards the five corners also began to appear in a spiral column shape, rushing upwards madly.

The statues opened their bloody mouths wide, and the blood-colored mist flowed into them.

In an instant, a pentagram array appeared on top of each of the five statues, emitting a pillar of blood-colored light, enveloping the five city lords, including Er Kui.

Almost simultaneously, the five men let out a long shout, and large amounts of blood-colored mist surged out, entering their bodies through their seven orifices, instantly turning their skin blood-red.

Just as everyone was surprised, the rune lights on the five statues became even stronger, emitting a piece of blood-colored light from their respective wings, spreading around, interlinking with each other, and actually propping up a light curtain, enveloping the entire area around the blood pool.

"This is..." Duan Tong said with some surprise.

"Don't worry, it's just a barrier to protect the operation of the array. It will naturally disappear after the city lords inside stop the operation of the array." Shao Ying glanced at him and said.

The pig-faced boy Fang Chan, at this moment, had a rare focused expression on his face, standing behind the statue where Sun Tu was located, staring into it with wide eyes through the light curtain.

As a large amount of blood mist overflowed from the top of the statues and poured into the bodies of the five city lords, their eyes had turned blood-red, and a large amount of blood-colored crystals had condensed around their eye sockets, looking as if they had grown many blood-red scales.

Feeling the power constantly pouring into their bodies, the expressions on each of their faces were somewhat similar.

Both nervous and excited, both wary and expectant.

Chen Yang's expression was slightly condensed. He closed his eyes and carefully felt it for a moment. He found that although this barrier shrouded them and the entire blood pool, there was no restrictive power in it. Only then did he relax a little.

Sun Tu looked back at him from afar, nodded silently, and obviously discovered this point as well. He thought that if there was a change, he could get rid of the array's restraints at any time and continue to activate the array.

Fu Jian and the other two also made such attempts one after another. The expressions on their faces were slightly relieved, and they began to fully activate the array, feeling the powerful power constantly entering their bodies.