Such actions caused the mysterious strong player with the displayed identity of "Wu Ce" to furrow his brow.

Judging by his puzzled expression, it seemed he also didn't understand the significance of Jiang Ye's behavior.

However, probably due to his wariness of Jiang Ye...

He frowned and used the damaged Clone Replica Mirror to eliminate his mirrored clone.

Of course, because his mirrored clone had been fused with by Jiang Ye.

That particular mirrored clone didn't immediately vanish on the spot.

Instead, it transformed its appearance, becoming Jiang Ye's likeness.

Witnessing this scene, the mysterious strong player merely snorted coldly and didn't make an issue of it.

Yet, just as he was about to continue persuading Jiang Ye to give up binding the Permission Iron Piece...

His gaze fixed on the Permission Iron Piece suddenly contracted!

At that very moment, a sudden change occurred!

Everyone present...

Oh no, to be precise—the mysterious strong player, Zhou Yuling, and all Jiang Ye's clones present...

All felt vibrations coming from the ground!

Jiang Ye had never experienced an earthquake before, so he didn't know what ground vibrations during an earthquake felt like.

But this current "earthquake"—with all his clones standing in different positions—could clearly sense that...

It seemed like something massive was slowly writhing beneath the dark soil underground!

Jiang Ye's different clones quickly adjusted their stances to sense more carefully.

Then, he quickly formed a startling idea—

What was slowly writhing right now...

Could it be the root system of the Formless Tree beneath this ground?!

As he thought this, he saw that the Permission Iron Piece in his hand showed no external changes.

However, the drop of blood Jiang Ye had dripped not long ago, which had attached to the Permission Iron Piece but seemed blocked by something...

Had now silently disappeared!

Absorbed by the Permission Iron Piece?

No! Jiang Ye hadn't obtained permission identity.

So...

Absorbed by this "Formless Tree"?

But the blood that had been "frozen" before, the Formless Tree wouldn't absorb it at all?

Why now...

While he was still shocked and pondering.

One of Jiang Ye's clones noticed the change in the mysterious strong player's expression.

Meanwhile, the clone squatting by the tree root witnessed with extreme astonishment—

Accompanied by the ground vibrations...

Accompanied by the disappearance of the "blood drop" on the Permission Iron Piece...

From the crimson crescent mark on the Formless Tree's thick trunk...

A single ice-blue teardrop suddenly flowed out!

What the hell?!

If he hadn't seen the mysterious strong player display the Ice Crystal Tear Drop before.

Jiang Ye would have been terrified into thinking the Formless Tree was actually "crying"!

But he had seen the Ice Crystal Tear Drop!

He had even seen it when he threatened with the [Dice of Fate]—the Ice Crystal Tear Drop at the mysterious strong player's fingertips suddenly divided into countless particles, forming a huge arc!

So now, he recognized almost at first glance—

What flowed from the Formless Tree's blood mark was precisely the mysterious strong player's Ice Crystal Tear Drop!

This...

What's going on?!

This matter seemed shocking and unexpected.

But almost instantly, a thought flashed through Jiang Ye's mind—

He had found it suspicious earlier.

If it were just simply freezing, then severing a limb, then removing the frozen effect on the limb, then having the limb drip blood for acknowledgment...

Such an experiment, Jiang Ye originally believed would definitely not succeed.

But the fact was, it ultimately succeeded!

Jiang Ye knew then that the methods used by the mysterious strong player were definitely not ordinary freezing.

But at that time, his attention was quickly captured by "acknowledging ownership of the Formless Leaf," so he didn't think deeper about the suspicious aspects of "freezing and dripping blood."

But now...

Seeing the Formless Tree absorb his blood again, then flow out an Ice Crystal Tear Drop...

Jiang Ye became almost certain—

The reason why the strong players present, including himself, could successfully achieve "blood-drip acknowledgment"...

Was because the drop of blood they dripped for acknowledgment was no longer pure blood!

Every drop of blood contained a mixed Ice Crystal Tear Drop!

What just absorbed his blood was undoubtedly the "Formless Tree."

But the Formless Tree only absorbs blood...

Thus it "decomposed" the Ice Crystal Tear Drop that had dissolved in the blood!

Just like that.

Almost as Jiang Ye realized this, that single Ice Crystal Tear Drop was caught steadily by him.

Jiang Ye's eyes turned dark and gloomy, suddenly looking at the mysterious strong player.

The mysterious strong player's expression now was quite complex.

He could certainly understand Jiang Ye's current gloomy gaze.

It was nothing more than demanding an explanation for why the Formless Tree would release an Ice Crystal Tear Drop.

Even demanding an explanation of what tricks he had played using the Ice Crystal Tear Drop during the blood-drip acknowledgment process!

However, the mysterious strong player showed no intention of explaining.

Instead, he said directly: "Your final experiment has already failed."

"And according to our previous agreement—our transaction can now begin."

Seemingly considering Jiang Ye's mood, he added: "Once the transaction is completed, the Ice Crystal Tear Drop will naturally belong to you."

"Perhaps by then, you can truly control the Formless Leaf."

However...

At this moment, Jiang Ye, almost certain that this mysterious strong player had long been secretly tampering, had no mind for transactions anymore!

He even had an impulsive thought flash through—to directly hit this guy with another [Dice of Fate]!

To make the Ice Crystal Tear Drop perish along with him!

However, the impulse was only momentary.

Jiang Ye ultimately calmed down.

Still, he didn't directly agree to the transaction.

Instead, after the ground returned to calm, he retrieved the Permission Iron Piece from the soil.

While casually weighing the iron piece in his hand, he coolly remarked:

"This Formless Tree has absorbed so much of my blood..."

"I wonder if the blood it flows out can be considered mine?"

Saying this, he gave the mysterious strong player no chance to react.

Directly, with a flash and leap, he abruptly inserted the Permission Iron Piece into the blood mark on the Formless Tree!

Yes! Inserted it!

The original blood mark size wasn't sufficient to accommodate the Permission Iron Piece.

Jiang Ye had only intended to let the iron piece touch the blood mark.

Unexpectedly, as the iron piece approached...

The blood mark automatically enlarged.

And Jiang Ye's movement was swift and forceful...

The Permission Iron Piece ended up completely submerged into the enlarged blood mark from start to finish!

Then, the blood mark slowly contracted, returning to its original size.

At this point, the entire Permission Iron Piece had completely disappeared!

Meanwhile, all of Jiang Ye's clones simultaneously felt a burning pain in their left shoulders!

Before he could recover from shock, the ground around the entire Formless Tree violently shook again!

Once more, it felt like the Formless Tree's underground roots were writhing frantically...

But this time, the extent of the root writhing was clearly much greater!

Because the tremors felt by all clones were more than one level stronger than before!

Just as all of Jiang Ye's clones were struggling to maintain their footing.

They saw the mysterious strong player's face turn extremely gloomy.

He seemed to have reached some decision, his eyes suddenly turning fierce.

The next second, his figure flashed as he directly shot toward the blood mark on the tree!

Miraculously...

Such a small blood mark actually suddenly sucked the mysterious strong player in too!

In an instant, it returned to its original size.

This time, the pain all Jiang Ye clones felt in their left shoulders became more significant and intense!

He struggled to endure the pain.

Meanwhile, after Zhou Yuling steadied herself, she looked utterly bewildered and asked Jiang Ye:

"This..."

"Did you bind the Permission Iron Piece?"

"Should we also send a clone into that blood mark?"

In Zhou Yuling's view, Jiang Ye's clones were expendable and could serve as experimental subjects.

And since the mysterious strong player dared to enter that blood mark...

Then Jiang Ye sending a clone in shouldn't be a problem either.

However, Jiang Ye didn't answer.

He pulled down his collar to expose his left shoulder, but saw nothing unusual there—only a burning pain that seemed to touch his soul.

Zhou Yuling could tell something was wrong now and asked with surprise and doubt: "You... what's wrong?"

Jiang Ye didn't speak, just struggling to calm his breathing.

When the pain in his left shoulder slightly eased, he thought for a moment, then suddenly said to Zhou Yuling:

"Since you've been recruited as a clone anyway, why don't you go explore that blood mark?"

"..."

Zhou Yuling made a constipated expression, her voice stiff: "What? Big brother? I..."

"Call me master." Jiang Ye shot her a glance.

Zhou Yuling truly couldn't understand—

Damn it! The Permission Iron Piece is gone, the mysterious strong player has run away!

This entire Formless Tree seems to have mutated again, with the whole soil area shaking violently!

And yet this guy still has the leisure to indulge in verbal sparring?!

Damn it! How can he be so carefree?!

Or perhaps...

Another thought flashed through Zhou Yuling's mind.

She was originally someone who could bend without breaking and wasn't bothered by small matters, so she quite decisively changed her address now:

"Master, what I mean is, I still have value."

"I can provide survival points for you to generate other clones to enter that blood mark."

However, Jiang Ye directly refused: "No need, you go in yourself."

"Once you're inside, I have my own arrangements."

Zhou Yuling grew increasingly suspicious.

But with Jiang Ye's words, she didn't hesitate further.

So the next second, with a flash, she too dashed toward the blood mark.

Her experience was clearly the same as the Permission Iron Piece and the mysterious strong player.

In the blink of an eye, she was absorbed by the blood mark.

Zhou Yuling thought that since Jiang Ye had said "free arrangements," perhaps there was no danger inside the blood mark.

This proved true.

Zhou Yuling's process of passing through the blood mark wasn't painful or uncomfortable.

In an instant, she entered a completely enclosed space.

Before she could carefully observe, she felt a cold gleam shooting toward her!

She reacted extremely quickly, dodging rapidly.

However, that cold gleam seemed locked onto her, actually turning to follow her dodging direction!

Thus, Zhou Yuling couldn't dodge it at all!

The cold gleam swept past her face... or did it?

Huh?

Wait, that's not right?

Zhou Yuling's expression shifted from panic to confusion.

While cautiously watching the mysterious strong player who had attacked without warning.

She raised her hand to touch her cheek...

No bleeding, no wound.

There had been no pain either.

Zhou Yuling looked at the mysterious strong player with puzzled eyes, asking cautiously: "What do you mean?"

She saw the mysterious strong player's expression was heavy and complex.

He didn't speak, but in front of Zhou Yuling, took out a small knife and tried to cut his finger.

Oh, of course the result was that it didn't cut.

Then, he threw the small knife to Zhou Yuling, stating directly: "This place is strange—it seems we cannot bleed."

What he didn't elaborate was—

It didn't just seem like inability to bleed.

But rather, all "states" couldn't be changed!

Zhou Yuling was half-believing and half-doubting, but didn't dare experiment recklessly.

Staring at the mysterious strong player and the Permission Iron Piece in his hand, she instantly analyzed:

"You just tried to bind this iron piece, but couldn't drip blood?"

The mysterious strong player's face was heavy: "Not only can we not drip blood."

"The key is, we seem unable to get out."

"Not exactly~" This abrupt voice suddenly sounded.

Startling both people in the Time-Stop Prison into freezing!

However, Zhou Yuling was relatively fine.

After all, this was Jiang Ye's voice!

Combined with Jiang Ye's earlier words about "free arrangements"...

So, this world within the blood mark was indeed under Jiang Ye's control!

Thinking this, Zhou Yuling completely relaxed, her expression easing considerably.

Meanwhile, the mysterious strong player looked heavy, surveying the surrounding space with disbelief.

He tentatively called out: "Jiang Ye?"

To be honest, Jiang Ye outside the Time-Stop Prison was also quite shocked.

When the blood mark on the Formless Tree released the Ice Crystal Tear Drop, he had already sensed something different.

Until he sent the Permission Iron Piece into the blood mark and felt the pain in his left shoulder.

At that moment, amidst the pain, he very clearly felt—

His main body could actually sense the existence of the Time-Stop Prison!

Not just sense its existence!

But even more, he felt as if the entire Time-Stop Prison belonged to him!

Including the complete image of the Time-Stop Prison, which directly appeared in his mind!

He saw with his own eyes—

The Permission Iron Piece absorbed by the blood mark instantly appeared inside the prison!

And the mysterious strong player who followed the iron piece was now trapped inside the prison!

Jiang Ye even saw with his own eyes that the first thing the mysterious strong player did upon obtaining the iron piece was directly attempt blood-drip acknowledgment!

Of course, he also saw with his own eyes—

Just like how the main body trapped in prison couldn't drip blood...

No matter what methods the mysterious strong player employed, he similarly couldn't drip blood in the Time-Stop Prison!

At that moment, while feeling the pain in his left shoulder, Jiang Ye was shocked and doubtful!

But soon, he figured out one possibility—

After clearing a personal exclusive instance, there are exclusive rewards!

Generally, the higher the instance difficulty, the richer the clearance rewards!

When his main body was trapped in the Time-Stop Prison before, he had considered—

That Time-Stop Prison might become his reward for clearing the exclusive instance.

But he hadn't expected...

Right now, when he clearly hadn't cleared it yet!

He seemed to have already obtained control over the Time-Stop Prison in advance!

Hence came his direct address to the mysterious strong player in the prison.

The mysterious strong player seemed to also vaguely realize his current situation.

After taking a deep breath, he said heavily toward the air above the prison:

"You mean, you can let us out?"

Jiang Ye didn't directly answer, but coolly retorted:

"Why don't you guess whether I'll let you out or not?"

"..."