Chapter Sixty-Seven: Bloodline Surge

Thunder rumbled.

Deep within Ye Cheng’s body, in the very depths of his spiritual veins, the nearly liquid, viscous blood energy surged violently, then, like a wild beast, suddenly erupted from the core of those veins. As the spiritual veins intertwined, countless torrents of blood energy raged within him, churning like a stormy sea. The surging power broke through the barriers deep within, flooding every major meridian and corner of his body in an instant. Ye Cheng’s once slender frame swelled and distorted under the immense pressure.

As his body was stretched to its limit, the blood scabs that had formed on his skin—remnants of wounds inflicted by the previous fire of the primordial spirit—suddenly cracked with a creak. A tiny fissure appeared on the crust that covered him, then rapidly spread like a web, splintering in every direction.

With a crash, the scabs broke apart and fell away. In their wake, a not particularly powerful, yet palpable, oppressive force of blood energy suddenly emerged, as if gathering strength. This pressure grew increasingly intense, becoming more and more suffocating, until it seemed to reach a critical point. Then, quite abruptly, it receded, and a strange calm descended. But this eerie stillness did not last long.

Boom.

A powerful shockwave burst from Ye Cheng’s now-warped body, roaring outward like an enraged lion. The blast struck the walls of the surrounding black space, shattering them and revealing a glimpse of the world outside—a land of grass and flowers. The force was so great that even those at the peak of the Blood Energy Realm would have felt dread.

This dark space, conjured by a master whose strength had once been half a step into the Primordial Spirit Realm, was shattered at one corner by Ye Cheng’s unconscious outburst. Though the ancient cave’s former master now possessed only a remnant of his divine sense, the space he created was not something easily broken. At the very least, no one below the Grand Completion stage of the Origin Realm possessed such potent blood energy.

Seeing the breach in the space and the scene of flowers and grass beyond, the elegant man who floated in the air—waiting quietly for Ye Cheng to coalesce the Body of Fire—could not conceal his shock. The golden light flashing in his eyes betrayed his astonishment at the inscrutable youth before him. As he peered into Ye Cheng’s body with those luminous eyes, he saw that the blood energy, recently devoured, was once again surging forth in astonishing waves. Observing the harmonious resonance between this new power and Ye Cheng’s own innate energy, the refined man could only shake his head with a wry smile.

He understood now that all the blood energy had been thoroughly refined, becoming an inseparable part of Ye Cheng’s own power, no longer at odds with his original strength.

“This boy is truly strange. I have never seen anyone refine blood energy in this way. It appears he has gained far more than expected,” the man murmured helplessly, his voice echoing through the dark space. After a pause, he spoke again, “But you, little one, must hurry and gather the fire element, truly forging the Body of Fire. I have waited so long for this day. I will not leave until I see you succeed.”

This time, however, a trace of bitterness tinged his words.

Yet his muttered thoughts did not reach Ye Cheng’s ears. At this moment, Ye Cheng had sealed all six senses, concentrating every ounce of his spirit, energy, and mind. He guided the blood energy throughout his body, channeling it into every part, merging it with his flesh.

With every infusion, as blood energy merged with muscle and organ, his heart grew stronger, pulsing with formidable vigor, sending waves of power through his veins. The more blood energy that fused, the more violently it surged, shaking the entire dark space. Across his skin, streaks of blood lines appeared—forty of them, the mark of mastery in the Blood Energy Realm. These lines twisted and crisscrossed his body in intricate patterns.

Soon, as the blood energy boiled within him, several more phantom blood lines appeared among the forty existing ones, gradually solidifying. Four more lines took shape, and even then, the momentum did not cease. The fluctuation of his blood energy only grew wilder, as line after line emerged in succession.

Two, three...

The process continued as Ye Cheng tirelessly drew more blood energy into his flesh, augmenting his power. Each movement caused his blood lines to multiply at a dramatic rate.

His path of ascendance was a triumphant march forward!

Witnessing the wild surge of blood lines on Ye Cheng’s body, Old Mu’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “This boy is a bit too eager,” he muttered. Yet behind his smile was a hint of worry.

Although the blood energy drawn from the ancient cave’s former master had been thoroughly refined by Ye Cheng’s spiritual veins, such aggressive absorption might leave his foundation somewhat unstable. Still, on the whole, it was not a serious concern; with diligent cultivation in the days to come, his realm would surely stabilize and his future martial progress would not be hindered.

Beyond the dark space, a beautiful figure stood in the field of flowers and grass. The young woman did not move, but a mysterious sword aura rippled from her. Suddenly, she lifted her delicate brow, and nine phantom swords materialized from her snowy forehead, merging into a single blade of light, dozens of meters long, that hovered above her head. Invisible currents of wind swept from her, flattening the nearby flowers and grass against the earth.

The sword hummed, its fierce intent piercing the sky.

After the sword aura vanished, Nangong Xue’s long lashes fluttered as her eyes slowly opened. With a casual gesture, the bronze longsword at her side flew to her hand. She swung it through the air, and a flash of sword energy shattered a massive stone nearby into dust.

Feeling the power of her sword intent, satisfaction showed on Nangong Xue’s charming face. But the feeling did not last; suddenly, a surge of blood energy caught her attention. Her gaze turned, following the source.

In a shadowed corner of the flower-filled field, waves of astonishing blood energy radiated outward, stirring Nangong Xue’s thoughts.

“What is that?”