Universal Blood Refining Method

Knights had once enjoyed glory. In the era when humanity first landed on the Barbaric Continent, before Arcana Mages had risen, knights had been the advanced fighting force that carved out new frontiers.

In those days, knights strictly upheld the Eight Tenets.

Cultivation was a journey of spiritual practice. Wherever the edge of a lance reached, a monastery would rise from the ground.

In the present age, knights had long since become the dependents of Arcana Mages, but the Knight Monastery had been preserved, becoming an institution for training and managing knights.

"Are you here to buy a blood refining method?" At the hall window, a staff member's eyes lit up. "Our Knight Monastery has a large selection of blood refining methods. What type are you looking for? What aspect would you like to focus on? What quality do you require? And would you like one-on-one instruction from one of our knight tutors? Instruction from a Great Knight tutor can even be purchased..."

The staff member seemed to transform into a salesman. Without even asking whether Duke had opened his blood sea, he launched into a torrent of explanation.

Duke did not interrupt his enthusiasm. Only after the man had rattled on for ages did he smile faintly and say, "I want to buy the cheapest blood refining method."

He had a rough idea of how much a blood refining method cost.

Very few poor families could afford to buy one.

Most impoverished youths who opened their blood seas chose to join a monastery, receive a free blood refining method, and then sign a contract with the monastery, serving it for a certain number of years as compensation.

The staff member's enthusiasm did not diminish. "The cheapest blood refining method? All right, let me pick one out for you. This Power of the Leopard Blood Refining Method is very cheap. It only costs ten Gold Dragons, and its dietary supplementation focuses on the meat of leopard- and cat-type spirit beasts, which is also easy to find on the market."

"Um, is there anything cheaper?"

"Of course. This Rat Shadow Blood Refining Method only costs nine and a half Gold Dragons. Its cultivation effects just aren't particularly outstanding. I recommend spending a little more to buy the Power of the Leopard Blood Refining Method; it's better value."

"Er, is there anything even cheaper?"

"Oh my, these two are already cheap enough. If you want something cheaper, you can only choose this Universal Blood Refining Method. Its effects are merely average, and it has no dietary focus. In other words, whatever you eat won't strengthen its effects... To be honest, this blood refining method is too mediocre. It's almost been phased out."

Duke asked, "Then how much does it cost?"

"You really want to buy it? All right, but I hope you won't regret it. This blood refining method costs five Gold Dragons." After speaking, the staff member kindly added, "Even at such a low price, the Knight Monastery can't sell a single copy in a year—no, not even in ten years. You'd better think it through carefully."

"It's fine." Duke took out the Spirit Dragon Card.

He was only expanding Xiao Yi's database and learning more about blood-sea cultivation, so the difference between a top-tier blood refining method and a mediocre one was not very important.

If he really managed to open his blood sea,

he could then consider how to choose a blood refining method suited to him.

"All right, all right, have it your way." The staff member swiped the card, then rummaged through the cabinets before finding a special book. It looked as if it had been assembled from card after card.

Five large characters were written on the cover—Universal Blood Refining Method.

Beneath them was a line of smaller text—Revised and Re-edited Edition by Arcane Tower Third Publishing House, Storm Calendar Year 4387.

This book is older than I am! Duke thought silently. He had been born in Storm Calendar Year 4396. He had never expected that a blood refining method from twenty-six years ago still had not been sold.

The staff member opened the card-assembled book and flipped to the last page, pointing at a line near the bottom. "Come, sign your name here."

"What's this?"

"One copy of a blood refining method can only be cultivated by one person. Signing your name is equivalent to signing a contract. Only you can see the contents of the book; no one else can."

"Hm?" Duke did not understand.

The staff member opened one of the pages. It was starkly blank. "It's like this. If you don't sign, you can't see anything. There's no need to make such a fuss. The methods of Arcana Mages are marvelous."

Duke thought about it and realized that was indeed the case.

The Spiritual Arcana system was vast and profound. Printing a blood refining method that could only be viewed by one person was truly nothing to make a fuss about.

He quickly picked up the pen and scrawled his name across the line. The next moment, just as when Robney had signed his contract, he felt a strand of spirituality coil around him. Soon, the sensation faded.

Then,

he looked again at the pages that should have been blank. They were now covered in dense lines of text and exquisite pictures that looked almost like photographs.

Seeing Duke's astonished expression, the staff member laughed. "There you go. Take good care of this book. Its contents will be open to you for one year, after which they'll naturally fade away... The Arcana Mage lords believe knowledge is a precious wealth. Five Gold Dragons can only buy one year of reading access to the Universal Blood Refining Method."

"I understand. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. You're welcome to come again."

After putting away the special book, the Universal Blood Refining Method, Duke continued to his next stop. He went to various supply channels to purchase consumable materials for the Card Repair Shop, then headed to the Scrap Card Station to sift through discarded cards.

He had a decent haul this time, finding three discarded spirit cards that could be repaired.

"Repair them carefully and sell them cheaply. I can earn at least twenty Silver Dragons... If I can find several spirit cards every time I come here, this business has great potential!"

Duke was in a good mood.

He came to Chen Jiao City once a week. If he could pick up twenty Silver Dragons for free on every trip, that meant he could pick up nearly a Gold Dragon for free each month.

Of course, this relied on Xiao Yi's judgment. Without Xiao Yi's help, he had no way to easily determine whether a spirit card was still worth repairing.

After returning to the small inn, he eagerly began reading the Universal Blood Refining Method.

Because it was a book assembled from cards, the thick volume contained only twenty pages in total. In less than half an hour, his eyes had captured all the text and images.

Xiao Yi's database expanded once more.

This time, Xiao Yi gave him a definite answer: "According to Xiao Yi's analysis and judgment, Master's blood sea can be opened once again. The effects of a Blood Boiling Potion are needed to locate the blood sea, after which Xiao Yi can control the spirit sea to project onto the blood sea, thereby establishing a stabilized passage between Master's heart and blood sea."

"Are you sure?"

"The probability of success is above eighty percent."

"Good!"

Duke was overjoyed.

He had already opened his spirit sea and could become a lofty Arcana Mage. But if he could open his blood sea as well and use battle aura to strengthen his body, why would he refuse?

Moreover, he had thought of something else. "Xiao Yi, since there's a way to reopen my blood sea, does that mean you can also find a way to reopen my qi sea?"

"Insufficient data. Unable to determine."

"It doesn't matter. From now on, I'll collect more knowledge related to the qi sea. When the time comes, you can help me calculate a way to open my qi sea. I want to cultivate all three seas!"

Arcana Mage, knight, and Spirit Plant Master—the three transcendent professions.

Duke wanted them all!