As he continued absorbing Skill Energy and Blood Energy, the Cold Light around Chen Yan grew increasingly dazzling.
The Blood Energy around his heart grew denser, and his heart rate accelerated. Each pounding beat rang out like a thunderous drum.
Yin Zhe coursed through every part of his heart, helping Chen Yan absorb Blood Energy at astonishing speed.
It swept up all the nearby Blood Energy and drew it into Chen Yan's body like a greedy giant serpent.
As a result, the Red Mist of Blood Energy around Chen Yan began to swirl, pouring down over his head like a reverse waterfall.
Gradually, a deep, cold haze enveloped Chen Yan. A quiet radiance shone around him, and he was utterly still.
Chen Yan began to circulate [Chaos Abyss Art] in a rudimentary way. At that moment, his heart seemed to have become a perfect machine.
Rich Blood Energy flowed from every part of Chen Yan's body into his heart, where [Chaos Abyss Art] transformed it into a frigid energy that converged with Yin Zhe.
Yin Zhe had grown stronger!
Chen Yan was certain that an ordinary person could never absorb energy as quickly as he did.
A heavy door creaked open deep inside the Blood Sensing Chamber. Two figures emerged from the Intermediate Blood Sensing Chamber farther within.
"You haven't reached the Hundred Meridians Realm yet. The Intermediate Blood Sensing Chamber has too much energy for you and could block your meridians. You'd be better off in the Beginner Blood Sensing Chamber."
The middle-aged man beside a young woman spoke. He wore a City Martial Division uniform and glasses with black frames.
"Mm." The pretty young woman nodded, but a defiant spark gleamed in her eyes.
"Teacher Shen, I think I just wasn't used to it the first time. If I train gradually, I should be able to cultivate in the intermediate Training Room, too."
The middle-aged man gave a faint smile.
"You're understandably unwilling to accept losing to Chu Xuanxian. But the road to strength isn't about how you do in one moment; it's about how you do over a lifetime. Take it one step at a time."
The young woman froze. Cold Light appeared in her eyes, but she still nodded.
"Next time, I'll defeat him in front of the Gong Family!"
The middle-aged man nodded, sighing inwardly.
These past few years, the great families' fortunes had soared like dragons. Even a small family like the Gong Family had grown into a colossal force capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Town Martial Division.
The younger generation was no different. There were countless Heavenly Prides, and Chu Xuanxian wasn't even a member of the Gong Family.
The Town Martial Division was in trouble. Qin Prefecture was in trouble. Summer Country was in trouble.
The man's expression darkened. Seeing it, the young woman clenched her fists even tighter.
The two continued walking.
"Hm?" The middle-aged man paused slightly. His gaze pierced the Red Mist of Blood Energy, and he spotted Chen Yan.
"Someone's still here this late. Looks like you and I aren't the only diligent ones."
The young woman beside him also looked over, then remarked with some surprise,
"What a fast absorption rate. And he has the Ice Attribute, too. Not bad."
A look of astonishment crossed the middle-aged man's eyes as well. He nodded, recognizing the [Chaos Abyss Art] in Chen Yan's hands at a glance.
"His Blood Energy isn't very strong. He's clearly only just entered the Five Viscera Realm.
"But look—he can absorb Blood Energy this quickly even in the Beginner Blood Sensing Chamber. You should learn from him."
The young woman beside him stiffened slightly, then nodded.
When she had first entered the Five Viscera Realm, she hadn't been able to absorb energy anywhere near this quickly. And her master was the Deputy Commander of the City Martial Division.
This man was another Heavenly Pride!
She clenched her fists and strode toward a certain spot, where her master had said Blood Energy was especially dense.
The middle-aged man smiled and nodded. His disciple refused to lose at anything.
As he passed Chen Yan, the middle-aged man paused.
"Mortal Grade mid-stage Ice Element?" He furrowed his brows. Something was off.
"Kid, what school are you from?"
Chen Yan raised his head. A veil of Red Mist lay before him, so he could only make out the blurry shape of a tall, thin figure. But the imposing aura emanating from him was terrifying.
Remembering Luo Puxin's words, Chen Yan replied,
"I'm with the Gong Family."
As soon as Chen Yan said that, a terrifying chill erupted from the man, making people instinctively shrink back in fear.
"Did you register before coming here?" the man demanded, his expression darkening.
Chen Yan said nothing.
The man narrowed his eyes, his chill growing more intense. But he said nothing further and simply left.
Even after leaving the room, the man's gaze remained cold.
"Gong Family members have been sucking us dry for ages." He glanced back at the door of the Blood Sensing Chamber and narrowed his eyes.
He had thought Chen Yan was a genius. Turns out he was just a parasite feeding off the nation's strength.
The Gong Family produced genius after genius?
That was true.
But most of the Gong Family's people had become so-called geniuses by spending far more wealth than ordinary people.
Someone else might spend a hundred a day cultivating the Martial Dao, while you spend ten thousand. If you still can't surpass them, that would be strange.
But where did all that money come from?
The people's hard-earned wealth!
At the thought, the middle-aged man's aura grew colder. As he walked, a booming laugh rang out.
"Old Shen!"
Luo Puxin was coming down the stairs. He laughed heartily.
"I thought you'd gone home to rest. I was wondering what was going on—you're a workaholic!"
The middle-aged man, Shen Yiwei, saw who it was, and his expression softened slightly.
"Old Luo, you're here."
He grabbed Luo Puxin by the arm. He was glad to see his old friend.
"What's wrong? Who made you mad?" Luo Puxin asked in surprise.
"Don't ask. It's the same old stuff." Shen Yiwei shook his head slowly. The Town Martial Division was huge, with many people and many ears. He wouldn't say it outright.
"Ah."
Luo Puxin smiled faintly.
"Come to your office. Let's have a drink first. I'll tell you some good news later."
"Mm."
Shen Yiwei nodded. Luo Puxin was an old comrade, and a formidable one. Having him come help was a source of both joy and gratitude.
Inside the Blood Sensing Chamber.
Chen Yan let out a sigh of relief. As expected, saying he was with the Gong Family had kept him out of trouble.
The Gong Family sure had pull. He'd even heard of them back in his village.
"You're with the Gong Family?" A woman's chilly voice rang through the Blood Sensing Chamber, edged with hostility.
"Yes," Chen Yan answered again.
"Who's your father?" the woman asked.
Chen Yan didn't reply. He didn't know what to say. Gong Yuhu?
When Chen Yan didn't answer, the woman sneered.
"Good!"
Chen Yan frowned, but didn't bother with her. He didn't have much time. He needed not only to absorb Blood Energy but also to contemplate [Chaos Abyss Art].
His attention turned to the Origin Crystal of [Chaos Abyss Art]. He already had a decent grasp of it, and had even eaten two [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruits.
His understanding of [Chaos Abyss Art] and the Qi and Blood Martial Path was already far beyond what it had been before.
The first realm of the Qi and Blood Martial Path was the Five Viscera Realm: cultivating the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
It stored Blood Energy, turning the body into a furnace and Blood Energy into mercury.
After the Five Viscera came the Hundred Meridians. When energy reached all hundred meridians, the body was imbued with spiritual radiance.
The Qi and Blood Martial Path didn't cultivate the physical body. Blood Energy was energy, a kind of energy that people could harness.
Blood Qi Martial Artists could strengthen their defenses because Blood Energy could be brought to the surface of the body. It shielded every particle of the body, naturally making them formidable.
The same went for throwing a punch. Blood Energy surged with the strike, giving it tremendous force.
For example, [Chaos Abyss Art] could help someone cultivate all the way to the peak of the Hundred Meridians Realm. One punch could freeze an entire lake.
It was a power beyond imagination.
But the Blood Qi Martial Artist's physique itself wasn't strong.
So Horizontal Refinement mattered, too.
Many people didn't practice Horizontal Refinement for two reasons: either they lacked the talent, or they didn't have enough time for it and were better off focusing on a single path.
You were cultivating two paths, which was impressive, but while you were only at Twelve Patterns in Horizontal Refinement and the middle stage of the Five Viscera Realm in Blood Energy, I might already have reached the Hundred Meridians Realm.
"But I have the Saint Breaking Tree. And it's not like I lack talent or willpower," Chen Yan murmured inwardly.
He circulated [Chaos Abyss Art] and Yin Zhe.
At first, Chen Yan's rate of Blood Energy absorption slowed.
But [Chaos Abyss Art] and Yin Zhe were both growing stronger. The stronger they became, the more Blood Energy Chen Yan could absorb.
A fierce current of icy air swirled around him. Chen Yan seemed like a magnet made of ice, greedily drawing in the energy all around him.
Two and a half hours later, the fifth [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit ripened.
Chen Yan stood and began moving to a new spot. The Blood Energy where he'd been seemed insufficient. Judging by the amount of Red Light inside the Saint Breaking Realm, he could find a truly rich source.
After choosing a spot, Chen Yan sat down again.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Streams of Red Mist suddenly swirled around him. Chen Yan paused. Someone nearby was absorbing the energy from his side.
Why had she only started absorbing it after he got here?
Annoyed, Chen Yan moved to another spot. He hadn't registered, after all, and didn't want to cause Luo Puxin any trouble.
He chose a spot, and the Red Mist began swirling around him again.
Chen Yan frowned and kept searching.
The same thing happened again.
Was she going to keep this up forever?
Chen Yan narrowed his eyes. This was already the best spot he'd found. Even with the interference, the Blood Energy here was denser than before.
Forget it. He'd just absorb it!
"Hm?"
Not far away, the seated woman's eyes were cold. Since he was with the Gong Family and had snuck in, she wouldn't show him any mercy.
Her master might not bother with a junior, but she was a junior herself.
Start absorbing!
With me here, you won't get much energy.
The woman circulated her technique, calmed her breathing, and began releasing her Blood Energy to envelop the Red Mist.
In her perception, something beside her seemed like a block of ice that had been standing there for ages.
The woman sneered and directed her Blood Energy to draw in the Blood Energy from Chen Yan's side.
It was a somewhat underhanded trick: first release your own Blood Energy, then use it to wrap around the Blood Energy on Chen Yan's side so he couldn't absorb it.
He was sucking the Town Martial Division dry. So she'd suck him dry.
What was the problem?
Blood Energy could only be manipulated so nimbly once someone reached the peak of the Five Viscera Realm. She was picking on Chen Yan because he wasn't strong enough.
The woman carefully controlled her Blood Energy. Before long, it reached Chen Yan's side, and a hint of a smile appeared at her lips.
Hiss...
A stream of cold air suddenly emerged from Chen Yan's body. The woman's eyes widened.
So cold!
The Blood Energy she'd just released...
Had it been eaten?
Impossible!
A martial artist couldn't absorb someone else's Blood Energy like that!
On the other side, Chen Yan's eyes lit up. What pure Blood Energy!
He hadn't absorbed it himself. It was Yin Zhe.
Yin Zhe had swallowed that mass of Blood Energy, and then Chen Yan had used [Chaos Abyss Art] to refine it.
Could Yin Zhe absorb other people's Blood Energy?
Was there something wrong with Yin Zhe, or was the woman simply helping him?
The other person had deliberately made him sit here.
And she'd given him the Blood Energy, too.
She was helping him!
Why?
Could she be from the Gong Family as well? Had she decided to help him because she knew he was with the Gong Family?
Chen Yan felt guilty and didn't dare say a word.
All at once, a vast swath of Red Light gathered inside the Saint Breaking Realm and was absorbed by the Saint Breaking Tree.
Just a few more times and the sixth [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit would ripen.
A huge haul!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
At this moment, another mass of Blood Energy drifted over, and Chen Yan's eyes flickered. This woman was helping him so much.
He sighed inwardly and activated Yin Zhe, once again swallowing this mass of Pure Blood Energy.
This time, it was purer and more surging than the last.
Another Saint Breaking Fruit grew a little larger.
In the distance, within the Red Mist, the woman's eyes widened.
Her Blood Energy had disappeared again.
Had it been frozen, then vanished—eaten?
"That's not right!" She clenched her teeth. A martial artist couldn't directly absorb another person's Blood Energy.
No, actually, some people could, but only through extremely special means.
This man had only just entered the Five Viscera Realm. There was no way he could possess such a strange ability.
His Blood Energy had been frozen by the other party, then dissipated.
That had to be it.
With her Blood Energy frozen, she couldn't sense it either, which was why she thought it had been eaten.
What a powerful ice-element ability!
Hostility deepened in the woman's heart. He had only just entered the Five Viscera Realm, yet already possessed such powerful Elemental Energy. How many heavenly treasures had the Gong Family given him to eat?
No wonder her master hated the Gong Family so much.
Wisps of chill emerged, and the woman clearly felt that icy current.
Was he provoking her?
She circulated her cultivation art, sending her own Blood Energy flowing toward Chen Yan. She refused to believe she would lose to someone who had only just entered the Five Viscera Realm.
Yin Zhe swallowed this mass of Blood Energy, and Chen Yan was surprised. He was being a little too generous.
Or was it that the other party simply didn't care about this?
Should he thank her?
What if he let something slip?
Chen Yan chose to stay quiet and continue cultivating. The third [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit and the sixth [Blood] Character Saint Breaking Fruit were about to mature.
Meanwhile, in the distance.
The woman had already lost her temper, but the cold current that had surrounded her gradually dispersed.
Was she no longer provoking him?
Freezing his Blood Energy must have consumed quite a bit of his Elemental Energy, too.
The woman narrowed her eyes.
She didn't choose to keep interfering with Chen Yan. Instead, she began absorbing the surrounding Blood Energy and Red Mist. As long as she absorbed all the Blood Energy here, the other party wouldn't be able to absorb any more.
Meanwhile.
The third [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit matured.
Chen Yan's eyes glittered. After swallowing it, his understanding of the Chaos Abyss Art reached a new level.
With Yin Zhe's help, he absorbed Blood Energy even faster!
Before you continue