New Inheritance: Fallen Rider!

The Bloodline Evolution Agent lasted nearly an hour. After enduring that hour of torment, Vinina could still maintain her initial posture, but she clearly no longer had the strength even to stand.

She suddenly collapsed onto the ground, lying spread-eagled. Her once form-fitting clothes were completely soaked through and clung to her body, outlining her curvaceous figure.

Exhausted!

It felt as though her entire body had fallen apart, leaving her unable to muster even a shred of strength. Yet, deep in her bones, she also felt an indescribable comfort.

Vinina knew that the exhaustion came from the vast amount of life force consumed during the bloodline evolution, while the comfort came from the leap in her bloodline!

"Quickly use the Wood Crystal now! Wood Crystals contain an enormous amount of life force and can promote life evolution. Now is the best time to use them!"

Urged repeatedly by Babata, Vinina swiftly took out a Wood Crystal and began absorbing it.

Ordinarily, it would take only a dozen or so minutes to fully saturate her body. But after undergoing bloodline evolution, her starving body absorbed energy at a frenzied pace. Vast amounts of life-force-rich energy were devoured wildly, and one Wood Crystal was soon completely drained.

Then came the second.

The third!

Her body rapidly evolved along with it. Within her dantian, the original nine planets spun swiftly as incomparably pure genetic energy continuously poured into them, filling the centers of the nine planets completely before a crimson radiance suddenly flashed!

The dantian world began to collide and contract continuously. During this process, the nine planets gradually gathered together.

Until—

They formed a dazzling, glowing "star"!

Star level, first stage!

But before Vinina could react, the information that had remained silent for so long in the lower left corner of her vision began to change!

Host: Vinina Polenas;

Realm: Star level, first stage;

Current Inheritances: Battle Formation Master Inheritance (beginner), Fallen Rider (available);

"Fallen Rider?"

Vinina froze slightly.

She had nearly ignored this thing. She had originally assumed it provided inheritances according to strength level, but there had been no change when she advanced to Planetary level. She had practically treated it as a one-time thing, never expecting it to change when her Warrior Realm advanced to Star level.

It was just the name of this inheritance.

It didn't sound like anything good!

Was this even something that could be written?

Vinina directly opened the details. A moment later, a faintly embarrassed smile appeared on her beautiful face.

She had misunderstood.

This "fallen" was not the kind of depravity filled with obscene filth that she had imagined. Rather, it was an attitude: placing oneself amid bloody slaughter and constantly experiencing that exhilaration between life and death.

Between life and death lay endless power!

Of course Vinina knew this. At the moment life approached death, whether it was the soul or the body, both could unleash potential beyond their limits. It became easier to gain insight and easier to improve one's strength!

It was a conditioned reflex.

Or rather, a life reflex!

It was the deepest and most powerful struggle unleashed by life when facing death!

One could even say that as long as one safely survived countless life-and-death crises, one could become an overlord of a region.

The probability was infinitely close to 100%!

After all, those who failed to become powerhouses had all perished in one life-and-death crisis or another.

"Accept!"

Vinina silently muttered in her heart.

The instant she made her choice, the "Fallen Rider (available)" under Current Inheritances in the lower left corner of her vision changed into "Fallen Rider"!

At the same time, countless rays of light flickered before surging into Vinina's mind.

Iron and blood!

Countless sounds of slaughter!

It was still that ancient battlefield stained with blood. Killing and roars echoed into the heavens. A vast, dark mass of troops spread across the world, arranged in neat square formations and marching in unison. Every step resounded like thunder, and with every boom, heaven and earth seemed to tremble!

Irresistible!

Yet this time, unlike when she had received the Battle Formation Master Inheritance and sat in the very center of the army, she stood at the forefront of the troops. She wore armor, rode a warhorse, and was surrounded by Soldiers dressed the same way.

"I am..."

"A Soldier?"

Vinina was completely bewildered, but the scene gave her no time to hesitate. Accompanied by a thunderous shout from the Soldier at the very front of the formation—

"Kill!"

The cavalry formation where she stood roared in unison.

Under that thunderous bellow, Vinina felt herself instantly grow exhilarated. At the same time, her body, which had initially felt unfamiliar, became perfectly attuned. Above the cavalry formation, black battle intent as tangible as substance surged forth until it formed a tall warhorse clad in black battle armor!

"This is the method of warriors."

"It is also a body-tempering method."

That calm voice sounded again. Then, under Vinina's astonished gaze, the war spear in her hand suddenly thrust forward.

Crash!

Fine cracks actually appeared out of thin air in the unobstructed view before her!

That was space!

It could shatter space so effortlessly?

Vinina was somewhat stunned, but then turned helpless.

Clearly, this was merely simulated power, not something she herself possessed. It could be said that it allowed her to experience it firsthand, or that it was simply dangling a carrot before her.

But even if it was merely dangling a carrot, as the cracks spread across her entire field of vision, the scene filling Vinina's eyes gradually collapsed before finally vanishing completely. At the same time, vast amounts of ancient information surged forth within her mind.

Ancient and profound.

Vinina immersed herself in it, unable to pull away.

Only after a long while did she finally open her eyes.

Her curvaceous Delicate Body was filled with excitement.

Without a doubt, it was because of the contents described in the ancient information she had inherited. Though this Fallen Rider was clearly not as overpowered as the Battle Formation Master, it could complement it perfectly. After all, while the Battle Formation Master lineage was not the sort of mage-type class completely incapable of close combat, its greatest combat power still depended on Soldiers. Fallen Rider, however, was purely about gathering immense power into one's own body!

In other words, combat techniques and survival methods!

Wasn't that exactly what Vinina desperately needed?

Moreover, this suited the mainstream cultivation system of Swallowed Star very well. Vinina could completely pass it down to the Soldier teams under her control, using it to win people over and benefit herself in turn!

As for how it would work better only if she actively placed herself in life-and-death situations—

Wasn't that an advantage?

In this Vast Universe, which powerhouse's path was not paved with corpses? Vinina had already embarked on this road, so she naturally could not retreat because of danger. Besides, Vinina had already decided that after taking the Bloodline Evolution Agent, she would begin venturing through the universe and undergo life-and-death adventures.

Now, she had gained another bargaining chip for that journey!