Demon Emperor's Essence Blood

Jiang Zhu took the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart from the jade platter and sent it into his Bitter Sea.

Towering waves instantly surged through the dark Bitter Sea, tsunamis rolling one after another as dark clouds of radiance filled the valley.

"This... how is this possible?!!"

Everyone was stunned. The instant the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart entered his Bitter Sea, it sent the waters churning, and the two manifestations-Azure Dragon Immortal-Wrestling Diagram and Sword Grass Splits the Starry Firmament-appeared in succession.

A dark Bitter Sea shimmering with every color was unheard of. Everyone was moved by the sight, to say nothing of the two manifestations that followed.

"According to legend, the Seas of Bitterness of ancient mighty figures contained all sorts of manifestations, each granting unparalleled power. To think this boy has cultivated manifestations too!"

"What manifestations are these? I've never heard of them before!"

"Indeed. None of the manifestations recorded in ancient texts match them."

"Even if this dragon-shaped manifestation and grass-shaped manifestation fall short of the ancient mighty figures' Bright Moon Rising Over the Sea, Stars Illuminate the Azure Heavens, and Golden Lotus Growing in the Sea of Bitterness, they probably aren't far behind!"

The oldest crone sighed in wonder.

After the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart sank into his Life Spring, Jiang Zhu's Bitter Sea grew even more vibrant with life.

Seeing that everything was proceeding as it should, everyone present breathed a long sigh of relief, as though a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

Jiang Zhu took the opportunity to close his Bitter Sea, and the manifestations filling the sky instantly dispersed. Looking within himself, he saw the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart submerged in his Life Spring, nourished by the Divine Spring as vigorous life force coursed through it.

Although it could not approach the spring's source at the bottom of his Bitter Sea, it had still pushed his Chaos Bell aside.

Suddenly, the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart began trembling faintly, then started ravenously absorbing his vital essence. His Life Spring bubbled forth, streaming incessantly toward the heart.

Just then, the sacred heart abruptly stopped after absorbing only a portion of his vital essence. His Bitter Sea instantly grew calm, and his Life Spring stopped bubbling forth.

"?"

Jiang Zhu paused, just as he was about to use the Demon-Refining Pot to suppress the heart.

I haven't even made a move yet. Why did you stop?

After some thought, he decided it might be because the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart possessed spiritual awareness. It could choose its own host and even reject excessive demands on its power.

If squeezed too hard, it could even escape on its own and return to Yan Ruyu.

"Could it have sensed my Nine-Leaf Sword Grass bloodline after absorbing some of my vital essence?"

"How about a little of the Demon Emperor's sacred blood?" Jiang Zhu asked tentatively in his mind.

Thump!

The scarlet heart gave a faint tremor. An exceedingly thin thread of blood shot from it, then transformed into boundless bloody radiance, surged out of his Bitter Sea, and spread throughout his body.

At that moment, he felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring. His whole body was warm and wonderfully comfortable as crimson radiance blossomed and enveloped him.

However, after his two rounds of tempering with Origin Blood, this tiny amount of the Demon Emperor's precious blood did next to nothing to temper his body.

"How is this possible? The Great Emperor's sacred heart has only just entered his Life Spring. How is it already nourishing his flesh?" one crone exclaimed in shock.

A trace of puzzlement also appeared in Yan Ruyu's beautiful eyes, gentle as water.

"Excellent!" the crone cried joyfully. "Once the Great Emperor's sacred heart is nurtured, it can endure in this world indefinitely. Your Highness can cultivate the Great Emperor's supreme demonic art without worry!"

Yan Ruyu's expression was no longer calm. Looking at Jiang Zhu, she murmured to herself, "Do I really have to cultivate together with him?"

"Well... that depends on Your Highness's resolve."

"Stay here for now. Other arrangements will be made for you later." With that, Yan Ruyu turned and left. The others followed her out of the valley.

"Your Highness, are you really going to marry me?"

At those words, Yan Ruyu paused, then left without looking back.

Yan Ruyu ignored his teasing, but Jiang Zhu did not mind.

Today you can barely be bothered to acknowledge me. Tomorrow I'll show you what it means to burn in the crematorium of chasing your husband back!

After the group left, Jiang Zhu looked within his Bitter Sea again.

"Give me some more of the Demon Emperor's precious blood!"

The Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart trembled in his Life Spring, shaking his Bitter Sea into rolling waves. A few drops of deep-red essence blood seeped from the red-agate-like heart before it went completely still.

The essence blood shone brilliantly, wreathed in crimson divine radiance as vast life force coursed through it.

Looking at those few drops, Jiang Zhu could not help marveling. "Do you see me as one of your own? You're certainly generous!"

Since the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart was being so generous, he could not squeeze it too hard either.

Jiang Zhu activated the Demon-Refining Pot. Refined precious blood flowed out in an unbroken stream, gathering into a little crimson brook.

The crimson brook brimmed with spiritual vitality, constantly spilling forth immense vital essence.

The crystalline Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart fell still no longer. It gave a sudden shudder, and bloody radiance shot into the sky.

The brook formed from precious blood was drawn toward the heart.

In the blink of an eye, the crimson brook vanished completely, its vast life-giving spiritual vitality refined by the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart.

It surged out of the Life Spring and floated above the Bitter Sea like a great crimson sun, continually shedding bloody radiance.

The spreading crimson divine radiance constantly merged into Jiang Zhu's Bitter Sea. For a time, life force flourished within it, its waves shaking the heavens while his Life Spring surged like an erupting volcano.

Even his Wheel of Life was tempered, gleaming brilliantly.

Seeing this, he refined the few drops of Demon Emperor's essence blood that had flowed out earlier as well. Boundless blood mist instantly enveloped his entire body.

In Peach Blossom Valley, Jiang Zhu sat quietly beside the lake, his body translucent and crimson. Gold and silver blood coursed through him, producing waves of dragon roars and ringing swords. Every bone in his body cracked and popped as though being forged.

His internal organs trembled, constantly giving off sounds. The various notes intertwined and resonated, as though his entire body were performing a magnificent piece of immortal music.

The Demon Emperor's essence blood circulated throughout him, continually tempering his already powerful body. His frame was cleansed, his flesh hammered, his bones forged...

The entire process lasted a full three days. Once all the Demon Emperor's essence blood had been refined, Jiang Zhu opened his eyes, and a trace of purple flashed through them before vanishing.

His body had become even more formidable, his flesh crystalline and his black hair streaming. He lightly clenched his fist, and violent power instantly surged from his right hand.

Even though he had yet to cultivate any scripture for the Four Extremes Realm, his right arm had nearly been tempered to perfection. Once he cultivated such a scripture, he might well summon a Heavenly Tribulation on the spot and advance to the second heaven of the Four Extremes.

Laughter came from nearby. Qin Yao approached with graceful, swaying steps, her fair shoulders bare and her body half-visible beneath her gauzy dress.

"I see your body has grown stronger again. Well? Now do you realize what a heaven-sent opportunity this is?"

She was somewhat envious. The Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart had only just entered Jiang Zhu's Bitter Sea, yet it had already tempered his flesh and made him stronger.

"Is Her Highness going to cultivate together with me?"

"Keep nurturing it properly. You'll be notified when it's time to cultivate." After examining his body for a while, Qin Yao left.

Before long, a crone came to this Peach Valley and examined Jiang Zhu carefully, discovering that his body was considerably stronger than before.

The crone was very satisfied with Jiang Zhu's nurturing of the heart. She left him some spirit medicines and departed.

Over the days that followed, Jiang Zhu continued nurturing the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart. Crimson radiance filled the valley from time to time, and rich, vast life force continually welled forth.

His body grew stronger under the tempering of the Demon Emperor's sacred blood. His blood energy surged skyward like a dragon above Peach Valley, its blazing aura enveloping the entire peach grove.

Cultivators with lower cultivation realms did not dare approach at all.

For a time, Jiang Zhu became engrossed in cultivation. Then, one day, the demoness Qin Yao came to his door.

"Her Highness is going to cultivate the secret art. You'd better be ready!"

The demoness's words were alluring, setting the imagination running wild.