A Bloodline's Regret, a Boy's Resolve

Three months passed in a flash. As spring gave way to summer, Wushan Town quietly took on new life.

The morning sun had barely crested the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts when the trading depot in the east of town was already bustling with voices. Dozens of wagons laden with goods stood in neat rows as drivers deftly checked reins and wheels. Their cargo compartments were packed with well-tanned magical beast pelts, neatly sealed medicinal herbs, and ores unique to Wushan Town-things the locals had once considered commonplace had now become sought-after goods shipped all the way to Fenlai City.

Dressed in a practical brown outfit, Hogg stood at the depot entrance, checking the cargo manifest with the caravan leader. The gloom that had once clouded his face had faded, replaced by the sharpness of a man directing affairs. Ever since the merchant guild had been established and the trade route to Fenlai City opened, Wushan Town had changed by the day. The once-isolated town now saw an endless stream of merchants and travelers. Three new smithies and two general stores had opened, and even the farmers had begun growing rare medicinal herbs specifically for herb merchants. Every household was prospering.

"Lord Hogg, as you instructed, all the pelts in this shipment have been fumigated with camphorwood, and the herbs have been treated against moisture. I guarantee they'll still be in excellent condition when they reach Fenlai City," the caravan leader said respectfully. As the royal capital of the Fenlai Kingdom and the Holy Capital of the Holy Union, Fenlai City's commerce far surpassed that of the surrounding towns and cities. With their superior quality and fair prices, the Baruch Merchant Guild's goods had quickly gained a foothold in the eastern city's markets.

Hogg nodded and took a heavy money pouch from inside his clothes. "Here's the deposit. Once the goods have been handed over, I'll have a messenger bring you the remaining payment. Remember, be careful along the way, especially around Blackwind Valley. There may be trouble there lately."

The caravan leader accepted the pouch and answered emphatically, "Rest assured. We've brought ten guards, all experienced warriors. Nothing will go wrong."

Watching the caravan slowly leave town, Hogg turned toward the manor, a trace of anticipation flashing through his eyes. The flourishing trade had not only enriched Wushan Town; more importantly, the trade route allowed him to obtain news from Fenlai City promptly-that prosperous royal capital held clues he had sought for years. His wife's sudden death all those years ago remained an unresolved knot in his heart. He always felt it had not been as simple as an accident, and only through the merchant guild's channels could he discreetly uncover more of the truth. Yet the one who concerned him even more was Linley, who was not yet seven.

Today was Wushan Town's annual bloodline testing day, as well as the Bloodline Awakening ceremony passed down through the Baruch Clan for a thousand years. According to clan rules, children had to undergo their first Dragonblood Needle test before turning seven to assess their potential to awaken the power of dragonblood.

Inside the manor's training room, Hogg carefully took out an antique red sandalwood box from a hidden compartment in the study. Intricate blue-green dragon patterns adorned the box, and its corners bore a soft sheen polished by the years. He opened it to reveal a slender, lustrous white needle resting quietly on brocade. Ancient patterns of the same origin as those on the box were engraved along its shaft, and a faint silver gleam shimmered at its tip.

This was the Dragonblood Needle, the Baruch Clan's ancestral treasure, refined from the scales of the first Dragonblood Warrior and passed down for thousands of years. As long as awakened dragonblood flowed within one's body, injecting Battle Qi into the needle would make its patterns shine blue-green. The brighter the light, the purer the bloodline. Throughout the generations, the children of the Baruch Clan had all undergone their first bloodline test with this Dragonblood Needle before turning seven.

Linley stood before the table, his small body reaching only halfway up it. He tilted his head back and stared intently at the Dragonblood Needle, his young face filled with nervousness and anticipation. His fists were clenched, his palms slightly sweaty. Three months of training with five kilograms of weight and day after day of breathing exercises seemed to converge on this moment.

Hillman and Hogg stood nearby, their solemn gazes resting on Linley and the Dragonblood Needle. Linley's progress in cultivation had been plain for all to see these past days. His Battle Qi had stabilized at the level of a First-level Warrior, and his resolve far surpassed that of children his age. Both men secretly hoped that this Dragonblood Needle, dormant for so many years, would shine in Linley's hands.

"Hold out your hand." Hogg's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor. He personally brought the Dragonblood Needle before Linley, his fingertips brushing the dragon patterns on its shaft. A mixture of emotions flashed through his eyes-hope and apprehension alike. When he himself had been tested at seven, the Dragonblood Needle had remained dark. He did not want his son to suffer that same regret.

Linley drew a deep breath and obediently held out his chubby little hand, gently gripping the end of the Dragonblood Needle with his young fingers. He closed his eyes and circulated his Battle Qi according to the Dragonblood Secret Manual, carefully channeling that faint golden Battle Qi through his fingertips and slowly into the needle's tip.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Time seemed to stand still. Only Linley's slightly hurried breathing could be heard in the training room. The lustrous white Dragonblood Needle lay quietly in the boy's palm, its ancient patterns dull and lightless. It showed no reaction at all, as though the Battle Qi within Linley could not awaken this slumbering ancestral treasure.

Linley's brow furrowed tighter and tighter, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Gritting his teeth, he drove all the Battle Qi in his body forward. That warm current surged toward the Dragonblood Needle with nearly everything he had, but the needle remained utterly lifeless. Not even the faintest blue-green light appeared.

Buzz-

A moment later, the Dragonblood Needle trembled faintly, then fell completely still again, as though silently announcing the result.

It had failed.

Linley's bloodline test had ended in failure.

He slowly withdrew his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly. The anticipation on his face faded little by little, replaced by profound disappointment and unwillingness to accept the result. He could clearly feel that warm stirring inside him when he practiced the Dragonblood Secret Manual. Every time he performed his breathing exercises, a warm current coursed through his entire body. Why had the ancestral Dragonblood Needle shown no reaction to him?

Hogg stepped forward and bent down to comfort Linley, but the boy abruptly stepped back, avoiding him.

Linley raised his head, his eyes red, stubborn tears brimming in them. He bit his lip hard, refusing to let them fall. Looking at Hogg and Hillman, he spoke in a childish yet exceptionally firm voice. "Father, Uncle Hillman, I'll become strong! Even if the Dragonblood Needle doesn't react, even if my bloodline hasn't awakened, I can still become a powerful warrior! I'll prove it to everyone!"

His voice was not loud, but every word rang clear, striking Hogg and Hillman's hearts with the stubbornness and determination unique to a boy not yet seven.

Hogg's eyes reddened slightly. He crouched to meet Linley's gaze and gently ruffled his hair, his voice hoarse. "Good. My son has ambition. Bloodline has never been the only measure of the strong. The Dragonblood Needle's silence doesn't mean you can't succeed."

Looking at the stubborn little fellow before him, Hillman felt deeply moved. He thought of his mission in this second life, of the glory of the Dragonblood Warriors, and above all, of his still-unfulfilled duty to protect.

Just then, a system notification sounded in his mind:

[Ding! Host detected witnessing Linley's vow. Exclusive quest triggered: Eaglet Spreads Its Wings]

[Quest objective: Help Linley advance to Third-level Warrior within one year and establish a solid foundation as a Dragonblood Warrior]

[Quest rewards: One set of insights into breaking through the bottleneck between Eighth-level Warrior and Ninth-level Warrior, Perfect-level Battle Qi Condensation Method, permanent constitution increase of 10 points]

[Failure penalty: Host's cultivation drops by one level]

Hillman was shaken, and an intense light instantly flared in his eyes. The gap between the eighth and ninth levels was a chasm countless warriors could not cross in their entire lives, and insights into that bottleneck could only be encountered by chance, not sought at will. The Perfect-level Battle Qi Condensation Method could make his Battle Qi even purer and multiply its power, while a permanent constitution increase could improve his combat strength at its very foundation. Each of these three rewards was enough to bring a qualitative leap in his strength.

He stepped forward and crouched as well, his tone solemn and firm. "Linley, I promise you that within one year, I'll help you become a Third-level Warrior! But remember, this path will be hard-ten times, a hundred times harder than your current weighted training. You're young, so you'll have to grit your teeth and persevere all the more. Can you do it?"

Seeing the seriousness in Hillman's eyes, Linley nodded vigorously. His tears finally spilled over, carrying his burning determination. "I can! No matter how hard it gets, I'll keep going!"

"Good!" Hillman stood and said gravely, "Starting tomorrow, we're adjusting your training plan! Your daily training load will remain five kilograms, but your horse stance time will be halved. You're still young, after all, and your body is still developing. You mustn't overwork yourself. Battle Qi cultivation will change to twice a day, morning and evening, for one hour each. I'll personally teach you a gentler, more efficient method of circulating Battle Qi. We'll also add two hours of basic swordsmanship and movement training each day. Use the lightest Ironwood Sword, and stop once your arms grow sore!"

Hogg added from the side, "I'll adjust your body-tempering method based on the Dragonblood Secret Manual and support it with the medicinal meal recipes passed down in our clan, so your body can withstand the training. Remember, the Dragonblood Needle test is only a reference. The truly strong are never defined by a single test."

Linley forcefully wiped the tears from his face and clenched his little fists. It seemed as though a flame was blazing within his small body.

In the days that followed, the intensity of Linley's cultivation increased as planned, yet he never voiced a single complaint.

Before dawn, he would strap five kilograms of iron blocks to his back and hold a horse stance in the manor courtyard. He let the morning dew soak his clothes and sweat drench his hair, refusing to stop for even a brief rest until his legs began to tremble. During his morning Battle Qi cultivation, Hillman and Hogg worked together, combining the Dragonblood Secret Manual's techniques with the optimized Battle Qi circulation formula. They helped regulate Linley's delicate meridians, increasing the efficiency of his Battle Qi circulation severalfold.

During afternoon sword practice, Hillman personally trained with him, correcting his grip and the angle of his swings again and again. The wooden sword struck the training post with dull thuds. Linley's arms ached unbearably, but he still gritted his teeth and repeated the most basic chops, thrusts, rising cuts, and sweeps, move by move.

Hogg personally took to the kitchen to prepare medicinal meals for Linley. He combined the bones of young magical beasts with mild herbs and medicinal ingredients from the clan's secret recipes, simmering them over low heat for hours. The rich medicinal fragrance filled the manor, nourishing Linley's muscles and bones and allowing him to recover his strength quickly after training.

The residents of Wushan Town often saw that small figure in Baruch Manor swinging a wooden sword beneath the setting sun. Sweat slid down his cheeks, yet he never stopped.

The trade route remained busy, and Hogg's merchant guild continued to expand. Cultivation resources brought back from Fenlai City arrived before Linley in an unending stream. Hillman drilled the town guard while keeping an eye on Linley's progress, adjusting his training plan from time to time according to his condition. In his spare time, he devoted himself to studying the Battle Qi condensation method rewarded by the system. The Battle Qi within him grew increasingly condensed and substantial, and there were faint signs that the bottleneck before Ninth-level Warrior was beginning to loosen.

One evening, Linley finished his day's training and slumped to the ground, panting heavily. Feeling the increasingly substantial Battle Qi within him, he could not help smiling. Those three months of hard work had not been wasted. His Battle Qi was already faintly touching the threshold of Second-level Warrior.

Hillman walked over and handed him a towel, smiling. "Not bad. You're progressing quickly. At this rate, breaking through to Second-level Warrior within six months and attempting Third-level Warrior within a year won't be a problem."

Linley accepted the towel and wiped the sweat from his face, his eyes shining brightly. "Yes! I definitely won't disappoint you, Uncle!"

The last light of sunset fell over the boy, casting a small shadow, stubborn and straight.

Hogg stood at the study window, watching the scene in the courtyard with eyes full of quiet satisfaction. He tightened his grip on the confidential letter in his hand-it had come from Fenlai City. The clues concerning his wife remained scant, and there were more and more unfamiliar faces in the royal capital.

But he no longer felt lost.

Because he knew that as long as he protected Linley and watched him grow stronger step by step, there was hope for the Baruch Clan. Those unresolved mysteries would one day come to light.

Night deepened, and Wushan Town gradually fell silent. Only the light in the manor's training room burned on and on, illuminating the boy's figure as he pressed forward through hardship, and the ever-firmer light in Hillman's eyes.