The deep cavern entrance lay exposed like the silent throat of a giant beast. The ancient aura seeping out seemed to thicken the very air. Hogg stood before it, his body trembling slightly with excitement. His years of searching and his clan's hopes all seemed within reach at this moment.
He took a deep breath, forcibly subdued his surging emotions, and drew a Lightstone from inside his clothes. Its soft white glow dispelled the darkness at the entrance, illuminating the rough stone steps leading down.
"Yinuo, Linley, stay behind me. Be careful." Hogg's voice held a slightly hoarse solemnity as he stepped into the entrance first.
Lin Yinuo held the hand of the curious but somewhat nervous Linley and followed close behind. Bebe crouched alertly on Linley's shoulder, his little nose twitching constantly. He seemed both familiar with and somewhat wary of the aura below.
The stairway was short, reaching the bottom after a dozen or so steps. Before them was a stone chamber that was not particularly spacious, roughly the size of an ordinary room. Its four walls were bare, with only a stone table standing in the center. Resting quietly upon it were a dark but well-preserved scroll made from some unknown beast hide and a palm-sized blue-green jade bottle of ancient, simple design.
There was nothing else. It was simple, yet possessed a solemnity that struck straight to the heart.
Hogg's gaze was instantly riveted to the two objects on the stone table. He stumbled slightly as he approached it, then reached out with hands trembling faintly with excitement and first lifted the beast-hide scroll.
The scroll was heavy in his hands, bearing the chill of ages. He carefully unrolled it.
By the Lightstone's glow, several bold, powerful ancient characters at the beginning, seemingly imbued with the might of a dragon's roar, came into view-
"Dragonblood Secret Canon" (Incomplete scroll · Part one)!
It really was the canon! The supreme secret text his clan had lost so long ago!
Hogg's heart pounded wildly, and he eagerly read on. The contents recorded on the scroll were identical to the inheritance Lin Yinuo had obtained through the system. They explained in detail the origins and characteristics of the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline, and most importantly-how to use external aids and specific methods to awaken and guide the faint bloodline dormant within one's body!
In particular, it explicitly mentioned using "blood from a living dragon" or "high-purity dragonblood crystal" as a catalyst, combined with the unique Battle Qi circulation route recorded in the canon. This offered an extremely high chance of awakening the bloodline, and could even harness its power to heal hidden bodily injuries and prolong one's life!
"Blood from a living dragon... dragonblood crystal..." Hogg murmured these two key terms. His eyes first blazed with fervor, then dimmed. Dragons had vanished from the Yulan Continent many years ago, and dragonblood crystal was a treasure of legend. How could a down-and-out baron like him find either?
Just then, his gaze fell upon the unassuming blue-green jade bottle on the stone table. A thought stirred in his mind, and he reached out to pick it up. The jade bottle felt smooth and warm in his hand, its surface engraved with fine, closely spaced runes. He pulled out the stopper, and an intensely rich fragrance, carrying an astonishing vitality and a faint dragon's might, instantly filled the entire stone chamber!
Merely inhaling this scent made Hogg feel the blood and vital energy throughout his body circulate faster. Even the lingering pain from the old injuries in his left shoulder and lung meridians eased somewhat! The faint dragonblood elements within him hummed with yearning!
With trembling hands, he tilted the bottle. A drop of viscous liquid, crimson flecked with golden light and resembling a melted ruby, slowly rolled into his palm. It pulsed faintly as though alive, and the energy fluctuations it emitted warped the very air!
"This is... the blood essence of a dragon of at least Saint rank! And it was refined and sealed using a special method, making its energy gentle!" Hogg cried out involuntarily, his face filled with utter shock and wild joy! He could scarcely believe his eyes! His ancestor had not only left the canon, but had even prepared the crucial catalyst!
(Lin Yinuo's thoughts): The information in the incomplete Dragonblood Secret Canon scroll I obtained through the system's check-in was complete, but this drop of blood essence... was it already here in the secret chamber? Or did the system quietly materialize it according to my needs when I guided Father to discover the chamber? Either way, this solves the greatest problem.
Lin Yinuo spoke at the right moment, his voice carrying just the right hint of "realization." "Father, this must be the hope our ancestor left for us! With this drop of blood essence and the canon, you'll surely be able to awaken your bloodline and heal your hidden injuries!"
Hogg gripped the jade bottle tightly, feeling the vast yet familiar power emanating from the drop of blood essence in his palm. He looked again at the Dragonblood Secret Canon in his hand, then finally turned his gaze toward his two sons, especially the calm, wise Lin Yinuo. A faint glimmer of tears actually appeared in his fierce eyes.
There was excitement, liberation, the relief of finally being able to shoulder his clan's heavy burden, and above all, gratitude for his eldest son's seemingly miraculous fortune.
"Good! Good! Our ancestor has blessed us! Our Baruch Clan has finally seen the dawn!" His voice choked, yet brimmed with strength.
Without the slightest hesitation, he sat cross-legged right there in the secret chamber his ancestor had left behind, following the instructions in the Dragonblood Secret Canon. He placed the precious drop of dragon blood essence between his brows and began practicing the basic Battle Qi method recorded in the canon, guiding the immense energy within the blood essence to merge with his own body.
Lin Yinuo took Linley's hand and withdrew to a corner, quietly standing guard. He could sense that his father Hogg's aura was undergoing a drastic change. The faint bloodline that had lain dormant for years was like a parched riverbed receiving welcome rain. It began greedily absorbing the pure energy of the dragon blood, resonating with it and growing stronger!
An extremely faint yet undeniably real blue-green glow began to emerge over Hogg's body, vaguely forming phantom scales. The hidden injuries in his left shoulder and lung meridians healed at an unprecedented speed as the vitality-filled dragon blood energy washed through them. His once somewhat hunched back seemed to straighten imperceptibly, and his entire vitality and spirit rose at a rate visible to the naked eye!
This was a complete transformation!
Linley's eyes widened as he watched the miraculous changes taking place in his father, his little face filled with wonder and pride.
(Linley's thoughts): Father... seems to be getting so powerful! Is this the true strength of our Baruch Clan?
The corners of Lin Yinuo's mouth curved slightly upward.
(His thoughts): Father, this is only the beginning. Once you fully refine this drop of blood essence, even if you can't immediately become a true Dragonblood Warrior, you'll surely enter the ranks of high-ranking warriors, with all your hidden injuries healed and your lifespan greatly extended. The Baruch Clan will truly have a foundation upon which to stand in this world.
A long-sealed chamber, an ancient secret canon, precious blood essence, and... a man whose destiny had been utterly transformed.
Here in this dim stone chamber, Hogg Baruch opened a new chapter for the Baruch Clan with his own hands.
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