Ancient Emperor Tuoshe

"You may choose one cultivation method and cultivate it here. Everything depends on your own capabilities!"

Listening to the man in coarse robes, Lu Ren examined the ten cultivation manuals before him.

There was the Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method, the Raging Bull Technique. Once cultivated, it could produce Raging Bull True Qi, granting boundless strength.

There was also the Low-grade Black-tier Cultivation Method, the Heavenly Fire Technique, which could cultivate Heavenly Fire True Qi.

Naturally, there were also several Profound Tier, Earth Tier, and Heaven Tier cultivation methods.

The most formidable of them was a High-grade Heaven-tier Cultivation Method, the Great Sun Divine Technique. Once this method was cultivated to perfection, it could condense nine Blazing Great Suns and incinerate all things.

"Great Sun Divine Technique!"

Lu Ren's entire body shook.

A High-grade Heaven-tier Cultivation Method was among the most supreme cultivation methods on the Xuanhuang Continent. Once mastered, it would likely allow one to sweep aside Martial Artists of the same level.

However, Lu Ren shook his head again, feeling somewhat regretful.

He possessed a Scrap Bloodline. Forget a High-grade Heaven-tier Cultivation Method—even a Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method might be beyond his ability to cultivate.

With that thought, he picked up the Raging Bull Technique manual.

Yet the instant he grabbed the Raging Bull Technique manual, the other nine manuals exploded like fireworks, releasing a terrifying shockwave that sent him flying.

The manual in his hand also shattered at once.

"What happened?"

Lu Ren stared in astonishment.

The man in coarse robes smiled. "Not bad. Of the ten cultivation manuals, several are Heaven-tier methods, yet you chose the Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method. Do you know that if you chose a cultivation method, you would fail the final trial?"

Lu Ren was startled. He had guessed that everything which followed might be part of the trial, but he had never expected choosing a cultivation manual to be the so-called final trial.

"Senior, why would choosing any other cultivation method mean failing the trial?"

Lu Ren could not help asking.

"Only Martial Artists with bloodline talents at the Fourth-grade Bloodline or below may enter this Emperor's cave dwelling. Cultivating a Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method is already their limit. If one cannot accurately judge one's own talent and greedily covets other cultivation methods, then naturally one cannot pass the trial!"

said the man in coarse robes.

"Senior, could you be Ancient Emperor Tuoshe?"

Lu Ren asked.

"That's right. This Emperor is Tuoshe!"

The man in coarse robes spoke slowly, a trace of pride appearing on his face.

Hearing this, Lu Ren could not help but shudder. He had thought Ancient Emperor Tuoshe would be an old man, yet he had never expected him to appear as a middle-aged man.

The person before him was actually Ancient Emperor Tuoshe. He was still alive?

"You need not be overly surprised. This Emperor died long ago. What you see now is merely a remnant soul. This Emperor left behind this cave dwelling and set these trials in hopes of finding a Martial Artist with low bloodline talent to inherit this Emperor's legacy!"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe said slowly.

Lu Ren's brows furrowed slightly as he asked curiously, "Senior Tuoshe, since you seek a successor, why not find someone with great talent? Why search only among Martial Artists below the Fourth-grade Bloodline?"

Lu Ren's heart was filled with doubts.

Although Ancient Emperor Tuoshe had possessed a Second-grade Bloodline, no matter what, he surely would not want his successor to be someone with extremely poor talent.

"On the path of martial cultivation, talent is important, but a martial heart that desires strength is even more important. If a Martial Artist with talent below the Fourth-grade Bloodline can pass this Emperor's trials, then that person's martial heart is sufficiently steadfast. As for bloodlines, this Emperor has methods to elevate them!"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe said calmly.

He had seen far too many exceptionally gifted geniuses who relied on their powerful talents yet possessed unsteady martial hearts, and still could not become Martial Emperor Realm experts.

Lu Ren was shaken and asked in astonishment, "Senior, do you truly have a method to elevate bloodlines?"

"You seem to know that this Emperor possesses a method to elevate bloodlines!"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe said slowly.

"Senior Tuoshe, you cultivated from a Second-grade Bloodline to the Martial Emperor Realm, the continent's supreme realm. Everyone has guessed that you possess means to alter bloodlines!"

Lu Ren nodded.

He possessed the Nameless Treasure Pagoda. If he could elevate his bloodline talent, then in the future he could cultivate Yellow-tier Martial Skills, Profound Tier Martial Skills, and even Earth Tier and Heaven Tier Martial Techniques.

"Back then, this Emperor cultivated a Second-grade Bloodline to the Divine Sea Realm, and that was already my limit. Later, I encountered a fortuitous opportunity and gradually elevated my bloodline grade until it reached the Divine Bloodline. Only then did I finally step into the Martial Emperor Realm. What is your name?"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe asked.

"Senior, this junior is called Lu Ren!"

Lu Ren replied.

"Lu Ren, tell this Emperor, why did you choose only the Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method just now?"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe suddenly asked.

"My bloodline talent is too low. I cannot cultivate any of these ten methods. If I chose that Raging Bull Technique, perhaps I might still have a chance of successfully cultivating it!"

Lu Ren gave a bitter smile.

"Too low? Could it possibly be lower than this Emperor's? Back then, this Emperor possessed a Second-grade Bloodline and cultivated bitterly for more than ten years before successfully cultivating a Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Method..."

However, before Ancient Emperor Tuoshe could finish speaking, an astonished expression appeared on his face.

"You..."

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe was so shocked that he could not speak for a long while. Only after a long time did he say, "You are actually more useless than this Emperor?"

He had thought that no matter how poor Lu Ren's talent was, he should at least have a Fourth-grade Bloodline. Yet he could sense that Lu Ren's bloodline talent was inferior even to his own.

"Senior, to be honest, I possess a Scrap Bloodline!"

Lu Ren said slowly.

"You have a Scrap Bloodline?"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe was startled, panic appearing on his face. "A Scrap Bloodline? The Xuanhuang Continent truly has a Scrap Bloodline... Could the legend from one hundred thousand years ago be true?"

"Senior, what legend from one hundred thousand years ago?"

Lu Ren asked in confusion.

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe coughed several times, composed himself, and said, "A Scrap Bloodline... Excellent, truly excellent!"

"Senior, it is good that I have a Scrap Bloodline? Do you know how much I paid to cultivate to my current strength?"

Lu Ren shook his head. Without the Nameless Treasure Pagoda, he would not even have had the chance to become a Martial Artist.

Of course, the Nameless Treasure Pagoda was his greatest trump card. He could not possibly reveal it.

"Bloodlines are actually a special power hidden within the human body. The greater one's bloodline talent, the stronger this special power becomes. Martial Artists rely on this power to cultivate martial skills and cultivation methods more quickly, and they can also break through to higher realms!"

"However, one hundred thousand years ago, Martial Artists did not possess this special power in their bodies. They were commonly called Ancient Martial Artists. They were not affected by bloodlines, and everyone could cultivate. Not only could they become Martial Emperor Realm experts, they could also break through the Martial Emperor Limit and ascend to the higher realms. Do you know why?"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe said.

Lu Ren shook his head, indicating that he did not understand.

"Bloodlines are both an aid and a shackle to Martial Artists, yet you do not have this shackle. You now have two paths to choose from. The first is to walk this Emperor's old path and use a secret technique to elevate your bloodline!"

"Of course, if you succeed in elevating it, you will no longer be an Ancient Martial Artist. You will completely lose the qualification to break through the Martial Emperor Limit!"

Ancient Emperor Tuoshe said slowly.

"What about the second path?"

Lu Ren asked.

"The second path is to walk the cultivation path of the Ancient Martial Artists. This path will be incomparably difficult. Even this Emperor does not know whether you can continue upon it. After all, one hundred thousand years ago, Ancient Martial Artists had almost vanished from the Xuanhuang Continent. But if you succeed, you will surely stand above the Martial Emperor Realm!"

After Ancient Emperor Tuoshe finished speaking, he could not help looking at Lu Ren, awaiting Lu Ren's decision.