Qing Lin drew her sword from Jiang Mu's abdomen. The deep wound gushed blood steadily, his heartbeat fading with every agonizing second.. His body collapsed to the ground.
She glanced back briefly before turning toward the Antarch.
Jiang An, lying in a pool of blood, stared at her brother's fallen body. Blood oozed from his abdomen, his eyes lifeless, and his heartbeat so faint it seemed it could stop at any moment. Her gaze followed Qing Lin's departing figure, sword in hand.
Wait! Jiang An tried to speak, but no sound escaped her mouth; it was filled with blood. She struggled to move, but it was useless. Losing this much blood, it was a surprise she was still alive. Her eyes dulled, filled with despair.
Her thoughts drifted
I… never had any grand dreams, even though I envied those cultivators who could fly, cultivate immortality, live longer lives with their friends, families, and life partners. It wasn't that we were unhappy; we were content with our life… but…
She looked at her brother's body again, tears welling in her eyes and dropping from her chin. I just wanted to give him a better life… Tears fell to the ground.
Again, I couldn't save anyone, Jiang An thought, gritting her teeth as memories of that night replayed—the deaths of her kin one by one before her eyes.
I hate myself for being powerless, and I regret coming here.
She lay on the ground, her eyes locked onto her brother's still body, a heavy despair weighing on her heart.
"B—brother?" she muttered, her words barely audible, as if they were her final ones.
....
............
Thump…
.............
Thump thump…
Suddenly, her pupils shrank. Her previously weak heartbeat began to thump like a war drum. The blood around her started to boil, and her lifeless eyes brimmed with life again, her aura glowing with a thick, crimson light.
Her eyes turned blood red as the blood around her formed spherical orbs, floating in the air. Her hands clenched the soil on the ground, and she stood up, her wounds gradually healing. The blood-like orbs began to orbit her.
She stared in a trance, her finger reaching out to touch one of the blood orbs, which gently pushed back against her touch.
"Hmm?" Qing Lin, who was heading toward the Antarch, stopped, sensing something. She turned around, shock evident on her face.
What's happening? Qing Lin looked at Jiang An, who now stood upright, her eyes blood-red and wounds self-healing.
The Antarch's gaze also shifted to Jiang An.
Now this is interesting,
he murmured, observing carefully. The blood orbs moved autonomously, controlling and using the blood to heal her wounds. The Abyssal Antarch narrowed his eyes.
She's not conscious, moving unconsciously, he thought.
Meanwhile, at the Recruitment Grounds, Mistveil Town
"What is happening to her?" Ye Kaishan asked Song Yan through their soul link.
Blood Awakening. Song Yan closed her eyes, sipping tea. Her blood has just awakened.
"Blood Awakening?" Ye Kaishan asked, his brow lifting with mild curiosity.
"Yes.
Jiang An possesses a special bloodline," Song Yan continued calmly. "She just awakened her latent power."
"But is she alright? Even though her wounds are healed, she doesn't look sane," Ye Kaishan said, frowning.
"She awakened by a natural method—letting one's blood flow until death. Of course, it involves risk. If she hadn't possessed a strong will, she would have died," Song Yan explained. "In the initial phase, due to emotional trauma, her consciousness remains asleep. Now, she's acting purely on instinct."
Ye Kaishan stared at the screen, expression calm but suspicious.
"Even if you say that, I don't think this is any normal awakening. Controlling blood… If I'm correct, this isn't an orthodox method. It's more like a demonic technique," he thought, observing Jiang An.
Others beside Song Yan and Ye Kaishan watched curiously.
"How did she get up?" one murmured.
"Who knows… but judging by her appearance, she's healed her wounds," another replied.
"I thought she was dead."
The onlookers chatted, their eyes glued to the screen.
A woman with a veil over her face sat atop a tree branch,
staring intently at Jiang An. Through the veil, a faint smile played on her lips. She was barefoot, dressed in a crimson robe.
Jiang An, now fully healed, glanced at Qing Lin. Her eyes were crimson red, chillingly evil.
Seeing Jiang An's healed body and cold glare, Qing Lin felt a shiver of unease.
Without a second's hesitation, she gripped her sword tightly and ran toward Jiang An.
"I don't know what happened to you, but nevertheless, die!" Qing Lin shouted, arcing her sword toward Jiang An's neck.
Jiang An didn't flinch or react. She simply glared at Qing Lin.
???
Her deep, cold gaze penetrated every fiber of Qing Lin's being.
The moment her sword struck, it slid sluggishly, as if hindered by an unseen force—an effect revealed by the widening of Qing Lin's eyes.
The blood orbs floating around Jiang An shifted, forming a protective layer that effortlessly blocked the sword's advance.
Instinctively, Qing Lin jumped back. The blood resumed its silent dance around Jiang An, as though nothing had happened.
What's going on…? Qing Lin thought solemnly. A moment ago, she was on the brink of death. Now, not only has she healed… she can evade my attacks?
Meanwhile, Jiang An's eyes locked onto Qing Lin.
Her previously cold, vacant gaze now burned with killing intent.
Blood began to swirl around her hands, solidifying before the naked eye into sharp, crimson thorns.
What are those…? Qing Lin observed, her heart pounding.
The thorns, half the size of her sword, revolved around Jiang An.
Jiang An glanced at the thorns, then at Qing Lin, as if signaling the attack. In the next instant, the thorns shot toward Qing Lin with tremendous speed.
Seeing the blood-red projectiles hurtling toward her, Qing Lin immediately assumed a defensive stance.
The first thorn struck the sword, followed by many others in rapid succession.
Qing Lin parried them one by one, her sword trembling under the relentless assault.
With each hit, her eyes shrank in shock—It's heavy…!
She bent to her knees, propping herself up with her sword, thinking, It was a mistake. I shouldn't have faced this head-on. I should have evaded.
Taking a breath, she looked ahead…But to her surprise, there was no one there.
Crack!
Her eyes widened as a blood-covered leg struck her side, sending her flying backward. It was Jiang An, her foot still cloaked in flowing blood, suspended in the air.
Qing Lin collapsed onto the ground, struggling to rise with the aid of her sword.
She spat out a mouthful of blood as she forced herself up.
"My ribs… they're broken," she gasped, staring at Jiang An with a mix of resentment and anger, clutching her sword tightly.
But suddenly, her legs gave way.One cycle of time had passed, and as if on cue, she coughed blood from both mouth and eyes.
"No… no… no! I can't die here!" Qing Lin gasped desperately, attempting to stand again.But the side effects of the pill, combined with the massive blood loss, made it futile.
Jiang An approached, her eyes glowing blood-red with unstoppable killing intent.The blood around her legs gathered ominously.
Qing Lin's eyes filled with fear as Jiang An's leg pierced through her chest.
Her eyes dimmed, losing all light…Her expression slackened, lifeless. Qing Lin was no more.
"I never thought she'd lose," the Abyssal Antarch murmured, gazing down at Qing Lin's fallen body.
"Well… what else could I do?" the Antarch said with a trace of regret.
But in the next moment, his eyes gleamed with joy as they shifted toward Jiang An.
It's inevitable. After the old toy is broken, it's time to play with a new one.
Jiang An retracted her leg and glanced toward the Antarch, her expression unreadable.
Her eyes were firm as the blood around her began to boil, solidifying into sharp crimson thorns.
The Antarch, seated atop a rock, remained utterly indifferent, showing no reaction. He merely cast a casual glance in her direction.
One of the blood thorns floated beside Jiang An, spun at tremendous speed, and shot toward the Antarch.
But just as the thorn neared him, the Antarch's figure vanished.
The thorn crashed into the rock, reducing it to rubble.
Jiang An scanned the area, struggling to locate the Antarch.
"Where are you looking?"
A chilling voice whispered—just before she was sent flying by a direct, powerful kick from the Antarch.
Jiang An struggled to rise, her body trembling.
The Antarch approached, his gaze cold and calculating as he observed her deteriorating state.She's acting purely on instinct… her consciousness remains asleep, he thought.
Without hesitation, he stood directly in front of her.
Jiang An moved her hands, sending her blood-thorns surging toward the Antarch.
"Haha… Do you think this will affect me?" the Antarch chuckled, unfazed, as each thorn struck his exoskeleton with resounding impacts—leaving not a single scratch.
Sighing, he remarked, "I wanted to toy with you longer, but given your condition, I've changed my mind."His eyes turned icily murderous as his immense soul aura pressed down upon Jiang An, pinning her to the ground.
"Die."
His hand moved to pierce her heart.
Swish!!
A fierce wind swept across the mountain range, and the spirit orbs—previously recording the battle—began to shatter, one by one.
The Antarch's eyes widened in surprise as his hand struck the ground… Jiang An had vanished without a trace.
Where did she go…? he mused, moving his antennae to scan for her presence.
As if his search had revealed the answer, he turned around.
A woman, veiled and barefoot, stood beneath a tree, holding Jiang An gently in her arms.Her crimson robe shimmered in the golden rays of the setting sun, making her presence appear ethereal.
Without a word, she laid Jiang An beneath the tree.
"It seems the effects of blood awakening have subsided," she murmured softly, her eyes fixed on Jiang An's still form."She should wake soon."
"Who are you?" the Antarch demanded, his patience waning.
The veiled woman slowly turned toward him, a faint smile playing across her lips.
"Oh, I almost forgot about you," she replied calmly.
"My name is Xiao Mo."