North of Luoshui River.
The cold wind howled, and snow fell like goose feathers.
Amid the vast white expanse by the lake, two figures stood.
One of them appeared elderly, his face lined with visible wrinkles, his hair streaked with gray.
He wore a yellowish-brown Taoist robe, its back embroidered with the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol.
The fierce wind whipped his robe, making it flutter and snap behind him.
Anyone knowledgeable would recognize this seemingly fifty-year-old man as the second most powerful figure in the world the leader of the Huangtian Sect, the faith with the most followers in the current era.
Beside him stood a young man who still carried a trace of boyishness. A sword was strapped to his back, its hilt also bearing the Bagua symbol.
"Master, why have you brought me here?" the youth asked in confusion.
The elder spoke slowly, "Disciple, what do you think of the current Great Xia Dynasty?"
The youth pondered before answering, "The poor have no land to stand on, while the rich own vast estates. Behind vermilion gates, wine, and meat rot; on the roads, people freeze to death."
"The class divide is rigid. For a commoner to break through is rarer than one in ten thousand."
The elder nodded. "Then, if the dynasty were overthrown and the world remade, could this situation be resolved?"
"Master, you mean?!" The youth's eyes widened in shock.
"Speak your mind," the elder said calmly.
After another long silence, the youth replied, "If the dynasty were replaced, the initial upheaval might temporarily ease the situation. But no matter what laws or systems are enacted, within a hundred years, it would inevitably return to the state of today's Great Xia."
The elder smiled approvingly. "Well said. This is the abyss of history. A hundred years from now, a thousand, even ten thousand no matter how many dynasties rise and fall, no matter how brilliant their rulers, they will all reach this point."
"That is inevitable."
"But each new dynasty also brings a century of prosperity and splendor."
The youth hesitated. "So, Master, you intend to...?"
The elder nodded. "It's time to make a decision. Let me take the first step invite the Great Xia to its death!"
As he spoke, his previously calm eyes burned with intensity, like the midsummer sun.
"Master, we cannot succeed alone!"
"I know," the elder admitted. "Alone, we cannot."
"But!"
"With this first step, I can drag the already crumbling Great Xia into the abyss."
"And in the process, I can send some of the rotten, filthy sects and noble families those cesspools of human evil straight to their reincarnation!"
Seeing the fire in his master's eyes, the youth shuddered.
"Then what is your plan?"
The elder replied, "Great deeds require a catalyst. The moment hasn't arrived yet, but I can create that moment."
With that, he drew a small white snake from his sleeve. The snake's forehead bulged slightly, giving it an otherworldly aura.
"Master, what is this...?" the youth asked, puzzled.
The elder tossed the snake toward the half-frozen surface of Luoshui Lake.
The moment it left his hand, the tiny serpent swelled in size, stretching to over three meters long.
Splash
It plunged into the icy water with a heavy thud.
Watching the snake vanish beneath the surface, the elder finally spoke.
"This serpent carries the bloodline of an ancient white dragon. It is innately vicious. I fed it a special elixir to stimulate its bloodline and accelerate its growth."
"Once it matures, its savage nature will make it a terror of Luoshui."
"And when the time is right, he will slay it to rally the people, retrieving the Sword of the Human Emperor from its belly."
At these words, the youth's eyes widened.
"The Sword of the Human Emperor?!"
"That snake carries the Sword of the Human Emperor?!"
The elder shook his head. "Not yet. But I possess the sword. By slaying the dragon and wielding it, my prestige alone will be enough to ignite a rebellion."
"Whoever holds the Sword of the Human Emperor is heaven's chosen, the rightful ruler of mankind."
"After my death, the sword's emergence will plunge the world into chaos."
"Unless..." The elder's gaze turned toward the capital of Great Xia.
"Unless he can defy the heavens, shatter his shackles, and extend his lifespan!"
Meanwhile, Beneath the Water
The white serpent, roused by the freezing lake, slowly awakened.
It flicked its tongue, scanning its surroundings.
Hunger.
Hunger.
Hunger.
Its eyes flared crimson, and with a flick of its tail, it shot through the water like an arrow.
As it moved, the currents obeyed its will.
The ancient white dragon's bloodline granted it innate mastery over water.
On the Other Side of Luoshui
Jiang Ning, unaware of the events unfolding across the lake, remained on the deserted island, devouring Bai Ling Blood to amplify his vital energy.
At the same time, he honed his Water-Fire True Force, steadily increasing its proficiency.
Before he knew it, a full day had passed.
Under the moonlight, he made his way home.
[Source Energy]: 241.31
[Skills]:
Water-Fire True Force (Small Achievement – 374/500)
After glancing at his status panel, Jiang Ning closed it.
As he walked atop the water, the tidal surge of energy within him filled him with exhilaration.
From afternoon until moonrise, he had been digesting the Bai Ling Blood.
Though the absorption rate slowed over time, he had still consumed over forty drops by now.
His vital energy, though still at the "River of Blood" level, had more than doubled in volume.
The Next Morning
Winter days dawned later.
The sky was still dark when Jiang Ning awoke.
The first thing he did was check his panel.
[Source Energy]: 613.17
"So few?" He frowned at the number.
Based on his estimates, after absorbing nearly half of the Bai Ling Blood a resource of such potency his Source Energy should have surpassed a thousand.
Yet the increase, while notable, was far below expectations.
From two hundred to six hundred less than four hundred points was a disappointment.
Then, realization dawned.
"Perhaps the source of the energy affects the gains," he murmured.
"From what I've observed, natural treasures and ancient relics provide the highest efficiency."
"Man-made resources, no matter how potent, pale in comparison."
"If that's the case, the Bai Ling Blood, though powerful, is not a natural treasure it's a refined product."
"True natural treasures are things like the Blood Lotus I consumed before."
The more he thought, the more convinced he became.
"Maybe that's really how it works," he mused.
Another glance at his panel confirmed the number hadn't changed.
[Source Energy]: 613.17
Still far from the thousand he had hoped for.
With a sigh, he closed the panel and headed outside.
After washing up, he grabbed a few meat buns from the kitchen and left, leaving a note for Jiang Li to inform him of his departure.
On the Lake
Dawn had barely broken, and snowflakes drifted lazily through the air.
Jiang Ning strode across the water, parting the thick mist as he made his way back to the deserted island.
Today's goal was simple: continue digesting the Bai Ling Blood and train his Water-Fire True Force.
As for spending his Source Energy, he wasn't in a hurry.
With over six hundred points, he had options.
Crossing the 500-point threshold meant he could break through either Woodchopper's Saber Technique or Water Affinity for the sixth time but he hadn't decided yet.
[Source Energy]: 613.17
[Skills]:
Woodchopper's Saber Technique+ (5th Breakthrough – 6000/6000) (Traits: Versatility, Swift as Wind, Mastery of the Saber, Unity of Man and Saber, Natural Saber Talent)
Water Affinity+ (5th Breakthrough – 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control, Water Spirit Body)
Soon, he reached the island.
Opening the golden box, he resumed his task consuming Bai Ling Blood to amplify his vital energy.
The Next Morning
The world was blanketed in white.
The snow had fallen heavily since yesterday, and after a full day and night, everything was covered.
Even the lake's surface had begun to freeze.
Standing by the shore, Jiang Ning channeled his vital energy.
In an instant
The calm sea within him erupted into a tsunami.
BOOM
The surge of energy roared like a tidal wave, its momentum earth-shaking.
Feeling the changes within, Jiang Ning's face lit up with joy.
He had reached the "Sea of Blood" level!
For sixth-rank martial artists, achieving the Jade Bone stage required this very step and it was the most difficult.
According to tradition, "River of Blood" was twice the volume of "River of Vital Energy."
But advancing from "River" to "Sea" required several times more energy a geometric increase in difficulty.
For most martial artists at this level, years might not be enough to cross this gap.
Yet Jiang Ning had done it in just two days.
"The Bai Ling Blood truly lives up to its reputation as a Grandmaster's resource!" he marveled.
This experience deepened his understanding of the saying:
"The poor study literature; the rich practice martial arts."
The path of martial arts was a road paved with gold.
In the early stages, it burned small fortunes in the later stages, vast ones.
Even with his unique advantages, the dozens of drops of Bai Ling Blood he had consumed had saved him months of grueling training.
That was the power of wealth.
Without the Bai Ling Blood, even with his gifts, it might have taken him two or three months to reach the "Sea of Blood" stage.
But the blood's efficacy was well justified.
After all, this was a resource even Lin Qingyi had begged him for ten drops of it.
And who was Lin Qingyi?
On the surface, the deputy leader of Luoshui County's Wanhua Pavilion.
But in reality?
Jiang Ning had sensed her true strength that day peak fourth rank, just one step from the Grandmaster (third rank) realm.
With such power, her identity couldn't possibly be so simple.
Yet even someone of her status struggled to obtain Bai Ling Blood, forcing her to humble herself and ask him for it.
That alone spoke volumes about its rarity and value.
Physical Enhancements
Over the past two days, as his vital energy multiplied, transitioning from "River" to "Sea," the surge had nourished every inch of his body.
His physical strength had improved dramatically.
Vital energy fed the flesh, and as martial artists aged, their declining bodies led to diminishing energy a vicious cycle that weakened them further.
This was why older warriors inevitably lost their edge.
After savoring the changes, Jiang Ning reopened the golden box.
Only a shallow layer of Bai Ling Blood remained about ten drops.
As for the divine statue's hallucinations, he had grown accustomed to them.
He still dared not touch the statue directly, using spiritual force to extract each drop of blood.
One by one, the droplets floated into his mouth, merging seamlessly with his body.
Gulp
After swallowing the last drop, Jiang Ning let out an involuntary belch.
Though the blood didn't fill his stomach, thirteen drops at once left his entire body feeling stuffed to bursting.
Each drop contained colossal energy combined, they were overwhelming.
"Once these are digested, my vital energy should grow by another five percent," he chuckled, rubbing his abdomen.
Then, he checked his panel again.
[Source Energy]: 838.49
Still short of a thousand, but by tomorrow, he was confident he'd cross that threshold.
Next, he reviewed his skills.
[Skills]:
Five Beasts Fist (1st Breakthrough – 813/2000) (Trait: Essence Storage in Organs)
Woodchopper's Saber Technique+ (5th Breakthrough – 6000/6000) (Traits: Versatility, Swift as Wind, Mastery of the Saber, Unity of Man and Blade, Natural Saber Talent)
Water Affinity+ (5th Breakthrough – 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control, Water Spirit Body)
Water-Fire True Force (Great Achievement – 378/1000)
The most significant progress was in Water-Fire True Force.
In two days, he had advanced it from Small Achievement to Great Achievement.
Though not as fast as his earlier breakthroughs with The Surging Waves Saber Technique or Blazing Spear Arts, this speed was still astonishing, especially for a high-tier martial art.
"All my achievements are earned through hard work," Jiang Ning said, a smirk tugging at his lips.
No one knew better than him what had truly brought him this far!
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 410+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader