Dragging the carcass of the wild black boar to the cave was an arduous task in itself. Wei Shen's body, despite the slight progress he had made by reaching the first level of Qi Condensation, was still far from true strength. Every step aggravated his old and new wounds, and cold sweat poured profusely from his brow. But he persevered, driven by that ravenous hunger for power, and by the dark promise whispered by the Blood-Devouring Stone.
When he finally reached the relative safety of the cave's depths, he dropped the massive boar carcass near the stone. He didn't rest, nor did he think of eating first this time. There was a cold anticipation in his eyes, an absolute focus on what he was about to do. He had felt the stone's reaction to the small deer's blood; how would it react to this larger, more vital offering?
With a steady hand, he used his sharpened stone shard to slit the boar's throat, deeper and wider than before. Dark red blood gushed out profusely, its pungent scent filling the small cave. Wei Shen directed this torrent straight towards the Blood-Devouring Stone.
The moment the copious blood touched the stone's surface, a crimson glow, the likes of which Wei Shen had never seen before, erupted from the rock. It wasn't merely a faint glimmer or an intermittent pulse, but a brilliant, violent radiance, as if the heart of a volcano had awakened in the depths of the cave. The stone floor beneath his feet trembled slightly, and he heard a loud hum resonating in his ears, as if the stone itself were groaning with extreme hunger or ecstasy.
An immense wave of tainted Blood Qi, ten times denser and stronger than anything he had previously felt, surged from the stone, engulfing Wei Shen like a vortex of dark red energy. The energy carried with it the scent of the boar's blood, mingled with something older, more savage… something from the very core of the stone itself.
Wei Shen immediately sat in a meditative posture, prepared for this new battle. He had expected excruciating pain, a violent resistance from the Qi pathways in his body. But what happened was different.
While the energy was still chaotic and aggressive by nature, Wei Shen felt the meager Blood Qi he had previously formed in his Dantian respond to this new torrent, drawn to it, even welcoming it in a strange way. The Qi pathways, which had been forcibly expanded slightly before, now seemed more prepared to receive this flood.
"This time… it's easier," Wei Shen thought with faint surprise as he directed the rushing red current. "The power flows… as if it knows its way. As if my body has become more receptive to this… delicious poison."
The pain wasn't entirely absent; his body was still acclimating to this foreign energy. But it was a bearable pain, more like a strong muscle strain after intense exercise, not the tearing agony that had nearly made him lose consciousness the first time.
The immense Blood Qi from the boar flowed through the stone into Wei Shen's body, washing through his pathways, permeating every cell. He felt his Dantian, which had been merely a small point of energy, expand rapidly, filling to its brim with that dark red, glowing liquid.
The entire process was much faster than he had anticipated. There was no long, bitter struggle this time. It was more like opening a dam before a raging river.
And suddenly, he felt it. That invisible barrier that had separated him from the next level of power… had shattered.
Breakthrough!
Second level of Qi Condensation!
The moment he reached this new level, Wei Shen felt a violent tremor run through his body. Then, a thick layer of black, viscous sweat, possessing an extremely foul odor, began to ooze from every pore in his skin. The impurities and toxins accumulated in this frail body for years were now being forcibly expelled, under the influence of the relatively purified and increased Blood Qi.
He coughed violently, spitting out a wad of dark phlegm. He felt his lungs become lighter, his breath deeper and purer.
This process of body purification continued for several minutes, leaving Wei Shen covered in a layer of sticky filth, yet he felt a strange sensation of lightness and purity he had never experienced before.
And when the last wave of energy receded from the stone, which had returned to its usual stillness, though it now seemed darker and more profound, Wei Shen looked at himself.
The wound on his arm, which had been inflamed and painful, had clearly begun to heal. The redness and swelling had significantly diminished, and the pain had transformed into a mere slight throb. Even the scratches and bruises he had sustained from his fight with the boar were starting to fade.
Wei Shen rose, feeling a new strength coursing through his limbs. He was no longer that frail body that trembled from the slightest exertion. He was still lean, but there was a new firmness and density in his muscles. He moved, punching the air before him. His punch was faster, stronger, and carried with it a faint whistling sound.
"The second level…" he muttered, his eyes gleaming with a cold, red glint. "The difference is vast."
He looked at the boar's carcass, which had now become a completely dry husk, devoid of any trace of life or moisture. Then he looked at the Blood-Devouring Stone.
"You grant me power, and I provide you with offerings," he said to the stone, as if forging a silent pact. "A… fruitful partnership."
He no longer felt that deadly exhaustion. On the contrary, he felt an energy and vitality he had never known in this body. His mind was clearer, his senses sharper.
"This forest is just the beginning," Wei Shen thought, looking towards the cave entrance. "With this new power, and with this stone… there is much prey waiting. And much power to be gathered."