Ophidian of the Immortal World - Chapter 92

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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈

Chapter 92: Blood Crystal, Essence Blood Absorption

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The Human Race laborers' reaction was even more intense than Jegyeong had expected.

He was satisfied, but also a little curious.

Did they not understand what it meant for their lives to fall into another's hands?

No matter how good Medicinal Pills were, or how much they hated falling behind, were they not being far too eager?

Was it because he was a member of the Demon Race in this life that he could not understand these humans?

Or had the humans of the Black Jiao Waters grown so accustomed to being controlled that they could accept a leash around their necks without a second thought?

‘Well, fine.’

What mattered most was training the Bloodline Restriction Art more diligently and bringing at least all the Human Race cultivators of Black Shark Island under his control.

With that goal in mind, Jegyeong threw himself into training day and night.

After a full three months, he was finally able to place restrictions on every Human Race cultivator of Black Shark Island.

‘I’ve done as much as I can for now.’

The Bloodline Restriction Art could control only the lives of those marked by its restriction. It could not control their thoughts or hearts.

In other words, there was no way to stop them if they decided to risk their lives and cause trouble.

There was nothing Jegyeong could do about that.

He could spend time seeking another method, but for now, he had to be satisfied with this much.

Having finished training the Bloodline Restriction Art, Jegyeong began going in and out of the Forget-Me Garden in earnest to learn more about the strange stone.

He first asked the seniors of the Full-Wing Gathering.

Yet neither the experienced Uh Dobaek, Choe Jutang, whose background and identity were suspicious, nor Ye Janggyeong, who likely knew much as a sect cultivator, knew anything about it.

‘It’s becoming more interesting.’

Jegyeong considered the senior cultivators of the Full-Wing Gathering to be among the more knowledgeable Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Human Race.

That was a conclusion he had reached after occasionally speaking with other cultivators in the Forget-Me Garden.

Yet even they knew nothing of the strange stone's origins.

“I’m not sure.”

“There are too many stones like that. I think I’d have to see it myself.”

“Could it be a contaminated Spirit Stone?”

After the Teleportation Pillars were erected, more people began traveling throughout the Forget-Me Garden and interacting widely.

They welcomed new encounters and did not hesitate to exchange information in many fields.

The cultivators Jegyeong met this time were such people.

Still, he had little to offer them, so the information he could obtain was limited. Unless someone took an interest in the strange stone on their own, all he could get were a few halfhearted remarks.

Several months passed. Just as his enthusiasm began to fade, Jegyeong met a cultivator.

The cultivator recognized at a glance that Jegyeong belonged to the Demon Race. That alone made Jegyeong certain that he was a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The cultivator introduced himself as Soan and asked Jegyeong various questions.

Most concerned life as a Demon Race cultivator. Since there was nothing he particularly disliked discussing, Jegyeong answered earnestly.

“Truly interesting. Ah, I hope you understand. Information about the Demon Race Cultivation World is difficult to come by. It is even harder to hear directly from someone involved. If I could, I would listen to your stories for days on end.”

“That would be difficult. It isn’t that I don’t wish to speak of it. I simply don’t know much. It is already hard enough to quietly survive each day, so what interesting stories could I possibly have?”

“That isn’t true. That isn’t true. Even the small things you find dull sound exceedingly interesting to me, Fellow Daoist.”

Once the conversation had warmed up somewhat, Jegyeong casually brought up the strange stone.

Soan showed little reaction at first, but immediately became interested when Jegyeong described several of its characteristics.

“Hmm. From your description alone... the first thing that comes to mind is a Blood Crystal. Of course, it could be something else. It could be a stone inscribed with rune patterns, or something entirely different... but for now, it seems likely to be a Blood Crystal.”

“A Blood Crystal? What is that?”

“A Blood Crystal is, as the name suggests, a stone formed from congealed blood. Naturally, it differs from an ordinary stone. You might call it a kind of Spirit Stone. Powerful blood qi forms its core and draws in the surrounding Spiritual Energy until it hardens like stone. It is not something commonly seen.”

“Not commonly seen? Why is that?”

“It is simple. Once the blood of even a powerful being leaves its body, it becomes an external object. No matter how much power it contains, that power gradually fades over time. A Blood Crystal cannot exist for long.”

Jegyeong understood Soan's explanation.

Still, the stone that was likely a Blood Crystal had not changed in the slightest over several months.

According to Soan, should it not have vanished long ago?

Could it be that the stone was not a Blood Crystal after all?

When Jegyeong asked about this, Soan answered as though he had been waiting for the question.

“There is nothing wrong with what I said. Blood Crystals are certainly not commonly seen.”

“Are you saying the Blood Crystal I possess is unusual?”

“Assuming your item is a Blood Crystal, there are two possibilities. The first is that it was not formed naturally. If so, its properties may differ from those of naturally formed Blood Crystals.”

Jegyeong immediately recalled the stone he had examined countless times.

Had there been any trace of artificial methods on it?

At least, he had found none.

“The second possibility is that the blood within the Blood Crystal is not ordinary blood. Not all blood is the same. Some kinds are unaffected by the erosion of time. Essence Blood is a representative example.”

“Essence Blood...”

Soan went on to tell him about various other kinds of special blood, such as the poisonous blood of certain venomous creatures and the spiritually potent blood of some spiritual treasures.

Jegyeong listened closely to every word.

“Still, Fellow Daoist, that stone may not be a Blood Crystal. Keep every possibility open.”

“Of course.”

Though he said so, Jegyeong was already leaning toward the belief that the stone was a Blood Crystal.

‘I’ll know once I confirm it.’

Jegyeong continued speaking with Soan for some time. Only when they could no longer find another subject to discuss did they part, promising to meet again.

* * *

‘Break the shell with Dharma Power, then steadily collect the blood within.’

According to Soan, handling a Blood Crystal was much like handling an egg.

The shell had to be broken as carefully as possible so that its contents would not splatter or spill out.

No, rather than breaking it, dissolving it was a more accurate description.

‘My demon power is much rougher than a Human Race cultivator’s Dharma Power. I need to be more careful.’

Jegyeong slowly wrapped the stone in demon power.

He was about to exert his strength in earnest, but then changed his mind.

‘My demon power itself is little different from fire qi. Instead of forcing it directly into the stone, could I melt the spirit shell simply by wrapping it in my demon power?’

It was like melting something with heat rather than putting it directly into a fire.

The thought had come to him suddenly, but there was nothing to lose even if it failed. So Jegyeong gave it a try.

The stone wrapped in his demon power showed no change.

Jegyeong waited patiently. At the same time, he watched it with his eyes and observed it with Spirit Awareness.

After an unknown amount of time, faint ripples appeared on the stone's surface.

The change appeared and vanished in an instant, but Jegyeong did not miss it.

The patience he had nearly exhausted was fully replenished.

One day passed, then two. Three days, then four.

The stone's surface had now become soft like jelly.

It constantly trembled and turned transparent, revealing its interior.

More time passed in that state.

At last, the spirit shell melted away, and something red within revealed itself.

Jegyeong immediately withdrew his demon power, placed it in a small bottle, and sealed it.

Only after confirming that the seal was secure did he examine it closely.

‘As expected, it’s blood.’

Inside the bottle was a single drop of blood.

The strange stone had truly been a Blood Crystal, just as he suspected.

‘This is Essence Blood. There is no doubt.’

Jegyeong recognized the blood's nature at once.

That was partly because he could sense the vigorous Aura and vitality within that single drop. It was also because it felt familiar.

He, too, possessed a drop of Essence Blood in his heart. Even though this belonged to another, it was not difficult for him to recognize it as Essence Blood.

‘Essence Blood...’

Essence Blood was the concentrated form of Qi and Blood, the essence of life. It was a spiritual treasure, and by nature, a top-grade one at that.

It could be used as an ingredient in all kinds of precious Medicinal Pills and in the forging of Dharma treasures. To Body Cultivators, it was considered the finest spirit medicine.

‘If I sell it... I could get a high price.’

Not all Essence Blood was the same.

Even if both were a single drop, how could the Essence Blood of a Great Demon Beast compare with that of a Demon King?

Judging from the Aura he sensed in the bottle, Jegyeong guessed that this was Essence Blood from a Great Demon Beast.

Based on the Auras of the Great Demon Beasts he had encountered so far, it was likely shed by one at the end of the mid-stage Great Demon Realm or in the late Great Demon Realm.

‘I might be able to get high-grade Spirit Stones for it... but it would still be a waste.’

There was a reason Essence Blood was considered the finest spirit medicine for Body Cultivators.

Only Body Cultivators who had tempered their bodies could absorb its vast power to the fullest extent. Using it as an ingredient for Medicinal Pills or consuming it in the process of forging Dharma treasures was wasteful by comparison.

Yet even Body Cultivators, who could absorb Essence Blood's effects to the fullest, could not compare with the Demon Race.

Where Body Cultivators could absorb sixty to seventy percent of Essence Blood's power, the Demon Race could absorb more than eighty percent, depending on their abilities.

‘I should use it.’

Jegyeong stared at the Essence Blood, which gave off a crystalline red glow, for a long time before making his decision.

Why did cultivators gather Spirit Stones?

To obtain cultivation resources.

With the finest spirit medicine right before him, why would he refuse it?

Though this Essence Blood would not help him accumulate demon power, increasing his physical strength was still meaningful enough.

Two days later.

After calming both body and mind, Jegyeong removed the bottle's seal and poured its contents directly into his mouth.

Once the Essence Blood entered his stomach, his powerful body immediately began absorbing it.

The changes came at once.

His blood boiled, and his body began to twist.

Crack! Crack!