Chapter 71: Alchemy of Blood

Chapter 71: The Alchemy of Blood

PING!

[UPGRADED TECHNIQUE: VOID DEVOUR — STAGE 2]

• Effect: Encircles, anchors, and purifies foreign energy sources through an internal Spatial Array Matrix.

• Improvements:

- Refinement Speed increased by 300%.

- Internal Meridian Backlash reduced by 90%.

- Energy Conversion Efficiency increased to 95%.

Lothe didn’t stop there.

His mind remained fixed on the concept of Spatial Anchoring. He opened his dark eyes, his pupils flashing with a profound purple light.

Lothe raised his right hand and flicked his index finger through the air.

CLICK.

A microscopic, invisible spatial node materialized ten feet away.

It didn’t tear through space. Instead, it anchored a thread of Void Qi to the exact coordinates, creating a hidden spatial doorway.

Lothe took a half-step forward.

SWISH!

Without a sound or explosion, he vanished.

A moment later, he reappeared at the location of the spatial node.

The movement was so smooth and instantaneous that it looked as though he had erased the distance between two points.

PING!

[Congratulations! You have created a brand-new Original Technique!]

[Recording information... Complete.]

——————————

[NEW TECHNIQUE CREATED: VOID STEP — FIRST FORM: SPATIAL ANCHOR]

Description: Places invisible Void Anchors within a thirty-meter domain using minimal Qi. The Host can instantly teleport to any active Anchor without spatial turbulence or sound.

Qi Consumption: minimal

——————————

Silence filled the grand chamber.

Ye Cangming’s mouth fell slightly open, his eyes wide with shock.

He understood Spatial Anchoring in ten seconds? He created a silent spatial movement technique on the spot?

Even the old man’s hand froze against his beard. A faint twitch appeared beneath his eye as he stared at Lothe like he was looking at a monster.

This brat’s comprehension is absurd.

Lothe exhaled softly, feeling the smooth and efficient flow of Void Qi within his Core.

He turned toward the old man with a confident smile.

"Like this, Senior?"

The old man quickly cleared his throat and forced his expression back into an aloof scowl.

"Hmph! Barely passable. You’ve only scraped the surface of Spatial Anchoring. Don’t let a small trick make you arrogant."

Seana covered her mouth, hiding a triumphant smile.

She knew Lothe was a genius.

"Hmph!"

The old man snorted when he noticed her muffled laughter.

"Now it’s your turn," he said, turning toward Seana and returning to his stern demeanor.

"You—" the old man began, but paused as though considering something.

Seana raised an eyebrow.

"Hehe. For you, you should learn how Alchemists truly fight."

The old man suddenly grinned.

Lothe and Seana immediately sensed trouble.

Ye Cangming sighed quietly.

Whenever Second Master laughs like that, something terrible is about to happen. If this girl truly learns from him, I pity her future enemies.

"Master, how do Alchemists fight?" Seana asked.

"Of course, we Alchemists never fight fair!"

The old man began circling her as he spoke.

"When you attack an opponent, you secretly release a disguised but potent poison. Qi-blocking poisons, Soul-Draining poisons, Heart-Manipulation Mist, you must learn them all."

He clenched his fist enthusiastically.

"Trust me, disciple. They work wonders."

He leaned closer.

"Especially Heart-Manipulation Mist. It’s incredibly useful against scumbags."

His gaze shifted toward Lothe.

"Hehe. You understand what I mean, don’t you?"

Lothe’s eye twitched.

Why is he looking at me?

"Once your Alchemy reaches a higher level, you’ll understand," the old man continued.

Then his expression became serious.

"You possess a rare and powerful element—Blood. But just like this spatial brat, you’re using it crudely."

Seana’s expression grew solemn.

"Your techniques are powerful, but they consume too much Qi. In a prolonged battle, you’ll eventually exhaust yourself."

He raised one finger.

"Of course, once you can refine Qi-replenishing pills, your consumption problem will become less severe. But it will still remain a flaw."

The old man looked directly at her.

"You must learn the Harmony of Qi, Soul, and Element."

He paused.

"You treat your blood as a weapon. But ask yourself..."

His voice became heavier.

"Is it only a weapon?"

The question struck Seana deeply.

Since the apocalypse had begun, since she had awakened Blood Manipulation, she had only thought about using it to survive.

It was a weapon.

A shield.

A means to reach her father.

She had always treated her blood as something separate from herself—something she reached for only when she needed strength.

It isn’t just a weapon...

Seana closed her eyes.

Through [Blood Sense], invisible crimson waves spread outward from her body.

She sensed countless tiny lights floating through the chamber.

Spiritual Qi.

Remembering her master’s words, she reached toward the surrounding energy.

But the Qi refused to obey.

Some streams slipped through her grasp. Others simply drifted away.

Seana tried again.

The result was the same.

Why aren’t they responding to my Qi?

She opened her eyes slightly, then closed them again.

Master said to harmonize Qi, Soul, and Blood. But everyone is different. His method might work for another person, yet fail for me.

She turned her attention inward.

Her blood.

The source of her power.

The foundation of Blood Manipulation.

My blood already responds to my will. Why should I force Qi into my body the way ordinary cultivators do?

Seana pressed two fingers against her wrist.

Her heartbeat echoed in her mind.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

She followed the rhythm of her blood instead of forcing her breathing into a specific pattern.

With every heartbeat, a faint current of Crimson Qi moved through her veins, flowing from her heart to her fingertips before returning through her meridians.

Her blood was already circulating. It only needed something to carry.

Seana extended her perception once more.

Rather than pulling the Spiritual Qi directly toward her body, she released thin threads of Crimson Qi into the air.

The threads moved like roots searching for water.

One touched a strand of Spiritual Qi.

Then another.

The surrounding energy trembled.

Seana didn’t force it. She simply gave it a familiar path to follow.

"Come," she whispered.

The response was immediate.

The Spiritual Qi entered her Crimson Qi threads and flowed toward her body as naturally as blood returning to the heart.

The energy seeped through her skin and merged with her bloodstream.

For a brief moment, a cold pressure spread through her veins.

Then her Blood Qi reacted.

The unfamiliar energy was wrapped in a thin layer of Crimson Qi, purified, and guided through her circulation.

Instead of clashing with her power, the Spiritual Qi became part of it.

A faint crimson glow appeared beneath her skin.

The energy flowed from her fingertips to her wrist, then toward her elbow and shoulders. From there, it moved through her chest before gathering around her Qi Core.

Seana’s breathing remained steady.

The Qi no longer felt foreign.

It felt like another stream of blood flowing through her body.

This is it.

She guided the energy through her heart before sending it toward her Qi Core.

The moment it entered, her Core began to spin.

Crimson strands wrapped around the newly absorbed Spiritual Qi, refining it into a purer form.

The energy became denser.

Warmer.

More compatible.

Then it merged completely with her Blood Qi.

A faint crimson lotus appeared around her Core before slowly dissolving into it.

Ping!

[Unique Cultivation Circulation Pattern detected.]

[Host has created an Original Blood-Attribute Cultivation Technique.]

——————————

[ORIGINAL TECHNIQUE CREATED: CRIMSON BLOOD CYCLE]

Classification: Blood-Attribute Circulation Art

Effect: Uses the Host’s bloodstream as a natural conduit to absorb, purify, and assimilate environmental Spiritual Qi into Crimson Blood Qi.

Additional Effects:

• Qi absorption speed increased by 250%.

• Blood Manipulation control and precision increased by 100%.

• Blood-based technique Qi consumption reduced by 50%.

• Grants continuous cellular regeneration while active.

——————————

Seana slowly opened her eyes.

A faint crimson mist swirled around her fingertips.

She raised her hand and gently flexed her fingers.

A droplet of blood lifted from her palm and stretched into a thin crimson needle.

With a subtle flick of her wrist, the needle dissolved into mist without wasting a single drop of energy.

There was no delay.

No strain.

No chaotic fluctuation.

Her Blood Manipulation was no longer an external force she summoned.

It had become an extension of her body.

The old man watched the faint crimson lotus mark fade beneath her skin.

His eyes widened slightly before a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"Hmph," he muttered. "Not bad, disciple. You’ve finally stopped trying to cultivate like an ordinary mortal."

Seana stood, her crimson silk robes settling around her.

A confident smile appeared on her face.

Her blood was her weapon.

Her blood was her Qi.

And now, her blood was the path through which she cultivated.​I