Chapter 358 - 350: Xiaolan’s Bloodline Awakening

Chapter 358: Chapter 350: Xiaolan’s Bloodline Awakening

On the outskirts of Minas Tirith Port, there was a heavily guarded military camp.

This was the training ground for the new recruits of the Grey Marsh Territory. The packed earth was covered with wooden stakes and sandbags, and young soldiers were training, drenched in sweat.

In a remote corner of the training ground, however, the atmosphere was distinctly different.

Kael held a blunt training sword, his gaze fixed on the young girl opposite him.

Since returning from the Southern Islands, Xiaolan was like a different person. She was still quiet and would instinctively lower her head when she saw strangers, but the former confusion in her eyes had been replaced. She had found her reason to fight: protection.

"Focus, Xiaolan," Kael said in a steady voice. "An assassin’s fight isn’t about clashing strength; it’s a gamble on timing. Your enemy is always the next moment."

Xiaolan didn’t answer, only slightly adjusting her breathing. She gripped two wooden daggers, her body low, like a cat ready to pounce.

Kael moved.

But his footsteps made not a single sound. His figure traced an arc like a phantom, the short sword in his hand thrusting straight for Xiaolan’s ribs.

Just as the tip of the sword was about to touch her clothes, Xiaolan’s body moved with absurd flexibility. She slid half a step to the side in a way that would be impossible for an ordinary person, narrowly avoiding the attack. At the same time, she flicked one of her daggers backhandedly toward Kael’s wrist.

CLANG!

The wooden sword and dagger clashed.

With a flick of his wrist, Kael deflected the force and launched another attack. A web of sword-shadows enveloped Xiaolan, aiming for her vital points.

Xiaolan didn’t retreat. Her figure weaved through the dense attacks, every dodge and parry perfectly timed. She was like a falling leaf dancing in a gale; it looked perilous, but she always found a gap in the wind.

"Not enough!" Kael’s assault suddenly quickened. "You can be faster! Forget the forms, trust your instincts!"

The look in Xiaolan’s eyes changed.

The shouts of the surrounding soldiers, the clash of weapons, the whistling of the wind... everything around her faded away.

Her world narrowed to only Kael’s sword and her own rapidly beating heart.

Suddenly, Kael’s attack changed. He switched from a thrust to a slash, sweeping the sword horizontally toward her neck.

It was an unavoidable strike!

Xiaolan’s pupils contracted sharply.

’I want to dodge,’ she thought, but her body felt pulled by an unseen force.

In that instant, her figure blurred, as if seen through a layer of rippling water, or like a drop of ink in a glass, quickly fading into the air.

Kael’s sword passed straight through her "afterimage"!

Kael’s movements froze, his face a mask of astonishment.

As if sensing something, he whipped his head around.

Xiaolan’s figure had appeared three steps behind him. She was panting heavily, her face a mixture of confusion and lingering fear. She herself didn’t understand what had just happened.

"Wh-what was that just now?" Kael’s voice was a little hoarse.

"I... I don’t know..." Xiaolan shook her head. "I just remember my mind went blank, and I only wanted to dodge that sword..."

Kael quickly walked over to her and examined her carefully. After confirming she was uninjured, his eyes filled with irrepressible excitement.

"It’s your bloodline! Your bloodline’s power is starting to awaken!"

He didn’t hesitate any longer. Turning to Xiaolan, he said, "Come, we’re going to see the Lord. I must report this to him at once!"

...

In the Lord’s Mansion, Velin’s study.

"...and that’s what happened, my Lord." Kael recounted everything that had occurred on the training ground in detail, his voice still trembling with excitement. "It was definitely not a normal dodging technique. Her figure vanished from my sight for a moment, like... like she merged with the shadows."

Velin gestured for the nervous Xiaolan, who was standing to the side, to relax. He put down the document in his hands, his gaze falling on her as he opened the system.

[Name: Xiaolan]

[Level: Level 3 Ranger]

[Bloodline: Summoned Giant (Bronze Tier) 18%, Phantom Veil (Secret Silver Tier) 29%, Mixed Bloodline 53%]

[Ability: Misfortune’s Curse]

[Overall Evaluation: Bloodline conflict is stabilizing. Phantom Veil bloodline activity is extremely high, only one step away from activation.]

Velin’s eyebrows shot up.

’Twenty-nine percent!’

’Only one percent away from the activation requirement. No wonder a trace of her bloodline power unconsciously leaked out under extreme conditions.’

He looked at the solution that had automatically refreshed at the bottom of the panel.

[Bloodline Activation Magic Potion: Main Ingredient: 10g standard Original Blood Crystal powder. Supplementary Ingredients: 3g Shadow Cat spinal fluid, 5g Moonlight Vine pollen, 2g Calming Flower dew.]

[Preparation Method: ...]

An idea sparked in Velin’s mind.

’Compared to the absurdly expensive list of materials for stripping the bloodline initially, this activation formula could be called "budget-friendly."’

Shadow Cats were rare, but they could occasionally be found in the Magic Shops of the Royal Capital. Moonlight Vine was a specialty of the Southern Islands. As for the most crucial main ingredient, standard Original Blood Crystal, it was no longer a scarce resource for him.

’This is practically a gift.’

"Kael," Velin began.

"Yes, my Lord."

"You’ve done well," Velin said approvingly. "Xiaolan’s training is on the right track. Continue with it, but proceed step by step. Don’t let her overexert herself. As for the issue with her bloodline... I will solve it."

He turned to Xiaolan and said gently, "Rest here for a moment. You’ll come with me later."

「Two days later.」 In the underground alchemy lab, Velin worked methodically.

He mixed the Calming Flower dew with the Moonlight Vine pollen, stirring slowly with a glass rod. A faint purple liquid in the beaker gave off a delicate fragrance.

Next, he used a long, thin dropper to draw up three grams of Shadow Cat spinal fluid.

"SZZZ..."

When the spinal fluid dripped into the mixture, the liquid began to boil slightly.

Velin didn’t rush to the next step. Instead, he quietly observed the color change inside the beaker, recording the data in his notes.

Only when the reaction subsided did he slowly pour ten grams of pre-ground Original Blood Crystal powder into the beaker.

The previously cloudy liquid became clear, finally transforming into a pool of shimmering, silvery fluid.

Velin nodded in satisfaction.

He walked out of the alchemy lab. Xiaolan was already waiting quietly outside the door.

"My Lord..."

"Follow me." Velin said little, leading her back into the alchemy lab.

He handed the cup of silver Magic Potion to Xiaolan.

"Drink it."

Xiaolan looked at the liquid, which glowed with a mesmerizing luster. Without the slightest hesitation, she took it and drank it all.

There was none of the excruciating pain or burning she had expected.

A cool liquid slid down her throat, then transformed into countless gentle currents that flowed into every part of her body.

She felt her body become very, very light, as if she were about to float away. The surrounding light softened in her eyes, and she could clearly see the fine dust motes in the air.

She closed her eyes, immersing herself in this wonderful sensation.

Velin took a portable "Blood Heart Stone" from a nearby box and placed it in front of her. "Put your hand on it."

Xiaolan did as she was told, placing her fair palm gently on the stone’s surface. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

VMMMM—!

There was no blinding light, no violent aura.

A dreamlike silver halo bloomed gently from the Blood Heart Stone.

The light wasn’t intense, yet it seemed to have substance. Like flowing silk, like ethereal gauze, it enveloped the young girl’s figure.

Behind her, a magnificent scene slowly unfolded.

It was a tranquil, starry sky with a crescent moon hanging high above.

Beneath the moonlight, the silhouette of a woman formed from light and shadow danced gracefully in the darkness, draped in a veil woven from stars. Her dance was elegant and deadly, each step treading the border between reality and illusion.

The entire basement was filled with this mysterious and powerful aura.

Xiaolan’s eyes snapped open.

Her once-clear eyes were now covered by a hazy layer of silver, like two pools of water reflecting the stars.

Velin quickly checked her latest status.

[Name: Xiaolan]

[Level: Level 3 Ranger]

[Bloodline: Phantom Veil (Secret Silver Tier) 31%, Summoned Giant (Bronze Tier) 10%, Mixed Bloodline 59%]

[Bloodline Talents: Veil of Shadows (Beginner), Coup de Grâce (Beginner)]

[Abilities: Misfortune’s Curse, Beginner Stealth, Shadow Walk, Phantom Veil, Coup de Grâce]

[Overall Evaluation: A lucky one who has successfully activated a Secret Silver Level bloodline, possessing extremely high growth potential. Her every breath resonates with the shadows.]

’It’s a success.’

’And the results are far better than expected!’

’Not only did she activate the bloodline, she also comprehended two bloodline talents right away.’

Velin looked at the girl before him, whose aura was now completely different, and an idea came to mind.

He picked up an ordinary quill from the table and casually tossed it toward a corner of the room.

"Catch it."

The moment his voice fell, Xiaolan moved.

Her figure seemed weightless. Leaving a faint afterimage in her place, she appeared almost instantly at the other end of the room, her hand reaching out to steadily catch the still-falling quill.

The entire process was silent.

Xiaolan looked at the quill in her hand, then back at Velin, her eyes filled with disbelief.

A smile spread across Velin’s face—the smile of a researcher seeing a perfect test subject.

He walked up to Xiaolan.

"How do you feel?"

"I... I feel... good." A hint of confidence had entered Xiaolan’s voice. "I can see... a lot of things I couldn’t see before. Like, the flow of the wind, the path of light..."

She paused, then lifted her head, her silver eyes looking at Velin earnestly.

"My Lord, I think... I’ve become stronger."