Akashic_Tales Originals
God-Tier Shop System: I Sell Everything But Mercy
[Author – SYTTROX]
[Editor – MiT7]
Chapter 6: Hidden Potential (1)
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Dawn painted Azurecrest City in hues of amber and gold, but Lin Tian saw none of it. Sequestered in his chambers with curtains drawn against the morning light, he sat cross-legged on the floor, struggling to contain the chaotic energy surging through his partially restored meridians. Sweat beaded on his forehead, dampening the silver streaks in his hair that had spread further during the night.
"How bad?" Kiera asked from her position by the door, where she kept watch for servants or family members who might interrupt.
"Manageable," Lin Tian lied, his voice strained. The guild medic's suppressant was failing faster than expected, the foreign energy in his veins growing more volatile with each passing hour. His mismatched eyes had fully shifted to crimson, glowing faintly in the room's dim light.
The system interface hovered before him, displaying increasingly urgent warnings.
[Critical Alert: Bloodline Destabilization]
[Time Remaining: 14 Hours]
[Meridian Integrity: Declining (19%)]
[Recommendation: Immediate Stabilization Required]
"The Bloodline Resonance Test," he muttered, accessing the quest reward they'd earned in the dungeon. "Let's see what we're dealing with."
The interface expanded, revealing a new function.
[Bloodline Resonance Test]
[Purpose: Identify Bloodline Type and Compatibility]
[Requirements: Blood Sample, Quiet Environment, Uninterrupted Focus]
[Warning: Test Results May Trigger Further Awakening]
"I need a knife," Lin Tian said, extending his hand toward Kiera.
She hesitated. "Are you sure about this? We could seek out a bloodline expert. The Vermillion Sect specializes in—"
"No time," he interrupted. "The system says I have fourteen hours before permanent damage occurs. This test might provide the information we need to stabilize the condition."
Reluctantly, Kiera handed him a small hunting knife. Lin Tian pricked his finger, allowing three drops of blood to fall onto the floor before him. The system interface pulsed in response.
[Blood Sample Accepted]
[Initiating Resonance Test]
[Please Maintain Focus]
The blood droplets began to glow, first red, then shifting through a spectrum of colors before settling on a deep, iridescent crimson that seemed to absorb light rather than emit it. The droplets expanded, forming intricate patterns that resembled both circuitry and ancient runes simultaneously.
Lin Tian felt a pull from within, as if something in his blood recognized the patterns and yearned to complete them. Without conscious thought, he placed his palm over the glowing formation.
Pain lanced through him, not the chaotic agony of the dungeon episode but a focused, clarifying sensation that burned away confusion. The system interface flashed with new information.
[Bloodline Identified: Abyssal Phoenix Lineage (Dormant)]
[Compatibility: 87%]
[Current Awakening: 12%]
[Potential: SSS-Rank]
[Warning: Unstable Integration]
Images flooded Lin Tian's mind, a massive bird wreathed in flames black as night yet bright as stars, soaring between worlds, devouring reality itself to fuel its rebirth. Knowledge poured into him, fragments of understanding about a bloodline so rare it had been considered mythical even in this world of cultivation and magic.
"Abyssal Phoenix," he whispered, the name feeling right on his tongue.
"What?" Kiera moved closer, concern etched across her features. "Lin Tian, your eyes, they're changing again."
He caught his reflection in a nearby mirror. The crimson glow had intensified, but now black patterns swirled within the red, like smoke curling through flame. The silver in his hair had spread further, now covering his temples entirely.
"The test worked," he said, his voice steadier than before. "I know what bloodline I carry."
The system provided additional information as the resonance test completed.
[Abyssal Phoenix Lineage]
[Origin: Primordial Chaos Realm]
[Classification: Mythical Destruction Bloodline]
[Known Carriers: 0 in Current World]
[Abilities (When Fully Awakened): Reality Consumption, Void Flames, Death Rebirth, Dimensional Travel]
[Cultivation Path: Destruction-Rebirth Cycle]
"That's... impossible," Kiera breathed, reading over his shoulder. "The Abyssal Phoenix is a myth from the Age of Chaos. There hasn't been a confirmed carrier in recorded history."
"And yet, here we are." Lin Tian studied the information with growing excitement despite his condition. A mythical bloodline explained why the original Lin Tian's meridians had been blocked, his body had been suppressing power it couldn't safely contain.
"The system says I need to stabilize the integration," he continued. "But how?"
[Stabilization Method Available]
[Requirements: Void Essence x3, Phoenix Heart Herb x1, Abyssal Crystal x1]
[Process: Meridian Reconfiguration Ritual]
[Success Rate: 76% with Current Materials]
[Failure Consequence: Bloodline Suppression, Return to Blocked State]
Lin Tian frowned. "Void Essence we can get from alchemist shops. Phoenix Heart Herb might be available from rare herb dealers. But Abyssal Crystal? I've never even heard of it."
Kiera's expression shifted from concern to determination. "I have. It's not actually a crystal, it's the solidified tear of an Abyss Beast. The Northern Forest dungeon has an Abyss Rift in its deepest section, where the B-rank beasts dwell."
"We can't go back to the dungeon," Lin Tian said firmly. "Not with Crimson Hawk on alert and my condition unstable."
"We don't have to." Kiera smiled mysteriously. "The Black Market auction house opens at noon. Dungeon materials from all over the continent pass through there. If an Abyssal Crystal exists in Azurecrest, that's where we'll find it."
Lin Tian accessed his inventory through the system, calculating their resources. Between yesterday's market sales and his family's credit line, he had access to substantial funds, enough to outbid most competitors for rare materials.
"Then we have a plan," he decided. "We gather the stabilization materials and perform the ritual before the deadline."
The system generated a new objective, formalizing their approach.
[Quest Updated: Bloodline Stabilization]
[New Objective: Gather Ritual Materials]
[Progress: 0/3 Materials Collected]
[Time Remaining: 13 Hours]
As Kiera left to make inquiries about Phoenix Heart Herb, Lin Tian focused on controlling his increasingly volatile energy. The resonance test had provided valuable information, but also accelerated the awakening process. Black flames occasionally flickered around his fingers when his concentration slipped, dissipating harmlessly but serving as stark reminders of the power struggling to manifest.
His father's dagger, the moonshade steel blade, seemed to resonate with his condition, its metal shifting colors in response to his fluctuating energy. Lin Tian drew it, studying the phenomenon.
[Item Analysis: Moonshade Steel Dagger]
[Quality: Rare]
[Special Property: Energy Conductive]
[Compatibility with Host Bloodline: High]
[Potential: Evolution-Capable Weapon]
Evolution-capable? Another interesting discovery. Lin Tian channeled a small amount of his unstable energy into the blade, watching as the metal absorbed it eagerly. The dagger's edge darkened to match his eyes, crimson with swirling black patterns.
"You're full of surprises," he murmured to the weapon, feeling it hum in response.
A knock at his door interrupted his experimentation. He quickly sheathed the dagger and suppressed his energy as best he could before calling, "Enter."
His father stepped into the room, then stopped abruptly, staring at Lin Tian's altered appearance. "What happened to you?"
Lin Tian had prepared for this moment, knowing his transformation couldn't be hidden from family. "A bloodline awakening, Father. It seems our family has more interesting history than we knew."
The elder Lin approached cautiously, studying his son's glowing eyes and silver-streaked hair. "This is why you returned from the dungeon in such a state? The servants said you were ill."
"Not ill. Evolving." Lin Tian managed a smile despite the pain simmering beneath his skin. "The dungeon environment triggered something dormant in our bloodline."
His father circled him slowly, expression shifting from concern to calculation. "A bloodline... in a merchant family. This changes everything." He paused, eyes narrowing. "Is it stable?"
"Not yet," Lin Tian admitted. "I need specific materials for a stabilization ritual. Kiera is helping me acquire them."
"The hunter girl?" His father nodded thoughtfully. "She seems capable. What materials do you need?"
Lin Tian hesitated, then decided honesty would serve him best. "Void Essence, Phoenix Heart Herb, and an Abyssal Crystal."
His father's eyebrows rose. "Expensive and rare. The first two I can help with, we have connections with herb merchants across the continent. The Abyssal Crystal, however..." He shook his head. "That's dungeon material, and extremely rare."
"The Black Market auction—"
"Is controlled by the Shadow Guild," his father finished. "They allow Crimson Hawk to operate openly while they manage the underground trade. If you show up there in your condition, with Crimson Hawk already targeting you..." He left the implication hanging.
Lin Tian considered this new information. "I need that crystal, Father. Without it, this awakening could fail, possibly permanently."
The elder Lin studied his son for a long moment, then nodded decisively. "I'll send a proxy to the auction. Someone unknown to the guilds but with sufficient funds and discretion."
"Thank you," Lin Tian said, genuinely moved by his father's support.
"Don't thank me yet." The elder Lin moved toward the door. "A bloodline in the family means power, but also danger. Once word spreads, we'll face attention from sects and powers far beyond Crimson Hawk Guild. Be certain you're prepared for what comes next."
After his father left, Lin Tian returned to his meditation, focusing on containing the volatile energy while the system continued analyzing his condition.
[Bloodline Analysis Continuing]
[Unique Trait Identified: Consumption Affinity]
[Potential Application: Energy Absorption from External Sources]
[Current Limitation: Insufficient Control]