After a day, Wei Shen slipped back to his cave. On his way, he encountered some scattered disciples searching for him; he had no time to fight them, so he avoided them.
The small, secluded cave was bathed in a soft, golden-crimson light, emanating from the "Spirit Dragon Fruit" resting in Wei Shen's palm. Its fragrant aroma filled the air, a pure and potent scent, as if it carried the essence of ancient mountains and the breath of mythical dragons. Every breath Wei Shen inhaled made the "Blood Qi" in his body tremble with anticipation and hunger, like a beast sensing the presence of celestial prey.
He was at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Condensation, but he felt that this power, earned through hardship and blood, was but a shallow puddle compared to the vast ocean of energy latent in this small fruit, which weighed with the gravity of a mountain in his hand.
"This energy… is incredibly pure," Wei Shen thought, contemplating the miniature dragon-like scales on the fruit's surface. "Completely different from my tainted, aggressive 'Blood Qi.' Absorbing it directly might cause a violent shock to the Qi pathways in my body, and perhaps even tear them apart."
But he had already made his decision. The absolute pragmatism that governed his every action dictated that he choose the most efficient, and most audacious, path.
"If I eat it, my body will directly absorb a portion of its pure essence, which could help refine this fragile vessel in an unprecedented way," he analyzed the situation coldly. "And the excess energy that my body cannot handle, the 'Blood-Devouring Stone' will process, converting it into a more powerful and purer 'Blood Qi.' Efficiency dictates dual benefit."
It was a gamble, but a calculated one. In his world, he believed that great risks brought great rewards.
He spent several hours in preparation. He secured the narrow cave entrance, piling up heavy rocks to block it as much as possible, leaving only a small opening for ventilation. He sat in the deepest part of the cave and took a long time to calm his mind, pushing the "Blood Qi" in his body into a quiet, steady circulation, reaching a state of balance and absolute focus he had never achieved before. He knew that any interruption during this process could be fatal.
When he felt he was at the peak of his mental and physical readiness, Wei Shen raised the "Spirit Dragon Fruit" to his lips. He didn't hesitate. He took the first bite.
The experience was like biting into a piece of warm light, or a jelly made of pure energy. Its taste was indescribably sweet, with a hint of spicy warmth like mythical spices, and a sensation of static electricity danced on his tongue, as if he were tasting lightning itself.
The moment he swallowed that first bite, a ferocious storm of pure and violent spiritual energy exploded in his gut.
It was like swallowing a miniature sun.
Wei Shen felt a tsunami of pure, hot energy ravage every cell in his body, flooding his Qi pathways like a river of glowing white lava. The pain was excruciating, but it was different from the pains of his previous cultivation. It was the pain of absolute expansion, the pain of a primitive body trying to contain a celestial power. His Qi pathways, accustomed to the dark and cold "Blood Qi," screamed as they were washed and forcibly expanded by this pure, overwhelming current.
At this critical moment, the "Blood-Devouring Stone" embedded in the cave wall responded. It began to pulse violently, its crimson-red glow becoming brilliant and intense. It wasn't absorbing energy from the outside; instead, it began to act as a demonic filter, an energy converter from within Wei Shen's own body. Wei Shen felt the stone drawing in the overwhelming pure energy that threatened to tear him apart, processing it, and transforming it into another form of "Blood Qi"—a form more powerful, purer, and imbued with a dragon-like vitality. Then, it pumped this refined "Qi" back into Wei Shen's pathways.
"The stone… you're not devouring the fruit, but processing the energy it releases inside my body!" Wei Shen realized. "You're converting it into something that suits my dark nature, something I can control and use!"
Wei Shen now found himself at the heart of an energy vortex. He no longer resisted; instead, he began to guide this dual process.
The barrier that separated him from the seventh level of Qi Condensation, which had seemed solid and impregnable just a short while ago, shattered as if it were a piece of thin glass under this dual assault of energy.
The seventh level of the Qi Condensation stage!
Wei Shen felt a qualitative leap in his strength and a huge expansion in his Dantian. But the flood of energy from the fruit didn't stop. Wei Shen devoured the rest of the fruit in two more bites, unleashing all of its celestial essence.
The stone continued its work as a demonic filter, converting, refining, and pumping. And Wei Shen, in a state of painful ecstasy, continued to direct this endless current towards the next barrier.
There was no long struggle this time. The fruit's power was overwhelming. The barrier to the eighth level shattered as if it were never there.
The eighth level of the Qi Condensation stage!
Now, his power rivaled that of the strongest elders of the "Fallen Leaf Sect" that had cast him out. He felt it, felt that absolute power filling every cell. There was still more energy flowing from the remnants of the fruit in his stomach, and from the stone that was acting as his second heart.
"Can I…?" he thought, his insatiable thirst driving him towards the summit. "Can I reach even further than this?"
With a final surge of will, he mustered all that remained of that converted celestial essence and directed it towards the last barrier in the Qi Condensation realm, the barrier that separated him from the peak of this world.
The resistance of this barrier was much stronger. He felt as if he were striking a wall of celestial steel. But he didn't give up. He continued to press, to push, to direct every ounce of his "Blood Qi," now imbued with the power of a dragon, towards that point.
And suddenly, with a thunderous internal sound like a distant star exploding, the final barrier collapsed.
Wei Shen slowly opened his eyes. The cave had returned to its calm, and the stone's glow had faded. But his own eyes were burning with a deep crimson light, as if they were two small suns.
He had done it. He had overwhelmed the realms in a single cultivation session.
The ninth level of the Qi Condensation stage! The peak of the Qi Condensation realm!
He fell onto his back, panting heavily, his entire body trembling from the excess of power flowing through him. He was utterly exhausted, but he felt invincible.
And as he was trying to comprehend this immense new power, something strange happened.
A flash of bloody light formed directly in his consciousness, not in the air, but as if being carved onto his soul, forming words written in glowing blood.
[Title: Demonic Heir of the Bloodstone (Seed Stage)]
[Name: Wei Shen]
[Age: 17 years (Maximum Projected Lifespan: 150 years)]
[Cultivation Stage: Peak of Qi Condensation (Ninth Level)]
"What is this? Is this the stone's doing?"
"It seems to be displaying my information, and this title… what does it mean by 'Seed Stage'?"
Then, a new set of words appeared that made his blood freeze for a moment.
[Requirements for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm]:
1. Spiritual Beast Core from the Foundation Establishment Stage (Initial Stage). (0/1)
2. Heart of a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm. (0/1)**
3. Essence of the pure 'Ice Soul Flower'. (0/1)
Wei Shen looked at these horrifying requirements, the cold glint in his eyes deepening. "Foundation Establishment… requires the heart of a beast and the heart of a cultivator from the same realm… Stone… you truly are an insatiable demon, always pushing me towards greater and bloodier conflicts."
After displaying the requirements, the bloody writing transformed into a vortex of complex symbols and diagrams that flowed directly into his consciousness. It was a new demonic technique, the **"Art of the Bloody Tide,"** a technique that allowed him lethal offensive and defensive control over "Blood Qi," including methods for creating blood blades, a blood shield, and even limited control over the blood of enemies much weaker than him. It was complex and required much study and refinement.
Then, he felt a new, strong connection with the "Blood-Devouring Stone." It was no longer just a rock in a wall; he felt he could take it with him, that it had become a part of him.
He approached the stone and placed his hand on it. He channeled his ninth-level "Blood Qi" towards it. The stone vibrated violently, the surrounding rock turning to dust, and the stone detached smoothly, floating before him like a dark crimson heart, pulsing with power.
The stone moved towards his chest. It pierced his body without leaving a trace and settled near his Dantian, forming a symbiotic, demonic bond. He now felt the stone's hunger as his own.
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In a world of swirling nebulae and dying stars, a giant being seated on a throne of black crystal opened its ancient eyes, which were filled with galaxies. Its deep voice resonated in the void: "An echo… the echo of the 'First Sin Stone' has appeared… then vanished. So… the heir has finally found his way. The Great Chaos… approaches."
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In a palace of white jade floating above a continent suspended between two suns, several figures in royal, power-radiating robes gathered around a celestial map. A crimson light flashed on the map, then faded. One of them, his eyes of molten gold, said, "The 'Demon's Heart' has appeared in the lower realms. But it vanished before we could pinpoint its location." Another replied in a sharp voice, "It is now bonded with a 'host.' Tracking it has become nearly impossible. Send the 'Shadows.' Let them search every realm that showed an energy disturbance."
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In a hellish landscape of fire and volcanic glass, a massive demon lord laughed, his voice like the grinding of rocks: "Hahaha! The 'Blood-Devouring Stone' has chosen a new heir! How much blood will be spilled? How many souls will be reaped? This will be amusing entertainment to watch!"
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In the "Fallen Leaf Sect," an old elder sitting in a dusty hall trembled, a cold shiver running down his spine. "This feeling… this ominous premonition… as if a great catastrophe is about to befall our sect."
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Wei Shen was in his cave, completely oblivious to the cosmic ripples he had caused. All he felt was the immense power coursing through his veins, and the demonic stone now pulsing deep within him, a silent and thirsty partner.
He opened his eyes, and within them burned a galaxy of cold, crimson ambition.
"It seems the stone has settled in my body. I can feel it there."
Wei Shen stood up, his body crackling faintly as it adapted to his new power.