by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
Disciples that had been hesitating also came forward now. A huge weight was lifted off their shoulders. It felt like they had been reborn.
Over a thousand disciples went to the Xuantian Tower, with half having spiritual contracts. Those without spiritual contracts began to apologize to the surrounding disciples. Those disciples were at first indignant, but they quickly accepted their apologies.
After all, not everyone was free. There were countless reasons they did what they did. The disciples who did have spiritual contracts in particular must have had tough lives. Although they were talented enough, they had still been forced to accept such a spiritual contract. They had basically been chess pieces.
Those disciples weren’t blamed by others but were softly comforted.
“Long Chen, your cultivation technique is so amazing. It can actually distinguish who’s harboring secret motives?” Tang Wan-er softly whispered to Long Chen while holding his hand. She had a worshipful expression now. The current Long Chen truly appeared wise. It was like he was all-knowing, and his words were powerful and resonating.
“Ha, what’s so amazing about it? Do you think everything someone else says is trustworthy? I was just lying,” whispered Long Chen.
Fortunately, things were chaotic enough that only Meng Qi, Chu Yao, Guo Ran, Gu Yang, and a few others could hear them. They were all dumbfounded.
“It’s not like I’m a god. How can I tell who’s a good person and who’s a bad person just like that? The only thing I can sense is someone’s hostility when they want to kill me. That’s something even you can sense. Since they just came to gather information and didn’t have any obvious hostility toward me, how could I possibly tell who they were? This was just bait,” said Long Chen mischievously.
“Long Chen, you’re evil!” Meng Qi covered her mouth and laughed. Even they had been tricked. They really had thought that his cultivation technique could tell who was good and who was bad.
“Then boss, how did you know there would be this many spies?” Gu Yang rubbed his head.
“Fool, this is just an unwritten rule. What sect doesn’t have other people’s eyes inside it? We have recruited so many disciples, so there should be spies among them. Ignoring everyone else, just look at our own Xuan Master. He has such an understanding of the major powers of the continent. Where do you think that information comes from?”
They finally understood. No wonder he said it was an unwritten rule, so everyone did this.
“It’s impossible to get rid of all the spies. However, if we can clean up a portion of them, then that’s good. Most likely, the rest are loyal to death to others. It’s basically impossible to get them to expose themselves,” said Long Chen.
“Then what do we do about them?” asked Guo Ran.
“What do we do? Why do we have to do anything? With the Xuan Master’s intelligence, he’ll find out who they are sooner or later. And he definitely won’t expose them. He’ll leave them so he can mislead them and send out fake news. Using other people’s chess pieces, hehe, when it comes to this, the Xuan Master’s the real evil one. I’m just a novice in comparison,” laughed Long Chen.
“You’re both evil. Fortunately, we’re on the same side,” said Tang Wan-er gladly. She found that other than cultivation, she didn’t know anything. Long Chen and the Xuan Master’s scheming was so deep that they could kill their enemies without needing to personally fight.
“Once we tidy up some of them, the rest will easily expose themselves on the battlefield. For example, if a dog’s fur glowed, it would be easier to see ticks. I’ve now made their fur glow, making it a bit easier for the Xuan Master to find the parasites. If we don’t know who they are, it will be difficult for everyone to fight with their full power. Well, there’s no need to talk too much about it. Today’s a good day, so let’s properly celebrate with food and drink. We should boost our morale before the Devil Abyss erupts. I have to make sure we leave the Xuantian Dao Sect with a powerful army protecting it,” said Long Chen.
“Long Chen, you mean…?” Meng Qi and the others were startled.
“Pretty much. Our enemies are only growing stronger. The Xuantian Dao Sect has helped us out immensely and is our home. However, we are like baby birds that will need to leave the nest one day to survive on our own. If we grow dependent on this nest, we’ll likely implicate the Xuantian Dao Sect one day. But before we leave, we have to leave behind a legend, a kind of will, a kind of feeling, a kind of energy, something that makes people say that in this world, there is a supreme kind of conviction, and its name is the Dragonblood Legion.” Long Chen’s eye sparkled with a determined light.
No matter how much time passed, no matter what era passed, the Dragonblood Legion’s trust in each other would never grow out-dated. It would forever be passed down amongst people. There would be a new faith, called the legend of the Dragonblood.
“Boss, you really are amazing at duping people. I have an urge to find a battlefield right now and kill until rivers of blood flow,” said Gu Yang excitedly.
Long Chen rolled his eyes. Gu Yang was never good with words. He had grown such a bright head for nothing.
Everyone celebrated in Crouching Dragon Mountain for a day. Huge waves stirred in the Xuantian Dao Sect due to Long Chen’s return this time.
That was because of Guo Ran’s loud mouth. Originally, only a selected few plus the Dragonblood Legion had known what had happened during the Jade Lake Pageant, but Guo Ran just couldn’t hold back his gabbing. He directly narrated how Long Chen had shown his might in the Southern Xuan Region.
On his own, he had slaughtered all the Southern Xuan Region’s elite disciples. Not only that, but he had dominated their senior experts as well. That was a supreme glory.
“Long Chen, what is it? Are you not happy?”
Long Chen, Meng Qi, Chu Yao, and Tang Wan-er were hiding in a corner, quietly watching Guo Ran continue bragging. Tang Wan-er had spoken up upon seeing Long Chen’s expression.
“It’s nothing.” Long Chen smiled, but that smile was a bit forced.
“Long Chen, it wasn’t your fault. The martial path is full of struggles. There’s no person who’s innocent, and there’s no such thing as subduing enemies with unrivaled kindness. If you want to live, you have to be vicious. You had no other choice in that situation.” Meng Qi held Long Chen’s hand. She knew Long Chen was still brooding over that matter.
However, in that critical moment, he really hadn’t had any choice. If there was someone to be blamed, it would have to be Shen Bijun. If Long Chen hadn’t been that vicious, Meng Qi and the others would have been in danger.
Those people had been controlled by Shen Bijun. Long Chen had known that and had still killed them. There was no way to say whether his actions were right or wrong, but he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable inside.
Seeing people celebrating this matter was what made him feel bad. Was the existence known as glory really so amazing? If killing wasn’t to protect, then what was the point of getting stronger? In that instant, Long Chen suddenly felt a bit lonely.
“I’m fine. I just suddenly feel a bit tired. These merciless Heavenly Daos are always forcing me to be a killer, and I can’t stop it. I feel like my fate is being played by a bored heavens. The feeling of being a dancing monkey is irritating.” Long Chen looked up at the sky with a touch of fury in his eyes.
It was Shen Bijun who had been so sinister and sly that she had arranged traps for Long Chen, which made it so he lost no matter what choice he made.
The heavens were the same. Ever since he had stepped onto his cultivation path, he had felt like he was a chess piece. His path forward looked like it had many forks, many choices. But no matter what choice he made, he ran into incomparable difficulties.
“Long Chen, we’ll worry about you like this.” Chu Yao hugged his arm, leaning against his shoulder.
They all knew that although Long Chen had slain Shen Bijun, Shen Bijun’s sinister scheme had left behind a seed in Lon
g Chen’s heart. That was a dangerous seed. They didn’t know if it would affect Long Chen.
No one else could talk him around. Whether or not he could resolve this knot in his heart would be up to himself.
“I’m fine. I was just feeling a bit emotional. Starting tomorrow, the Dragonblood Legion has to go into collective seclusion to increase our power.”
Long Chen took a deep breath and expelled those thoughts. He had no time to consider those things. As long as he could protect those he wanted to protect, so what if he had to become a fiend?
When that thought appeared in his mind, a strange shadow appeared on the Divine Gate Star. However, it only appeared for an instant before vanishing as if nothing happened, leaving no one the wiser.
Chapter 1673 Making a Demonstration
The next day, Crouching Dragon Mountain was completely sealed off. It had its own special formation that, when activated, isolated it from the rest of the world. Unless someone used the Xuantian Tower, no one could enter or disturb them.
Long Chen had gathered the entire Dragonblood Legion. After a night of rest, he was much more refreshed.
“This time, I obtained quite a few good things in a mysterious place. It will take you some time to digest them all.”
Long Chen took out a blood essence stone and a blood soul stone. The terrifying Blood Qi and Spiritual Strength that came out of them caused people to jump in shock.
“This is a blood essence stone and a blood soul stone. They can completely transform your bodies and souls, tempering them so that your Yuan Spirits grow stronger and your bodies become more terrifying than Magical Beasts. Based on my tests, using the blood essence stone’s energy to temper the body will have amazing effects, but the pain involved isn’t something a normal person can endure. That’s why I will first give everyone a demonstration.”
Long Chen transformed into a ray of light that shot through the Dragonblood Legion, dragging out a quivering Guo Ran who had been hiding in the back like a chicken.
“Boss, I don’t need that power! I’m just a forger! Don’t waste the resources on me, give my place to Gu Yang!”
“Don’t worry, there’s enough energy for everyone. Guo Ran, remember, what supports your showing off is always bitter training. The suffering you go through today will become your bragging tomorrow. You’ll thank me in the future.”
After saying that, he didn’t give Guo Ran any chance to beg for mercy. He clapped a hand on Guo Ran’s back, and thunderforce immediately paralyzed Guo Ran. His arms stretched out involuntarily like a wooden puppet, and he received the blood essence stone.
“Everyone, pay attention. Use your soul to guide one drop of blood out of the center of your palm and brand it with your spiritual mark. Remember, you must only use one drop, no more. Use that drop to form a bridge with the blood essence stone and slowly draw in its energy.” Long Chen used Guo Ran as a demonstration as he pulled out a drop of Guo Ran’s blood from his palm. Guo Ran’s spiritual mark was placed on it, and then it slowly pressed against the blood essence stone.
BOOM!
The instant Guo Ran’s palm touched the blood essence stone, his sleeve exploded, and his skin split apart. Even the skin on his face split open, shocking everyone.
The blood essence stone was like a volcano, while Guo Ran was a tiny little opening for it to erupt out of. Only a trace of its energy flowed out, but that little trace was enough to destroy mountains. If Long Chen wasn’t supporting him, Guo Ran’s current body would have already exploded.
Guttural sounds were coming from Guo Ran’s mouth, but he couldn’t open his mouth, nor could he speak clearly.
“Don’t talk. If you open your mouth, all your energy will try to rush there and your body will explode. Even the patriarch wouldn’t be able to save you then. Either you endure, or you die.”
Long Chen knew that Guo Ran wanted to beg for mercy, but Long Chen didn’t give him any chance. Guo Ran was currently an Empyrean. His talent had been upgraded to be very amazing with limitless potential. However, Guo Ran was too lazy. Even with such amazing talent and potential, he wasted it. Without forcing him, he wouldn’t cultivate.
“Everyone, watch carefully.”
Only once Long Chen said this did everyone recover from their shock and carefully examine Guo Ran. Guo Ran was covered in blood and looked like a mess. It was a frightening scene, but they then saw an even more shocking thing.
Guo Ran’s blood was constantly surging, with faint bubbles appearing in it. Guo Ran had fainted from the pain, but with Long Chen’s Spiritual Strength surging through him, Long Chen forced Guo Ran’s mind to still be wide awake.
He had to make Guo Ran remember this process. Only then could Guo Ran have complete control of his body. The price of Guo Ran’s laziness had to be repaid. Guo Ran had a feeling like death would be better than living now. It was a frighteningly painful torture.
Long Chen pointed at Guo Ran’s injuries. The blood there was becoming thicker, and it was an extremely strange sight. ”This is the blood essence energy of the blood essence stone. It has a strange ability. It can stimulate and refine your blood, expelling its impurities. It can also excavate the potential of your Spirit Blood. This process is very painful, but you have to endure. You can’t faint. During this process, your nerves will form their own kind of memory, allowing you to control the power of bloodline better in the future.”
“Boss, Guo Ran is frothing at the mouth!” exclaimed a Dragonblood warrior.
“It’s fine, he’ll get used to it quickly.” Long Chen looked at Guo Ran firmly. This was just an instinctual reaction and nothing major.
He had long since told Guo Ran that there were no shortcuts to cultivation. If he was lazy now, it would be a debt he had to repay in the future. This debt was something that he would have to pay as long as he didn’t die.
However, Guo Ran refused to believe him and always tried to think of some way to escape during his tribulations. With Long Chen keeping an eye on him, Guo Ran hadn’t had any chance to be lazy, but in the last tribulation, Long Chen hadn’t been present. This little fellow had definitely played dead at that time, or there wouldn’t be so many impurities in his Spirit Blood. It also wouldn’t be so painful for him now.
“Boss Guo Ran’s blood is starting to glow!”
After an incense stick’s worth of time, Guo Ran’s blood stopped flowing out. His blood vessels had already recovered, and what flowed inside them was now a richer red that had some faint luster to it. It was dazzling, and it emitted its own bursts of power.
“This is the power of Spirit Blood? I thought only the most ancient bloodlines can have such power!” exclaimed a Dragonblood warrior.
Everyone had Spirit Blood and their own bloodline pressure. However, for most people, they were so weak that they might as well not exist. There were very few people capable of using their bloodline pressure to suppress other people’s auras. Only people from extremely ancient and powerful inheritances could possess such power.
Such figures were rare. Most geniuses used the pressure of their manifestations to suppress their opponents. By the Soul Transformation realm, there was practically no one who would use such a bloodline pressure.
It was different from the pressure of the Heavenly Daos. The pressure of a bloodline was even more direct and tyrannical. If the pressure was strong enough, then without even needing to do anything, you could cause your opponent’s blood to explode inside them.
After a while, Guo Ran’s injuries fully healed. Guo Ran’s body was now releasing a terrifying bloodline power that made everyone else’s hearts shake.
However, he was still twitching and frothing at the mouth. His eyes had rolled into the back of his head. It looked like he was having a seizure.
Long Chen released Guo Ran, allowing him to collapse on the ground. Gu Yang apologetically said, “Boss, it was my mistake. Last time, I got soft-hearted and let Guo Ran be lazy.”
Last time, they had undergone their collective t
ribulation in the Spirit World. Gu Yang had controlled the tempo of the lightning. However, Guo Ran’s ability at acting dead was extremely skillful, and Gu Yang had thought that Guo Ran had really reached his limit, so Gu Yang had let him faint.
If Guo Ran had endured longer during that tribulation, it wouldn’t have been so painful on him today.
“It’s all this little fellow’s own fault. Toss him to the side. His debt can only be paid by himself. No one else can help him.” Long Chen shook his head. A few Dragonblood warriors carried Guo Ran to the side. Even at this time, he couldn’t be allowed to faint, or it would leave behind a flaw.
Just as they were carrying Guo Ran away, he suddenly let out a furious roar. He grabbed one of them and slammed him onto the ground. That Dragonblood warrior was taken by surprise and was knocked out.
“Fuck, boss Guo Ran, have you gone insane?!” The other Dragonblood warriors cried out in shock. Guo Ran’s eyes were now scarlet like a rampaging beast.
One of the Dragonblood warriors grabbed onto Guo Ran from behind, holding him tight. But he never expected Guo Ran to have so much power that Guo Ran easily broke his arms and knocked him flying. Guo Ran’s power was overflowing.
“Some of you, go test him out. Guo Ran has gone crazy from the pain. Check how much his power has grown.” Long Chen was very calm. He was just a bit surprised that even Guo Ran, who had always possessed the weakest physical body, could instantly become this powerful.
It had to be known that without his armor, Guo Ran was the weakest existence within the entire Dragonblood Legion. Any random Dragonblood warrior could crush him. However, now even a dozen Dragonblood warriors couldn’t knock him down.
Those Dragonblood warriors were using their physical strength to try and hold him down, but Guo Ran’s power was like a Magical Beast’s. His power had multiplied dozens of times. He was like a madman, randomly kicking and punching. He even bit one of the Dragonblood warriors on the butt, causing him to cry out in pain.
