Chapter 268: Legend of Divine Blood

Chapter 268: Legend of Divine Blood

"Why don’t you give me all your Blood Qi to help me break through?" Ning Xiaochuan drew out the Heavenly Emperor's Blade, gripping it in his right hand.

It was just a short sword, unremarkable at first glance, yet this was a weapon once wielded by the Heavenly Emperor himself.

Tianchenzi sensed a trace of danger—a Martial Artist’s instinctive mental transmission. But where was this threat coming from?

Could it be from the short sword in Ning Xiaochuan’s hand?

Tianchenzi glanced at the blade and shook his head. It seemed too ordinary. No matter how powerful it was, could it really surpass the Demonic Sword?

Which was stronger—the Heavenly Emperor's Blade or the Demonic Sword?

Even Ning Xiaochuan couldn’t answer that.

The Heavenly Emperor's Blade was a weapon once used by the Heavenly Emperor, while the Demonic Sword’s origins were equally extraordinary.

One thing was certain: at Ning Xiaochuan’s current cultivation level, wielding the Heavenly Emperor's Blade allowed him to unleash far greater power than the Demonic Sword. This was because the Heavenly Emperor's Blade contained an Artifact Spirit, possessing its own battle might, and could lend a portion of its strength to Ning Xiaochuan.

Ning Xiaochuan slowly raised the blade, and a surge of power automatically flowed from it into his body, threatening to burst him apart.

"Kid, this is the limit. At the Fifth Level of the Transcendent Realm, this is all the power I can lend you. Your body can’t handle any more." The Heavenly Emperor's Blade was inwardly astonished. An ordinary Fifth-Level Transcendent Realm Martial Artist wouldn’t even withstand a tenth of the power Ning Xiaochuan was currently enduring.

This proved that Ning Xiaochuan’s physique was truly exceptional—surpassing others in the same cultivation realm by more than tenfold. He was an ideal candidate to become a blade slave.

Ning Xiaochuan’s body radiated dazzling light as the short sword in his hand transformed into a crescent moon, swirling with strands of martial energy.

Tianchenzi’s expression finally changed. "How is this possible? What you hold… is the Heavenly Emperor's Blade?"

"Heh, this brat finally recognizes his grandpa." The Heavenly Emperor's Blade burst into laughter. In its eyes, not only was Ning Xiaochuan a kid, but Tianchenzi was just a brat as well.

Tianchenzi activated his Divine Ability, "Heaven and Earth Formless," distorting the surrounding space into a chaotic, shapeless void.

If Ning Xiaochuan’s cultivation had been weaker, he wouldn’t have been able to break through this technique.

But with the Heavenly Emperor's Blade’s power, Ning Xiaochuan’s strength now rivaled that of a Ninth-Level Transcendent Realm Martial Artist. Combined with his extraordinary physique, his combat prowess far surpassed others at the same level, completely overwhelming Tianchenzi.

"Break!"

Ning Xiaochuan’s blade tore through the formless void, slashing Tianchenzi’s shoulder and leaving a 10 cm deep gash, slicing off a palm-sized chunk of flesh.

Tianchenzi grunted in pain.

He shot upward, bursting through the earth and landing on the surface.

Ning Xiaochuan extended a hand, summoning the Demonic Sword within him to absorb the Blood Qi Tianchenzi had spilled, refining it into his own power.

"Boom!"

Ning Xiaochuan erupted from underground, recalling the Tai Sui Beast into the Mystic Beast Manual. Activating Rainbow Teleportation, he appeared before Tianchenzi and swung his blade once more.

Tianchenzi once again disintegrated his body, transforming into droplets of blood that morphed into thousands of Qilin, attempting to evade the Heavenly Emperor's Blade's assault.

Ning Xiaochuan slammed the Heavenly Emperor's Blade into the ground, and countless Sword Qi erupted from the blade, shattering the Qilin formed from Blood Qi into tiny blood beads.

Tianchenzi's agonized screams echoed from the blood before he was forced to reform into his human shape. Covered in blade scars and utterly disheveled, his face twisted with fury as he snarled, "Ning Xiaochuan, once I break through to the Earthly Venerable Realm and return, I will reclaim everything that is mine!"

With that, Tianchenzi unleashed a Martial Arts Divine Ability, transforming into a massive Qilin with Dual Wings, soaring into the clouds.

"Everything you had was already lost by your own doing."

The Heart Nurturing True Cauldron flew out from Ning Xiaochuan's heart, enveloped in the forces of Yin and Yang, with a Bright Flame burning inside.

The Yin-Yang power emanating from the Heart Nurturing True Cauldron distorted Space, forcibly dragging the Qilin back from the sky and sealing it inside the cauldron.

The Bright Flame within the Heart Nurturing True Cauldron swiftly refined Tianchenzi, scattering his soul and refining him into five blood-red treasure pills.

Tianchenzi had been at the Ninth Level of the Transcendent Realm, and every drop of his blood was comparable to a profound medicine. The five treasure pills condensed from his entire body's essence each possessed medicinal potency equivalent to half an Advanced Pill.

Ning Xiaochuan examined the five pills before storing them in a jade vial and retracting the Heart Nurturing True Cauldron back into his body.

He then picked up the Heaven and Earth Bag Tianchenzi had left behind, retrieving 80,000 taels of Green Gold and 167 Profound Stones—though most were Low-Grade Profound Stones, with only 17 Mid-Grade Profound Stones among them.

Additionally, there were five Mystic Artifacts.

The lowest-grade among them was a Fourth-Grade Mystic Artifact, and there was even a Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact.

This Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact resembled a bowl, crafted from jade and entirely covered in profound light. It was likely a defensive artifact—if fully activated, it could envelop an entire small town.

"Give me that Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact," the Heavenly Emperor's Blade demanded.

"Why?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.

This was a Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact—even some Martial Venerables might not possess one, highlighting its immense value.

"I lent you power to slay your enemy. You should at least give me some compensation. Next time you're in danger, as long as you offer me another Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact, I might consider lending you power again," the Heavenly Emperor's Blade said.

Ning Xiaochuan held the jade bowl, pausing before replying, "You were the one who offered to lend me power—I never begged you. However... if you answer one question for me, I'll give you this Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact."

"Ask."

Ning Xiaochuan said, "Earlier, you mentioned that the Heavenly Emperor once left a drop of blood in the Yulan Empire. What was that about?"

"This..." The Heavenly Emperor's Blade hesitated.

This was a top-secret matter it didn’t want anyone to know.

"If you won’t tell me, then I’ll just keep this Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact for myself."

"Wait, wait! It’s not that big of a deal, really..."

The Heavenly Emperor's Blade stammered, "When the Heavenly Emperor was on the verge of becoming a god, he foresaw that something would happen ten thousand years later. Thus, he left a drop of Quasi-God blood on the Tianxu Continent for a destined individual. This drop of blood is already infinitely close to divine blood, containing the essence of the Heavenly Emperor's martial path. If someone could obtain this drop of blood, they could refine themselves, transcend the mundane, and rise completely above ordinary Martial Artists."

Ning Xiaochuan was naturally deeply moved. After all, it was a drop of the Heavenly Emperor's blood, and the power it contained was undoubtedly far greater than what the Heavenly Emperor's Blade had described.

"Is the drop of blood the Heavenly Emperor left in the Heavenly Emperor's Tomb Forest?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.

"There’s no Heavenly Emperor's Tomb Forest—it’s all just a damn ruse that screwed me over. I suspect it’s inside the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace..." The Heavenly Emperor's Blade realized it had slipped up and immediately stopped talking.

Ning Xiaochuan had heard legends about the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace.

It was said that this divine palace hovered above the Yulan Empire, yet no one had ever managed to find it.

Ning Xiaochuan hadn’t believed these rumors before, but during the sacrificial ceremony that day, the phantom of the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace had clearly appeared, proving that the divine palace truly existed.

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "What’s the relationship between the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace and the Heavenly Palace in the Emperor's Ruins?"

The Heavenly Emperor's Blade replied, "The Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace is the Heavenly Emperor's personal residence. As for the 'Heavenly Palace,' it was a cultivation dojo established by the Heavenly Emperor. Its true name is 'White Cloud Cave Heaven.' It’s just that later generations were ignorant and started calling it the wrong name."

Any place that could be called a "Cave Heaven" was extraordinary—a true cultivation holy land, existing beyond the reach of nations.

Deep within the Tianxu Continent, there existed some ancient Cave Heavens, so powerful they could easily destroy the Yulan Empire.

If the ancient families hidden in the depths of the Tianxu Continent learned that the Yulan Empire harbored a Cave Heaven, the "Heavenly Palace" in the Emperor's Ruins would have long been seized.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "I think the White Cloud Cave Heaven must hold the key to finding the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace."

"That... might actually be possible. But there’s a Heavenly Human Realm expert guarding the White Cloud Cave Heaven. With my current strength, I might not be able to defeat him." The Heavenly Emperor's Blade sounded tempted.

"You can’t enter, but I can."

Ning Xiaochuan had long planned to return to the Emperor's Martial Palace. It had been a while since he last challenged the Heavenly Bridge, and he wondered how far he could climb with his current cultivation.

Ning Xiaochuan handed over the Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact to the Heavenly Emperor's Blade.

A layer of white light emerged from the blade’s surface, enveloping the Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact.

The white light shattered the artifact, and its fragments were absorbed into the blade.

Crack! Crack!

The sound of metal grinding echoed from within the Heavenly Emperor's Blade.

Ning Xiaochuan watched in amazement—a weapon that could devour other weapons!

"Is it really that strange? For a peerless divine weapon like me, transcending the mundane and breaking free from the Five Forms, absorbing the Essence of Heaven and Earth, refining the Mystic Light of Sun and Moon, and devouring other weapons to strengthen myself is perfectly normal. Back in the day, when I was on the Burial Weapon Continent, I was the dominant force of my territory. I’ve consumed no fewer than 800 Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifacts, and even Supreme Imperial Artifacts. Kid, to be honest, if you give me another Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact next time, I can lend you my power again. Interested?"

"Do you think Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifacts grow on trees? For many major sects, they’re treasured heirlooms. They’re not so easily obtained!"

The power of the Heavenly Emperor's Blade is indeed formidable. But the cost of each use is a Seventh-Grade Mystic Artifact—not even Ning Xiaochuan could sustain that, let alone the Jade Emperor, who would be driven to poverty.

The real solution is to cultivate diligently and strengthen one’s own power.

"Ah! Earth's Wonder!"

Ning Xiaochuan was overjoyed to find an Eighth-Grade Profound Medicine inside Tianchenzi’s Heaven and Earth Bag—one of the seven main ingredients for refining the Great Earth Solemnity Pill.

It seemed Tianchenzi had also been trying to break through to the Earthly Venerable Realm and had been gathering ingredients for the pill. This time, Ning Xiaochuan had lucked out.

With this medicine found, only one main ingredient remained—Magma Blood from the Earth's Core—before the collection for the Great Earth Solemnity Pill would be complete.

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