The Female Emperor's phantom shifted her tone and looked toward the transparent jade bottle on the high platform. She said indifferently, “Since you have come here, I presume you’re after this drop of vital blood.”
“Exactly!”
Ye Wushuang hurriedly replied, “The greatest wish of this junior’s life is to restore the glory of the Liu Clan!”
The Female Emperor's phantom nodded. “Good. But do you know that the vital blood in this bottle is actually fake?”
“What?!”
This time, Ye Wushuang was the one who was stunned. Could there be some hidden truth behind it?
“The true vital blood of the Empress contains all of my lifelong cultivation and Dao laws. How could an ordinary container possibly hold it?”
The Female Emperor's phantom explained, “The substance in this bottle is the essence blood of a Blood Devouring Demonic Flood Dragon I slew back then. I disguised it as vital blood and placed it here as bait.”
“If some ignorant descendant were to take the bottle by force without undergoing a bloodline test and absorb the demonic flood dragon’s essence blood, their cultivation would be crippled at best. At worst, their body would explode and they would die.”
After hearing this, Ye Wushuang broke out in a cold sweat.
That had been close!
If the Female Emperor's phantom had not appeared in time, she really might have fallen into the trap!
“Ancestor… where is the true opportunity?” Ye Wushuang asked awkwardly.
The Female Emperor's phantom smiled faintly and waved her hand.
Buzz.
A purple-gold jade bottle appeared in her hand. Mysterious Dao patterns flowed across its surface. The instant it appeared, it released a terrifying pressure that made even heaven and earth tremble.
The purple-gold jade bottle slowly drifted down and landed in Ye Wushuang’s hands.
The moment she touched it, Ye Wushuang nearly fell over!
The blood inside was actually as heavy as a thousand mountains.
Even through the bottle, Ye Wushuang could sense the terrifying energy contained within.
Ye Wushuang did not immediately swallow the drop of blood. Judging by the time, the duration of one incense stick was almost over.
[Ding! The host has intercepted Liu Ruyan’s core opportunity. The ten-thousandfold return reward has been triggered. Congratulations, host, you have obtained the complete Empress bloodline inheritance. Would you like to fuse with it immediately?]
[Reward: 10 Opportunity Points!]
“Not yet.”
Ye Wushuang forcibly suppressed the ecstasy in her heart and bowed deeply to the Female Emperor's phantom. “Thank you, Ancestor, for granting me this inheritance!”
“There is no need for such formalities.”
The Female Emperor's phantom’s voice began to grow ethereal.
“My remnant consciousness is about to dissipate. Remember to make good use of this inheritance, and do not disgrace the reputation of the Liu Clan.”
Her figure grew fainter and fainter.
“If you ever have the chance…”
As soon as the words fell, the Female Emperor's phantom completely vanished into the air.
“I finally managed to get away with it…”
Ye Wushuang let out a sigh of relief.
She glanced at the bottle containing the demonic flood dragon’s essence blood on the high platform, then at Liu Ruyan lying on the ground. Suddenly, an idea struck her.
The next moment, Ye Wushuang took a complete human skeleton from her storage ring. It had been a prop the original owner used to prank people, but she had never expected it to come in handy now.
She then arranged the bones in a position that made it look as though someone had collapsed face-first on the stone platform. At a glance, it seemed that they had triggered some mechanism and been burned to death.
After finishing, Ye Wushuang was very pleased with her masterpiece.
“Time to get out of here.”
Not daring to delay, Ye Wushuang flashed away, swiftly leaving the underground palace. She burst out of the lake and fled toward the depths of the Azurecloud Mountains.
Less than half an hour after she left…
“Ugh… Hrk…”
Liu Ruyan slowly regained consciousness.
She felt as though her head had been split open, and a large lump had risen on it. Her entire body was sticky and stank horribly. The foul odor made her vomit again.
“Urgh—what the hell is this?!”
Liu Ruyan forced herself to endure the nausea and tried to circulate her spiritual power to cleanse away the filth, only to discover that her spiritual power was moving sluggishly. Clearly, the strange liquid had affected it.
“Master? Master, wake up!”
Liu Ruyan anxiously called out.
After a moment, a voice came from within the ring. “Ruyan… what was that thing just now? It actually managed to seal your master’s soul for a short time…”
“Urgh—the disciple doesn’t know either. Someone ambushed me and knocked me unconscious with a brick.”
As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something and turned sharply toward the stone stele.
The transparent jade bottle was still floating above the platform before the stele, its essence blood shining brilliantly inside.
“Urgh—the inheritance is still here!”
Liu Ruyan was overjoyed. She no longer cared about the foul stench on her body and leaped to the front of the high platform.
When she saw a white skeleton beneath the altar platform, all her grievances and anger transformed into wild joy.
“As expected of our ancestor! She truly foresaw everything! That despicable person must not have possessed the Female Emperor’s bloodline and was burned alive after triggering the mechanism!”
Liu Ruyan hurried forward and carefully lifted the jade bottle into her hands.
Feeling the vast, ocean-like energy within, her breathing quickened.
“Urgh—Master, is this the Female Emperor’s vital blood?” Liu Ruyan asked excitedly.
The phantom within the ring sensed it for a moment before confirming, “That’s right. The imperial might and life force contained within it are genuine. This is indeed the Female Emperor’s essence blood. Ruyan, your great fortune has arrived!”
Liu Ruyan burst into tears of joy.
After enduring so many setbacks and humiliations, she had finally waited for the day she could turn her fate around!
With this drop of the Female Emperor’s vital blood, she might even awaken a special constitution and soar to greatness from then on!
When that time came, Ye Wushuang, the Lin Family—everyone would pay the price!
“Master, should I absorb it now?” Liu Ruyan asked impatiently.
“That would be unwise.”
The phantom within the ring replied cautiously, “The process of absorbing essence blood is extremely dangerous. Let’s leave this place first and find somewhere safe before proceeding.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan carefully stored away the jade bottle and turned to leave the underground palace.
Not long after she departed, the vortex gate at the bottom of the lake slowly closed, as though it had never appeared.
…
Deep within the Azurecloud Mountains, inside a secluded cave.
Ye Wushuang sat cross-legged, holding the purple-gold jade bottle in her hand.
“System, fuse the inheritance!”
[Ding! Fusion commencing…]
As the system notification sounded, a drop of golden blood slowly merged into Ye Wushuang’s brow.
Boom!
The Taiyin Profound Qi Breathing Art began circulating automatically, and terrifying imperial might erupted from her body!
As the surrounding spiritual energy continuously surged toward Ye Wushuang, countless profound runes began to appear on the surface of her skin.
The next moment, the phantom images of nine flaming phoenixes manifested around Ye Wushuang. They circled and danced around her, releasing waves of clear, melodious cries.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ye Wushuang’s cultivation began to soar!
Early True Essence Realm… Profound Connection Realm… early Grotto-Heaven Realm!
The bottlenecks in her cultivation were pierced with ease, as if they were no more than paper.
In just half an hour, Ye Wushuang’s cultivation had broken through directly from the early True Essence Realm to the early Grotto-Heaven Realm, crossing two entire major realms!
Under the transformation brought about by the Nine-Phoenix Flame Phoenix Physique, the strength of her body and every meridian within her improved by more than a hundredfold.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have awakened the ancient supreme physique, the Nine-Phoenix Flame Phoenix Physique, and comprehended innate divine abilities.]
[True Phoenix Nine Transformations: Grants nine opportunities to undergo nirvanic rebirth. After each rebirth, your strength will increase dramatically.]
[Flame Phoenix True Fire: Summons ancient true fire capable of incinerating all things. It possesses an extremely powerful suppressive effect against evil spirits and demonic forces.]
The strange phenomenon gradually subsided, and Ye Wushuang slowly opened her eyes.
Flames seemed to swirl within her eyes, and her entire bearing underwent a drastic transformation. She seemed less youthful now, but far more dignified and mysterious.
“So this is the power of an ancient supreme physique…”
Ye Wushuang was shaken as she sensed the surging power within her.
In her current state, even if she faced a perfected expert of the Grotto-Heaven Realm—or perhaps even an Innate expert—she would likely be able to fight them!
“Check my status.”
【Name: Ye Wushuang】
【Realm: Early Grotto-Heaven Realm】
【Fate: One Above All】
【Physique: Nine-Phoenix Flame Phoenix Physique】
【Techniques: Taiyin Profound Qi Breathing Technique (Minor Mastery), Swordsmanship (Perfection), Divine Concealment Art (Beginner)】
【Innate Divine Abilities: Nine-Phoenix Nirvana (0/9), Flame Phoenix True Fire】
【Fortune Points: 10/13】
Ye Wushuang’s fate had changed from NPC to One Above All. The physique section now listed the Nine-Phoenix Flame Phoenix Physique, and she had also gained two innate divine abilities.
Seeing that she still had a considerable number of Fortune Points left, Ye Wushuang decisively chose to spend them.
【Points allocated successfully!】
Taiyin Profound Qi Breathing Technique (Perfection), consuming 4 Fortune Points.
【Points allocated successfully!】
Divine Concealment Art (Perfection), consuming 6 Fortune Points.
【Remaining Fortune Points: 0/13】
“Great. Back to square one overnight.”
…
At the same time, in the Qingyun Mountains.
Liu Ruyan found a secluded cave nearby and eagerly took out the jade bottle.
“Master, can I absorb it now?”
“You can, but the Empress’s heart blood contains tremendous energy. You must proceed gradually and avoid rushing. You can start with one-tenth of it and refine it slowly.”
The voice came from within the ring.
“Understood, Master.”
Liu Ruyan cautiously opened the bottle and poured out approximately one-tenth of the golden blood before swallowing it.
The instant the blood entered her stomach—
“Ahhh—!!”
Liu Ruyan let out a shrill scream!
The drop of “heart blood” seemed to transform into countless venomous insects, gnawing furiously at her from within!
“This… This isn’t the Empress’s heart blood! It’s disguised Blood Essence of a Demonic Flood Dragon!”
The phantom within Liu Ruyan’s ring was horrified.
“M-Master… save… save me…”
Liu Ruyan curled up on the ground in agony as black blood began to seep from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
The next moment, a gentle force surged from within the ring, helping suppress the rampaging energy in her body.
But the Blood Essence of the Demonic Flood Dragon was far too overbearing. Even the phantom found it extremely difficult to handle.
“Ruyan, hold on! I’ll help you refine it!”
The phantom’s voice was filled with urgency.
Liu Ruyan struggled in agony for three full hours before finally managing to force the Blood Essence of the Demonic Flood Dragon out of her body.
The price, however, was painfully clear.
Her meridians had suffered severe damage, and her cultivation had fallen from the perfected Qi Condensation Realm to the early stage.
“How could this happen… How could this happen…”
Liu Ruyan slumped to the ground, her eyes vacant and helpless.
The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
She had thought she had obtained a bloodline opportunity capable of defying fate. Instead, it had nearly become the cause of her death.
“Master… what exactly happened?”
Liu Ruyan’s voice was choked with sobs.
The phantom within the ring remained silent for a long while before slowly saying, “Ruyan… we may have been set up.”
