"Do you have any last wishes that remain unfulfilled? You can tell me."
"After all, you've helped me out quite a bit. Once I emerge, I'll help you complete them."
The Blood Ancestor stared at Zhang Fan, a smile on his face. If someone unaware saw this, they might truly believe Zhang Fan had done the Blood Ancestor a great service.
"I just want to know, as a member of the Undying Blood Clan, why have you remained on this planet with such sparse spiritual energy? This is what puzzles me the most," Zhang Fan shook his head and asked.
He could understand why Half-Moon Immortal, a powerful Golden Core Earth Immortal of the first rank, had fallen to Earth after being ambushed by enemies and trapped in a spatial rift. His severe injuries had been untreatable, so he had stayed on Earth awaiting death.
But hearing the Blood Clan's story, it was clear they had descended to Earth hundreds of years ago and even fought a great battle with the founder of the Papal State. What was on Earth that was worth a life-and-death struggle between two Golden Core realm powerhouses?
"Hm?"
Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, the smile on the Blood Ancestor's snow-white face faltered slightly.
Zhang Fan's question had revealed far too much information. While being a member of the Undying Blood Clan wasn't a secret in itself, very few native cultivators on Earth were aware of it. Except for that old fellow from the Papal State...
But according to the Blood Ancestor's information, the Arbitrator of the Papal State was also in hibernation, having not emerged for centuries. And considering Zhang Fan's relationship with the Papal State, it was unlikely that Zhang Fan was someone they had cultivated.
"Who exactly are you?"
The Blood Ancestor, who had previously appeared calm, wore a solemn expression for the first time.
"Who am I?"
Seeing the Blood Ancestor's reaction, Zhang Fan chuckled. "Even your Blood Clan's supreme leader, Blood Dust Immortal Emperor, was once no match for me. You, a mere grunt of the Undying Blood Clan, have the audacity to ask who I am?"
"Tell me, what secret does this Earth hold that makes you willing to remain here!"
"Such arrogance!"
Blood Dust Immortal Emperor was the most powerful existence in their Blood Clan. It was precisely because of Blood Dust Immortal Emperor that their Blood Clan could be considered a powerful race among the countless species in the myriad domains. Yet, this human brat before him, who hadn't even condensed a Nascent Core, claimed Blood Dust Immortal Emperor was his defeated foe. The Blood Ancestor felt his intelligence had been insulted.
"For what you just said, I will make you suffer a terrible death. Your identity... I'll investigate it slowly after I devour you."
The Blood Ancestor extended his slender, jade-like fingers and lightly tapped towards Zhang Fan.
*Dong!*
A scarlet streak of blood-colored light shot out from the Blood Ancestor's fingertip, erupting with immense power and hurtling towards Zhang Fan. Wherever the scarlet streak passed, the blood sea below was carved with a deep trench, splitting it in two.
The power of this casual flick was even greater than the full might of the Papal State's strongest Arbitrator, comparable to the full force of a late Core Condensation realm expert. If Zhang Fan before his seclusion had faced this strike, he would have been utterly defenseless and instantly heavily injured.
But fortunately, his breakthrough in cultivation had significantly boosted his strength. Even so, Zhang Fan felt immense pressure.
"Skywater Shield!"
Almost instantaneously, Zhang Fan utilized the water from the blood sea below to condense a blood-colored protective shield around himself. The scarlet streak of light collided with the blood-colored shield, causing it to vibrate violently, seemingly on the verge of shattering. However, blood-colored ripples flowed across it, finally dissipating the scarlet streak and blocking it.
"Too strong!"
Barely managing to block the Blood Ancestor's casual attack with all his might, Zhang Fan's heart sank slightly, realizing today would be difficult.
"This is?"
Seeing the technique Zhang Fan employed, the Blood Ancestor's pupils contracted. The move Zhang Fan used felt vaguely familiar, and its complexity was beyond his comprehension. The techniques wielded by native Earthlings, while possessing decent power, were crude and far inferior to true immortal cultivation arts.
"I'm growing more and more curious about your identity!"
A cruel smile spread across the Blood Ancestor's fair face. He looked at Zhang Fan as if he were a cornered mouse, his scarlet eyes filled with mockery.
"Show me your remaining skills. Let me see just how many trump cards you have!"
The Blood Ancestor spread his hands, mobilizing the power of the blood sea, stirring up monstrous waves that surged towards Zhang Fan, ferocious and unstoppable.
Zhang Fan knew the Blood Ancestor was forcing his hand. If he couldn't display any interesting techniques, it would likely be when the Blood Ancestor decided to kill him. In that instant, Zhang Fan made a decision. Though it would come at a terrible cost, the circumstances compelled him to do so.
"Mountain River Seal, suppress!"
Zhang Fan tossed out the Mountain River Seal. The seal, initially palm-sized, instantly transformed into a small mountain, hovering above the blood sea, emitting immense pressure to resist the surging waves. Under the seal's suppression, the blood sea gradually returned to calm.
"High-grade spirit treasure?"
The Blood Ancestor gazed at the Mountain River Seal, now resembling a small mountain suspended above the blood sea, his scarlet eyes filled with unconcealed excitement and eagerness. As a genius cultivator of the second-rank Golden Core, his most powerful artifact was only a mid-grade spirit treasure. High-grade spirit treasures were typically held by prodigies of the first-rank Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators. Yet, this mere cultivator before him, who hadn't even condensed a Nascent Core, had presented him with a high-grade spirit treasure. How could he not be thrilled?
"I've fought and competed with powerful beings in the starry expanse without obtaining a high-grade spirit treasure. I never expected to find such an opportunity on this resource-scarce planet!"
The Blood Ancestor laughed heartily, the satisfaction in his eyes deepening.
"This is your trump card? It truly surprises me."
Zhang Fan ignored him, looking at the Blood Ancestor, whose eyes were brimming with excitement. His resolve grew stronger.
"Devour Heaven and Earth!"
Zhang Fan stood horizontally above the blood sea, transforming into a black hole. The blood sea below poured continuously into Zhang Fan's body. Zhang Fan, who was originally fair-skinned, gradually turned blood-red. And a hint of scarlet light began to appear in his deep, dark eyes.
"What is this technique? Is he trying to use the power of the blood sea for himself?" The Blood Ancestor watched Zhang Fan absorb the blood sea's energy without intervening, instead observing with great curiosity. The blood in the blood sea was the accumulated blood of countless powerful beings, gathered over hundreds of years, containing immense bloodline energy. For the Blood Clan, it was a sacred ground for cultivation. But he could tell at a glance that Zhang Fan was not a bloodline cultivator. Even if he absorbed the entire blood sea into his body, he wouldn't be able to refine its energy.
The blood sea's energy was indeed vast. Even though Zhang Fan's Myriad Domain Suppressing God Body was infinitely close to minor completion, after absorbing less than twenty percent of the blood sea's energy, he felt his body could no longer withstand it, on the verge of exploding. Intense pain coursed through every part of his body, and Zhang Fan's entire form became translucent, like blood-colored porcelain.
*Crack!*
An incredibly crisp sound echoed, like shattering porcelain. A crack appeared on Zhang Fan's chest.
*Crack, crack, crack...*
The cracks spread. Within a minute, Zhang Fan's entire body was covered in fissures, as if a single touch would shatter him into countless fragments.
"This is... tempering his physical body?"
At this point, the Blood Ancestor finally grasped some of the situation, but he still found it difficult to comprehend. "What kind of body technique allows one to freely absorb the energy of the blood sea?"
"It looks like he's about to fail. Since that's the case, I'll give him a final push."
To be safe, the Blood Ancestor decided not to watch any longer. He casually threw a punch, and a massive fist print erupted. Zhang Fan, in his current state, had no way to dodge and was sent flying by the punch.
...