"Do you have any dying wishes that remain unfulfilled? You can tell me."
"After all, you've been of great help to me. Once I emerge from this seclusion, I'll fulfill them for you."
The Blood Ancestor stared at Zhang Fan, a smile on his face. If an unaware observer witnessed this, they would truly believe Zhang Fan had rendered the Blood Ancestor a tremendous service.
"I only wish to know why, as a member of the Undying Blood Race, you have remained on this planet with its sparse spiritual energy. That is the question that puzzles me the most," Zhang Fan shook his head and asked.
The Half-Moon Immortal, a powerful cultivator at the Golden Core Earth Immortal level, had been ambushed by his enemies and fallen into a spatial rift, ending up on Earth. Later, due to severe injuries that could not be healed, he stayed on Earth to await his end. Zhang Fan could understand this.
However, listening to the Blood Ancestor's story, it was clear that they had arrived on Earth hundreds of years ago and had even engaged in a great battle with the founder of the Holy See. What was there on Earth that would incite two Golden Core realm powerhouses to fight to the death?
"Hmm?"
Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, the smile on the Blood Ancestor's snow-white face faltered slightly.
Zhang Fan's question revealed too much information. While being a member of the Undying Blood Race was not a secret, very few native cultivators on Earth knew about it.
Except for that old fellow from the Holy See...
However, according to the Blood Ancestor's information, the Arbitrator of the Holy See was also in a deep slumber, having not emerged for centuries. Given Zhang Fan's relationship with the Holy See, it was unlikely that Zhang Fan was someone cultivated by them.
"Who are you?"
The Blood Ancestor, who had seemed composed until now, finally showed a trace of unease.
"Who am I?"
Seeing the Blood Ancestor's reaction, Zhang Fan chuckled, "Even your Blood Race's supreme leader, Emperor Blood Dust, was once no match for me. Do you, a mere foot soldier of the Undying Blood Race, have the right to ask who I am?"
"Tell me, what secret does this Earth hold that makes you willing to stay here indefinitely!"
"Such arrogance!"
Emperor Blood Dust was the most powerful existence in their Blood Race. It was because of Emperor Blood Dust that their Blood Race could be considered a powerful race among the myriad races in the starry expanse.
Yet, this human boy before him, who hadn't even condensed a Nascent Core, claimed that Emperor Blood Dust was once his defeated foe. The Blood Ancestor felt his intelligence insulted.
"For that single sentence, I will make you die a most miserable death. As for your identity, I will investigate it slowly after I have devoured you."
The Blood Ancestor extended a slender finger, as lustrous as jade, and gently pointed at Zhang Fan.
*Dong!*
A stream of scarlet blood-colored light shot out from the Blood Ancestor's fingertip, unleashing immense power as it hurtled towards Zhang Fan.
Wherever the blood-colored light passed, it carved a deep gash in the blood sea below, splitting it in two.
The power of this casual strike was even greater than that of the Holy See's strongest Arbitrator unleashed with full force, comparable to the full power of a cultivator at the late stage of Core Formation.
Had Zhang Fan been the same before his seclusion, he would have been utterly defenseless against this strike and instantly heavily injured.
But fortunately, his breakthrough in cultivation had significantly boosted his strength. Even so, Zhang Fan felt immense pressure.
"Heavenly Water Shield!"
Almost instantaneously, Zhang Fan utilized the seawater from the blood sea below to form a crimson defensive shield around himself.
The scarlet blood-colored light collided with the crimson defensive shield. The shield vibrated violently, seemingly on the verge of shattering at any moment, but blood-red ripples flowed across its surface, eventually wearing down the blood-colored light and blocking it.
"Too strong!"
Having managed to barely block the Blood Ancestor's casual attack with all his might, Zhang Fan's heart sank slightly, feeling that today would be a difficult one.
"What is this?"
The Blood Ancestor's pupils contracted as he witnessed the technique Zhang Fan employed. The move Zhang Fan used felt strangely familiar, and its complexity was beyond his comprehension.
The techniques displayed by the native inhabitants of Earth, while possessing decent power, were crude and far inferior to true immortal cultivation arts.
"Your identity has truly become more and more intriguing to me!"
A cruel smile appeared on the Blood Ancestor's fair face. He looked at Zhang Fan as if he were a cornered rat, his blood-red eyes filled with mockery.
"Show me all your remaining techniques. Let me see just how many trump cards you possess."
The Blood Ancestor spread his hands, drawing upon the power of the blood sea, whipping up monstrous waves that surged towards Zhang Fan in an overwhelming tide, their might fierce and unstoppable.
Zhang Fan knew that the Blood Ancestor was forcing his hand. If he couldn't display any technique that interested him, it would likely be time for the Blood Ancestor to make a killing blow.
At this moment, Zhang Fan made a decision. Although it would come at a heavy price, the circumstances left him no other choice.
"Mountain and River Seal, suppress!"
Zhang Fan hurled the Mountain and River Seal. The seal, which had been palm-sized, instantly grew into a small mountain, hovering above the blood sea and emitting a powerful suppressing force against the surging blood sea.
Under the suppression of the Mountain and River Seal, the blood sea gradually returned to calm.
"High-grade spirit treasure?"
The Blood Ancestor gazed at the Mountain and River Seal, which hovered above the blood sea like a small mountain, his blood-red pupils filled with unconcealed excitement and eagerness.
As a prodigious cultivator at the second-rank Golden Core stage, his strongest magical artifact was merely a mid-grade spirit treasure. High-grade spirit treasures were typically possessed by prodigies at the first-rank Golden Core stage or by Nascent Soul cultivators.
Yet, this mere cultivator before him, who hadn't even condensed a Nascent Core, had gifted him a high-grade spirit treasure. How could he not be excited?
"I've fought and contended with powerful beings in the starry expanse, yet I haven't obtained a single high-grade spirit treasure. To think that I would find such a serendipitous encounter on this resource-poor planet!"
The Blood Ancestor laughed heartily, his eyes filled with growing satisfaction.
"Is this 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 firmer.
"Devour Heaven and Earth!"
Zhang Fan stood horizontally above the blood sea, transforming into a black hole. The blood sea below poured ceaselessly into Zhang Fan's body. Zhang Fan, whose skin had originally been fair, gradually turned blood-red.
And in his deep, dark eyes, a hint of blood-red light began to appear.
"What is this technique? Is he trying to harness the power of this blood sea for his own use?" The Blood Ancestor saw Zhang Fan absorbing the energy of the blood sea and did not stop him, instead observing with considerable curiosity.
The blood in the blood sea was the accumulated blood of countless powerful beings, collected by the Blood Race over hundreds of years. It contained immense bloodline energy, making it a sacred ground for cultivation for the Blood Race.
However, 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 would not be able to refine its energy.
The energy within the blood sea was indeed vast. Even though Zhang Fan's Myriad Domains Suppressing Divine 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 and was on the verge of exploding.
Intense pain emanated from every part of his body. Zhang Fan's entire form became translucent, like blood-red porcelain.
*Crack!*
An incredibly crisp sound echoed, like shattering porcelain. A fissure appeared on Zhang Fan's chest.
*Crack, crack, crack...*
The fissures spread rapidly. In less than a minute, Zhang Fan's entire body was covered in cracks, as if a gentle touch would shatter him into countless pieces.
"He's... tempering his body?"
At this moment, the Blood Ancestor finally grasped some of the details, but he still found it difficult to comprehend. "What kind of body-refining technique is this, to be able to absorb the energy of the blood sea so freely?"
"It seems he's about to fail. Since that's the case, I'll give him a push."
To be safe, the Blood Ancestor did not intend to continue observing. He casually unleashed a punch, and a colossal fist imprint shot forth. Zhang Fan, in his current state, could not dodge and was sent flying by the punch.
...