Chapter 224 - Bloodline Talent Unlocked, Blood Spirit Dragon Seed!
"No!" the War Princess exclaimed, her voice echoing a defiance that belied her circumstances.
"I am a noble devil, and even under control, my soul shall not yield!" Her words were a fierce declaration, a battle cry against the invisible chains that sought to bind her.
The War Princess felt an indescribable shame wash over her. The thought of her parents and brother learning of this ignominy was too much to bear. As she grappled with these thoughts, a surge of Blood Calamity power targeted the twin horns on her forehead.
"Huh?!" A tremor ran through her delicate frame.
She could feel it clearly—her Nine-Tiered Bloodline talent. In the Endless Netherworld, she was the first ever to possess such a gift, a sensation that had once shaken the Nine Hells, becoming the pride of the Endless Netherworld.
But, as with all great gifts, it was incredibly difficult to unlock. At seventeen, she had yet to unlock a single tier, a source of anxiety and her greatest affliction.
Many devils, with merely Three or Four-Tiered Bloodline talents, had unlocked theirs by their early teens, their cultivation speeds soaring, far surpassing her, the 'once-in-an-epoch genius'.
The cruel truth was that after eighteen, these blood runes on her horns would never unlock. And her eighteenth birthday was just a fortnight away.
In the Endless Netherworld, she was an anomaly, a paradox—destined for greatness, yet languishing at the bottom. Her birth had rocked the Nine Hells, but her eighteenth birthday threatened to brand her as a scandal, a disgrace to the Endless Netherworld.
No precedent existed for someone with such high potential unable to unlock a single tier. As her eighteenth birthday loomed, her life became increasingly desperate, driving her away from the core of the Endless Netherworld to wander, eventually leading her to the Divine and Demon Continents.
All these years, she had hidden this heartache, but now... Now, as she felt her Nine-Tiered Bloodline talent unlocking, tears poured from her dark red eyes. Almost eighteen years, and finally, the moment had come. From the pinnacle of expectation to the pit of despair, as her eighteenth birthday approached, the jeers, the laughter, the sneers grew louder. The cruelty of words, the pressure she faced was enough to shatter any heart.
She had long stopped fearing death, harboring a secret wish to end her life on her eighteenth birthday, in a distant land, forgotten by the world. These were the secrets buried deep within her heart.
Then, suddenly, the sound she had dreamed of hearing—a crisp, resonating snap echoed from her blood horns. One by one, the runic seals on her Bloodline shattered. Her delicate horns transformed, taking on a majestic form akin to the horns of a Blood Dragon, exuding an aura of dominance and regality, like a crown atop a raging dragon king.
In reality, her Seed of Creation, known as the Blood Spirit Dragon Seed, was sealed within these horns. If not for her sealed talent, she would have reigned supreme in the Endless Netherworld long ago.
BUZZ! The final tier runic seal unlocked, unleashing a surge of extraordinary talent into her bloodstream, mingling with her devilish blood to further amplify the Blood Calamity power.
"Mother and father said, on the day the Nine-Tiered Bloodline talent is unlocked, the Nine Hells Venerable Devil shall command all realms..." the War Princess muttered in a daze. That was the dream. But how could dreams, especially in one's darkest hour, manifest into reality?
The pressure her parents bore, the anguish in her heart, it was like a bottomless abyss, swallowing her soul whole. Only in this world had she found respite, a chance to be herself again. And now, even if this power wasn't truly hers, she reveled in it.
"At least, when I return to the Endless Netherworld in this form, they won't know I am someone else's blood slave..." the War Princess mused with a self-deprecating smile. No need for self-cultivation. Every battle fought and victory earned would be hers alone. She craved glory, a chance to prove herself.
Now, as her wounds healed and her long hair cascaded down, she trembled slightly, struggling to stand. She looked down, her eyes settling on the strikingly handsome human youth before her. Her heart churned with tumultuous emotions as she addressed Yun Xiao, pride still evident in her voice, "Can we strike a deal?"
"Maybe change into something else first? I can't focus on your words otherwise..." Yun Xiao responded, eyes averted. He found it hard to maintain eye contact without getting dazzled.
Blushing, the War Princess felt an unfamiliar sense of embarrassment and quickly changed into tighter attire.
Yun Xiao, speechless, could only stare.
"Having been through all these unimaginable events, I've had a lot to think about," the War Princess declared, drawing a deep breath and fixing her gaze on Yun Xiao. "I don't wish to die anymore. I want to live. I'll follow your every command, just let me live!"
"Why this sudden desire to live?" Yun Xiao asked coolly.
"I used to be the joke of the Endless Netherworld, a disappointment to my race and my parents. But now, with my Nine-Tiered Bloodline unlocked, I want to prove myself, make them proud!" Each word she spoke carried the weight of her long-cherished dreams.
"Are you sure you can follow all my commands?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I am sure!"
"Including sacrificing yourself?" Yun Xiao asked sharply.
"You!" The War Princess bit her lip, a cold laugh escaping her as she scornfully looked at Yun Xiao. "You're just refraining from using me to create a body double for this very purpose, aren't you? You're a wicked, disgusting, shallow man of the human race!"
Not satisfied, she added, "What a waste of your good looks."
"If you continue insulting me, you'll lose this chance," Yun Xiao paused, then continued, "Glory or dignity—you can only choose one. If you want to return to the Endless Netherworld and prove yourself, forget about dignity in my presence. Choose!"
Clutching her fists, the War Princess wrestled with the most uncomfortable struggle within. Finally, she bowed her head, her eyes brimming with tears, "I choose glory."
"A wise choice," Yun Xiao remarked. Then, turning to the small black creature, he asked, "Blue Star, if I retrieve the Blood Base later on, is there a chance she won't die?"
"Yes, there is. Think of it as cultivating the Blood Base within her. When you need it, just take it back. She'll enter a state of suspended animation once she loses the core of her bloodline, but with some of the Blood Calamity power sustaining her, she should survive for a while. You can just put it back when you're done," Blue Star explained.
Hearing this, the War Princess's tense heart slightly relaxed, yet tears streamed down her face. Just as Yun Xiao had said, from now on, she would be a blood slave devoid of dignity.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not pitying her. Having Moon Fairy made me realize that having multiple identities and planting undercover agents everywhere not only doesn't hinder cultivation progress, but can also have some unexpected benefits," Yun Xiao said earnestly.
"I believe you!" Blue Star nodded earnestly.
"I believe too. After all, I can't bear to part with our new source of devil milk..." Red Moon chimed in weakly.
"..." Yun Xiao rolled his eyes. He wanted to argue, but It was too complicated to explain, and quite frankly, a nuisance!
"But in the end, she's destined to die. Once the Creator Immortal reaches full maturity, the Mortal Dust Devil Blood must return," Blue Star said solemnly.
"How long until then?" the War Princess asked, biting her lip.
"How long? Oh, that's ages away! At least longer than your original lifespan." Blue Star chuckled.
"Oh..." the War Princess pursed her lips, looking at Yun Xiao, "As long as I regain my glory in the Endless Netherworld, I'll have no regrets in death."
"Suit yourself." Yun Xiao didn't want to make any early judgments about what lay ahead. Death or life, it was all down to fate. They'd find out soon enough. He wasn't short of love, so there was no chance of developing any feelings for the War Princess. Her value lay in her identity and purpose.
"Try out your fighting strength," Yun Xiao suggested. The War Princess' body, trained by Yun Xiao, still relied on her own skills in battle. This was different from having a body double.
Yun Xiao used Moon Fairy to fight her. During this process, he allowed her to use the Mortal Dust Devil Blood.
BUZZ! At that moment, when the power truly returned to her body, the War Princess's eyes turned even redder.
"How does it feel?" Yun Xiao asked.
"So strong, so fierce, so wonderful..." she murmured.
The War Princess looked down at her hands and legs, the Mortal Dust Devil Blood coursing through her, transforming her body, face, and eyes, exuding a different kind of beauty. She seemed even more stunning and seductive than before, a rare beauty of her kind. She was the epitome of a devil, a Mortal Dust Devil, one that cultivated the Greater Blood Calamity!
Then she tested her strength, casually throwing a palm strike, sending waves of blood surging forward. The Mortal Dust Devil Blood's power, inherently sinister and lethal, was the bane of life, somewhat akin to the Heaven Burial Sword Soul! Her realm hadn't changed, but her lethality had skyrocketed. She gazed at Yun Xiao with a dazed look, her mind still a whirlwind of mixed emotions.
"Okay, that's a wrap!" Yun Xiao said. As long as the War Princess carried the Mortal Dust Devil Seed within her, he was, in a way, always with her, enabling them to communicate.
BUZZ! Just as Yun Xiao finished speaking, Moon Fairy, having absorbed enough Desolate Essence on the other side, broke through to the Establishment Saint Demon Realm, leaping two stages in one go. This marked a breakthrough for human, demon, and devil, all within the ancient bronze coffin.
"Establish Saint Demon Realm, now I can avenge my master..." Yun Xiao's eyes, glancing at the white jade earring on Moon Fairy's ear, were cold and resolute.
With 100 million demon soldiers surrounding the city and the Violet Sky army marching to the lower realms, he finally had the upper hand with the War Princess, a top-tier combatant, on his side, ready to confront the demon race head-on.
"First, we'll inform the Supreme Marshal to march towards the Ancestral Temple." Thinking this, Yun Xiao turned to the War Princess, "You will join me in eradicating demons at the Ancestral Temple."
"Yes..." The War Princess felt a tad more at ease knowing Yun Xiao's urgency was to slay demons, not to conquer her. "Once he's done with the demons, my untouched status might not last, alas... a blood slave!" The very thought was a humiliation. Only the prospect of regaining her honor in the Endless Netherworld offered her some solace.
BOOM! A loud explosion rocked the outside of the ancient bronze coffin, just as Yun Xiao was prepared to leave.
"There's a girl outside who's been attacking for quite a while," Blue Star suddenly mentioned.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Yun Xiao glared.
"It wouldn't have made a difference. I couldn't interrupt your Blood Base crafting," Blue Star retorted.
Yun Xiao, not dwelling on it, stepped out of the coffin. He landed on the ground, with Moon Fairy and the War Princess following behind.
In front of Yun Xiao stood a girl with a butterfly knot on her back, eyeing them coldly.
"A Sword Cultivator, with 600 layers of Sword Aura?" Yun Xiao was stunned.
"The War Princess from the Endless Netherworld?" As Qian Die recognized the War Princess, her face showed utter disbelief, "Human, devil, and demon, all allied together? What strange bedfellows!"
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