Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Venerable Domain
At the hands of the Old Ancestor himself, the Shen Family Patriarch was sent to the mines, and the experts of his lineage were purged.
At the same time, the Shen Family let word get out.
The Shen Family’s genius, Shen Shaotian, had awakened the Venerable Bloodline and was selected as the family’s new Young Master.
The news sent shockwaves through Baiyun City, shaking all of its major powers.
The Venerable Bloodline was a bloodline of ancient times!
The streets and alleys were all abuzz with talk of Shen Shaotian. Everyone knew a brilliant new star was about to rise in Baiyun City.
Inside the Shen Family’s woodshed, it was damp and dark.
Shen Daoxing lay alone on the cold ground, his body extremely weak, his breath barely perceptible.
A beautiful young woman sobbed, "Xing, I know you are the Venerable Supreme. You are the true one..."
This was none other than Shen Changqing’s granddaughter and Shen Daoxing’s older cousin, Shen Yuerou.
The two had grown up together—childhood sweethearts, pure and innocent.
Looking at the unconscious Shen Daoxing, she felt his pain as if it were her own. ’To have one’s bloodline ripped out of one’s body... what agonizing pain that must be.’
"Dad... Mom... it’s so cold..."
A soft call escaped Shen Daoxing’s lips.
Shen Yuerou gripped Shen Daoxing’s hand tightly, trying to give him some warmth.
Just then, the dim markings on Shen Daoxing’s chest began to glow, like a piercing arrow of light, but the light quickly faded.
Shen Yuerou rubbed her eyes and whispered to herself, "What was that? Was I seeing things?"
The cold room was empty, without a single sound.
「In a world of darkness.」
Shen Daoxing’s vision blurred, and before him appeared mountain peaks that pierced the heavens and a turbulent Cloud Sea.
"Where is this?"
Shen Daoxing looked around in a daze.
ROAR!
Just then, a roar like a clap of thunder resounded, seeming powerful enough to shatter his eardrums.
Then he saw a sight he could have never imagined: a colossal Blood Dragon appeared, coiling around a giant mountain peak.
"How many eras has it been? The Venerable Domain has finally been opened again." The Blood Dragon soared into the air, its head raised. Its voice was calm, yet it carried a slight tremor.
’Eras? How long is that?’
Shen Daoxing was stunned by the Blood Dragon’s words.
"You are the one who bears the Venerable Bloodline?"
The Blood Dragon glanced at him, then spoke in a solemn voice, "No, your Venerable Bloodline is... special. It seems different from the previous ones."
Shen Daoxing gave a bitter laugh. "Senior, my Venerable Bloodline has been extracted."
Hearing this, the Blood Dragon was shocked. ’The Venerable Bloodline was extracted, yet he can still open the Venerable Domain? Could it be...?’
Since ancient times, only those with the Venerable Bloodline could open this Supreme Venerable Domain.
According to ancient legends, if a Venerable Supreme’s bloodline was stripped away and then grew back, it would evolve into a bloodline even more invincible than the original.
But this was only a legend. No one knew if it was true, because no Venerable Supreme would ever strip away their own bloodline.
Shen Daoxing glanced around and asked, "Where is this? How did I get here?"
"This is the Venerable Domain. Only a true Venerable Supreme can enter."
The Blood Dragon said faintly, "The mountain you see is the Nine-Layer Celestial Prison of the Venerable Domain. It imprisons war criminals from the Ancient Celestial Court. The prisoners within are all top-tier experts from the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, from all across the Heavens and Myriad Realms. Any single one of them could easily destroy an entire continent. At this moment, they are all desperate to escape."
"In the future, these prisoners will cause turmoil. If you can take control of the Venerable Domain, you will become their master."
Shen Daoxing looked at the mountain and seemed to see countless terrifying phantoms. His heart trembled.
Shen Daoxing asked, "And if I can’t take control of the Venerable Domain?"
The Blood Dragon said coldly, "Perhaps you will die at the hands of the Celestial Court. Or perhaps you will be controlled by these prisoners, becoming a puppet doomed to a fate worse than death."
Hearing this, a chill ran through Shen Daoxing’s heart. He then asked, "And you, Senior, are...?"
The Blood Dragon said, "I am one of the Eight Great Guardians of the Venerable Domain. My physical body was destroyed by the Celestial Court. If you take control of the Venerable Domain, you too will become a thorn in the Celestial Court’s side."
"With your current strength, that behemoth could turn you to dust with a single breath, leaving not even a grave behind."
Shen Daoxing asked in confusion, "The Celestial Court!?"
’This Blood Dragon before me exudes a primordial, ancient aura, yet the Celestial Court destroyed its physical body. Just how terrifying must the Celestial Court be?’
The Blood Dragon said faintly, "You are not yet qualified to know of it."
Shen Daoxing asked, "My bloodline has been extracted. How can I master the Venerable Domain?"
The Blood Dragon replied, "The Venerable Domain has a Venerable Heart Method that can only be cultivated by someone with the Venerable Bloodline. It allows one to open and cultivate seventy-two acupoints."
The Shen Family’s Heart Method was considered top-tier in Baiyun City, yet it could only open twelve acupoints for cultivation. This Venerable Heart Method, however, could open seventy-two.
’Just how terrifying is this Heart Method!?’
But Shen Daoxing just shook his head with a bitter smile. "My Venerable Bloodline has been extracted. Can I still cultivate this Venerable Heart Method?"
"Impossible." The Blood Dragon shook its head.
Shen Daoxing fell silent.
The Blood Dragon also stopped speaking, and for a moment, the entire Venerable Domain became extremely quiet.
After a long silence, the Blood Dragon spoke again. "However, I know of an Invincible Technique in this Venerable Domain. It can open one hundred and eight acupoints in the Acupoint Opening Realm, but to this day, no one has ever succeeded in cultivating it."
Shen Daoxing was utterly shocked. ’One hundred and eight acupoints!?’
With every additional acupoint opened, one’s cultivation speed increases.
The Shen Family’s Three Tides Heart Method could only awaken twelve acupoints. Even the Nine Tides Heart Method hidden by the Old Ancestor could only awaken eighteen for cultivation.
Yet the Invincible Technique the Blood Dragon spoke of could open one hundred and eight acupoints for cultivation.
Furthermore, the more acupoints one opens, the more solid their foundation becomes, which brings greater benefits to future cultivation.
This was simply an unbeatable foundation-building method.
The Blood Dragon’s massive eyes stared at Shen Daoxing as it asked, "If you succeed in cultivating it, it could even allow you to regrow your Venerable Bloodline—a new bloodline, even more profound and powerful than your last. Do you want to learn it?"
’I can grow a new Venerable Bloodline!?’
’One that’s even stronger than before!’
Without a moment’s hesitation, Shen Daoxing said firmly, "I do!"
His Venerable Bloodline had been extracted, and his body was terribly weak.
If he didn’t take this gamble, death was his only path.
"Good!"
The Blood Dragon spat from its mouth, and a profound, esoteric light descended from the sky, completely enveloping Shen Daoxing. "This Invincible Technique is called the Annihilation of Ten Thousand Swords Technique!"
Shen Daoxing felt an obscure and difficult mantra appear in his mind. Every sentence contained the very foundation of the Great Dao, profound and inscrutable.
Then, following the mantra, he entered a state of cultivation.
As the mantra circulated, Primordial Energy flowed through Shen Daoxing’s body. He was advancing toward the first acupoint.
The first acupoint was of the utmost importance; it would determine whether he could successfully sync with the Annihilation of Ten Thousand Swords Technique.
At this moment, the Blood Dragon’s eyes grew incredibly solemn. ’This Invincible Skill has existed for who knows how many years, yet no one has ever cultivated it successfully. Can this boy do it?’
It, too, was filled with doubt.
Just then, a sharp pain shot through Shen Daoxing’s body.
"Hold on!"
The Blood Dragon, fearing Shen Daoxing wouldn’t be able to endure, quickly shouted.
But having already experienced the agony of having his bloodline stripped away, Shen Daoxing’s willpower had long since reached a terrifying level.
Before long, the taste of blood filled his mouth.
Shen Daoxing had reached his body’s limit. His mind went blank, and his consciousness began to fade.
’Did he fail after all?’ Seeing this, the Blood Dragon couldn’t help but reveal a trace of disappointment.
’This Invincible Skill has never been successfully cultivated in all of history. How could this boy, whose bloodline was stolen, possibly succeed?’
’How could I have placed such high hopes on him?’
"Sigh!"
The Blood Dragon heaved a heavy sigh.
Just then, a heaven-shaking brilliance erupted from Shen Daoxing’s body.
The light was profound and peerless, vast and ancient.
Within the prison of the Venerable Domain, many old monsters and ancient fossils felt this terrifying tremor and opened their eyes one by one.
’What in the world happened?’
"Did he really succeed?"
Seeing this, the Blood Dragon’s eyes narrowed.
Shen Daoxing felt his body become unusually exhausted. His vision went black, and he passed out.
