C19 They Fused with the Blood Crystal and Opened the First Acupoint!!

"Uncle, wake up. Are you alright?"

After dispatching the assassin,

Bai Le hadn't even had the chance to check his achievement reward before rushing to Tan Qiang's side to assess his injuries.

"Little White, I'm okay..."

Tan Qiang, with a cut near his eye, slowly came to.

"How about you? Are you injured? What happened to the assassin?"

Zhuo Qiang clutched Bai Le's arm, seeking answers.

He had passed out earlier and missed everything.

"I'm not hurt."

"Uncle, I'm relieved you're okay."

Bai Le let out a sigh of relief, smiling.

Suddenly, a swarm of law enforcement officers burst in.

The leader, covering his mouth and nose, surveyed the chaotic scene with a grimace.

"Commander Ma, the evil path's assassin targeted Bai Le!"

Recognizing the newcomer, Zhuo Qiang, despite his injuries, hurried over to report.

Clearly, they were acquainted, and this 'Commander Ma' held a significant rank.

"I see that."

"How many?"

Commander Ma inquired, his impatience evident.

"Looks like three rudimental cultivators, all slain by Bai Le!"

"Commander Ma, impressive for a junior, wouldn't you say?"

Tan Qiang boasted with a laugh, easing his tension.

"Three? Rudimental cultivators? All dead?"

Ma Feng's eyebrows lifted as he turned to the blood-soaked Bai Le.

"And to think, I missed the top scholar's dazzling display."

He assumed Bai Le had drawn his legendary blade to defeat the three rudimental adversaries.

Bai Le met Ma Feng's gaze but remained noncommittal.

"Hold on, these bodies don't seem to bear knife wounds."

Ma Feng quickly spotted the anomaly.

"Given the evil path's involvement, Bai Le, I need to detain you briefly. Come with us to give a quick statement."

He approached Bai Le slowly.

"Commander Ma, that's unnecessary. He's just a kid who's been through a lot. He's exhausted."

Tan Qiang interjected with a placating smile.

"It's just a quick statement," Ma Feng assured, sparing Tan Qiang a glance.

Had he not been aware of Tan Qiang's connection to Bai Le...

Ma Feng, a formidable rudimental stage warrior, would have dismissed him on the spot.

Just then, an angry roar filled the air.

"No one takes our people away!"

It was Zhang Lia from Vermilion Bird College.

He had been staying close by to ensure Bai Le's safety and had nearly missed a catastrophe.

"Bai Le, are you injured?"

Zhang Lia's concern mirrored Tan Qiang's.

"Teacher Zhang, I'm unharmed."

Bai Le signaled he was okay, casting a wary look at Ma Feng, sensing something amiss.

"Good to hear."

Zhang Lia's anxiety eased. He then presented his 'Vermilion Bird Token' to Ma Feng.

"Bai Le is under Vermilion Bird College's protection now!"

"After this incident, the college will handle it!"

"Damn it, evil path vermin daring to cross us!"

Zhang Lia's anger was palpable. He intended to escalate the issue to the college for a thorough investigation.

Ideally, a purge of the evil cultivators would settle the score.

"Understood. If the college is assuming control, we'll step aside..."

Upon seeing the Vermilion Bird Token, Ma Feng's forehead glistened with sweat. He bowed and retreated.

Bai Le was taken aback. Had he really been accepted into Vermilion Bird College already?

That quickly?

His mind raced, and a glint appeared in his eyes.

It's true what they say: when one person rises to the top, even their pets ascend to heaven. It seemed crucial now to foster a good relationship with Tan Qiang.

...

Back in the neighborhood, Bai Le and Tan Qiang first soothed the still-shaken Zhuo Yunhang and his mother.

Then he headed home.

"Hahaha, to think one person took down three rudimental cultivators!"

"Bai Le! You've surpassed all my expectations!"

"I've reported your actions to the college. Once you arrive, you'll receive the appropriate achievement reward."

Zhang Lia approached with words of commendation.

It was worth noting that Bai Le had achieved this feat without even drawing his sword.

The fight had erupted so suddenly that it didn't activate the sixth setting (Battle Live).

But he was convinced the details must have been incredibly thrilling and impressive!

"Teacher Zhang, I don't want any rewards."

"All I ask is for the college to look after the Zhuo family living above me."

Now that he had awakened his talent and embarked on the martial path, what need had he for rewards?

None!

All he wanted was for Yunhang and his aunt and uncle to remain unharmed, free from retribution by the nefarious cultivators!

Only then could he depart for Aermagh to train with a clear conscience.

Naturally, Bai Le wasn't about to naively reveal to Zhang Lia that he had only just discovered his talent.

That would make it impossible to account for the presence of the Intent Blade.

"Rest assured. The college has connections nationwide and will certainly protect our students' families."

Zhang Lia reassured him with a smile.

He was growing increasingly fond of this young man with such a strong sense of righteousness.

"Also, there's the matter of the Enforcement Officer named Ma Feng. I hope the college will conduct a thorough investigation."

The day's assassination attempt had been peculiar. He had been locked in combat with the assassin, and it took the Enforcement Officer five or six minutes to intervene.

Bai Le even wondered if the officer would have shown up at all had he not already resolved the fight!

And something else was off—Ma Feng's microexpressions seemed tinged with disappointment.

Especially after Zhang Lia's arrival, Bai Le sensed a shift in his demeanor.

But he kept these observations to himself, not wanting to cause any trouble for Tan Qiang.

"What? You think he might be a mole for the dark path?"

Zhang Lia's face grew serious. He had thought Ma Feng seemed quite ordinary, but he trusted Bai Le's instincts.

"I can't be certain if he's a dark path death warrior, but something about him just doesn't sit right with me."

"If the college is going to investigate, it should be done discreetly to avoid tipping him off."

Bai Le responded earnestly, though he lacked solid proof.

Given Ma Feng's status within Huthwaite City's Enforcement Directorate, even if he were a dark path agent, he wouldn't act rashly.

He'd surely guard his cover closely. A careful and patient investigation would be required.

"Understood, I've made a note of it. Don't worry, I'll pass this on to the appropriate people."

Zhang Lia, sensing Bai Le might be overly anxious, nonetheless agreed to initiate a covert inquiry.

With that, he bid farewell and departed.

...

After securing the door, Bai Le retreated to his room and powered up his computer.

He logged onto the 'Talent Management Center' official website.

In the S-tier talent section, Bai Le discovered his newly awakened talent: the 'Doctrine of Hunter'.

Doctrine of Hunter (S rank combat talent)

Talent Effect: For a brief period, it grants the ability to maintain absolute focus, ignoring relative time and locking onto an enemy. In this state, every attack is guaranteed to hit.

Known Awakened: Wey Wujian (Chief of the Enforcement Directorate, King of Eternal Night)

"Goodness..."

It was then that Bai Le realized the formidable nature of his talent and why the assassin had been so terrified.

Before his awakening,

The Doctrine of Hunter was a unique talent possessed by Wey Wujian, the Eternal Night King!

He served as the Chief of the Enforcement Directorate.

A figure well-known throughout Eminao.

The governance of Eminao relied on the Six Divisions,

with the Enforcement Directorate ranking second in power.

Second only to the Military Department, it was the most formidable institution in terms of martial artist strength and numbers.

Their primary duties were to uphold law and order and to eradicate the wicked.

The significance of leading such a crucial organization spoke volumes of its leader's profound and inscrutable nature.

Legend has it that since his awakening, the Eternal Night King had slain so many evil cultivators with his crossbow that their numbers could obscure the sun!

He is now an eighth-grade Heaven Rank Martial Saint, one of the nation's mightiest.

"Now that I've awakened my talent, I need to accelerate my training."

"The first step is to open the three acupoints..."

With the forces of darkness targeting him, Bai Le couldn't afford a moment's lapse in vigilance.

He turned his palm upward, revealing a vibrant, blood-red crystal.

This was the achievement reward, the Blood Crystal.

Information about the Blood Crystal flooded Bai Le's mind.

A mysterious treasure designed to enhance one's genetic strength, originating from the Blood Continent in the Metaverse.

Rumors claimed that merging with ten Blood Crystals could increase one's physical strength tenfold, surpassing human limitations.

Yet, merging with Blood Crystals was no simple feat.

Forget ten; even the immortal warriors of the Blood Continent struggled to merge with five.

The more crystals one attempted to merge, the more challenging the process became.

"The first one shouldn't pose too much difficulty."

"Let's try it."

Bai Le sliced a cut across his left palm, and blood gushed forth.

True to its name, the Blood Crystal required fusion with fresh blood.

Gritting his teeth, Bai Le grasped the Blood Crystal, pressing it against the wound.

Instantly, a torrent of blood energy surged from his palm throughout his body!

"Ah!"

In moments, Bai Le's eyes and skin turned a vivid red.

The overwhelming sensation of power surged through every cell, as the Blood Crystal's purpose was to purify and strengthen the body, akin to an organ upgrade.

The pain was inevitable.

Bai Le couldn't endure it for long before pain-induced unconsciousness overtook him.

Then the pain jolted him awake, only to pass out again...

After repeating this cycle several times, Bai Le felt close to death.

He forcibly channeled the Hannya Technique to consume his blood energy and stay conscious.

The excruciating fusion process lasted over three hours.

Finally, Bai Le's condition gradually stabilized.

Had he not experienced nearly every agony imaginable in his past life, he might not have survived!

Was the challenge of merging the first crystal always this intense?

He opened his eyes, his gaze as piercing as lightning.

Fortunately, the fusion was successful!

Moreover, with the power of the Blood Crystal, he managed to seamlessly unlock one of the three acupoints—the Heaven's Top Acupoint!