C19 Bloodline Selection

Lost in a coma, Qin Biao had no concept of time. Visions of Yun Siyu saving him and their brief yet meaningful interactions played on a loop in his mind. These fleeting moments brought him a sense of warmth and safety he had never known before.

Suddenly, Duan Hao appeared, abducting Yun Siyu by force. Qin Biao struggled desperately to fight back, but Duan Hao's powerful palm strike sent him flying, leaving him sprawled and immobile on the ground.

All Qin Biao could see was Duan Hao's menacing face and the terror-stricken Yun Siyu, held captive.

"Yun Siyu!" Qin Biao's cry echoed through the cavern, sounding much like the chattering of a squirrel.

A wave of excruciating pain surged through Qin Biao's body to his brain, as if he'd been steamrolled. It nearly knocked him unconscious once again.

By some miracle, Qin Biao endured. Paralyzed with pain, he lay there, thinking that facing Tiger Man's jaws would be preferable to this agony. Death might even be a comfort.

When clarity returned, Qin Biao frantically looked around, remembering the peril he'd faced before blacking out. To his relief, he hadn't fallen; he was atop the highest altar, with no sign of Tiger Man. Beside him, the green Demonic Cire spun quietly, its tendrils of green Demonic Qi weaving into his body, mending his injuries and enveloping him in warmth.

Confused but safe, Qin Biao lay back down, allowing the Demonic Cire to continue its healing work. Images of Yun Siyu persisted in his thoughts.

"Hey! Why can't I stop thinking about that silly girl? Snap out of it, this is no time for daydreams!" Chiding himself, Qin Biao slapped his head with his paw and shakily got to his feet to survey the scene below.

Beneath the stone pillar, the aftermath was just as he remembered: blood and fur from their encounter still stained the ground. Tiger Man lay motionless at the base of the pillar, his eyes shut, blood oozing from his wounds, his fate unknown.

After ensuring there was no immediate danger, Qin Biao turned his attention to the Demonic Cire beside him. It wasn't particularly large, roughly the size of the snake fruit he had seen earlier. Even from the outside, one could sense the formidable Demonic Power it harbored, as if a supreme demon stood before him.

Qin Biao became mesmerized by the Demonic Cire, reaching out to touch it without realizing it. The instant his fingers made contact, a jolt like lightning struck his mind, causing excruciating pain. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his head and writhing in agony.

"Hahaha! Congratulations to this demon friend. I never imagined someone would find what I left behind! Since you've made it here, you've clearly passed the test of bloodline selection. Therefore, my Demonic Cire is now yours. Just remember not to dishonor it! The dagger has been by my side for many years. It's incredibly sharp, as sturdy as my own horns, and supported by my Demonic Power, allowing it to change size. Thus, any demon can wield it. Lastly, should you achieve greatness, please look after the Azure Ox Clan. This old man thanks you in advance."

The voice of the elder echoed abruptly in Qin Biao's mind, each sentence detonating like the Nine-heaven Thunderclap, causing his Soul Body to shudder violently. Qin Biao was certain that if the voice continued, his very essence might shatter.

As the old man's voice faded, the severe pain subsided. Qin Biao lay on the ground, gasping for air, and began to process the elder's words.

"Bloodline selection?" he whispered to himself. It all seemed tailored to him, as if he had an unfair advantage all along. Otherwise, he would have perished at the cave's entrance.

"Could it be that my human soul makes my bloodline unique?" Qin Biao pondered, gazing at his claws. After a moment of thought, his head throbbed painfully, and he couldn't come up with any answers. Eventually, Qin Biao decided to let the matter rest.

Struggling to his feet, Qin Biao began to wander around the altar, which was roughly the size of half a basketball court. Aside from his Demonic Cire, the only other object present was a massive dagger lying nearby.

For Qin Biao, the dagger seemed enormous. As he recalled the elder's words, he cautiously touched the blade. The instant his claw made contact, a flash of green light streaked across the dagger, and Qin Biao was struck by the peculiar sensation that he could manipulate its size.

Thrilled by this revelation, Qin Biao closed his eyes and focused, shrinking the dagger to a more manageable size before eagerly testing its heft. The blade felt neither cold nor inert; rather, it seemed almost alive, radiating a faint warmth. Swinging it was a formidable affair, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound as if slicing through the very air.

Delighted with the weapon, Qin Biao had long been seeking an upgrade. His previous armament, a mere trinket scavenged from a hunter, was mundane and of little use to his kind. But this dagger was different; it had been a loyal companion to a Great Demon through countless battles, as the old man had said, and was certainly no ordinary artifact.

After securing the dagger, Qin Biao tucked it away with joy, but the altar suddenly began to quake violently. Before he could make sense of it, a cacophony erupted from above. Glancing down, he watched in horror as the stone tiles crumbled, plunging into the abyss below along with the remains of the Purple Rat, the wild boar, and Tiger Man. From the depths, a pair of blood-red eyes glowed ominously, consuming all in its path.

Qin Biao swallowed hard, hastily ducking his head in fear of the creature below emerging to claim him as its next meal. In that moment, the Demonic Cire burst forth with an unparalleled green light, blasting through the ceiling before vanishing, assuming the guise of an ordinary pellet.

Quickly securing the Demonic Cire, Qin Biao resolved, "Once I've recovered a bit, I'll absorb you. Duan Hao, you're on notice!" The haunting vision from his dream remained the most formidable specter in Qin Biao's mind.

As the stone pillar gradually ascended, Qin Biao, with his battered body, made his way out of the cave dwelling. Outside, dusk was settling in.