C2 Half a Drop of Yin Blood(2)

The young man's eyes snapped open, his right hand frozen mid-air, no longer tapping the wooden fish. His pitch-black pupils shimmered with a detached wisdom that saw through the world's illusions, ancient yet innocent.

The sound of a world being slowly torn in two by an immense force echoed in the air. Time seemed to stand still, and in what could have been an instant or an eternity, the sound ceased.

A blast of heat flung the stove's lid off, clattering to the ground, followed by a whooshing sound. A drop of blue liquid burst forth from the stove, fragrant and scorching, soaring past the temple gates and into the distance.

The youth remained seated in meditation, unfazed even as the contents of his stove took flight. No trace of disturbance crossed the depths of his gaze. He simply watched the blue liquid disappear, then slowly closed his eyes once more. The crisp rhythm of the wooden fish resumed, accompanied by a soft whisper, "Half a drop of Yin Blood…"

The stove's lid was eerily lifted from the ground by an unseen force and clanged back into place.

The golden flames continued to burn, baking the stove...

The drop of blue blood surged out of the temple, leaving the reach of the golden light behind. It swept through the air, bringing a rolling heatwave in its wake.

Dark creatures that merely brushed against the heatwave had parts of their bodies seared, oozing a foul-smelling black and red liquid. Their roars filled the air, and pairs of crimson, emotionless eyes slowly opened.

Their final vision was of the blue blood streaking across the sky, vanishing with fragments of darkness as if a bullet had entered another realm. Through the slowly closing black hole, the size of a fist, they could just make out a vibrant, sprawling continent.

The land stretched on, dotted with innumerable cities. People soared through the skies, while others engaged in fierce battles across vast fields. Young men with long swords embarked on journeys, seeking fame and fortune in the world of martial arts.

Above the boundless continent, stars twinkled, some wielded as weapons by those seeking unparalleled renown.

Most stars were distant from the main continent, but the nearest was a blue planet, radiating its unique splendor above the land's center.

This planet was well-known; it was more than a mere celestial body. It was a Noah's Ark, crafted by the collective might of humanity in their time of peril—known as Earth.

At the dawn of the interconnected Three Realms, the emperor of the netherworld was fervently sharpening his blade, gearing up to conquer the new lands that had just come into their view.

"Conquer the mortal realm and the Heaven Realm to forge an everlasting empire." This battle cry resonated throughout the Three Realms.

Yet, things did not go as planned. A new Heavenly Emperor ascended in the Heaven Realm amidst the turmoil, clashing with formidable adversaries, and the human world bore the brunt of their conflict.

In those days, Earth was a beacon of hope, preparing to carry the human race's spark of life away from the main continent and into the vastness of space. Much like the Heavenly Demon Clan of ancient times, they sought survival in the far reaches of the cosmos.

Back then, humans and demons, followers of the Righteous and Demon Paths, stood united against their common foe.

Today, the wars of the Three Realms have ceased, thanks to the checks and balances maintained by three supremely powerful beings.

Yet, these supreme beings, along with the once-mighty forces, have long since departed, their whereabouts unknown.

A hundred million years might have been manageable, but it has been a billion years since their absence.

The Three Realms are now in the throes of a new power struggle, with each faction vying to become the sovereign ruler.

Now, with the realms interconnected, who still remembers the alliances of old?

Currently, the human race holds sway over the main continent, claiming over seventy percent of it, yet they are plagued by incessant infighting.

Some lament:

"The Northern Ice Barbarians, with their towering totems; the Southern Blazing Buddhists, with their Miaojiang faith; the Western Gold Spirits, in their dark dominion; the Eastern Wood Immortals, in their demon-infested wilderness; and the Central Great Qin, with its imposing imperial city."

The five domains boast formidable powers, capable of reaching for the celestial bodies above or striking down the netherworld below. Earth has become the cornerstone of human faith, with innumerable forces greedily eyeing its dominion, each aspiring to become the legitimate ruler of the human race.

Yet, unbeknownst to all, a drop of blue blood mysteriously materialized above Earth, slowly seeping into the planet and vanishing into the myriad of spaces it harbored.

Earth is far more than a mere celestial body; it was crafted by the era's most skilled refiners, utilizing the full breadth of the human race's resources. It serves as both a weapon and an ark, encompassing countless realms within its vast expanse.

Two vast spaces stood out among the countless others: one was the starry sky, and the other, the Ten Prefectures. The starry sky lay at the very bottom, while the Ten Prefectures soared at the top, akin to the earth and the heavens.

Blue blood sliced through the protective layer, infiltrating the tumultuous space of Earth. It bore limitless divine power, piercing through realms until it emerged within a dim expanse.

This space was immense, home to forty-nine continents of varying sizes that floated within. Viewed from above, these landmasses appeared to follow a specific arrangement, yet one seemed to be missing a piece.

The blue blood streaked across the heavens, stirring gentle ripples in the gloomy space before descending upon a continent.

This land was known as "Nangong," a realm where humans prevailed, rumored to be named after its ruling family, the Nangongs. Coincidentally, as the blue blood descended, the young lord of Nangong, who had risen to power in mere decades, had ascended, leaving without ever laying eyes on his grandchild.

Unconcerned, the blue blood would leave no trace, unnoticed even if the lord himself were present on the continent.

From high above, it fell upon the lips of a pregnant woman who lay unconscious at the continent's edge. She rested on a flat area within the dense forest, her swollen belly marred by two deep, gaping wounds that oozed fresh blood. The blood seethed with the heat of fire and the chill of ice, a perfect fusion of opposing forces.

Even in her faint, the woman's hands instinctively clung to her wounds, cradling her abdomen, her face etched with indelible sorrow. She grieved her own lack of strength, powerless to prevent her child's demise.

Her child, who had not lived to see the vibrant world, was lost before birth, and in her waning moments, she cared not for her own fading life.

Not far from where the woman lay, the sounds of battle and cries echoed. A muscular man with bronze skin, drenched in blood, valiantly fought against four assailants clad in black.

His face was etched with despair, his every move a desperate exchange of life for life. Outmatched, he fought unarmed, his fists like tigers, each blow radiating with a tawny golden glow as he tore into his adversaries.

Unbeknownst to the five individuals engrossed in their fierce battle, a drop of fragrant, blue blood trickled from the corner of the mouth of a stunning woman lying unconscious nearby. Her injuries were healing at a rate visible to the naked eye, and the once lifeless fetus inside her began to stir. Its movements grew stronger, as if a peerless beast was slowly awakening, ready to gaze upon the splendor of the human world.

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