His body felt unusual, slightly heavy, with specks of dark light flickering—was this a sign of dark transformation?
Shi Hao’s heart turned cold. He hadn’t come into contact with the black blood, yet he had been silently afflicted?
“That drop of blood?!” He swiftly retreated from the area, speculating whether it was related to the blood of the dark seed.
Perhaps it was the only ominous substance capable of affecting him.
Shi Hao left the battlefield, traversing the void in an instant, vanishing without a trace.
Two days later, in a secluded valley, specks of dark light pulsed as low growls echoed. Shi Hao was in seclusion, circulating profound techniques in an attempt to purge the dark substance.
“It must be because of that drop of blood.”
Not long after, he emerged, his body restored to normal.
It was both mysterious and perilous—just a hair’s breadth away from being fully corrupted by darkness.
Shi Hao rose to his feet, hesitating for a moment before finally retrieving the spatial artifact buried beneath the valley. Inside lay that drop of blood, which he carried with him once more. He suspected that even sealed within the artifact, its influence might still seep through.
Yet, he had no choice but to take it. The object was bizarre and exceedingly rare. He intended to bring it back and let the master of the forbidden zone examine it.
On the journey, he remained vigilant, constantly monitoring himself for any signs of corruption.
Fortunately, nothing untoward occurred. Shi Hao surmised that his near-darkening had likely been caused by the drop of blood splashing onto his robes.
At the Crossroads of Yin and Yang, the void split open, revealing two rivers—one of Taiyin, the other of Taiyang, their forces intertwining…
Shi Hao still chose this path. Others couldn’t endure the oppressive energy beyond that gate, but he could withstand it. For him, this was a safe route.
Eventually, he descended to the lower realm, entering what was once a forbidden land of life.
“You actually brought back something like this? This isn’t ordinary dark blood—it’s the true blood of a seed-level dark being!”
The master of the forbidden zone was astonished. For dark beings, this was sacred blood!
It held extraordinary significance. Possessing such blood meant the potential for limitless evolution, eventually growing into a titan among dark beings.
This was the rare, true blood painstakingly birthed through complex rituals by dark beings—priceless and nearly impossible to obtain.
“It wasn’t born from a ritual, but from a box,” Shi Hao explained.
The master of the forbidden zone shuddered inwardly. “Then it’s even more extraordinary. This is a chosen seed—its blood is beyond value!”
Shi Hao had already suspected the blood was special. He inquired about its uses and how to handle it.
“You must keep your distance. If you carry it for too long, it will corrode you, dragging you into darkness,” the master warned.
“No use? Then I might as well destroy it,” Shi Hao said.
“It’s nearly indestructible. It regenerates endlessly. Only at the immortal level, with constant baptism of immortal blood and qi, could you hope to erase it,” the master replied.
Shi Hao shook his head. “I thought there might be some value in it, but now it seems I shouldn’t have brought it back.”
He regretted his decision. What if it contaminated the lower realm? If dark substance spread, he would become a sinner across all eight domains.
“With me here, you needn’t fear the blood spreading. In fact, it might have great use,” the master mused.
“What use?” Shi Hao couldn’t help but ask.
“You could bathe in the dark blood, allowing it to fully corrupt you,” the master said.
“What?!”
Shi Hao recoiled, instantly on guard. No matter what, he would never abandon his current soul. Doing so would mean his body might endure, but he himself would be lost.
Truthfully, he didn’t fully trust the master of the forbidden zone. Everyone had their secrets, let alone a figure of such stature.
“Don’t rush to conclusions. Darkness is terrifying, but mere isolation isn’t a solution. Sooner or later, we’ll face it. If you can become immune—or even harness its power—then you’ll truly be safe.”
Moreover, the master believed that the immortal realm would likely lose this war. Even if they won, a greater crisis loomed.
“In the future, the world is destined for the most catastrophic upheaval in history—surpassing all past eras and epochs. It will be the ultimate reckoning!”
“Dark substance may be a calamity, but one day, it might also nourish the flesh, turning death into life. It all depends on how it’s used.”
These words left Shi Hao with many doubts.
“You want me to adapt to dark substance?” he asked.
Once tainted, there was no turning back. Falling into darkness meant forgetting oneself—what future could there be? His very existence would be ruined.
Otherwise, why would the immortal realm enforce such strict isolation, banishing even their own warriors who fought dark beings, never allowing their return?
“Dare to think what others won’t. Dare to do what others can’t. This might be your opportunity,” the master said.
“It’s too risky,” Shi Hao refused.
“You survived the Soul-Severing Curse unscathed. If you can resist dark substance, you might truly endure the great reckoning!” the master pressed gravely.
Shi Hao’s expression turned solemn. He fell silent, deep in thought.
“You may think yourself exceptional, but let me tell you—in the true reckoning, any being from the past could overturn the heavens, slaughtering all races. Do you believe that? Because such figures once dominated the river of time, overlooking the rise and fall of epochs.”
The master was clear: to truly survive and rise in that terrifying era, one needed abilities far beyond mortal imagination, breaking all forbidden records.
Shi Hao understood the logic, yet he still found the master’s proposal insane—as if his life meant nothing.
“Succeed, and you’ll stand above all, enduring eternally, unshaken by the ages. Fail, and you’ll die a little sooner—otherwise, you’d perish in the early stages of the reckoning anyway. You wouldn’t be the last one laughing.” The master was brutally direct.
“You’re a madman!” Shi Hao said. Yet, in the end, he agreed. Though he protested outwardly, inwardly, he had already weighed the risks. To grow stronger, he was willing to gamble, even at the brink of death.
“Good. A single drop of true dark blood is only enough for now. Later, your entire body must be infused with it,” the master declared.
Shi Hao’s face darkened. This middle-aged man, clad in pristine white, handsome in appearance, was terrifying in his methods.
“I’ll find a way to cultivate more true dark blood. From now on, prepare for your dark transformation.”
After a moment, Shi Hao shook his head. “No. I won’t gamble. We’ll proceed step by step.”
He decided to forge a new body from his own flesh. At his level, regenerating limbs was trivial—creating a new vessel posed no issue.
“Fine. Forge a dark body to spar against yourself. The benefits will be greater,” the master conceded.
In the end, Shi Hao departed, leaving the troublesome matters to the master.
He hurried back to Stone Village, eager to enter the Void God Realm to meet Bird Grandpa and Essence Wall Grandpa.
“Elders, have you remembered? What exactly is that rotten wooden box? What’s its origin?” Shi Hao asked.
This time, in the upper realm, he had encountered a box resembling the Origin Ancient Artifact of the Burial Grounds. It made the rotten wooden box in his possession seem even more enigmatic.
He hadn’t dared ask the master of the forbidden zone, wary and cautious in his dealings.
After all, the rotten wooden box was something both Yu Tuo and An Lan had sought desperately, even waging war over it.
The master of the forbidden zone might have once been an existence of their caliber. Though he claimed to be but a fragmented imprint now, incapable of resurrection, Shi Hao remained guarded.
If the box held secrets, he feared the master might react unpredictably.
He also hoped Bird Grandpa and Essence Wall Grandpa could analyze whether the master was truly harmless. If the two elders recalled more of their past, they might provide reassurance.
“That rotten wooden box is anything but ordinary. We feel a deep restlessness, but the memories elude us.”
“As for the master of the forbidden zone—stay wary. Don’t give him that box yet!”
The two old men spoke gravely, their expressions solemn.
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