161: The Third Son

Xue Qin frowned slightly at the sight, but did not move, merely urging her Divine Sense to cover the calamity eye.

The calamity eye began to shrink frantically, and in just over ten breaths, it had already shrunk to less than three zhang.

After a few more breaths, the calamity eye shattered, and Xiao Zhuo's body reappeared, still entwined with faint thunder patterns that had not yet dissipated.

After the Devouring Dao Body completely merged with his Physical Body, Xiao Zhuo's devouring ability greatly increased, not only for things he ate, but for all energy.

The swiftness with which he devoured the calamity eye this time was largely due to this.

Suppressing all the power of the lightning, Xiao Zhuo looked at Xue Qin, and feeling the terrifying Divine Sense rushing towards him, the corner of Xiao Zhuo's forehead twitched.

“As expected of the Blood Palace’s Revered Master, her Divine Soul cultivation has definitely reached the sixth-Rank soul infant level!” Allowing that Divine Sense to probe him, Xiao Zhuo marveled inwardly while also feeling fortunate that Xue Hai had obtained the Thousand Illusions Demonic Art.

Now, whether it was his Divine Soul, Divine Thought, the attributes of his magical power, or his appearance and bones, all had been transformed into Xue Hai's likeness by the Thousand Illusions Demonic Art. Even with Xue Qin's cultivation, she probably wouldn't be able to see through his disguise.

This time, during his Dao discussion and combat with Lu Tianyuan in the Blood Fiend Tower, he had exposed most of his trump cards, but as long as his identity as a Demonic Path blood cultivator was not seen through, he thought there wouldn't be too much of a problem.

“Xue Hai!” A cold, authoritative female voice rang out. Xiao Zhuo looked up, and Xue Qin's figure flashed, already appearing ten zhang in front of him.

Xiao Zhuo did not hesitate, immediately lowered his head, bowed, and saluted: “Disciple Xue Hai greets Palace Revered Master!”

Xue Qin's face showed no emotion, she merely waved her hand slightly: “Dispense with the formalities!”

“Yes! Thank you, Palace Revered Master!”

Xiao Zhuo stood firm again upon hearing this, but his gaze was slightly lowered, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Xue Qin.

After all, in terms of cultivation, he was too far behind her.

He dared not act presumptuously.

Xue Qin glanced at the many Blood Palace Demonic Cultivators who dared not approach from a distance, then waved her hand, and the stars shifted.

The next moment, Xiao Zhuo had already appeared in an ancient and simple grand hall.

Inside the ancient grand hall, it was so vast and silent that he could hear the sound of his own blood flowing. The blood-colored runes on the thirty-six bronze giant pillars slowly circulated like living things, emitting an invisible pressure that intertwined with the dim light and shadows cast from the dome, making Xiao Zhuo's figure appear exceptionally small.

Above the nine-tier high platform, Xue Qin's voice, like ice beads rolling across a jade plate, was crisp but carried an bone-chilling coldness, echoing in the vast hall:

“Xue Hai… just who exactly are you?”

This brief question, like an invisible heavy hammer, struck Xiao Zhuo's heart fiercely.

His muscles instantly tensed, and the lightning power he had just suppressed within his body seemed to show signs of restless activity again.

A drop of cold sweat silently seeped from his forehead, trickling down his temple and hitting the cold, smooth black floor tiles with an almost inaudible soft thud.

It's here! The most critical question! An alarm blared in Xiao Zhuo's mind, but the initial panic was instantly suppressed by a stronger will.

His thoughts raced: “She didn't directly attack, which means her suspicions haven't been confirmed, or… she cares more about my value! She pointed out the unknown Origin and the time issue… this is a core flaw, but it's also a secret all Geniuses have. What she truly wants is very likely control and utility!”

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Zhuo abruptly raised his head, his face displaying a perfectly balanced mix of shock, confusion, and a hint of indignation at being groundlessly questioned by a superior.

He didn't immediately kneel, but leaned slightly forward, showing a posture of eager explanation yet strong self-restraint, his voice trembling with “disbelief”: “Palace Revered Master, please understand! Disciple… Disciple is Xue Hai! This heart, this body, all belong to the Blood Palace Disciple! Palace Revered Master’s words… this Disciple is truly terrified and confused!”

“Terrified and confused?” Xue Qin's lips curved into a half-smile, her gaze sharp as a knife, “A year ago, you appeared out of thin air, utterly unknown. Within the Blood Demon Realm, you left no trace whatsoever. In a short span of time, you, with your absolute power, passed through the Blood Fiend Tower, ascended the blood fiend stele, and even triggered the Heavenly Tribulation today… Xue Hai, your Foundation is a bit too 'profound' and abrupt.”

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, each carrying immense weight.

Xiao Zhuo could clearly feel that even stronger, more condensed Divine Sense, like an invisible net, coldly and domineeringly enveloping his entire body, meticulously probing every inch of his magical power, every wisp of Divine Thought, every trace of his flesh and blood aura.

The Thousand Illusions Demonic Art was under immense pressure from the sixth-Rank soul infant's Divine Sense, as if ice was creaking under heavy weight.

He was betting that this layer of ice wouldn't break! Instead of resisting, Xiao Zhuo actively reined in his mind to the extreme, like the most docile lamb, allowing the Divine Sense to scrutinize him.

At the same time, he rapidly wove the most plausible story in his mind.

“Palace Revered Master, please allow me to explain!” Xiao Zhuo's voice suddenly rose a few octaves, carrying an urgency to bare his heart. This time, he no longer hesitated, dropping to one knee with decisive movements, his gaze calmly meeting the high platform: “This Disciple is indeed from a Loose Cultivator background! Early in my life, by chance, in a desolate land on the edge of an ancient battlefield, I obtained a damaged Legacy called the 'Blood Scripture (Xue Shenjing)'! That place was isolated from the world, with violent and chaotic Spiritual Qi. To survive, this Disciple could only struggle and cultivate there, fighting Vicious Beasts and contending with the harsh environment, day after day for decades, which is how I achieved my meager accomplishments today!”

He spoke faster, with clear logic, setting the location of his “Opportunity” in a “desolate land,” perfectly explaining why he was untraceable, and emphasizing “arduous cultivation” and “struggle” to rationalize his rapid cultivation progress: “A year ago, this Disciple fortunately broke through a Bottleneck and finally had the ability to leave that desolate land and enter Wuyun Prefecture! The Blood Palace is renowned and a Holy Land for blood cultivators. This Disciple yearned for it, and thus spared no effort to participate in the Blood Fiend Tower assessment, solely to be able to join the Palace! This time, in passing through the tower and Undergoing Tribulation, this Disciple fought with my life on the line, fearing I would fail the Blood Palace’s nurturing!”

The grand hall fell into a dead silence, with only the faint glow of the blood-colored runes on the bronze pillars flickering.

Time seemed to freeze, every breath immeasurably long.

Xiao Zhuo could feel the cold sweat on his back soaking through his inner garments, but his eyes remained firm, all his strength condensed, prepared for the worst. Should Xue Qin attack, he would immediately self-destruct his Universe Extreme Divine Body Origin and break through space to escape!

After a long while, the icy pressure suddenly receded.

“Hmph.” A light hum of unclear meaning came from the high platform.

Xue Qin slowly sat upright, her languid posture replaced by an indifferent gaze that overlooked all beings and an authority that controlled everything.

“This Palace Revered Master doesn't care which forgotten corner you crawled out of, nor what stray cat or dog you were called before.” Her voice returned to its previous calm, yet it contained an undeniable power, “The first position on the blood fiend stele, you earned it with your own ability. The trials of the Blood Fiend Tower, you personally passed through. You, possessing the Innate Blood God Body, are indeed standing before this Palace Revered Master.”

She paused, her gaze like a tangible entity locking onto Xiao Zhuo: “This Palace Revered Master will only ask you once, and only care about one thing: Are you, Xue Hai, willing to be used by the Blood Palace? Are you willing to obey this Palace Revered Master’s command?”

The immense pressure suddenly transformed into a clear direction!

Xiao Zhuo's heart suddenly lightened, like a drowning person finally grasping a piece of driftwood.

Xue Qin's attitude was now clear: she wouldn't delve into “Xue Hai's” past; what she wanted was “Xue Hai” himself, and the terrifying potential and value he had displayed!

“Disciple Xue Hai is willing to die for the Palace Revered Master! To die for the Blood Palace!” Xiao Zhuo did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately adopting the most solemn posture, kneeling on both knees, his forehead heavily striking the cold floor tiles, emitting a dull thud.

His voice was resolute, filled with the excitement of “surviving a calamity” and the determination of “finding a home.”

“Very good.” Xue Qin's voice finally seemed to carry a hint of faint satisfaction, “Remember your words today. The Blood Palace rewards and punishes clearly; those with merit will be rewarded, those with faults… will be executed! Since you topped the blood fiend stele, according to Palace rules, entering the top three thousand of the Blood Fiend Tower qualifies you to be listed in my Blood Palace's Saint sequence, enjoying the highest Rank of resources from my Blood Palace, and simultaneously receiving one million contribution points.”

Holy Son of the Blood Palace! One million contribution points! Xiao Zhuo's heart rejoiced, but his face still maintained respect and gratitude: “Thank you, Palace Revered Master, for your generous gift! This Disciple will certainly not fail your expectations!”

“As for your Origins…” Xue Qin's voice drifted over again, with a hint of playfulness, “This Palace Revered Master dislikes trouble. Since you have entered the Blood Palace and become Xue Hai, then all past matters shall dissipate like smoke. From now on, you only need to remember that you are Xue Hai of the Blood Palace, and the Third Holy Son under this Palace Revered Master. Do you understand?”

“This Disciple understands! Xue Hai respectfully follows Palace Revered Master’s teachings! The past is gone, this Disciple’s heart only holds the Blood Palace!” Xiao Zhuo replied extremely decisively.

“Mm.” Xue Qin nodded slightly, her fingertips gently tapping on the armrest of the blood-colored throne. “In the future, you shall address this Palace Revered Master as Revered Master. Go! Someone will lead you to your new residence. In seven days, your enthronement ceremony will be held, so prepare yourself well.”

As her words fell, Xiao Zhuo only felt the scene before him blur for a moment, and spatial power fluctuated again.

When he focused his gaze, he was no longer within that vast and imposing grand hall, but had appeared on the broad palace city square outside the palace.

And in the depths of the grand hall, upon the throne, Xue Qin's figure had quietly vanished into the gloom, leaving only a low, inaudible murmur that dissipated in the emptiness: “First on the blood fiend stele… Innate Blood God Body… Interesting. As long as you can be used by the Blood Palace, the past no longer matters…”