164: Bathing in Dragon Blood

Leng Yaozhu left, her departure filled with sorrow.

Shen Guyan quickly erased the trace of guilt that had risen in his heart. He had long understood that in the game of power, emotions would only affect his plans.

Since the day he was led to this continent by the original Lord of the Plane of the Douluo Continent, he had prepared himself to face powerful enemies in the future.

For this, he could utilize all the natives of this World without any psychological burden.

This was Gongzi Yu, a hegemon of the Martial Forest for a generation.

——

Shen Guyan spent an anxious night in the residence arranged by the Holy Spirit Cult. The next day, before the faint light of dawn had pierced through the thick clouds of the Far North Land, Dark Blood Demon had quietly arrived at his quarters.

Shen Guyan awoke slowly from his slumber. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Dark Blood Demon's eyes, shrouded beneath a black robe and emitting a blood-red light, and he instantly became alert.

"Gongzi Yu, today I will let you witness the sincerity of my Holy Spirit Cult." Dark Blood Demon's low voice echoed in the silent room, like a call from the abyss.

Shen Guyan did not say much; he quickly rose, adjusted his clothes, and followed Dark Blood Demon out of the room. Along the way, passing through the labyrinthine underground tunnels of the Holy Spirit Cult, the Evil Soul Masters around them cast gazes that were curious, cold, or carried faint hostility. Shen Guyan's expression was calm, but inwardly, he was secretly pondering Dark Blood Demon's intentions.

"I am the head of the four heavenly kings of the Holy Spirit Cult, Dark Blood Demon. The ones who captured you that day were the other two heavenly kings of our cult, Dark Phoenix and dark bell, and the other person is Dark Hummingbird. You will gradually come to know about the information within the cult in the future." Dark Blood Demon introduced as he walked with Shen Guyan.

Ever since he had obtained Shen Guyan's essential blood, Dark Blood Demon had let go of most of his wariness toward Shen Guyan, and he began to explain the rules of the cult to Shen Guyan in minute detail.

"If you want to completely trigger that red Dragon Transformation state of yours, we have to use some special means..."

Red Dragon Transformation? It must refer to the Candle Dragon. It seems this continent has never seen a fierce Spirit like the Candle Dragon.

The Candle Dragon Bloodline within Shen Guyan was derived from the Azure Dragon Aura after being affected by Medusa's Divine Power, and it was still quite rare at the moment. Every time he used the azure dragon mask's Third Soul Skill, it would consume a portion of his Candle Dragon blood and Qi.

Not long after, they arrived before a massive cave. A thick, bloody stench permeated the cave. Shen Guyan frowned slightly and followed Dark Blood Demon inside.

"This is..." Inside the cave, a massive blood pool came into view. The blood pool was irregular in shape, with a diameter of several dozen meters. The blood in the pool churned, emitting a nauseating odor.

However, Shen Guyan, through his azure dragon mask, keenly sensed that this blood pool contained a powerful and violent force.

"This is a blood pool formed by the blood of Dragon-type Spirit Beasts that my Holy Spirit Cult has spent countless efforts to collect." Dark Blood Demon's voice carried a hint of pride. "Dragon-type Spirit Beasts are inherently powerful, and their blood contains the power of various elements. If you bathe in this blood pool, not only will it strengthen your physique, but it will also make the Bloodline power related to the red dragon within you increasingly violent, greatly increasing your strength."

Shen Guyan stared at the blood pool, pondering inwardly. He could indeed feel that the power within the blood pool was truly extraordinary, but could one really submerge themselves in such a pool?

The blood in the pool appeared a strange, dark red. Bubbles constantly emerged on the surface, making a "gurgling" sound as they burst, as if they were the painful wails of countless Dragon-type Spirit Beasts in the blood pool.

"Gongzi Yu, do you know how many hardships we endured to collect this Dragon blood?" Dark Blood Demon said slowly. "Dragon-type Spirit Beasts are always powerful and arrogant, and they are extremely rare. How could it be easy to obtain their blood? But for our shared great cause, and to allow you to unleash more powerful strength, all of this is worth it."

Shen Guyan frowned slightly and asked, "Senior, your favor is overwhelming, and this junior is deeply grateful. But with such a precious item, why bestow it solely upon me?"

Dark Blood Demon sneered. "Do you think we, the Holy Spirit Cult, are philanthropists? We naturally saw your potential. The strength and methods you displayed at the Youth Genius Competition made us see your value. If you can use this power of Dragon blood to reach a higher level, you will surely play a huge role in our future plan to overturn the order of the Douluo Continent."

Shen Guyan understood in his heart that this was Dark Blood Demon further winning him over, and at the same time, it was a test. If he accepted, it meant his relationship with the Holy Spirit Cult would go a step further, and he would also be drawn into a deeper whirlpool; if he refused, he would likely immediately incur the dissatisfaction of Dark Blood Demon, or even invite death upon himself.

After pondering for a moment, Shen Guyan said, "Senior, I am deeply honored by your kindness. However, this power is so wild and chaotic that if this junior absorbs it rashly, I fear I will be unable to control it."

Dark Blood Demon laughed loudly. "Haha, you need not worry about that. I will assist you from the side to guide this power, ensuring you can absorb it smoothly. Moreover, this power of Dragon blood complements the blood dragon Bloodline within you; perhaps it will allow you to obtain an unexpected Opportunity."

Shen Guyan weighed the pros and cons in his heart and finally nodded slowly. Seeing this, a satisfied smile appeared on Dark Blood Demon's face.

He waved his hands, and several stone platforms rose from the ground beside the blood pool. On the platforms were placed some rune stones emitting strange light. Dark Blood Demon muttered incantations, and the light on the rune stones gradually brightened, shooting toward the blood pool. The originally churning blood gradually calmed down, and the emitted bloody stench also subsided somewhat.

"Alright, go down." Dark Blood Demon signaled for Shen Guyan to enter the blood pool.

Shen Guyan took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the blood pool. The moment he stepped into the blood pool, a scorching hot current instantly enveloped his body, as if countless tiny needles were piercing his skin.

Shen Guyan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. As his body gradually submerged into the blood pool, that violent force began to impact his Meridians, attempting to break through his Soul Power defense.

Dark Blood Demon stood by the side of the blood pool, closely monitoring Shen Guyan's condition. His hands continuously changed hand seals, guiding the power in the blood pool to help Shen Guyan adapt to this powerful force. Shen Guyan circulated the Soul Power within his body, engaging in a struggle against the power in the blood pool.

He could feel that the Candle Dragon Bloodline within him began to stir under the stimulation of this Dragon blood, as if memories that had been asleep for a long time were being awakened.

The power in the blood pool surged against Shen Guyan like a crashing tide, wave after wave. His body trembled slightly, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweat.

However, relying on his tenacious will, he steadfastly defended his Soul Power line of defense while striving to guide the Dragon Clan Qi and blood from the blood pool to integrate into his body. As time passed, Shen Guyan gradually adapted to this power and began to actively absorb the essence within the Dragon blood.

A faint red light emerged on the surface of his skin, his muscles tensed, and his bones made "crackling" sounds, as if he were undergoing a transformation that would shed his old self and establish a new one.

Shen Guyan could feel his physique constantly strengthening and his power gradually increasing. The Candle Dragon Bloodline within him became increasingly violent, and a powerful Dragon Might emanated from his body, echoing with the Dragon blood aura in the blood pool.

Dark Blood Demon watched Shen Guyan's changes, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He knew that as long as Shen Guyan could become addicted to absorbing the energy in this blood pool, he would gradually become an important pawn in the hands of the Holy Spirit Cult, playing a key role in later plans.

With the Holy Spirit Cult's ten thousand years of accumulation, why worry about not being able to handle a brat less than ten years old?

"Let's stop here for today. With your talent, you will certainly be able to Breakthrough to Titled Douluo or even Super Douluo before the age of twenty." Dark Blood Demon made a grasping motion with his palm, pulling Shen Guyan out of the blood pool from a distance, and praised him sincerely.

Just after leaving the blood pool, waves of Dragon roars echoed in Shen Guyan's ears, making him feel instantly restless and uneasy.

"For these next few days, stay with dark bell for now. It will help you suppress those Dragon Clan vengeful Spirits you absorbed." Dark Blood Demon laughed.