463: Chapter 463 The Summoning of the Dark Bloodline

The father's phantom fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. The Shadow Venerable came to seize the Dark Sacred Tome in his hands, a tome that recorded the most profound Cultivation Technique of the Shadow Demon Clan—the "Shadow True Scripture."

He refused the Shadow Venerable, and the Shadow Venerable brought men to hunt down their entire family. Before dying, he Sealed the sacred tome into Tianxin's jade pendant, left the pendant for her, and then he and his wife went to their deaths together.

The mother wiped away her tears, her voice gentle: "The Dark Sacred Tome records the most profound Cultivation Technique of the Shadow Demon Clan—the 'Shadow True Scripture.' By Cultivating this, you can fully control your Dark Bloodline, and even... allow the Shadow Demon Clan to rise again."

Tianxin shook her head, her voice hoarse: "I do not want the Shadow Demon Clan to rise. I only want to become stronger to protect the people I wish to protect. Those people are my teammates; they have never cared about my Bloodline, they only know that I am Tianxin. Father, Mother, I have found someone worth following."

The father smiled gratifiedly. "That is also very good. No matter what path you choose, we are proud of you. Xin'er, you are stronger than us. You have more courage than we ever did. You dare to face those who reject you and dare to accept your own Bloodline. Back then, we only knew how to escape and hide. You are stronger than us."

The phantoms of her parents began to fade, turning into specks of black and gold light from their feet up. The father lifted the Seal, and a stone platform rose from beneath the altar. On the stone platform lay an ancient book radiating black light—the "Shadow True Scripture." The ancient book opened, but there were no words on the pages, only flowing black light. That light surged out from the pages and into Tianxin's Sea of Consciousness.

Her body shuddered violently. Her Dark Bloodline boiled within her, like a pot of oil being ignited. Her Qi circulated frantically through her Meridians, absorbing all the incoming light.

Before her mother's phantom dissipated, she said one last sentence: "Xin'er, live well."

The father's phantom also dissipated. "See the outside world for us."

The altar returned to calm. The two soul crystals dimmed, turning into ordinary black stones. Tianxin knelt before the altar, tears streaming down her face. She had waited twenty years, and finally, this moment had come. She wiped away her tears, stood up, picked up the ancient book, and opened the first page. Black characters transformed into light and surged into her Sea of Consciousness; her Dark Bloodline boiled, and the Qi within her began to undergo a qualitative change.

The Spirit Fox jumped down from her shoulder and rubbed against her leg, seemingly trying to comfort her. Tianxin bent down to pick up the Spirit Fox and placed it on her shoulder. "Let's go, we still have many things to do." Her voice still carried a tearful tone, but there was no longer any confusion in her tone.

Her cultivation level broke through from the Foundation Establishment eighth layer to the Foundation Establishment eighth layer Peak, just one step away from the ninth layer. She did not rush to make a Breakthrough; she needed to first lay a solid foundation for the "Shadow True Scripture." She found a hidden cave in the Shadow Realm, sealed the entrance with a Talisman, and set up a simple Spirit Gathering Array inside using Spirit Plant.

Tianxin sat cross-legged and placed the ancient book on her lap. The Spirit Fox lay beside her, watching the cave entrance vigilantly. The black mist of the Shadow Realm churned outside the cave, and something in the distance was watching this place. She ignored it, closed her eyes, and her Dark Bloodline began to circulate according to the path of the Cultivation Technique.

"To master the darkness, one must first understand the darkness. Darkness is not evil, but the destination of all things." The first sentence of the ancient book echoed in her heart.

In the distance, deep within the Shadow Realm, several black shadows were moving toward the cave. Their aura carried killing intent. Tianxin did not notice, but the Spirit Fox's ears pricked up. However, it did not bark; it only pressed its body lower. The Legacy of the "Shadow True Scripture" was at a critical moment, and Tianxin could not be disturbed. The silver markings on the Spirit Fox glowed faintly in the darkness; it was prepared to die protecting its master.

In the darkness, those black shadows drew closer and closer.

Late at night on the third day of her seclusion—there was no distinction between day and night in the cave, but Tianxin's internal clock told her it was late at night. She sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array, the "Shadow True Scripture" spread open on her lap. The black characters transformed into fine light, continuously surging into her Sea of Consciousness.

Her Dark Bloodline boiled within her, like a river being awakened, surging through her Meridians. The Spirit Fox lay at her feet, its silver-black fur glowing faintly in the spiritual light, its ears twitching from time to time, alert to the movements around them.

Suddenly, the Spirit Fox's fur stood on end. It jumped up from the ground, its fur bristling all over, and its silver markings flashed frantically. It let out a sharp warning sound, which was exceptionally piercing in the silent cave. Tianxin was startled out of her Cultivation, her spiritual sense instantly released, passing through the Talisman camouflage at the cave entrance and spreading outward.

Seven auras were approaching the cave. Each one carried the dark power of the Shadow Demon Clan—that cold, decaying aura, exactly the same as the Shadow Venerable. Seven people, the strongest being at the Golden Core first layer, and the rest were at the Foundation Establishment eighth to ninth layer. Tianxin's heart tightened; she quickly put away the "Shadow True Scripture," stored the ancient book in her Storage Pouch, and drew the vajra sword from her waist. She rarely used this sword gifted by Gao Feng, as she was better at Talismans and assassination techniques, but now it was better to be prepared.

The Spirit Fox transmitted to her via telepathy, its intent fuzzy and urgent: "Seven of them, the strongest is Golden Core first layer, the rest are Foundation Establishment eighth to ninth layer. They found this place; the aura of the Sealed "Shadow True Scripture" is too strong to be concealed."

Tianxin bit her lip. She was currently at the Foundation Establishment eighth layer Peak; although her Realm was not as high as that Golden Core first layer enemy, with the "Shadow True Scripture" and her Dark Bloodline, plus the Spirit Fox's assistance, she was not without the strength to fight. She stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and raised her hand to remove the Talisman camouflage. The stone door slowly opened, and the dark red light from outside the cave shone on her face.

Seven black shadows stood on the scorched earth outside the cave. Leading them was a tall Shadow Demon Clan Cultivator with a sinister face, deep-set eye sockets, and dark red pupils. In his hand, he held a black curved blade with dark red markings flowing along the blade. His aura was the strongest, at the Golden Core first layer. The other six stood behind him, holding various weapons, all at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

"Tianxin, I know you are inside. Hand over the "Shadow True Scripture," and I can spare your life." Ying Li's voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of triumph. He recognized Tianxin—no, he recognized the Dark Bloodline on her. It was exactly the same as that man's from back then.

Tianxin walked out of the cave, the vajra sword hanging at her side, her eyes as cold as frost. The Spirit Fox lay on her shoulder, its silver-grey eyes staring fixedly at Ying Li, a low warning sound emitting from its throat.

"You are one of the murderers who hunted down my parents all those years ago?" Tianxin's voice was not loud, but every word sounded like it had been fished out of an ice cellar.

Ying Li laughed triumphantly, spinning the curved blade in his hand. Back then, he had followed the Shadow Venerable to hunt down that pair of traitors. That man still had a stiff mouth even when facing death, saying something like "The Shadow Demon Clan and humans can coexist peacefully." Ridiculous. The Shadow Venerable gave him a chance, but he didn't cherish it; he deserved to die. That woman's gaze was indeed exactly like Tianxin's—stubborn, unwilling, refusing to admit defeat until death. Unfortunately, no matter how stubborn, she couldn't block the Shadow Venerable's blade.

"You are a sensible person. Hand over the scripture obediently, and I can take you as my disciple. Your talent is better than your father's; follow me, and it won't be difficult to get ahead in the Shadow Demon Clan in the future."

Tianxin's gaze swept across his face, enunciating each word clearly and coldly: "In. Your. Dreams."

Ying Li's smile froze. He waved his hand, and the six Shadow Demon Clan Cultivators behind him struck simultaneously. Six black chains emerged from the Void Realm; that was the Shadow Demon Clan's "Shadow Binding Technique," specifically designed to restrict an enemy's movements. The chains coiled toward Tianxin like venomous snakes, moving extremely fast.

Tianxin's figure wove between the chains; the Shadow Evasion Technique made her speed so fast that only afterimages remained. While dodging, she reached into her sleeve, pulled out three "Explosive Talisman"s, and threw them at the chains. The Talismans exploded in mid-air, and blue-white flames blasted the chains into fragments. The six Shadow Demon Clan Cultivators were knocked back several steps by the shockwave. Tianxin seized this opportunity, pulled six "Ice Seal Talisman"s from her Storage Pouch, and released them from her hand, turning them into six ice-blue rays of light that shot toward the six men.

Three of them were hit by the "Ice Seal Talisman"s and were instantly frozen into ice sculptures. The other three dodged in time, but the Spirit Fox had already moved. The Spirit Fox transformed into a silver-black light, teleported behind one of the Shadow Demon Clan Cultivators, and tore open his throat with one claw. Blood gushed out, and the man clutched his neck, collapsing to the ground and convulsing. The other two wanted to retreat in terror, but Tianxin's vajra sword had already thrust forward. One sword pierced through one person's chest, and with a sweep of the sword, the other person's head flew off.

Within three breaths, more than half of the six were lost. The remaining three wanted to escape, but Tianxin threw out three more "Tracking Talisman"s. The Talismans transformed into three light arrows, caught up to one person, and exploded, blasting him into serious injury. The Spirit Fox teleported in front of another person and smashed his skull with one claw. The last person was caught up to by Tianxin, and the vajra sword thrust in from his back, piercing his heart.

In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, all six Foundation Establishment Cultivators had fallen. Not one survived.

Ying Li's face turned iron-blue. He did not expect this little girl at the Foundation Establishment eighth layer to have such strong combat power. He snorted coldly, drew his curved blade, and attacked personally. His Golden Core first layer Qi exploded with full force, and his figure transformed into three afterimages, attacking Tianxin from three directions simultaneously. That was the Shadow Demon Clan's "Shadow Clone," where all three afterimages were fake, yet all were real—they could all attack, and only by hitting the true body could it be broken.

Tianxin closed her eyes. She did not look with her eyes, but used the "Dark Perception" she had just comprehended from the "Shadow True Scripture" to sense—the concentration of dark power was highest in the true body; the afterimages were merely illusions condensed from Qi. The second one from the left.

She sidestepped to avoid the attack, pulled three "star demon suppressing talisman"s from her sleeve, and threw them at Ying Li. The Talismans transformed into three golden pillars of light, trapping Ying Li inside.

Ying Li forcibly shattered the Talismans with his Golden Core power and slashed his curved blade at Tianxin. Tianxin blocked with the vajra sword; blade and sword collided, sparks flying everywhere. She was knocked back several steps, her hand numbing. The gap between the Golden Core first layer and the Foundation Establishment eighth layer Peak was exposed in this direct confrontation.

She no longer fought head-on, switching to mobile combat. She attached an Invisibility Talisman to herself, and her figure disappeared into the darkness.

Ying Li searched everywhere for her tracks, furiously waving his curved blade and slashing at the surrounding air.