40: Chapter 40 Fourth Life, All-in Failure? Watch Me Turn the Tide (Seventeen)

Heir Xiao Heng thought for a moment, then answered cautiously: "Grandson believes it is because their strength is transcendent, sufficient to guard a region and reign above ordinary martial artists."

"That is one reason, but not the fundamental one."

The Grand Supreme King in White shook his head slightly, "The fundamental reason is that once one steps into the Silver Marrow Realm, it means breaking away from the category of 'mortals' and initially becoming a true higher lifeform.

Possessing the qualifications to become the 'backbone' force for the human race to resist external enemies, one naturally begins to be bound and protected by rules outside of the 'mortal' realm."

This is an extremely important watershed. When mutated creatures from the outside world reach the Silver Marrow Realm, they also initially awaken their intelligence and become kings ruling over a region.

And it is precisely because they possess intelligence that these high-level mutated creatures can be called demons.

He raised a finger, and from his fingertip, without a sound, emerged a wisp of extremely condensed, brilliant silver aura that looked like flowing mercury and resembled the radiance of stars.

This aura was not released externally, yet it caused Heir Xiao Heng and Wang Shi, who were close at hand, to feel their souls throb instantly, and the blood and qi within their bodies to accelerate uncontrollably, as if they had encountered a king!

"This is Silver Marrow blood and qi."

The Supreme Prince said indifferently: "Martial artists polish their physical bodies step by step from the Body Tempering Realm, Iron Skin Realm, and Copper Bone Realm, strengthening their blood and qi.

Evolving oneself from the outside in, once the entire body's bones have finished evolving to reach the peak of the Copper Bone Realm, one needs to comprehend a complete Earth-tier artistic conception.

Guided by the opportunity of this artistic conception, one draws upon the power of the origin of life, attempting to gradually evolve one's blood and qi into silver.

Once the evolution is successful, it is the initial entry into the Silver Marrow Realm, like the likes of Lin Lantian.

However, the blood and qi at this moment are like duckweed without roots, needing to be reconverted after consumption.

Moreover, the blood and qi upon initial entry into the Silver Marrow Realm are not yet sufficiently condensed or pure.

One needs to complete the Nine Revolutions of Silver Marrow, undergoing nine blood replacements, to gradually evolve one's bone marrow completely."

At this point, the voice of the Grand Supreme King in White paused, then continued:

"Each of the nine blood replacements is a leap in the level of life.

Each successful blood replacement not only causes strength to skyrocket but also leads to a new realm in the perception and application of heaven and earth origin energy, and even the control of one's own life.

More importantly, it is longevity.

Each successful blood replacement adds sixty years of longevity.

If one can complete nine blood replacements and reach the Great Perfection of the Silver Marrow Realm, one's longevity can reach eight hundred years."

Eight hundred years!

Heir Xiao Heng and Wang Shi's minds were shaken violently.

This was almost like the legendary land immortals!

"However, the difficulty of blood replacement is harder than ascending to the heavens." The Grand Supreme King in White retracted the silver aura from his fingertip and continued:

"First, one needs rare heavenly and earthly treasures that match one's own attributes to act as an auxiliary, to harmonize blood and qi and cleanse the bone marrow. Such treasures are hard to come by.

Second, one needs immense accumulation; each blood replacement consumes an astronomical amount of origin energy and life essence.

Third, and this is the most important and fundamental limitation, is the root bone aptitude."

He glanced at Lin Lantian, who had fainted in the corner of the hall, and said with an indifferent tone:

"A person's root bone is determined at birth, divided into six grades: Lower, Middle, Upper, Top, Earth, and Heaven.

Those with Lower-grade Root Bone spend their whole lives struggling in the Body Tempering Realm.

Those with Middle-grade Root Bone reach their peak at the Iron Skin Realm or initial entry into the Copper Bone Realm.

Those with Upper-grade Root Bone, supplemented by special physiques or cultivation techniques, plus great opportunities, have the hope of breaking through to the Silver Marrow Realm and completing the first three blood replacements.

Only those with Top-grade Root Bone have a greater chance of completing the fourth blood replacement, truly stepping into the middle stage of the Silver Marrow Realm, and can already be called a giant in the world."

Heir Xiao Heng could not help but ask: "What about Earth-grade, or even Heaven-grade?"

In the eyes of the Supreme Prince, a flash of extremely complex emotion finally appeared, seemingly of deep feeling, seemingly of reminiscence, and seemingly with a trace of awe.

"Earth-grade Root Bone, those are the true darlings of heaven, born endowed with the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.

As long as they do not die prematurely and have sufficient resources, they can steadily enter the late stage of the Silver Marrow Realm, and there is great hope of completing eight blood replacements.

As for the ninth blood replacement, the Great Perfection of the Silver Marrow Realm... even Earth-grade Root Bone requires tremendous perseverance and opportunity.

As for Heaven-grade..."

He paused and slowly spat out a few words: "Legendary aptitude, not measurable by human power.

It has been hundreds of years since there was any news of a Heaven-grade appearing.

As for beyond the nine blood replacements, that legendary Martial King realm of the Platinum Organ Realm is even more beyond mortal imagination, unattainable without great opportunity, great perseverance, and great destiny.

Since our Tianhuang Princes Mansion was established a thousand years ago, only the first ancestor was suspected of touching the threshold of that realm."

The hall fell into silence again, with only the occasional crackling sound of the lamp wick bursting.

Heir Xiao Heng and Wang Shi were somewhat dazed by this vast and broad martial arts landscape.

Only now did they truly understand how small and ridiculous Lin Lantian's cultivation was in the face of the true peak of martial arts.

And they finally understood why the Supreme Prince would call him a 'frog in a well'.

After a long time, Heir Xiao Heng digested this information and asked the most critical question:

"Ancestor, what does this have to do with the Human Alliance and the Demon-Suppressing Great Wall?"

The gaze of the Grand Supreme King in White became distant, as if it had pierced through the barriers of the palace and looked toward the infinitely distant frontier filled with blood and fire.

"Because, this vast and expansive world is not exclusively for our human race."

His voice carried a trace of heavy murderous intent for the first time, "This East Profound Continent where we are located is occupied by our human race's three nations: the Tianwu Dynasty, the Northern Desert Barbarian Dynasty, and the Western Extreme Steam Federation.

Combined, they do not occupy even thirty percent of the continent's total area."

"Hiss!" Heir Xiao Heng and Wang Shi gasped in unison!

Thirty percent?

"The remaining seventy percent consists of endless mountains, swamps, forests, wilderness, deep seas... and the Demon race, which dwells within, possessing infinite varieties, boundless numbers, and swarms of experts!"

The Supreme Prince's voice was resolute, "The Demon race is born with strong physiques, and some high-level Demon races have strange and unpredictable innate supernatural powers.

They view humans as blood food, as ants, and as enemies who have invaded their territory.

For thousands of years, the two races have been at war, blood staining the mountains and rivers, never ceasing."

"For survival, the three human nations cast aside their previous grudges, swore an alliance in blood, and jointly formed the Human Alliance.

Outside the territories of the three parties, in places with dangerous terrain, they exhausted the power of the three dynasties, conscripted millions of civilians and martial artists.

Expending countless resources, they built the Demon-Suppressing Great Wall, which stretches for who knows how many thousands of miles, towers into the clouds, and is inscribed with countless formations!"

"This wall is the first and last barrier for our human race to resist the invasion of the Demon race.

Outside the Great Wall is the Demon Domain, the battlefield, the meat grinder.

On the Great Wall, the Allied army is stationed year-round, and its backbone consists of those gathered from the three dynasties.

Most of the martial artists at the Silver Marrow Realm and above that our human race has accumulated over thousands of years are at the Demon-Suppressing Great Wall.

Only they are qualified to serve as pillars in wars at that level and contend with the experts of the Demon race!"

Heir Xiao Heng felt a surge of hot blood rushing to the top of his head, accompanied by a cold chill.

He suddenly understood why there was such an iron law.

Why martial artists of the Silver Marrow Realm, even if they committed the crime of treason, could be spared from death and exiled.

Because in the face of a war for racial survival, individual culpability and internal strife within the dynasty all seemed incomparably small.

Every martial artist in the Silver Marrow Realm is a precious war resource for the human race. Instead of executing them during internal friction, it is better to throw them to the front line of the Great Wall, letting them redeem their sins and be consumed in the bloody battle against the Demon race.

This seemingly looks like a privilege, but in reality, it is the coldest and most realistic utilization of resources. It is a naked law that squeezes individual value to the extreme to serve racial survival. Strength is respected; against the grand background of this bloody battle between humans and the Demon race, it has taken on another, heavier, and even more cruel interpretation.