153: Chapter 153 Imparting Supernatural Powers

"Troublesome."

Wu Li cursed under his breath.

Although these resentful thoughts could not affect his mind, refining each blood crystal required a great deal of time and energy to dispel the resentment within.

He estimated that at his current speed, it would take at least five days to refine one blood crystal, meaning thirty-six of them would take one hundred and eighty days.

That was another six months, and adding the more than half a year spent healing previously, his time was gone in a flash.

But he was determined to master the Three Variations of the Blood Eye.

Wu Li did not hesitate any longer; he grasped the blood crystal in his claw, closed his eyes, and began to Cultivate.

He pushed the Blood Eye Pagoda Sutra to its limit, and blood-colored scriptures emerged from beneath his feathers, circling his body.

His Demon Power surged into the blood crystal like a tide, colliding with the soul power and resentment within.

Those resentful thoughts were like enraged venomous snakes, crazily tearing at his spiritual consciousness, while shrill cries echoed in his mind, lingering for a long time.

Wu Li gritted his teeth, and his Blood Pupil opened on his forehead, bathing the blood crystal in scarlet light and crushing those resentful thoughts inch by inch.

"Floating Life Pagoda, My Eye Knows No End, Sacrifice Blood to the Eye, Use the Eye to Devour Life, Floating Life Ten Thousand Aspects, Floating Life Final Path..."

Wu Li chanted the incantation of the Blood Eye Pagoda Sutra, his voice echoing in the Limestone Cave.

"Hum~"

Blood-colored light flickered.

Blood-colored scriptures emerged from beneath his feathers, transforming into fine, blood-colored threads that wrapped around the blood crystal layer by layer.

Under the suppression of the Blood Pupil, those resentful thoughts retreated steadily, their shrill cries gradually weakening until they finally dissipated completely.

The soul power within the blood crystal, having lost the restraint of the resentment, surged out like a breached dam, flowing along the blood-colored threads into Wu Li's body.

Wu Li could clearly feel his Blood Pupil growing stronger bit by bit, like spring rain nourishing all things—silent and imperceptible, yet life-giving.

Time passed bit by bit.

The Limestone Cave quieted down, with only the sound of water gently rippling in the pool and the low sound of Wu Li chanting the incantation.

Moonlight spilled down from the cracks in the cave ceiling, shining onto the water's surface and shattering into a patch of silvery white, while the night breeze blew in from outside, causing his feathers to tremble slightly.

Wu Li's breathing was steady and long, and he remained motionless, like a statue.

His Blood Pupil slowly rotated on his forehead, its scarlet light brightening and dimming in the darkness as if it were breathing.

Days passed one by one.

In the Stone Forest outside the Limestone Cave, withered trees sprouted new buds, which then fell as withered leaves, only to be covered by white snow, and after the snow melted, new buds grew again.

Winter departed and spring arrived, spring passed and autumn appeared.

The blood crystals in the Storage Pouch became fewer and fewer, the Blood Eye Shadow on Wu Li's forehead became increasingly solid, and his aura grew more and more profound, but he still had not touched the threshold of the Three Variations of the Blood Eye.

Wu Li opened his eyes, looked at the last few blood crystals in the Storage Pouch, and was silent for a moment.

Inside the Limestone Cave.

The Storage Pouch at Wu Li's feet was already half empty, and the residue of the blood crystals was scattered all over the ground.

"It seems… it's still a little short."

Wu Li took a deep breath, took out all the last three blood crystals, grasped them in his claw, closed his eyes, and began to refine them.

When the last wisp of soul power was absorbed by the Blood Pupil.

The Storage Pouch was empty.

Wu Li opened his eyes, his blood-red pupils full of exhaustion.

He looked down at the empty Storage Pouch, then looked at the Blood Eye Shadow on his forehead, and was silent for a moment.

The Three Variations of the Blood Eye was only one step away.

But for this step, the power of blood crystals alone was not enough; it was not that the quantity of blood crystals was insufficient, but the quality.

"This won't do..."

"It seems I still need to go find some Opportunity."

Wu Li stood up and stretched his muscles and bones.

His bones creaked and cracked, like rusty gears starting to turn again. He had been in seclusion for too long, and his body had become somewhat stiff.

He shook his wings, dusted off the dirt from his body, and then walked out of the Limestone Cave.

The sunlight was blinding.

Wu Li narrowed his eyes, his blood-red pupils contracting slightly.

He hadn't seen the sun for a long time.

Outside the Limestone Cave, Tiger Biao's massive body blocked the entrance; his short, steel-needle-like fur stood on end, his tiger eyes were tightly shut, and his breathing was heavy.

Hearing the movement, it suddenly opened its eyes, and seeing Wu Li walk out, it hurriedly stood up, retreated two steps, and lowered its head.

"Great King."

"Hmm."

Wu Li nodded.

Heiyu was perched on a stone pillar outside the Limestone Cave. When he saw Wu Li come out, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he flew down from the stone pillar, landing in front of Wu Li. His voice was hoarse and respectful, filled with irrepressible excitement.

"Old Ancestor, you have come out of seclusion?"

Wu Li looked at Heiyu upon hearing this.

"Your Cultivation progress is not bad; have you developed any Bloodline Divine Ability?"

The excitement on Heiyu's face froze for a moment, then he lowered his head, his voice tinged with embarrassment: "Reporting to Old Ancestor, this subordinate is foolish and has not yet comprehended any Bloodline Divine Ability."

Wu Li did not blame him, but simply nodded. The crow clan had a humble origin and thin Bloodline; to have gained intelligence and be able to Cultivate was already a stroke of great fortune, and wanting to achieve Awakening of a Bloodline Divine Ability was even harder.

That Heiyu could Cultivate to the second rank was already the result of him forcefully stacking Spirit Medicine and resources; that he could not awaken a Divine Ability was within his expectations.

"We of the crow race are naturally inferior in combat power to those fierce birds and savage beasts, and without a Bloodline Divine Ability, it will be very troublesome during battle."

Wu Li's voice was hoarse and flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Heiyu buried his head even lower.

Wu Li's gaze swept over Heiyu. These crows had followed him through life and death; although their combat power was not strong, they were loyal.

Since he had become their Old Ancestor, he could not just watch them be bullied by other Yao Beasts.

"Go call Bai Chi and the others; I, your Old Ancestor, will teach you some Divine Ability."

Heiyu suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief, his voice trembling.

"Old… Old Ancestor, yes!"

Heiyu was overjoyed and hurriedly turned and flew away.

A moment later, Bai Chi, Heida, Heier, and Heisan flew over from the Stone Forest and landed in front of Wu Li, all lowering their heads in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.

Wu Li's gaze swept over them, and he spoke slowly.

"You do not have a Bloodline, so you cannot Cultivate innate Divine Ability."

"But I can imprint a special Blood Seal Pagoda upon you, which can be activated with Demon Power to convert the ordinary Demon Power within your bodies into a more powerful, special Demon Power."

"With the enhancement of this Demon Power, I will then teach you a few Daoist Magic spells, which will be enough to make up for your lack of Divine Ability."

Heiyu and the other Yao Beasts all looked up in unison.

Wu Li did not explain further; the Blood Pupil on his forehead slowly opened, and scarlet light enveloped Heiyu and the others.

"Hum!!"

The bodies of Heiyu and the other Yao Beasts suddenly stiffened, and they felt the Blood Seal Pagoda within them begin to heat up, as if something was Awakening inside.

That heat spread from their hearts to their limbs and bones; wherever it passed, the Demon Power in their Meridians began to change, turning from its original gray-black to a deep, dark red, carrying a trace of a bloody aura.

Soon.

Wu Li withdrew his Blood Pupil.

"Alright, now try activating your Demon Power."

Heiyu took a deep breath, and the Demon Power within his body surged. That dark red Demon Power flowed along his Meridians to his claws, and a layer of dark red light appeared on the tips of his claws, sharp as knives.