The first realm of cultivation, called the Realm of Blood, was divided into seven smaller stages, each requiring the practitioner to follow complex and elaborate steps.
The initial stage of the Blood Realm was known as the Bone Forging Stage.
At its core, the Blood Realm revolved around the body—its foundation, its innate power, and its endless potential. Unsurprisingly, the first stage reflected this idea.
Before anything else, a cultivator in the Bone Forging Stage had to attune themselves to the rhythm of their own blood, sensing its subtle ebbs and flows. Harmonizing with this life force, they had to take control over it completely. Only then could they move on to the next step: sensing and mastering the blood qi flowing within their veins.
This was the bare minimum requirement to enter the Realm of Blood.
Once this initial mastery was achieved, the true intricacies of the Bone Forging Stage could begin.
In this stage, the cultivator's task was to shatter their bones using their own blood qi, destroying their entire skeletal structure.
Then, using the very blood qi that had dismantled their body, they would reform their skeleton—this time not from ordinary matter but from qi matter, a superior substance transmuted from energy into physical form.
Such transmutations were akin to what Caine often performed when using his qi to craft spears or other constructs.
The process, though agonizing, brought immense benefits. It empowered the body far beyond its natural limits and elevated the cultivator's affinity with qi to previously unattainable realms.
Yet, even this monumental transformation was only the beginning.
After reforming their skeletal structure, the cultivator had to embark on a grueling cycle of shattering and tempering their bones repeatedly. This relentless process further fortified their physical foundation, enhanced their strength, and purified their blood qi, condensing it into a higher quality.
'Quite tricky,' Caine mused, his thoughts swirling as he reviewed the intricacies of the task ahead.
Of course, the Bone Forging Stage contained a hidden step—a secret known only to the most privileged nobles and prodigies.
At this hidden stage, once a cultivator had reached the natural limits of how much tempering their bones could withstand, they could inscribe runes onto their skeletal structure. These runes imbued the body with innate attributes, granting overwhelming advantages that would compound with the techniques of future stages.
'Let's finish the basics first before worrying about that,' Caine thought.
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled. A moment later, thick fumes of scarlet energy erupted around him, saturating the air with a pungent metallic scent.
It took him only an instant to sense his blood qi. That was no surprise—his talent was immense, and his rings provided invaluable assistance.
'If I'm going to shatter my bones, I might as well redesign my entire skeletal structure. I'll create a custom one that maximizes my potential. Hm… I should take inspiration from—'
CRACK!
The sickening sound of Caine's bones shattering echoed through the room, followed by more fractures in rapid succession. A grotesque symphony of destruction filled the air as his blood qi went to work.
Beneath his skin, his bones disintegrated into dust, ground down by the overwhelming force of his blood qi. Veins bulged and writhed like serpents beneath his flesh, forming a nightmarish fresco of movement. Yet, despite the pain, Caine's expression remained indifferent, his resolve unshaken.
His body underwent strange transformations. At times, his height surged upward as if he were becoming a giant, only to collapse moments later to the stature of a dwarf. His muscles bulged grotesquely, tearing apart, only to compress and reform under the relentless pressure of his blood qi.
Minutes turned into hours, which then bled into days, as the cycle of destruction and rebirth continued without pause.
BOOM!
A pulse of potent blood qi exploded outward, signaling the end of the changes.
For most cultivators, the Bone Forging Stage took weeks for the exceptionally talented—or years for the average—to complete. But thanks to the rare resources provided by the Pope, Caine had reached its peak in a single, grueling session.
All that remained now was the secret step.
WHOOSH!
For this hidden step, most cultivators relied on a Bone Endowing Manual. These manuals contained predefined runes that could be inscribed onto bones, granting standardized enhancements.
But Caine had no intention of following someone else's blueprint.
'I'll forge my own, unique bone structure,' he resolved.
Long ago, during his studies of the cultivation realms, Caine had meticulously mapped out his path.
For the Bone Forging Stage, his vision was ambitious—Endlessness.
He intended to create a skeletal structure that granted him strength far beyond the confines of the Realm of Blood. More importantly, it would remain in a perpetual state of refinement, constantly evolving and removing any limitations on his growth. The longer he lived, the stronger he would become.
But that wasn't all.
Caine aimed to elevate his blood qi to an unmatched level of quality and purity. He wanted it to possess a malleability beyond imagination, allowing him to infuse his intent into it. At will, he would transform it into a chaotic force of destruction or a nurturing essence of vitality capable of healing him instantaneously.
It was a tall order, bordering on the impossible. Yet, Caine was confident it could be done.
'I'll call it the Celestial Taiyi Blood Qi Bone Structure.'
However, the process would be excruciating. The method Caine had devised to inscribe runes involved using his rings and crown to force his bones beyond their natural limits.
This would put immense strain on his mind, pushing it to the brink of collapse.
'Fear is the mind-killer,' Caine reminded himself.
He took another steadying breath and closed his eyes. A moment later, his blood qi surged forth, saturating the air around him in a dense, crimson haze.
Within this scarlet expanse, countless runes began to manifest, glowing with ancient, otherworldly light.
With a low, determined shout, Caine commanded,'CONDENSE!'
BANG!
His bones shattered once more, and the excruciating process of crafting his Celestial Taiyi Blood Qi Bone Structure began.