As the morning court dispersed, Ji Xia instructed Jing Ye, the court guard, and Guan Xi, his maid, to stand watch over the palace gates. He ordered that no one disturb him unless it was of utmost importance.
After days of cultivation and adjustment, his Snowy Mountain and physical body had reached their peak. This was perhaps the best state he had been in since transmigrating to Tai Cang.
Today, he would consume the Ancient Vein Secret Fruit obtained from the Withered Immortal Divine Tree!
Before the Withered Immortal Divine Tree, Ji Xia carefully studied the small red fruit in front of him, about the size of a baby's fist. Its surface was covered with green veins that resembled the bulging veins on a human arm.
"This Ancient Vein Secret Fruit is incredibly valuable. Though it doesn't match the Great Sun Spirit-Suppressing Furnace, its cost of 3,500 spirit seeds is still exorbitant," Ji Xia muttered, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Reaching out, his fingers brushed against the fruit. In that instant, a strange resonance seemed to flow from the fruit into his heart, syncing their rhythms until they beat as one.
The black branch snapped off, and the fruit fell into Ji Xia's hand. The green veins pulsed gently, mirroring the rhythm of his heartbeat.
What should have been a grotesque and eerie object instead evoked a profound sense of connection in Ji Xia, as if their bloodlines were intertwined, originating from the same source.
He recalled the information engraved on the fruit: an ancient relic cultivated by primordial humans that could grant its consumer the bloodline of the ancient races.
"What kind of bloodline will it bestow?" Ji Xia wondered aloud. "Will it be the mythical bloodline of the Great Wilderness humans or that of the boundless primal humans?"
The Great Wilderness, mentioned in ancient texts like the Classic of Mountains and Seas, was a realm of myth, where gods danced with mortals, and demons roamed freely—a primal and alluring era.
"The primal humans of the Boundless Wilderness are so feeble. It's unlikely their bloodline holds any significant power."
Ji Xia steadied his thoughts, and his consciousness withdrew from the divine tree.
Seated cross-legged on the wooden bed in his chamber, Ji Xia opened his eyes. The red fruit with green veins appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he swallowed the fruit in one gulp!
Instantly, a primal and ancient aura radiated from Ji Xia's body. His heart thumped violently, its pumping capacity skyrocketing. Faint golden hues began to shimmer across the veins connected to his heart.
Sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, yet Ji Xia felt no discomfort. Instead, an indescribable euphoria coursed through him, filling his mind with bliss. With each beat, his heart grew tougher and stronger.
The golden-tinted veins carried crimson blood from his heart, surging through his body's countless vessels and flooding his limbs, bones, and skin.
Finally, a faint golden light shone between Ji Xia's brows, releasing an invisible stream of energy that shot upward. The energy was intangible, racing through the palace roof and soaring into the heavens at lightning speed.
Above the sky, three blazing suns scorched the land. Their tongues of flame roared, their heat reaching an extreme. As the energy stream passed, the suns' radiance surged briefly before returning to normal.
The energy stream bypassed the suns and arrived at an enormous star, far brighter than the three suns combined.
From a distance, this golden star resembled a colossal beacon in the dark void, illuminating its surroundings with unparalleled brilliance.
The star seemed alive. Perceiving the energy stream, it extended a beam of light toward it. The light grew finer and finer until it matched the energy stream's size.
The two merged.
Golden light danced and energy surged. Time felt both endless and fleeting as the stream absorbed a faint golden glow. Then, it began its return journey.
Suddenly, a colossal shadow emerged in the void, reaching out with an enormous hand to seize the stream.
The energy fled in panic but was quickly ensnared by the giant hand. As crushing pressure bore down, the golden star erupted with a terrifying force that obliterated the shadow in an instant.
Even so, most of the energy stream dissipated under the residual pressure.
The remnants of the stream regained their freedom and plunged back toward Tai Cang, entering Ji Xia's head.
A golden mist enveloped Ji Xia's head, radiating faint brilliance. The golden veins within his body gradually faded, and new streams of information flooded his mind. His thundering heart returned to a steady rhythm.
Within his Snowy Mountain, a majestic figure emerged—a solemn and serene visage crowned with a golden headdress, clad in resplendent golden robes. The figure sat cross-legged, its eyes closed in meditation.
As its eyes opened, it murmured softly, "The Bloodline of the Year Star, the Dharma Aspect of the Lord of the Year Star."
"What is this bloodline?" Ji Xia wondered. "Does it belong to the mythical Great Wilderness humans, or is it from the ancient Tai Cang humans?"
He combed through the information in his mind but found no answers.
"With this ancient bloodline, a Lord of the Year Star resides within me. By meditating on this Dharma Aspect, my spiritual energy will flow endlessly like a mighty river!"
Curiosity surged within Ji Xia. He visualized the details of the Dharma Aspect: its outline, eyes, features, posture, and robes—all vividly etched in his mind.
The Dharma Aspect stood tall in his mind, exuding an imposing aura.
As it formed in his thoughts, it resonated with the Dharma Aspect within his Snowy Mountain. Spiritual energy surged like a river, streaming into his Snowy Mountain.
Activating the Tai Cang Seal, Ji Xia felt a small portion of the Snowy Mountain's spiritual energy drawn out, only to be replenished instantaneously by the Lord of the Year Star's Dharma Aspect.
Most remarkably, his spiritual energy now felt denser and more potent, its quality vastly improved.
"This..." Ji Xia dispersed the golden energy gathered in his palm, his eyes reflecting amazement.
"With the Tai Cang Seal and the Great Sun Spirit-Suppressing Furnace, my spiritual energy was already immense, rivaling even nascent divine power users."
"But now! The Lord of the Year Star has elevated me further. Although this Dharma Aspect surely has its limits, its strength is undeniable!"
Ji Xia's excitement surged. After a while, he finally calmed down.
He stood and extended two fingers, channeling spiritual energy. A golden sword aura materialized, sharp and radiant.
"This is the bloodline's inheritance—the Prison Sword of the Year Star!"
"Its power is extraordinary. Even the first form alone leaves me in awe."
However, Ji Xia frowned. "It feels incomplete, as if the subsequent forms are missing. I wonder why."
Despite pondering the sword's techniques, no answer emerged. Sighing in resignation, Ji Xia rose to his feet.
"Tomorrow, I will set out for the Grand Symbol. With just over a month left until the Solar Eclipse, I must return in time."
In a mysterious realm, an indistinct figure stirred, its gaze holding the weight of stars and extinction.
"Who obliterated my avatar?" it whispered, its voice resonating through the void.