"Hmm…" A soft sound escaped Yuan as he slowly woke up, his azure black eyes flickering open.
As he looked around, he could still feel the dull pain lingering in his body. Though the process of advancing had been brutal, it was still within his limits. But then he noticed something.
Blood.
His entire body was covered in it, dried crimson clinging to his robes, his skin, his bed. Everything beneath him was soaked in his own blood.
"I slept in my own blood, huh? What a weird thing to do," Yuan muttered to himself, his tone with sarcasm. He exhaled and closed his eyes again, shifting his focus inward.
His aura was still active, constantly moving around his body, healing every wound, every torn muscle, every fractured bone.
Feeling the constant flow of his aura, Yuan began to understand just how unique it was. In Basilisk's memories, he had seen a few regenerative aura cultivators before,monsters that were nearly impossible to kill. Even Basilisk himself, with all his power and schemes, had spent years chasing one, only to give up in the end. They were simply too hard to put down.
Basilisk's own aura had been different. His aura didn't regenerate his body, it accelerated his thoughts. The higher his cultivation, the faster his mind worked, to the point where he could process everything around him in an instant.
That was the real reason why he had always been a step ahead of his enemies. Why he had always survived.
But this aura had another effect. As his thoughts became faster, his perception of pain changed. It no longer registered the same way. And over time, he had gained full control over his pain receptors. To the point where, even at death's door, he could remain completely rational. Could still think clearly.
That was why Basilisk had been feared as both a Cultivator and a schemer. Even when bleeding out, even when on the verge of death, he could still fight, still calculate every move.
Auras like that were beyond rare. Even in countless years of history, only a few had ever awakened something similar. It was more likely for someone to be born with one of the Top Ten Body Constitutions than to have such an aura.
But Yuan's aura…
A regenerative aura. Was not something that made him stronger. Was not something that made him faster.
No, it was something that made him endure.
He could already tell,this aura would keep him standing no matter how many times he would be near death. It would keep him alive even when his body should have already been broken beyond repair.
With time, it would become something no one could fight against.
He smirked slightly, still lying in his pool of blood.
"Not bad."
But Yuan couldn't care less about what Basilisk had. That was his aura, his soul, and now he was dead. What mattered now was his own power.
His red aura,a regenerative type,was far more potent than he had expected. Since he fell unconscious, only two days had passed, yet he was already half healed. If he simply let his aura work, he would be fully recovered within another two days.
Four days. That was all it took to repair the damage from his brutal advancement and aura awakening.
But if he combined his Azure Basilisk Flame with the Flame Poison Cleansing Demonic Beast Technique, he might cut that down to just three days.
A terrifyingly powerful tool.
Yuan chuckled, a quiet amusement lacing his voice. In a single breakthrough, his survival chances against stronger cultivators had skyrocketed.
Before, even with an normal Endurance enhancing or normal Strength enhancing aura, he had estimated that he could barely withstand an attack from a middle Bone Bright Forging stage cultivator.
But now?
With his regenerative aura, he was confident that he could survive an encounter with even a peak Bone Bright Forging cultivator,or maybe even a beginner Bone Refined Stage cultivator.
That was a massive leap in power.
But it wasn't just his power that had improved. Thanks to reaching the Blood Purification Stage, his entire being had changed.
First, he was now officially beyond mere mortality. He was no longer a mere mortal human, but a true cultivator that begins his Journey.
His natural regeneration had increased at least fivefold, making wounds that would be dangerous mere inconveniences.
Second, his sensitivity to spiritual essence had improved drastically. The flow of spiritual essence within his body had become clearer, more refined. He could direct and manipulate it with much greater precision thanks to the transformation of his blood into spiritual blood.
Not only had his strength and endurance increased, but so had his lifespan. From a mere 80 years, the natural limit of a mortal, he now had around 105 years to live.
And it wouldn't stop here.
His body's aging process had slowed significantly due to the infusion of spiritual blood into his veins. Though this wasn't particularly useful for cultivation, many cultivators cared about the youthful appearance they maintained after stepping into the Blood Purification Stage.
But that wasn't the most important change.
Now that he had spiritual blood, he could use a few minor tricks,not combat techniques, but subtle tricks that relied on spiritual essence within his body.
Nothing powerful.
Nothing flashy.
But useful.
For instance, he could slightly alter his appearance, an technique that could serve as a disguise in critical situations. Or, he could harden his own blood, turning it into a hidden weapon,useful for assassination or surprise attacks.
Of course, these were not battle changing techniques. In a direct fight, they were almost worthless. But tricks were still tricks, and having more options was always better than having none.
"Haah…" Yuan exhaled, his body still aching from his breakthrough. His mind, however, was already focused on the next stage.
The Meridian Awakened Stage.
"But first… I need to reach the peak of the Blood Purification Stage before even thinking about advancing," he murmured to himself.
To do that, he needed to completely replace his normal blood with spiritual blood.
Right now, only 1% of his blood had been transformed.
To reach the peak of the stage?
He needed to replace all of his blood.
Only then could someone breaking through to the next stage.
And that breakthrough would be even more dangerous.
To step into the Meridian Awakened Stage, he had to open three lower meridians at the same time.
and If he failed?
He would lose those meridians forever, crippling his advancement unless he hunted for expensive healing pills.
But five years.
With his current abilities and some resources from the sect, it was possible.
More than possible.
But before he could continue thinking any further, the overwhelming stench of blood around him became too unbearable.
With a sigh, he pushed aside all other thoughts and focused entirely on recovering.
And so, the day passed.
By the time the sun reached its peak, Yuan's body had completely healed.
The first thing he did was scan his inner body, ensuring that there were no hidden injuries or side effects from his breakthrough.
Nothing.
Everything was perfectly intact.
His red aura and the Azure Basilisk Flame had already taken care of any lingering damage.
That was unexpected.
He had been prepared to deal with some kind of backlash from awakening his aura so early, perhaps a hidden flaw in his body or a disruption in his energy flow.
But instead?
It was as if his entire being had been reforged, with no lasting consequences.
A fortune.
But now wasn't the time to be too pleased with himself.
The stench of dried blood still clung to him, his robes soaked in crimson, making it impossible to ignore.
He needed to change, but more than that
He needed to become an Inner Sect Disciple.
That was the next step.
But more importantly?
The Colorless Mind Demon Binding Poison. Emilia. And Old Man Viktor.
Until now, he had been trapped within the School Pavilion, and the sect strictly forbade visitors during the training phase of high outer disciples.
That meant no one had been able to meet him.
Not even Emilia.
And as for Old Man Viktor?
He had no idea if the old man was even inside the sect or if he had left after delivering them.
Which meant he needed information.
But another pressing matter were the White Qi Chains around his soul.
They were no longer a threat.
If he wanted to, he could destroy them off instantly.
But…
If he did that, Emilia would immediately notice.
She would know that their connection had been severed.
And that raised another question.
Had Emilia found a backer?
Was she securing protection using the Old Man Viktor's connections?
Or was she still alone?
Yuan needed answers.
"Tsk." Yuan clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He had no information.
And that was frustrating.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."
That was one of the core principles Basilisk followed,one that allowed him to always move with certainty.
And now?
Yuan would follow that same principle.
If he wanted to go against someone, he needed to understand everything about them first.
But before that, he had to deal with his own advancement.
His next stop was the Information Hall.
They were responsible for handling requests and informing higher ranking members about promotions, including his advancement to an Inner Sect Disciple.
His situation was quite good.
As a high outer disciple, he didn't need to undertake a mission to advance,he could simply walk in and request his promotion if he had the required cultivation stage.
So, without wasting time, Yuan made his way toward the Information Hall Pavilion.
After a short conversation and explaining his situation, including why he was covered in blood, the disciples in charge quickly arranged everything.
The first thing they did was hand him a new set of robes,the green robes of an Inner Sect Disciple.
Then, they updated his identification slate, officially changing his status.
After a short Time, a man wearing a green robe, identical to Yuan's new attire, stepped forward.
The young man smiled at Yuan.
"Hello, fellow disciple. Yuan, right?I'm a manager of the Information Hall for the outer disciples, and I've been ordered to escort you to the Inner Sect Area since you've now officially advanced.If my memory isn't failing me, you joined the sect only three months ago, correct?That's quite a short time, and yet you've already advanced to the Blood Purification Stage.That means you must have been at the peak of the Mortal Awakening Stage when you entered, right?Well, congratulations,on both your cultivation breakthrough and on becoming an Inner Sect Disciple!"
He suddenly paused.
"Ah! I didn't introduce myself, did I? My name is Aqua!"
The young man, Aqua, had an average appearance, with blue eyes and short black hair.
And, as it seemed…
He was very talkative.
But Yuan simply played along, keeping a polite smile on his face.
"Hello, fellow disciple Aqua. My name is Yuan! And I was simply lucky to advance so quickly,it was just a fortunate moment for me."
Aqua chuckled, shaking his head.
"Lucky, huh? Well, I suppose luck plays a role.But even so, to advance this fast…It's still impressive.Even I only reached the Blood Purification Stage at fifteen, and now, at forty years old, I'm only at the peak of the stage.So while your speed is commendable, remember…Cultivation requires a heart of patience."
Yuan nodded, thanking Aqua for his advice.
The two of them then continued talking as they walked.
Or rather…
Aqua continued talking.
Yuan mostly listened.
Aqua spoke endlessly,about his years in the sect, about his senior brothers and sisters in the Inner Sect, about his work in the Information Hall, and much more.
Mostly…
He complained.
About how unfair this and that was.
About how much he wanted to just cultivate, but was always short on spirit essence stones.
It was nothing particularly important.
Yet, for Yuan, every bit of information was valuable.
After all, no one had ever told him much about the Inner Sect.
Until now, the only people he had ever spoken to were his two guides and his school teacher.
Everything beyond what was a mystery for him.
And so, Yuan listened carefully, filing away every detail Aqua shared.
Three hours passed.
The walk had been relaxed, but long.
And finally…
They arrived before the forbidden ground for Outer Sect Disciples.
The Inner Sect Area.