Chapter 98: The Hidden Bloodline, Often Buried

Lu Chen sensed Song Ping's aura and immediately opened his eyes. "Senior Brother Song? Did you succeed?"

"

Haha

, yes, it was a success. And a tremendous one at that."

Song Ping patted him on the shoulder, laughing heartily. "Brother Lu, this time it's all thanks to you."

"Those beads you gave me... I never imagined they could use the forge's heat[1] to draw out and refine the bloodline hidden within my body."

"That's all you, Senior Martial Brother Song. Congratulations."

Lu Chen steadied himself, exhaustion still written on his face, and rose to his feet. He cupped his hands respectfully. "Senior Martial Brother Song, what exactly is your bloodline? I never noticed it before."

"My bloodline?" Song Ping thought for a moment, then pointed at the reforged spear. "I believe it's the Frost Dragon bloodline."

"I once heard from my father that our ancestor followed the Ice River Emperor in his campaigns across the Northern Region. During that time, he was granted the Frost Dragon bloodline. By the time it reached my generation, it had all but disappeared."

He then took out a small vial. "But now, thanks to these beads, I've essentially been granted the Frost Dragon bloodline anew."

"Granted a bloodline?" Lu Chen exchanged a glance with Wind Dragon before asking, "I thought bloodlines could only be inherited through family. I didn't know they could be bestowed."

At that, Song Ping lowered his voice. "There's a hidden truth behind this. I only heard bits of it from the family elders. Few still remember it now."

He sat back on the wicker chair and recounted the tale to Lu Chen through voice transmission.

"The Ice River Emperor had once been the eldest son of a noble clan in the Northern Region. Benevolent and virtuous, he was a leader among his peers. But when the time came to contend for the position of patriarch, his own brothers betrayed him. They drained him of blood, left him a corpse, and threw his body into an icy mountain ravine.

"No one knew that beneath the ravine flowed an ice river. It was later discovered that the river had formed during the beast wars of the previous era and was saturated with the blood, bones, severed limbs, and inner cores of countless beasts. Though perilous, it became the crucible of the Ice River Emperor's rebirth.

"He remained immersed in the river for three centuries. Slowly, his withered body restored itself, his missing blood replaced by the icy river waters.

"On a night of thunder, the Ice River Emperor awoke.

"Climbing from the river with great effort, he found that his body had fused with the bloodlines of demonic beasts, transforming him into a half-human, half-monster entity.

"His strength fully returned, and he broke through to the Heaven Core Realm, becoming an Emperor. With his new body, he could even command a portion of the power of beasts.

"The Ice River Emperor lingered by the river for more than a millennium, researching his power and cultivating to steady his realm. In time, he created a secret art that allowed ordinary cultivators to replace their blood and acquire the bloodline powers of demonic beasts.

"Once he awakened, he returned from the icy ravine with this art and went on to dominate the Northern Region.

"But his benevolence did not last. The Ice River Emperor massacred countless cultivators in his pursuit of power, even turning his own family and subordinates into test subjects for his twisted experiments. Some claimed that during his time in the icy ravine, his mind had been eroded by the beasts, and everything he did was part of a grand scheme laid by the Beast Emperor.

"His experiments became increasingly deranged, forcing the newly risen Emperors to unite against him. After a climactic battle, the surviving Emperors, scarred from the fight, reappeared in the Northern Region. They destroyed all his research and declared his bloodline-conversion art forbidden. From then on, the icy ravine became a taboo place.

"Legends claimed the Ice River Emperor had not been slain, but sealed within the icy ravine, fated to return one day with demonic beast armies at his side.

"As time passed, other Emperors ascended to the Outside, and the era changed. The Ice River Emperor never reappeared, and his secret arts faded from memory."

"The Ice River Emperor?" Lu Chen asked, having never heard of that figure before.

Lu Chen immediately poked Wind Dragon. "

Have you heard of him? Looks like this explains why Senior Martial Brother Song carries that demonic beast's bloodline.

"

Wind Dragon shook his head. "

No. But the battlefield between humans and beasts in the Northern Region... we were the ones who caused it back then. After we were sealed in the secret realm, human cultivators must have emerged on the continent.

"

He glanced at Lu Chen and nodded. "

That would explain the demonic beast's essence within him.

"

"By the way, Brother Lu, take a look at my reforged weapon. I even gave it a new name—Rebirth."

Song Ping looked around at the surroundings and gently caressed the spear. It transformed into a Frost Dragon.

"This is the lord's clan's unique spirit transmutation technique. It strengthens a weapon's consciousness, allowing it to shift freely between a sentient form and its weapon form."

Lu Chen stared at the Frost Dragon and nodded. "An impressive spear indeed. With your bloodline, its power will be enhanced even further."

"

Haha,

Brother Lu, you flatter me. But you're not one to look down upon. With cultivation only at the first level of Qi Regulation Realm, you could already suppress someone at level one of Qi Condensation Realm."

Song Ping now regarded Lu Chen with genuine admiration, praising him repeatedly. "Brother Lu, I believe you'll lead the junior disciples of the Serene Void Academy and rise as the foremost among the six academies."

"Senior Martial Brother Song, you give me too much credit. Had you fought fully consciously, you could have easily defeated me."

Lu Chen caught sight of the elder in the distance, overseeing disciples as they rearranged tables and chairs. He asked, "So, the arena match has ended?"

"Yes, the Martial Merit Platform match has concluded."

Song Ping looked around. "Once the lord finishes his speech, the banquet will resume. Then we'll drink until we've had our fill."

Lu Chen glanced at the spoils of war and said with delight, "

Hahaha

, we won't stop until we're completely drunk. Everything promised to Little Jian has been won back."

"

Hahaha

, every single piece of loot tonight belongs entirely to you, Brother Lu."

Song Ping sat back in the wicker chair and let out a hearty laugh. "You're the first in Heavenly Mandate Hall's history to claim all the spoils from the Martial Merit Platform."

Lu Chen laughed with him, "

Hahaha.

"

He looked around and asked, "Where's Little Jian? Strange that he hasn't shown up yet. With his personality, he should've jumped out by now, demanding his share of the loot, right?"

Lu Chen scanned the area and didn't see Nantian Yijian anywhere. He quickly turned to Nantian Wan'er. "Wan'er, where's Little Jian? Didn't I just see him come over?"

"Brother Yijian? The barrier knocked him away earlier. He's resting over there."

Nantian Wan'er pointed toward a table, but it was buried under broken wood and debris, and Nantian Yijian was nowhere in sight.

"

Huh?

How could he be gone? He was clearly leaning right there."

Wan'er's expression grew frantic as tears welled in her eyes. "He was just there... how did it all turn into rubble?"

"Don't worry, Wan'er. We're all friends here. Little Jian's the type to slack off. He's probably hiding somewhere drinking."

Lu Chen paid little mind and continued watching the disciples clean up, tossing planks onto the ruins.

Song Ping suggested, "Could it be that Little Brother Yijian got buried under the wood? It's happened before. Little Brother Yijian gets drunk, collapses on the rubble, and the juniors tidying up don't notice. They end up burying him."

Lu Chen turned toward the heap of ruins beside the arena. The damaged planks from the cabin had been thrown on top of each other by the disciples tasked with cleaning. They kept getting stacked higher and higher, and were now over three meters high.

"Is that so? Let me have a look."

Lu Chen extended his spiritual sense beneath the pile of debris and finally located Nantian Yijian. "Wan'er, I've found him. He's under the planks."

He patted Nantian Wan'er's head and pointed toward a corner of the heap. "Look, isn't that Little Jian's guqin?"

Nantian Wan'er replied, "It is! I didn't even notice it before."

Her sobs turned into a trembling smile. "You scared me! I thought something terrible had happened."

"

Hahaha,

relax. We're all friends here. Nothing bad could happen."

"Let me get him out first."

With that, Lu Chen summoned a branch of the Green Sovereign Divine Tree. It lifted a plank aside, revealing Nantian Yijian's head beneath.

Startled by the sudden light, Nantian Yijian stirred awake. "

Huh?

Who's there?"

He tried to shield his eyes but quickly realized he couldn't move. "What? Why can't I get up?"

He looked down at the pile pressing on him. "Where am I? Why am I buried under these planks?"

When he noticed the crowd watching him, he stiffened and blurted out, "Don't tell me... I was buried again?"

A nearby disciple scratched his head and nodded. "Looks that way."

The cabin erupted in laughter.

"What are you laughing at!? Whoever buried me! Come out right now!"

The scene grew awkward as he raged beneath the debris, flailing and glaring like Sun Wukong trapped under the Five Finger Mountain.[2]

"This is too much! I've lost track of how many times it has happened! Every time I pass out, someone buries me. All I did was play the guqin a few times! How is that a crime?"

Nantian Yijian turned his head to the right and noticed Lu Chen near the round table. His curses stopped at once, giving way to desperate wails. "Boss, save me! I swear I don't even know who buried me this time!"

1. Referring to the red fire lightning ☜

2. Sun Wukong is the legendary Monkey King from Chinese mythology. Born with incredible strength and magical powers, he defied heaven itself, causing chaos across the celestial realms. As punishment, the Buddha trapped him beneath the Five Finger Mountain, pressing his hand down so Sun Wukong could not escape. Enraged and frustrated, he remained imprisoned for centuries, his immense power rendered useless, until he was eventually released to fulfill a greater destiny. ☜