Chapter 3: The Great Blood-Refining Sorcerer

The strange movement in the Blood Pool made everyone in the huge Mu Manor very nervous, but no matter how much they checked, they could not find out what was happening.

The Blood Pool contained massive power. The stronger you were, the more dangerous it became if you dived in. Even the powerful Elder of Inheritance did not dare to dive to the bottom to check. Many years ago, a master from the clan at the True Human Realm risked diving in. Except for a few bubbles, he never came back. His whole body turned into a pool of blood.

Luckily, the strange movement in the Blood Pool quickly calmed down, so people were not as scared anymore. Strangely, there used to be some waves from time to time, but now it was completely calm without a single ripple. This made everyone very puzzled.

Although the strange phenomenon in the Blood Pool stopped, the rumors it brought did not go away.

Some people said that Mu Manor was built on a volcano and they needed to move quickly. Some said this was a sign that Mu Manor would face a great disaster, and the world would fall into chaos, so they must prepare in advance. There were even people who said that this disaster was brought by Mu Feng and his mother, the sinners, and they must be driven out as soon as possible.

While rumors spread in Mu Manor, Mu Feng went to the Back Mountain under the excuse of picking herbs. He practiced quietly alone on the mountain.

After swallowing the Blood Pearl, no phantom image appeared behind him like it did for other clan members. So, he was not qualified to enter the Scripture Library to find a suitable cultivation technique. However, when he sat still and focused during silent nights, he could feel a faint tingling and itching sensation all over his body. That was the feeling of his meridians repairing and unblocking, and his bloodline purifying. His body gradually became stronger, and he even ate more than usual!

The Blood Pearl inside his body kept slowly rotating in his dantian. With each rotation, it released a stream of pure power, nourishing his body like sweet spring water and repairing his meridians.

“Seize the creation of Heaven and Earth, refine the essence of blood…”

Mu Feng muttered to himself. As he sat quietly and focused, a mysterious cultivation method appeared in his mind.

Ancient Witchcraft, the first stage of the Blood Refining Art—Blood Coagulation!

According to the unfamiliar memories in his mind, this was an innate ability of an Ancient Primordial Witch named Zhu Youxuan. It could condense an enemy’s blood, or even their corpse, into a Blood Pearl. Then, he could obtain the enemy’s secrets, power, and innate abilities, and even control their life and soul. When cultivated to its peak, wherever he passed, the land would turn barren, and with a wave of his hand, the whole world could become a Blood Sea. The Blood Pearl he swallowed was actually a drop of Ancestral Sorcerer’s Essence Blood from the Ancient Primordial Witch Zhu Youxuan!

Ancestral Sorcerer’s Essence Blood from an Ancient Primordial Witch?

Mu Feng snapped out of his shock and felt lucky.

Forget about the power of the Blood Pool itself; just the ancient Altar Platform underwater had unimaginable power. The stronger you were, the greater the resistance and attacks you faced. Luckily, his meridians were damaged, and he had not a trace of Spiritual Power in his body. That was how he managed to sneak down. Who would have thought that an ordinary person who couldn’t cultivate at all could pass through freely in a Blood Pool where even a True Human Realm master couldn’t dive?

When heaven closes one door, it quietly opens another.

In the long journey of life, everyone encounters various opportunities. Whether you can seize them depends on yourself!

Unconsciously, Mu Feng gained a bit more understanding and insight into the so-called Dao.

Squeak…

Seeing Mu Feng sitting motionless on the ground for a long time, a wild rabbit curiously approached, cautiously and slowly.

As it came closer, looking a bit silly, Mu Feng suddenly had an idea.

Holding his breath, he patiently waited for the rabbit to come near. When it was off guard, he suddenly picked up a stone and threw it. Although he was prepared, his aim was still off. He meant to hit its head, but only injured the little rabbit’s hind leg. He chased it breathlessly for a while before finally catching the unlucky little rabbit.

Killing a small rabbit was so difficult; indeed, a scholar was useless in practical matters!

Mu Feng shook his head and smiled bitterly. Standing beside the little rabbit’s corpse, he calmed his mind and carefully recalled the cultivation method of the Blood Refining Art.

Hah…

After a long time, he suddenly let out a loud shout. Unfortunately, the little rabbit in front of him showed no reaction. Not only was there no condensed Blood Pearl, but not even a single hair fell off!

“Huh, what exactly is the problem?”

Mu Feng frowned and carefully checked every detail. He repositioned the rabbit’s body and shouted again toward its wound, but still nothing happened. After stubbornly trying dozens of times, the rabbit’s blood almost dried up, yet there was still no reaction. His own throat, however, was so dry it felt like it was smoking. If this continued, he might die of thirst before even mastering the Blood Refining Art, becoming the first Great Sorcerer in history to die of thirst while practicing!

Hah…

With a hoarse voice, Mu Feng shouted once more, determined not to give up until he succeeded.

Seeing the rabbit’s corpse still unmoving, he thought he had failed again and was about to try once more when a faint, delicate fragrance reached his nose. Squatting down, he found a Blood Pearl as small as a grain of rice at the rabbit’s wound. He picked it up, examined it, then bravely swallowed it.

It was fragrant and moist, melting in his mouth and turning into a cool stream that seeped into his limbs and bones, nourishing his damaged meridians…

Mu Feng closed his eyes and carefully sensed the taste of the Blood Pearl. There was no expected bloody taste; instead, it had a light, delicate fragrance. After swallowing it, his spirits lifted; all fatigue and thirst disappeared. He faintly felt his muscles, bones, and meridians subtly strengthening.

The Blood Refining Art!

Ancient Witchcraft was truly mystical and profound!

Delighted by the profundity of witchcraft, Mu Feng saw hope of repairing his meridians and cultivating like everyone else. He placed the herbs in his bamboo basket and began to focus on hunting and practicing, targeting small animals like rabbits and squirrels. Slowly, his success rate increased, and he condensed more and more Blood Pearls. He swallowed some on the spot and carefully hid the rest close to his body.

To him, these Blood Pearls he refined himself were the best pills—ones that money couldn’t buy!

Late at night, after a tiring day outside helping others sew and wash clothes, Situ Qing finally returned home, completely exhausted. On the stove, a pot of corn porridge was kept warm, and beside it, a small stove was brewing herbal medicine. Mu Feng was still reading by lamplight in the side room. Picking up the carrying pole, she was about to go fetch water but unexpectedly found the water vat already full.

Because of his damaged meridians, Mu Feng had been weak and sickly since childhood and could not do heavy work. Even if he managed to bring water home, he could not lift it. Usually, Situ Qing fetched the water herself. Seeing the full vat, her first thought was to worry if Mu Feng had strained his muscles or fallen. Peeking through the window, she saw Mu Feng safe and sound, engrossed in reading under the lamp, and she quietly sighed in relief.

“Mu Yuan, do you see? Your son has finally grown up!”

Situ Qing turned away, tears filling her eyes.

There was one thing she had always kept from Mu Feng. His meridians were not damaged from a childhood illness but from a severe palm strike by an enemy on the night his father was killed. Over the years, she was just happy that Mu Feng had managed to stay alive.

“Studying literature to understand principles, practicing martial arts to strengthen the body—Mother, I will not let you down!”

After his mother fell asleep, Mu Feng gently blew out the oil lamp, put down the “Analects” he was holding, and sat cross-legged on the floor to practice. Forming a mysterious Sorcerer Seal with his hands, soon, wisps of pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy seeped into his body, forming an increasingly large energy vortex above the side room.

Ancient Witchcraft—Spirit Gathering!

Using the blood energy within his body as the foundation and his Life Soul as the guide, he absorbed the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy floating in the air.

Under the hazy moonlight, Mu Feng calmly practiced the second Ancient Witchcraft. A faint, elegantly written character for “Sorcerer” appeared between his eyebrows. In the stillness of the night, no one noticed that within a hundred steps centered on his side room, all insects and birds hid in fear, not daring to make a sound.