The journey back to the cave this time was different. Wei Shen had just tasted blood of another kind, the blood of cultivators of his own race, from his old sect. The leather waterskin on his back had grown heavier, not just with the weight of the blood, but with the weight of the dark secrets it contained.
He moved through the "Forest of Lost Souls" with a speed and confidence exceeding any time before. The sixth level of Qi Condensation granted him greater control over his body and over the "Blood Qi" that circulated within him like a cold, lethal current. His senses were acute, picking up the faintest sounds and scents, and his cold eyes constantly scanned his surroundings, searching not so much for danger as for any other opportunity that might arise.
"Three souls… three sources of refined vital essence," Wei Shen thought, recalling the short, brutal confrontation with the sect disciples. "The fifth-level blood was clearly different, denser and more vital than the blood of first or second-level beasts. Even the blood of the fourth-level disciples carried a more concentrated 'Qi' than ordinary animals. The 'Blood-Devouring Stone'… will be pleased with this varied feast."
There was no trace of remorse or even hesitation in his thoughts. He had made his decision long ago: power was the only truth in this world, and any means to achieve it was justified. These disciples were merely obstacles, or at best, exploitable resources.
When he finally reached the familiar entrance of his cave, he performed his usual quick scan of the surroundings, then slipped inside, into the darkness and relative safety. The old smell of blood and damp earth still filled the place, but it now mingled with a new scent, the scent of the human blood he carried.
He placed the heavy waterskin of blood before the "Blood-Devouring Stone," which rested in the wall like a silent black heart. Then he took out the small "storage bag" he had taken from the fifth-level disciple. It didn't contain many valuables – a few low-grade spirit stones, some ordinary healing pills, and a small booklet containing some basic sword techniques of the "Fallen Leaf Sect." Wei Shen looked at the booklet with contempt, then tossed it aside. "Techniques full of loopholes, relying on flashy moves more than lethal effectiveness. No wonder they were easy prey."
Now, it was time for the true feast.
He gripped the waterskin and began to slowly pour its contents onto the smooth surface of the "Blood-Devouring Stone."
The moment this Qi-infused human blood touched the stone, a reaction erupted that Wei Shen had never witnessed before, not even with the blood of the sixth-level "Rock Thunder Beast."
It wasn't just a crimson-red glow; the light this time was deeper, and more… vibrant, as if carrying a glimmer of consciousness. The stone trembled violently, not the mechanical vibration he was used to, but more like the pulse of a giant heart awakening from a deep slumber. The hum that used to emanate from the stone now became a faint whisper, a collection of indistinguishable, overlapping sounds, yet carrying a sense of satisfaction, of a hunger being sated, and perhaps… appreciation for this new type of offering.
A wave of energy, richer and more complex than any energy he had ever felt before, surged from the stone. It still carried the cold, aggressive nature of "Blood Qi," but there was something additional, something like an echo of the devoured human souls, a touch of their consciousness, of their refined spiritual energy.
"Echoes of their souls…" Wei Shen thought as he watched the stone greedily devour the blood. "Interesting. Does the stone absorb more than just blood and Qi? Does it extract a part of the soul itself?"
This idea, instead of frightening him, piqued his cold curiosity. If so, the stone's potential was limitless.
When the stone had finished absorbing every drop of blood, Wei Shen immediately sat in a meditative posture. He knew that this new energy, saturated with the essence of three human cultivators, would be different.
He began to draw that immense, complex energy into his body.
The process still required absolute concentration and an iron will. The energy was potent and carried with it those faint spiritual echoes that tried to confuse or distract him. But Wei Shen, thanks to his solid foundation at the sixth level of Qi Condensation, and thanks to his mind, honed like a razor's edge, managed to control this new current with greater skill than ever before.
He felt his "Blood Qi" mingling with this new energy, absorbing it, changing. It was no longer just savage power; it now carried with it a touch of cunning, of complexity, of consciousness. And that subtle venomous trace he had acquired from the "Poisonous Sand Scorpion" seemed to deepen, becoming more insidious, and more capable of penetrating an opponent's defenses.
He wasn't aiming to break through to a new level in this session. He knew that jumping from the sixth to the seventh level required a much larger quantity of energy, or perhaps a different quality. His goal now was to consolidate his foundation at the sixth level, push it to its absolute peak, and explore the new possibilities this "human essence" had offered him.
He continued to cultivate for long hours, immersed in the process of refinement and integration. Each cycle of the new "Blood Qi" made his body stronger, his senses sharper, and his understanding of his dark path deeper.
When the "Blood-Devouring Stone's" glow finally began to fade, signaling that the feast of the "Fallen Leaves'" blood was over, Wei Shen stopped cultivating. He felt a deep exhaustion, but it was an exhaustion accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of power and control.
He had reached the peak of the sixth level of Qi Condensation. He could feel the barrier of the seventh level, that invisible wall separating him from a new stage of power, but he knew this offering, despite its quality, hadn't been enough to shatter it.
"Peak of the sixth level," he whispered, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Another important step completed. The seventh level requires an offering… larger and more powerful."
But this wasn't the only gain from this session. He sensed that the "Blood-Devouring Stone," after tasting this new type of essence, had granted him something else. It wasn't a new technique, but… a new innate ability was beginning to form in his consciousness, and in his "Blood Qi."
He was now able to sense the "life auras" of other human cultivators much more clearly and accurately than before, even at greater distances. It was no longer just a guess of their power level; it had become more like a faint vision of the nature of their Qi, and its density.
"Useful… very useful," Wei Shen thought, his eyes gleaming with a predatory glint. "This new ability will make the 'harvesting' process more efficient… and less random."
"I will begin to prune the 'Fallen Leaves' in earnest, leaf by leaf."