A part of the Cosmic Asura Hydra's Body Cultivation appeared within Shen Liqian's sea of consciousness.
It was related to Blood Qi.
He followed its manual, desiring to assimilate with the bloodline drop.
Given Zhiyin's reaction, this had to be a bloodline of the Cosmic Asura Hydra itself.
In the manual, Shen Liqian saw a primitive method to cultivate that bloodline, just as Zhiyin had mentioned.
But now that he had a potent bloodline drop before him, he could absorb it and establish an even better foundation for his Body Cultivation!
The rainbow-colored bloodline reacted to him, slowly floating toward his closed eyes.
He steadied his breathing and refused to flinch.
Something within Shen Liqian told him to open his eyes.
It was then that the bloodline slipped into his eye socket and burned.
BANG!
His eyeball burst into blood, spraying outward from Shen Liqian.
White fire chewed through his sight.
He instinctively wanted to raise his hand and cover his face, but Zhiyin's paw stopped him, her stare holding him in place.
I… I must focus!
Grit my teeth through it!
No one said that cultivation is only comfortable and pleasant!
Not here at the bottom of those mountains!
As blood trickled down his face, Shen Liqian closed his remaining eye and focused on the blood boiling within his skull.
Following the Cultivation Method, he guided it through his Meridians to spread across his body.
It was difficult since he couldn't just follow the Qi veins within him.
He had to flood his blood vessels, too.
Each time it reached a new Meridian, that spot erupted in a bloody fountain, flesh scattering across the room.
Shen Liqian sat still, gritting his teeth as his tears and blood mixed together on his face, his jaw chattering.
He hadn't let out a scream yet.
Then the Meridian at his heart erupted, and his heart exploded with it.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"
Time broke into jagged beats between heart and hurt.
Am I dying?!
Shen Liqian fell forward, a gaping hole leaking blood and allowing anyone to see through him.
Literally.
He had no heart at that moment, yet cold sweat ran down his spine.
None of that could overshadow the pain throbbing throughout him.
He stared at his hands pressing on the cold floor where his blood pooled and boiled.
No… I need a new heart to circulate the blood of the Cosmic Asura Hydra!
I don't know how I will create a new heart, but I must follow the Cultivation Method!
If I don't, I will die.
I can't die!
Shaking, Shen Liqian slowly straightened and closed his eye.
Although the drop of bloodline went through other important Meridians, the heart Meridian was the most crucial part of Blood Cultivation.
Therefore, his heart simply exploded.
As Shen Liqian focused, the rainbow bloodline seeped from the flesh of his gaping chest wound and formed a new heart.
Each expansion drove Shen Liqian's mind toward madness, as if someone were forcefully pulling on his heart.
This became his new heart.
Each thud was heavy and strange, but it was his.
As it started pumping new blood within him, the old, human one needed to be expelled…
Shen Liqian's seven orifices and pores burst with blood.
He vomited more than a mouthful of blood.
His wounds then miraculously began to heal.
His empty eye socket suddenly filled with a new eyeball.
Shen Liqian's eyes shone with determination to endure this process.
This is the cost of rapid progression and the path to the top of the world.
Zhiyin stared at him without blinking.
Concern flickered in her crimson eyes, but once Shen Liqian showed his determination and steadily mended his wounds, she nodded with pride.
It was a pride that had nothing to do with her own.
Something she could never display as an Empress.
———
Shen Yiren and Shen Jixian heard the sounds from Shen Liqian's room.
Both stopped cultivating at once and rushed to Shen Liqian's room.
The smell of blood and rotten flesh prickled their noses.
Shen Yiren rushed in first and barged into Shen Liqian's room, only to widen his only eye in shock, clutch his spear's handle tighter, and freeze.
Shen Yiren's grip tightened until the spear shaft creaked.
Blood was everywhere in Shen Liqian's room.
It dripped from the ceiling, splashed on the walls, and littered the floor.
In the middle of that bloody mess stood Shen Liqian, propping himself up on his sword.
Slowly turning to look over his shoulder, he stared at his vassals with delight!
Chills ran down their spines.
What kind of price did he pay to evolve?
For a moment, Shen Yiren felt he was staring into a beast's eyes.
The two couldn't comprehend what could have possibly happened there.
In their small clan, no one had ever purified their Meridians, let alone expelled any flawed blood in such a gruesome way.
Shen Liqian smiled.
"This is Body Cultivation.
"I went for a method that is not so simple and easy, but it's worth it.
"I will find a perfect cultivation path for you down the line.
"Help me clean this mess before my parents notice."
The duo nodded and went to pick up wet rags.
Meanwhile, Shen Liqian looked at his own status.
[Shen Liqian]
[Age: 18]
[Cultivation: First Stage Of Qi Attunement]
[Cultivation Method: Sword Claw Cultivation Manual(Mortal), Cosmic Asura Hydra's Twelve-headed and Twelve-Handed Body Cultivation(Transcendent).]
[Spiritual Roots: 1]
Transcendent…
A quiet certainty settled where fear had been.
Shen Liqian narrowed his eyes.
I can't stop at the mere Qi Attunement Realm now, can I?
I want to pursue the pinnacle of this cultivation path!
A clear goal nestled in Shen Liqian's bestial heart.
"Zhiyin," Shen Liqian said.
Zhiyin walked over to his side.
"Watch me."
Trust anchored him as darkness pressed in.
He fainted after saying this.
Zhiyin smiled.
"Always."