Chapter 1149: Seizing the Holy Blood

Inside the Blood River, the female Saint was already decapitated, though there was no visible sign on her neck. Jian Guhong's sword had moved so swiftly that the separation was imperceptible from the outside. Even so, the aura emanating from her body instantly escalated to an extremely dangerous level. She felt like a balloon stretched to its limit, poised to explode at any moment. The Blood Explosion Art, despite her death, continued to be sustained.

Wuchang could retreat, and so could Jian Guhong, but Lu Ye had no escape. The Blood River had not yet been withdrawn, leaving him no place to retreat. Faced with this crisis, he frantically channeled the Blood River's power, compressing it towards the enemy's position. With a deafening boom, a violent surge of power erupted. The female Saint disintegrated into a cloud of blood mist, scattering in all directions. Blood waves churned ceaselessly at the epicenter, and the devastating aftershocks spread rapidly. This was the outcome of Lu Ye's suppression using the Blood River; without it, the self-detonation's power would have been far more terrifying.

Outside the Blood River, Jian Guhong and the other two watched the twisting, turbulent currents, clearly sensing the female Saint's aura dissipate. They couldn't help but sigh; killing a Saint was an incredibly difficult feat. Furthermore, if Lu Ye hadn't intervened and used the Blood River to restrict some of the enemy's abilities, it's doubtful they could have slain her; it would likely have ended in failure. For instance, if she had managed to cast the Blood Escape Art, only Jian Guhong among the three present would have been capable of pursuit, leaving Wuchang and Wei Fufeng in the dust. In contrast, Feng Wujiang, who once single-handedly killed a Saint, was indeed significantly stronger than them.

Without much celebration, Wuchang nervously watched the churning, undulating Blood River and called out, "Lu Ye, kid, are you still alive?" It was certain Lu Ye hadn't died, as his aura and the Blood River persisted. However, Wuchang was unsure if Lu Ye had been injured by the enemy's self-detonation, and if so, the extent of his wounds.

Soon, Lu Ye's voice emerged from within the Blood River: "I'm unharmed. Esteemed seniors, please guard me for a moment." With the enemy slain, he needed to find a way to retract his Blood River. Normally, this wouldn't be difficult; what could be unleashed could naturally be recalled. However, this Blood River was currently impure, a product of his fusion with the female Saint. Lu Ye needed to either refine or separate out all parts that did not belong to him. This task was not difficult for him.

To his pleasant surprise, after the female Blood Race member self-detonated, a single drop of golden blood remained where she had been. A distinctive aura emanated from the golden blood; it was unmistakably a drop of Saint Blood. Furthermore, this drop of Saint Blood was several times larger than the one Lu Ye had previously acquired. The Saint Blood the female Saint possessed was in two parts: one unrefined portion that had mixed into the Blood River as golden streaks when she activated it. However, Lu Ye had already absorbed and refined most of this portion using his Talent Tree's power. This unrefined portion was only a tiny fraction of the Saint Blood the female Saint had possessed; the majority was fully refined and integrated into her own bloodline. This was the drop of Saint Blood Lu Ye now observed.

He had not anticipated that upon a Saint's death, their refined Saint Blood would persist rather than vanishing with them. This substantial drop of Saint Blood was far greater in quantity than what Lu Ye had previously acquired. He realized that the disparity in the amount of Saint Blood possessed was precisely what created a hierarchy among bloodlines, enabling the female Saint to exert bloodline suppression over him. If he were truly a Blood Race member, even a Saint, he likely would have had little power to retaliate against her. Yet, he was human, so the bloodline suppression only manifested in blood arts. In other words, if Lu Ye didn't use blood arts, the bloodline suppression had no effect on him. This was also why he hadn't perceived it earlier. However, when he did use blood arts, the sensation was very clear.

This implied a hidden hierarchy among Saints, a fact unknown to humanity. It was a secret among Saints, one that no one would casually reveal. Even after years of conflict between the human powerhouses of Jade Blood Holy Land and the Blood Race, no one had ever discovered it. If this was true, then obtaining sufficient Saint Blood could potentially suppress all Saints. Lu Ye suddenly realized he had stumbled upon something extraordinary.

A moment later, the Blood River retracted, and Lu Ye absorbed the large drop of Saint Blood into his body. The energy within was too immense for quick refinement, so he decided to store it and process it gradually later. Once this drop of Saint Blood was fully refined, Lu Ye believed he wouldn't be as disadvantaged the next time he encountered a Saint. At the very least, when it came to blood arts, few Saints should be able to suppress him. Saint Blood was not easily acquired; the deceased female Saint's possession of it must have been due to exceptional fortune.

Flashing back, Wuchang said cheerfully, "Good kid, if it weren't for you this time, the three of us would likely have returned empty-handed. But tell me, how can you use the Blood Race's blood arts?" Honestly, when Lu Ye activated the Blood River, Wuchang was startled, initially thinking another powerful Blood Race member had invaded the battlefield. Discovering it was Lu Ye left him genuinely perplexed. However, the battle was too intense at the time to ask questions.

Lu Ye truthfully replied, "While cultivating in the sea of blood near Saint Island last time, I fortuitously refined a drop of Saint Blood, thereby acquiring the Blood Race's bloodline inheritance, which enables me to use blood arts." Jian Guhong and the others had no knowledge of Saint Blood, having never heard of it before, but Lu Ye's explanation allowed them to grasp the concept. "So humans can also refine Saint Blood?" Wuchang murmured in surprise, a hint of temptation in his voice. At their current cultivation level, further advancement was impossible, making them highly interested in unique powers beyond their own cultivation system. As the saying goes, "the stones of other hills may serve to polish the jade of this one"; perhaps they could find a path to higher realms through unconventional means.

"Humans can refine it, but I advise you all not to attempt it rashly," Lu Ye warned. "Refining Saint Blood transforms one into a Blood Race member. I once knew a human woman who, after refining Saint Blood, became a Saint among the Blood Race." "Then how are you unaffected, kid?" Wuchang asked, puzzled. Lu Ye explained, "I possess a method to neutralize some of the sinister properties within Saint Blood, allowing me to retain my human form." He didn't elaborate, and Wuchang didn't press for details. He simply nodded in understanding, abandoning the thought of seeking Saint Blood for refinement. While he yearned to pursue higher realms and cultivation, losing his human identity and becoming a Blood Race member in the process was unacceptable.

"Esteemed seniors, with this matter concluded, I must continue my journey." The half-month delay to slay a Saint proved quite worthwhile. Among other benefits, Lu Ye now understood some of the Saints' secrets and, through this discovery, had found a method to swiftly eliminate them, which should prove helpful for the future situation. In the Blood Refining Realm, the Saints were the most formidable challenge. Although not numerous, they were still considerable across the vast domain. Even individuals like Jian Guhong had no hope of slaying one in a one-on-one battle, and even if several joined forces, success was not guaranteed. The racial conflict between humanity and the Blood Race in the Blood Refining Realm could not truly end in victory until the Saints were eradicated. If not for his mission to place the Heavenly Secret Pillars, Lu Ye would immediately delve deep into the underground Blood River in search of more Saint Blood. However, since he had to place the Heavenly Secret Pillars to ensure the future entry of the Kyushu cultivators' army into the Blood Refining Realm, this endeavor would have to be temporarily postponed. It would be soon enough to pursue it once the pillars were in place, provided he still had time.

"Senior Wuchang, I'll entrust those Heavenly Secret Pillars to you," Lu Ye said, turning to him. Wuchang grinned. "Don't worry, they'll be properly placed." "Then, I shall take my leave first."

Lu Ye departed, taking Lu Chang, who was nearby, with him as they continued northward. As he departed, Wuchang quickly vanished. Jian Guhong and Wei Fufeng left together. In a flash, the once-lively blood pool became deserted, with not a single trace of the intense battle remaining. This was because the entire conflict had occurred within the Blood River, so no one would ever know that a Blood Race Saint had been slain at this very spot.

With Wuchang taking half of the Heavenly Secret Pillars, the time constraint was significantly eased. Furthermore, Lu Ye no longer needed to follow a circuitous route to place the Heavenly Secret Pillars. He could now travel directly northward, significantly reducing his travel time. While on his journey, Lu Ye also began refining the drop of Saint Blood he had absorbed. He noticed that as the refining progressed, his comprehension of blood arts deepened, and his own strength saw a slight improvement. This was natural, as Saint Blood contained an immense amount of energy, and its refinement naturally bolstered Lu Ye's foundation. Beyond that, there seemed to be no other specific benefits. However, this was from a human perspective. From the Blood Race's viewpoint, it was different; the mere elevation of one's bloodline was enough to make Saints flock to it. Lu Ye vaguely understood something: why the number of Saints in the Blood Refining Realm was not large. Logically, even if Saints were difficult to be born, the Blood Refining Realm had existed for countless years. With such prolonged accumulation, their numbers should certainly have grown. Yet, in reality, the total number of Saints in the entire Blood Refining Realm likely did not exceed one hundred. It was highly probable that ongoing conflicts among Saints led to lower-bloodline Saints being killed and their Saint Blood plundered by those with higher bloodlines.