"Well fought!"
The moment Ada leaped into the fray, Zhou Tieyi let out a low shout. With a sparring partner now engaged, his punches grew increasingly fierce.
"Young Master, calm your mind! I am not your enemy!" Ada grunted, blocking Zhou Tieyi’s violent strikes while trying to stir him back to his senses.
Zhou Tieyi, however, knew his own situation best. Despite his Qi and Blood currently spinning out of control—verging on self-destruction—the Divine Seed within him sensed the "crisis." It was being "tricked" into continuously pouring out divine power, repairing his body to ensure its host vessel did not completely break down.
He hadn’t been reading books for nothing these past few days. While records of the Supreme Lord of the Sea of Blood were sparse, the key information was clear: "Manifest in ten thousand forms!"
Combining this with the characteristics of the Divine Seed he had observed, a theory emerged. The Divine Seed was a parasitic lifeform with a primitive self-awareness. When it reached a certain stage of growth, the Supreme Lord of the Sea of Blood could use the host to be reborn, hence the ability to manifest in thousands of bodies.
His own body was far from mature—not even at the Ninth Rank—which was why the Divine Seed was feeding back its energy into him, much like a shepherd fattening a lamb.
The current situation was exactly the proof he needed!
"I’ve got you!"
*Divine Ability: Usurp Divinity!*
When the Divine Seed was first planted, the Supreme Lord of the Sea of Blood’s power had tried to invade Zhou Tieyi’s mind, only to be neutralized into nothingness. At the time, Zhou Tieyi had been ignorant of why. But after the sacrifice performed by the Great Shaman of the Minotaur tribe, which had allowed him to usurp a portion of the Xishan Mountain Lord’s authority, he realized this was his own "golden finger," or rather, a natural divine ability.
However, he was weak; exerting *Usurp Divinity* was no simple task. During that sacrifice, the Shaman had killed a tiger cub, and the cub’s divine power had been channeled into him through its blood. The Divine Seed, though tucked away in his stomach, usually remained curled up, feeding off him instead. Only when the Divine Seed actively channeled power into him was the perfect moment for *Usurp Divinity*!
This moment was exactly like that moment!
The divine ability churned, and the divine authority shifted.
*Blood God Child.*
The Supreme Lord of the Sea of Blood held dominion over the Flesh and Blood of all living things, splitting into thousands to manipulate all creation.
***
The Sea of Blood lay to the northeast of Daxia, bordering the Northern Sea and stretching for ten thousand miles. Its waters were treacherous, but worst of all, the water of the Sea of Blood could erode one’s mind. The creatures within were bloodthirsty and cruel, blocking ships from passing. Together with the Sea of Thunder in the southwest, it completely sealed off the main maritime trade routes of Daxia.
At the junction of the Northern Sea and the Sea of Blood lay a small island shaped like a green lotus. On it stood a temple called Qinglian Temple, one of the four great sacred sites of Buddhism.
"It’s raining."
The old monk looked up at the sky. The once clear, azure expanse was suddenly shrouded by a mass of ink-black clouds. In just two or three breaths, the clouds hung low, darkening the world, and then a bleak, torrential rain began to fall—the color of blood.
The young monk following behind him looked up. Given the unpredictable weather here, was rain not normal? Still, it surprised him that his master, who had practiced the vow of silence for ten years, had finally spoken.
"Is the Master worried about the matter of the Blood God?" the young monk asked solemnly, hands pressed together.
The old monk continued to look at the sky without answering. After a moment, he said, "It is of no consequence."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a nine-colored rainbow, like a massive pair of shears, sliced through the curtain of rain. One end vanished into the horizon, while the other landed on the island.
The old monk turned to the young monk. "Go into the world of dust for a while."
"For what purpose?" the young monk asked respectfully.
"To see the Tathagata."
***
Having usurped authority over the Divine Seed within him and gained his new divine ability, Zhou Tieyi instantly mastered his own Qi and Blood.
This level of control far exceeded that of an ordinary martial practitioner. If a normal martial artist managed their Qi and Blood like a rider restraining a runaway horse, Zhou Tieyi could perform delicate surgery on a galloping stallion! He could control any single drop of blood in his body if he wished; even forcing his Qi and Blood to flow in reverse caused him no harm.
This was a divine ability—unbelievable and beyond reason, for the divine ability itself was the greatest logic in the world!
The blood-red steam coiling around Zhou Tieyi suddenly gained sentience. It transformed into a vortex, churning the boundless Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, collapsing inward to provide extra leverage for his blood energy. In turn, Zhou Tieyi’s physical force increased by another fifty percent.
"You... you’ve brought your Qi and Blood under control?" Ada was stunned, unable to understand how his Young Master, who had been in a state of madness just moments ago, had suddenly regained control. Moreover, it looked as though he was on the verge of opening his Dantian Qi Sea.
Inside Zhou Tieyi, his previously scattered Qi and Blood were flowing methodically toward his Dantian. With his internal vision and the help of the Blood God Child, he could clearly perceive and touch his Dantian. It was a unique organ existing between the void and reality, hidden within the flesh and chaotic until one began to practice.
Once one began to practice, they used Qi and Blood as a guide to channel the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, clearing the chaos and forging the Dantian Qi Sea.
Under the continuous scouring of his Qi and Blood, mixed with the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, Zhou Tieyi could clearly feel the chaos of his Dantian being breached bit by bit—like an undercurrent beneath the ice at the end of winter. It needed only one final push to become a raging river, winding across thousands of miles.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. He drove the Divine Seed, now under his control, straight into his Dantian.
This was the most powerful strike of force yet.
As the Divine Seed crashed into his Dantian, it shattered the barrier. Qi and Blood and Primordial Qi scrambled to rush in. The chaos of his Dantian was transformed; the Qi Sea took shape. The Divine Seed fell into the center of the Qi Sea and sprouted into a blood-red lotus, swaying gracefully.
On the training ground, Zhou Tieyi shifted his fist into a palm, gripped Ada’s arm, and shouted, "Back off!"
Ada realized his Young Master had regained his senses. He didn't resist, letting Zhou Tieyi toss him away with a gentle application of force.
"Hah."
Zhou Tieyi exhaled a breath of stale air, a sense of immense joy filling his heart. Not only had he successfully stepped onto the path of Martial Dao, but he had also resolved the hidden threat of the Divine Seed. The bitterness in his heart was at least half-vanished.
He opened his mouth and looked at the stunned, speechless soldiers around him. *Such a memorable day,* he thought, *I really should say something.*
He folded his hands behind his back and laughed loudly, "Today I encounter the Martial Dao of those before me, and all who follow shall encounter mine!"
Zhou Tieyi waited for a long time, but the soldiers on the training ground remained as wooden as statues. Not a single cheer was heard.
*What a waste of such a good pose.* To avoid embarrassment, Zhou Tieyi cleared his throat. "Ada!"
"Young Master, you... have you opened your Dantian Qi Sea?" Ada snapped out of his daze, coming over with a stuttering voice.
*Well asked!*
Zhou Tieyi secretly gave Ada a thumbs-up. *You’re destined to be my number one lackey and atmosphere-setter! You truly have the root of wisdom!*
Zhou Tieyi looked up at the sky and said nonchalantly, "A mere Ninth Rank, not worth mentioning."