Chapter 15: Island 99

Yan Jin regained consciousness, the heat of the sunlight warming his face, while the pain coursing through his body was excruciating. He now regretted taking on a resonance bloodborne level entity. The gap between their levels was wider than the Grand Canyon. Had the armor launched a direct attack, he would have been exterminated. Yet, despite the pain, a smile crept onto his face. The adrenaline rush, the pressure, the challenge—it was like a high-stakes sport.

"Young Master, you are awake!" Lan Zhan rushed to help him sit up after noticing his regained consciousness. He handed Yan Jin a cup of water.

"How long have I been asleep?" Yan Jin asked, his voice weak.

"A week," Lan Zhan replied.

"Did something happen?" Yan Jin inquired further.

"After the incident at the workshop, the Golden Warrior Captain died and a new appointment is coming in a week's time. The forging of the bloodborne tool was a success. Even though I didn't see it, everyone felt the aura in Pine City. Ever since, business has been booming. Pine City is a lot livelier than before. Manager Xiao asked that you meet her when you wake up."

Yan Jin nodded and made a hand gesture to dismiss him. Sorting through his memories from that night, he recalled how his eyes had reacted for the first time, absorbing the Negative Rhesus energy. He wasn't sure if anyone saw or suspected anything, but at least nobody was acting against him. His soul energy had grown exponentially, but the eye was still unresponsive. With a sigh, he ran his bloodline to speed up the regeneration process. He was getting closer to the next realm, with 95 percent of his blood filled with blood energy. Despite the damage to his blood vessels from forcefully lighting his inner flame, he felt he would come out stronger, though he needed to invest in some blood vessel strengthening resources.

---

It was already nighttime when Yan Jin made his way to the Treasure Pavilion. When he was ushered into Xiao Lan's office, a group of three was waiting for him.

"Good evening, Manager Xiao," he cupped his hands toward the bloodsmith. "Mister!" He then turned to the mysterious man he had never met before, unsure of what to say. Xiao Lan stepped in to fill the gap.

"Welcome, Young Master. I see you are doing better. This is our client. I will let him introduce himself."

The man observed Yan Jin for a minute before addressing him. "I heard from the old man that he was able to complete the order because of your interference. You saved me years of resources, and you provided the celestial ore."

Yan Jin sat and crossed his legs. "You don't have to mention it. I was heavily compensated by the Pavilion."

"You faced a bloodborne level tool at the awakened level. You could have died."

"Really? I didn't know; I couldn't see. If I had to do it again, I would not. My back hurts," Yan Jin replied, waving his hands toward his face to indicate his blindness.

The man tilted his head to the left and raised his index finger toward Yan Jin. A colossal pressure dropped on him, crushing his already frail limbs into his seat. "Who are you?" the man demanded, increasing the pressure.

Yan Jin let out a chuckle as blood dripped from his lips. "You're really good at playing a scene, sir! Next time, add some kill intent to it. is this projection not capable of that?" He released his bloodline to counter the pressure.

A smile appeared on the man's face. "When did you find out?"

"The minute I stepped into the room. I'm blind; visual illusions don't work on me."

The man burst into laughter, dropping his index finger and releasing the pressure, relieving everyone present. "You really are blind. I didn't believe it at first… you are a crazy one, strong soul force, decent cultivation. I can't recognize your bloodline…" He paused before continuing. "Anyways, since you helped with my armor, I will do you a favor."

"How much do you know about our continent?" he asked.

"Continent of PI? Not much, just the basic outline and simple history," Yan Jin replied.

"Our continent, as mortals like to call it, is actually named Island 99. It is one of the hundred islands under the jurisdiction of the Pi Empire on the Mainland. Islands are their own ecosystems for discovering and nurturing exceptional talent for the Empire. To put it bluntly, it's a concentration camp for the Empire to foster talent. Why? For warfare. The leadership of the island falls into the hands of the four archdukes. Every ten years, talents are scouted and recruited for intensive learning for two years before the best of each batch are sent to the Empire."

"I will offer you an entry token as gratitude. Although your cultivation pales before the genius ," he said, throwing a token to Yan Jin. "I brought the bow blood tool you requested for the exchange. Let me warn you, the dao of archery is a minor path; it cannot stand in higher realms."

"See you at the capital in a year! If you want to know more " he said before disappearing.

"Who was that?" Yan Jin asked, stupefied by the whole situation.

"One of the four Archdukes, Crazy Fist Huang Fu," the bloodsmith replied. He could not believe he had just met one of the strongest individual of this cont.. island.

---

In the workshop, the bloodsmith slid a case from his safe and presented it to Yan Jin. If Yan Jin could see, he would be amazed by the intricate locks and patterns sculpted on the case. The case was nearly a meter and a half long, not very wide but deep enough to host a bow. A couple of clicks resonated in the empty workshop, and the smell of wood—perhaps agarwood or bamboo—mixed with a metallic tang filled the air.

What came into view was a pitch-black longbow, exuding an aura of ancient power. Yan Jin was entranced by its presence as he caressed the hilt. The bow was a marvel of craftsmanship, its sleek, dark surface almost absorbing the light around it. Delicate carvings of mythical creatures and intricate patterns adorned its length, each detail painstakingly etched to perfection. The bowstring, a shimmering thread of braided silver, seemed to hum with latent energy.

"This is a longbow made out of Winterwood and Iron Bamboo," Bloodsmith Wang explained, his voice filled with pride. "It weighs 200 kilograms and has over 200 vein patterns for blood energy conduction. These veins channel your blood energy through the bow, enhancing its power. I've reconfigured all the vein patterns into amplification arrays to maximize the power of each shot. The bow is detachable and can be used for defense. It's at the blood purification grade. It's a real treasure."

Yan Jin nodded, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings as he absorbed Bloodsmith Wang's words. He could feel the bow's power resonating with his own energy, a symbiotic connection forming between them. The craftsmanship was beyond anything he had ever encountered, and he was eager to test its capabilities.

"May I?" Yan Jin asked, lifting the bow slightly.

"Of course," Bloodsmith Wang replied, stepping back to give him space. "And here, take this quiver as well. It's capable of holding around 1,000 arrows, thanks to a spatial array embedded within it."

Yan Jin examined the quiver, noting its sleek design and the subtle runes etched along its surface. He slung it over his shoulder, feeling the weightless quality of the quiver despite its immense capacity.

Yan Jin took a deep breath, centering himself as he nocked an arrow. He could feel the bow's weight, but it was perfectly balanced. Drawing the bowstring, he felt the amplification arrays activate, a surge of energy coursing through the veins of the bow and into the arrow. The silver thread of the bowstring vibrated, resonating with his blood energy.

He aimed at a distant target, a wooden mannequin used for practice, positioned about 500 meters away. Releasing the arrow, he marveled at the smoothness of the draw and the power behind the shot. The arrow flew through the air with incredible speed, a faint hum following its path as it cut through the wind. The amplification arrays ensured that the arrow carried immense force, making the shot feel effortless despite the bow's considerable draw weight.

With a resounding thud, the arrow struck the target dead center, splitting the mannequin in half and embedding itself deeply into the wall behind it. Yan Jin's eyes widened in awe at the sheer power of the shot. He could feel the bow's potential, its capabilities far surpassing anything he had used before.

"Impressive," Bloodsmith Wang remarked, a satisfied smile on his face.

Yan Jin reassembled the bow and took another shot, this time aiming at a different target. The fluid transformation between offense and defense, combined with the bow's unparalleled power, left him thoroughly impressed.

Bloodsmith Wang nodded, pleased with Yan Jin's reaction. "Here, take this with you," he said, handing over a tiny piece of celestial ore. "It's a leftover from the celestial stone; it would be a souvenir from your prowess that day."

"Thank you, Bloodsmith Wang. I will pay another visit to celebrate your achievement," Yan Jin replied, cupping his fists in gratitude.