Chapter 27: Resonance of the Sea of Blood

Blood Boiling Potion, as the name suggests.

Upon drinking it, the heart accelerates its beating, continuously pumping more blood into the body, as if trying to make the blood boil.

At this moment, Duke couldn't deny feeling nervous. After all, his previous incarnation had died due to the potent effects of the Blood Boiling Potion. Every year, quite a few unfortunate souls met their end because of this potion.

But this time.

Duke believed in Xiaoyi's abilities and also trusted that the improvements in his physical condition over the past month of cultivating the Sea of Spirit would prevent him from being easily tortured to death by the Blood Boiling Potion.

Thump, thump!

His heartbeat sped up as if it wanted to burst out of his chest.

Duke endured it and chose to inwardly observe the Sea of Spirit.

Within the Sea of Spirit, Xiaoyi, in the shape of a phone, radiated a brilliant light. Dozens of beams of light projected from his inexhaustible energy circuits, penetrating deep into the Sea of Spirit.

Thump, thump!

In this inward state, he could clearly "hear" the location within the Sea of Spirit where the light was shining, emitting a heartbeat-like thunderous sound.

So, following the light of Xiaoyi, he flew towards the depths of the Sea of Spirit.

Navigating through the boundless sea of starlight, he lost track of time. It seemed like both a fleeting moment and an eternity had passed. Finally, within the radiance's reach, he saw a portal.

It was a blood-red vortex-like portal.

The light from Xiaoyi pierced through the vortex.

Duke followed, passing through the vortex. Soon, he saw a blood-red oceanic world, existing in a mysterious and profound manner.

One side seemed boundless, the crimson spreading without end. The other side, however, was distinct—a clearly visible outline of the blood-red ocean, resembling a pulsating heart.

Thump, thump!

Thud, thud!

Drum-like sounds echoed in his ears, setting his blood racing.

The blood-red ocean surged in continuous waves, echoing the drumbeats. Xiaoyi's light had already dispersed, outlining various energy paths on the exterior of the blood-red ocean in the shape of a heart. These energy paths maintained the blood-red ocean, preventing it from collapsing amidst the drumming.

Thump, thump!

Thud, thud!

Under the intense influence of the drumbeats, Duke's inner thoughts quickly merged with the blood-red ocean.

Then, suddenly, he jolted, breaking free from the introspective state. His awareness returned to outside his body.

He still sat cross-legged on the bed, seemingly unchanged. However, upon closer sensing, he "heard" the constant heartbeat sound in his mind. It was a special resonance.

"It's the resonance between the Sea of Spirit and the Sea of Blood!"

Duke was overjoyed. "Xiaoyi, did it work?"

"Yes, congratulations, Master. You've successfully opened the Sea of Blood and can begin your knight's training."

"Haha, thanks to you." Duke stood up from the bed. He moved his limbs and felt better than ever. Not only was blood continuously pumped from his heart's location, but also a solid sense of power.

This feeling was remarkable.

The Sea of Spirit was open, making him energetic; the Sea of Blood was open, filling him with strength.

Two out of three inner seas were already open. With the Sea of Blood rekindled, he believed he could soon figure out how to open the Sea of Qi again.

By then, all three seas would be complete...

t seems that there's nothing too magical about it. The Sea of Qi and Sea of Blood were just branches of the Sea of Spirit. Only Arcane Mages could truly touch the essence of Spiritual Magic.

He punched the air a couple of times.

It took a while for Duke to regain his composure. The accelerated heartbeat caused by the Blood Boiling Potion had returned to normal.

Sitting at his desk, he didn't flip through the book "Universal Blood Refining Technique." Its contents had been cataloged by Xiaoyi into the database. With a single thought, the contents of the technique would roll within the Sea of Spirit, projecting into his mind as if he had read it countless times, fully grasping all the details.

Meditation techniques granted him the ability to absorb free-floating spiritual particles from the external world.

Blood refining techniques drew spiritual essence from his own cells, condensing it into a unique form of operating power—Battle Energy.

Thud, thud.

As he cycled through the content of the "Universal Blood Refining Technique" for the first time, his heart emitted two loud sounds. Every cell in his limbs secreted a trace of spiritual essence, which, as blood flowed through his heart and the Qi refining process took place, transformed into a special gaseous spiritual power finer than a strand of hair.

"My first wisp of Battle Energy!"

"Now, I am a 0-ring knight, no, I should be a 0-ring knight squire. Only knights who have formed a contract with a spiritual beast partner and use the bloodline of the spiritual beast to nourish their Battle Energy can advance to a 0-ring knight," a thought flashed through Duke's mind. He quickly suppressed his distractions and continued to practice the Blood Refining Technique.

With the operation of the Blood Refining Technique, the first strand of Battle Energy started to permeate into another meridian within his body that he couldn't locate directly. This meridian seemed elusive, connecting on one end to the heart's Sea of Blood and fading into the body on the other end. It then flowed out from another part of his body, eventually converging back into the Sea of Blood, forming a complete cycle.

With each complete cycle, the Battle Energy would grow slightly stronger.

As the body's spiritual essence was refined, it would decrease a bit, but the strengthening Battle Energy would, in turn, nourish the body again, enhancing physical strength more effectively than the original spiritual essence.

"Xiaoyi, can you take over running the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique' for me?"

"Based on the current information, I can."

"Give it a try."

Since Xiaoyi could even assist in opening the Sea of Blood, running the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique' was a natural task for it. Soon, Duke felt the Battle Energy in his body starting to circulate on its own.

However, a problem arose.

Due to Duke's hardware limitations, Xiaoyi couldn't simultaneously manage both the 'Field Meditation Technique' and the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique'.

"Forget it, you should continue with the 'Field Meditation Technique.' The importance of cultivating the Sea of Spirit can't be underestimated." Duke made a quick decision, "I'll find time to practice the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique' on my own..."

In reality, even if Duke asked Xiaoyi to run the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique,' it wouldn't be sustainable.

The reason was simple: the Meditation Technique absorbed free-floating spiritual essence from the outside, while the Blood Refining Technique extracted spiritual essence from his own body. External spiritual essence was abundant, but his own spiritual essence was limited.

That's why knights needed to supplement with a lot of spiritual beast meat.

Relying solely on three meals a day wouldn't lead to substantial growth of Battle Energy.

"I'll have to spend money to buy spiritual beast meat..."

Suddenly, Duke felt the pressure of making money return.

But he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he turned his attention to the Long-haired Mongoose cub in the cardboard box. Looking at the little cub, still bald without fur, he smiled like a doting aunt.

"Little one, come, form a contract with the Knight."

Extending his hand, he made a cut with a small knife and immediately placed his finger into the cub's mouth.

By circulating his Battle Energy, the just-born strand of Battle Energy followed the blood out from his finger. The mixture of blood and Battle Energy emitted a unique spiritual power, which the cub instinctively sucked in.

And then.

The innocent and ignorant Long-haired Mongoose cub suddenly felt a peculiar force guiding it, causing it to involuntarily open its weak spiritual world.

In an instant!

The cub felt that Duke, who had already been somewhat close, had become even closer.

Duke also felt a strange connection with the Sea of Blood in his heart, extending through blood and Battle Energy. 

It was as if their spirits were connected together.

A somewhat vague telepathic connection.