Ashen thought for a moment before speaking:
"Earlier, you mentioned that I started following the path of Intention… but what exactly is Intention?"
Raizen smiled lightly, then frowned as if searching for the right words.
"Hmm… how should I put it? Let's take the Law of Blood as an example. If we consider the Law of Blood to be something material, a physical body, then Intention is its spiritual dimension. But that's just a crude analogy to make it simple—the differences between them are essential and deep."
He paused, then continued:
"Intention is an immaterial existence. It cannot be sensed by the body, but it can be understood by the mind and insight. It is not the same for everyone; each person has a unique Intention that reflects their style and understanding. Even if two people comprehend the same Intention, the way it manifests in each will be completely different—like a spiritual fingerprint. That's why no one can actually teach you Intention; it is a personal realization. The only exception is when two people already share the same Intention—then they can exchange experiences and refine it together."
Ashen nodded slowly, as if digesting it:
"Oh, I see… understood."
Then he raised his eyes toward Raizen:
"Anyway, you said earlier that you had a request… what is it?"
A sly smile appeared on Raizen's face as he remembered the last battle.
"When you activated your bloodline during the fight, I saw your skill in direct blood control. Those chains you summoned… I realized they aren't limited to that form. From what I can tell, you should be able to shape other weapons with them."
Ashen chuckled lightly:
"Sharp eyes indeed. What you said is true. This technique of mine—the Direct Blood Control Skill—can form different weapons. Chains are only one shape."
Raizen nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement:
"Exactly what I need. I want you to teach me this technique. You know I specialize in the spear, not in fists."
Ashen frowned and replied coldly:
"Even if I teach you, it won't help. Its essence and growth depend on my bloodline."
Raizen gave a short laugh and pointed to his eyes:
"Don't worry. As you saw, my eyes can copy techniques temporarily just by looking at their outer essence. If you show me a part of your bloodline origin while performing the skill, I can copy it permanently—even without your bloodline."
Ashen's heart trembled for a moment. The bloodline origin was the deepest secret of any cultivator. If Raizen saw it, all his strengths and weaknesses would be exposed. He looked at him cautiously:
"Impossible! The origin of the bloodline is a hidden secret. If I showed it to you, wouldn't that expose all my secrets?"
Raizen waved his hand dismissively, trying to calm him:
"Relax, Ashen. I know my request is a bit much. But I don't want your full bloodline origin, only the part related to this skill's execution. In return, I'll give you any technique you want."
Ashen thought for a moment, then said:
"Fine, but I want two techniques from you in exchange."
Raizen raised his eyebrows in surprise:
"Oh? And which ones?"
Ashen answered firmly:
"The Sonic Fist skill… and the Direct Blood Control for fists."
Raizen laughed before replying:
"Ha, good choice. Blood Shock is indeed powerful, especially since you don't use weapons. But Devil's Eye Fist… you won't be able to use it. As you said, it is completely tied to my bloodline. Teaching it to you would be useless. And learning another blood control technique won't benefit you much—you'll have to focus on only one to develop."
Ashen smirked:
"I don't need the eye part of your skill, just the fist part. I'm confident that once your eyes see a part of my bloodline origin, you can modify the skill to fit my bloodline."
Raizen lowered his head slightly with a cunning smile:
"Smart indeed… but remember, you'll have to give up developing your blood chains in that case."
Ashen answered firmly:
"That's fine. Even if I only keep three chains, I can strengthen them since they're part of my bloodline inheritance. What suits me best is the fist control technique."
Raizen smiled, satisfied:
"Alright then. Actually, combining your technique with mine could give you even stronger and harder fists. Seems you've thought this through already."
Ashen clenched his fist and said:
"Of course. Shall we start now?"
Raizen nodded:
"Pass me your technique first so I can understand it, then we'll begin."
---
A few hours later…
Raizen exhaled deeply, smiling with genuine admiration:
"What an amazing technique. Not only can it form weapons that suit you, but those weapons can also develop special abilities of their own. And unlike other techniques that only grow through understanding, enlightenment, and higher cultivation levels, this one can be infused with blood to become even more terrifying. Impressive… truly impressive!"
He lifted his eyes to Ashen, excitement burning in them again:
"Now, Ashen… I want to see the part about blood devouring."
Ashen nodded seriously:
"Alright, watch carefully. This is the core of the skill."
He stood straight, then spoke calmly:
"I'll open my bloodline origin now… observe closely with your eyes."
Raizen responded while activating his ability:
"Devil's Eye—Activate!"
In the next moment, Ashen felt a chill run through his body.
"Amazing… I feel like all my secrets are laid bare before you."
Then he continued, shaping a container from blood:
"After forming a weapon vessel with my bloodline power, I can devour blood and pour it into the vessel to harden it. From there, depending on one's understanding, the weapon can gain a special ability suited to the user. By absorbing more blood and infusing it, the weapon can become far stronger. At the beginning, you can summon three copies only, like other blood control skills. But the difference is that these can be enhanced even without breaking into a new cultivation realm."
Raizen watched with fascination, then smiled in genuine amazement:
"Wow… Ashen, your bloodline is like a vast ocean! I can't believe it holds this much potential. Too bad your blood purity is low, otherwise you'd be a perfect candidate for the third cultivation path."
He studied the technique again before speaking:
"I think I'm starting to understand how the devouring ability works. I couldn't copy it fully, but even the part I
managed to take is enough. I can modify it and use it—even if it won't be as perfect as yours."