The Ironspine Mountains rumbled as if the heavens themselves had stirred. Faint golden mist seeped from cracks in the earth, and within the hidden ruins, Tian Shen and his companions stood surrounded by the lingering echoes of the guardian's awakening.
The air was thick with spiritual pressure — enough to make even peak Qi Awakening cultivators struggle to breathe. Broken stone pillars glowed faintly with runic inscriptions, their light flickering like dying embers from a forgotten age.
Liang Rui was still trembling slightly, clutching his formation plate. "The readings… they're off the charts. Whatever this ruin once was, it's reacting to Tian Shen's presence."
Hao Feng wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing toward their leader. "We should move carefully. The sect will probably send reinforcements soon. Until then, this place is ours to explore."
Tian Shen said nothing. His gaze was fixed on a crystalline pedestal at the center of the chamber. Upon it lay a pulsating sphere of condensed blood essence — deep crimson and threaded with faint silver veins. It exuded the aura of ancient dominance.
"A beast bloodline…" Mei Ling whispered, her eyes wide. "It's pure — not diluted. Could this be one of the ancient beast races' remnants?"
Before any could answer, the sphere pulsed, and a wave of spiritual pressure pushed them back. Tian Shen stepped forward, drawn by an instinct older than thought. The blood called to him.
The air trembled as he extended his palm. "Let's see… if I can withstand this," he muttered.
The bloodline orb shattered into countless streaks of light, each slamming into Tian Shen's body. A roar echoed in his mind — a sound so ancient and primal that the ruins themselves seemed to quake.
Pain tore through him like fire. His meridians screamed as his qi spun wildly out of control. His vision blurred; veins bulged under his skin as energy tried to tear him apart from within.
"Stop! You'll destroy your foundation!" Mei Ling shouted, rushing forward.
But Tian Shen only gritted his teeth, blood seeping from his lips. "If I can't endure this much, how can I… walk the path I've chosen?"
He forced his consciousness inward, diving into his spiritual sea. Within, he saw two forces clashing — his pure azure qi and the crimson essence of the ancient beast. They warred, refusing to merge, their power too great for his mortal vessel to contain.
Moments later, an explosion of energy flung him backward. The chamber cracked, runes flickering madly. Hao Feng caught him midair, the impact driving them both several steps back.
Tian Shen coughed violently, blood staining his robe. The crimson veins beneath his skin slowly faded, leaving behind a faint silver sheen that glimmered for an instant before vanishing.
He had failed.
Silence hung heavy in the aftermath.
Liang Rui frowned, scanning him with a formation talisman. "Your meridians are damaged but… stable. You forced the bloodline out before it could destroy you. But why didn't you stop sooner?"
Tian Shen slowly sat up, his gaze distant. "Because that power isn't foreign to me," he said softly. "It felt… familiar, as if I've touched it before — long ago."
Mei Ling knelt beside him, eyes softening despite herself. "You were lucky this time. Another moment and it would have shattered your core."
He nodded faintly but did not answer. Deep within, he could still feel the faint pulse of something ancient — not gone, merely dormant.
Meanwhile, far above, the skies above Azure Cloud Sect trembled.
Thousands of disciples gathered on flying swords and spirit cranes as brilliant beams of light shot into the heavens. The sect's formations roared to life, signaling full deployment.
At the forefront of the grand fleet stood Sect Master Lin Yuan, his robes rippling like clouds. Behind him, Elders Mu Fan, Mei Hua, and Jian Tong hovered in formation.
"Prepare for descent," Lin Yuan commanded. "Stabilize the ley lines upon arrival. The Ironspine Ruins are awakening, and something within calls to our sect's bloodline."
As the massive formation tore through the clouds toward the mountains, the spiritual sky itself seemed to bend in response.
Back within the ruins, Tian Shen stirred. His eyes slowly opened — and for a heartbeat, a faint silver glow flickered within them, as if time itself hesitated in his gaze.
He exhaled slowly. "I failed to absorb it… but it's not over."
Mei Ling turned toward him, surprise flickering in her eyes. "You're still planning to try again?"
Tian Shen smiled faintly. "The path of cultivation is filled with failure. Every scar is proof that we're still climbing."
The others exchanged uneasy glances — admiration mixed with fear.
And far beyond their sight, deep within the mountain's heart, a faint crimson vein pulsed once more, resonating with his soul. The beast bloodline had not rejected him completely. It waited. Watching. Testing.
The first step of Tian Shen's true transformation had quietly begun.