Blood was puzzled by the message and instinctively touched the octagonal pendant his grandmother had bestowed upon him before her death. It still shone as it always had, a quiet reminder of her presence.
Seeking more answers, he sat close to Ballock and gazed toward the wolf. The creature heaved with exhaustion, its eyes was heavy, as though the weight of battle had drained every ounce of its strength.
It was fast asleep.
It seems the wolf won't be a problem.
Blood thought with a sigh.
Though he had some healing pills that could hasten the wolf's recovery, he was reluctant to part with one. Those pills were precious, costly, and of a rare grade. Who could say what the wolf might do afterward?
His kindness might well become the source of his death. He remembered the countless tales he had read.
Being the only one awake, Blood focused his attention on the panel glowing red before him. Different signatures shimmered at the top, and beneath them lay words that seemed tied to those marks.
This was its main background!
One of the signatures, labeled as 'Notification', glowed green. He raised his hand and stretched it out, hoping to feel its presence, but his fingers passed through as though the panel were nothing more than empty air.
Honestly, Blood had felt some changes a few minutes earlier, though he couldn't quite place them. His senses were sharpened, his vision widened, and a new energy coursed through him. Most striking of all, when he ran, he felt no fatigue.
He was only in Stage‑3 of the Iron Realm, and for years he had been unable to progress further. Every ounce of Heaven and Earth Energy he gathered in his Spiritual space vanished the moment it entered, which left him stagnant.
Yet this never deterred him. He continued to gather, to strive, and to chase the dream that burned deep within him—the Central Academy.
There were plenty of resources in the Central Academy, enough to accelerate his cultivation. But the first prerequisite was clear; one had to be at least a mid‑stage cultivator of the Iron Realm.
Blood could never break past the low stages, because every time he cultivated, the energy he gathered vanished the instant it entered his Spiritual space.
Still, he refused to stop. It appeared hope wasn't completely lost.
He overheard his parents' conversation once; strength could be increased and enhanced through constant battles.
Since then, he took it upon himself, and the forest became his battleground.
He never dared to go deep, though. He remained in the outer region, where danger was manageable, yet still enough to sharpen his edge.
Only Iron Realm and primitive beasts could be found here. Blood fought and tempered his body, and it truly worked. His endurance grew, allowing him to walk for longer time.
A thought suddenly formed in his mind.
Since this could happen, maybe his realm might increase by itself, or perhaps the strange disappearance of his energy might finally stop.
It was a possibility; like a door just beginning to crack open.
But he soon realized that his body consumed his energy even faster than before whenever he cultivated. He was perplexed at the sudden change in rhythm.
Yet, a change meant something was happening. What he was doing was working in some way, even if the reason remained unknown to him.
Not until this moment...
What is this?
He thought in confusion.
At this thought, the lettered panel shifted upward, going steadily until it reached the top and halted. New words shimmered into view, glowing faintly against the red backdrop.
Ding...
[Initiating]
[Compatible host found]
[Blood Book initiation begins in 3..2..1…]
[Initializing]
[Linking with host...]
[Anomaly detected (cannot identify)]
[No threat detected]
[Synchronizing]
[5% of 100%… 20%… 99% of 100%}
[Bond established]
[Status section unlocked]
[Quest Hall section unlocked]
[Notification section unlocked]
[Explore]
Blood wanted to explore more, but he restrained himself. Ballock's safety came first, and the wolf's presence wasn't something he could ignore. He leaned closer, his eyes narrowed as he studied the beast.
He wouldn't wait around to become a meal for an awakened, hungry wolf.
Blood appeared before Ballock, who had finally stopped shivering. He placed his hand on Ballock's forehead.
It was slightly hot.
He had seen his parents do this sometimes, though he was no healer himself.
Healers were rare and highly sought after across the human domain. Their talents allowed them to mix and wield alchemy products with precision, making them invaluable.
Blood, however, could only rely on what he had. He reached into his pouch and gave Ballock two mid grade‑1 healing pills.
Growl…
Ballock growled instantly, red hues flickering off his body from time to time. Blood stood with his hands on his waist.
He knew Ballock needed proper care. The pills alone wouldn't be enough.
He then shifted his gaze toward the wolf in the corner.
The wolf was thoroughly wounded. Without proper healing pills or measures, normal recovery would take far longer.
The scent of blood was still heavy in the air, which could draw other beasts in at any moment.
Also, the cobra's carcass still lay sprawled across the ground. He had to harvest its crystal and check for a beast core, though he wasn't expectant as beast cores were rarely seen.
Beast crystals were found in every slain beast, except for the primitive ones which was the most ordinary of all. These crystals could be sold in markets and stores, and Blood had heard they carried a high price tag.
Contrary to crystals, beast cores were far rarer. They weren't found in every beast.
One had to be truly fortunate to claim a beast core. They mostly appeared in mutated beasts, especially ones who had stumbled upon some proper or improper opportunity that twisted their nature and elevated their strength.
The carcass, crystal, and cores of such beasts procured a hefty number of resources, which was five to ten times, or even more, the value of a normal beast. They were far more powerful than their peers, and their cores held worth greater than the crystals of high‑tier beasts.
Blood quickly cut the cobra's body open. He moved to its head, searching for a core, but found none. It didn't bother him. Instead, he searched through its body and found a crystal.
The crystal was round, edged with sharp spikes. He thanked goodness for his caution, or those spikes could have injured him, and with the properties of snakes, he might have been poisoned.
Blood looked out, his eyes on the crystal. He had seen many crystals before but never possessed one himself. All the days he had spent in the forest, he had only slain primitive beasts, and none had yielded such a crystal.
Although Blood had fought Iron Realm beasts before, since his cultivation was at the lower stages, the battles rarely ended in victory. Often, the beasts would flee, or he would be the one forced to run when encountering stronger opponents.
But this time was different. He had finally slain an Iron Realm beast at the sixth stage. He was satisfied, even though he hadn't done it alone.
He had a helper.
On the thought of a helper, he quickly stored the beast's carcass in his spatial ring. Then, he stepped closer to the wolf, stopping just three feet before it.
Should he let it die?
He thought deeply before he shook his head.
However, he concluded that he wouldn't help it here. He would take it home.
What puzzled him about the beast was how it could already stand above the mid‑stages of the Iron Realm.
Furthermore, since it was still a cub, taming it would be easier. He would consider it a gift for his little Ivory.
Blood lifted the wolf, who was asleep and unaware it was being carried. The cub was truly exhausted.
He felt its soft fur as he passed his fingers and patted it gently. Never before had he been so close to a wild beast without confrontation.
He then took a small piece of cloth and wrapped the cub tightly, leaving space for it to breathe.
With Ballock on his back, Blood stepped out of the cave.
A hard, long journey awaited him...