The Bloodstone of Eternity

Inside Gu Tian's secret laboratory, silence filled the air after the three had swallowed the Spirit Veil Petals. The gentle spiritual energy that once surrounded them gradually faded away, leaving behind only a profound sense of tranquility. From this moment on, they would be able to resist soul searches and mental probes from high-level individuals at least to some extent. But before they could say anything, Gu Tian spoke in a calm yet resolute tone.

"The next step… to ensure everyone's safety and survival."

Gu Tian pointed toward the strange deep-red stones on the bed. They emitted a faint glow as if they were alive. Then, he spoke.

"This is the Bloodstone of Eternity."

The three froze in confusion. They had never heard of such a thing before, but they were certain it wasn't something ordinary.

Gu Tian immediately began explaining.

"Each stone grants a second life. No matter how we die whether by assassination, illness, poison, or any other means as long as a Bloodstone of Eternity containing our blood remains intact, we will be able to resurrect in perfect condition. The only exception is death by natural aging. The method of use is simple. Just place a drop of your blood onto the stone. However…"

Gu Tian paused briefly before continuing.

"There is a drawback. After revival, for the first 120 days, we will be completely powerless—reduced to the state of an ordinary human, bedridden, and unable to use any of our abilities or summon our beasts. Only after this period will our power and beasts be fully restored. But, with the aid of the Millennium Pine and advanced medical techniques, we can shorten this recovery period to about 30 days. That's the absolute limit we can reduce it to for now."

Silence filled the room. Gu Long, Guang Yue, and Gu Mo were utterly speechless.

Gu Long was the first to break the silence. "Son… where did you get something like this?"

Gu Tian let out a light chuckle before answering.

"I created it myself."

"...What?" Guang Yue furrowed her brows.

Gu Mo narrowed his eyes and looked at his grandson in disbelief. "You're saying… you made this yourself?"

Gu Tian nodded.

"That's right. I fear death. I needed something to guarantee my survival."

His gaze drifted to the five Bloodstones placed before them.

"The materials are extremely rare. I failed thousands of times in my experiments. Some of the ingredients I used no longer exist in this world. That's why I was only able to produce five of them."

The three of them stared at the Bloodstones before them, overwhelmed by emotions they couldn't quite describe.

Did their son even have limits?

Was what they knew about Gu Tian just the tip of the iceberg? Or perhaps… merely the middle?

Gu Tian glanced at them and spoke.

"That's a discussion for another time. Let's secure our first-class life insurance first."

Although they still had countless questions, none of them voiced them.

Gu Long was the first to bite his finger and press it against the Bloodstone of Eternity.

The moment his blood touched the stone, it emitted a brilliant crimson glow. A strange energy began spreading from his body.

Seeing this, Guang Yue and Gu Mo didn't hesitate. They too bit their fingers and pressed them against their respective Bloodstones.

Instantly, each stone radiated a vivid red light, sending surges of energy into their bodies.

They could feel something merging within them, as if an invisible force had embedded itself deep inside their very being, acting as an unseen shield that would safeguard their lives.

Gu Tian observed their reactions before nodding in satisfaction.

"That's done."

Gu Mo, still feeling the peculiar sensation within him, muttered.

"It feels… strange. Like something is permanently inside me."

Guang Yue nodded in agreement. "Yes, it feels like something is residing within us."

Gu Tian smiled faintly.

"After some time, you'll stop noticing it. But if any of us die, the stones will activate immediately, and we will be reborn near them."

With their first-class life insurance now secured, the once-heavy atmosphere in the laboratory lightened. The conversation shifted to casual family banter, laughter filling the air, bringing a sense of warmth and closeness.

Suddenly, Guang Yue spoke up with a curious tone.

"But this room…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Long immediately interrupted her.

"Let's head out and have dinner, my dear!"

Without giving Guang Yue a chance to respond, Gu Long quickly grabbed his wife's hand and pulled her out of the room, leaving her no choice but to follow, though she cast a slightly resentful glance his way. However, in the end, she didn't resist.

Before exiting, Gu Long turned back and smiled at Gu Tian, raising four fingers in a silent gesture.

Gu Tian returned the smile and responded with a thumbs-up.

The father and son exchanged glances as if sharing a secret agreement. Seeing this, Gu Mo let out a sigh and shook his head before following them out. Just as he was about to leave the room, Gu Tian called out.

"Grandfather, please ask Father and Mother to wait in the central area of the lab for a moment."

Gu Mo nodded in acknowledgment before proceeding to fulfill his grandson's request.

Gu Tian waited until everyone had left before walking toward the corner of the room. He picked up a pitch-black stone embedded with glowing crimson patterns, the Stone of Memories, an artifact modified by his own hands.

With that in hand, he turned and followed them to the central area of the laboratory.

Inside the lounge, Gu Long, Guang Yue, and Gu Mo were seated, waiting for Gu Tian. Their gazes were filled with curiosity as they looked at him.

Gu Long was the first to ask, "What are you planning to do now?"

Gu Tian offered a faint smile before replying in a calm yet firm voice.

"I'm going to erase everyone's memories of the room that stored the Bloodstones of Eternity."

Upon hearing that, the three fell silent. However, it didn't take long for them to understand why Gu Tian had to do this.

Even though the Spirit Veil Petals provided protection against soul searches, they could still be destroyed under certain circumstances. If, one day, someone managed to break through that defense, the existence of the Bloodstone of Eternity could be exposed. Such a revelation would undoubtedly bring disaster upon them.

The best way to protect a secret was to ensure that no one knew it existed in the first place.

They exchanged glances before nodding in unison. They all understood the importance of this matter. Without hesitation, they shifted into the same seated positions they had been planning for the next 2 years, when first formulating their long-term plans.

Seeing this, Gu Tian said nothing further. He lifted the Stone of Memories, configuring it to erase all recollection of the past moments, leaving only the memory of them finalizing their two-year strategy.

A soft glow radiated from the stone.

A wave of energy rippled through the room, enveloping everyone before slowly fading away.

For a brief moment, Gu Tian felt a mild dizziness, but he quickly regained his composure. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Now that everyone has been assigned their tasks, let's get to work."

The three before him also experienced a brief moment of confusion. As they gathered their thoughts, Gu Mo was the first to respond.

"Hmm… I'll set off on my journey in two days."

"I need to start preparing the land for the university and secure the necessary permits," Gu Long added.

Guang Yue nodded while pulling out her phone to check the available resources.

None of them realized that the past several minutes had been completely erased from their memories.

As far as they knew, they had just finished discussing their two-year strategy and were now about to proceed with their respective duties.

The existence of that room had vanished without a trace.

Gu Tian glanced at the three of them before offering a slight smile.

"Well then, good luck to everyone."