chapter 160

"Okay... But only for a bit, I don't want to waste time with weak people who can't even come close to me."

Master Sheng ruffled her hair and kissed her forehead,

"Of course darling, but I think you shan't be disappointed. There's some interesting people this time around, especially two of the top tier ones. Hu Li and Hei Feng, keep an eye on them. I only wish my daughter the best, bye bye for now"

Jin nodded and then walked out of the room they were talking in. Master Sheng then transformed into a bat and latched onto the ceiling, sleeping and meditating.

Later, a few hours after lesson after everyone had finished talking and forming into basic groups, Hou knocked on Master Sheng's door.

He wasn't told where to go but when he had the thought of talking it Master Sheng his badge vibrated and he gained an intuitive knowledge of where to go within the large mansion.

"Come in"

Hou opened the creaky door and stepped into the completely dark room, without a hint of any light; no form could be seen only a seemingly endless void.

He looked around then hesitantly spoke,

"You said you would compensate me?"

Then from the darkness he spoke, seemingly all around Hou. Even after focusing purely on the consciousness' intuition, Hou couldn't pinpoint where he spoke from.

"Yes, I'd did say that... Hmm, tell me what sort of laws you used. No need to be too specific if you don't wish to say, just the larger laws associated should do."

"Well actually, I have a request. I didn't use too many laws really, but if I could ask for any sort of blood. Maybe a buckets worth minimum. Any sort, whether it be normal or mystical."

"Blood... I did notice that in your attack. Must be from that ring...though not entirely. Are you interested in path of blood, you may have been able to tell it is where I am most proficient."

"Yes, it was actually the first type of cultivation I had ever done, so even though it is not my 'main' path I maintain a good comprehension, I'd like to think so anyway"

Really Hou had a good grasp but was more relying on Yue. Yue was a tradition cultivator, a spirit master, but especially after time with Araxis and now his combination with True Sage of Celestial Ink, he had become fairly confident in applying his knowledge to modern cultivation too.

"Hmm perhaps I might see if others are interested in learning any blood path methods. I might add this into the curriculum. Even if it isn't your main path, gaining any knowledge can help you."

"Thank you for your wisdom, so how about my request" Hou bowed with his fist together.

"Ah yes, I can do that. I'll send you a bucket of mortal vampiric bats for you to do what you need. You may leave..."

Hou left and Master Sheng started to ruminate to himself,

"He also is more focused on the blood path. Perhaps it is destiny we have met and been assigned together. And if Jin joins his group then they may be able to learn or teach each other.

Hou returned to his room where a bucket of deep crimson blood was waiting for him. He started to ask Yue inside his head,

"So this should be enough to start something? Right?"

"Yes, you don't need much blood, it's about variety rather than quantity. Especially for these basic blood types, they are basic and do not contribute much to the blood Dao. Rather you need unique blood, and a lot of it."

"In theory?"

"Yes, in theory. Just submerge your hand with the ring I to the blood and let it drink it."

Hou rolled up his sleeve and submerged his hand into the blood bucket. Feeling the still-warm bat blood ripple. The Bloodbane ring started to tense up on Hou's finger then it released and he felt a complete release of tension on his fingers.

He pulled the hand out of the blood to see the ring gone from his ringer, when he looked down to the bucket though he saw it continued to ripple and move.

Suddenly, the dragon on the ring jumped up and splashed in the blood. It began to drink the blood and bathe in it, taking it in to heal and unseal itself; the connection to the blood Dao strengthening.

"So it can disconnect..."

Hou was amazed, but he was not the only one, at the same time Yue spoke,

"Hmm this is peculiar; I think I know what's happened. It's become a partially alive treasure, I think the spirits 'life' has transferred to the ring, or the dragon on the ring. It seems to have some sort of intelligence; but I'm not sensing any consciousness."

"So it can think, and has intelligence but still not fundamentally a being of full free will without a consciousness?"

"Yes, exactly. I might be able to do something about that though... The Celestial Ink is already a sort of blood... If we let it absorb a real portion of the real Celestial Ink it might gain a simple consciousness much like I regained my strength and independence."

"But that would hurt you, wouldn't it? I stop this motion, I don't want you to be hurt just for an experiment which might not even do anything. Let's stop talking about this."

"Okay, but remember, this is an option. Looks like it's almost finished, hold out your hand again."

Indeed, the red dragon had grown slightly and absorbed most of the blood. It dove into the wood bucket and drank the rest. Then it looked up and sprang into action.

It jumped and coiled itself back onto Hou's outstretched hand. This time however, since the dragon had grew in size it did not stay on the outside.

Instead it burrowed itself inside Hou's arm, reaching through into his wrist. From the outside the ring turned from an external item into a mark.

It became a red mark which was raised and skeletal on the hand and wrist of Hou. It glimmered like wet blood and kept the shape of a dragon slithering upwards.