Chapter 15: The Crimson Ascension

Wei Liang's breakthrough to the ninth stage of the Iron Blood Manual came with a terrible cost. His body began dissolving as mortal flesh proved inadequate to contain transcendent power. Blood became his new substance—not merely flowing through his veins, but replacing his very existence.

His consciousness scattered across a trillion crimson droplets, each one containing a fragment of his will. The drops reformed into a humanoid shape, but Wei Liang was no longer truly solid. He had become living blood given form and purpose.

"The Blood Avatar transformation," the Architect observed clinically. "Your predecessor reached this stage as well. Though he retained more of his original form."

Wei Liang's voice now carried the sound of rushing rivers. "I surpass all who came before me. Observe the difference between your failed student and true genius!"

His form exploded into a crimson tide that swept across the recreated universe. Every drop sought to consume something—matter, energy, concepts, possibilities. The tide grew larger with each absorption, gaining mass and power at an exponential rate.

The Architect stood calmly in the center of the blood storm, untouched by the consuming wave. "Interesting approach. Rather than maintaining the Creator Gods' principles, you're devouring the universe itself to fuel your advancement."

Wei Liang's scattered consciousness felt the intoxicating rush of unlimited consumption. Entire galaxies dissolved into his essence. The concept of distance was absorbed, followed by the principle of separation. Soon he would devour space itself and become omnipresent.

But the Architect simply clapped his hands once.

The sound rang across infinity with the weight of absolute command. Wei Liang's expanding blood tide stopped instantly, frozen in place like someone had paused the flow of time itself.

"Rule One of proper cultivation," the Architect lectured to the immobilized crimson storm. "Power without control is merely elaborate suicide. Your predecessor learned this lesson the hard way as well."

With another gesture, the sage began compressing Wei Liang's scattered essence back into humanoid form. The process was agonizing—billions of drops of conscious blood being forcibly merged against their desire to consume everything.

Wei Liang found himself reformed but still composed of liquid crimson. His blood-body trembled with barely contained power and rage. The ninth stage of the Iron Blood Manual granted him theoretical immortality and unlimited growth potential, but the Architect treated it like a minor inconvenience.

"How?" Wei Liang demanded through gritted teeth that were themselves made of hardened blood. "What cultivation realm allows such casual dominance over transcendent techniques?"

"Cultivation realm?" The Architect chuckled softly. "My dear boy, you still think in such limited terms. Realms, stages, breakthrough barriers—these are training wheels for children learning to walk the true path."

The sage gestured, and Wei Liang felt his consciousness expand briefly to perceive a glimpse of the Architect's true nature. What he saw nearly shattered his sanity.

The Architect wasn't just a being—he was a fundamental principle of existence itself. Not Origin or Beginning or any of the concepts Wei Liang had consumed, but something far more basic. He was the principle that allowed principles to exist. The framework that supported all frameworks.

"I am Design," the Architect explained as Wei Liang's vision returned to normal. "The concept that allows concepts to have meaning. The structure that permits structures to function. Your Iron Blood Manual, the Creator Gods, this universe, your predecessor's fate—all expressions of patterns I established eons ago."

Wei Liang's blood-form boiled with frustrated fury. Every technique he attempted was casually neutralized. Every principle he accessed was revealed as a shadow of something the Architect had designed. Even his breakthrough to the ninth stage felt hollow when faced with such absolute superiority.

"Then what must I do?" The words escaped him before pride could stop them. For the first time since beginning his cultivation journey, Wei Liang faced someone he could not overcome through violence and consumption.

"Accept instruction," the Architect replied simply. "Though given your nature, I suspect you'll attempt several more futile attacks before reaching that conclusion."

As if summoned by the prediction, Wei Liang's rage exploded outward once more. His blood-form split into countless razor-sharp projectiles, each one carrying enough destructive force to annihilate solar systems. They struck the Architect from every angle simultaneously, their combined impact sufficient to crack the foundations of reality itself.

The sage stood untouched in the center of the crimson storm, his white robes not even stirred by the cosmic devastation swirling around him.

"Perhaps we should visit my other student," the Architect mused. "Ling Tian may provide some perspective on your situation."