Chapter 12: The Dragon Metal and Bloodstone Mine

At dawn, Jian Tian stood at the edge of Nine Devil Mountain's inner forest, inhaling deeply as cold mountain air cut through his lungs. His pack was filled with dried wolf jerky, spirit water gourds, and a few talismans Ren Moxi had handed him before their departure.

Beside him, Ren Moxi's expression was calm as always, though his gaze lingered on the looming peaks.

"Remember," Ren Moxi spoke quietly, "Bloodstone is a mineral formed from the condensation of life essence in blood-rich lands. Dragon Metal is forged from the bones and scales of ancient dragons, refined over millions of years under spiritual flame veins. They are not materials that mortals can gather lightly."

Jian Tian's hands clenched around the hilt of the Dragon Blood Sword, its chipped blade wrapped carefully in cloth to hide its brilliance.

"I will return with both, Master."

Without further words, Ren Moxi turned and walked back toward Dragon Tale City, leaving Jian Tian alone.

He swallowed hard, feeling a chill down his spine despite the rising sun.

"It's just a mountain… how bad can it be…"

The outer forest was thick with towering black pines, their needles glimmering under morning dew. Birds cried warning calls as Jian Tian stepped cautiously over tree roots, his senses focused for any beast presence.

As he ventured deeper, the terrain became harsher – jagged rocks jutted from the forest floor, and the air grew heavy with spiritual qi so dense that even breathing felt labored.

At midday, he encountered the first beast.

It crawled from a hollow log – a centipede over three meters long, its carapace gleaming obsidian, dozens of legs clicking against stone. Venom dripped from its hooked mandibles, hissing on contact with moss.

Tier 2 Beast – Scalet Venom Centipede

Equivalent: Peak Meridian /Early Qi Refining Stage cultivator

Special Ability: Acidic venom spit

Jian Tian darted aside just as it spat a stream of green acid, sizzling through bark. He cursed, drawing the Dragon Blood Sword. Though broken, its spiritual weight lent strength to his strike.

"Severing Flow – First Form!"

His slash cut through three segments of the centipede, green ichor spraying in all directions. The beast screeched in agony before collapsing.

Breathing heavily, Jian Tian wiped his blade clean and harvested its venom sac and carapace segments, placing them into his small storage ring. He smiled bitterly.

"One day, I'll have a bigger ring… to store entire beasts in one flick of my wrist like Master."

By evening, he reached a rocky cliff path lined with dark-red mineral streaks glowing faintly under moonlight.

Bloodstone Vein.

He knelt, running a hand across the jagged mineral. It pulsed softly under his touch, warmth seeping into his palm like a faint heartbeat.

But as he unpacked his small mining pick, a low growl echoed behind him.

He turned slowly, eyes widening.

It was a Iron Claw Tiger, its body over four meters long, fur bristling like steel needles. Its saber-like fangs dripped blood from a recent kill, and its cultivation aura pressed down like a mountain.

Tier 2 Beast – Iron Claw Tiger

Equivalent: Qi Refining peak / approaching Foundation Establishment

Jian Tian felt his legs weaken. "I… I can't fight that alone…"

The tiger roared, shaking pine needles from branches as it lunged forward.

Jian Tian raised his Dragon Blood Sword, gritting his teeth. If he ran now, he would never gather Bloodstone. He forced his qi to circulate, dantian glowing faintly.

"Severing Flow – First Form!"

He dodged to the side, slashing at its underbelly. Sparks flew, but its thick hide resisted most of the strike, leaving only a shallow wound.

The tiger spun, its massive paw swinging with crushing force. Jian Tian blocked with his sword, but the impact sent him flying into the cliffside, his ribs cracking with sharp pain.

He coughed blood, vision swimming.

"Am I… going to die here…?"

But just as darkness threatened to claim him, Ren Moxi's words from training echoed in his mind:

"Only in the shadow of death does the blade reveal its true path."

He gasped as sudden clarity filled his senses. The tiger lunged again, but this time Jian Tian rolled under it, summoning every last drop of qi to his blade.

"Severing Flow – Second Form…"

He slashed upward in a twisting arc, targeting the beast's wounded underbelly. Blood sprayed across his face as the blade cut through hide and flesh, spilling its intestines across the ground.

The tiger let out a dying roar before collapsing beside him.

Panting heavily, Jian Tian cleaned himself before turning back to the Bloodstone vein. He chipped away with careful precision, gathering enough to fill two small spirit cloth bundles.

Then he noticed something deeper within the cliffside. A faint metallic glint.

Curious, he dug further, revealing a hidden chamber sealed behind stone. Forcing his way inside, he stumbled upon a vast underground cavern illuminated by glowing blue moss.

And there it was.

Dragon Metal.

Lining the chamber walls were massive skeletal remains – ancient dragon ribs fused with ore, forming lumps of silver-black metal veined with faint azure light.

He approached, awestruck.

"Dragon Metal… from dragon bones themselves…"

But as he reached out, he felt a powerful killing intent press down from above.

From the ceiling descended a massive serpent, black scales glistening with faint blue runes.

Tier 5 Beast – Abyssal Rune Serpent

Equivalent: Early Earth Descending Realm cultivator

Its eyes glowed with cold intelligence as it flicked its tongue, tasting Jian Tian's scent.

He froze, terror flooding his veins.

The serpent lunged forward, jaws wide enough to swallow him whole.

Suddenly, space rippled beside Jian Tian as a pale hand grasped the serpent's snout, stopping its strike instantly.

"Enough," Ren Moxi's calm voice echoed through the chamber.

The serpent hissed in fury, but the aura emanating from Ren Moxi suppressed it utterly. Its massive body coiled back and fled into the darkness.

Ren Moxi turned to Jian Tian, his gaze softening slightly as he saw the youth's injuries.

"You did well to reach here."

"Master… what is this place…?"

Ren Moxi stepped forward, resting a hand on a glowing ore vein.

"This was once the forging chamber of the Dragon Slaying Sect, where they refined Dragon Metal using dragon corpses harvested from the Ancient Dragon Corpse Burial Ground. Bloodstone was used to quench and stabilize the metal's spirit within forging flames."

Jian Tian's eyes widened. "Then… this was their weapon forge?"

Ren Moxi nodded. "Your Dragon Blood Sword was forged from metal mined here. With Bloodstone and Dragon Metal, you can restore it to its former power… and beyond."

Jian Tian's heart burned with determination.

"I will forge it back to glory, Master.

Ren Moxi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Remember, Jian Tian. True strength is not forged by greed or arrogance, but by tempering your will through each tribulation."

Jian Tian bowed deeply. "I understand, Master."

They gathered Bloodstone and Dragon Metal under Ren Moxi's silent instructions before leaving the underground forge. As they emerged back into the moonlit forest, the path before them seemed clearer, though the mountain winds whispered of deeper secrets and ancient sins yet to be unveiled.