Chapter 765: Blood Essence Condensing the Sacred Fetus

In his cultivation chamber, Xu Bai sat cross-legged on the floor paved with top-grade spirit stones.

He first placed the red rope quietly in front of him. Then he took a deep breath, calming his somewhat excited mood. After all, ever since he unexpectedly obtained the Azure Sea Pearl, it had been a long time since he had casually stumbled upon a treasure.

Xu Bai narrowed his eyes, replaying the entire trip to the empire, including all the details, several times in his mind.

"This shouldn't be a setup by Xiao Qing or the others," he mused. "This time, I took the initiative to seek them out, and the request to see Xu Ke's relics was also my own initiative."

"Furthermore, they genuinely didn't know about the unique properties of the red rope..."

After much deliberation and finding no flaws, Xu Bai did not touch the red rope. Instead, he first took out the Bookworm.

Like a living creature, the book flipped open on its own, projecting numerous words and images above it.

"Sacred Blood Transmutation..."

A moment later, a glint of light flashed in Xu Bai's eyes.

"As expected of someone esteemed by Mr. Bai and who founded the entire Beast Empire," he thought, "the profundity of this Sacred Blood Transmutation technique is almost on par with any body-doubling divine ability."

The 'Mysterious True Spirit Transformation' creates a clone by directly refining flesh and blood from rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Then, spiritual consciousness is infused, severing the connection between the clone and the main body, thus forming a completely independent entity.

This 'Sacred Blood Transmutation', however, can produce another physical body, identical to one's own, solely by cultivating one's own vital blood and flesh tissue, without relying on spiritual energy or spiritual consciousness at all.

The entire process is similar to regenerating a severed limb, but what regrows is another version of oneself. Before completely detaching from the 'host body,' the clone remains physically connected to the main body. This closely resembles the human process of gestating offspring, which is why Xu Ke named it Sacred Blood Transmutation.

Xu Bai then took out three items from his storage ring that could catalyze the Sacred Blood Transmutation. These were: Everliving Dragon Blood, Brahma Mind Divine Worm, and Core of Pure Light.

The original Sacred Blood Transmutation technique, as taught by Xu Ke, was designed for ordinary people with no cultivation. Therefore, the process of gestating the sacred embryo, or the next generation, was quite lengthy, typically requiring more than half a year for the sacred embryo to slowly mature. During this period, one also had to continuously consume various potent medicinal herbs and meats to support the normal growth of the sacred embryo.

However, throughout the empire's thousands of years of development, successive emperors researched and discovered methods to accelerate this process by utilizing the unique properties of various exotic beasts.

Everliving Dragon Blood can greatly promote the circulation of qi and blood in the body, compressing the gestation period of the sacred embryo from more than half a year to just one month or even a few days. The Brahma Mind Divine Worm can replenish spiritual energy. The Core of Pure Light, when implanted into the sacred embryo, ensures that it remains free from calamities and diseases during gestation.

"Everything has its pros and cons," he mused. "Although external assistance can significantly reduce the time needed to cultivate a sacred embryo, it also creates many disadvantages. Because they grow too quickly, these 'instant' sacred embryos are almost indistinguishable from the main body. As Xiao Qing said, they are virtually identical to a clone."

"However, with the original Sacred Blood Transmutation technique," he continued, "over years of cultivation, the sacred embryo develops its own wisp of consciousness, merely resembling the original body more than anything else."

"Which of these two methods is superior or inferior is hard to say."

Xu Bai's gaze swept over the three items, and he pondered to himself.

"However, this accelerated method is precisely what I need right now."

Absorbing the Everliving Dragon Blood into his abdomen, Xu Bai silently began to circulate the Sacred Blood Transmutation technique. An intensely strong burning sensation emerged from his belly, then, like raging fire, it instantly surged through his entire body.

*Puchi...*

A large tumor suddenly protruded from Xu Bai's back. Flesh and blood tissue continuously wriggled within it, and the tumor rapidly expanded, growing from its original fist-size to the size of an infant in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, the clothes Xu Bai was wearing were the Pure Light Glazed Robe, refined by Fang Zaiji, capable of withstanding Grand Unity attacks. This spared him the trouble of his clothes bursting.

Sacred Blood Transmutation allows one to arbitrarily choose any part of the body as the growth point for the sacred embryo, according to one's thoughts. Throughout the empire's history, various emperors had their own preferences. Xu Bai, however, chose his back. Perhaps he was influenced by the scene he witnessed when he was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator, being pursued by the Red-Haired Nascent Soul: an infant-like phantom hunched like a parasite behind the volcanic grotto-heaven.

"There's none of the vibrant life energy typically brought by the mutual generation of the Five Elements," he observed, "instead, the flesh and blood tissue has entered a state of super-activation, breaking through normal division limits."

"The so-called Everliving Dragon is merely a flood dragon that has reverted to some of the Azure Divine Dragon bloodline," he thought. "Yet it still has such a significant effect on a Nascent Soul cultivator." As Xu Bai felt the itching sensation on his back, like ants crawling, he couldn't help but feel inwardly astonished.

The scorching Everliving Dragon Blood continuously surged within Xu Bai's body.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. The tumor on Xu Bai's back already faintly resembled a "human." In Xu Bai's perception, this sacred embryo truly felt like a part of his own body, something he could manipulate at will. With a thought from Xu Bai, the sacred embryo performed various continuous movements according to his will. However, as the sacred embryo had not fully developed, its features were unclear, as if covered by cloth, giving it a somewhat eerie appearance.

"It's time." After becoming thoroughly familiar with the sacred embryo, Xu Bai, using his spiritual consciousness, manipulated the Core of Pure Light, slowly guiding it toward the tumor. The bulging flesh seemed to not exist at all. Without any resistance, the Core of Pure Light directly penetrated it. Xu Bai distinctly felt that the flesh and blood tissue within the sacred embryo, which had been wildly and chaotically proliferating, slowly calmed down.

The Core of Pure Light gradually dissolved into the flesh and blood, causing the bulge on Xu Bai's back to faintly emit a white glow. Limbs and facial features began to differentiate from within the sacred embryo. After more than half a day, a smooth "human" figure appeared on Xu Bai's back. He was described as smooth because at this point, he had no body hair at all. Even skin folds were absent. It was as if he had been sculpted from white jade, emitting a fair luster.

"Next, it's the final step."

"My spiritual consciousness far surpasses that of ordinary mortals," he thought, "so this Brahma Mind Divine Worm, used to replenish spiritual consumption, won't be needed."

Xu Bai focused a portion of his consciousness onto the sacred embryo on his back. Circulating the Sacred Blood Transmutation technique and through visualization, earth-shattering changes occurred in the sacred embryo in an instant. Bones formed, and the previously limp sacred embryo inflated and straightened like a balloon. Hair, nails, and skin on different parts of the body appeared in succession. It was as if a master sculptor was meticulously carving the formerly bare flesh. The human characteristics of the sacred embryo became increasingly pronounced.

Soon after...

On Xu Bai's back, the mirror-like face suddenly opened its eyes. At the same time, layers of flesh and blood at the point where the sacred embryo connected to the main body detached on their own.

The sacred embryo, Xu Bai, lightly patted the main body's shoulder, then floated gently to the ground.