C27 The World of the Holy Monolith!

"I just got lucky..."

Xiao Ling touched his nose, the extraordinary nature of Blood Flame manifesting itself. As long as he could endlessly refine blood qi, he was capable of continuously advancing to higher realms.

He had slain numerous prisoners in the jail, assimilating their blood qi, and it was within his expectations to break through directly to a Two-star Martial Master.

With smooth cultivation, he was certain to erase his past disgrace and achieve his revenge.

"Mr. Xiao, you're being too humble."

The members of the Dragon Sect Escort Agency were in awe. If Xiao Ling's breakthrough was just luck, then they might as well give up on living. Such a rapid progression was beyond belief.

"Luck is a form of strength, too."

Huo Wu stepped closer to Xiao Ling, her beautiful eyes appraising him. The proximity made him blush and avert his gaze.

"How intriguing," Huo Wu chuckled. "The Resplendent Building is vast. You can settle in and focus on your cultivation in the coming days, without a worry about food or drink."

"And don't concern yourself with the Wang family. As long as you remain within the Resplendent Building, they can't touch you."

Xiao Ling's dark eyes shimmered with appreciation as he bowed his hands in thanks. "I'm deeply grateful for your generosity, Miss Huo."

His words were gracious, yet his mind harbored its own plans; he knew he couldn't stay hidden in the Resplendent Building forever.

"Many thanks, Tower Master Huo," Lau Qing said, bowing his hands with a smile.

"It's nothing," Huo Wu dismissed with a wave of her hand. "The night is deep. Everyone should rest early. I'll take my leave now."

With that, Huo Wu departed amidst the respectful stares of the onlookers.

"Tower Master Huo truly embodies valor and heroism—a true warrior among women..."

Watching Huo Wu's retreating figure, Lau Qing couldn't help but express his admiration, his eyes filled with longing.

If only he were stronger, he wouldn't fear any challenge and could safeguard both the Dragon Sect Escort Agency and Lau Miaoyi.

The incident with the Wang family had driven home the importance of strength for Xiao Ling.

After some more conversation with Lau Qing and the others, a servant from the Resplendent Building escorted him to a bedroom to settle in.

Aowu!

Xiaojin eyed the large bed, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement. With a graceful leap, he landed on it and began to roll around contentedly.

"You sure know how to live it up, little guy," Xiao Ling remarked with a chuckle, smacking his lips as he surveyed the tidy room. He nodded in approval and seated himself cross-legged on the bed.

Today's events had been a rude awakening. Watching the Wang family's men tuck tail and run from Huo Wu underscored a harsh reality of the Divine Martial Continent: respect was reserved for the powerful. Only with strength could he force the bullies to cower and flee.

"Strength... Respect comes only with strength!"

Determination flickered in Xiao Ling's dark eyes. Having crossed the Wang family of True Martial City, he knew their enmity was inevitable. Any encounter with their forces would be a fight to the finish.

"I must enhance my own strength."

Pondering his next move, Xiao Ling examined his Edgeless Sword, Red Blood Card, and Holy Monolith.

The Edgeless Sword, his primary weapon, demanded a formidable heavy sword technique to realize its full potential.

The sword also possessed a Sword Soul, albeit an immature one, akin to an infant, requiring constant nurturing to grow.

Yet, how to cultivate the Sword Soul and strengthen it remained a mystery to him.

The Red Blood Card, the sole link to his past, held expansive space for storing numerous items. Crucially, it featured a restricted area that seemed to promise a Martial Skill once he achieved a certain level of mastery.

Bloodthirst, a skill he acquired as a martial artist, had served him well. Now, as a Martial Master, his power had surged. Whether he could break through the card's restriction once more was an open question.

With that thought in mind, Xiao Ling's consciousness stirred, and he directed his soul force towards the seal on the Red Blood Card.

Boom!

Xiao Ling's assault shattered the seal, and a torrent of exceedingly intricate information flooded his mind. Despite being braced for it, he couldn't help but clutch his head as beads of sweat formed on his brow. The pain was intense, as if his head might burst.

"Blood Defying Divine Arts!"

Once the agony subsided, a distinct cultivation technique was etched into Xiao Ling's mind, making his pupils contract with astonishment. "The human body's eight extraordinary meridians, reversed in flow, permeating the five viscera and six bowels to forge an unparalleled blood physique... Mastery of this cultivation could lead to rebirth from a mere drop of blood."

As Xiao Ling organized the Blood Defying Divine Arts in his thoughts, his shock deepened. He hadn't anticipated that such a miraculous technique would be contained within the Red Blood Card. The concept of being reborn from a single drop of blood was staggering—if word got out, it would shake the very souls of others.

Moreover, the Blood Defying Divine Arts seemed to resonate with his Blood Flame Martial Soul, as if tailor-made for him. Only through refining blood Qi could he accelerate his breakthroughs. The key distinction of this technique from others was its counterintuitive approach: channeling Yuan Qi into the bloodstream, reversing its flow along the body's meridians to the Dantian, and forming a blood pill—this was the true initiation into the Blood Defying Divine Arts.

The sole downside was the technique's requirement for copious amounts of blood Qi to unlock the extraordinary capability of regenerating from a drop of blood.

"What an incredible Blood Defying Divine Arts! I'll take you as my foundation for cultivating my realm," Xiao Ling thought, his eyes alight with excitement. True rebirth from a drop of blood would grant him a nearly divine ability.

However, the Blood Defying Divine Arts were not without their limits. If an opponent managed to annihilate all of his flesh and blood, severing the essential elements for his rebirth, then even this miraculous technique would not be able to restore him.

Immediately after, Xiao Ling unleashed his soul power against the Red Blood Card's seal once more, but to no avail; he couldn't break through. This realization halted his attempts.

"Perhaps only those at the Martial Spirit Stage can breach this seal."

His dark eyes gleamed with the prospect of discovery. To him, the Red Blood Card was akin to a treasure chest, shrouded in mystery, awaiting his exploration.

Should he grow stronger, he might unlock even more formidable Martial Skills.

"What kind of beings were my parents?"

The enigma of the Red Blood Card prompted Xiao Ling to ponder his origins.

He had been found by Jiang Ya, the principal of the Holy Martial Institute, with nothing but the Red Blood Card to hint at his identity.

Only with strength could he hope to unravel the past and perhaps find his parents.

Filled with anticipation for the future, Xiao Ling allowed himself to daydream about a reunion with his parents, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Strength is key... only with it can I accomplish these goals."

Determination shone in his eyes. He was acutely aware that on the Divine Martial Continent, his current power was insignificant.

Yet he held onto the belief that one day, he would reach the pinnacle of the Divine Martial Continent and uncover his history.

"The Holy Monolith!"

Finally, Xiao Ling's attention settled on the Holy Monolith, an object of both reverence and resentment.

It had taught him the Heaven-Defying Body Tempering Martial Skill, the Eight-sect Escaping Armor. Mastering all eight would allow him to dominate the many strong warriors of the continent.

But the Eight-sect Escaping Armor was notoriously difficult to master, requiring not just rare materials but also enduring excruciating physical trials.

Despite its benefits, the Holy Monolith's presence had led to the destruction of the Holy Martial Institute, a fact that gnawed at Xiao Ling like a thorn in his heart, bringing waves of agony with each recollection.

"I will avenge the Holy Martial Institute, no matter what it takes!"

Revenge blazed in Xiao Ling's eyes as he recalled the harrowing events of the past. The images of Jiang Ya, Yun Xi, the numerous disciples of the Holy Martial Institute, and the fiery destruction of the Institute itself were seared into his memory.

"Just wait. There will come a day when you'll rue your actions!"

Xiao Ling's fists tightened. His current power was insufficient for vengeance, yet he had faith that his Blood Flame Martial Soul would propel his cultivation to the formidable level of a Martial Emperor.

But to ascend with the Blood Flame Martial Soul, he had to engage in relentless killing.

"Don't blame me for my mercilessness. You've brought this upon yourselves."

Despite his aversion to killing, Xiao Ling knew he couldn't afford to hesitate when it came to avenging himself. He would show no mercy to his enemies.

"It's time to assess the true strength of the Holy Martial Institute."

With a focused thought, Xiao Ling stepped into the Holy Monolith.

In a perilous moment, guided by Jiang Ya, he had safeguarded the Institute's entire legacy within the Monolith. Only with these resources could the Holy Martial Institute hope to rise anew.

"What! There's an entire world within the Holy Monolith!"

The sight that greeted Xiao Ling inside the Monolith left him astounded. He smacked his lips in appreciation, saying, "The Holy Monolith truly lives up to its reputation. No wonder it has sparked such fierce battles among the mighty!"

The Monolith had given rise to a world indistinguishable from the one outside.

Ink-black peaks pierced the endless cloudscape.

A moist, warm breeze caressed his face like velvet, bringing with it a sense of profound ease and delight.

And there was life here—thriving, abundant life.

Gazing skyward, Xiao Ling watched as birds engaged in spirited banter before gliding wing-to-wing into the vast blue, leaving behind a trail of joyful song.

Below, in the mountain streams, fish darted playfully while small creatures frolicked on the banks.

The realism was staggering, leaving Xiao Ling in awe, scarcely able to believe he was within the Holy Monolith.

Suddenly, a butterfly fluttered by, its dance catching Xiao Ling's eye. He reached out slowly, and the exquisite butterfly alighted on his palm, resting there in perfect stillness and harmony.

The sensation of the butterfly's delicate touch was strikingly real, stirring thoughts within Xiao Ling. With a shift of his consciousness, he snapped back to reality and cast a mischievous glance at Xiao Jin, who was dozing off nearby.