Chapter 204: Bloodline Evolution

Chapter 204: Bloodline Evolution

At the battlefield’s heart, amidst a wasteland of debris, Luo En remained on high alert, carefully perceiving the surging energy fluctuations around him.

Dust settled slowly, illuminated by the faint crimson glow of blood-colored crystals, forming eerie beams of light through the air.

Although the explosion’s impact was shocking, it wasn’t necessarily enough to completely destroy him, Luo En calculated inwardly.

He understood his limitations with the "Phoenix Immortal Breath", a spell far beyond his current cultivation stage. Unlike Youni, he lacked the precise control to channel its full power. The mana had dispersed wildly during the blast, making total annihilation of the clone highly unlikely.

As residual energy rippled through the air, he detected faint but persistent life vibrations—weak, yet stubbornly enduring.

If Mentor Youni had personally cast this move, the clone would be lucky to have even a single atom left.

But through the "Thousand Shifting Shadows" technique he’d recorded, the spell’s power, while terrifying, lacked that lethal precision.

The clone was severely wounded—exactly as Luo En had planned.

As Luo En mused, subtle tremors erupted beneath the molten crystal at the crater’s center.

The thin, glass-like layer over the debris began to shudder. Cracks spread outward from its core like a spiderweb.

Then, the fragile surface shattered from within.

Fragments flew as a charred, barely humanoid figure crawled out.

Once handsome features were now unrecognizable, skin cracked and flaking like charcoal with every movement.

Those crimson-gold eyes, once radiating a terrifying pressure, now dimmed to flickering embers of light.

"As expected, not so easy to kill."

Luo En nodded, unsurprised. If anything, he preferred this—his enemy reduced to a half-crippled state.

After all, if he’d reduced clone to mere ashes, the benefits wouldn’t have been maximized.

Now, the clone’s strength was drastically weakened, yet his body remained intact enough for the "Puppet Substitute" to absorb.

The charred figure staggered upright, like a devil clawing its way back from hell.

With each motion, charred skin sloughed off, revealing writhing flesh beneath.

The flesh wriggled unnaturally, striving to fill the gaps in his body.

In this unique Environment, the wounds healed at a visible pace—but far slower than before.

Abyssal mana surged from all directions, coiling around the clone, accelerating his recovery.

Yet the energy struggled to penetrate his body, forming a faint mist on his surface before dissipating into the air.

"You... how did you gain such power?"

The clone rasped, his voice like grinding metal, crimson-gold eyes wide with disbelief and rage.

He staggered forward, steps unsteady, entirely stripped of his former elegant composure.

Once-mighty energy fluctuations now flickered weakly, like a dying lamp.

Luo En observed the clone’s recovery, hand already resting on the "Puppet Substitute" at his waist.

He recalled the scene he’d witnessed earlier—

The clone descending like a reaper, obliterating the Crystal Spire’s elite squad in an instant.

Even that pair of Awakening Being Abyss Fusion Entities had fallen before him.

Such overwhelming power had been chilling.

Now, this once-terrifying existence struggled to stand, a toddler’s unsteady balance.

His breath came in ragged, labored gasps, each inhale hissing like a broken bellows.

"Puppet Substitute, prepare for battle."

Luo En unhooked the puppet, channeling a portion of his consciousness and mana into it.

He felt the doll vibrate faintly in his palm, as if eager for the impending fight and absorption.

The puppet rapidly expanded, reaching adult size within seconds.

Under the light, its surface gleamed metallic—a transformation from fusing Serpent Demon and Lion Scorpion traits.

Its musculature was smooth yet powerful, joints brimming with explosive mana, far more refined and dangerous than its clumsy early form.

Most striking was the Third Arm extending from its right shoulder blade.

Crimson-gold eyes wide with disbelief and rage.

He staggered forward, steps unsteady, entirely stripped of his former elegant composure.

Once-mighty energy fluctuations now flickered weakly, like a dying lamp.

Luo En observed the clone’s recovery, hand already resting on the "Puppet Substitute" at his waist.

He recalled the scene he’d witnessed earlier—

The clone descending like a reaper, obliterating the Crystal Spire’s elite squad in an instant.

Even that pair of Awakening Being Abyss Fusion Entities had fallen before him.

Such overwhelming power had been chilling.

Now, this once-terrifying existence struggled to stand, a toddler’s unsteady balance.

His breath came in ragged, labored gasps, each inhale hissing like a broken bellows.

"Puppet Substitute, prepare for battle."

Luo En unhooked the puppet, channeling a portion of his consciousness and mana into it.

He felt the doll vibrate faintly in his palm, as if eager for the impending fight and absorption.

The puppet rapidly expanded, reaching adult size within seconds.

Under the light, its surface gleamed metallic—a transformation from fusing Serpent Demon and Lion Scorpion traits.

Its musculature was smooth yet powerful, joints brimming with explosive mana, far more refined and dangerous than its clumsy early form.

Most striking was the Third Arm extending from its right shoulder blade.

Crimson-gold eyes wide with disbelief and rage.

He staggered forward, steps unsteady, entirely stripped of his former elegant composure.

Once-mighty energy fluctuations now flickered weakly, like a dying lamp.

Luo En observed the clone’s recovery, hand already resting on the "Puppet Substitute" at his waist.

He recalled the scene he’d witnessed earlier—

The clone descending like a reaper, obliterating the Crystal Spire’s elite squad in an instant.

Even that pair of Awakening Being Abyss Fusion Entities had fallen before him.

Such overwhelming power had been chilling.

Now, this once-terrifying existence struggled to stand, a toddler’s unsteady balance.

His breath came in ragged, labored gasps, each inhale hissing like a broken bellows.

"Puppet Substitute, prepare for battle."

Luo En unhooked the puppet, channeling a portion of his consciousness and mana into it.

He felt the doll vibrate faintly in his palm, as if eager for the impending fight and absorption.

The puppet rapidly expanded, reaching adult size within seconds.

Under the light, its surface gleamed metallic—a transformation from fusing Serpent Demon and Lion Scorpion traits.

Its musculature was smooth yet powerful, joints brimming with explosive mana, far more refined and dangerous than its clumsy early form.

Most striking was the Third Arm extending from its right shoulder blade.

Covered in dark purple scales, its claw-like fingers glowed with obsidian-blue light.

A mutation from absorbing the Lion Scorpion’s venom glands, granting it an attack method far beyond ordinary means.

"This your secret weapon?" The clone sneered, voice dripping with disdain.

"Just a wooden doll? This thing dares to face me in battle?"

The clone faintly sensed a mana trait within the puppet—something eerily familiar, like seeing his own reflection, but with an independent will.

But he was merely trying to bluff.

"Not just an ordinary puppet", Luo En replied calmly, manipulating the puppet forward through their spirit link.

"It prefers to call itself a 'substitute.' And it’s a genuine 'Abyssal Treasure'—you can feel it, can’t you? That shared power?"

At his command, the puppet’s right hand conjured a Radiant Flame Sword, its blade shimmering with golden runes and searing heat.

Its left grasped an ice blade formed from Water Element, the chill freezing the surrounding air.

The Third Arm wielded an ink-green dagger, an extension of the Lion Scorpion’s stinger trait, its tip dripping venom that corroded small pits into the ground.

These formidable elemental weapons were the result of the "Elemental Affinity" and "Material Transmutation" skills, enhanced by various Synergy Bonuses.

The three attribute-specific weapons glinted—a perfect offense-defense system.

The Stinger dagger focused on close-range piercing, the Radiant Flame Sword dominated mid-range, while the ice blade provided support.

A flicker of dread crossed the clone’s face. His injuries continued to mend as Abyssal mana converged from all directions, greedily absorbed into his body.

"Enough talk. Begin!"

The puppet’s voice resonated with an eerie blend of Luo En’s tone and metallic resonance.

The clone exhaled sharply, then launched the first strike.

His movements were slower than before, yet still startlingly fast.

A crimson-gold mana erupted from his body, engulfing him.

Once blindingly radiant, now it dimmed like the last glimmers of twilight.

This was the further-enhanced "Life Eruption" form—but the clone couldn’t replicate efficient traits like "Boiling Blood."

—Sound Wave Oscillation Erosion State!

Invisible ripples burst from the clone’s palms, carrying guttural whispers that struck the puppet like a storm.

The syllables twisted, ancient and alien, echoing from some distant star. Each note contained reality-warping potential.

Yet, as the sound waves neared their target, Luo En raised a hand in the distance, releasing his own Sound Wave Oscillation.

The two forces collided midair, creating a strange Resonance.

But Luo En’s version was purer, stronger—like an original compared to a counterfeit.

His waves carried an ancient, pristine Star Whispering that easily suppressed the clone’s attack, reflecting it back with vengeance.

Caught off guard, the clone was struck by his own mana.

Black spots erupted across his body, as if invisible Corrosion was eating away at his form.

Seizing the advantage, the puppet surged forward like lightning, three weapons slashing in perfect coordination—a lethal net of attacks.

Its movements were fluid yet swift, blending the Serpent Demon’s eerie flexibility with the Lion Scorpion’s explosive power, its coordination far surpassing any single creature.

Radiant Flame Sword swept in an elegant arc, slicing precisely toward Clone's neck. The blade's momentum even tore through the air itself.

Ice Blade pierced straight into the opponent's chest, its frost condensing into a blue trail.

Stinger dagger attacked from the side, aiming for Clone's abdomen, leaving behind a string of murky green traces.

This triple-pronged assault left virtually no room to evade.

Clone barely managed to conjure a Flowing Barrier for defense, though his condition was clearly deteriorating.

The barrier appeared weak and unstable, its surface riddled with fine cracks, its mana flow erratic.

"Crack!"

Radiant Flame Sword slammed into the barrier, instantly carving a massive fissure across its surface.

Mana from the blade seeped into the cracks, continuously scorching the barrier's structure.

Ice Blade followed closely, widening the existing fracture.

Frost infiltrated the crevice, coating the crack's edges with a brittle layer of ice, further weakening the barrier's integrity.

Finally, Stinger dagger plunged into the already severely compromised defensive point, effortlessly piercing through and burying itself in Clone's chest.

At the moment of penetration, the dagger's venom erupted, spreading outward from the wound like a bone-dissolving, flesh-consuming web.

"Agh!" Clone let out a piercing scream, his voice twisting into agonized distortion.

Black blood spewed from the wound, its color unnaturally dark.

This pathetic state starkly contrasted with his earlier overwhelming dominance against Crystal Spire squad and Aolifu.

The scorched figure's eyes widened as if seeing the opponent's gaze soften with pity.

Clone lunged at Luo En like a madman, his hands clawed, eyes burning with desperate determination.

His movements became chaotic—he'd completely lost the precise control he'd wielded before, now resembling a wounded beast's final thrashings.

"Die! Die! Die!"

He roared the words repeatedly, his voice hoarse and desperate.

With his emotional fluctuations, black spots across his face expanded and contracted violently, as if living creatures writhed beneath his skin.

Yet Puppet Substitute effortlessly evaded this disordered assault, its movements as fluid as dancing.

It sidestepped gracefully, letting the claws graze past, then spun with practiced ease. The three weapons struck Clone's back simultaneously.

A dull impact sounded as Clone's body flew backward, crashing heavily into a half-collapsed crystal pillar with a "crack!"

Luo En stood calmly, fingers subtly twitching as he guided Puppet Substitute's every action through their spirit link.

To him, this battle remained entirely under control—neither exhausting nor uncertain, yet guaranteeing the objective's completion.

The puppet's three arms raised their weapons in unison, advancing coldly on the nearly incapacitated Clone.

Each step resonated with steady power, like an unstoppable force of fate.

"This... shouldn't be happening."

Clone muttered, his eyes dimming into lifeless gray:

"I absorbed so much power. So many clones. That pair of Awakening Beings. I should have—"

"It has nothing to do with the mana you absorbed. Your defeat stems solely from the origin of your very essence being in my possession."

Luo En finally spoke, his voice calm.

Clone's pupils constricted violently as realization dawned. Recognition flickered in his eyes: "You mean..."

"Correct. You and 'Puppet Substitute' share the same root. In fact, a significant portion of your spiritual energy and power was extracted from it through the rules of this realm, then regenerated as an imperfect mimicry."

Luo En explained softly, his tone carrying scholarly detachment:

"Therefore, facing it is like confronting your own origin—this battle was never fair from the start."

Hearing this, Clone's expression shattered completely. The fire in his eyes extinguished, leaving only hollow gray.

His shoulders slumped like a marionette with severed strings.

"Don't worry—your power won't be wasted."

As Luo En spoke, Puppet Substitute's three arms launched their final attacks, tearing Clone apart completely.

Radiant Flame Sword severed his head, Ice Blade pierced his heart, and Stinger dagger eviscerated his abdomen.

The three weapons unleashed their power simultaneously, creating a unique mana resonance that shredded Clone's body into countless fragments.

A crimson-gold mana burst forth from the ruins, coalescing into a radiant sphere in midair, radiating pure, immense power.

But it didn't dissipate—it was drawn toward Puppet Substitute, slowly drifting to the three-armed puppet like iron filings to a magnet.

Puppet Substitute spread its arms as if embracing the mana.

Upon contact, blinding light erupted from the point of contact, so intense that even Luo En had to squint.

Luo En felt Puppet Substitute undergoing a strange transformation—absorbing Clone's mana, integrating it into itself.

The process was both violent and harmonious, like two similar yet distinct substances fusing—simultaneously repelling and attracting.

The puppet's body began subtle changes. Its surface grew smoother, its texture shifting from wooden to a metal-like substance while retaining organic flexibility.

Its muscle definition became sharper, each fiber resembling meticulously sculpted artistry brimming with explosive power.

The overall silhouette grew more human-like, shedding its original mechanical rigidity for vibrant vitality.

Most astonishingly, a new arm extended from its left shoulder, mirroring the extra limb on its right.

This fourth arm glowed crimson-gold, seemingly forged from pure positive mana.

Its surface bore intricate scale-like patterns, each emitting faint light—an inherited trait from Clone.

When the mana absorption completed, Puppet Substitute radiated golden light.

The brilliance gradually faded, sinking into every part of the puppet like a purifying baptism.

Finally, when the glow vanished, the puppet stood transformed.

"Charging Progress increased by 30%!" Luo En discovered, astonished, that Puppet Substitute had undergone a significant transformation:

【Automatically absorbed Vitality Abyss substance. Charging Progress +30%】
【Current Charging: 38%/100%】

This unprecedented surge brought Puppet Substitute much closer to unlocking the bidirectional interactivity trait.

From previous 8%, it leapt to 38%—a massive 30% boost in one go.

More importantly, the puppet's mana circulation became smoother.

Its movements more coordinated, as if evolving from a rough sketch into a complete masterpiece.

Previously complex actions requiring Luo En's full concentration now executed with simple mental commands—more precise and fluid.

The sensation resembled upgrading from a decrepit carriage to a sophisticated magical airship, enhancing both comfort and control tenfold.

The four arms moved in unprecedented harmony.

Where the original three occasionally struggled with coordination during complex maneuvers, the four arms now moved like instruments in a symphony—each motion perfectly rhythmic.

"Return." Luo En commanded softly.

Puppet Substitute immediately shrank, reverting to its original size as it silently returned to his hand.

With Clone's complete disappearance, the crystal platform began transforming.

Red patterns across the pillars surged violently, resembling blood vessels pulsing with life.

Then the patterns detached from the crystal surfaces, condensing into mana streams that converged toward Luo En, forming a vast crimson mana web.

"This is... bloodline enhancement?"

Luo En quickly grasped the situation—having defeated his clone, the bloodline altar now fulfilled its promise by granting bloodline reinforcement.

As this realization struck, the mana streams accelerated.

Eventually, they coalesced above his head into a crimson mana sphere about a meter in diameter.

The orb's surface shimmered with flowing patterns, as if performing complex calculations or evaluations.

Seconds later, the sphere descended, gently enveloping Luo En's body before slowly seeping into his skin.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end