Chapter 224: The Crimson Emperor's Blood Crystal
Chapter 224: The Crimson Emperor's Blood Crystal
"The Crimson Emperor's Blood Crystal?" Ji Xinghuo asked, confusion furrowing his brow. "What is that?"
"You don't know?" Xia Qingyu exclaimed, surprised, then realization dawned on him. "That's understandable, considering you've just arrived at the Bloodsoaked Plateau. Not many people know about it even here. It's somewhat of a secret among a small group."
Intrigued, Ji Xinghuo asked, "Can you tell me about it?"
"There's nothing to hide," Xia Qingyu said, taking a large gulp from his cup. "The Crimson Emperor's Blood Crystal is an extraordinary item that has a similar effect to the Tears of the Stars. It not only provides an additional chance for fusion, but it also significantly boosts one's stellar power and enhances the body."
He paused, deliberately leaving the young man hanging.
Ji Xinghuo simply looked at him, refusing to take the bait and ask further.
"You little rascal," Xia Qingyu grumbled inwardly.
If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered explaining, but the young man before him had a face identical to his younger self, and he just couldn't bring himself to be brusque.
"The Crimson Emperor's Blood Crystal is a rather sinister item," Xia Qingyu continued reluctantly. "In a sense, it is obtained by offering the blood of countless believers as a sacrifice to the Crimson Emperor."
"As long as there are enough deaths, not necessarily just believers, although they are preferred. The blood of the deceased can then condense and form the blood crystal. The more deaths, the better the quality of the crystal."
"Using a high-quality blood crystal results in a more potent enhancement. One may even gain the opportunity to fuse with two or three exotic species."
"Anyone below the seventh stage can use the blood crystal, but it's best not to use it more than once."
After his lengthy explanation, Xia Qingyu resumed drinking.
"Why?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
Xia Qingyu pointed to his forehead and said in a low voice, "Use that brain of yours to think about it. What kind of star god is the Crimson Emperor, and how are the blood crystals created? If you use something imbued with the power of a star god repeatedly, what do you think will happen?"
Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened as he understood. "I'll become a believer of the Crimson Emperor?"
"Duh," Xia Qingyu scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Then, does that mean that if one is already a believer of the Crimson Emperor, there's no restriction on how many blood crystals they can use?" Ji Xinghuo's thoughts took a turn.
"Well, that's why those believers of the Crimson Emperor are always so keen on killing," Xia Qingyu snorted. "For them, the blood crystals are a shortcut to gaining power quickly. As long as they keep killing—thousands or tens of thousands of believers—and the death toll is high enough, they'll eventually trample everyone else underfoot!"
Ji Xinghuo nodded slightly, his face contemplative.
If he could obtain a Crimson Emperor Blood Crystal and fuse with another exotic species, he could consider advancing to become a Super Exotic.
"Would the battlefield between the Highlanders and the Beast Tribe produce Crimson Emperor Blood Crystals?"
"Of course," Xia Qingyu replied, then frowned in confusion. "But if you didn't know about the Crimson Emperor Blood Crystals before, why did you ask me about where there are wars?"
"It was just a random question," Ji Xinghuo said, not wanting to reveal the truth.
"Never mind then," Xia Qingyu said, his expression conveying his disinterest in the topic.
After downing the entire cup of Bloody Blaze, he was starting to feel a pleasant buzz. He kept glancing at Ji Xinghuo, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer. "Where did you grow up?"
"Chang'an," came the reply.
"Do you have a communal family? How many siblings do you have?" Xia Qingyu asked further.
"Five," Ji Xinghuo answered. "I have an older sister and an older brother. I'm the third child, with a younger brother and a younger sister below me." He knew what Xia Qingyu wanted to ask, so he continued, "My family is great, and I didn't experience any hardships growing up. I had a happy childhood, so I never considered leaving home."
Xia Qingyu nodded, his face relaxing a little.
"That's good to hear. I also grew up in a communal family, and I'm a first-generation communal child," he said, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "I have three sisters, but after we became adults, only I became an Exotic. We gradually drifted apart, and our bond weakened. I rarely return to Earth, so I don't know how they're doing now."
Ji Xinghuo offered some comfort, "You can visit them when you have the time."
"It's too late for that," Xia Qingyu sighed, not elaborating further.
After a long silence, he suddenly said, "I'm sorry. I should have taken responsibility, but I was truly afraid of starting a family, and I didn't feel worthy of being a father. I apologize for that."
"It's alright," Ji Xinghuo said with a gentle smile, patting Xia Qingyu's shoulder.
In truth, he could understand Xia Qingyu's feelings.
People like Xia Qingyu were common in the Asia-Pacific Collective. They felt unprepared, whether psychologically or materially, and feared that having a child would hold them back from pursuing their life goals. They worried that their lives would revolve around their child, causing them to lose their sense of self.
With the government's "Continuation Plan," which allowed them to hand over their children to be raised by the government, many chose to do so, absolving themselves of the responsibility.
But when their children grew up and they met again, they often felt remorse and guilt.
It was a complicated situation.
While some might resent their parents for this decision and hold a grudge, Ji Xinghuo had no such thoughts.
Firstly, he had a good life.
Secondly, he was the same kind of person—he didn't want children and was solely focused on climbing the evolutionary ladder of life.
"Now that I know you feel this way, I can truly set my mind at ease," Xia Qingyu said happily. Seeing that Ji Xinghuo wasn't going to drink his cup of Bloody Blaze, he took it and drank it himself.
They chatted casually for a while, but two cups of the potent drink weren't enough to satisfy them, so they ordered two more.
The other half revolved around his conquests with women.
Xia Qingyu took particular pride in the latter.
He boasted about achieving a "thousand cuts" two years ago and aimed to reach "ten thousand cuts" in his lifetime. He claimed to have bedded women from over thirty different races, including Winged Folk, Forest Rangers, Giants, Fire Demons, Aetherlings, Bear Demons, and the Beastkin Race—non-human races among them.
Ji Xinghuo's scalp tingled at such explicit details.
Patrons nearby turned to stare at Xia Qingyu, their gazes a mix of admiration and bewilderment.
"You've been with female Forest Rangers?" A burly man from the Wilderness exclaimed in disbelief. "You must be bluffing!"
Xia Qingyu bristled, about to retort.
"Alright, that's enough." Ji Xinghuo quickly stopped him; such matters were best kept private, no need to flaunt them.
"I'm in a good mood today, or else I'd give you a proper lecture on the delights of Forest Ranger women. It's like being with a sheep..."
Xia Qingyu's sentence trailed off as his entire body went numb.
"Damn, who's shocking me?"
Ji Xinghuo hastily supported him out of the inn, not wanting to cause further embarrassment; after all, he still had to continue living in Skyfall Cliff.
Once they stepped out into the street, the cold wind helped sober Xia Qingyu a little.
"Where do you live?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
"I have a place in Skyfall Cliff," Xia Qingyu slurred in reply. "I live alone, so there's plenty of space. You can stay with me."
"Thanks." Ji Xinghuo accepted his offer.
"Why are you being so polite with me?" Xia Qingyu affectionately slung an arm around Ji Xinghuo's shoulders, burped, and continued with clearer eyes, "Come on, let's go."
The two strolled out of Frostwind Street.
Not far from Frostwind Street, in another part of the city, they entered a high-end community and arrived at a single-detached house. The property wasn't large, only about two hundred square meters, but the surrounding environment was pleasant, located just a few hundred meters from the Snow Ape Giant tribe, ensuring safety.
Xia Qingyu opened the door and welcomed, "Welcome to my home."
Stepping into the yard, a tall oak tree stood in the center, surrounded by flowers and grass. Across from it was a two-story building. The first floor housed a living room, kitchen, and cultivation room, while the second floor had bedrooms and a balcony. The rooftop terrace offered a panoramic view of the distant stone-built palace on the mountain.
Although the conditions were modest, the house was well-equipped.
In Skyfall Cliff, owning such a private courtyard was already quite an achievement.
Xia Qingyu gave Ji Xinghuo a tour of the house. As they ascended to the second floor, he said, "There's an empty bedroom here. You can clean it up and stay here from now on."
"Okay."
Ji Xinghuo entered the room, which was over twenty square meters and included an attached bathroom—a comfortable space.
He had never been one to demand much in terms of material comforts.
"There are shops and restaurants at the street corner, so it's very convenient for buying things and getting meals. It's just a short walk away," Xia Qingyu introduced the neighborhood. "Do you have money? Skyfall Cliff only accepts True Dragon Coins; other currencies are useless here. If you don't have any, just let me know."
"Don't worry about that," Ji Xinghuo smiled.
"Alright, then go ahead and settle in. I'm going to take a nap," Xia Qingyu yawned. "I've been playing with that woman these days, and I'm a bit tired."
With that, he turned and entered his bedroom.
Before closing the door, Ji Xinghuo caught a glimpse of the room across the hall, which was in disarray, with clothes and pants strewn everywhere, along with a fair amount of trash that hadn't been cleaned up.
This guy clearly lived a messy life.
Ji Xinghuo fetched some water and cleaned his room. As he tidied up, he released his electromagnetic sensing ability and found that Xia Qingyu was just lying on the bed, not yet asleep.
It wasn't until over ten minutes later that Xia Qingyu closed his eyes and his breathing slowed.
Ji Xinghuo lightened his movements and cleaned the entire second floor, as well as the visible areas of the first floor, including the living room and cultivation room, and swept the yard.
It was still early, so he decided to explore the surrounding area, familiarizing himself with the neighborhood. He also purchased some supplies and returned.
Just as Ji Xinghuo was about to take Qinghong out of his pocket to feed it, he sensed something and became alert. His electromagnetic sensing detected a figure passing by outside the door. At first, he thought it was just a passerby, but then the figure jumped over the wall and landed with a dull thud.
From the shape of the magnetic field, he discerned that it was a human female.
She was powerful, a top-notch fourth-stage expert.
Ji Xinghuo walked into the living room and saw a tall woman standing in the middle of the yard.
She stood at a height of over 1.9 meters, with well-developed muscles, especially her chest. Her attractive face was adorned with black tattoos, and her black hair was tied into a long braid at the back. She wore a form-fitting leather armor and carried a large axe, exuding a fierce aura, her face contorted with anger.
This woman was evidently a Highlander, and she seemed to be seeking revenge.
"Who are you looking for?"
Ji Xinghuo asked in Dragon language.
The female Highlander's expression froze as she sized up Ji Xinghuo, then suddenly erupted in fury. "Xia Qingyu, don't think I won't recognize you just because you changed your face, you scum! Go to hell!"
She roared and swung her axe at him.
(End of Chapter)
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