Chapter 311: Preservation Clan

Chapter 311: Preservation Clan

The research lab basked in the deep hours of night, its mana lamp casting blue flames that danced across walls like living shadows.

Luo En gently set down his quill, his right hand instinctively brushing his chest as he felt the rhythmic surge of his bloodline mana.

The power from the Crimson Blood Sky Dragon still roared within him like a wildfire slithering through his veins. Each heartbeat sent pulses of scalding mana racing through his body.

But it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.

"A Gold-Ring level bloodline is like trying to channel lightning through a candle flame against the Fourth Stage of the Solar Corona Breathing Technique", Luo En muttered, his gaze darkening as memories of his recent cultivation attempts surfaced.

Every time he tried to form the "Radiant Wheel" core mana structure, his bloodline's physical limits became an insurmountable wall. It wasn't a failure of will or technique—it was the container itself that dictated the boundaries.

He strode to the window, crystal glass framing his view of the distant Crystal Spire. Even at night, its mana-lit spires pierced the sky like glowing rivers, weaving a dreamlike tapestry over the city.

As an assistant professor at Crystal Spire, his library privileges were high enough to access most non-core archival records—including ancient texts on bloodline theory's deepest mysteries.

"I should conduct a systematic literature review."

...

Crystal Spire's central library was a monolith of semi-transparent mana crystal, its interior expanded through spatial folding spells into an immeasurable labyrinth. Even at midnight, the air buzzed with the intoxicating aroma of aged parchment and chimera-infused ink.

"Assistant Professor, here so late?" The night custodian, Victor—a High Apprentice with a gaunt frame and sunken eyes—tilted his head, his shoulders hunched from years of study.

"Research matters", Luo En replied, presenting his badge. "I need advanced records on bloodline studies and the Bloodline Knights."

Victor examined the badge, its privileges glowing faintly blue as it projected verification symbols. "Confirmed: Level Three access. You may enter the Third Zone—advanced bloodline archives. But beware, some records cause spirit fatigue during prolonged study."

"Understood. Thank you."

The Third Zone radiated a different energy—knowledge itself felt tangible, pressing against his senses. As Luo En passed ancient tomes, whispers emerged—a chorus of memories sealed within pages.

He found his target: A Study on the Origins of Hybrid Bloodlines.

"Privileges verified. Welcome." A mechanical voice echoed in his mind. Settling into a reading chair, he opened the tome with reverence.

"Dragon Kind bloodlines are hailed as the most powerful and enigmatic of all known lineages. Yet modern research suggests these so-called 'Dragon Kinds' aren't native to this world—they are beings from other realms."

Activating his History Research skill, the text shimmered, pulling his consciousness into a vortex of living history.

The world blurred, replaced by visions of the Second Era. The sky churned a sickly purple, unnatural and viscous, over landscapes littered with alien structures—twisted remnants of organic architecture. The air vibrated with chaotic energy as reality itself seemed to breathe.

Suddenly, the sky tore open—a jagged wound splitting existence. From it poured the first Dragon Kinds.

Some were crystalline specters, their bodies pulsing with vein-like luminescence. Others shifted fluidly, pure mana reshaping itself with reality-warping ease. Multi-headed abominations radiated elemental fury, their eyes void of wisdom, only primal hunger.

Then came the primordial dragon kings—colossal as asteroids, their mere breath altering continental climates. Their presence twisted spacetime, warping reality into a nightmarish funhouse.

"Definitely not native species..." Luo En noted mentally. "And they were unstable from the start."

The visions shifted to the Second Era's end. Abyss corruption spread like cancer. The once-majestic dragons melted into grotesque forms—scales liquefying into black pus, wings birthing writhing tendrils. Madness replaced their intelligence until they became howling flesh masses.

Even more terrifying: Abyss-born monsters began consuming these fallen dragons. A tentacled horror absorbed wings, a slime monster replicated corrosive breath, a deformed creature fused decaying scales into its flesh.

"This mimetic evolution is more terrifying than mere annihilation."

Hours passed as Luo En scoured archives. In Ancient Knights' Experiment Records, he found chilling details: human figures bound on stone altars surrounded by black-robed mages—not sacred rituals, but blood-soaked experiments.

Not only did the ritual contain Dragon Blood and Abyss Crystal, but also several organs clearly harvested from sub-human species, along with writhing masses of unidentified substances.

As the ritual progressed, the test subject's body underwent terrifying transformations:

Muscles expanded like inflated balloons while bones emitted grating sounds of fracture and reorganization;

Instead of red blood, golden liquid radiating searing light pulsed through his veins;

Most horrifyingly, throughout the process he maintained complete clarity - his agonized screams nearly pierced the heavens.

When the ritual concluded, the figure lying on the stone platform was no longer fully human, but something between man and dragon.

"So this is how it was", Luo En realized with dawning comprehension, though no warmth stirred in his heart. "The original Knights, or Demon Hunters as they became known, were indeed artificially created through bloodline formulations."

Mages had harnessed ancient Dragon Kin bloodlines combined with forbidden techniques to forcibly forge warriors surpassing commoners. The cruelty of the process had never mattered to them."

As the historical vision faded, he slowly opened his eyes. A mild headache throbbed through his skull from spiritual energy depletion, though the knowledge gained made it worthwhile.

He had reached the final page of the tome. Since this record contained extremely scarce information, he'd only managed a cursory read:

"Monarchknights represent the pinnacle of the Bloodline Knight system, the ultimate aspiration for all Knights.

According to incomplete statistics, from the late Second Era's emergence of Bloodline Knight cultivation paths, fewer than a hundred Monarchknights have ever been recorded."

"Monarchknights' power transcends conventional Knight classifications. They can match Full Mages in combat, even gaining advantages in certain situations.

This formidable strength stems from their perfect mastery of bloodline powers and extraordinary physical enhancements through breathing techniques."

"Awakening as Monarchknights requires fulfilling three core conditions:

First, activating at least a quasi-stellar ring-level bloodline;

Second, mastering a complete breathing technique;

Third, undergoing a special 'trial'.

Only by simultaneously meeting all three conditions can one possibly transcend Bloodline Knight limitations and step into the Monarchknight realm."

At this point, Luo En's heartbeat quickened. The Solar Corona Breathing Technique undoubtedly belonged to the "complete" category, and his cultivation in this discipline had already reached considerable depths.

The real issue lay in bloodline rank limitations and that mysterious "trial."

After flipping through several other archival records, he found all specific information about Monarchknights similarly restricted by confidentiality seals.

Luo En closed the final tome. This information's sensitivity far surpassed his expectations.

"Tomorrow's meeting with Eve might yield more useful insights. The Crown Clan might itself be a core participant in this lineage system."

The next day, Jade Pavilion's reception hall was filled with delicate floral fragrances. Warm Mana Crystal Lamp light filtered through crystal curtains, casting an elegant serenity across the room.

Luo En and Eve sat facing each other, having just completed their daily knowledge exchange session.

Eve had transmitted a Spiritual Energy Control technique called "Consciousness Layering", allowing practitioners to divide attention across multiple independent layers during complex operations, vastly improving efficiency.

Meanwhile, Luo En shared his latest theoretical research on "Mana Harmony Resonance" in bloodline formulation - this special technique could significantly reduce rejection reactions between different bloodline factors.

Both parties gained valuable boons. The circulating sensation of pure mana left them visibly satisfied.

"Today's harvest has been unexpectedly abundant", Eve said, gently stroking the mana isolation bracelet on her wrist, her amethyst eyes sparkling with pleasure. "Your mana harmony theory has given me entirely new perspectives on my 'mana corruption' symptoms."

Her voice brimmed with barely concealed excitement.

"Hehe... still far from complete", Luo En nodded, cautiously reminding her. "We must be extremely careful applying this theory. 'Mana corruption' symptoms are far more complex than ordinary bloodline diseases. Any minor mistake could worsen the medical condition."

"I understand", Eve nodded earnestly before shifting topics. "Speaking of bloodline formulation, how has Mentor's recent research progressed?"

"Actually, I wanted to consult you, Prince", Luo En replied, his expression troubled as if facing an intractable technical problem. "I'm conducting Dragon Kin hybrid bloodline experiments on one of my attendants, but I've hit a bottleneck."

Carefully choosing his words without revealing his Chimera bloodline truth, he continued: "Currently using a Gold-Ring level Crimson Blood Sky Dragon bloodline. All metrics have reached theoretical limits, but further breakthroughs have become extremely difficult."

His brows furrowed slightly. "The problem lies in the near-impossibility of finding quasi-stellar ring bloodlines superior to Gold-Ring level in the market. Even when they occasionally appear, prices soar into hundreds of complete Mana Stones - well beyond my current capacity."

He paused, frustration evident. "Moreover, bloodline samples at that level usually carry strict source restrictions. They're simply inaccessible to ordinary Mentors."

Eve nodded, her amethyst eyes showing understanding. "This is indeed a widespread problem. High-purity Dragon Kin bloodlines have become extremely scarce in modern times, tightly controlled by ancient clans who regard them as lineage foundations to protect fiercely."

She traced the teacup's rim. "Even if someone does sell, they typically attach harsh conditions - exclusive cooperative agreements or demands for complete research data sharing..."

At this moment, Franca, who had stood silently in the room's corner, suddenly spoke:

"Prince, if Lalfmage needs stellar ring-level Dragon Kin bloodline, I might be able to offer assistance."

Her voice remained as calm as ever, but Luo En keenly detected underlying resolve.

"Franca?" Eve turned toward her maid with surprise.

The half-dragon maid stepped forward, beginning her formal self-introduction: "Lalfmage, I come from the historically renowned Kadu Clan - one of the so-called 'Preservation Clans.'" Her calm voice carried palpable pride. "As the name implies, our duty is preserving precious bloodlines inherited from the Second Era. During Abyss erosion's dark age that caused massive Dragon Kin extinctions, it was families like ours that preserved the last stellar ring bloodlines."

Luo En listened intently, recognizing the immense value of this information.

"The Kadu Clan shares a millennia-old pact with the Crown Clan", Franca continued, her tone complex - bearing both pride and deep resignation. "This agreement formed during the mid-to-late Third Era when Abyss erosion had reached critical stages, threatening mass Dragon Kin extinction. Our ancestors' clan leader signed this blood oath with the Crown Clan - protection in exchange for loyalty."

Her hand unconsciously clenched. "In exchange, we dispatched our clan's most outstanding descendants as Squires, while the Crown Clan provided bloodline formulation technology to help stabilize and purify our bloodline lineage. Additional conditions included offering protection in this increasingly dangerous world."

Franca's eyes held both gratitude and hidden pain. "This partnership became both honor and shackle. We gained powerful strength and noble status, yet could never escape our vassal identity. From birth, every Kadu Clan heir has had their fate predetermined."

She paused, looking directly at Eve. "Still, being able to serve under a kind and wise master like you is my greatest fortune."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end