Ascension of The Unholy Immortal

Chapter 445: Primordial Blood

When the herald called the name, a stir ran through the younger cultivators. From among the guests, a woman in dark-blue robes stepped out—Mi Ling.

Her expression was composed, her eyes calm yet sharp as a blade hidden within silk.

"The Starry Sky Alliance extends its congratulations," she said evenly. "This Starcore Pendant was recovered from the ruins of the Seventh Heaven's Spiral. May it bless the union."

As she presented the box, her gaze brushed briefly over Dong Rou—measured, assessing—before she turned and departed without another word.

"What is this woman doing here?" Dong Rui's voice echoed coldly in Liang's mind through a sound transmission.

Liang's expression did not shift in the slightest. His reply was calm, almost indifferent. "I was the one who invited her."

Dong Rui's eyes flickered with surprise. "You? Why would you do such a thing? Is she not your sworn enemy?"

At this, Liang's lips curved faintly, though his gaze remained steady. "It seems you've investigated me quite thoroughly."

"Hmph." Dong Rui snorted. "Naturally. One must know both the enemies and allies of their partner."

Liang's eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful light flashing within them as he cast a deep glance to the side. "You need not concern yourself with my enemies," he said softly. "It is your own enemies you should be wary of."

"You—what do you mean by—"

Before Dong Rui could finish, a booming laugh resounded across the plaza.

"The Duan Family sends its congratulations!"

A man in golden robes strode forward. Though his frame was not particularly robust, his body radiated an intense blood qi that made the air itself tremble.

"Duan Clan?" Several experts exchanged bewildered glances.

"Who are the Duan Clan?" an elder muttered, brows furrowed as he searched his memories.

Almost at the same moment, another voice cried out in shock, "The Duan Heavenly Clan!"

The words caused a stir.

"Heavenly Clan?" The crowd grew even more confused.

"Yes… I recall now!" an old cultivator exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "They are an ancient clan—one that existed even before the Great Catastrophe!"

Another cultivator frowned. "What Heavenly Clan? I've never heard of them."

The elder shook his head with a trace of remorse. "In the age before the Great Catastrophe, the balance of power was vastly different. The domain was divided into tens of realms, each with countless factions. The Duan Clan was one of the supreme powers of that era."

Even Dong TianDi, who had prepared for the arrival of hidden factions, was caught off guard. He had not truly expected such an ancient force to appear.

Stepping forward with a solemn expression, he cupped his hands. "The Dong Clan is honored by your presence. Please, take a seat."

Duan Shi laughed heartily and flicked his wrist, sending a small spirit bracelet gliding through the air toward Dong TianDi.

Though surprised, Dong TianDi raised his hand to receive it. Yet the moment his palm touched the bracelet, his expression changed.

Golden runes suddenly bloomed around his hand, rotating silently as an overwhelming aura burst forth. At the same instant, a tide of blood qi surged from the bracelet, only to be forcibly suppressed by Dong TianDi's own spiritual might.

"Friend Duan," TianDi said coldly, his voice edged with restrained anger, "what is the meaning of this?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Duan Shi merely smiled faintly. "A slip on my part. I have not left our realm for many years. It seems I am still… adjusting to the atmosphere here."

"If that is the case, then you should rest." Dong TianDi waved his hand, and two attendants stepped forward to guide Duan Shi to his seat.

But before the tension could settle, another laugh rang out from the distance.

"The Duan Clan remains as arrogant as ever."

A hush rippled through the plaza. Even the cultivators who moments ago had been murmuring among themselves now turned their gazes toward the approaching figure.

The man's footsteps were unhurried, His upper body was bare, revealing a physique tempered as though carved from divine bronze, every muscle line suffused with a faint golden luster. His long brown hair cascaded loosely down his back, glimmering faintly under the lantern light. Despite his casual appearance, a sense of oppressive might seemed to pulse from him with every breath.

"The Shen Clan? That ancient family from the Southern Heaven Realm?"

"I thought they perished during the Cataclysm!"

"Perished? Hah. The Shen Clan are said to have mastered the art of Blood Rebirth. Unless their whole body is completely extinguished, they will always rise again."

The man's lips curved into a faint, confident smile as he reached the center of the plaza. He bowed with deliberate grace toward the high dais.

"Senior Brother Dong, I am Shen Yue. My father sends his regards. The Shen Clan could not ignore such a joyful occasion."

Dong TianDi's gaze sharpened slightly. "Shen Yue…The Dong Clan welcomes your presence."

Shen Yue's smile deepened, though his eyes held no warmth. "It should be so. After all, our clans have not crossed paths for… what, fifty thousand years? It is only proper that we renew old ties."

He gestured, and a youth behind him stepped forward, carrying a rectangular coffer made of black jade etched with crimson veins. When the lid was lifted, a deep hum filled the air—low, resonant, like the heartbeat of some ancient beast.

"The Shen Clan offers a drop of Primordial Being's blood," Shen Yue announced. "It was sealed during the era of the Catastrophe. May it fortify the Dong bloodline and grant longevity to the new union."

The crimson light within the box pulsed faintly, as though alive. Even the Void Return Realm experts present involuntarily held their breath.

Liang gazed at the crimson drop suspended within the jade coffer, his expression turning contemplative.

A drop of blood from a Primordial Being?

The words alone sounded awe-inspiring, yet for some reason, it failed to stir him.

All around, cultivators stared in shock and reverence, their eyes shining with greed and wonder. Only Liang remained unmoved.

After his encounter with the Immortal Fox Fairy—and the transformations that followed—his bloodline had undergone a profound change. His current physique had already reached a level that could be compared to the so-called Primordial races. In truth, the blood flowing through his veins now was no less potent than that within the coffer.