novelraw Chapter 83: Bathing in Dragon Blood
Chapter 83: Bathing in Dragon Blood
'What is this?'
This was the very first thought that crossed the Mutant Dragonfish's mind as it breached the ocean's surface and sensed the black, lightning-like spear glint streaking toward it.
As for its second thought?
There was no second thought.
Because in the very next fraction of a second, the Jet-Black Long Spear pierced cleanly through the Mutant Dragonfish's head.
Even as its consciousness plunged into eternal darkness, the creature remained entirely bewildered. It had no idea what had just happened, nor why it had to die the very moment it leaped out of the water.
"A hit!"
At the bow of the ship, a smile surfaced on Su Yuan's face when he saw the Jet-Black Long Spear he had hurled impale the Mutant Dragonfish in a single strike.
Objectively speaking, the Mutant Dragonfish died a deeply unjust death. Given its formidable strength, not a single faction currently on Blue Star possessed the capability to hunt it down.
As a deep-sea mutant containing trace amounts of dragon blood, and one that had already evolved into a Level 3 Lifeform, the dragonfish reigned as a supreme overlord even at the bottom of the deep sea.Those Level 1 and Level 2 sea beasts completely lacked the courage to even look it in the eye. As for Level 3 sea beasts? They would retreat under the sheer pressure of its bloodline, not daring to challenge it.
If this was the case in the unfathomable depths of the ocean, it was even more true for the surface world.
This particular Mutant Dragonfish was incredibly cautious. It only visited the shallow waters once every century, staying for a mere few days before returning to the bottom of the deep sea.
Let alone killing it, the powerhouses on land did not even know it existed.
In truth, even if they had known, it would have been useless. Even a powerhouse like The Truth Society, deploying all of their Level 4 Androids, would not have been able to do anything to this Mutant Dragonfish.
After all, as a creature possessing dragon blood, this Mutant Dragonfish had mastered several life-saving innate abilities. As long as it was not foolish enough to go ashore, dying would have been a difficult task for it.
Unfortunately for the beast.
It met Su Yuan.
Through the gray mirror, he had learned the exact location where the Mutant Dragonfish would appear next.
And so, he had thrown the fatal strike in advance.
By the time the Mutant Dragonfish could react, the spear Su Yuan threw was already infinitely close to it.
Under such circumstances, even with its numerous life-saving trump cards, the Mutant Dragonfish simply had no time to use them.
Coupled with the fact that Su Yuan's strike pierced right through its brain, it was an instant kill. The creature was not even granted the luxury of lingering at death's door.
Whoosh!
The Jet-Black Long Spear punched cleanly through the Mutant Dragonfish's head.
Driven by the immense kinetic impact, the corpse of the Mutant Dragonfish was carried backward through the air by the spear.
Su Yuan instantly leaped from the bow of the ship, appearing right beside the airborne corpse. He grabbed the spear and hauled the dead dragonfish back toward the deck.
Tapping the surface of the ocean a few times for leverage, he landed smoothly back on the bow just three seconds later.
"Good, I did not waste much,"
Su Yuan muttered, looking at the four-to-five-meter-long golden Mutant Dragonfish before him.
Because it died so rapidly, and since the wound was a clean hole through its skull, the creature had not bled much.
In a certain sense, the Mutant Dragonfish was not entirely dead yet. Only its brain had been destroyed; its bodily functions had not yet ceased. Its heart was still beating, and its blood was still pumping.
"What a treasure,"
Su Yuan remarked as he examined the corpse. The greatest value of this Mutant Dragonfish lay in its blood, which contained trace amounts of dragon blood. Following that, its scales, bones, and other parts were also of considerable worth.
Even without its identity as a dragon-blooded mutant, it was still a Level 3 Lifeform. Naturally, it was a treasure from head to tail.
And Su Yuan, possessing the gray mirror, knew exactly how to maximize the utility of every single part of this Mutant Dragonfish.
Inside the ship cabin.
Bai Tangwen and Zhao Ru stared in dumbfounded silence.
They had been keeping an eye on Su Yuan the whole time, considering he was their boss.
But the scene that unfolded before them made their eyes widen in sheer disbelief.
First, Su Yuan had abruptly stood up and retrieved the Jet-Black Long Spear from its black carrying case.
Then, he violently hurled it out, aiming at absolutely nothing on the empty ocean surface.
Before the two could even process the logic behind his actions...
A massive fish with shimmering golden scales suddenly breached the water, seemingly throwing itself right into the path of the Jet-Black Long Spear.
Indeed, from their perspective, it didn't look like Su Yuan had aimed at the golden fish.
It looked as if the giant golden fish had deliberately collided with the weapon.
Finally, Su Yuan leaped off the bow and, in an absolute defiance of the laws of physics, carried both the spear and the massive, four-to-five-meter-long golden fish back to the ship.
Bai Tangwen and Zhao Ru exchanged a glance, their minds buzzing with shock.
The events that had just transpired were so far beyond common sense that they completely overlooked the extraordinary nature of the golden fish itself.
While Bai Tangwen was still standing in a daze, Su Yuan's voice suddenly rang right beside his ear.
"Bring the container over."
The so-called container was one of the items Su Yuan had instructed Bai Tangwen to prepare in advance.
It acted as a super-large refrigerator, meant specifically to store the corpse of the Mutant Dragonfish.
This would prevent its blood and organs from decaying and spoiling.
"Yes," Bai Tangwen replied. His thoughts were a tangled mess. He didn't even pause to question how Su Yuan's voice had sounded so clearly beside his ear from a distance. Instead, he immediately turned around to wheel the massive container out.
A moment later, a container measuring five meters long by three meters wide appeared on the deck.
Su Yuan expertly popped open the lid, adjusted the internal temperature to sub-zero, and dragged the Mutant Dragonfish inside, spear and all.
The reason he did not pull the spear out was to maintain the creature's 'freshness' for as long as possible.
"Let's head back,"
Closing the container, Su Yuan cast a glance at the captain and crew, who were shivering in terror, and spoke in a calm tone.
"U-understood!"
The captain jolted back to his senses and immediately rushed into the cabin's control room, while the other two crew members scrambled to attend to their duties.
At this moment, neither the captain nor the crew dared to disobey Su Yuan. Having witnessed that scene which was completely beyond comprehension with their own eyes, simply managing not to drop to their knees in sheer terror was already a testament to their courage.
Shortly after.
Under the captain's navigation, the ship began its return journey.
Su Yuan remained seated at the bow of the ship. There was no special reason for this other than the fact that he could bask in the sun here. Basking in the sun meant absorbing energy; even if the amount was minuscule, it was still better than nothing.
Their return trip was smooth, entirely avoiding any storm zones. Several hours later, the vessel successfully returned to the harbor in Iceland.
More than a dozen people were already waiting at the harbor, all of whom had been arranged by Su Yuan in advance.
As soon as the ship docked, the group boarded the vessel and wheeled the massive container holding the Mutant Dragonfish onto a waiting transport truck nearby.
The truck then headed straight for the airport, where the container would be loaded onto a private flight bound for Modu.
Exactly one day and seven hours later, the corpse of the Mutant Dragonfish arrived at Lab No. 3 on the outskirts of Modu.
Su Yuan also traveled alongside the dragonfish corpse, returning to Xia Nation together with his prize.
There were absolutely no accidents or unexpected variables during the trip. The choice of aircraft, the flight path, and the precise timing had all been carefully mapped out by Su Yuan using the gray mirror. A perfectly smooth journey had been practically guaranteed.
"You two can return home now,"
Su Yuan informed Bai Tangwen and Zhao Ru right before parting ways.
Now that the matter of the Mutant Dragonfish was settled, there was no longer any need for them to remain in Iceland.
"Understood, boss!"
Bai Tangwen and Zhao Ru answered respectfully.
They would never forget the things they had seen and experienced on this maritime expedition for the rest of their lives.
Seven days later.
Inside Lab No. 3.
This laboratory was one of the thirteen facilities Su Yuan had established near Modu, specifically dedicated to the life science and technology field. The Mutant Dragonfish he had hunted near Iceland had been delivered here at the first possible opportunity.
"Unbelievable! To think there is blood containing such a high concentration of active factors. Based on this density, the owner of this blood could easily live for at least two thousand years!"
Gao Dehai, the head of Lab No. 3, stared at the cascading rows of data on the screen with a fanatical expression, muttering to himself.
The blood data he was reviewing naturally belonged to the Mutant Dragonfish. Su Yuan had delivered it here to utilize the facility's advanced equipment to properly extract its blood.
Then, it underwent a multi-step refinement process to isolate and purify the trace amounts of dragon blood.
During this process, all the biological data concerning the Mutant Dragonfish's blood was carefully compiled to serve as vital research material for the future.
"Is it finished?"
Su Yuan, who had been standing quietly by the side, spoke up.
"Boss, the blood has been completely purified."
Gao Dehai's heart skipped a beat. He had been so entirely engrossed in the dragonfish's blood analysis data that he had actually forgotten Su Yuan was standing right next to him.
Quickly recovering, Gao Dehai hurried into an adjacent secure room and carefully brought out a single test tube.
The tube was a little more than half full with a brilliant golden liquid. Though it appeared light, it actually weighed a full kilogram.
"Boss."
Gao Dehai gently handed the test tube to Su Yuan, terrified of dropping it on the floor.
This half-filled test tube of golden liquid was the culmination of five to six days of grueling, round-the-clock effort from the entire team at Lab No. 3.
"So this is the dragon blood from inside that Mutant Dragonfish?"
Su Yuan took the test tube and examined it closely.
Compared to Gao Dehai, his perception was remarkably acute, allowing him to sense every single drop of the golden liquid in intricate detail.
The longer he observed it, the more clearly he felt the heart-palpitating aura radiating from within the substance.
The Mutant Dragonfish weighed over five tons, meaning it held at least three tons of blood.
Out of three whole tons of blood, only this tiny amount of golden liquid could be extracted and purified.
'It's a pity... the purity is still not terribly high. If I had let that Mutant Dragonfish live for another few centuries until it evolved into a Level 4 or Level 5 Lifeform, the quality of the purified dragon blood would have been a full tier higher than it is now...'
Su Yuan mused inwardly.
Of course, that was merely a hypothetical scenario.
Su Yuan never would have actually done that.
Let the Mutant Dragonfish live for another few centuries? In a few centuries, Su Yuan couldn't even fathom what level of power he would have reached. By then, if he still needed dragon blood, he would simply hunt down a true dragon beast.
Why would he ever retain any interest in a mere Level 4 or Level 5 Lifeform?
Deep within Lab No. 3, Su Yuan entered a secluded room.
Inside this room was a pool measuring several square meters in size.
The pool was already filled with water.
Su Yuan stepped up to its edge.
The optimal method to refine the golden liquid in the test tube was through the process of a bath.
As for swallowing it directly? The golden liquid was incredibly dense, far surpassing that of mercury, and possessed a certain degree of corrosiveness. An ordinary person would undoubtedly die upon ingesting it.
Even a Level 3 Lifeform like Su Yuan wouldn't die from drinking it, but the absorption efficiency would drop drastically. It would be a total waste of a divine treasure.
With that in mind, Su Yuan uncorked the test tube and slowly poured the golden liquid into the pool.
The crystal-clear water instantly took on a pale golden hue the moment the liquid was introduced.
Su Yuan stripped off his clothes and waded slowly into the pool, submerging everything but his head beneath the water's surface.
Whoosh!
Only a short moment had passed.
Su Yuan began to feel his entire body heating up. This heat was not radiating from the outside in, but rather surging from the inside out.
'The absorption has begun,'
Su Yuan thought to himself. He had long since learned the entire dragon blood refinement process from the gray mirror, including the distinct sensations he would experience at each stage.
Had the gray mirror not confirmed its safety, he wouldn't have dared to use the golden liquid so directly. Who knew if there were any hidden side effects or long-term risks?
For example, the fact that bathing was the only way to maximize the absorption and refinement of the golden liquid—without knowing in advance, who could have possibly guessed such a bizarre method?
Hum— As time trickled by, waves of heat seeped rapidly from the surface of his skin deep into his flesh and blood.
'Time to refine!'
Su Yuan closed his eyes and immediately began refining the thermal currents surging through his body, following the exact method provided by the gray mirror.
In an instant, the heat that had penetrated his body explosively detonated, feeling as if countless silver needles were being stabbed into every single inch of his being.
The corners of Su Yuan's mouth twitched slightly.
The gray mirror had warned him that he would experience a certain degree of pain while refining the golden liquid. Su Yuan hadn't paid it much mind at the time, but he hadn't expected it to hurt this badly.
Still, this level of agony was entirely within his tolerance limit. He simply treated it as a trial to temper his willpower.
In the depths of the universe, many cultivators intentionally subjected themselves to excruciating pain and hardships strictly to hone their will.
Of course, Su Yuan didn't need to go to such lengths at the moment; the Star Contemplation Method was more than enough to enhance his willpower strength.
Splash, splash—
The golden tint in the pool gradually faded, while the pain Su Yuan was enduring steadily climbed.
Simultaneously, Su Yuan's body was undergoing a remarkable transformation.
The raw power of the golden liquid continuously infiltrated every single one of his cells.
These cells began to slowly mutate. Impurities at the cellular level were relentlessly purged, and the inherently inferior genetic traits of a human were constantly being perfected.
Under this profound alteration, Su Yuan's body initiated a... rather unconventional evolution.
This evolution wasn't a vertical leap in his Life Level, but rather a horizontal expansion. His genetic makeup was being perfected, shattering a specific inherent biological limit within him.
Two hours later.
Su Yuan no longer felt any pain. The pool, which had previously held a pale golden hue, had once again become crystal clear.
Seeing this, Su Yuan immediately realized that he must have completely absorbed and refined the golden liquid.
However, just to be absolutely certain and avoid wasting a single drop, he reached deep into his sea of consciousness and queried the gray mirror.
'Is the refinement completely finished now?'
The surface of the gray mirror rippled hazily before delivering an answer.
[Yes]
Receiving the confirmation he wanted, Su Yuan felt a wave of relief and slowly stood up from the water.
Stepping out of the pool, he instantly registered the changes in his body.
First was his overall strength. Undergoing this dragon blood bath was roughly equivalent to the results of two standard cultivation sessions.
Two sessions might not seem like much, but one shouldn't underestimate the sheer boost in power it provided. One had to understand that at the Level 3 Lifeform stage, Su Yuan only needed a total of fifty cultivation sessions to reach the peak.
Two sessions already accounted for one-twenty-fifth of the entire progression of a Level 3 Lifeform.
This surge in strength was entirely within his expectations. After all, as the distilled essence of the Mutant Dragonfish, the golden liquid inherently contained an immense volume of energy.
But this was merely one of the effects gained from absorbing and refining the golden liquid.
The second effect—the one Su Yuan cared about far more—was the permanent elevation of his cultivation speed limit.
"Hm?"
Su Yuan meticulously sensed every intricate detail of his own body and the external world, discovering an even deeper, more profound transformation.