"Saint blood..."

Zhou Yuan's gaze seemed to boil with excitement as he stared at the drop of golden blood. He could already feel the boundless Genesis Qi contained within it, the purity level causing his scalp to turn slightly numb.

How could he not know? Wasn't the reason why all of the geniuses in the Cangmang Continent gathered here was for this legendary drop of Saint blood?

This drop of Saint blood held the wonders of a Saint.

It was said that absorbing it would wash one's bones of impurities and strengthen them. When taken by practitioners that had yet to open their meridian channels, it would take them past the Channel Opening stage, and directly to the Qi Nourishing stage. Moreover, their foundations would be unimaginably solid.

However, there was clearly no one who would be willing to use such a valuable thing on someone who had yet to open any meridian channels...

In addition, the Saint blood could reconstruct one's foundations. If one encountered problems in one's cultivation that led to instability in one's foundations, the reconstruction process would be able to perfectly fix these problems.

Most importantly of course, there were numerous marvels contained within the Saint blood, which were extremely beneficial to one's future cultivation progress.

Patriarch Cang Xuan seemed to smile on the surface as he looked towards Zhou Yuan and asked, "Brat, is this enough to fill you?"

Zhou Yuan wiped away the saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth as he made a thumbs-up gesture. "Patriarch is so generous."

He then paused for a moment, before he said, "Is there anymore?"

Patriarch Cang Xuan's handsome youthful face instantly blackened. "You think this is some vegetable you can bulk buy in the market? Even at my prime, losing a drop of Saint blood will take very long to recover!"

Zhou Yuan let out a dry laugh. "It's a joke, please don't be angry."

Patriarch Cang Xuan asked in a rather miffed voice, "Then what about the task I want you to do?"

Zhou Yuan hurriedly said, "Don't worry patriarch, since Sacred Palace is a threat to big sis Yaoyao, they will naturally be my number one enemy. No matter what, I will not let the other three Saint Runes land in their hands."

Truthfully speaking, he would still choose to help patriarch Cang Xuan even without any benefits. After all, in a certain manner of speaking, Sacred Place was indeed a potential threat to Yaoyao.

"Go make your preparations. You'll absorb the Saint blood here since you might not be able to protect yourself if you leave." Patriarch Cang Xuan softly snorted.

Zhou Yuan nodded upon hearing this. Patriarch Cang Xuan was right. The Saint blood was just too enticing, and who knows how many factions were already gathered outside the Saint Remains Domain. If they were to find out that he had a drop of Saint blood, who knew what kind of evil thoughts would rise in their hearts. He would surely be plagued by an endless amount of trouble.

He sat down under the pine tree, his face filled with anticipation.

Patriarch Cang Xuan flicked his finger, and the golden Saint blood transformed into flash of gold as it shot out. It rapidly expanded in the air, turning into a viscous golden mist that flowed into Zhou Yuan through his nose.

Boom!

A loud boom instantly exploded in Zhou Yuan's mind. He felt as if a volcano was erupting in his body.

Scorching golden mist frantically washed through his four limbs and bones like lava.

In his Qi Dwelling, the dark gold Omni Python Qi hissed and began greedily devouring the golden mist.

Viscous golden mist filled every corner of Zhou Yuan's body, slowly seeping into his flesh, blood and bones...

It this moment, glowing specks of gold began to surface in the blood, flesh and bones within his body.

The Genesis Qi undulations from Zhou Yuan's body steadily rose…

It was not only his Genesis Qi, even the originally dim and feeble Spirit between his brows due to using Silver Shadow started to recover at an astonishing speed...

The wounds from his earlier battle instantly began to mend.

Moreover, as his Spirit absorbed the golden mist, it began to strengthen, growing more and more corporeal.

At this very moment, every part of Zhou Yuan's body was undergoing a drastic transformation.

A young man was seated under a pine tree. Genesis Qi spread from his body, seemingly taking the shape of a giant python behind him which continuously devoured sliver after sliver of golden mist…

Patriarch Cang Xuan's eyes focused slightly as he glanced at the faint giant python behind Zhou Yuan. "This Genesis Qi seems to only be grade 5, yet, it seems to contain limitless potential…"

"If I'm not wrong, it should be the legendary Ancestral Dragon Scripture, right?" Patriarch Cang Xuan looked towards Yaoyao.

Yaoyao gave a slight nod, also staring at Zhou Yuan as she said, "Between the Ancestral Dragon Scripture and grandpa Hei's Heavenly Yuan Cannon, he chose the former."

"What an ambitious little fellow." Patriarch Cang Xuan chuckled. Ordinary people would not have the courage to make such a decision. After all, the Ancestral Dragon Scripture is too difficult to cultivate, and once one steps onto this path, there is no turning back.

Either you become a dragon, or you become a worm.

"I wonder whether his choice is good or bad... " Patriarch Cang Xuan shook his head, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Let this little guy slowly enjoy the transformation brought by the Saint blood."

Patriarch Cang Xuan waved his sleeve as the mists formed into a go board in front of him. He smiled and asked, "Do you know how to play go?"

Yaoyao held a piece between her fingers as it made a clear clack on the board.

Yaoyao's bright eyes stared at the go board as she slowly asked, "Why was old mister willing to pay such a price to protect me?"

Patriarch Cang Xuan let out a long sigh. "For the future of the human race."

Yaoyao's brows furrowed slightly. "Do I really have such ability?"

Patriarch Cang Xuan helplessly responded, "You shouldn't probe me for information. The questions in your heart will naturally be answered in time. However, if you have a chance in the future, you may head to Hunyuan Heaven."

"Hunyuan Heaven?" Yaoyao's eyes swirled.

Patriarch Cang Xuan smiled as he nodded. "The strongest Heaven amongst the five great Heavens. It's where Cang Yuan came from…"

Yaoyao fell a little silent as she gave a faint nod.

"Thank you old mister."

...

Half a month later.

Genesis Qi surged and churned under the pine tree where the figure of a youth was also silently seated. Vigorous Genesis Qi trembled around him, causing his clothes to flap without wind.

All of a sudden, his body shook violently as a pillar of Genesis Qi light abruptly shot out from the top of his head.

Genesis Qi charged into the sky, transforming into the silhouette of a dark gold python. The giant python hissed at the heavens as it moulted off a layer of dark gold light, the new 'skin' underneath now tinged with a hint of purple.

At closer inspection, one would see two faint golden little lumps on the giant python's head, while claws seemed to emerge at its belly area.

Patriarch Cang Xuan and Yaoyao lifted their heads to look at the giant python.

"Oh, the little guy's Genesis Qi has risen to grade 6…"

Yaoyao nodded. "The first signs of dragon horns and claws have appeared, a sign that the python is going to transform into a serpent. It's a pity that it isn't a full transformation, or his Genesis Qi would evolve to the grade 7 World Subduing Heavenly Serpent Qi."

Evidently, Zhou Yuan had properly absorbed all of the sacred dragon blessing from Wu Huang, hence allowing such a huge change to occur to the Omni Python Qi.

From now on, his Omni Python Qi would be at the grade 6 level.

Zhou Yuan's tightly shut eyes abruptly opened at this moment as a clear whistle sounded from his throat.

Whooh!

The giant python with hints of serpent features swept downwards, transforming into boundless slightly purplish gold Genesis Qi as it was swallowed back into Zhou Yuan's abdomen in a single gulp.

Rumble!

The rumbling sound of thunder abruptly boomed inside Zhou Yuan's body.

He stood up as powerful Genesis Qi undulations erupted from his body like a storm. He was much stronger than he had been half a month ago!

Zhou Yuan could not help but gasp as he felt the robust Genesis Qi in his body. He had discovered that in the short period of half a month, he had rose from the mid Heaven Gate stage to the quasi Alpha-Origin stage!

The true Alpha-Origin stage was now only mere inches away!

It could be said to be reaching the Alpha-Origin in a single step.