He finished his meal in a hurry, but soon felt a burning sensation in his stomach. The heat intensified, as if a blazing fire had ignited within him, scorching his heart.
He often felt this after eating, but this time the medicinal effects were unusually strong. It felt as though the blood in his heart was about to boil.
He immediately activated the Sacred Embryo Technique, guiding the medicinal energy toward his limbs and bones. Only then did the burning sensation ease slightly.
A realization stirred in his heart.
“The Sacred Embryo Technique must draw upon vital energy to refine the body of the Sacred Embryo.”
---
In the abandoned temple at the edge of the village, O’Neil stood in the courtyard.
His knees were neither bent nor locked. His shoulders were relaxed, elbows hanging naturally. His spine was straight, his head raised, his breathing slow and steady.
Light seemed to fall around him in abundance—like fireflies swirling in the air—gradually melting into his body and strengthening his constitution.
Whenever he had the chance, he came to this desolate mountain temple to meditate.
Suddenly, it felt as if he had crossed an invisible barrier. The streams of light descending from the sky increased noticeably.
The light gathered around him.
Waves of air brushed across his body—sometimes warm, sometimes cool, sometimes hot, sometimes cold—soothing every inch of flesh.
“Whoosh—”
O’Neil exhaled a long breath, like a bellows in a steel furnace. A gust of wind burst forward, scattering fallen leaves.
He inhaled deeply, drawing air inward like the bellows itself, forming a small vortex around him.
With each breath, a faint fishy odor escaped his body—the impurities of his flesh and bones being expelled through respiration.
---
The Three Supernatural Foundations
A strange sensation arose within him.
With every breath, a sphere of energy and blood flowed into the second core ethereal space, guided by his will.
Within the spiritual body existed three primary supernatural foundations:
1. The Mind Sea of Consciousness — located in the brain (mental power).
2. The Crimson Palace (Sacred Embryo Core) — located in the center of the chest (essence and blood power).
3. The Primordial Energy Sea — the reservoir of fundamental life force.
These corresponded to three aspects of existence:
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The physical body — Essence
Cultivation level — Energy
Mental strength — Spirit
When these three rise to sufficiently high levels and merge into one, they form a supreme force belonging solely to the individual—power capable of ascending to godhood.
---
With a focused thought, the sphere of energy and blood moved through his ethereal life channels.
He directed it into his right arm.
Instantly, his arm thickened. The fascia bulged. Blood vessels vanished beneath hardened muscle and skin that felt denser than iron.
He swung his arm and struck the massive stone blocking the temple entrance.
Bang!
A corner of the stone cracked.
O’Neil stared in shock.
“My strike can shatter stone?”
“Body Enhancement Art!”
Excitement surged within him.
He focused on his palm. His hand swelled like an inflated balloon, brimming with power.
He picked up a stone fragment and squeezed it.
Crack.
After rubbing it several times, it crumbled into dust.
He grabbed another stone and smashed it against his hand.
With energy and blood flowing into it, he felt no pain.
“Wherever blood energy gathers, the body can thicken and grow without pain.”
He began experimenting, circulating blood energy throughout his body.
When he focused it along the fascia of his arm joints, his arm lengthened four or five inches temporarily.
When he saturated his spine and reinforced the connective tissue, his bones emitted faint grinding sounds, and he grew nearly half a foot taller.
In a moment of reckless curiosity, he directed blood energy elsewhere—
His body reacted immediately.
He roared with laughter.
“Now no one in the entire village can match this size!”
He thickened his neck next.
“If anyone tries to strangle me in the future, it won’t be easy!”
Then, impulsively, he sent blood energy toward his head.
Darkness swallowed his vision.
He collapsed unconscious.
---
When he awoke, he lay stunned, eyes wide and mind blank.
Gradually, he remembered what he had done.
He dared not channel blood energy to his head again.
The head was the center of spiritual power—the Sea of Consciousness. Forcing blood energy there could easily cause unconsciousness, hallucinations, or even cerebral hemorrhage.
Training alone without complete guidance made such risks inevitable.
---
During his training, he unconsciously entered a strange state, losing awareness of day and night.
After an unknown period, he awoke.
His internal organs now felt as tough as steel. His breathing was deep and long.
His blood flowed through his veins like molten lead and mercury, carrying immense force.
Blood like lead and mercury. Body like iron.
This was the True Blood Transformation described in the Sacred Embryo Technique.
It was the first step in cultivating the Sacred Embryo’s supernatural body.
To achieve this in only a few days was astonishing.
---
But there was a problem.
Since refining his true blood, his appetite had grown monstrous.
He devoured everything—including demonic beast meat—but hunger returned quickly.
Within two days, he lost five or six pounds. Originally weighing only sixty pounds, he now appeared even thinner.
He had reached a critical stage.
The first step of refining the Sacred Embryo required exchanging ordinary blood for pure blood.
In infancy, human blood is pure. Babies do not breathe through their mouths or noses—they breathe through the umbilical cord. This is embryonic breathing.
The mother filters impurities, delivering innate vital energy to the child.
After birth, breathing air directly introduces impure, acquired vitality.
Over time, innate vitality diminishes. When it is exhausted, death arrives.
Some practitioners of dark arts attempt blood transfusions in old age—injecting youthful blood to replenish vitality.
Others even extract placental essence to delay aging.
O’Neil’s intense hunger was also a form of nourishment. His body absorbed the essence of food to refine his true blood.
But ordinary food contained little essence.
Even medicinal soups were insufficient.
His cultivation progressed too quickly, consuming more essence than he could replenish. His body began breaking down muscle and organs to refine blood.
If he failed to compensate with food, he would starve to death.
The faster he trained, the faster he starved.
He had no choice but to slow down.
---
One day at the temple, hunger struck fiercely.
He tried to endure it.
The world began spinning.
He collapsed.
Through fading vision, he saw blue sky and white clouds. Leaves moved above him.
Then darkness again.
---
When he opened his eyes, he first saw the beautiful girl Aquaria—then the white-haired but youthful-looking Grandmother Winter.
“Wake up! Wake up!”
Grandmother Winter called gently.
He realized he lay in her arms, enveloped by a faint aura that felt both icy and warm—like snow and frost.
Aquaria sat quietly nearby. Several children surrounded him, their deep blue eyes filled with concern.
Grandmother Winter chuckled.
“You fainted from hunger. Aquaria carried you here. She even cooked fish porridge for you—but you were still starving.”
“I used Soldier Ration Pills to bring you back.”
O’Neil quickly sat up, feeling full, and thanked them.
Aquaria blushed and slipped away gracefully.
The children offered him serious advice about eating on time before leaving as well.
As he stood to go, he nearly stumbled.
Grandmother Winter smiled.
“The medicinal power of the pills hasn’t fully spread through your body yet. Rest before moving.”
He sat again.
Though he had eaten only a few pills, he felt completely full.
Warm currents flowed through him as they digested, bringing indescribable comfort.
“What kind of pills were those?” he asked.
After a pause, Grandmother Winter replied:
“Soldier Ration Pills. I made them specially.”
“They are highly effective for restoring vitality and endurance. They are common emergency rations among the Transcendents.”
“However, their bitter herbal taste discourages many from taking them unless necessary. They are also difficult to digest—overeating may cause indigestion.”
O’Neil was stunned.
Such a treasure existed?
