Chapter Thirty-Three: Blood Crystal

  The entire cave was enveloped in a crimson glow, just like a world of blood. At the same time, the sound of 'thud, thud, thud' kept coming from within the cave.

  The stone wall that Xu Hua touched was trembling, as if a huge object was pounding against the rock wall. The blood scab that wrapped Luo Cheng also made a humming sound.

  Everything is so unbelievable!

  The bloody light grew more intense, the reverberations of the explosion within the cave grew louder, and the rocky walls seemed to be on the verge of splitting open. Xu Hua looked at that small patch of white again, and with some urgency, plucked a leaf from the green lotus plant, wrapped it around the white patch, and retreated back to the other side of the water pool.

  Just as Xu Hua was rejoicing at having preserved this stock of white energy, a crimson light shot out from the Blood Cocoon and into Xu Hong's hand. In an instant, the white energy wrapped in Qinglian was absorbed by the Blood Cocoon, emitting an even more intense humming noise.

  "Damn it..." Xu Hua muttered to himself, feeling a bit displeased. However, thinking that the blood cocoon contained Luo Cheng, this large amount of white energy, although containing a lot of power, might allow him to absorb it and become a powerful martial artist after all. But since it was going to be absorbed by Luo Cheng anyway, there was no need to feel regretful about it.

  "Luò Chéng, you'd better show off your corresponding strength after coming out, or it would be a waste of this massive energy I've invested in you."

  At the same time Xu Hua was muttering to himself, the blood cocoon absorbed a large amount of white ** and shook even more violently. At the same time, on the opposite side of Xu Hua, on the other side of the water pool, the rock wall suddenly cracked open, and then the entire rock wall collapsed.

  On the other side of this stone wall, there was actually another cave. At this time, a blood-red light that was even more intense than the scattered bloody light flashed inside it. The intense pressure made Xu Hua kneel down involuntarily.

  "What kind of thing has such terrifying power." Xu Hua's face was as pale as earth, struggling to get up, but no matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain. The crimson light was like a thousand pounds, the enormous pressure made Xu Hua almost unable to breathe, but Xu Hua was not ordinary, his physique was extremely strong, and he struggled to lift his head, looking towards the other side of the pool.

  Xu Hua only felt a piercing bloody light, he couldn't help but cover his eyes with his hand. Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw that behind the collapsed rock wall was a complete blood-red color, and a dazzling blood-red crystal suspended in mid-air, emitting a bloody light that dyed the entire cave red.

  Suddenly, he glanced at the blood cocoon and unexpectedly found that it was even more excited than before, as if it had not been affected by this extremely strong pressure, but instead, like being thrown into a space of freedom, it fluttered with joy.

  That crimson crystal was actually moving slowly towards the blood clot, emitting a humming sound, as if it were enjoying itself, as if it were cheering, as if it had found a long-lost relative.

  Xu Hua witnessed this strange phenomenon, but he was completely an outsider, and he could only bear the great pressure to raise his head and look at this scene.

  Finally, a blood-colored crystal and a blood cocoon gathered together. As soon as the blood-colored crystal touched the blood cocoon, it violently trembled and burst out with an even more powerful aura, and the blood-colored light became even more brilliant. Xu Hua was pressed to the ground once again, no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get up.

  "After trying many times without success, Xu Hua finally cursed loudly. 'Damn it...'"

  Since he couldn't resist, fortunately Xuhua didn't struggle anymore, lying motionless on the ground. Anyway, nothing was wrong, so Xuhua once again activated "Shengong" to absorb the remaining life force of the Azure Water Python.

  Throughout the cave, Xu Hua lay on the ground, as if asleep. A crimson crystal slowly merged into a blood cocoon...

  Outside the cave's passageway, Hei Pao was swallowing the snake gall of the Azure Water Python and tempering his body with the "Refining Body Technique". Suddenly, he felt a strong sense of pressure, and at the same time, he could feel that the passageway leading to Xu Hua's place had turned blood-red. Hei Pao was somewhat startled, his heart filled with shock and doubt. However, all this wasn't something he should be concerned about; doing his own part well was enough. Although there was also a feeling of pressure here, it was a hundred times weaker compared to Xu Hua's place. As someone who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Martial King, Hei Pao naturally had no fear and continued to temper his physical body...

  After an unknown period of time, Xu Hua woke up from his daze, lifted his right hand and propped himself up to stand.

  "Huh? The oppressive feeling is gone, and the crimson glow has also faded a bit." Xu Hua patted his clothes and looked around, feeling that the oppressive atmosphere had almost disappeared. "Huh? Where's that crimson crystal?"

  Looking around again, the crimson crystal was nowhere to be found. Xu Hua looked at the blood-red cocoon where Luo Cheng was once more and thought, "Could it have merged with Luo Cheng? Or was it swallowed by him?"

  Xu Hua slowly walked towards the blood cocoon, and once again gently stroked it. Finding that the other party did not resist, Xu Hua let out a deep breath and said: "Indeed, it's still Luo Cheng..."

  Just now, he thought a lot in his heart. Although this cave doesn't know how long it has existed, the things inside are naturally impossible to be alive. However, that crimson crystal is too spiritual, so Xu Hua still worries that it's a living thing, and even merges with Luo Cheng. But now it seems that all of this was just Xu Hua overthinking.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  A strong and powerful heartbeat sounded from within the blood cocoon, as if it were nurturing a peerless ferocious beast, which was somewhat terrifying.

  "Could that cave be a relic? The existence of blood-colored crystals is astonishing, and there may be other existences as well." With a determined mind, Xu Hua dove into the water again, passing through the pool to enter the long-sealed cave. Some lotus leaves in the pool were crushed by the fallen rocks, but they still retained their vitality.

  There was no light in the cave, but fortunately, the bloody glow emanating from the blood cocoon allowed Xu Hua to see the general appearance of the cave. The entire cave was square, about 20 zhang long, 10 zhang wide, and 2 zhang high. In front of Xu Hua, a skull as white as warm jade sat calmly, although it had been dead for a long time, its majesty remained undiminished. Xu Hua could still feel the faint pressure emanating from it, so thick and ferocious.

  "This person must have been an extraordinary strong man in his lifetime." Feeling the pressure, looking at his jade-like bones, Xu Hua sighed somewhat dejectedly; "Alas, but ultimately he still became a jade skeleton. Buried alone in this ancient cave, unknown to outsiders."

  No matter how powerful he was in life, it has finally come to an end. Although his bones have not yet dispersed at this moment, with the passage of time, sooner or later even these jade-like bones will be ground into dust by time and disappear from the world.

  Walking towards the jade bones, although these jade bones were left behind by a peerless strongman, they contain powerful energy within. If utilized properly, it could even create another peerless strongman. However, the deceased has passed on, and Xu Hua did not intend to forcefully take it, this is respect for the dead. Perhaps one day, he himself will be like him, hoping that when the time comes, the person who finds him will also treat him in the same manner.

  Although Xu Hua did not take the jade bones, he found something that excited him even more - a black and simple ring on the right index finger of the jade bones.

  "Space Ring." Xu Hua was abnormally excited, his heart certain that this was the legendary Space Ring. After all, a strong person like him wouldn't need to wear any decorative items.

  Carefully remove the black ring, put it on your left index finger, bite your right index finger, and let out bright red blood, dripping onto the black ring.

  Slowly, Xu Hua vaguely felt the existence of another space. The spatial ring was originally opened by divine thought, but Xu Hua's divine thought was still too weak and couldn't feel it at all, so he could only use the most primitive method of blood sacrifice to open the space inside the spatial ring.

  Divine sense is the spiritual awareness of a martial artist, also known as spiritual power. Spiritual power has its strengths and weaknesses. The Tianxuan Continent's spiritual power is divided into nine levels, each level further divided into three stages: early, middle, and late. Generally speaking, ordinary people are only at the first level, while martial artists and martial masters are also at the first level. A Martial King can reach the second level, a Martial Emperor the third level, a Martial Reverend the fourth level, and a Martial Emperor at least the fifth level. However, this is not absolute, as someone with a cultivation method for divine sense may exceed the first level even if they are only a martial artist.

  To open the space ring, apart from blood sacrifice, one must have at least level three spiritual power. Compared to blood sacrifice, opening the space ring after reaching level three spiritual power is much easier and more convenient.

  After dripping dozens of drops of blood, Xu Hua finally clearly sensed the space in the ring, which was about ten zhang long, five zhang wide and three zhang high. Although Xu Hua didn't know much about spatial rings, he had a faint feeling that this black spatial ring should be a relatively high-grade spatial ring.

  In the space ring, Xu Hua saw several jade bottles, a black large knife, and some stones, which were probably materials for refining equipment.

  Open those jade bottles and find that the elixir inside has completely lost its effect, without a hint of spiritual energy, turning into a gray dust.

  "Alas, what a pity! If these elixirs could be preserved, they would be a tremendous resource. Perhaps enough for me to cultivate to the level of a Martial Emperor." Looking at the ineffective bottles of elixir, Xu Hua felt somewhat disheartened. "However, I've gained fortune and lost my life. One can't force what's not meant to be."

  "With this spatial ring, it's enough." Other elixirs might be useful for Xu Hua's cultivation, but what he needs most is not that. As long as there's a place to extract life energy, it's more effective than any spiritual medicine. Only the spatial ring is useful to him, and in the future, carrying things will be much more convenient.

  Exiting the ring space, Xu Hua's smile did not diminish, and he looked around again. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he rushed towards the front left.

  This is a rocky recess, generally the same as the one found before, where a vast white spirit comes rushing in. Xuhua bursts out laughing: "Haha! I didn't expect Luo Cheng to absorb one of my white spirits and yet give me an even better one."

  Although Xu Hua was unfamiliar with this milky white substance, it was a cultivation material that countless warriors coveted - Zhong Shi Ru!