Chapter 6

Blood mist surged up, and the light within the Yin Clan city suddenly dimmed.

Faint footsteps echoed around; it was the Yin Clan warriors on night patrol changing shifts. The sound of fluttering clothes could be heard in the air as the skilled Yin Clan members responsible for night patrols returned to the External Affairs Hall to hand over their duties after the blood mist barrier was activated.

Yin Xiege awakened from his ethereal state of cultivation.

He immediately lowered his head and grasped the silver jade cicada hanging from his chest. Feeling the smooth and slippery texture of the silver jade cicada, a strange expression appeared on Yin Xiege's young face, a mix of a smile and a frown, of joy and sorrow.

"My mother, whom I have never met, actually left such a treasure for me!"

The Autumn Cicada Hibernation Technique had deeply imprinted itself in Yin Xiege's heart. This secret technique naturally operated with each breath, requiring no effort or mental energy from him. His aura remained as obscure as ever, indistinguishable from that of an ordinary child.

However, when he focused inward, the thirty-six drops of green-tinged essence blood in his heart pulsed and contracted with each heartbeat. The green glow spread through his blood, subtly sculpting his body and enhancing his strength.

When a Yin Clan child first breaks through to the Star Warrior stage, they can only condense one drop of Blood Sprite blood. Each additional drop of Blood Sprite blood increases their power, and when one hundred drops are condensed in the heart, it marks the peak of a Star Warrior's strength!

No one has ever heard of a child breaking through to the Star Warrior stage and condensing thirty-six drops of essence blood in their heart! Unprecedented and unheard of! Yin Xiege's current strength already rivals that of Yin Clan members who have trained for three to five years after their breakthrough.

Slowly standing up, Yin Xiege's figure flickered, and six afterimages appeared in the small room. His form moved like a ghost, appearing and disappearing as he ran along the walls and ceiling. After breaking through to the Star Warrior stage, whether walking on walls or running on the ceiling, it felt as natural as walking on flat ground, with no discomfort at all!

The afterimages suddenly vanished, and Yin Xiege stood in the center of the room, his aura as usual. The blood qi in his body converged into his heart, triggering the newly condensed essence blood. A flash of blood light appeared in his eyes, and the thirty-six drops of Blood Sprite blood in his heart simultaneously glowed green. A subtle aura surged into his mind, and Yin Xiege suddenly understood two wondrous skills.

When each Yin Clan child breaks through to the Star Warrior stage, they awaken one or two unique skills from their bloodline. If the skill is a close-combat technique, it is called a 'Blood Skill.' If it is a ranged spell, it is called a 'Blood Spell.'

The green glow from the thirty-six drops of essence blood suddenly erupted, enveloping Yin Xiege in a dense blood mist. His right hand's five fingers suddenly shot out three-inch-long sharp blood light. He looked around his room, picked up a bronze paperweight from the table, and with his right claw, fiercely grabbed the foot-long, inch-thick bronze paperweight.

A crisp sound echoed as the heavy bronze paperweight was split into six pieces by Yin Xiege's claw, the cut surfaces as smooth as mirrors, falling to the ground with a clanging sound. Yin Xiege's face twitched involuntarily. The Blood Skill he had awakened, called 'Blood Drain Claw,' was incredibly powerful, at least ten times more lethal than the standard soft sword used by the children in the Child Hall.

His pale face flushed red, and with excitement, Yin Xiege dispelled the power of the Blood Drain Claw, the blood qi flowing back into his heart, restoring the luster to the dim green essence blood. However, tearing apart the bronze paperweight had consumed a lot of energy, and the green glow from the essence blood had dimmed significantly.

His figure flickered, and Yin Xiege recited a strange incantation. The other three drops of green essence blood in his heart suddenly dimmed. His body turned into a hazy blood shadow and then vanished without a trace. In the next moment, his body reappeared in a corner of the room several meters away, his face flushed red with excitement!

This was the extremely rare escape technique, 'Blood Shadow Technique,' a life-saving skill that transformed the user into a blood shadow, allowing them to instantly travel far away!

The Blood Drain Claw was a low-level close-combat Blood Skill, a technique used by low-rank warriors in close combat. Although the Blood Drain Claw was incredibly lethal, it was not very significant. In the Yin Clan, only low-rank附属 warriors would use the Blood Drain Claw to fight to the death with their enemies!

The Blood Shadow Technique, which required the expenditure of at least three drops of essence blood's full energy to activate, was highly valued by the mainline members of the Yin Clan. The Blood Sprite clan was known for their cunning and deceit, emphasizing a single strike and then fleeing far away. This escape and life-saving technique was highly prized by them!

Yin Xiege, who had received the most orthodox training in the Child Hall since childhood, naturally valued this life-saving Blood Shadow Technique even more!

Moreover, Yin Xiege was well aware that he had enemies everywhere in the Yin Clan. A life-saving secret technique was far more practical than a combat skill! Not everyone who broke through to the Star Warrior stage in the Yin Clan could master a life-saving technique like the Blood Shadow Technique. This skill could serve as Yin Xiege's ultimate trump card for survival!

In a state of great excitement, Yin Xiege exhausted all the energy stored in the thirty-six drops of essence blood in his heart, familiarizing himself with the newly awakened Blood Skill and Blood Spell. When the drum of the Child Hall sounded again, Yin Xiege remained silent for a while, then feigned a state of near-death, lying on his bed. Even after the three rounds of drumbeats ended, he did not go to the Child Hall!

Having lived in the Yin Clan for eleven years, Yin Xiege had his own ways of self-preservation!

For several days, he did not show up, and everyone in the Yin Clan knew he had been severely injured by Yin Jiwo's palm. No one found it strange that Yin Xiege had been missing for several days! Even the mainline children who usually caused trouble for him did not come to his small building to make noise.

Every day, a Blood Servant would deliver the daily blood quota to Yin Xiege's room. Fresh blood extracted from Blood Slaves was the daily essential food for Yin Clan children. Without fresh blood to neutralize the yin energy in their bodies, these children would die from frozen bloodlines.

Yin Xiege took the fresh blood from Blood Slaves every day, absorbed the essence of the moon at night to refine himself, and exhausted the power of the Blood Sprite blood in his heart every day, trying to familiarize himself with the newly awakened Blood Drain Claw and Blood Shadow Technique.

Half a month passed quickly, and Yin Xiege was surprised to find that his body seemed to have undergone some wondrous changes. Even without taking the daily fresh blood, his body was no longer affected by the yin cold energy. Moreover, his efficiency in absorbing the essence of the moon had increased to a shocking level, as if there was an endless black hole in his body, not absorbing but plundering and devouring!

After a Star Warrior in the Yin Clan successfully condensed their first drop of essence blood, they had to painstakingly refine the blood qi energy in their body to produce a new drop of essence blood. But in just half a month, Yin Xiege had managed to condense three new drops of essence blood in his body, a rate that even surprised him!

This talent was unheard of in the Yin Clan, almost monstrous!

Yin Xiege was well aware that if the events happening to him were known by Yin Jiwo, Yin Jihuang, and others, he would face a gruesome death or simply disappear. Therefore, he spent his days practicing, constantly refining the Autumn Cicada Concealment Technique to completely hide his aura.

Another half a month passed, and it had been a full month since Yin Xiege severely injured Yin Xiejiao in the Child Hall.

Yin Xiejiao, who had nearly been reduced to a child due to the loss of a large amount of blood qi energy from a half-severed neck, had fully recovered thanks to the nourishment of precious blood essence.

After drinking the last bowl of specially prepared blood essence, Yin Xiejiao let out a satisfied burp. His face was rosy, and his body radiated warmth. With three drops of essence blood in his heart, his strength had significantly increased. He leaped off the bed, panting, and fiercely smashed the white jade bowl on the ground.

"Damn Yin Xiege, I won't let this go!" Yin Xiejiao touched his neck, which was completely healed without a single scar, and shouted angrily. He stomped his foot, and the powerful strength of a Star Warrior erupted, turning his bed into countless fragments.

Yin Jihuan, a steward sent by Yin Jiwo to serve Yin Xiejiao, smiled and bowed to Yin Xiejiao. Like other members of the Yin Clan, Yin Jihuan had the appearance of a handsome young man, but his triangular eyes ruined his overall image, making him look somewhat sinister and cunning.

"Master Xiejiao, Yin Xiege hasn't had it easy these days. The second master gave him a palm strike, and although he didn't die on the spot, he has been lying in his small building for a month without coming out."

His thin lips curled slightly, and Yin Jihuan laughed with a sense of schadenfreude.

"That bastard can't compare to you, Master. You have been taking carefully prepared essence blood potions every day, and your body has not only recovered but your strength has improved rapidly! That bastard only gets three basic blood rations a day, so he must still be suffering."

Yin Xiejiao's eyebrows raised, and he suddenly burst into laughter. He glared at Yin Jihuan with a fierce look and slapped him across the face.

"Rubbish! What is that bastard? A bastard with no parents to teach him, not even knowing who his father is. How dare you compare him to me, the master? Think of a way, I don't want him to suffer, I want him dead!"

Although Yin Jihuan was a steward in the Yin Clan, he was the lowest-ranking steward, serving others. Despite being of the same generation as Yin Jiyin in the Child Hall, he was from a distant branch of the Yin Clan and held a position only slightly higher than Blood Servants and Blood Slaves.

Therefore, when he received a slap from Yin Xiejiao, Yin Jihuan did not get angry but instead smiled brightly and approached Yin Xiejiao, speaking humbly.

"Master Xiejiao, although that bastard is despicable and we all want him dead, he still bears the name of a mainline child of the Yin family. If we really kill him, you might be implicated in the investigation!"

Yin Xiejiao's teeth ground together, and he stared at Yin Jihuan, kicking him in the face.

"Shut up! I broke through to the Star Warrior stage at fourteen, making me the first genius in the Yin family in hundreds of years! That bastard, a bastard of unknown parentage, almost cut off my head in front of everyone!"

Yin Xiejiao grew angrier the more he thought about it, his body surging with blood mist, his long hair standing straight up!

Originally, breaking through to the Star Warrior stage, Yin Xiejiao believed he would gain his father's favor and receive the clan's resources for cultivation, rising to become a core elite of the clan!

He never dreamed that he would suffer such a great loss at the hands of Yin Xiege! In front of everyone, he, a newly minted Star Warrior, was severely injured by a child, almost killed by Yin Xiege's sword! This not only became a laughingstock for the entire Yin Clan, making him and his father a laughingstock among other clans, but also subjected him to his father's cold glares and scolding for a month!

"He must die! Yin Jihuan, stop talking nonsense!"

Fiercely glaring at the cowering Yin Jihuan, Yin Xiejiao growled, "Think of a way to kill him. I know your son is about to join the Child Hall. I will ensure he receives proper cultivation! Or you can continue to dodge, and I will have the Child Hall kill your son! You decide!"

Yin Jihuan's body trembled violently, his sinister triangular eyes rapidly darting around, racking his brain to think of a way to kill Yin Xiege. He no longer cared about the potential consequences.

The Yin Clan had difficulty reproducing, affected by the yin cold energy in their blood. On average, they could only produce a new generation every hundred years. Yin Jihuan, having no power or influence in the Yin Clan, had few wives and concubines. He had only managed to conceive a son six years ago, who was like a precious treasure to him. With his only son threatened by Yin Xiejiao, he had no choice but to comply.

Seeing Yin Jihuan's reaction, Yin Xiejiao couldn't help but laugh coldly.

Proudly raising his head, Yin Xiejiao said slowly, "Think of a good way to kill that brat Yin Xiege without implicating us. If you do well, not only will your son receive the clan's cultivation, but I will also reward you with a few Blood Slaves. The Inner Hall will transform them into Blood Sprites and grant them to you as concubines. Isn't that great?"

Yin Jihuan's eyes glowed with blood, and he bowed deeply to Yin Xiejiao, focusing all his thoughts on how to kill Yin Xiege without implicating Yin Xiejiao.

After a long moment, Yin Jihuan pulled out a black scroll from his sleeve, unfolded it, and traced a line of blood-colored text.

Yin Xiejiao suddenly became excited, happily patting Yin Jihuan's shoulder, grabbing a long robe to cover himself, and hurriedly leaving the small building. Yin Jihuan, feeling smug, shook his head and hurriedly called out "Master Xiejiao," following closely behind.

Ten more days passed, and during these ten days, Yin Xiege suddenly received unprecedented preferential treatment.

During these ten days, he received a potion of essence blood infused with a hundred medicinal essences to nourish his body every day. Not only had his injuries fully recovered, but if he had received such a potion every day for the two days after being injured by Yin Jiwo, his body would have been almost fully recovered.

Then, something even more surprising happened—his treatment was directly upgraded to the same level as the other mainline children!

He received a set of soft armor made from the hide of a low-rank monster, a sharp and finely crafted soft sword, and the Inner Hall even rewarded him with five hundred merit points for defeating Yin Xiejiao!

Heaven help him, in recent years, Yin Xiege had been assigned various chores in the Yin Clan, and the merit points he had accumulated were only a few points at a time. This time, the Inner Hall rewarded him with five hundred merit points at once. Was the moon really rising in the west?

Five more days passed, and the External Affairs Hall suddenly sounded the bell to gather all low-rank warriors and children. Over ten thousand low-rank warriors and several thousand children quickly gathered to receive orders from the External Affairs Hall.

Twelve thousand seven hundred low-rank warriors stood neatly on the east side of the square in front of the External Affairs Hall, and six thousand four hundred thirty children stood on the west side. Chief Steward Yin Jiyi of the External Affairs Hall stood on the steps in front of the hall, hands behind his back, towering over everyone.

"In a little over a month, it will be the annual Clan Martial Arts Ceremony," Yin Jiyi said with a strange smile, his deep gaze like a snake's tongue, quickly scanning the faces of the crowd.

"I am pleased to know that among this batch of children, someone has successfully broken through to become a powerful Star Warrior!"

"According to clan tradition, before the annual Martial Arts Ceremony, you children have the opportunity to leave the city and gain experience."

"Because of the successful breakthrough of several children this year, the difficulty of the training tasks has been increased!"

Coughing lightly, Yin Jiyi continued slowly, "Some of you will accompany the clan's warriors to hunt Blood Slaves, strengthening the clan's foundation! Some will join the clan's hunting teams to kill monsters, clearing the surrounding environment! Of course, there are other various tasks, and you will gain experience under the protection of the clan's warriors!"

Glancing at the other stewards of the External Affairs Hall, Yin Jiyi nodded slowly.

A steward immediately stepped forward with a large basket, "All children will draw lots in order to see what task they get! The tasks vary in difficulty, and what you draw is what you get. This is the fairest