Chapter 2 The Body Remodelled
As Shi Yan entered the blood pool, the blood was already up to his waist. Suddenly the blood in the pool started to move around as if it was alive, creeping up and down his body like vines. Seconds later, his whole body was covered with blood and tightly bound.
The crimson blood in the pool was like vicious snakes, untiringly wrapping around him until it formed a bloody cocoon.
A wave of intense pain spread throughout his body. Shi Yan felt as if his brain was being sliced into pieces. It felt even worse than death. It was as if tens of millions of tiny worms were drilling into his body and squirming around in his arms, legs, bones and viscera; eating away at his blood and flesh.
Shi Yan couldn't see anything. He wanted to scream, but couldn't make a sound, and neither could his body move.
A strange liquid started flowing slowly along his ribs like a small stream and tore open his veins wherever it passed. Then the liquid rapidly accelerated and divided into numerous strands, madly surging into the seven hundred and twenty meridians within his body.
The pain in his head grew stronger, Shi Yan felt some weird changes happening within his meridians[1]. He felt that his seven hundred and twenty meridians had enlarged significantly, as they interchanged between feeling scorching hot and biting cold. It felt extremely uncomfortable.
Soon after, his meridians turned into a little cyclones and were swirling madly.
A small amount of the liquid infused itself into every cyclone and was swiftly absorbed into them. After absorbing the liquid, the cyclones became enlarged and the process accelerated.
The intensity of the pain was almost unbearable. He felt that his body was like a huge vessel, filled with the strange liquid. It was transforming him in ways he couldn’t possibly comprehend.
“The liquid is transforming the meridians in my body…”
As this thought flashed through his mind, he fainted.
---
After a long time, Shi Yan awoke again.
The searing pain had disappeared and was replaced by a numb pain in his meridians. The liquid had returned to its origin and blood pool was tranquil.
Unexpectedly, he felt a warm sensation flowing through his body. After this sensation made a complete cycle, he felt extraordinary comfortable and his body had increased in strength.
"Profound Qi!"[2]
It dawned on him that it originated from the blood pool! This is the precious Qi which could only be obtained by warriors!
Within the memory of the other Shi Yan, he came to know that Profound Qi was the source of power for warriors. It was the foundation for warriors to support and release powerful martial arts.
Warriors were strictly ranked into ten grades, according to the strength of their Profound Qi. These were Elementary, Nascent, Human, Disaster, Earth, Nirvana, Sky, Spirit, True God and King God[3], with each grade containing three divisions.
Warriors were stronger than commoners. Profound Qi determines the status one would have. One could be called a warrior as long as he possessed the slightest amount of Profound Qi.
The vast majority of people couldn’t obtain any Profound Qi throughout their entire life. Once obtained, they could strengthen it simply by training. Therefore, as long as a warrior possessed Qi, they would always have a place to return to.
As the weak Profound Qi gently circulated throughout his body, Shi Yan came to his senses. Even if he couldn't go back to his world, he would survive here. Just then he noticed that the blood cocoon was still tightly wrapped around him.
Shi Yan spared no effort to struggle.
"HEYA!"
The blood cocoon cracked, and Shi Yan jumped out. Looking around, he found himself in that odd cave with the bones everywhere.
However, the blood pool had all dried up! Only a few pieces of broken bones were left!
A huge glittering blood cocoon, as thin as a wafer, towered in the centre of the empty pool. After Shi Yan glanced it, a small flame ignited at the bottom of the cocoon. The flame grew wildly and started to burn the bones. In a few minutes, the blood cocoon and the bones were all burnt to nothingness. A red light sparkled in the dry pool. There was a sparkling delicate ring quietly lying there.
Shi Yan stared at the strange ring for a while and assumed this ring must have some connection with the blood pool. After a few seconds of hesitation, he stepped in again, picked up the ring, and wore it on the ring finger of his left hand.
The ring conveyed a warmth that made Shi Yan feel strongly connected to it, as if the ring had become a part of his body. All at once, the weak Profound Qi in his body lost control and rushed towards the crimson ring. However, it was blocked by the skin of his finger and failed to enter the ring.
Shi Yan was shocked and tried to take off the ring immediately, only to find that the ring had been firmly placed onto his ring finger like an unmovable boulder. No matter how hard he tried, the ring wouldn’t move an inch.
Now that the Profound Qi couldn't break the skin, it went back to normal after a while. The warmth and red gleam on the ring faded away as well.
The ring kept silent after that, thus Shi Yan started to analyze the situation.
“The blood in the pool must have purified my body”
The blood pool was ten square meters in size. Though not huge, the blood it contained would weigh at least a few tons. There was no way for an elephant to hold that much liquid inside its body!
Shi Yan turned pale. He subconsciously looked around and wanted to see how his body had changed. Had it swelled up?
He was incredibly anxious!
To his surprise, his body was only skin and bones! The clothes on him looked ridiculously large now. It was better to call him a withered mummy.
Shi Yan turned even paler. He never expected that this blood pool would not only fail to send him back to his previous world, but would make such inconceivable changes to him.
"Guru~ Guru~!!"
His stomach began rumbling and he suddenly felt extremely ravenous. He thought he could almost devour an elephant.
But there was nothing to eat in the cave. He glanced at the dry blood pool and was sad to find that he could no longer return to his world.
Shi Yan decided to find a weapon. He remembered those escorts had fought against each other with all kinds of weapons. However, after he examined them, he found that all of the weapons had rusted or been destroyed, none of which could be used anymore.
Crestfallen, Shi Yan could only leave empty-handed from the stone cave.
---
There was a heatwave in the moist air, with the sound of rippling water running in the distance. Ancient trees rose from the ground and blocked the sun like a giant umbrella. Only a few spots of sunlight could be seen on the wetland.
The Dark Forest! Shi Yan recalled this place with the help of the memory of his new body once he got out of the cave.
The Dark Forest covered a large area, where the trees were too thick to let the sunlight in. Thus the forest was damp and dark even in the daytime. That was the reason it was called the Dark Forest.
The Dark Forest was surrounded by the Merchant Union, the Fire Empire and the God-blessed Empire[4]. The Merchant Union was to the north of the forest, the God-blessed Empire in the south, and the Fire Empire in the west. Merchants from the three countries had to pass through the Dark Forest to trade.
Demon beasts always made their appearance in the Dark Forest, some of which even reached the 6th or 7th grade. As the trade caravans, soldiers, and warriors crossed the Dark Forest now and then, they knew that demon beasts of a high level only appear in special areas, and those of a low level were usually vagrants.
In general, trade caravans wouldn't come across high level demon beasts as long as they travelled along their usual routes. However, soldiers and warriors often adventured into the beast-infested areas looking for fights.
Great risk yields great benefits. Once a soldier killed a demon beast of the 6th or 7th level, he would immediately obtain a large amount of crystal coins. Each demon beast above level 6 had a monster core inside its body. This monster core was of great use to warriors, alchemists, and blacksmiths.
Apart from the monster core, its fur, fangs, bones, flesh, and poison were all very valuable. The body of a high-grade demon beast was full of treasures.
This attracted bold soldiers and warriors to adventure into the Dark Forest. However, only a few people would achieve their goals and gain some benefits. The majority of them underestimated the wisdom and strength of a demon beast and thus, paid for it with their lives.
Shi Yan observed his surroundings for a while and heard the sound of water off in the distance, combined with the sound of women talking.
As Shi Yan was hesitating, he noticed a slight rustling sound from the bushes not far away, as if someone was fiddling with the leaves.
Shi Yan subconsciously looked towards that direction.
Through the thick bushes he saw a slim and graceful female body. The woman took off her white belt, squatted down, and showed her peach-shaped white bottom to him. Her snow-white hand was waving off annoying mosquitoes, as she was about to urinate...
The woman apparently didn't notice the eyes behind her, as she began to sing happily...
At first Shi Yan was stunned. However he was soon enchanted by that charming white butt and couldn’t move his eyes.
"Pa!"
The woman suddenly clapped on her smooth, white left hip to kill a mosquito. The movement of her butt captivated Shi Yan.
Soon the woman finished urinating, re-buckled her belt, and muttered to herself, "Damn mosquitos..."
Unexpectedly, the woman turned around quickly. Her hands sent out a green arc of lightning which targeted all the surrounding mosquitoes and killed them on the spot.
As she turned, Shi Yan finally saw her delicate appearance. She looked around 20 years old and five and half feet in height. Her face was glowing like a bright moon and she had a slim waist, full chest, and nice posture. She was wearing an exquisite lavender robe and silver soft armor which couldn’t cover her fascinating figure as a legendary wild vixen.
Shi Yan focused on her hot body and thought to himself that she was more beautiful than the most popular superstars in his world.
Shi Yan couldn't stop his eyes from wandering. Suddenly, the woman looked directly into his eyes though the huge banana leaves.
The beauty's eyes flashed like lightning!
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[1] Meridan: the acupoints in one’s body.
[2] Profound Qi: important essence for a warrior.
[3] Elementary, Nascent, Human, Disaster, Earth, Nirvana, Sky, Spirit, True God and King God: ten warriors ranks.
[4] The Merchant Union, The Fire Empire and The God-blessed Empire: Three unions surrounding the Dark Forest.