A terrifying pressure descended from the sky, as if the Thunder God himself raged, transforming the world into an ocean of lightning.
Yet what truly struck fear into hearts was this: the oppressive sensation didn't merely blanket the Great Qi Kingdom's capital—it engulfed all five northwestern kingdoms.
"What's happening? What in the world is this?"
"Such a fearsome power—what could it be? Could a Martial Emperor be passing through our Great Qi?"
"Thunder to shatter the world! Which mighty figure commands armies to part and reigns supreme over all?"
From the Bloodline Holy Land's branch to the royal city, across the entirety of Great Qi, and even the five northwestern kingdoms, panic swept through all.
Every powerhouse in the domain lifted their gaze, staring at the terrifying phenomenon in the sky.
The experts of Great Qi's capital felt it most keenly. Under this dreadful force, the higher one's cultivation, the more intensely they were suppressed—nearly forced to their knees, unable to move.
Fortunately, the power came swiftly and left just as fast. In the blink of an eye, it dissipated entirely. The weight lifted from everyone's shoulders, and they let out long, relieved breaths.
The sky's endless lightning receded like a tide, vanishing in an instant to reveal a clear, boundless expanse once more.
Within the bloodline chamber, Qin Chen's eyes snapped open, stunned by the sudden surge of power that had erupted.
At that moment, a streak of azure lightning darted through his bloodline, weaving like a tiny blue serpent—nimble and enigmatic.
*That terrifying pressure just now… it came from my own bloodline power? What kind of bloodline is this?*
In his past life, Qin Chen had roamed the Martial Domain and witnessed countless bloodlines, yet never had he seen one awaken with such a fearsome celestial upheaval.
Even the legendary ninth-grade bloodlines couldn't unleash such overwhelming might.
But when Qin Chen focused his mind on the lightning within him, he discovered that this thunderous force was astonishingly faint—barely registering as the weakest first-grade bloodline.
*What is going on here?*
*My bloodline was utterly empty before, yet now this thunderous power has appeared out of nowhere. That terrifying aura clearly stemmed from this lightning within me—so why, now that it's settled, is it just a first-grade bloodline?*
*Bloodline power can only be refined, not conjured from nothing. This phenomenon of something arising from nothing… even the old fogeys of the Martial Domain's Bloodline Holy Land would struggle to explain it.*
That bizarre scene left Qin Chen—once an eighth-rank Bloodline Sovereign in his past life—utterly perplexed.
He vaguely sensed that this thunderous bloodline within him shared a mysterious connection with the ancient sword in his mind and the Nine-Star Divine Emperor Technique. Perhaps even his rebirth three hundred years into the future was tied to it.
Regardless, he had finally awakened his bloodline.
Though its aura marked it as a mere first-grade bloodline, after what he'd just experienced, Qin Chen refused to believe this lightning power was indeed so feeble.
"A thunder bloodline, huh? How intriguing!"
A faint smirk curved Qin Chen's lips.
Next, he sat cross-legged on the bloodline device, using its unique detection abilities to probe the thunderous bloodline within him.
*Zzt! Zzt!*
The strange bloodline power, laced with electricity, came into sharp focus in Qin Chen's perception.
With a slight nudge—
*Crackle! Pop!*
A web of azure lightning instantly coated Qin Chen's body, arcs snapping and sparking with explosive bursts.
"Condense!"
Suddenly, Qin Chen's eyes flew open. The fearsome lightning gathered in his right hand, forming a net of electric light over his fist. He struck out.
*Boom!*
The fierce punch slammed into the ground, erupting as if a barrel of gunpowder had ignited, unleashing a devastating shockwave.
"Huh… this power!"
Though the Thunder bloodline's aura was only first-grade, it might rival that of some third-grade bloodlines.
How strange! How wondrous!
Qin Chen studied it further and confirmed that this thunder bloodline—both in its nature and power—matched a third—grade bloodline's level.
A first-grade bloodline with the strength of a third-grade one. Despite his profound mastery of bloodlines in his past life, Qin Chen had never encountered anything like it.
Even among first-grade bloodlines, power varied. But typically, their strengths were closely matched. At best, a rare first-grade bloodline might barely reach the potency of a second-grade one.
A first-grade bloodline rivaling a third-grade one? Like this Thunder bloodline? This was a first for Qin Chen.
"Fascinating, truly fascinating. A bloodline's rank isn't set in stone. If I use special methods to elevate this thunder bloodline to a higher grade, what kind of power might it unleash?"
Anticipation swelled in Qin Chen's heart.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
Just as Qin Chen prepared to conduct more tests, a knock sounded at the door.
"Young sir, your hour is up," came Lin Xinrou's captivating voice from outside.
Qin Chen blinked, realizing over an hour had slipped by unnoticed.
Opening the door, he found Lin Xinrou standing there, her expression apologetic. "I'm terribly sorry, but your time is up. Would you like to extend your session, or…?"
"I've got some urgent matters to attend to. I'll come back next time."
To avoid revealing his lack of funds, Qin Chen tossed out a casual excuse. *To think I'd be fretting over a mere five hundred silver coins. I need to find a way to make some money.*
Still, with his bloodline awakened, Qin Chen was thoroughly satisfied with this visit to the Bloodline Holy Land.
"Very well. Please follow me to the front desk to register," Lin Xinrou said with a gentle smile.
As Lin Xinrou and Qin Chen conversed…
**Bloodline Area**
Steward Liu strolled along, humming a tune, his mood buoyant.
Earlier, he'd rushed to Master Chen Fan's bloodline chamber and, fumbling blindly, managed to fix a malfunctioning device, averting disaster. Pride swelled within him.
Recalling the odd look Master Chen Fan had given him, Steward Liu brimmed with smug satisfaction.
*Heh, I may not be a bloodline master, and I might've gotten into the Holy Land through connections, but I'm still an indispensable talent here. Repairing a bloodline device? That's something even many bloodline masters can't do—and I, Liu Tong, pulled it off! Let's see who in the Holy Land dares look down on me now.*
Basking in his delight, Steward Liu suddenly spotted the half-open bloodline chamber and Lin Xinrou at its door. His heart lurched, joy vanishing in an instant, replaced by a scalp-tingling dread.
*No one's gone into the chamber Deacon Li warned about, have they?*
With a cry of alarm, Steward Liu's heart sank into an icy pit. He charged into the chamber like a madman.
There, he saw the device aglow with lights—and Qin Chen standing within.
Fury erupted within him like a volcano, flooding his chest.
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