Chapter 114

"Shut up! You will not fail!"

Luo En abruptly interrupted what sounded almost like a final entrustment:

"Even if something goes wrong, I am here. I have prepared plenty of reagents to suppress distortion and can intervene at any time."

This was, in reality, just a lie to comfort the other party; once bloodline activation begins, external forces can hardly interfere.

If Andre were to truly undergo complete distortion, there would be very little Luo En could do—perhaps only make his passing easier.

But at this moment, the other party needed confidence, not fear.

"I understand."

Andre took a deep breath, clearly aware of this himself: "Then, let us begin."

He raised the reagent bottle, nodded to Luo En, and drank it in one gulp.

The moment the reagent touched his lips, Andre’s expression became extraordinarily complex—first surprise, then pain, and finally a trance bordering on ecstasy.

Golden light seemed to ignite from within, shining through his skin and flowing along the rune paths drawn on his body, forming a complete energy network.

He slowly closed his eyes, his hands spreading out involuntarily, his body hovering about half a foot in the air as if lifted by some invisible force.

The light of the magic array intensified, and the seven energy crystals hummed in unison, forming a harmonious tone—a sign that the energy was resonating.

Luo En stepped back a few paces, observing the entire process closely.

He knew the next few minutes would decide Andre’s fate—either awaken as a Bloodline Knight or become a monster consumed by distortion.

Time ticked away second by second. Andre’s state seemed stable, but Luo En could feel the energy flow within the array beginning to become uneven, as if encountering some obstruction.

Andre’s expression began to twist, his muscles twitching irregularly as if struggling against some force within his body.

"Damn it." Alarm bells rang in Luo En’s mind: "He is starting to reject the reagent."

This was the most common danger during the bloodline activation process.

When the awakening ancient bloodline conflicts with the host’s own spirit or body, it leads to chaotic energy flow, eventually triggering distortion or worse consequences.

Luo En quickly considered his options: he could attempt to intervene, but the risk was extremely high; or he could trust in Andre’s willpower and let him pull through on his own.

Andre’s consciousness was currently plunged into a strange state of chaos.

In his mental world, a massive, crimson dragon-like creature was diving toward him, its dragon head ferocious, eyes like burning lava, scales shimmering with a metallic luster.

In this life-or-death moment, countless images flashed through Andre’s mind:

The desperate faces of the expelled apprentice candidates he had seen while helping the enforcement team;

Karl’s corpse, polluted by distortion;

Even the painful memories from when he was in the kingdom, mocked by his brothers and ignored by his father.

These images intertwined, forming an indescribable emotion—anger, sorrow, unwillingness, longing.

"I cannot end like this!" Andre roared in his heart: "I will not become another monster, nor another nameless corpse!"

The phantom of the Crimson Blood Flying Dragon paused in mid-air, its golden-red slit pupils staring directly at Andre, as if evaluating the value of this human.

After a long standoff, the dragon’s posture began to soften, its massive body gradually shrinking until it turned into a ball of crimson energy hovering before Andre.

"I accept you as part of my power."

Andre reached out and touched the ball of energy: "But I, Andre Faruk, remain the master of this body."

With his declaration, the crimson energy flowed into his body like water, no longer eroding or occupying, but merging and coexisting.

In the real world, the light of the magic array began to stabilize, no longer surging violently as before.

Andre’s body slowly descended from the air, his feet landing firmly on the ground.

The scales that had grown on his skin did not disappear, but they stopped spreading, extending from his neck to his arms like meticulously designed armor.

"Andre?" Luo En approached cautiously, unsure if the person before him still retained his sanity, his hand already gripping a pocket watch and a sonic oscillation spell.

Andre slowly opened his eyes; the golden slit pupils remained, but his gaze had regained human clarity.

"I succeeded, Luo En."

His voice was slightly hoarse but filled with an indescribable joy: "I feel... it is hard to describe."

Luo En let out a long breath, his tense nerves finally relaxing.

"You almost made me think I needed to prepare for your funeral."

He said half-jokingly: "For a moment, I really thought you would completely distort."

"I thought so too."

Andre looked at his own hands, the scales shimmering with a subtle luster under the candlelight:

"But at the last moment, I remembered many things... those memories gave me the strength to hold on."

Luo En observed his friend’s changes.

Aside from the localized scales, Andre’s appearance hadn't changed much, but the aura he exuded was completely different.

It was an indescribable pressure, as if a sleeping beast lurked within him, ready to awaken at any moment.

"How do you feel now?" Luo En asked curiously: "What bloodline did you awaken?"

Andre closed his eyes, seemingly sensing the changes within:

"Crimson Blood Flying Dragon." He said softly, "A subspecies of the Sun Flame Dragon, though the awakening is incomplete. I only obtained part of the bloodline’s power, but even so..."

He did not continue, instead reaching out toward an anvil in the corner of the workshop.

Luo En was wondering what he was doing when he saw Andre’s palm suddenly covered in a layer of bright red scales, his fingertips deforming into sharp claws.

Then, he gave a light squeeze.

The anvil, weighing hundreds of kilograms and normally requiring two or three strong men to move, was lifted by him with one hand as if it were a piece of wood.

Even more shocking, Andre’s fingertips sank deep into the metal surface, leaving five clear claw marks on the anvil.

"This..." Luo En was dumbfounded: "Is this the power of a Bloodline Knight?"

Andre nodded, easily placing the anvil back in its original spot:

"Not just power." He said in a low voice:

"My senses have also become extraordinarily sharp. I can hear sounds from far away and smell more scents. I can even perceive the flow of magic in the surrounding air."

Luo En noticed that as Andre spoke, his pupils contracted and expanded with his emotions, just like a real reptile.

"Are there any other abilities?" He asked.

Andre pondered for a moment, then took a deep breath.

With his breath, a ball of crimson flame suddenly condensed in his palm, golden patterns dancing within the fire, emitting astonishing heat.

"Affinity for fire elements has greatly increased." He said: "I can naturally control fire with almost no need for magical guidance."

He clenched his fist, and the flame vanished.

Then he turned to Luo En, his eyes filled with complex emotions:

"This feeling of being filled with power... it’s as if the previous me was just a false existence, and only now have I truly awakened."

Luo En nodded silently; he could understand the shock brought by such a transformation.

The former Andre, though a prince, was merely an ordinary person in the Black Mist Forest, barely surviving by relying on his family status.

But now, he had crossed the boundary of mortals and become a truly transcendent being.

Luo En walked to the magic array, carefully inspecting the runes and energy crystals that had lost their glow.

"Come to think of it, there were some problems during your awakening process."

He said thoughtfully: "That energy disorder and near-out-of-control state might be because the reagent formula and array design still have imperfections."

"No, it’s not entirely the reagent’s fault; it’s also that my own aptitude wasn't enough." Andre shook his head:

"I can feel that it was mostly because my compatibility with the bloodline wasn't high enough. If your reagent hadn't guided it so precisely, I fear I would have turned into a twisted lump of flesh long ago."

He walked to Luo En’s side and said sincerely:

"To be honest, in royal records, someone with my aptitude attempting to awaken such a high-level bloodline has a success rate of less than thirty percent. My success is largely due to your reagent and array design."

Luo En frowned; he was more concerned with how to learn from this experience to better prepare for his own bloodline activation.

"I need to make some adjustments to the array."

He thought aloud: "Especially the layout of the seven energy pathways. Your energy flow interruption mainly occurred at the intersection of the third and fifth pathways. Perhaps I can add a buffer zone there."

The two discussed the details for a while, and Luo En noted down many observations.

"I think I need to go back and have a huge meal."

Andre finally said, stretching his shoulders:

"Bloodline awakening consumed a lot of energy. I feel like I could eat an entire cow in one sitting."

Luo En laughed: "Then you’d better hurry back. A newly awakened bloodline needs a lot of energy to stabilize; hunger is a normal phenomenon."

Andre nodded, put on his robe, and prepared to leave.

But at the door, he suddenly stopped and turned to say to Luo En:

"Thank you, Luo En. Without you, I fear I would have died on Cynthia’s bed long ago..."

The blond youth hesitated, seemingly preparing to say something more moving.

Before he could start, Luo En punched him in the back, with a force that was neither too light nor too heavy.

With a muffled "thud," Andre’s words were instantly choked in his throat.

He looked surprised; his newly strengthened body naturally wouldn't be injured by this, but the sudden attack did interrupt his long-prepared sentimental speech.

"Stop being so sentimental."

Luo En rolled his eyes and waved his hand impatiently:

"Hurry back and rest. Spend these next few days adapting to your bloodline abilities; there will be plenty of times for you to risk your life later."

Andre laughed despite himself. He knew Luo En’s personality—always appearing cold at the most critical moments to hide his true concern.

"By the way." Luo En suddenly added, his tone as casual as if discussing tomorrow’s weather:

"In a while, you’ll need to accompany me to Lizard Alley again to buy some things. Don't come up with any emergency enforcement team missions then."

Andre looked thoughtfully at his friend; the other party didn't seem to need his help for the upcoming bloodline activation ritual.

"I understand." He nodded gently, a flash of realization in his eyes:

"I will never be late for our next appointment."

Although the details and procedures of the bloodline activation ritual were told to Luo En by him, the actual operation was completed entirely by Luo En.

Now it seemed the other party clearly did not want him to witness his ritual process.

Everyone has their own privacy and secrets, and Andre would not pry.

"Then I shall take my leave."

Andre put on his robe, his golden pupils shimmering slightly in the darkness:

"I’ll come find you the day after tomorrow to discuss methods for controlling bloodline abilities."

Luo En nodded and watched Andre leave.

Closing the door, Luo En let out a long breath, his muscles finally relaxing.

Although there were some accidents during Andre’s bloodline awakening, the final result was even better than expected.

He walked to the window, looking out at the silent Black Mist Forest, his thoughts beginning to organize his next plans.

Because Eric and Leah were arranging for him to join the third-phase courses, the schedule needed adjustments, so there would be no classes next week, and they wouldn't resume until the week after.

And the alchemy and elemental affinity courses were also held every other day, meaning he now had plenty of time to prepare for his own bloodline activation ritual.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll handle the recent potion orders."

Luo En muttered to himself, his fingers tapping lightly on the window frame: "In the afternoon, I can begin my own bloodline activation."

Through observing Andre’s entire ritual process, he was confident that even if problems arose, there wouldn't be the huge risk of total collapse.

Previously, his biggest worry was that the ritual itself had fundamental flaws that could lead to total collapse, which even the ten points of energy in the pocket watch couldn't save.

But now, that worry had vanished.

If Andre could successfully complete the awakening, then he, with his "Tracing" characteristic, would undoubtedly have a higher success rate.

"Still, I must be careful." Luo En reminded himself: "After all, everyone’s situation is different."

He returned to the workbench and began preparing the materials needed for tomorrow.

The bloodline activation reagent was already prepared, and the array design was perfected. Now, he only needed to carefully adjust some small details to ensure nothing went wrong.

Ailan suddenly used her vines to gently hook his arm, her green pupils showing concern.

Luo En turned around and gave a forced smile: "It’s nothing, just thinking about some things."

Ailan’s vines swayed gently, seemingly expressing some understanding: "The transformation of life is always accompanied by risks. But I believe the master is strong enough to handle any change."

Luo En looked at her with some surprise; such philosophical thinking appearing in a creature that was originally just a semi-plant seemed truly incredible.

"Thank you for your trust, Ailan." He said sincerely: "I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow."

As the night deepened, Luo En continued to refine the details of the ritual until he was exhausted and barely managed to go to bed.

The next morning, Luo En completed all the potion orders with extraordinary efficiency.

He packed the last batch of finished products into exquisite crystal bottles, sealed them carefully, and then began preparing for the afternoon’s bloodline activation ritual.

"Everything is ready." Luo En stood in the center of the ritual site, looking around.

Compared to Andre’s ritual, the array he designed for himself was more complex and refined.

The basic structure still maintained a sun shape, but the main lines were increased to nine, and the runes on each line were denser, symbolizing stronger control and guidance capabilities.

Specially made energy crystals were placed on the ground, each carefully selected and modulated to guide specific types of energy flow.

Ailan stood in a distant corner, watching everything quietly.

Luo En had specifically instructed her not to approach or interfere with the ritual, no matter what happened.

"If I show any abnormalities, do not try to help me."

Luo En warned at the end: "Just wait; I will handle it myself."

Ailan nodded, her leaf writing board swaying gently: "I will keep my promise, but please... be careful."

Luo En smiled slightly, then took a deep breath and began to activate the array.

He placed the energy crystals one by one on the key nodes of the array, chanting specific incantations with each placement to guide the energy toward the correct pathways.

As the last energy crystal was placed, the entire array lit up with golden light, much brighter and more stable than in Andre’s ritual.

Next, Luo En used specially made silver ink to draw runes on his body, while the runes on his back were completed with the help of some auxiliary tools.

Each rune landed precisely on key acupuncture points, forming a complete energy network.

The stinging sensation of the ink touching his skin was more intense than he had imagined; it was a sign that the runes were beginning to merge with his flesh and blood.

Everything ready, Luo En stood in the center of the array and took out the bloodline activation reagent specially made for himself.

Compared to the version prepared for Andre, this reagent was darker in color, almost approaching dark red.

Golden and green light spots flickered within the liquid; these were the guiding components designed for the Ralph family bloodline.

"It is time." Luo En whispered to himself, gripping the reagent bottle tightly.

Although he had the pocket watch to reset his state, his heartbeat still accelerated involuntarily.

Bloodline activation was a true life-and-death gamble; no one could fully predict the outcome.

"Do not be afraid." He recited in his heart: "Fear will only lead to loss of control."

Taking a deep breath, Luo En drank it in one gulp.

The moment the reagent touched his lips, it felt as if thousands of streams of scalding lava were being injected into his blood vessels simultaneously; the pain was almost suffocating.

Luo En gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to make a sound.

As the reagent spread through his body, the pain gradually transformed into a strange scorching sensation, as if something was awakening in his flesh and blood, struggling to break out of its cocoon.

Luo En’s consciousness began to blur, the physical world before him gradually disappearing, replaced by a vast swamp.

Thick fog shrouded the entire swamp, and low, deep hissing sounds came from afar.

Luo En stood on a relatively dry piece of land, surrounded by black mud pits emitting a rotting stench.

Suddenly, a massive figure appeared in the fog.

It was a huge venomous snake, or more accurately, a terrifying multi-headed giant snake.

Each snake head was as large as an adult’s torso, its scales shimmering with a metallic cold light, its eyes like burning yellow flames, filled with primitive wildness and cruelty.

This was the source of the Ralph family’s bloodline—the Swamp Hydra. Although far inferior to its divine ancestors, it was still a terrifying magical beast capable of contending with high-level apprentices.

"As expected." Luo En muttered to himself: "Is this its most primitive form?"

The Hydra seemed to sense Luo En’s presence, all its heads turning toward him simultaneously, its eyes flashing with vigilance and hostility.

Then, it began to approach Luo En slowly, its body winding forward through the swamp, leaving a deep trail behind.

Luo En did not retreat, but stood tall, staring directly at this ancient magical beast.

He knew that in the mental world of bloodline activation, retreating would only lead to failure and might even trigger distortion.

Just as the Hydra was only a few meters away from Luo En, a strange change suddenly occurred.

【Tracing characteristic activated!】