Chapter 2118: The Bloodline of an Emperor

The lower-grade Divine Origin Pills could be used by anyone below the Heavenly God realm. Zhang Xuan was still far from becoming a Heavenly God, so his demand was certainly enormous. With so many people behind him, the more the better.

"That's good. Tell Old Ye, I want all the Divine Origin Pills he has!"

Seeing his agreement, Qi Linger turned and gave an order. A middle-aged man nodded and withdrew.

Before long, he returned with a storage ring.

"Boss, these are all his Divine Origin Pills, a total of one thousand three hundred. If you need more, he'll find a way."

"Mm." Qi Linger glanced at it, flicked her finger, and sent the ring into Zhang Xuan's palm. "Here are one thousand three hundred pills. I need thirteen pills. Prepare them now! No rush. Given your weak state, just give them to me within ten days."

"No need. Wait here, I'll be back shortly..." Zhang Xuan, dragging a body that looked ready to collapse at any moment, walked into the room. A quarter of an hour later, he came out again, handing over two jade bottles.

He looked even more haggard now, his face pale, bloodstains at the corners of his mouth, and his body swaying violently. It seemed he might fall dead at any moment, yet he somehow held on.

"These are... twenty pills?"

Opening the jade bottle and taking a look, Qi Linger was startled.

Previously, it was one pill per hundred. She had thought thirteen would be good this time, but unexpectedly there were seven more.

"There were more pills this time, and I got lucky, so the quantity increased a bit." Zhang Xuan said weakly.

"Good! This is a divine currency card usable throughout the entire Divine Realm. The proceeds from selling the medicine will be transferred into it. As agreed before, we split the profits fifty-fifty!"

Qi Linger handed over a card.

Zhang Xuan took it, knowing its value was no less than a storage ring, and nodded in satisfaction. "My Mayang beast blood..."

"The beast blood may take another day. I don't have it here currently; it needs to be transferred from another black market. It will arrive at the earliest in a day!" Qi Linger smiled slightly. "Don't worry, since we're cooperating, the goods won't be lacking. As for the money... no need to give it to me; deduct it from the profits."

Zhang Xuan acknowledged, "Then I'll take my leave..."

With that, he didn't linger and walked out. Soon he found the blind man, returned to the boat, and drifted back.

Once he left, the old woman who had become younger beside Qi Linger said, "Miss, since this fellow can produce such powerful pills, why not... directly imprison him and extract the pill formula? Why give him a share of the profits?"

The raw materials, sales, customers... all were hers. He only helped with refining. Why should he get such high profits?

Besides, this was a place beyond the reach of the Nightmare City authorities. If they caught him, they could surely force him to hand over the formula.

Instead of answering, Qi Linger asked, "Did he consume a lot and suffer severe injuries while refining just now?"

"Yes, I secretly checked. It felt like his entire vitality was damaged."

The old woman nodded. "Although refining this kind of medicine causes considerable harm to the body... as long as the price is right, there will certainly be many alchemists willing to dedicate themselves..."

With enough money, even knowing it would greatly shorten their lifespan, many would still flock to it.

This... is life.

Born to live.

"His injuries are faked!" Qi Linger shook her head.

"Faked?" The old woman was taken aback.

"Exactly. His physical injuries look obvious, and his aura is weak, but his soul is exceptionally smooth and round, without any problems! This shows he's not injured at all..."

Qi Linger shook her head. "Of course, he's just a lower-grade deity. Whether he's injured or not is irrelevant. But... he used a pass from One Inch Ash, and last night, One Inch Ash was wiped out by some unknown fellow. It's said that in a one-on-one fight, the opponent didn't even give him a moment's pause... and that opponent is this young man."

"Miss means... this fellow, though a lower-grade deity, has strength that even a peak middle-grade deity would find hard to match?"

The old woman was startled and quickly looked over. "Could it be... his bloodline is extremely powerful?"

The hierarchy among deities is very strict; crossing levels to challenge is basically impossible. To achieve this, there are only two possibilities. First, a super genius, like Emperor Tianzong, possessing extraordinary talent. Such people can break the genetic shackles, surpass their ancestors, and reach higher realms. However, they are extremely rare, and many become powerful at a young age.

Second, a powerful bloodline, such as that of the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and some special divine beasts...

This person is already in his twenties and only a lower-grade deity. A genius wouldn't be so undeveloped at this age unless... he has an extremely strong bloodline!

Many powerful divine beasts don't have high cultivation before they take human form.

"Whether he's strong or not, we'll find out by testing..."

Without another word, Qi Linger waited a moment. A black-clad middle-aged man came to her and handed over a bottle.

Taking the bottle, the enchanting woman smiled and said, "Inside is the blood he spat out while refining pills to fake his injuries. Though it's dried, it can still be used to test bloodline strength!"

The old woman looked at her in confusion.

Qi Linger said, "Ignite the blood, use the power of the Nether Soul Pool, and pay homage to the Heavenly Gods, Divine Kings, and titled Divine Kings enshrined in the Nether Soul Hall. As long as their spirits are not extinguished, bloodline power is under their control. If the bloodline extinguishes them, it means it is purer than theirs... Such a person surely has a huge force behind him; touching him would be suicide... Of course, if the bloodline is very low, the card I gave him contains a special mark. With our abilities, finding him won't be hard. Then, whether to kill or spare, it's just a word."

"Yes!" The old woman suddenly understood and looked at the woman before her with admiration.

No wonder she could control such a large black market at such a young age; she was truly extraordinary.

Having made their decision, the two changed their clothes and appearance. After an hour, they arrived at the Nether Soul Hall where Zhang Xuan had gone earlier.

Whether through special connections or relationships, they soon entered a sealed room lined with rows of memorial tablets.

All were famous experts of the Nether Soul Heaven.

However, they had all passed away. Since people came to pay respects from time to time, each tablet was spotless, without a speck of dust.

In the center of the room was a blood-red pool. Inside, something churned, emitting a terrifying power.

"Let's begin!"

Nodding, Qi Linger flicked her wrist, and the jade bottle in her palm flew over. The somewhat dried blood fell into the blood-red pool water.

Sizzle!

The blood immediately ignited, and the blood-red pool water, sensing this power, produced a tremendous pressure.

Hum!

Above the pool, a middle-aged phantom in armor charged forward, holding a long sword, and stabbed fiercely at the blood.

"It's the spirit of Heavenly God Wujiang!"

Qi Linger recognized him.

Heavenly God Wujiang was not from Nightmare City, but he was very famous in the Nether Soul Heaven. During the first spiritual tide, he made great contributions. Even after death, he killed several experts of the same level.

Because of this, he was qualified, as a Heavenly God, to enter the Nether Soul Hall and be worshipped, and to use the Nether Soul Pool to gather his spirit.

Just as the sword was about to strike the blood, a phantom suddenly emerged from the blood—it was the young man from before.

At this moment, the young man's eyes were tightly shut, as if he didn't know where he was or who he was.

Ignoring the incoming sword, he kept his eyes closed, motionless, and emitted a special sound wave from his mouth.

Hearing the sound wave, the spirit of Heavenly God Wujiang froze, stood rigid for a moment, then his body went limp and he knelt down.

"This is... kneeling?"

Her pupils contracted, and Qi Linger's delicate body trembled involuntarily. "Could it be... he has the bloodline of a Divine King?"

For a Heavenly God to kneel, there was only one possibility: the bloodline level was higher than his...

A bloodline stronger than a Heavenly God's could only be... a Divine King's!

The strongest city lord of Nightmare City was only a lower-grade Heavenly God. This fellow actually had a bloodline comparable to a Divine King... Didn't that mean he had the potential to become a Divine King in the future?

Whoosh!

As soon as Heavenly God Wujiang knelt, the blood-red pool water stirred again. In an instant, another phantom emerged, wearing a crown, holding a long spear, with an aura that stood tall between heaven and earth.

"It's Divine King Niehuo! I've read about this Divine King's deeds. He fought against eight directions with one spear, slaying three Divine Kings of the same level. He was incredibly powerful. If he were still alive, he might have become a titled one by now..."

Qi Linger clenched her fists.

As she spoke, the phantom of this Divine King walked toward the young man and also thrust his spear.

She thought this one would devour the young man's phantom and strengthen itself, but unexpectedly, before the spear even reached him, like Heavenly God Wujiang, he knelt down, like an obedient student.

Qi Linger's body trembled.

Even a Divine King submitted? Didn't dare to contend?

What kind of bloodline did this fellow have?

Swoosh!

The blood-red liquid stirred again, and another figure emerged.

Silver helmet, silver armor, holding double maces, muscles bulging, with astonishing power.

"It's the titled Divine King, Nan Gongping!" Qi Linger exclaimed softly.

A titled Divine King has a lifespan of a hundred thousand years. Normally, they wouldn't fall, but there are exceptions.

This Nan Gongping, forty years ago, was killed by Emperor Tianzong with a single finger strike.

Though killed with one finger, it didn't mean he was weak. Any titled one, under normal circumstances, is roughly equal. Now that he appeared... the young man's phantom should not be able to withstand it!

The double maces flew up and soon descended upon the young man's phantom.

The next moment, like Heavenly God Wujiang and Divine King Niehuo, this titled Divine King's phantom's knees went weak and he knelt down.

"A titled Divine King kneeling... could it be..."

Qi Linger and the old woman couldn't stop trembling, their faces pale.

"...the bloodline of an Emperor?"