The serpent blood was still plentiful and still drained into the pool above him. However the gourd was now empty and the blood that once drained like a river from the serpents had decreased to a small stream.
Wu Tianmo was now in the 8th Stage of the Body Reforging Realm, Meridian Tempering.
His meridians had once been tempered within the cave of the Silverback Tiger, yet this was something different. It was true refinement.
The body has twelve major meridians, opened within the nine realms of the Meridian Opening Realm. In the Body Reforging Realm's 8th stage these meridians are tempered and refined.
Doing this removes the layers of membrane covering the meridians.
This process prepares the cultivator to attack and open them in the next major realm.
This can be done many ways, however the most common path is to constantly bathe them with spiritual essence.
This process slowly disintegrates the outer layers, this is a safe way to cultivate at this stage.
Wu Tianmo's cultivation technique is more.... direct.
It uses the refined spiritual essence within the serpents blood like a tornado around all the meridians, like a fire burning away filth.
This process is much more painful than the normal path, but it's also much quicker. Normally one would have to bathe the meridians for months to cultivate through this stage.
His technique, the Crimson Lunar Blood Scripture, accomplishes this in 3 days.
Most cultivators would never attempt this method, the spiritual essence within a beasts blood is different from a humans.
Spiritual Beasts, also known as Demonic Beasts refine spiritual essence into Demonic Qi.
His cultivation technique strips the refined qi of its demonic nature creating a pure version of refined qi.
Which can be used by both Demonic Beasts and Human Cultivators.
---
3 Days Later
---
As the days went by the pool around Wu Tianmo slightly lowered and black filth floated to the top. A pillar of crimson shot through the pool of blood sending the black filth flying away in all directions.
Wu Tianmo had entered the 9th Stage of Body Reforging, Body Unity. In this stage one would bathe the whole body in spiritual essence, connecting each tempered part of the body, unifying it.
Once the body is unified, a cultivator needs a pill or opportunity to break into the next realm. To do this, they would need to attack the Temporal Meridian and open it with a large burst of refined qi.
Wu Tianmo's opportunity was within the 2nd tier serpents blood.
It's blood possessed an abundance of refined qi, which once purified would provide a path to activate his temporal meridian.
This meridian is also called the origin meridian.
This meridian opens up the Mind Space of the cultivator and births their Divine Sense.
After the origin meridian is opened, the remaining meridians are opened up one by one by breaking through the different levels of the Meridian Opening Realm.
Once the meridians are fully opened, each of them allow the body to store a small amount of refined qi.
This allows for cultivators to empower their abilities and use martial skills.
Once the Divine Sense is awakened, it can be used in a multiple of ways. Oppressing lower tier cultivators, accessing storage devices and much more.
Wu Tianmo however, already had his Divine Sense.
This is the final push, to the meridian opening realm!
The blood pool started to drain like a whirlpool, pouring into his body like a bottomless pit. All the cells within his body started to link with spiritual essence and a certain fullness was felt from within.
---
3 Days Later
---
A blast of Black Filth exploded from all the pores of his body and a pressure started to build behind his brow.
Suddenly, the last of the blood was absorbed and a popping sound was felt within his head.
I've done it...
It was somewhat anticlimactic, yet this was because his Mind Space was already opened and the temporal meridian only needed a slight push to be opened.
He stood and revealed a jade like figure, his long white hair draped down his back all disheveled.
Wu Tianmo gripped his forearm feeling his refined body and smirked.
He felt the refined qi throughout his blood, bones and organs, it was unified and his cultivation vessel was completed.
A new sense of power flowed from within him.
Even better, he had stepped into the Meridian Opening Realm's first stage.
Yet his happiness was cut short.
He dropped to one knee his forehead throbbing with pain,
"What is happening..."
He entered his mind space, yet this time he manifested into the space, his body a cloudy wisp of his perceived self.
Ahead of him was a large tree with ashen bark and crimson leaves firmly planted on top of a mountain peak. It was nighttime, a crimson crescent moon hung in the sky, and surrounding the mountain were forests and rivers.
Something caught his eye, something getting closer and closer.
Flying in the sky a creature weaved through the air effortlessly, it was something he did not understand.
Why is that in my mind space...
It was a large serpent-like beast covered in white scales, two antler-like horns on its head, red piercing eyes and an air of royalty emitted from its very being.
Is that a... Dragon?
It arrived above the large tree and roared while staring down at Wu Tianmo intensely.
It shrunk then turned into a humanoid that had long white hair, red eyes with vertical pupils and a jade like physique.
Wu Tianmo was shocked, his eyes were fixed on the same jade hairpin that he wore.
This was his family heirloom.
The man was slightly taller than Wu Tianmo yet the resemblance was uncanny.
Wu Tianmo reached for his sword but it wasn't there, he was a wisp, a figment of his true self.
The man laughed and reached towards Wu Tianmo, he wanted to step backwards but something locked him in place.
A Divine Sense so strong it didn't allow for disobedience.
He reached forth.
I'm dead...
The man flicked Wu Tianmo's forehead,
"Son, do not be afraid."
Wu Tianmo was released from the oppressive Divine Sense and clutched his ghostly forehead,
"How could I be your son you're a..."
The man raised an eyebrow and smirked,
"Not just I, we are Dragons. Don't let your outer appearance fool you, it was simply necessary."
Wu Tianmo stood in shock not sure what to make of this situation.
How... How!
The man turned with his hands clasped behind his back and looked at the crimson moon,
"How you came into contact with that method... Tsk... It must be fate."
His hands and lower body started to disintegrate,
Wu Tianmo stepped forward about to ask before his father raised a hand stopping him.
"The answers you seek will come in time."
The man took a deep breath,
"Above all, I wanted to see you. Your mother was worried about how you would grow up among humans. Even if they're distant descendants they're still slightly smarter apes."
He smiled proudly,
"I can see you have grown well, nearly as handsome as I am."
He then took a deep breath and the edges of his mouth curled downwards,
"I don't have much time, soon you will begin to transform and show your true body."
Wu Tianmo mumbled his face paler than a ghost,
True body?...
The man placed his partially dissolved hand on Wu Tianmo's shoulder,
"You're not a human, you're a dragon. A pureblood dragon. Dragon's are hunted in every planet, so we have awakened your humanoid form in advance."
He pointed towards Wu Tianmo's dantian,
"A demonic beast as the humans call them. Yet you're special. Normally a demonic beast would need to cultivate to the fifth tier to transform into a humanoid form."
He chuckled,
"Your mother and I spent a great deal to allow your transformation in advance."
Wu Tianmo couldn't hold himself back,
"Why...why did you leave me here.. Why did you let our clan get slaughtered!"
He shook his head with a tear falling from his eye,
"Son, we are dead."
Wu Tianmo fell to his ghostly knees.
His father, noticing most of his body was already dissipated quickened his words,
"I have little time so listen close. You're a demon, a humanoid demonic creature. The humans will hunt you to the ends of the earth if they find out so you must never let them see your true form. Upon reaching the Core Forming Realm you will transform into who you were always meant to be to pass the demonic beast tribulation. You must prepare in advance and proceed through your current realm slowly. I have left you an inheritance however you will need to work hard."
He was at a loss for words, so much to say yet only a moment remained.
He sighed,
"Be careful, my son."
"Revive our clan."
The smile faded along with part of his face,
Wu Tianmo walked forward trying to grasp the man who was turning into scattered dust,
His chest started to tighten, a feeling he couldn't name rising within him.
"Wait!--"
The wind blew eerily within his mind space, he was alone.
The man was gone and his mind was in turmoil.
Wu Tianmo opened his eyes in the real world gasping for breath,
"I'm... a dragon?"