I make a quick meal and eat it. Since I’ve already gone through the ceremony for becoming a core disciple, I don’t need to do anything other than cultivate, do the assignments I’m assigned, and recruit disciples once every month. I don’t have any chores to do in my first month, so I’m free to relax. The first thing I need to do…

I sit cross-legged on the rug in the living room equivalent and place the blood-red pearl in front of me. I’m going to assume that the old monsters that managed the sect in the past didn’t just randomly throw this in here. Most likely, it caused some sort of phenomenon to attract the attention of cultivators. I’m not too sure where they got it, but it was definitely something interesting if they grabbed a hold of it.

Before I got my body, there was a World War like the World Wars of Earth. It was absolute hell. Even though I’m able to hold back fear and vomit, the scene still haunts my dreams… That’s a figure of speech, I’ve only had one dream since reincarnating, and I can’t remember it well. Back on topic, before the World War, the Free Sword Sect was extremely powerful, one of the most powerful, even. However, it fell to a mid-ranked sect after sustaining losses in the war. I don’t remember seeing such a powerful treasure after the war, so it was probably before I even came here that the Free Sword Sect got it.

That means it was important enough for a top-tier sect to fight over others with it. Most likely, that was far in the past, otherwise, it wouldn’t be up for grabs like it is now. As for what it could be, I’m unsure of. I would ask the system, but I think that I should inspect it myself. After all, it kind of ruins the feeling if I ask someone else. Now, let’s see…

I probe it with my qi, trying to elicit a reaction. However, it just bounces of, repelled by an even stronger force.

“This…!”

I’m sure what it is, but it holds a power far beyond anything I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen cultivators that have stepped into the Immortal Realm, but they are like ants compared to this! The qi itself seems to completely fill the pearl, however, it’s in a stagnant state. Normally, it should be flowing in a circle, creating a qi flow. Even the most simple of treasures have at least some qi flow. If the qi flow has stopped, then it must mean that this treasure no longer works, or has been so damaged that it could have stopped working completely. Either way, it doesn’t work.

Damn, what kind of treasure could it be if the qi inside still repels me yet it doesn’t work?

{It is not a treasure.}

Huh?

{It is a drop of blood from a Godbeast known as a Phoenix. The Phoenix species is know for it’s incredible regeneration abilities and intimacy with fire. This drop of blood has come from an old Phoenix, and-}

Stop, stop… I think I’m good.

Phoenix, like the legendary immortal bird, that Phoenix? The one that even in cultivation novels are supreme beings that deserve every ounce of respect they’re given? One that never bothers with the mundane? That Phoenix?!

{Yes.}

… Well, fuck yeah! Phoenix blood, fuck yeah! Now I can get supreme regeneration powers and get fire powers and shit! Fuck yeah!

It took me a while to calm down, but I’m good now. The first thing I need to do is just fucking down it in one go. I fill up a glass of water, and start downing it. I slip in the Phoenix blood as well, swallowing it with the water. Proper pill swallowing technique. After finishing the water, I sit down in the lotus position and start to feel for the Phoenix blood. As it’s… well, Phoenix blood, I find it quickly. Now, to begin assimilating with it.

For many hours, I surround it with my qi, and gradually get it to accept me. There are methods to make it go faster, but those have a high chance of failure, and could cause more than death by bodily explosion. If the power inside the blood is strong enough, it could even destroy my soul! Since I’m not a reckless fool, I won’t use such a method. Even if it takes weeks, assimilating a Phoenix bloodline is far better than dying.

However, since my control is good, I don’t need to take weeks or even days. Within 20 hours, I’m ready to begin assimilation. There are many steps to this. First, is the basic assimilation, which will give only a few benefits, then half assimilation, which provides about half the benefits, and then full assimilation, which provides all benefits available. The amount of benefits depends on how much blood you have, so I won’t get a lot. However, I have an idea I’ve yet to try to increase the amount of Phoenix blood…

Well, first, I need to reach the basic assimilation. I concentrate on the drop of blood, trying to make it fuse with the rest of my blood in my body. I separate a cell of blood from the full drop and have it float near my heart, keeping it there until I need it. Obviously, it’ll show it’s use in the future, just not sure how long until it does. This is only possible because the blood has begun to accept me. If I had tried this earlier, it would’ve exploded.

Assimilating a bloodline requires the mixing of genes with my blood and the Phoenix blood. However, the original blood will most likely be lost when doing this. Since I’m smart and know cell theory, I’ve set aside a Phoenix blood cell so I can make more Phoenix blood. Hahahaha! I never understood why no one had thought of this before! I’m a genius!

Now, I’ll just leave that blood cell aside and assimilate the rest of the blood. I concentrate, and time flies by. It’s time to unlock the first level, and gain access to the secrets hidden inside the Phoenix blood! I manipulate a strand of qi into the drop of blood. However, what I expected did not happen. Instead of my head getting filled with information, or my blood boiling due to power, or my cultivation base erupting with power, my consciousness begins to fade.

Wait… this isn’t… what’s su...ppos...ed… to… hap...pen...