"I've done it! I finally broke through to the Ninth Layer of the Saint Martial Realm!" Evan shouted, his voice ringing out. In that instant, the Chaos Dragon Force that had nearly run dry surged back into his body, stronger and more abundant than ever before.
Just as Evan was about to celebrate, Luna snapped at him, "You idiot! What are you so happy about? You could've fully awakened your bloodline power, but now, because you paused, all the bloodline impurity is stuck inside you. Getting it out later will be ten times harder!"
It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over Evan. He was speechless for a long moment, then finally muttered, "No way... After all that work forcing the impurity out, I mess up at the most critical moment? This is just too much to take."
"Quick, try to push the impurity to one spot. Maybe you'll have a shot at forcing it out, but it'll take a really powerful external force. Only something that strong could do it. Your journey just can't catch a break, can it?" Luna grumbled, clearly annoyed.
Evan immediately checked his bloodline with inner sight and spotted a lump of pitch-black filth. He focused his Chaos Dragon Force, trying to drive it toward his palm, but it wouldn't budge an inch.
"I can't move it at all. What do I do now?" Evan asked, frustration and longing for bloodline awakening written all over his face.
"Where is it now? Even I can't sense it anymore," Luna replied, her tone a mix of concern and confusion.
"It's stuck right at my heart. Is it going to be even harder to force out now?" Evan asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.
"That spot's the best—and the most dangerous. Only a serious injury there might force it out. But if you survive, your strength will skyrocket, maybe several times over. It's the classic 'rebirth from death.' Guess you're lucky!" Luna said, half amused, half exasperated.
Evan sat down and started stabilizing his new cultivation realm. After a few full circulations, he felt solid and asked, "How long did all this take?"
"Ten days. You spent a whole ten days—surprised?" Luna said, her voice carrying a hint of teasing.
"At least it wasn't forever. Let's get started on restoring your body!" Evan said, eagerness shining through.
"No rush. Let Shadow and Goldwing absorb the Crucible's energy first. It's good for anyone. Too bad Macy isn't here—she'd get a huge boost too," Luna said.
At Evan's summons, Goldwing and Shadow appeared in front of him. The moment they saw the Crucible, Shadow couldn't hold back his excitement: "Whoa, what insane energy! Boss, you brought us out to absorb it, right?" His voice was overflowing with anticipation.
"Exactly. This energy is crazy strong, but don't take too much—if you overdo it, you'll explode," Evan warned, deadly serious.
The moment Evan finished speaking, Shadow and Goldwing shifted into their true forms. The chamber was small, so their bodies shrank down—Shadow was about calf-sized, and Goldwing was as big as a regular eagle.
Goldwing dove straight into the Crucible, while Shadow opened his jaws and sucked at the pool. In just a few breaths, half the liquid was gone. Shadow stopped and let out a thunderous burp.
Goldwing finished up quickly and flew back. Shadow groaned, "Boss, this energy is nuts! My belly's about to pop! I need a good nap to digest it—when I wake up, I'll definitely be stronger than you! Ugh, I'm so bloated, it hurts!"
Evan was about to ask if Shadow was okay when a flash of red light sent Shadow back into his body space. Goldwing said, "Boss, I'm gonna break through too. I may not be as monstrous as Shadow, but I'll be your right-hand fighter for sure. Following you is the best decision I ever made."
Goldwing finished speaking, flashed gold, and returned to Evan's body space. Hearing their words, Evan felt a wave of relief—he wouldn't have to worry about his beasts' cultivation catching up anymore.
Evan looked at Luna. "Luna, can we finally start now?" he asked, anticipation in his voice.
"Alright! But you need to stay absolutely focused—especially your eyes. Don't let them wander where they shouldn't, or you'll lose concentration. You have to give it your all," Luna reminded him sternly.
A white light flashed at Evan's brow, and Luna's hazy figure appeared before him. As he gazed at the blurry outline of a beautiful young woman, Evan's heart surged—soon, they'd truly be together, and he couldn't wait to help restore her body.
Evan instinctively started channeling fire element into Luna's forming body, but Luna stopped him. "Every element's input has to be measured. Start with wood element, so my new body won't get hurt. The five elements generate and restrain each other—match every bit of wood with water to keep things balanced. When I've absorbed all I can, I'll let you know to stop."
Evan got it instantly and began channeling wood element into her body. After about an hour, Luna had him switch to another element. He cycled through all five elements, over and over, until he was more exhausted than an ox.
Days passed. Evan grew more and more exhausted, like his five-element reserves were nearly tapped out, and he could barely stay on his feet.
Outside, the Golden Dragon Grand Elder was getting frantic. Evan had been inside the Crucible for over twenty days with no sign of movement. The Full-Moon Night was almost here—if the Black Dragon emerged and no one stopped him, the Dragon Clan was finished.
Dragon Shrine Master Leon and Third Elder Marcus had come by several times, but always left disappointed. Even the other Dragon Clan elders were worried about Evan. He'd already won their respect. They'd prepared Dragon's Blessings for him ages ago, but now, they couldn't even find him.
Meanwhile, Evan was getting more and more frustrated. As the five elements kept pouring in, Luna's body grew clearer—her flawless face and smooth skin stirred up endless thoughts. The most mysterious parts of Luna's body were becoming more defined by the day, especially the dense patch of grass above her secret place, making Evan desperately curious about what treasure might be hidden underneath.
Luna could sense Evan's every move and stray thought. "What are you staring at, Evan? Hurry up and keep channeling—we're almost done. Don't mess up right at the finish line!" she scolded sharply.