As the soft blue light flickered around Lu Ying's body, she sat in stillness, absorbing not only the drop of origin blood but the memories that had shaped her entire existence.
Su Yang's karma True Fire Art had saved her—had protected her. For a moment, she couldn't find the words. Her heart swelled with feelings unfamiliar and overwhelming. She had never been shielded like this, not since she was a child.
Her mind wandered, drifting through a storm of memories she had long buried.
Back in the sect, she was the target of cruelty—endless whispers, sharp gazes, physical torment. The other disciples didn't see her as one of them. Her beauty, inherited from her mother, only made things worse. The men stared at her with impure intent, trying to get close to her not because of who she was, but because she was the daughter of the Sect Master. The women, driven by jealousy, bullied her in silence and in public alike.
There was no one she could trust—no friend to confide in. Only her aunt had shown her warmth. That kind old woman had always been there: shielding her from bullies, tending to her bruises, and teaching her to defend herself in a world filled with greed and hypocrisy.
She had worn a mask, both literal and emotional, just to survive. A piece of cloth to hide her face, her emotions, her hope.
And then that girl arrived.
The golden child. Perfect in every way. A special physique, flawless talent, flawless face. She swept through the sect like a storm, earning admiration and praise—everything Lu Ying never had. She didn't even need to try.
It wasn't long before the sect elders approached her mother, urging her to adopt the genius girl instead. They cloaked their manipulation in flowery words, pretending it was for the future of the sect, but Lu Ying saw through them. So did her mother.
Those elders only cared about one thing—power. They coveted the unique techniques her mother possessed. They would have used her daughter as a pawn and discarded her once they obtained what they wanted.
But her mother… her mother was wiser than any of them.
She created a clever illusion. A legacy that never existed. A ring said to carry the inheritance of their ancestors. She crafted a story of a secret cultivation ground—a lie powerful enough to mislead even the most cunning.
She sent Lu Ying away, not in exile, but in protection. This mission was a chance—not just to become strong, but to survive the schemes of greedy old men.
And now, here she was, awakening the bloodline she had never known, all because her mother believed in her… when she herself hadn't.
Then, a voice broke through the storm of thoughts.
> "What are you thinking right now?" Su Yang's calm, steady voice reached her ears. "Focus. Use your spiritual power to temper your body."
His words grounded her.
Lu Ying closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could feel it—an intense cold surging through her veins. Her blood, her bones, her meridians… all being reshaped by the origin blood. But she didn't resist anymore.
Instead, she guided her spiritual power, directing it into every part of her body. The blood's essence fused into her marrow, her qi flowing like icy rivers. The heat within her wasn't burning—it was frost. A freezing pressure that could pierce steel and still the breath of the unprepared.
But she no longer feared it.
She embraced it.
Her cultivation rose to the next stage, her body strengthened beyond what she imagined possible. The cold within no longer screamed in agony—it whispered with purpose.
Her Extreme Ice Body… was finally awakening.
---