Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

However, success comes from the bloodline, and failure also comes from the bloodline.

The old Clan Leader candidly stated that the innate talent of the Barbarian Race’s bloodline indeed allows them to be much stronger than ordinary people at the early stage, but the ceiling is very low.

Ninety percent of the tribe members are already at their peak at birth.

And if they want to take further steps, they can only activate their bloodline and return to their ancestors.

Each time they return to their ancestors, they can be strengthened once.

However, there is no pattern to bloodline regression, mostly relying on luck, which brings significant uncertainty to the Barbarian tribe.

If a certain generation of the Barbarians does not produce a wise person and there are not enough people with bloodline regression, the entire race would be in deep peril.

Moreover, the old Clan Leader confided to Li Ji’an that the so-called Dharma cultivation techniques of the Barbarian Race are essentially still based on the Blood Burning Technique, a method created by ancestors to solve the problem of the activation of the Barbarian bloodline, but its effects are minimal.

The old Clan Leader has regressed his bloodline four times, already at the pinnacle of the Barbarian Race, with a physique comparable to a Tier Three advanced Body Cultivator. Together with his Bloodline Divine Abilities, ordinary Core Formation Ascendants do not dare confront him head-on.

Li Ji’an admitted that without the Dao Charm of the Demon-Suppressing Fist and the Dragon Breath of the True Dragon Essence Blood, his current Tier Three middle-stage physique wouldn’t last three rounds.

”Talk reason? Grandpa, you... the Barbarians are rude, mindless, inhumane, and their language is complicated. Ordinary people cannot even communicate with them, so how can you reason with them? It’s even worse than our Music Cultivators playing music to cattle!” Duanmu Fei became more anxious.

”Uka, so you were here!” Just as Duanmu Fei finished her sentence, a rough shout suddenly sounded.

Soon after, a burly dark shadow appeared in front of them.

”Oh no, it’s that Barbarian Commander!” Duanmu Fei exclaimed and instantly turned pale at the sight of the person.

It was indeed the leader of the group she ambushed earlier, also Niu Mang, one of the eighteen commanders of the Barbarian Race, who won a fortune due to the duel between Li Ji’an and Banu.

When the old Clan Leader had called the commanders for a drink, he was busy carrying the spiritual resources he won into the house.

Once he finished tidying up, he excitedly wanted to have a good drink with Li Ji’an, only to find all the tribe members already drunk. Following the clues given by the tribe members, he finally tracked down Li Ji’an here.

”Come, come, come, I absolutely must have a good drink with you!” Niu Mang walked straight up to Li Ji’an, filled with passion.

”...” Initially wary, Duanmu Fei suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.

”Don’t worry, he’s not here to cause trouble,” Ning Sujin reassured her through transmission.

”This... how did Grandpa get to know him? Isn’t this your first time here? Weren’t you just a day ahead of me?” Duanmu Fei looked at Ning Sujin incredulously.

For a moment, she even felt deceived.

”This is indeed our first time here, but... that grandpa of yours, he’s quite capable, already a distinguished guest of the Barbarians,” Ning Sujin replied with a smile.

”A distinguished guest? In just one day, there’s already such a relationship with this barbaric tribe?” Duanmu Fei couldn’t believe it.

Meanwhile, Li Ji’an had already headed towards the Stone Fortress with Niu Mang.

Before leaving, Li Ji’an transmitted a message to Ning Sujin to take Duanmu Fei for a walk first.

After all, since the situation wasn’t clear, he couldn’t take a risk with Duanmu Fei’s safety.

Very soon, Li Ji’an returned to the Stone Fortress.

A group of commanders were still snoring like before.

Surprisingly, there were no tribe members to serve them.

Niu Mang, in high spirits, fetched another vat of Hundred Beasts Wine from somewhere.

With great excitement, he offered Li Ji’an a drink to express his gratitude; before Li Ji’an could even lift the stone vase, Niu Mang was already eager to toast with him.

Li Ji’an hurriedly stopped him: ”No rush, no rush, I have a matter to inquire about.”

”What’s up, ask away,” Niu Mang replied, eager for the drink.

”Were cultivators from the Duanmu family captured by you?”

”I don’t know who the cultivators of the Duanmu family are.”

”The female cultivator who was by my side just now, do you recognize her?”

”The female cultivator by your side? Isn’t that Granny Jin? Who else is there?” Niu Mang replied with a puzzled look.

Li Ji’an chuckled slightly and, after some thought, asked again, ”A few days ago, did you encounter a female cultivator ambushing you?”

Niu Mang frowned, displaying a pained expression on his face, thinking for a long time: ”Ah, I can’t remember, I don’t know, come on, let’s drink!”

”Did you capture some cultivators here?” Li Ji’an was not in a hurry, simplifying the question once more.

”Yes, we did.” Niu Mang replied straightforwardly this time.

”Why did you capture them?” Li Ji’an was also a bit puzzled. According to the old Clan Leader, they tried to avoid conflicts with others.

”Granny Ba is dying, and the Clan Leader wants to find a physician to save her,” Niu Mang said concisely.

”Oh? Has she been cured? Where are those people who were captured?” Li Ji’an raised his eyebrows immediately; this confirmed a suspicion he had after Duanmu Fei had recounted the whole incident.

”No, no, Granny Ba is very ill, and many physicians couldn’t cure her. The group of physicians is still trying to figure it out,” Niu Mang waved impatiently.

”If those physicians cannot cure Granny Ba, what will you do with them?” Li Ji’an asked further.

”Ah, if she has a disease, death is certain; if they can’t cure it, they can’t cure it. Surely we’ll just let the physicians go. We haven’t had enough to eat yet,” reiterated Niu Mang.

Hearing this, Li Ji’an let out a long breath, confirming that it truly was a misunderstanding this time.

The root cause also lay in the human cultivators’ prejudice against the Barbarian race.

Subsequently, Li Ji’an also clarified the positions of the so-called Granny Ba and the physicians.

Then Niu Mang, eager, continued drinking, growing more excited, and finally fell completely drunk.

Once he was thoroughly drunk, Li Ji’an noticed there was still a bit of Hundred Beasts Wine left at the bottom of the vat and directly used his magical power to draw it all into his mouth.

In an instant, the True Dragon Essence Blood absorbed it all.

Subsequently, the True Dragon Essence Blood expressed its satisfaction.

Li Ji’an keenly perceived that the True Dragon Essence Blood regained a slight activity.

”The King of Ten Thousand Beasts drinking the blood of all beasts can actually restore vitality.” This benefit was somewhat unexpected.

Taking into account the recovery condition of the True Dragon Essence Blood in Li Ji’an over the years, in due time, it might indeed be possible for a True Dragon to be reborn from a drop of blood.

Of course, the prerequisite is the fusion of the Dragon Soul.

After confirming the changes to the True Dragon Essence Blood inside him, Li Ji’an glanced at the Barbarians in the Stone Fortress, then stepped briskly towards the deeper parts of the fortress.

Leaving the fortress, passing through several stone corridors, he finally reached the place pointed out by Niu Mang before he got drunk.

This was the dwelling of the old Clan Leader, where the clan leader’s spouse resided.

Compared to other places, the materials here were extraordinary, and even Li Ji’an’s Divine Sense couldn’t penetrate it at all.

In front of the house, four young Barbarian men were patrolling back and forth at the door.

”Grandpa Changqing.” Seeing Li Ji’an approaching, the four of them greeted him enthusiastically.

Today, Li Ji’an was announced by the old Clan Leader as the most esteemed guest of the Barbarians in front of the whole tribe, and these people admired his strength from defeating Banu.

”What’s going on in there?” Li Ji’an nodded with a smile, casually asking.

”Granny Ba is ill, and she is about to die. We do not want her to die.”

”Are the physicians inside treating her?” Li Ji’an asked again.

”These physicians are no good, they can’t save Granny Ba.”

”I will go see Granny Ba.” Li Ji’an nodded.

”Granny Ba will definitely be happy to see you; you are a distinguished guest of our Divine Race.”

Following this, Li Ji’an swaggered into the house.

As soon as he entered the house, he felt his Divine Sense recover somewhat, while at the same time, the transmissions from the adjacent room were instantly captured by him.

”Fairy Qiongyao, can you cure this Barbarian?”

”Alas, our Celestial Sound Pavilion excels in melody, but melody is effective only for treating the Sea of Consciousness; for such a physical condition, it is of limited use, I am powerless.”

”Then what should we do? Given the nature of the Barbarians, if we cannot heal this person, I fear we won’t be able to leave alive.”

”Hmph, even if I, Zhou, could heal, I would never treat a Barbarian.”

”I think the Barbarian Clan Leader doesn’t seem to be as rumored; perhaps we won’t die even if we can’t heal her? Maybe we should just be direct?”

”No, absolutely not, we should drag this as long as we can. This way, we might still come up with an idea. Once a conclusion is reached, we might become their meal that very night.”

”There are still Barbarians guarding outside; there’s no way to escape.”

....

Li Ji’an’s Divine Sense swept across, noticing that each of the seven individuals in the side room was frowning deeply.