At the bottom of the deep crimson pool of blood, silence reigned. Everything unfolded quietly and alone, as if even time had lost its usual function. Within the vibrant red, a subtle hint of emerald stood out distinctly. Only upon drawing closer did a figure seated in meditation become visible—none other than Xiao Yan, who had descended into the depths of the blood pool to cultivate. Since entering his state of cultivation, Xiao Yan had scarcely moved, maintaining a still, meditative posture like an ancient monk, steadily absorbing the vast energy surrounding him to refine his meridians, bones, muscles, and even cells. A deep crimson hue enveloped every part of his body, including his face, which was streaked with a somewhat fierce and intimidating glow. Yet, since no one else was present, no one had witnessed this remarkable scene. Calculating the time, Xiao Yan had likely been staying here for approximately two days, during which he had never taken a single moment of rest, continuously absorbing the vast, blood-colored energy surrounding him. As he absorbed it at such a rapid pace, the qi within his body gradually grew more powerful and robust, flowing like a mighty river, constantly surging through his meridians. According to Xiao Yan's own estimation, he might now have reached the peak of the ninth star of the Battle Emperor rank, though he still had a considerable distance to go before breaking through. Even with the assistance of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond, achieving the Battle Sovereign level would likely take far longer than just a few days. And regarding this, Xiao Yan was naturally exceptionally clear in his mind, so he didn't feel any restlessness. With a calm mindset, he steadily absorbed the blood-red energy, maximizing his ability to control this surging influx. After all, no matter how strong one's prowess, if one couldn't command the qi within their body at will, how could they possibly compete in battle? Amidst Xiao Yan's composed and serene state, the monotonous passage of time failed to disturb his inner peace. His body remained still, continuously drawing in the energy. Yet he deeply immersed himself in the奇妙 sensation of a gradual, internal transformation—like a rebirth unfolding slowly within. As for the changes on his body's surface, Xiao Yan had never given it much thought. He knew it was due to the excessive absorption of energy causing a lack of proper control. Once he fully mastered the control of his internal energy, everything would naturally return to its original state. What he currently needed to focus on was solidifying his mind and then simply feeling the increasingly powerful strength within him... A transformation of his breath, yet it failed to smoothly propel Xiao Yan through the Emperor's Realm. This clearly demonstrated how difficult it was to attain the Sovereign Realm. Had it not been for the reason of the Tian Shan Blood Pond, even with Xiao Yan's speed, it would have taken him at least nearly half a year to reach this level. Thick, crimson energy flowed continuously into Xiao Yan's body. At one moment, his face suddenly stirred—his eyelids trembled, and then, slowly, he opened them. Xiao Yan opened his eyes, eyes filled with astonishment. The reason that had suddenly awakened him from his meditative state was not external—it was because he noticed that as his meditation deepened, the soul fragment of the "Three-Thousand-Thunder-Phantom Body" residing at the center of his forehead was gradually absorbing that crimson energy. However, due to his own suppression of this energy flow, the soul fragment had absorbed only a modest amount. It was only now, after this prolonged observation, that he suddenly realized the fragment was steadily growing stronger. As the duplicate appeared, a powerful suction automatically radiated from within its body. The viscous, blood-colored energies surrounding it were drawn toward it, as though pulled by an invisible force, flowing into the duplicate's core. When these blood-rich energies came into contact with the falling heart flame on the surface of the duplicate's body, they immediately erupted in a series of crackling sounds—signs of the fire toxins being expelled. "Thank goodness the falling heart flame protects the duplicate; otherwise, the moment it appeared, it would have been eroded and dispersed by the toxins," Xiang Yan breathed a sigh of relief, mentally grateful. As the vast, blood-thickened force entered the duplicate's body, a deep, rich crimson surged forth from within. In an instant, the originally transparent and ethereal duplicate transformed into a vivid blood red. Yet although the colors had changed, Xiao Yan, deeply connected to the soul of the duplicate, was pleasantly surprised to realize that the duplicate's strength was rising at an astonishing pace. "At this rate, combined with the refinement of the Fallen Heart Flame, it wouldn't take long before the duplicate could reach the Hall-level mastery. The energy here seems to be not only enhancing the strength but also refining the soul duplicate itself!" Xiao Yan was equally amazed, murmuring in delight. In less than half a year, he had elevated the Three-Thousand-Thunder-Phantom Form to the Hall-level mastery—a feat that would surely leave the Fenglei Pavilion's practitioners gasping, possibly even spitting out three sheng of blood upon hearing it. Especially considering Fei Tian, who had dedicated nearly five years solely to refining his duplicate to the Hall-level. In contrast, Xiao Yan had compressed that time by several times, even tenfold. The gap between them was as vast as that between heaven and earth. This blood-energy's effect is truly remarkable—perhaps even the golden stones themselves have never witnessed it, since he lacks the unique fire protection. Without it, he dares not release his soul, for once exposed to the fire toxin, his soul would be utterly beyond salvation, effectively sealing his fate. Excited by this discovery, Xiao Yan closely observed the changes in his duplicate for a long time. Only after seeing no further developments did he finally ease his mind, setting the duplicate aside to absorb the energy. After all, the energy at the bottom of the blood pool is immensely potent and sufficient for their needs. After shifting his focus away from his duplicate form, Xiao Yan settled his mind and sensed within himself. The warmth on his face deepened, and he murmured softly, "Peak of the Battle Emperor... indeed, the stone's words were true. This place seems genuinely capable of enabling me to break through to the Battle Emperor rank and ascend to the Battle Sovereign level. Yet the time required may be quite substantial." He slightly raised his head and glanced upward at the upper wind. The thick, blood-red energy did not extend his vision far, and the uniform, deep red hue pressed upon him, creating a sense of heaviness. Yet, in order to achieve this breakthrough, he had to endure and persevere. "Should I succeed in reaching the Battle Sovereign rank, and should I encounter that ever-living Fe Tian, I shall be able to hold my own. With the added strength of Master Yue, perhaps I could even stand against him directly." The ranks of Dou-Zong and Dou-Huang are entirely distinct. Should he successfully attain either, the gap between him and Fei Tian would no longer be so vast—indeed, with the aid of certain external resources, a match against Fei Tian would become not only possible but feasible. Moreover, once he reaches the Dou-Zong level, his success rate in crafting seventh-rank pills would significantly improve, no longer relying on mere luck. With such strength, even participating in the pill competition hosted by the Pill Tower, Xiao Yan would have strong confidence in securing a top ten finish. As he envisioned the numerous advantages of reaching Dou-Zong status, his heart grew increasingly passionate. Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the soul duplicate nearby, steadily absorbing energy, then once again formed the hand seals for cultivation. His eyes gradually closed. This time, he was fully resolute—should he fail to break through to Dou-Zong, he would never leave the depths of this blood pool. As Xiao Yan once again entered a state of cultivation, the bottom of the blood pool grew increasingly quiet and serene. The only difference now was that within this deep crimson world, a new figure had emerged—like an endless abyss—continuously drawing in energy. Ten days, twenty days, a month, one and a half months, two months... When the pointer of time reached its seventy-eighth day, there was finally a subtle movement within the silent blood pool!