The clear pool water, as the blood-hued radiance poured into it, gradually turned deeper and deeper crimson, until eventually a rich, intense scent of blood began to waft out from within—along with a profoundly terrifying and strange force, spreading slowly and steadily... Standing by the side of the pool, Xiao Yan felt this unusual and eerie power, not only without any discomfort, but his own bloodlines surged swiftly within him, as if he could hear a deep, eager, joyful whispering. "This, then, is indeed the bloodline power of the Xiao clan..." Xiao Yan tightened his grip slightly. This power had long since been expected to have completely faded from the Xiao clan, yet here, at this very moment, he could sense it once again. "Xiao Yan, step into the Blood Pool and inherit the final bloodline strength of the Xiao clan... " Already transformed into a white-haired, elderly man within the span of a moment, Xiao Xuan smiled gently. Though his voice had grown remarkably hoarse and aged, a subtle sense of hope shimmered beneath that weariness. The Xiao clan had not, after all, been entirely defeated. The young heir before him, though currently less accomplished than he had been in his youth, stirred within him a sense that the challenge he himself had once failed to conquer might now be realized by this successor. Gazing at Xiao Xuan's frail, aged appearance, Xiao Yan took a deep breath, knowing that now was not the time for sentimentality. Xiao Xuan had deliberately used this method—transforming himself into this ghostly, half-human state—to ensure that the last bloodline of the Xiao clan would be passed on to him. What Xiao Yan needed now was not rejection, but acceptance—true, wholehearted commitment, for he was, at this moment, the sole hope of this fading race. "Xiao Yan, be careful..." Hearing Xun'er's soft voice beside him, Xiao Yan nodded slightly and then stepped forward without hesitation, entering the blood pool with a single footfall and slowly making his way to its center. "Ahhh…" The sudden, intense pain caused Xiao Yan's face to instantly pale, and he involuntarily drew in a sharp breath of cold air. "At first, it will be somewhat painful. The bloodline energy must first wash away the ordinary blood within your body before it can be replaced with blood infused with bloodline energy. This is the first step of the inheritance—blood replacement." Seeing Xiao Yan's rapidly pale complexion, Xiao Xuan spoke up. "Hm." Xiao Yan nodded, clenching his teeth tightly to suppress the tearing, excruciating pain. Under this pain, he could feel his blood rapidly being drained away, and a profound sense of weakness spread swiftly throughout his body, causing his eyelids to droop slightly. "I must not fall unconscious!" Otherwise, the old blood would not be fully cleared, and the bloodline power could not be fully unleashed. Currently, the people of the Xiao clan have completely lost their bloodline power, making it impossible for them to activate it through gentle means as other races do—only the most forceful methods can be employed. Seeing Xiao Yan's eyelids slowly droop, Xiao Xuan suddenly roared. Upon hearing Xiao Xuan's roar, Xiao Yan instantly shivered and quickly focused his spirit, enduring the intense pain and extreme weakness with great difficulty. At the blood pool, Xun, seeing Xiao Yan suffer so greatly, tightened her hands, feeling deeply concerned. "Ah, in such a critical time, we must resort to such drastic measures," Xiao Xuan sighed, then settled himself cross-legged beside the blood pool. The time required for the blood exchange was quite lengthy, meaning Xiao Yan would have to endure the pain for a considerable period. Within this quiet hall, time flew by swiftly—within a single blink, ten days had passed. For these ten days, Xiao Yan had been submerged in the blood pool, and as the blood was gradually cleared from his body, he had become nearly skeletal, his complexion pale as ghostly white. Had it not been for the faint traces of breath still lingering at his nostrils, one might have doubted he was even alive. Yet regarding Xiao Yan's transformation, Xiao Xuan remained relatively calm, though his heart still carried some concern. Blood replacement, after all, carried inherent risks—especially when the recipient was at their most vulnerable. If the person's mind were unstable, they might truly succumb, swallowing their last breath. In that case, they would truly transition from being alive to being dead. "The blood transfusion has been successful... thereafter, all that remains is to infuse the blood imbued with the lineage's essence into his body, and Xiao Xin will once again possess the final bloodline power of the Xiao clan." Seeing this transformation, Xiao Xuan also sighed with relief, relaxing and swiftly forming a seal with both hands. A glow of blood-colored light shot into the blood pool. "Gurgle, gurgle." As the blood glow entered, the pool suddenly boiled vigorously, bubbles rising continuously, while at the same time, strands of peculiar blood-like liquid separated from the water and climbed up Xiao Xin's body, seeping through his pores and flowing steadily into his body. As these blood-like liquids, charged with unique energy, entered Xiao Xin's body, the previously extremely pale skin gradually began to take on a rosy hue, and the dry, sunken skin began to gently regain its suppleness. Seeing this gradual improvement, Xun'er also breathed a sigh of relief and softly said, "Master Xiao Xuan, within this blood pool, there are still some energies that you sealed back then. If these energies are all absorbed by Master Xiao Yan, wouldn't that cause a sudden and remarkable surge in his strength?" "Indeed…" Master Xiao Xuan nodded, glanced at Xun'er, and smiled, "I know exactly what you're thinking. A strength that grows rapidly through external forces can become a major obstacle if not properly managed in the future, especially when striving to reach the level of a Battle Saint. However, I believe Master Xiao Yan is well aware of this. That's why he has chosen the most rational course of action. Trust him." Xun nodded silently. She did indeed have some concerns—Xiao Xuan’s inherited energy would undoubtedly be immense, and it might very well propel Xiao Yan all the way to the peak of Dou Zun in a single burst. But if that were the case, Xiao Yan’s chances of eventually reaching Dou Sheng would become exceedingly slim, making it a rather poor long-term investment. Still, her concerns were not overwhelming. She deeply understood Xiao Yan—he was consistently rational and cautious when it came to external influences. This was evident in his role as a pharmacist, where he rarely consumed pills that offered immediate strength boosts. Therefore, she believed he was likely well-prepared for this situation. "Then, we shall simply wait for the blood transfusion to complete—this process is likely to take a long time..." Xiao Xuan spoke softly, then slowly closed his eyes. Xun'er nodded slightly, gazed once more at the blood pool, and only after seeing no remarkable changes did she settle into her meditation. This stillness persisted for an unknown duration, until suddenly, the pool of blood bubbling with blood bubbles froze, and then a deep, resonant boom erupted from within—blood mist surged outward, while a strange, purplish-gold light emanated from Xiao Yan's body, unexpectedly blocking the blood threads.