Chapter 584 - Dreadline (III) (Patreon)

Wan Lan had disappeared into the all-consuming orb of darkness about five minutes ago, and those five minutes were of pure hell.

The eye blinked open, and before I could even register it properly, formed a sphere of darkness that I could not see through, try as I may. The only thing I knew for certain was that she was alive.

All the while, Long Tao, Rayce, and Light had to continuously shield others, with Rayce slowly falling behind himself.

The feeling of dread was... unique. I'd felt it precisely twice in my life before: the first time I heard Yas' diagnosis, and when I picked up my phone and saw the caller was her mom. Dread was akin to venom that bled into every inch of a person, spreading out like a chill with no end.

I felt my limbs numb and my heart stop, and I felt my mind come to a screeching halt. A knot wove itself in my throat and I couldn't breathe, and a curtain of complete darkness descended, covering my eyes. I couldn't hear, see, smell, or feel anything--just this primordial sensation of utter and total helplessness. Like a newborn child tossed to the wolves.

But this one was... more. It was hard to explain it as it was somehow 'external' rather than internal; I've no idea why I'm in particular so resistant to it, but it could be a genuine hundred things. Maybe my physiques, or bloodline, or any of my traits, or maybe some arts, or maybe just the system outright.

Regardless, I endured the dying world and waited with bated breath for the orb to unfold.

The rumbling anxiety eased considerably when I saw the windows beginning to pop up one after another, even before the orb dissipated.

[--Congratulations, Host. One of your Disciples, Wan Lan, has successfully broken through into the Revolving Core Realm][...][Disciple Wan Lan has achieved a remarkable feat of forming a Heaven Core][... Disciple Wan Lan has communed with the remnant will of the forgotten Emperor of Dread, undoing the first of the seven chains to fully rebirth the dormant Dreadline Bloodline][...][Disciple Wan Lan has undergone a minor metamorphosis, triggered by the circumstances][...][Wan Lan's talent has increased massively: mid-Jade --> low-Myth][She has entered annals of history][...][Wan Lan's Traits have undergone massive changes][Angry (Rare) --> has been removed; she had found serenity in the reality of life, nurtured by the host][Heartless (Common) --> Numb (Epic)][Numb (Epic) -- she feels a numbing sensation towards most of the people outside of her immediate circle. She will not find it particularly difficult to kill or torture][Fiendish Meridians (Epic) --> Dreadful Meridians (Legendary)][Dreadful Meridians (Legendary) -- nearly indestructible form of a meridian structure, capable of enduring up to seven distinct forms of Qi at once. At the same time, the only meridian-type capable of containing Dread Qi. As they are still in their infancy, prolonged exposure to Dread Qi still threatens the seepage and contamination of the body. Completely immune to overdraft of Qi; cannot suffer a backlash due to overdrawn Qi; complete immunity to ALL forms of Qi-drainage beneath Dao level][Undying Spirit (Epic) --> Undying Unity (Legendary)][Undying Unity (Legendary) -- beyond just the Spirit, she has achieved the undying forms of Body, Heart, and Mind; she has taken her first step towards Dao Path of the Undying. She has become completely immune to external possessions; her heart cannot be corrupted; her body cannot be puppeteered; so long as a thread of her Will remains, her body can be resurrected][Demonic Heart (Legendary) --> Dreadful Heart (???)][Dreadful Heart (???) -- a heart complementary to Dreadful Meridians; naturally resists the volatile Demonic Qi and increases its potency by a twofold. It guarantees a complete immunity towards Demonic Corruption; she will never suffer a Demonic Backlash. Allows for a small conversion of Demonic Qi into Dread Qi. Even if punctured, it continues to supply the body at optimal output][...][Due to the awakening of the dormant Bloodline, Wan Lan's existing physique has been completely altered][Demonic Vessel Physique (Epic) --> Demonic Dreadbringer Physique (???)][Demonic Dreadbringer Physique (???) -- a body capable of containing ravages of Demonic and Dread Qi, and even inverting their natures for healing purposes. Possesses naturally great regenerative abilities capable of restructuring entire limbs. Naturally converts all Qi into Demonic Qi; it must undergo its final evolution to create a symbiotic balance between Dread Qi and Demonic Qi. Only those with Dao Sight or equivalent form of vision can see through her nature. A body that will always be reforged, even if the spirit within is dead][...][Wan Lan has managed to partially unlock her Bloodline][Dreadline (???) (Partial) -- a singular function of the ancient Bloodline has been awakened--every single dead spirit on an active battlefield increases the totality of her strength by a minor amount. Stacks indefinitely, but is removed if she is out of combat for longer than five seconds. The other six functions remain locked][...][Due to a uniquely successful breakthrough, Wan Lan has developed a new Trait: Body As a Weapon (Dao)][Body as a Weapon (Dao) -- she can never wield any other weapon besides her body. Doing so will inflict a permanent curse that will all but make her a cripple. In return, all arts she learns that would apply modifications to a weapon can be applied to her body at five times the potency][...][As Wan Lan's comprehension of basic Enduring Eternity is only at Intermediate, she does not gain the benefits for the breakthrough][...][Analyzing...][...][Due to the special circumstances, Host's rewards have been adjusted][...][Due to the successive remarkable feats, special rewards have been generated][Due to the Disciple's partial resurrecting of the forgotten Bloodline, a unique reward has been generated][...][Base Breakthrough Rewards: 15,000 CP, x100 Qi-Restorative Pills, x50 Qi-Gathering Pills, x1 Wayward Talisman, x1 Blank Page; you may create an Art using specifically 'Dreadline' as a Bloodline Restriction for up to 5,000 CP at no expense. This will expire in 360 days][...][Special Rewards][Dreadful Form (Legendary)][Cage of Eternity (???)][Soul Communion (???)][x30 sets of materials that can assist martial artists with breaking through into the Void Transformation Realm using the 3rd Path, Path of the Great][...][Unique Reward][A hint towards Physique Fusion; ordinarily, a human body can hold up to two complementary physiques. In some exceptional cases, however, that number can be higher. However, even in the most optimal cases, some friction between the them must exist. In order to fully eliminate it, the Sages have designed a way to fuse together the two or more physiques, unifying them. However, it is recommended that the host first obtain the third Sage Physique--Enlightened Sage--as well as evolve the Bodhi Sage Physique into its final form through subduing at least three other Sages. Once all three Sage-Path physiques co-exist, the host will be able to fuse them into the Genesis-Dao Physique, Dao Sage]