"A Bloodline Inheritance?" Mu Chen’s brow furrowed sharply.

’A bloodline is a person’s foundation, the inheritance of their family, something given by one’s parents. This Bloodline Inheritance won’t make me abandon all the blood in my body, will it? If that’s the case, then no matter what punishment I face, I can’t accept this so-called Martial Emperor bloodline.’

"Yes, a Bloodline Inheritance. Little one, are you ready to receive it?" the green-haired old man asked again, his face devoid of expression.

Mu Chen asked cautiously, "If I accept the Emperor Vein inheritance, does that mean I have to abandon my current bloodline?"

The green-haired old man pondered this for a moment, then shook his head. "Not entirely. A person’s bloodline foundation isn’t the blood and veins in their body, but their soul and bones. Inheriting the Emperor Vein will indeed replace the bloodline in your body, but it cannot change your foundation. To put it another way, you can think of it as possessing two bloodlines at the same time."

"Two bloodlines?" Mu Chen’s brow gradually relaxed. He then asked, "So, you’re saying that even if I inherit this Emperor Vein, it can still merge with my family’s bloodline?"

"Theoretically, yes. However, no one has ever possessed a complete Emperor Vein in addition to their own bloodline, so I cannot give you a definitive answer on that."

"I see..."

’No definitive answer, only a theoretical possibility. Should I agree, or not?’

Mu Chen felt conflicted. But just then, the silent Profound Old Ghost suddenly cursed, "You idiot! How are you still so stupid after all these years? A normal bloodline cannot contain any Emperor Vein, so fusing with one will directly replace your superficial bloodline. But an Emperor Vein *can* encompass any bloodline. That’s the irreversible logic. Once you have the Emperor Vein, your own bloodline’s foundation will certainly be encompassed as well, so you don’t need to worry about that at all. Only those with an Emperor Vein can ignore the final barrier for a Martial Artist and advance to the Emperor Realm. Otherwise, trying to reach the Emperor Realm through normal Cultivation is harder than ascending to the heavens. Are you really going to give up this hope?"

Mu Chen was truly surprised to hear this. "So the Emperor Vein is the key to breaking through to the Emperor Realm?"

The Profound Old Ghost rolled his eyes. "Of course not. It just has a significant supportive effect. The true foundation isn’t within the Martial Artist themselves, but rather in certain conditions of the Outer Realm. I just can’t tell you about that yet. It’s like I always say, knowing some things too early isn’t necessarily a good thing. Hurry up and agree to the inheritance! Don’t forget about the Empire Competition."

"The Empire Competition?" Mu Chen paused for a moment, then rubbed his nose. "I almost forgot. I’m really not taking my responsibilities seriously."

With that, Mu Chen turned back to the green-haired old man. "In that case, Senior, please begin the inheritance."

Hearing Mu Chen agree, the old man finally showed a faint, satisfied smile, but it only lasted for a moment before his expression returned to its initial solemnity.

"Sit down first. You can leave the rest to me."

As the old man finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve. Mu Chen’s consciousness flickered, and then he lost all awareness...

...

In an unknown world, a colossal white palace floated above a rolling mountain range, suspended without any support. The mountains were surrounded by terrifying white flames. If one were to look closely through these white flames, they would discover countless grottoes dotting the flame-wreathed mountains, their purpose unknown.

The cause of this strange phenomenon was none other than the world of white that lay beneath the rolling mountains. Countless torrents of white magma churned and erupted violently. Judging by the temperature it radiated, even a Divine Weapon would be instantly melted if it fell in.

Yet, at this very moment, a handsome young man was sitting cross-legged within this extreme white magma. He had long hair like a white inferno. His eyes were tightly shut, and his flame-like eyebrows were slightly furrowed. At the center of his brow, a distinct golden flame cluster burned fiercely, and a terrifyingly scorching aura emanated from him. If Mu Chen were here, he would have clearly sensed it—it was unmistakably a Fire Attribute heated to its absolute extreme!

But just then, the White Flame Man suddenly opened his eyes. From his green pupils, two balls of white flame shot out and swiftly merged into the magma before him, causing a violent explosion. The White Flame Man wore a look of disbelief. "My Emperor Vein... was actually inherited by someone," he said, incredulous. "This... this shouldn’t be possible. Given the difficulty I set back then, there’s no way anyone on the Primordial Continent could have met the conditions. What in the world is going on? Or has my Tower of Calamity developed a flaw after countless millennia?"

At this, the White Flame Man fell into deep thought, then shook his head. "No, it’s impossible for there to be a flaw. I was already at the Peak of Emperor Realm back then; how could I have made a mistake? This must mean a remarkable little fellow has appeared on the Primordial Continent."

With a slight smile, the White Flame Man said, "He inherited my Emperor Vein, so he is my descendant... A descendant... Hehe, to think that I, Calamity, would have a descendant. If those other old geezers find out, won’t they be green with envy?"

After saying this, the White Flame Man suddenly stood up and said urgently, "No, no, that’s not right. I have to come out of seclusion immediately and lay a good foundation for my descendant. Can’t have the boy getting bullied later. My descendant being bullied? If word got out, wouldn’t I become a laughingstock? In this world, there are very few who can touch my descendant!"

With a cold snort, the White Flame Man spread his arms. The terrifying white magma immediately parted, clearing a path upward for him. It was as if he were the master of all flames. With just a single glance, all the white flames on the entire mountain range were extinguished. Only after he left did the flames on the mountains dare to burn again.

Trailing a swathe of White Flame that filled the Azure Sky, the White Flame Man grinned and suddenly laughed maniacally. "I have a descendant! HAHAHAHA!"

His wild laughter, mixed with a terrifyingly scorching aura, spread in all directions. As the aura expanded, countless plants on the ground turned to ash.

"Hm? What’s with the Calamity Old Ghost today? He seems to be in a very good mood. That’s not like him at all."

The words had barely faded when a ripple appeared in space, and three figures emerged. Two were young men, and one was an old man. Both young men were very handsome, but their attire and expressions were completely different. One was dressed entirely in black, holding a pitch-black Medicine Cauldron in his hand. A plume of gray smoke slowly rose from the cauldron, and his expression was one of utter disgust.

The other wore a Golden Robe and carried three slender longswords on his back. Rings of golden light radiated from the swords, making him look like a Divine Mansion. His sharp eyes, like the edges of a blade, made one feel as if they were being pierced by ten thousand swords just by meeting his gaze, causing unbearable pain.

The last of them was Huaxu, the most gentle-looking old man of the three. He was dressed very casually in a simple, plain cloth robe and a pair of worn-out straw sandals. His face was even a bit grimy. He was the one who had just spoken. With his hands behind his back, a hint of confusion appeared in his sharp, gleaming eyes.

The man in black fiddled with the dark Medicine Cauldron in his hand and said irritably, "That annoying guy. I hate him the most."

Hearing this, the man in the Golden Robe pursed his lips. "You’ve got some nerve. Only the Calamity Old Ghost can handle an old Poison Demon like you. Otherwise, there’d be no one in this world to keep you in check, right, Du Yazi?"

The man in black, called Du Yazi, snorted coldly and said viciously, "He’s the only one with the Calamity Divine Body anyway. Jian Guizong, you just watch. One day, I will create a poison that can break through the Calamity Divine Body and avenge the countless millennia of suppression!"

Huaxu gave a warm smile. "Du Yazi, just give it up. The Calamity Divine Body is the second-ranked Divine Body, second only to the Chaos Divine Body. You want to break through it? Stop dreaming. It’s a good thing there’s only one Calamity physique in this world, otherwise you, Du Yazi, would have to say goodbye to your title of Ten Thousand Poison Demon King."

At Huaxu’s words, Du Yazi just rolled his eyes and fell silent. Jian Guizong frowned. "This is bad. We came looking for the Calamity Old Ghost to discuss something important. Those guys from ’over there’ are getting restless again. I’m afraid this battle is unavoidable."

"Indeed," Huaxu said. "We need to hurry and catch him. What’s gotten into that old ghost today?" Their expressions hardened, and with just a shared glance, the three of them vanished on the spot, not leaving the slightest ripple behind.

...

The Sacas Dynasty, one of the supreme rulers of the Extreme Martial Continent, was located in the center of the continent’s eastern region. The terrain here was flat, the seasons were pleasant, and all sorts of resources were abundant. More importantly, the Primordial Qi was rich, and it possessed countless Elemental Crystal Veins. Not only that, but the number of Spirit Crystal Veins was also astounding. With such a wealth of Cultivation Resources, the Sacas Dynasty had produced countless astonishingly talented Martial Arts Strong People over the tens of thousands of years. This was also why the Sacas Dynasty’s strength had always ranked securely in the top two, its position never shaken!

「Sacas Dynasty — Central District」

This was the moment! A sea of people! Unrivaled prosperity and splendor! A cacophony of voices! An unprecedentedly grand spectacle was unfolding here, and for one reason only! Today was the day of the Extreme Martial Continent’s quinquennial Empire Competition!

Powerful experts arrived one after another from all directions. Martial Artists of every shape and color gathered together, forming a magnificent sight in the bustling central district of the Dynasty.

Countless cheers and celebrations roared through the streets. The faces of Sacas’s residents were filled with excitement and agitation. In their hearts, this was a matter of prestige, a supreme honor!