In the pool of blood, the crimson liquid bubbled and churned, engulfing the towering, mountain-like form of the Blood Demon God-Body. Blood was drawn in and expelled through every pore, his complexion a deep, furious red, while the surging blood energy within his veins echoed with the roar of a volcanic eruption.

Beside the blood pool, Bass and Gute stood, expressions genuinely delighted, clapping Shi Yan on the shoulder and letting out whoops of excitement.

"Incredible! He’s already at the Third Heaven of the Void God Realm!"

"You brat are simply a monster! Ten years—to jump from the First Heaven to the Third Heaven of the Void God Realm, skipping two entire stages! Where did you go? Damn it, I want to go there and cultivate too!" Gute and Bass did not possess a deep understanding of the 'Barren' Ancient Continent Shi Yan had visited.

Shang Chen’s arrival back then had been sudden, and his departure equally swift; many matters were left unexplained.

Of course, from Shang Chen's perspective, he had no obligation to explain things to others. Shang Chen was a wanderer of the cosmos, drifting for years without roots, and rarely did anyone earn his true regard. Bass and Gute, along with the Blood Demon, were formidable figures in the Mǎyà Star Domain, but having witnessed beings far stronger, Shang Chen viewed them merely as juniors.

He naturally wouldn't offer lengthy explanations to those younger than himself.

The Mǎyà Star Domain had always been sealed off from the outside world, so they remained ignorant of external changes and the wonders of the 'Barren' Continent.

Gute and Bass were stunned by Shi Yan’s breakthrough. Both were powerful cultivators of the demonic body, and when they thumped Shi Yan's divine physique, they keenly perceived its extreme robustness—perhaps... not inferior to their own.

The two also shared an exceedingly strange sensation...

Meeting Shi Yan again today, they felt an inexplicable closeness, as if Shi Yan were the most intimate person in their lives. This feeling seemed utterly unearned, rooted deep within some kind of imprinted bloodline.

They exchanged thoughtful glances.

Shi Yan, too, felt something...

It was different from the sensation felt by Gute and Bass. As the two men pressed his shoulders and beat his chest, Shi Yan looked at them and was suddenly struck by the illusion that he was watching his own juniors playacting...

This feeling left Shi Yan’s mind bewildered and intensely uncomfortable.

Gute and Bass were both members of the Demon Race. The Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Sinful Dragon Clan represented the fiercest bloodlines among the Dragon Race, and the Dragon Progenitor, the Azure Dragon, was explicitly one of the ancient ancestors of the Celestial Demon Race. The Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Sinful Dragon Clan had gradually evolved from the Azure Dragon lineage, or perhaps through hybridization with other races.

If one were to trace it back rigorously, the members of the Demon Race across the various star domains today were nearly all descendants of the Celestial Demon Race or various mixtures that eventually diluted their original lineage.

The Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Sinful Dragon Clan carried the bloodline of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon, but their lineage was impure, so they couldn't be called Celestial Demons; they were simply classified as the Demon Race.

The current Demon Race could be considered those whose Celestial Demon Race bloodline was impure—Gute and Bass were no exception. Although their bloodlines were not pure, they contained traces of the Celestial Demon bloodline within their bodies, and even if minimal, this could benefit them due to the transformations occurring on the Divine Grace Continent.

Those whose bloodlines were purest, such as the lineage of the Celestial Demons currently in hiding, gained the greatest advantage. As for those with impure bloodlines like Gute and Bass, they received some benefit.

But the majority of the Demon Race, due to continuous intermingling, possessed no trace of the Celestial Demon's ancient bloodline at all; thus, they truly could not gain even the slightest benefit, unable to increase their power or realm through the changes on the Divine Grace Continent.

Shi Yan’s secondary soul had unified with the origin of the Divine Grace Continent, experiencing eons of cosmic vicissitudes, and the Divine Grace Continent was, after all, the birthplace of the Demon Race...

Gute and Bass must possess the Celestial Demon bloodline, which was why he was experiencing that profound, mysterious sensation.

He suddenly understood!

"Shi Yan, you vanished for ten years—do you know what has become of the Mǎyà Star Domain?"

"The Mǎyà Star Domain can barely hold on!"

Gute and Bass called out urgently.

Shi Yan waved his hand. "Let’s not talk about that yet."

The two were taken aback.

"Senior Gute, Senior Bass, in this recent period... have you noticed any differences in your own realm power?" His expression suddenly grew grave.

The two old dragons froze, pondering for a moment before Gute spoke, confused, "Yes, things do feel a bit different. I don't know why, but lately, the difficulty in refining our bodies seems to have decreased significantly. The speed at which we condense heaven and earth energy has quickened, and our realms are quietly improving. In the dark... it feels like some force is assisting us."

"It's hard to describe," Bass nodded in agreement.

Shi Yan suddenly grinned, a wide, strange smile that left Bass and Gute utterly perplexed, making them wonder if they had said something wrong.

"It’s not your illusion. You will gradually discover... this marvel will persist and become even more pronounced later," Shi Yan said, his face turning serious. "You carry the bloodline of the Celestial Demons within your bodies. That bloodline will grant you aid. My guess was correct; it seems... the Celestial Demon Race is truly about to become powerful rapidly."

"The Celestial Demon Race?" Gute looked astonished, murmuring, "The strongest among our Demon Race ancestors could be called 'Celestial Demons.' To us, 'Celestial Demon' is merely the title for the strongest among the Demon Race. Could... this actually be a race?"

The ancestral land of the Celestial Demon Race was the Divine Grace Continent. In the Primordial Era, those Celestial Demons gradually departed, wandering the vast star sea, intermingling with other races, and mixing within the Demon Race branches, evolving into the Demon Race scattered across the domains today.

Gute and Bass were born in the Mǎyà Star Domain and had never been to the Divine Grace Continent. Since this domain remained sealed, they naturally knew nothing of the Celestial Demon Race, nor that the strongest Demon Race experts spoken of in legends—the 'Celestial Demons'—were actually among the most formidable beings in existence.

"I will tell you slowly," Shi Yan smiled and calmly walked toward the blood pool. The Blood Demon was still cultivating within, seemingly oblivious to Shi Yan’s arrival, his pores inhaling and expelling blood water to temper the meridians and bones within his body.

Three Blood Essence Stones materialized from Shi Yan’s Illusory Void Ring. They were irregular crystals, vividly crimson, within which shimmering drops of blood seemed to pulse, strangely eerie, releasing a potent, bloody essence that pierced the eyes.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The Blood Essence Stones transformed into three streams of refined blood-light, which were cast into the blood pool. Surprisingly, the moment the stones entered, the pool surged as if boiling violently!

"Gurgle!"

Fist-sized blood bubbles emerged, bursting immediately to release dense, bloody mist imbued with thick essence of flesh and blood.

In just a few dozen seconds, the blood-qi floating out of the pool condensed into a thick fog covering the entire surface. The pool continued to boil fiercely, cooking the Blood Demon’s divine body. Within the mist, the Blood Demon appeared like a bright red shrimp being boiled, fine, thread-like impurities seeping from his pores.

Once expelled from the pores, these impurities instantly melted away into nothingness.

The blood water turned scarlet and transparent, possessing an alien, mysterious beauty. Drops of blood water seeped into the Blood Demon’s bones and meridians, tempering his divine body and forming droplets of immortal demonic energy within him. Gute and Bass watched this with horror, seeing how Shi Yan, merely by dropping three bright red stones, triggered such a colossal change in the blood pool, pushing the Blood Demon’s essence to its absolute peak, causing the stench of blood to shoot toward the heavens.

A beam of blood-red light suddenly shot out from the crown of the Blood Demon’s head, soaring upward like spilled blood piercing the sky, creating an astonishing spectacle.

The overwhelming, volcanic surge of bloody aura—the fluctuation of flesh and blood—rippled directly out from the blood pool, unsettling the minds of many powerful experts on the Demon Blood Star. They looked shocked and moved, with many who were on good terms with the Blood Demon considering gathering to guard him during this crucial moment.

They all knew the Blood Demon's cultivation must be reaching a substantive breakthrough; otherwise, he would not expose himself at such a critical juncture.

Leaders and heads of various factions across the Demon Blood Star rushed over. War chariots howled across the sky, and many powerful figures of high attainment flew directly through the air, all subconsciously converging toward the blood pool.

"That commotion... is a bit too loud!"

Gute rubbed his head. "Immediately summon the strong experts of the Demon Race and the Demon Race. That fellow Blood Demon's activity is likely to attract many of the great devils and overlords here."

"Three small stones... they are actually... this terrifyingly effective?"

Bass, steeped in utter shock, subconsciously shook his head, unable to accept it.

They were both discerning observers. From the Blood Demon's movement, they could see he might break through smoothly, possibly advancing to the Third Heaven of the Primeval God Realm.

"Three Blood Essence Stones should not be enough to support him through the breakthrough to the Third Heaven of the Primeval God Realm. This exceeds my expectations. It looks like I'll have to bleed heavily," Shi Yan mused, stroking his chin. Under the bulging eyes of Bass and Gute, he reached into his storage ring once more.

This time, it was four stones!

Four new Blood Essence Stones were tossed back into the blood pool. The pool immediately boiled over, truly erupting like a volcano, with terrifying blood-qi fluctuations that shook heaven and earth.

Yang Qingdi, who had arrived earlier, remained silent. He had been watching the Blood Demon intently. As a fellow member of the Immortal Demon Race, he was extremely curious about the Blood Demon at the Second Heaven of the Primeval God Realm, hoping to glean insights that might benefit his own power and realm.

When Shi Yan tossed the second batch of four Blood Essence Stones into the pool, Yang Qingdi's expression finally changed drastically, and he couldn't help but cry out, "Can he withstand it?"

Back in the Extreme North Frozen Domain, Yang Qingdi had relied on a single Blood Essence Stone to restore his physical body and condense much Immortal Demon Blood. He deeply understood the terrifying power of these stones and feared the Blood Demon might not be able to handle such a massive influx.

Shi Yan’s face grew extremely solemn. He took a deep breath and stated seriously, "He is attempting to charge into the Third Heaven of the Primeval God Realm; the danger is extreme. During the power surge of a breakthrough, an immense amount of flesh and blood essence is required for support, and the consumption will be extremely rapid. I believe... he needs this many Blood Essence Stones, and he should be able to bear it!"

Yang Qingdi was momentarily stunned, then nodded after some thought. "That’s true. After all, his realm is significantly higher than mine. A Second Heaven Primeval God... should certainly be capable of fighting for it."

Seven Blood Essence Stones were now in the pool. The horrifying blood-qi covered the sky and earth. The surface of the pool seemed smeared with fresh blood, becoming gruesome and vivid, casting the entire area in a sinister, bloody glow. Every surrounding plant appeared to be dyed red with blood.

The powerful experts from various factions who rushed over from the vicinity of the Demon Blood Star were instantly turned ashen-faced upon seeing the scene.

That scarlet world caused them immense shock, making them afraid to approach too closely, lest they be stained with bloody filth or influenced by that evil, strange power. They could only watch from the periphery, expressing their terror and clamoring to know what was happening to the Blood Demon.