Demon Blood, Maiden Vail

By the time the night fell, the once-warm **ox blood** in the iron barrel had cooled. The herbs had settled, the qi-charged steam fading into silence.

But **Lin Yuan's body was burning.**

Inside the thick red pool, **his muscles trembled**, twitching with every breath. His skin had turned faintly pink, veins slightly bulged, as if his body were absorbing the very essence of strength.

> *"So this is what mortal fighters endure…"*

> *"No wonder they never give up, even without spirit roots."*

The blood stung like fire. His wounds—bruises from the arena, the ache of his soul, even the bite of shame—began to fade.

Yet his **demonic bloodline** stirred violently, clashing with the pure qi in the ox blood. For hours, his internal energy ran wild, like fire and ice struggling to coexist.

He bit his lip until it bled.

Then—

> **CRACK.**

A faint popping sound echoed within his bones. Not from breaking—but from **shedding weakness**.

His **muscle fibers tightened**, his **bone marrow glowed faintly**, his tendons gained elasticity.

**His mortal body was no longer the same.**

---

### **Morning**

When Lin Yuan climbed out of the barrel at dawn, the blood clinging to his skin **steamed softly** under the first rays of sunlight. His breath was long and even. His back straight.

He didn't say a word. Just stood there, eyes closed, listening to the wind.

Lady Mingyan watched him from the garden path, arms folded.

> "You lasted all night."

He nodded, quiet.

> "And?"

> "I feel… alive."

He opened his eyes. They weren't glowing. They weren't cold. But there was a **clarity**—as if something buried deep in his bones had **finally awakened**.

Lady Mingyan stepped forward and examined his arms, nodding.

> "Qi hasn't entered your dantian yet, but your physical foundation is three times stronger than before."

> "From now on, when you fall, you'll rise faster. When you fight, you'll last longer. Your spirit may still suffer… but your **body won't betray you**."

He exhaled.

Later that morning, Lady Mingyan brought him to the **training field** behind the inn. There, a few arena disciples were practicing with heavy stones and combat drills.

> "Try lifting that," she said, pointing at a **900-jin training stone**—used by body cultivators at the peak of Qi Gathering.

Lin Yuan hesitated, then approached.

He took a deep breath, crouched low, and—

> **Lifted it.**

Grunting with effort, he raised it chest-high before dropping it with a **heavy thud**. Dust flew. Everyone stared.

> "That's not possible," one disciple whispered. "He didn't even have muscle lines last week!"

Lady Mingyan smirked. "Start sparring again tomorrow. Ten matches. Win or lose, no complaints."

Lin Yuan wiped sweat from his brow and nodded.

> "I won't run from it anymore."

> "Not the pain. Not the shame. Not the truth."

---

### **Final Reflection**

That night, sitting under the star-filled courtyard with baby Tearlume nestled beside him, Lin Yuan murmured softly:

> "I was born with demon blood… and yet I cried more than my siblings."

> "I had resources. Teachers. A sect. And still, I fell behind mortals."

He looked up at the moon.

> "But now… even if I only live one more year… I'll make it matter."

He smiled faintly.

> "And next time, if thet hits me… I won't fall so easily."

Absolutely! Here's a chapter with **10 consecutive matches** where Lin Yuan fights tooth and nail—not with brute strength, but with sharpened will, refined technique, and the grit of someone who refuses to fall again. His body is lean, not bulky, but it is tempered by ox blood and pain.

---

## **Chapter: Ten Rounds, Ten Truths**

**Location**: Yuhua City – Mortal Combat Arena, East District.

The arena was carved from stone, bordered by roaring crowds and fluttering sect flags. No qi techniques, no flying swords—just **flesh, fists, and footwork**.

Lin Yuan stood inside the ring, shirt off, lean muscles soaked in sweat. His hair tied back. The ox-blood tempering had strengthened him—but he wasn't a monster. His body was still slim. He still looked… beatable.

> "Next match—Lin Yuan versus Iron Fang Liu!"

A brawler stepped forward, arms like tree trunks, his knuckles calloused. But Lin Yuan didn't flinch.

---

### **Match 1: Iron Fang Liu**

The brute charged.

**Bam! Bam!**

Two heavy punches slammed into Lin Yuan's shoulders. He staggered—but didn't fall.

He ducked under the third, pivoted, and drove a palm into the man's gut.

> "He's using technique!" someone shouted.

Lin Yuan gritted his teeth and **swept the leg**, flipping Iron Fang onto his back.

Victory by pin.

> One win.

---

### **Match 2: Twin Blade Chen (Unarmed)**

Chen fought like a dancer, agile and fast.

Lin Yuan kept getting **nicked and tripped**. His lip bled, but his eyes remained calm.

He stopped trying to chase—and began **reading patterns**.

A counter elbow to the ribs—**Chen fell unconscious**.

> Two wins.

---

### **Match 3: Boulder Elan**

A wrestler who weighed twice as much as Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan was **slammed, crushed, thrown**.

He survived by wriggling, by **slipping just under the edge of pain**.

And when Elan slipped slightly on sweat—

> Lin Yuan wrapped his legs and **choked him out**.

> Three wins.

---

### **Match 4: Wandering Monk Yue**

A spiritual monk who trained with bells and balance.

He danced around Lin Yuan with his bare feet, **slapping rather than striking**.

Lin Yuan's ears rang.

He waited.

And when the monk **bowed mockingly mid-spin**, Lin Yuan stepped in and **punched his ribs—twice.**

Victory.

> Four wins.

---

### **Match 5: Qi-Hardened Widow Mei**

She came with vengeance in her eyes, **fists tattooed** with mourning talismans.

> "I lost my husband in this arena," she said, "I'll break someone today."

And she almost did.

Lin Yuan blocked until his arms turned purple.

But when she dropped her guard in grief, he caught her by the wrist and **bowed instead of striking**.

> "I won't fight your pain."

The crowd was stunned.

> Tie declared. No win. No loss.

---

### **Match 6: Spinning Blade Hao**

Fast. Ruthless. Sharp elbows and knees.

Lin Yuan fell **twice**, barely avoiding knockout.

Blood in his mouth. Arms shaking.

But in the final seconds, he used his **own pain** as bait—pretending to fall again—

Hao rushed in.

Lin Yuan snapped up and **headbutted** him under the chin.

> Five wins.

---

### **Match 7: Steel-Toothed Twins**

Two-on-one. Legal match. No mercy.

Lin Yuan got kicked from both sides.

Bruised ribs. Torn lip.

But he never stopped moving. He used one as a shield, baited the other, **trapped their legs with his own**.

**Dragged both down.**

> "I'm not strong," he gasped. "But I'm heavy with will."

Victory.

> Six wins.

---

Match 8: Flower Priestess Lin

An elegant woman who moved with precision and grace. She **never used brute force**—only pressure points.

Lin Yuan collapsed once, twice.

His muscles went numb. His left arm stopped responding.

He kept going with only **one hand**.

And in the final moment, he used his right shoulder like a battering ram, **knocking her down**.

> Seven wins.

---

### **Match 9: Black-Faced Butcher Feng**

He roared like a beast, swinging his fists like cleavers.

Lin Yuan was **cut, bruised, bleeding** from his eyebrow.

He was **thrown against the wall**.

But he crawled up. Slowly. Quietly.

And with a weak—but focused—fist, **hit Feng's knee** from the side.

**Feng fell.**

> Eight wins.

Match 10: Wandering Girl Yuanyuan

She was **twelve**. Fast, clever, trained by assassins.

She hit Lin Yuan's jaw **three times before he reacted**.

He hesitated—she didn't.

She swept his legs, jumped on his chest, and **almost made him tap out.**

He barely escaped with a hold reversal and rolled over her.

The crowd was silent.

He helped her up and smiled.

> "Next time, don't hesitate."

She nodded.

> Nine wins. One tie. No losses.

After the Tenth Match

Lin Yuan **collapsed on the bench**, wrapped in bloody bandages. His hair clung to his skin.

Lady Mingyan approached, throwing a towel over his head.

> "You're not big. But you're strong."

> "You didn't win with fists. You won with spirit."

Lin Yuan coughed once and muttered—

> "I still lost four rounds inside the fights. Got crushed. Beaten. Humiliated."

Lady Mingyan raised an eyebrow.

> "You fought ten matches without using a single shred of spiritual energy."

> "You fought like a mortal."

> "And still stood."

Lin Yuan closed his eyes.

> "Then maybe... I'm finally catching up.I was trying to tell you I kill someone . Now I feel life is short what's the point of regret. If I was a week girl he would rape me. I clean the society "