LOST CULTIVATION METHODS

The sky darkened, but not from clouds.

Dust.

Wings.

Hooves.

The sound of thousands of beasts crashing through the forest echoed like war drums.

Jin stood atop Valeria's watchtower, a thick leather-bound war manual in one hand, the system map flickering before his eyes.

He had read everything—ancient battlefield tactics, siege doctrine, beast behavior patterns, even how to use mild sarcasm to demoralize enemy generals.

Now, he would implement it all.

He turned to his officers.

"Distribute the weapons," he ordered.

Dozens of warriors lined up at the city armory, eyes wide as they were handed customized weapons forged by Jin himself—crafted from beast bones, fangs, and the rare materials dropped by elite monsters.

Each was engraved with runes.

Each was built for war.

Then came the generals—those who had trained day and night under his watch. Jin gave them armored suits forged from the strongest beasts slain in the previous horde.

Armored lizard hide.

Spirit ape plating.

Horned ox tusk pauldrons.

They looked like war gods.

As the horizon trembled with oncoming death, Jin's voice boomed.

"ARCHERS TO THE WALLS!"

The Silverwind Valkyries moved as one, longbows raised. Their leader, Riven, stood silent at the center, gaze locked ahead.

"They'll be in range in three... two..."

A horn sounded—not from the enemy, but from Jin himself.

"FIRE!"

Hundreds of arrows soared, lighting up the twilight like fiery meteors.

Flame arrows. Exploding tips. Spirit-seeking shots.

The first wave of beasts never touched the wall.

They burned.

They fell.

But it was only the beginning.

"FORMATION—COW HORN BULL-EYE!" Jin shouted.

His army surged forward in curved wings, encircling the horde like twin horns. Jin himself advanced straight down the center, becoming the bull's eye—the target.

A leaderless army is a dead army.

So give them one… and take it from them.

The formation worked. Chaos erupted. Beasts turned inward, panicking. Some tried to charge Jin directly.

He welcomed them.

Blades danced. Soldiers moved in precision. The enemy was being cut from within, its lines collapsing.

But then—

[System Notification: Danger Approaching]

[Arch Demon Detected – Power Level: Catastrophic]

A sudden hush swept the battlefield.

And then it appeared.

A horned, towering being, wrapped in flickering black flame and tattered robes. Its eyes glowed violet. Its voice carried with unnatural weight.

Lila fell to her knees, trembling.

"That's… the demon that injured my father…"

But it looked stronger. Much stronger.

The arch demon floated above the battlefield as though gravity held no claim on it.

"Valeria…" it murmured. "Impressive. You must be the new city lord."

Jin raised his blade.

The demon chuckled. "Why serve a broken kingdom? Join me. I offer you blood, power, and a thousand realms to rule."

Jin squinted. "You talk a lot for someone with goat legs."

Even the demon blinked.

"Very well," it growled. "Then you die."

Jin's eyes flared.

[Activating: Ancient Azure Dragon Bloodline – 35%]

– Increases Strength, Vitality, and Speed

– Grants Dragon Scales, Dragon's Roar (Fear Effect), and Elemental Resistance

[Activating: Blood Demon Bloodline – 15%]

– Absorbs blood and qi in vicinity

– Enhances aggression, battle sense, and pain tolerance

– Draws blood essence to Glabella for evolution

– Side Effects: Unstable emotions, instinct-driven behavior

His body transformed.

Silver-blue scales raced across his shoulders and chest.

Veins bulged with raw power.

Eyes glowed with twin lights—one of skyfire, the other of abyss.

He charged.

The demon's claw met Jin's blade. Steel rang. Ground split.

They moved faster than most could follow. Every strike was a storm.

At one point, Jin feinted and cut off the demon's left arm.

SHRIIIIINGGG—

The Fangblade shimmered, drinking in the demon's blood, humming with glee.

The air pulsed.

[Demonic Bloodline Surge – Glabella Absorption Initiated]

[Blood Demon Affinity increased to 15%]

Jin roared. The battlefield trembled.

His presence now sent shockwaves through ally and enemy alike. The very qi around him drained into his body, spiraling into his core.

He slashed again and again, his aura radiating terror.

But nearby, soldiers stared in awe—and fear.

"He… he looks like a demon general…" one whispered.

Riven, watching from the tower, whispered, "That's no ordinary man…"

Jin's body was nearing maximum pressure.

[Time Remaining for Demon Bloodline Boost: 30 Minutes]

Jin knew he had to finish it.

The demon retaliated, claws igniting into black flame. Jin's scales cracked in places, his arms bleeding—but his will was unshaken.

He growled, "Enough games."

He unleashed his strongest technique—a hybrid skill enhanced by both bloodlines:

Tyrant Dragon Reaver Slash — A horizontal cleave infused with qi, force, and sheer rage.

The sky split.

The demon's head fell, still sneering…

…until it hit the ground with a wet thud.

Victory.

But then Jin collapsed.

Riven ran to catch him. She tried to hold him up, but the Blood Demon influence was still active.

His touch was warm… but hungry.

His hand brushed her waist, her side, then lingered lower.

Riven's face reddened. "H-Hey. Not now."

She gently handed him off to Lila, who ran forward with worry.

"I've got him!"

Jin clung to her like a wounded beast, breathing heavily, his aura still dark.

She whispered, "You did it… You really did it…"

The battlefield quieted.

Ash fell like snow. Fires flickered.

The wall had held.

Valeria had survived.

[System Notification: Battle Complete]

[Casualties: 13%]

[City Defense Integrity: 87%]

[Point Accumulation: 9,880] – Astronomical]

[Level Up: Jin – Now Level 15]

[Base Stats Increased by +5 each]

Valeria returned to quiet…

…but it was a quiet earned through blood and will.

The people cheered. Soldiers wept. Riven looked toward the moon.

Lila held Jin's hand tightly as he slept, still twitching from the demon blood's effects.

Peace would not last.

But for tonight… they had survived the storm.