Summon of the Bloodline

The small town was bustling with activity, filled with buyers and sellers of medicinal herbs. As Zhen Chen and his companions returned, Xin Lan immediately went to Yu Xue Yin.

"Boss! Everything is in order. We have all the necessary herbs. But... Sister Xue Yin, you seem... different."

Xin Lan stared at Yu Xue Yin, her mouth slightly agape. Yu Xue Yin smiled and asked, "Me? What's different about me?"

Xin Lan covered her mouth with her hand and quickly replied, "Sister, you've changed. It's like you've become a completely different person. But I can't quite put my finger on what's changed. Is it your skin? Your face? Your figure? Wait, even the way you carry yourself feels different! Oh heavens, have you been possessed by some mountain spirit or demon?"

Yu Xue Yin grabbed Xin Lan's hand and said, "If you keep spouting nonsense, I might really eat you, you know."

Xin Lan chuckled softly and said, "Oh my, what's gotten into you? Sister, you're saying you want to eat me now? Save me!"

Xin Lan broke free from Yu Xue Yin's grip and clung to Zhen Chen's arm. Zhen Chen pulled her aside and said, "Actually, Sister Xue Yin might have changed a bit. But it's not the time to discuss that now. Let's focus on heading back."

Xin Lan, still confused, asked, "Are we going back already? Did we get all the herbs?"

Yu Xue Yin quickly interjected, "Yes, Xin Lan. We'll rest for a bit and then head back immediately. You go ahead and make the arrangements."

"Alright then," Xin Lan said as she left.

Once Xin Lan was gone, Yu Xue Yin pulled Zhen Chen into a quiet room and asked, "Zhen Chen, now that we have the herbs, should we contact them?"

Her mind was racing. Not only was her father's situation on her mind, but the matter of the herbs was also of utmost importance to her.

Zhen Chen thought for a moment and replied, "Sister Xue Yin, you should focus on cultivating for a few days first. In the meantime, I'll investigate the herbs and the organization behind them. I have some connections among cultivators, so they might know something."

Yu Xue Yin nodded and said, "Alright. Then, can I enter your cultivation space to train? It would be more convenient."

Zhen Chen quickly stopped her, "Not yet. You'll need to stay with us on the journey back. If you enter the cultivation space now, it'll be hard to explain to others."

Yu Xue Yin sighed regretfully, "I got too caught up in the idea of cultivating. I forgot about the other matters. Right now, cultivating my energy is the most important thing. My instincts are telling me to focus on that."

Zhen Chen probed further, "Sister Xue Yin, should we inform Xin Lan? And do we have trusted people to establish our own power base?"

Yu Xue Yin pondered deeply, her fingers tapping on the table as she frowned in thought. After a while, she said, "Xin Lan is trustworthy, but others might not be. First, let's build our own strength. We'll deal with the rest later. We need to be stronger than those under us to control them properly."

Zhen Chen nodded, "Alright. Let's head back first."

---

Xin Lan had arranged for some workers to transport the herbs and then they set off. In the car, Yu Xue Yin was quietly meditating, while Xin Lan chatted with Zhen Chen.

Zhen Chen contacted Zi Mo and asked, "Zi Mo, what do you think of Xin Lan? Does she have the potential to become a cultivator? Would it be suitable to awaken her bloodline?"

After a moment of consideration, Zi Mo replied, "Her bloodline is quite distant, but it's hard to say for sure without awakening it. Her body isn't among the hardest to cultivate, though. If she can cultivate, the path will naturally open for her. She'll improve from her current state."

Zhen Chen then turned to Xin Lan and said, "Sister Xin Lan, if I ever ask you to go on a journey with me, would you come?"

Without hesitation, Xin Lan replied, "Of course! I'll just ask Sister Xue Yin for leave and go with you. When are we going? A vacation? Let's go to the seaside!"

Zhen Chen explained, "It's not a vacation. There's something important. We'll go in a few days, not now."

Xin Lan leaned back in her seat and said, "Alright. Just let me know. For now, I'm going to sleep."

---

Zhen Chen closed his eyes and focused on the energy cultivation techniques stored in his memory. The energy from his recent breakthroughs kept him alert and awake. His mind wandered into the memory fragments Zi Mo had unlocked, searching for a technique that would allow him to fly.

"Found it! This is the flying technique."

As Zhen Chen concentrated on the technique, the details flooded his mind, and he began to understand.

"The Meteor Flight Technique. It requires understanding the atmosphere first. It's about transforming energy and controlling wind energy to create explosive propulsion. This can achieve incredible speed, but it's a bit difficult. Is there an easier method?"

Zhen Chen continued to search through the techniques and soon found one that suited him.

"This is it! Shadow Riding."

This technique wasn't too complicated. It required channeling energy into specific meridian points in the body to increase speed. The faster the energy circulated, the lighter the body would become, allowing for flight. The speed of movement depended on how quickly the energy could circulate.

There were six key meridian points, and circulating energy through all six would allow for extremely fast flight. However, the key was to use dark energy. By transforming dark energy and channeling it into the meridian points, one could create up to six shadow clones, enabling incredibly fast movement. This technique was more suited for combat than flight.

But Zhen Chen didn't need to reach that level. He just wanted to fly. Eager to try it out, he immediately began practicing the technique.

---

As Zhen Chen focused on the Shadow Riding technique, he felt the energy circulating through his meridians, and his body began to feel lighter. He was on the verge of achieving flight, a significant step forward in his cultivation journey.