Summon of the Bloodline

The entire royal hall fell silent as the Ice-White Dragon Queen clenched her fist.

"No matter which path we choose, danger is unavoidable. Right now, we are not ready for war. We only have two options:

One, we remove Princess Chu Chu from the successor's position and transfer it to the young princess, Mou Yue…"

"This will damage our reputation to some extent. It may seem unfair to Princess Chu Chu, but at least she will no longer be prevented from marrying the Young Celestial Prince."

"If she insists on maintaining her ties with him, then as a queen and as her aunt, I will have no choice but to strip her of her status as a successor."

Silence filled the hall. Changing the successor? That would certainly tarnish the honor of the Ice-White Dragon Clan.

The queen scanned the chamber before speaking again.

"I know what you are all thinking. If we do not want to harm our reputation, then we have only one choice."

Everyone in the room trembled. Words unconsciously slipped from their lips—

"Initiate the Bloodline Selection Ritual."

Two hundred thousand years ago, a great war between noble clans erupted. Powerful bloodlines clashed, leading to the destruction of many high-ranking lineages. Some fell completely, while others barely survived.

The defeated bloodlines were carefully examined and recorded. Some were brutally eradicated, while others had their lineage altered and were exiled to desolate regions of the universe.

Those who managed to escape often found themselves too weak to rise again.

During this process, a special group emerged—the Chosen Ones.

The Chosen Ones were individuals with extraordinary potential, possessing superior lineage abilities and unique traits. However, if left as they were, their bloodlines could evolve uncontrollably, becoming too powerful. Thus, their genetic structure was recorded, and their abilities were suppressed, reducing them to weakened states—similar to how humans manipulate DNA.

To manage the Chosen Ones, advanced spiritual scanning devices were distributed among various bloodlines. When needed, the central bloodline authority could activate these devices to locate and retrieve suitable candidates.

Typically, a Chosen One, once identified, would be brought back to a high-ranking bloodline. Their weakened genetic structure would be restored to its original potential. If the restoration succeeded, they would become powerful individuals with great future prospects.

However, most failed. The restoration process often resulted in genetic instability, causing them to degenerate into weaker, inferior species. Due to these failures, many high-level bloodlines lost interest in recruiting Chosen Ones.

Despite this, a few successful restorations kept the practice from being completely abandoned.

But selecting a Chosen One required great commitment. First, the bloodline seeking a candidate had to submit a bloodline stake—a direct investment of their own lineage.

If a suitable Chosen One was found through central authority verification, the process would proceed. Suppressed genetic markers would be reintegrated into the candidate, restoring their original bloodline capabilities.

At the final stage, the Chosen One had to be bonded to the host bloodline through a unique hereditary seal, ensuring loyalty. If successful, the Chosen One would become the most compatible and enhanced bloodline member.

For the Ice-White Dragon Clan, this method ensured the purity and strength of their future generations. By fusing with a Chosen One's restored bloodline, they could eliminate weaknesses and create a superior lineage.

A tense atmosphere filled the chamber. The older, conservative elders resisted the idea of losing their purest bloodline, while the younger leaders—such as the Queen, the Scarlet Commander, the Eastern Palace Lord, and the White Sea Envoy—favored evolution and progress.

Artificially enhancing bloodlines was possible, but the effects were temporary. Over generations, the modifications would lead to complications, as mismatched genetic structures from past enhancements created severe defects.

Thus, rather than artificial upgrades, natural evolution through Chosen Ones offered a more stable and lasting solution for strengthening future generations.

Inside the royal hall, the elders were silently discussing through mental communication, their expressions tense and serious.

The Royal Celestial Priest, an old man with a long white beard, looked at all the elders, nodded, and stepped forward to speak.

"The Queen's decision is wise. Especially since the princess has taken an interest in the young divine heir, we all understand how difficult it is to preserve the purest bloodline of our Ice-White Dragon Clan."

The elders in the hall lowered their heads, silent. If the princess liked the young divine heir, none of them could object.

The Royal Celestial Priest continued.

"Calling and transforming the chosen one is not easy, but it is something we must attempt. However, the final decision depends on the princess... Your Majesty, please talk to her first. Meanwhile, we will quietly arrange for the selection process."

The Queen nodded in agreement and issued her command.

"Lord of the Eastern Palace, you are responsible for summoning the chosen one. Make sure no other clans learn about this matter."

A dignified and handsome young man bowed respectfully before the Queen.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty! Everything will be handled in complete secrecy."

~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~

Zhen Chen felt relieved as he sipped his warm tea, letting out a deep breath. He understood his situation clearly and felt satisfied.

Since he was not particularly outstanding in anything, there was no reason to worry. Regardless, he was now on the path of cultivation.

He needed to understand what cultivation truly meant. Looking at the young monk before him, Zhen Chen thought it was a good chance to ask questions while he still had the opportunity.

"Is spiritual energy present everywhere?"

The young monk smiled and replied. "No... It used to be abundant across the world, but now, spiritual energy is only found in certain places with natural sources."

"That's why cultivators seek out and gather spiritual resources. Spiritual sources can take many forms... Objects that can store and concentrate spiritual energy are considered valuable resources."

"Before you begin cultivation, you must first find a spiritual energy source. If you are free, you can practice here in this place."

Zhen Chen was surprised.

"I can cultivate here?"

The young monk nodded with a smile. "All cultivators have agreed to support the chosen ones. In fact, the chosen ones are extraordinary individuals who have the potential to surpass even the cultivators on this planet. That is why everyone has agreed to assist them."

"When a chosen one is summoned, it is considered a great sacrifice from all cultivators on this planet..."

Zhen Chen, who had been feeling pleased, suddenly froze at the word "sacrifice."

"Is this a blessing or a curse?"

"It's nice to receive the support of cultivators, but the idea of being a sacrifice..."

The young monk reassured him.

"There's no need to worry! Chosen ones haven't appeared for thousands of years... The last one, a thousand years ago, failed to cultivate."

"Most chosen ones fail to cultivate."

The young monk sighed.

"Their lifeblood and essence have been suppressed for too long, making them incomplete."

"But you are lucky. Your life energy is stable, and your essence hasn't been suppressed."

"That is a good sign... As long as your inherited bloodline memory gathers enough spiritual energy and purifies itself, you will awaken your true potential."

The young monk's voice grew excited.

"If a high-level bloodline truly awakens... I can't even imagine what will happen!"

"For now, don't think too much about it. Just focus on your cultivation."

Closing his eyes, the young monk began meditating. Zhen Chen also sat down in a lotus position, focusing his senses to feel the spiritual energy around him.