Against The True Gods

Zao shook his head, almost annoyed by the grin spreading across Caine's face.

"You're unbelievable," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh.

"Not only did you survive, but you somehow beat your tribulation," Zao continued, his lips quirking into a reluctant smile. "Congrats, brat."

Caine chuckled, ignoring the sharp pain that coursed through his body as he did so. "Oh? No more 'young master'?"

Zao flicked his finger, and a thin thread of qi zapped Caine in response. "No, not anymore. You've become far too reckless for that title."

Caine smirked as he sat up in bed, his movements sluggish but deliberate. He reached down and began removing the countless tubes and wires plugged into his body.

Almost instantly, his blood qi surged to life, flowing freely through him like a raging river.

The soreness and fatigue that had riddled his body vanished in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming sensation of vitality and strength.

During the battle with the Incarnation, Caine had been too consumed to notice, but now he could feel it—his blood qi was far more potent than before.

Even Zao's eyes widened in shock. When he'd found Caine, the young man had been on the brink of death, his body drained of all qi and mangled almost beyond recognition. Zao hadn't been able to properly assess the state of his qi back then.

But now? Now, the sight before him was nothing short of extraordinary.

'How pure…' Zao thought, his gaze fixed on Caine.

Caine's muscles bulged momentarily before compressing, their definition sharpening beneath the oppressive force of his qi. His flesh and bones seemed to hum in perfect harmony, and any lingering injuries were healed in an instant.

A rush of vitality flooded his body, so intense it felt almost unnatural.

At that moment, Caine ascended fully to the peak of the Flesh Destruction Stage, his flesh and bones aligned in flawless equilibrium.

He turned his inquisitive gaze to his uncle, who appeared uncharacteristically contemplative.

"Your qi was refined by the tribulation pillars of lightning," Zao said, answering the question lingering in Caine's eyes. "Though not many people know this, like most things in cultivation, qi can be ranked and graded."

Zao's tone shifted, adopting the cadence of a teacher.

"Having grades and divisions allows cultivators to better understand their progress. It provides clarity on each step forward and offers insight into what the next steps might be. It's a map for the road ahead, so to speak."

Caine nodded, absorbing Zao's words as he continued.

"Currently, I can see that your blood qi is teetering on the edge of the Immeasurable grade's peak. That's quite impressive. It reflects the danger of the tribulation you faced."

Zao gestured at Caine. "Before breaking into the next stage, you'll need to spend several days meditating on your blood qi. This will help you understand it fully. Once you reach that level of comprehension, your blood qi will truly bloom, and you'll ascend to the absolute peak of the Immeasurable grade."

Caine arched a brow, intrigued. "Comprehend blood qi? I thought comprehension only became a necessity in the Spark Realm."

Zao shook his head. "Yes and no. In the Spark Realm, comprehension is mandatory for manipulating higher forms of qi. To form stable cores of this advanced qi, you need an innate understanding of it, as well as the corresponding runes to anchor the cores. But you already know this—you've read the records."

Zao adjusted his glasses, his tone becoming sharper.

"With blood qi, however, the reason for comprehension is simpler: control. Never forget, blood qi is an extension of your blood, and your blood is the essence of your body. The stronger your body—your flesh, bones, and organs—the more potent your blood becomes. In turn, the stronger your blood qi will be."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing.

"By comprehending your blood qi, you gain control over the very essence of your body. You learn its intricacies, which allows you to better wield your strength. This creates a cycle—stronger control over your blood qi makes your body stronger, which enhances your blood qi further."

"It's crucial for someone like you, with blood qi of such a high grade. Right now, it's comparable to the lower levels of True Qi, which is remarkable for someone at your stage."

Caine rubbed his chin thoughtfully, intrigued by the explanation. "But why wasn't this information in the cultivation records I've read?"

Zao shrugged as he stood, stretching lazily.

"It's not that important to most people. Talented cultivators eventually figure it out on their own. You would have as well, given time. I'm just saving you the trouble."

He pointed at Caine's chest, his expression more serious.

"You think wielding blood qi in its manifested form is normal? You think controlling it as though it were atmospheric qi or True Qi is ordinary? It's not. Far from it."

"When you sparred against other Blood Realm cultivators, did any of them wield qi in this way? Or did they rely solely on their physical abilities?"

Caine's eyes widened as the realization dawned on him.

"You see?" Zao said, smirking. "You were already ahead of the curve. With or without my guidance, you would've reached comprehension eventually. I'm just speeding things along."

Ruffling Caine's hair, Zao turned toward the door, yawning as he stretched again.

"All right, kid. I've got tasks to complete. I'll come back for you in a few days. We've got a trip to the elemental fields for the legacy grounds I told you about."

As he stepped through the doorway, he glanced back with a smirk. "In the meantime, try not to die."

Caine chuckled as his uncle left, shaking his head. He lay back for a moment, staring at the ceiling, but before he could fully relax, a ring materialized in the air before him.

Zao's voice echoed through the room.

"Here's a spatial ring for you. You needed one. It has everything you'll want for whatever endeavors you have. Don't tell the elders I gave it to you."

Caine picked up the ring, inspecting it closely.

Made of dark blue steel and etched with coiling eastern dragons, its surface glittered with embedded crystals.

Spatial rings, crafted from void stones, were marvels of cultivation. They housed extra-dimensional spaces, allowing the storage of items.

Lower-grade rings could only store inanimate objects, but higher-grade ones, forged by master artisans, could contain living beings—or even entire worlds.

'Amazing,' Caine thought, marveling at the craftsmanship.

To most members of the alliance, such rings were common commodities, but to Caine, they were incredible. The concept of compressing entire spaces into a tiny piece of metal felt incomprehensible—just like his own bond space, hidden within his mind.

'I'll reach a realm high enough to understand it one day,' he resolved silently, slipping the ring onto his finger as a determined glint flickered in his eyes.