Chapter 569: Blood Exchange for the Wind Cleaving Eagle, a Miracle of Life

After probing out the function of the purple-blue twig, Wei Tu finally had some clues about how to refine it.

He guessed this treasure likely required power at the level of “true spirit force” to refine.

True spirit force, by normal logic, could only be wielded by Void Refinement experts. But within the cultivation world, there were indeed methods to temporarily borrow this higher power.

For example, Lüqiu Jinyuan’s divine ability [Crimson Spirit Wings]—its source of power came directly from true spirit force.

In fact, the true spirit bloodline of a “pure-blood descendant” like Lüqiu Jinyuan could be seen as equivalent to the true spirit force mastered by a Void Refinement powerhouse.

“I don’t have a true spirit bloodline… so imitating Lüqiu Jinyuan, using this treasure to become a pure-blood descendant and then refining it, won’t work for me.”

“I’ll need another way.”

Wei Tu thought quietly.

Of course, if he were reckless, he could use the demonic technique Inverse Spirit Blood Exchange Art to steal Lüqiu Jinyuan’s true spirit bloodline and use that to refine the treasure.

But that would be abandoning the root for the branch.

Even without the Golden Purple Destiny, he still had the potential to reach Divine Transformation. To replace his own foundation with Lüqiu Jinyuan’s bloodline would be no different from crippling his future.

“Wait… blood exchange…”

That thought suddenly lit up his mind, and he came upon a method worth testing.

—Performing blood exchange on others, thereby indirectly refining and controlling the purple-blue twig.

For himself, using the Inverse Spirit Blood Exchange Art would be self-destruction.

But for others? It might instead elevate their aptitude.

The problem was, unlike “Soul-Devouring Wood,” this treasure was far too crucial to him. He couldn’t risk letting anyone else know even the slightest hint about it.

After all, this treasure tied directly to his greatest secret—his “Late Bloomer” destiny.

Thus, the test subject must meet several conditions: absolutely loyal to him, entirely under his control, their life and death at his command, and physically strong enough to endure the blood exchange.

“Wind Cleaving Eagle!”

After much thought, the only suitable “person” Wei Tu could think of was the Wind Cleaving Eagle that had followed him since Qi Refinement.

In loyalty and physical toughness, it was unmatched. And because it was a bird, the blood rejection during the exchange would be somewhat lessened.

More importantly, Wei Tu had his own selfish reasons.

—Unless forced to, he didn’t want to give up this old companion.

The eagle’s innate talent was limited. As a Xuan-ranked bloodline beast, its natural peak was usually only the third rank.

If not for the “Immortal Spirit Dew” he had used to push its limits earlier, it would still be stuck at early third rank, never reaching the late stage it now enjoyed.

Now that an opportunity had appeared to raise its bloodline ceiling again, he would not waste it.

After all, raising the eagle’s strength was also indirectly raising his own.

…

Still, before replacing its blood, Wei Tu decided to ask for its opinion.

This was unlike when he helped Kou Hongying exchange blood to “return to life.”

Kou Hongying was human, capable of cultivating the Inverse Spirit Blood Exchange Art. During the exchange, they could work in harmony, keeping the danger low.

But the eagle was different.

Though intelligent for a beast, able to learn simple spells, it was still impossible for it to master the supreme demonic art of the Blood God Sect.

Its meridians, acupoints, and structure were all different from humans.

Even if its mind rivaled a demon, it could not learn this human method.

So this time, Wei Tu would have to lead the entire process himself, while the eagle endured passively.

That made the danger far greater.

Its body could easily burst apart mid-process.

“Don’t worry. Even if you die, I’ll extract your soul in time and seal it inside a Spirit-Seizing Talisman.”

Wei Tu stroked the eagle’s head, reassuring it.

For both cultivators and beasts, true death only came with the death of the soul.

Though beasts couldn’t seize bodies like humans, with his help, it could reincarnate into a young body and cultivate again.

“Skree! Skree!”

Hearing this, the eagle flinched, tucking its head back, flapping its wings in fright, and flying to a corner of the chamber, not daring to come near.

It had spent long enough with Wei Tu to know exactly how ruthless he was with his Spirit-Seizing Talismans.

First seizing the soul, then soul-searching—

That was his standard process for binding a soul.

It wanted no part of that.

“If you don’t want it, then forget it.”

Wei Tu shook his head, ready to store the eagle back into the beast pouch.

He wasn’t surprised at its refusal. After all, not every being craved greater strength.

If the blood exchange failed, though the eagle might reincarnate, there was no guarantee it could ever again become a third-rank beast.

But just as Wei Tu was about to act, the eagle suddenly flapped once more, flew onto his arm, and rubbed its head against his shoulder with obvious affection.

“Skree! Skree! Skree!”

Its calls made its meaning clear—it agreed.

Wei Tu laughed despite himself. Now he understood. The eagle hadn’t refused before. It simply hadn’t fully understood his words.

“Good. Since you agree, I’ll help you exchange blood now…”

Wei Tu nodded with a smile.

Without delay, he pinched several hand seals and sent incantations into the eagle’s body, suppressing its beast body. Then, with a thought, he drew Elder Guang’s corpse out of his storage bag.

Compared to Lüqiu Jinyuan’s pure-blood true spirit bloodline, Elder Guang’s bloodline was far weaker.

The advantage of using Elder Guang’s true spirit bloodline for the Wind Cleaving Eagle’s blood exchange was that the success rate would be higher.

As for raising its bloodline rank… if the exchange succeeded, the enhancement could be pushed further with the purple-blue twig.

Besides, according to his agreement with Lüqiu Qingfeng, after killing Lüqiu Jinyuan, he was supposed to deliver Lüqiu Jinyuan’s body to her so she could break through to late Nascent Soul.

So, by that promise, it wasn’t wise for him to damage Lüqiu Jinyuan’s corpse too much right now.

The exchange itself didn’t take long.

In just 7 days, Wei Tu completed the Wind Cleaving Eagle’s first blood exchange.

This time, he hadn’t followed every step of the Inverse Spirit Blood Exchange Art exactly. Instead, he combined his skills as a fourth-rank alchemist, using a mix of medicinal baths and secret techniques to complete the process.

“Failed?”

Golden light flashed in Wei Tu’s eyes as he used his Sun-Gazing Golden Eyes to carefully observe the eagle’s body after the exchange.

When he saw the eagle’s heart stop beating, unable to create new blood, and its veins nearly bursting from the pressure of the spirit blood, he sighed in regret.

“Of course. If stealing a true spirit bloodline were this easy, the whole world would already be full of true spirit clans…”

Shaking his head, he released spiritual light from his hand, preparing to save the eagle.

But then—

From deep inside the eagle’s body, he suddenly heard a rumble like a great war drum.

He instantly focused, watching more closely.

And this time, he saw a thread of hope.

The eagle’s heart, at that very moment, finally produced “new blood.”

The bad news was, aside from the heart, the rest of its body couldn’t withstand Elder Guang’s true spirit bloodline.

Even the heart itself was close to collapse. At most, it could last a few more days before shattering completely.

Yet Wei Tu didn’t panic.

His eyes flashed, and just as the eagle’s body was about to explode, his fingers struck its heart.

At that instant, droplets of crystal-clear, gem-like blood seeped from his fingertips.

When they touched the eagle’s torn flesh, they fused instantly, restoring the shattered pieces as though nothing had happened.

The whole process lasted less than a breath.

With his support, the eagle’s body instantly stabilized. From its heart, the bloodline transformation slowly began.

“As expected, the First Spirit Bone has its use here.” Wei Tu let out a breath of relief.

—At Body Refinement Fourth Rank, “flesh regeneration” was as fundamental as “Nascent Soul leaving the body” was to Nascent Soul cultivators.

But that ability was limited to his own body, not others.

Still, just because he couldn’t fully heal others didn’t mean he couldn’t use it to keep them alive.

Right now, his regenerative power turned his blood into the eagle’s temporary organs, serving as “adhesive,” forcing its broken body to hold together.

This wasn’t truly saving it—more like stringing its life along.

If the eagle failed to complete its bloodline evolution before its body collapsed, death was still inevitable.

…

While waiting for the eagle’s “miracle of life,” Wei Tu ordered the Earth Spider Matriarch to gather news about the outside world after Lüqiu Jinyuan’s death.

Lüqiu Jinyuan wasn’t a nobody in the Donghua Demon Kingdom—he was a first-rate figure.

His death would shake not only the kingdom but even the Red Algae Sea.

Wei Tu didn’t believe the Lüqiu Clan could easily track it back to him. But to be safe, he needed to prepare for the worst.

At the very least, he had to stay fully informed.

“The Lüqiu Human King? A first-rank kill order?”

A few days later, he heard the latest report from the Earth Spider Matriarch.

The Lüqiu Human King was the clan’s only peak Nascent Soul cultivator, its strongest member, just one step from Divine Transformation.

After Lüqiu Jinyuan’s death, he used his status as the kingdom’s former ruler to issue a first-rank kill order against the “hidden culprit.”

A first-rank kill order was the clan’s highest level bounty. Alongside a fixed reward, they promised to grant any one wish of the informant who provided solid clues.

“But that’s all it is.”

Xue Hongmian chuckled lightly and said, “While Lüqiu Jinyuan was alive, he was important to the clan. But after death? He was just a concubine-born, unloved by father and mother. Who would really avenge him?”

“This so-called kill order is just the Lüqiu Human King putting on a show. If he truly wanted revenge, he’d already be scouring this whole area.”

Wei Tu nodded slowly in agreement.

A dead genius was no longer a genius.

Unfair as it sounded, there was truth to it.

Lüqiu Jinyuan wasn’t just any prodigy—he was also one of the clan’s few Nascent Soul experts.

Which meant, whoever killed him couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

If clues existed, maybe vengeance was possible.

But without them, even a near-Divine Transformation clan like Lüqiu’s couldn’t afford such reckless pursuit.

That was precisely why Wei Tu had dared to assassinate him without fear of revenge.

“Now, we just wait for Lüqiu Qingfeng to contact us…”

Wei Tu smiled faintly.

With Lüqiu Jinyuan eliminated, his position in the Red Algae Sea was now secure.

But if he wanted to truly stand firm, he still needed the support of Lüqiu Qingfeng, the kingdom’s future queen.