Chapter 3: The Dragonblood Warrior Clan (Part 2)
"The Dragonblood Warrior Clan?!" Linley felt as though his entire head was buzzing.
In Linley's eyes, his clan was nothing more than just an ancient clan which had fallen on hard times. How could it be related to the legendary Dragonblood Warrior?
"You don't believe me?" A trace of arrogance could be seen on Hogg's face. "Linley, go up and take a close look at those spirit tablets. By now, you can read all the words on them. On the back of every single spirit tablet is the history of those departed forefathers. The three spirit tablets at the very top, are three who are Dragonblood Warriors!"
Hogg took Linley by the hand. "Come."
Hogg led Linley towards the area behind the many spirit tablets. Lifting him up, Hogg said, "Take a close look at those characters behind."
Linley widened his eyes and began to read.
The words carved onto the uppermost tablet were etched very deeply and very clearly. Those five-thousand-year-old characters told of an astonishing story!
"Baruch, the very first Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. In the year 4560 of the Yulan calendar, outside the walls of the City of Linnan, Baruch did battle against a Black Dragon and a Titanic Frost Wyrm. In the end, he slew both the Black Dragon and the Titanic Frost Wyrm, causing his fame to spread across the world. In the year 4579 of the Yulan calendar, along the coastline of the northern sea of the continent, Baruch did battle against a Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor. On that day, the waves crashed unceasingly and nearby cities crumbled, but after a vicious fight lasting a full day and night, Baruch finally executed the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor… finally, Baruch founded the Baruch clan, and became the first leader of the Baruch clan!"
"Ryan Baruch, the second Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. In the year 4690 of the Yulan calendar, in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, he defeated and subdued a Saint-level Golden Dragon, and became known as the Golden Dragonrider Saint! In the year 4697…"
"Hazard Baruch, the third Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. Born in the year 5360 of the Yulan calendar, in his very first battle, he fought fiercely with a Saint-level Bloody-Eyed Maned Lion in the Mountain Range of the Setting Sun. He defeated the lion, forcing it to scurry away and flee, causing Hazard to become famous throughout the world…"
...
One mighty name after another, one amazing story after another, made the blood in Linley's veins pump all the more vigorously.
"My clan, is actually the clan of the Dragonblood Warriors?" Linley was extremely excited.
Beside him, Hogg said in a low voice, "The first three generations of the Baruch family were all Dragonblood Warriors. Upon becoming a Dragonblood Warrior, one's life expectancy would dramatically increase. The second generation Dragonblood Warrior didn't get married or have children until after he was seven hundred years old."
"And afterwards?" Linley wondered. "Father, why doesn't our clan have any more Dragonblood Warriors?"
Hogg nodded. "To become a Dragonblood Warrior, the most important thing is the density and thickness of the dragonblood which flows in our veins. The higher the density, the better. After many generations, the density of the dragonblood in our veins has grown thinner and thinner. However… that isn't an absolute because as time goes on, sometimes, out of nowhere, a descendant will possess a very high density of dragonblood."
"After Hazard Baruch, the fourth Dragonblood Warrior appeared, nearly a thousand years later. Then, after fifteen hundred years passed, which is to say tens of generations later, the fifth Dragonblood Warrior finally appeared in our clan. But in the thousand years from then until now, not a single Dragonblood Warrior has shown up."
Hogg shook his head and sighed. "The fifth Dragonblood Warrior only stayed on the Yulan continent for around two centuries, before he disappeared. In the thousand years since then, our Baruch clan has totally decayed."
After a thousand years, even the most illustrious of families could decay.
"However, our clan still has hope. Perhaps in the future, one of our descendants will have the requisite density of dragonblood in their veins, and meet the requirements to become a Dragonblood Warrior. If they meet the requirements, after just a few decades of training, they would be able to become a true, full Dragonblood Warrior. And at that time, the Baruch clan would once more be restored to the glorious days of yore, when we were known as the Dragonblood Warrior Clan!" Hogg's eyes shone. "Linley, you are six and a half now. According to our rules, at your age, the test to see if your blood has a high density of dragonblood will be fairly accurate. Today, I am going to test you."
Linley was stunned. "Testing the density of dragonblood in my veins? Test me?" Linley fully understood the implications of his father performing this test. This test would show whether or not he met the requirements for becoming a Dragonblood Warrior.
"Linley, wait here. I'll go get the 'Dragonblood Needle'." Hogg clearly was very excited, as he immediately departed the ancestral hall for a nearby private room.
"Dragonblood Warrior? Will I really become a Dragonblood Warrior?" Linley was mentally fidgeting.
Standing there, Linley's mind was a confused mess. He was filled with both eagerness and fear. He feared that the density of dragonblood in his veins wasn't high enough.
"If I fail, I guess father will be extremely disappointed." Linley couldn't help but think. Having grown up with his father and his younger brother, Linley didn't want to disappoint his father. But the density of dragonblood in his veins wasn't something he could decide.
After just a short period of time, Hogg returned with a twenty-centimeter long needle that was extremely thin as he walked out from the private room.
"Dragonblood Needle?" Linley guessed, as he stared at the long needle in his father's hands.
"Alright, Linley. This needle will just barely break the skin when it goes in. It won't hurt at all. Stretch out your hand." Hogg smiled, and Linley nodded. Taking a deep breath, Linley stretched out his right arm. The slight trembling in his arm showed that Linley really was very nervous.
Not just Linley. To tell the truth, even Hogg was very nervous.
"Hold it." Holding the translucent Dragonblood Needle, Hogg lightly pricked Linley's ring finger with it, easily piercing the skin. Linley felt a piercing pain, and the translucent needle immediately turned crimson as well.
Hands shaking, Hogg immediately lifted the Dragonblood Needle up and inspected it carefully.
Raising his head, Linley stared at his father, feeling extremely agitated. "Is the density of dragonblood in my veins sufficient? Why has father stared at the Dragonblood Needle for so long?" Linley had a bad premonition…
"Alas…" With an exhaled breath, Hogg placed the Dragonblood Needle off to one side.
Hearing his father's sigh, the nervous Linley knew that the density of dragonblood in his veins clearly didn't reach the required level. His tears immediately began to flow.
"Linley, why are you crying? Don't cry. Be good, don't cry." Hogg immediately hugged Linley. Seeing Linley cry, Hogg felt sick at heart. After all, Linley was still just six and a half. He was just a child.
"I won't cry. Yeah. Won't cry." Linley sniffled twice, then forced himself to calm down. "Father, I'm sorry. I've let you down."
Hearing Linley's words, Hogg felt a warm feeling in his heart. He couldn't help but hold Linley against his bosom. "Linley, don't feel bad. I actually didn't raise my hopes too high. Over a thousand years and tens of generations, no one has become a Dragonblood Warrior. It doesn't matter that you also failed. Father doesn't blame you."
Feeling the warmth of his father's chest, Linley's tightened chest gradually loosened.
By this point, the two-year-old Wharton had long since fallen asleep in Grandpa Hiri's arms.
"Linley, at this point in time, the Baruch family just consists of you, me, and your little brother. I don't have any extravagant hopes. I've never dared to dream of becoming a Dragonblood Warrior." Hogg laughed at himself satirically. How could becoming a Dragonblood Warrior be an easy task?
Linley raised his head, staring at his father.
Linley rarely saw his father speak to him in such a manner. Normally, his father was always very strict and unyielding.
Staring at the rows of spirit tablets, Hogg's eyes were filled with a dreary sadness. "My true goal is actually to recover the ancestral heirloom of the Baruch clan, passed down across the generations."
"Our ancestral heirloom? What's that? Why have I never heard about it?" Linley asked curiously.
Hogg proudly said, "Our ancestral heirloom – the warblade, "Slaughterer". This was the weapon used by the very first leader of the Baruch clan, the very first Dragonblood Warrior of the Yulan continent. Alas… his descendants were unfilial. Six hundred years ago, because of poverty, a descendant who loved luxury actually sold our ancestral weapon for money."
As he spoke, Hogg was filled with so much fury that his body actually trembled.
Shaking his head helplessly, he said, "Afterwards, every single generation tried to recover the warblade 'Slaughterer', but despite six hundred years of trying, none of us have succeeded. After all, when we sold the warblade 'Slaughterer', it was for the price of 180,000 gold coins. 180,000 gold coins! We aren't able to produce such a vast sum, but even if we were, the current owner wouldn't be willing to sell to us."
The ancient clan of the Dragonblood Warriors, actually had sold off its own ancestral heirloom.
This was a humiliation!
The humiliation of the ancient clan of the Dragonblood Warriors!
Every succeeding generation had attempted to come up with ways to regain the warblade 'Slaughterer', but despite six hundred years of trying, they had never succeeded.
As the current clan leader, Hogg also had this desire, but the clan's economic situation was in dire straits. 180,000 gold coins? Even if they sold off the manor and all their possessions, they might not be able to produce such a vast sum.
The ancestral heirloom was lost. This humiliation constantly weighed on Hogg's heart. He felt ashamed and helpless, and unable to face his forefathers.
Seeing the look on his father's face, Linley consoled him, "Father, don't be unhappy! I promise that one day, I will recover our family's heirloom and bring it back to this manor."
"You?" Hogg chuckled. Eyes filled with love, he ruffled Linley's hair.
In his heart, Hogg secretly said, "Linley. Do you know, these words you just said…all those years ago, I said these same words to your grandfather as well." Six hundred years of efforts had all failed. How could it be easy to accomplish? After all, the person who had purchased the warblade 'Slaughterer' couldn't be any ordinary person.
Why would they be willing to sell?
Even if they were willing to sell, how could the decrepit Baruch clan afford the cost?
"Father, you don't believe me?" Raising his head, Linley looked at his father questioningly.
"I believe you, I believe you," Hogg laughed.
Father and son held each other close. Only three members remained of the ancient Dragonblood Clan in this era. When would this decaying clan be able to regain the glory and honor it had in prior years? At this moment, lying against his father's chest, Linley's fists were clenched tightly!
Chapter 4: Growth (Part 1)
The spring wind came, turning green the poplar trees near the empty space outside of the town of Wushan. On the empty ground, a group of youths were ardently training. Almost a year had passed since the Dragonblood test, and Linley was eight years old now. Over the course of this period of time, Hillman clearly saw that Linley had only become even more hard working!
"Well done, Linley! Hold it, hold it!" Hillman encouraged from the side.
Right now, Linley was only wearing trousers. His upper body was covered with sweat, and his body, as taut as a drawn bowstring, was lying on the ground. His hands were pressed fiercely to the ground, as straight as tree trunks, while the rest of his body was motionless. He was supporting himself from a push-up position, with just his hands and the tips of his toes! His entire body was taut!
The 'Static Tension' training exercise!
A very simple yet very effective training exercise. If a person could reach the level of being able to maintain this pose for an hour, then his body would no longer fear ordinary swords or sabres.
Drip, drip!
Beads of sweat rolled down from Linley's forehead. The sweat entered Linley's left eye, and he couldn't help but wince at the pain.
"Ley is really amazing. Just eight years old, but he's able to match the thirteen-year-olds in doing the 'Static Tension' exercise." Some of the children who had already given up were sprawled on the ground, chatting as they watched Linley.
"Ley, keep it up! Keep it up for the rest of us! Beat those thirteen-year-olds!" The golden-haired Hadley shouted from the side.
"Yeah, keep it up, Ley!" The other children started to chant as well.
Linley was on extremely good terms with the other kids. Although Linley was the child of a noble house, he was extremely kind to the children of commoners, and often helped them train as well.
"Gotta hold it. Gotta hold it." Linley constantly said to himself.
In the back of Linley's mind, the words his father said a year ago constantly echoed. "Linley, we are the family of the Dragonblood Warriors. As a member of the Dragonblood Warriors clan, you have an advantage, but also a disadvantage! The advantage is, even though the density of dragonblood in your veins hasn't reached a sufficient level, your body will still be much stronger than those of most ordinary people. It might be very difficult for others to become a warrior of the sixth rank through training alone, but for you, it will be somewhat easier."
"However, your disadvantage is this. The descendants of the Dragonblood clan are not able to train battle-qi according to normal manuals. This is because the blood in our veins is only suited to the training method inside the 'Secret Dragonblood Manual'. It conflicts with all other types of battle-qi cultivation methods. Unfortunately, only those who have reached a certain density of dragonblood are able to practice using the method within the 'Secret Dragonblood Manual'. Therefore, you will not be able to cultivate battle-qi at all."
"Also, although in theory, anyone training the body can reach the sixth rank, that's just in theory. In practice, the number of people who accomplish this is very low. But for us, it is different. Even if the amount of dragonblood in our veins is low, our starting level will be higher than others. Just from training alone, we can become warriors of the sixth rank. Your great grandfather, based on training alone, managed to become a warrior of the seventh rank!"
Linley remembered his father's words very clearly.
Linley growled to himself, "I'm stronger than everyone else now, only because of the dragonblood in my veins. But since I can't practice battle-qi, my only options are to work hard, and to work harder! Since great grandfather was able to become a warrior of the seventh rank, then I shall…I shall become a warrior of the eighth rank. Or even the ninth rank! Nothing is impossible!"
A warrior of the eighth rank!
A warrior of the ninth rank could be considered the most powerful expert in the entire country of Fenlai. A warrior of the eighth rank, although unable to restore the Baruch family to its former glories, would be able to dramatically improve its current situation.
"Gotta hold!" Linley gritted his teeth.
By this point, his muscles felt like they were being chewed on by countless ants. His entire body was quivering, and every single muscle on his entire body trembled. Every single trembling muscle could be seen visibly.
After a long time, in the end…
"Thud!"
Linley, exhausted, collapsed to the ground.
"That feels wonderful." Flat on the floor, his entire body relaxed, Linley could clearly feel how numb his entire body was. All the muscles on his body, after undergoing that training, were slowly growing. Although the growth wouldn't be noticeable from just one or two exercises, after a long period of time, the effects would be pronounced.
Hillman, off to the side, nodded with satisfaction.
And then, Hillman's face grew cold as he turned to look at the fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds. "All of you had better hold on! Linley's only eight years old, while all of you are almost adults. Don't let an eight-year-old get the better of you!"
...
After morning exercises ended, Linley bid farewell to his group of friends and went towards the Baruch clan manor. If a stranger had seen him, the eight-year-old Linley surely would have been assumed to be eleven or twelve years old, and not just a mere child of eight.
The descendants of Baruch truly were different from other men.
"Big brother!" Upon seeing Linley, the healthy-looking Wharton rushed over.
"That's enough, Wharton. My entire body is covered with sweat. Let me wash myself first." Linley patted Wharton on the face and laughed.
Wharton hmphed. "I know that as soon as you wash up, you'll go take lessons from father."
As a member of a noble house, Linley's education began from a young age. The five-thousand-year-old Baruch clan was even stricter regarding educational matters than even the royal families of most kingdoms were.
"Enough, Wharton. I'll play with you around noon." Linley laughed.
Wharton was only a child, while Linley was much more mature.
After washing up and changing into some fresh clothes, Linley entered the study. At this moment, his father, Hogg Baruch, was sitting in front of a desk, his back ramrod straight. In front of Hogg were three thick tomes.
"Father!" Linley respectfully bowed.
Hogg coldly nodded, and Linley quickly walked next to him.
"Yesterday, I explained the history of the countries of the Yulan continent to you. Repeat it back to me, Hogg said coldly.
This was the real Hogg.
Instances like the time when he was holding the crying Linley in his arms were extremely rare. Normally, Hogg's attitude towards Linley could be summarized in one word: 'Strict'. In all things, Hogg strove for perfection. He wouldn't let Linley get away with any mistakes.
"Yes, father," Linley said calmly.
"In the Yulan continent, there are three dangerous areas. The number one mountain range, the 'Mountain Range of Magical Beasts'. The second mountain range, the 'Mountain Range of the Setting Sun'. And, the number one forest, the 'Forest of Darkness'. The space these three dangerous regions take up is incomparably large. The 'Mountain Range of Magical Beasts' runs across the entire continent, from north to south, covering over ten thousand kilometers. Within it are countless magical beasts, including Saint-level beasts that have the power to 'destroy the heavens and ravage the earth'. Because of the 'Mountain Range of Magical Beasts', the Yulan continent has been divided into different regions."
"West of the 'Mountain Range of Magical Beasts', there are twelve kingdoms and thirty-two duchies. Within these kingdoms and dukedoms, there are two major divisions. The first is the Holy Union, with the Kingdom of Fenlai being the principal kingdom. The second is the Dark Alliance, with the Kingdom of Heishi being the principal kingdom. These two alliances are opposed to each other and constantly battle because one is controlled by the Radiant Church, while the other belongs to the Cult of Shadows."
"East of the 'Mountain Range of Magical Beasts', there are four empires, six major kingdoms, and countless duchies! These four empires are enormous, and are not influenced by the Holy Union or the Dark Alliance. In these four empires, the rule of the emperors is absolute. Any of the four empires are comparable to the Holy Union."
"The four empires are the central Yulan Empire, the southeastern Rhine Empire, the eastern Rohault Empire, and the northern O'Brien Empire." After having said all this at one go, Linley let himself relax slightly.
"Just this?" Hogg frowned.
Linley was about to immediately continue, but Hogg cut him off. "Let me ask you, within our Holy Union, how many kingdoms and duchies are there?"
"Within our Holy Union, there are six kingdoms and fifte… sevente…" Linley suddenly frowned.
How many duchies were there in the Holy Union? Linley's memory was a bit hazy. He wasn't sure if it was fifteen, or if it was seventeen. He couldn't be sure.
"Hmph!"
His face cold and harsh, Hogg pulled out a wooden stick, and Linley obediently stuck his hand out.
His eyes narrowing, with a 'WHAP' sound, Hogg whacked Linley's hand with the stick. A red line immediately appeared on Linley's hand, but Linley could only clench his teeth, not making a sound.
"Linley, you must remember, we are currently living within the Holy Union. You must know everything about the Holy Union!" Hogg coldly looked at his son. "In the entire Yulan continent, the most important entities are the four empires and the two alliances."
Linley nodded.
Although his father's words were simple, Linley clearly understood the deeper meaning.
"At the far northern end, the Holy Union shares a border with the O'Brien Empire. While at the southern end, the Dark Alliance intersects with the Yulan Empire. Under the guidance of the Radiant Church, the unity of our Holy Union isn't one whit inferior to that of the empires."
Listening to his father's words, Linley agreed.
Yesterday, he had read many books. Clearly, the Holy Union could be considered the 'cultural center' for the entire Yulan continent. At the same time, in terms of economic strength, it was on par with the Yulan Empire, making the two of them the most economically powerful entities in the world.
In addition, it had the support of the Radiant Church.
The Holy Union truly was very formidable.
"Today, we will study art," Hogg said coldly. "As the descendent of a noble family, you must have a thorough understanding and appreciation of art. Art is what gives noblemen an aura of gravitas!" Hogg pulled out a large tome as thick as a fist, immediately opening it.
"In the year 3578 of the Yulan calendar, the grandmaster stone-sculptor Proulx was born…"
Off to the side, Hogg solemnly taught while Linley strove hard to memorize. He wanted to meet his father's requirements.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
8 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment