Return of the Immortal Emperor Daddy

"This is the place. Go on in for the assessment."

Meng Xue led Wu Tian to the underground levels of the ancestral hall. It was very dark down here. Blood Refiners, unlike the wealthy Array Masters or Alchemists, could not even refine their own blood, let alone help others. The subterranean caves were crude and illuminated only by dim, limited candlelight. A mortal walking through these passages would undoubtedly tremble with fear. Meng Xue brought Wu Tian to the entrance of one of the caves; the entire area beneath the ancestral hall was a network of caves within caves.

Wu Tian stepped inside. The small cave wasn’t large and already contained a few people. They all looked nervous; the youngest of them was in his thirties, while the oldest was over ninety. With their poor Martial Path aptitude, it was uncertain if they would even live past one hundred. So, they were grasping at straws, hoping to become Blood Refiners. What if we succeed? With Bloodline Evolution, maybe we could live longer.

Wu Tian glanced at them and smiled, but they were too tense to notice his arrival. Their motivations for becoming Blood Refiners varied—some sought Bloodline Evolution to extend their lives, while others, having been bullied, simply wanted to try a different path.

After a moment, a middle-aged man approached, dressed in a black robe and wearing a Ghost Mask.

"He seems to be Master Meng Tian."

"Yes, I’ve heard of him. He isn’t from around here; he fled from another domain. He’s been studying the Art of Blood Refinement for ten years, but who knows if he’s had any success."

"Success?" an old man who knew a little about the Path of Blood Refinement sighed. He had come here hoping Blood Refinement could help him survive, but he also knew that in all of history, only a single woman had ever succeeded. She had left no clues for posterity. Countless others had followed in her footsteps, yet not one had managed to succeed.

By the time Meng Tian arrived, Meng Xue had already spoken to her father, telling him there was someone here pretending to know more than he did.

Meng Tian’s gaze swept across the room and settled on Wu Tian. Someone so young wants to study the Art of Blood Refinement? How suspicious. Who would study it unless they were absolutely desperate?

"COUGH, COUGH." Meng Tian looked around at the hopefuls. "Array Masters and Alchemists enjoy great reputations, while we Blood Refiners can only hide in the shadows. Do you think that makes becoming a Blood Refiner easy?"

The candidates flushed with embarrassment. That was, indeed, what they had thought. Array Masters and Alchemists have their guilds. What about Blood Refiners? Nothing. We can only hide. You wouldn’t even dare tell people you’re a Blood Refiner for fear of being mocked for daydreaming. Blood Refinement? There isn’t a single Blood Refiner who can actually refine blood. So what’s the point of calling ourselves Blood Refiners?

"Forget it. Since you’ve come for the assessment, let me clarify the rules." Meng Tian waved his hand grandly. "None of us Blood Refiners has ever successfully refined blood. We are not in the same league as Array Masters or Alchemists, but... we still need people who are truly passionate about Blood Refinement, kindred spirits who can contribute to our Path—not freeloaders just looking for an easy meal. If I catch any of you cheating, I will inform the other Blood Refiner hideouts, and you will be banned from all future assessments for life!"

"Yes," the group muttered in acknowledgment.

Seeing their response, Meng Tian nodded. "Now, I will explain the assessment. It’s a written exam. Since we Blood Refiners do not possess a complete Path of Blood Refinement, we can only test you this way. For example, you might be asked what Master Li Yuntian used during his Blood Refinement attempts, or what substance Master Jiang Jitao added that caused his blood to boil, burning him alive from the inside out."

After giving a few more examples, Meng Tian continued, "Now everyone understands, right? Good. The written exam begins now. You have one hour. The total score is 100, and a score of 60 or above is a pass."

Once he finished speaking, Meng Tian distributed the test papers.

Wu Tian took his paper and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He had assumed the so-called written exam would be a single sheet of paper. Just one page, right? But upon receiving it, I saw there were dozens of pages! The stack was thick. This isn’t an exam paper! Since when are exam papers this thick? This is an entire exam booklet! He thought that if exams on Earth City were like this, students would probably break down in tears.

After handing out ink and brushes, Meng Tian coldly commanded, "Begin." He then stood to the side, watching for cheaters, his gaze resting primarily on Wu Tian.

Wu Tian noticed this immediately. Do I look like someone who would cheat? He chuckled to himself, finding the notion absurd.

He picked up the booklet and looked at the first question: *What are the effects of drinking rabbit’s blood?*

The second question: *What are the effects of dog’s blood?*

The third question: *What are the effects of snake’s blood?*

Questions like these filled the entire first page. Glancing over them, Wu Tian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Damn it, I’ve never drunk any of this stuff, so how would I know? What era is this? Who would drink raw dog or rabbit blood?

Suppressing the urge to vomit, Wu Tian decided to ignore the first page of questions. After all, he only needed 60 points to pass. It wouldn’t matter if he got these wrong. He flipped to the second page, where the questions finally became more conventional.

*Please describe the process of Blood Refinement used by Master Maoxi 235 years ago.*

*Whose blood did Master Huang Bingwen exclusively use in his lifelong pursuit of Blood Refinement?*

The page was densely packed with questions. Previously, Wu Tian wouldn’t have known any of the answers; it would have been a miracle if he didn’t score a zero. But things were different now. After his Primordial Spirit had performed Soul Travel and returned to King Xiuyuan’s Royal Palace to read so many books, the answers came to him instantly. With just a moment of thought, the information surfaced clearly in his mind.

Master Maoxi’s Blood Refinement process involved ingesting Di Long Wood, then practicing a fire-attribute Cultivation Technique. This allowed the power of the Di Long Wood to merge with his blood, which was then driven by the technique to a boil, uniting the two into one...

Wu Tian’s brush flew across the paper as he answered with incredible speed. He wasn’t used to writing with a brush, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use one. His handwriting reflected his personality—domineering and unrestrained, a top-tier cursive script.

RUSTLE.

With the answers already clear in his mind, it was no different from copying. The speed at which he filled the pages was astonishing.

Meng Tian had been watching Wu Tian the whole time. What is he doing...? Seeing him write so furiously, his brows furrowed and his expression darkened. Does he know he can’t pass, so he’s just scribbling nonsense?

Even Meng Tian and the others would have to pause and think to answer these questions. As Blood Refiners without a successful Art of Blood Refinement, all they could do was memorize the experiences and processes of their predecessors through sheer rote. They would then organize this information and experiment tirelessly, hoping someone could finally discover the true Path of Blood Refinement. Consequently, every Blood Refiner’s mind was filled to the brim. Trying to recall a specific piece of information was often a slow process, as if their brains were too cluttered to function efficiently.

If that was the case for them, how could this young man be any different? Blood Refiners spent their years underground, absorbed in their quest, and were thus unaware of affairs in the world above. They had no idea who Wu Tian was.

The other candidates, stumped and scratching their heads in frustration, were stunned when they noticed Wu Tian’s pace.

This guy... how is he answering so quickly?