Ron glanced out the window, the bright full moon hanging high in the sky.
Since it wasn’t daytime, there was an insufficiency of Yang Attribute Factor, making it not the best time to practice the "Crown Breathing Technique."
However, with a breakthrough imminent, he couldn’t wait any longer, and there were other matters to attend to tomorrow...
With this in mind, Ron carefully picked up the glass bottle and walked to the center of the training field.
The ground here was paved with special energy-absorbing stone, capable of withstanding high temperatures without damage.
He took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and adjusted his breathing.
Upon opening the glass bottle, a wave of heat immediately rushed out, as if facing the mouth of an erupting volcano.
"Now is the time."
Without hesitation, Ron evenly applied the "Magma Dew" onto several crucial bloodline junctions on his body.
In an instant, it was as if a mass of magma had been poured directly onto him, burning all the way beneath his skin, and then quickly spreading throughout his body.
Every inch of skin, every muscle fiber, every blood vessel was filled with scalding energy.
"Ugh..."
Even though he had attempted this many times before, Ron couldn’t help but let out a painful groan.
This pain far exceeded his imagination, like all the blood in his body had been ignited, roaring and surging inside him.
His skin quickly turned red, seemingly scorching from within, with sweat instantly evaporating at the high temperature, forming a thin mist around his body.
"Must... control it..."
Ron gritted his teeth against the intense pain and began to regulate his breathing according to the Third Stage of the "Crown Breathing Technique."
Each inhale felt like swallowing more fire; each exhale seemed like releasing scorching lava.
However, as his breathing gradually stabilized, the pain began to transform into a peculiar sensation:
Scalding but not entirely painful, more like a profound purification.
Ron could feel the "Magma Dew" altering the components of his blood, making it more active and aggressive.
The blood affected by the potion seemed to come alive, actively seeking out impurities and blockages in his body to burn them away completely.
"First Breath..."
Ron muttered the mantra softly, coordinating with a specific breathing rhythm.
His chest expanded accordingly, as if able to hold more air and energy.
"Second Breath..."
With the onset of the second breath, Ron felt the flow of heat inside begin to circulate and change, forming an Energy Circuit.
This circuit started from the heart, traveled through his arms, abdomen, legs, and finally back to the heart, cycling repeatedly, making the energy purer and stronger with each cycle.
However, when he attempted to enter the third breath, he suddenly encountered resistance.
"Third Breath..."
The energy within seemed to reach a certain limit, unable to proceed further.
It was like a small stream trying to accommodate the volume of a raging river, almost bursting its banks.
"Just a little more... just a little more..."
Ron clenched his teeth, enduring the sensation of his body about to burst.
He knew this was the most critical moment of Bloodline Activation—the critical point of breaking through the bottleneck.
But no matter how he tried, the resistance remained persistent, like an invisible wall.
The energy-absorbing stone beneath him had already turned slightly red from the heat, emitting a scorching aura.
"Since it’s Bloodline Activation... why not continue to try mobilizing the power of the Chimera Core?"
He closed his eyes, attempting to communicate with the core within.
This wasn’t his first attempt, just that it always fell short of that final push, but this time was undoubtedly the last gate before the breakthrough...
As he circulated the searing energy within repeatedly, a strange and ancient power began to awaken inside him.
It was a primal life force, teeming with traits of change and adaptation.
"Now!"
Ron seized this faint connection and suddenly fused his bloodline with it.
In an instant, as if a dam had burst, an unprecedented force exploded from within him.
He could feel beneath his skin, blood vessels rapidly expanding, muscle fibers being stretched to their limits, then contracting again.
This cycle repeated, making them tougher and more resilient in the process.
The blood initially altered by the "Magma Dew" came fully alive at this moment.
As if possessing its own consciousness, it actively searched every corner of the body, delivering energy to where it was most needed.
This state lasted for an unknown duration, until Ron could finally regain control over his body again.
He found himself lying on the floor, drenched in sweat.
But unlike previous exhaustion, he now felt an unprecedented sense of lightness and strength.
As if he had shed heavy shackles, he felt much more agile.
"Did it succeed?"
Ron slowly sat up, sensing the flow of energy within him.
The familiar and powerful bloodline force had thoroughly integrated into his blood and bones, becoming a part of his body.
It was like an ever-burning furnace, always ready to unleash astonishing heat.
[Bloodline Activation Experience Points +1]
[Breakthrough! Bloodline Activation (Beginner 100/100) → Bloodline Activation (Proficient 1/300)]
[Acquired Additional Trait: Boiling Blood
(Enhances the Life Burst effect of the "Bloodline Knight" and reduces the negative state of physical fatigue)]