CHAPTER 337: READING...

Orion felt his heart accelerate slightly as he gazed into the now-open compendium. Each page pulsed rhythmically like a heartbeat, showing words of forbidden knowledge and immense power.

Lumi’s voice filled with astonishment and quiet admiration, [Master, you really did it!]

Orion smirked lightly and asked in a teasing tone, "Did you doubt me?"

She giggled softly, clearly relieved and proud, [Never, Master! But be careful, it’s the Blood Element after all, it comes under the Darkness Camp.]

Orion nodded his head yet still said, "I have mastered enough elements that this won’t affect me. Especially Wood."

He took a slow, deep breath, his eyes focused firmly on the gently pulsating pages of the [Sanguine Sage Compendium].

The book seemed almost alive, each crimson-hued page emanating a rhythmic, faintly sinister aura.

He settled himself comfortably onto the lush grass beneath him, crossing his legs and steadying his breathing as he turned his complete attention to the tome.

While looking at the book, he began turning the pages, the runic symbols glowing softly beneath his fingertips.

He was immediately met with intricate text detailing the very nature of the Blood Element itself. Orion’s dual-colored eyes flickered across the lines rapidly, absorbing each piece of profound knowledge with fervent curiosity.

"Blood, the essence of life and vitality, yet equally the herald of death and decay. Mastery of Blood requires understanding of its dual nature, nourishment and destruction, healing and corruption. To wield the Blood Element is to command the life-force itself, harnessing the very pulse that drives all living beings..."

Orion paused briefly, deeply intrigued by the elemental explanation. His thoughts wandered momentarily, recalling Valerian’s peak mastery of this dark yet powerful element. His expression hardened with resolve, determination blazing fiercely within his chest.

Continuing further, he encountered detailed theories about blood circulation, vitality manipulation, and life-force extraction.

Orion mentally compared this knowledge against his experiences with other elements, rapidly connecting dots and deepening his comprehension.

Each sentence built upon the last, unlocking insights into how the Blood Element interacted uniquely with both Darkness and Life attributes, offering unparalleled flexibility and formidable potential.

Turning another page, he found the detailed structural diagram of the Blood Affinity Rune. Orion leaned closer, eyes carefully scanning the intricately drawn diagrams.

It was composed of powerful Primary Runes, intricately arranged around the central Core Rune Blood, all carefully balanced by stabilizing runes.

The complexity was immediately evident, far more intricate than standard elemental runes he had previously studied.

"This is... fascinating," Orion murmured softly, his eyes shining with excitement. "The runic arrangement directly integrates both blood extraction and vitality manipulation. No wonder Blood-users are formidable..."

Lumi chimed in gently, her voice filled with admiration and slight worry,

[It’s incredible, Master, but be cautious. The Blood Element is known to sway its user toward a darker path.]

Orion smiled confidently, his voice calm, "I know, Lumi. But remember, I’m different. I’ll control this, not the other way around."

Reassured, Lumi giggled softly, [I believe in you, Master.]

Returning to his studies, Orion delved deeper into the compendium, absorbing each spell carefully described from Tier 1 upward.

He noted that even the lower-tier spells like [Blood Needle] and [Lesser Blood Bind] possessed unique and flexible applications, ideal for controlling or restricting enemy movements.

As he continued upward through higher-tier spells, his awe grew with every page turned.

Advanced spells such as [Crimson Vitality Transfusion] allowed the user to drain an enemy’s life-force and redirect it to heal oneself or allies.

Even higher-tier spells like [Blood Prison] and [Hemorrhaging Nova] held terrifying power capable of dominating entire battlefields.

When Orion’s eyes finally landed upon spells ranked Beyond Tier 9, like the ominous [Sanguine Apocalypse], he felt a chill run down his spine despite himself.

The sheer destructive capability of these techniques was astonishingly fearsome, capable of razing entire kingdoms or corrupting whole regions irreversibly.

"I see now why the Blood Element is both coveted and feared," Orion whispered, eyes solemn yet filled with excitement for its incredible potential. "It’s a dual-edged sword, capable of healing yet terrifyingly destructive in equal measure."

As the hours passed by, Orion remained utterly absorbed, carefully memorizing each spell structure and nuanced detail within the compendium.

Occasionally, he’d pause, closing his eyes and visualizing himself integrating these profound spells with his current battle style.

***

Eventually, after four to five hours of intense focus, Orion closed the [Sanguine Sage Compendium], exhaling slowly as he processed everything he’d read.

He felt quite enriched, his comprehension of the Blood Element now immensely deeper than before.

"That should be enough for now," Orion murmured softly, gently placing the book back into his inventory. "It’s time to see how the World Tree Seed has progressed."

He closed his physical eyes and dived once more into the vast expanse of his Sea of Consciousness.

Upon entry, Orion immediately noticed the breathtaking scene before him. The World Tree Sprout stood prominently, nearly finished absorbing the Prime Realm Core Fragment’s immense energies.

Its silhouette radiated brilliantly, bathing Orion’s Sea of Consciousness in vibrant, multicolored hues.

The crimson-golden leaf of Fire shimmered proudly, blazing brightly with overwhelming vitality, while the Thunder leaf crackled with brilliance, arcs of lightning flickering gracefully around it.

But now, new tiny leaves had begun budding delicately along the central stem—each leaf subtly glowing with different colors, faint yet distinct, representing Orion’s myriad elemental affinities.

As the last streams of the Core Fragment’s energy were slowly absorbed, Orion could clearly see his Sea of Consciousness expanding gently, healing completely as if it were never damaged.

He looked at himself and clearly felt the energies that were about to be completely assimilated anytime.

"Almost there," Orion murmured softly with immense satisfaction. "This evolution truly surpasses anything I could have imagined."

Lumi’s voice resonated softly in agreement, happiness evident in her tone,

[Master, it’s beautiful. Your Sea of Consciousness has been entirely rejuvenated.]

As Orion marveled at the serene transformation within his Sea of Consciousness, the World Tree Seedling pulsed softly one final time, absorbing the last threads of potent energy from the Prime Realm Core Fragment.

The Seedling trembled gently, its leaves rustling in an invisible breeze, before a surge of overwhelming Pure Mana erupted forth, radiating outward in a brilliant cascade of prismatic colors.

Orion’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise as the Pure Mana expanded and seamlessly fused with every corner of his Sea of Consciousness, turning the vast internal expanse into a realm of perfect stability and crystalline clarity.

The previously turbulent energies now flowed harmoniously, gently nourishing the entire SoC.

"This... this is incredible!" Orion whispered, his spiritual form shimmering vibrantly from the influx of Pure Mana.

He hurriedly turned his attention toward his Affinity Runes, knowing instinctively that this moment would profoundly affect them.

However, before he could move, he felt a subtle tug from within the World Tree Seedling. A spark of gentle golden light emerged from its core, swiftly growing brighter and clearer.

With astonishment, Orion felt the familiar flicker of his Life Fire Ignition-stage soul essence, carefully emerging from within the Seedling itself.

"What?!" Orion gasped aloud, visibly startled. "I thought my soul had merged entirely with the seed... how is this possible?"

Upon closer observation, Orion quickly realized something profound had occurred, his soul had actually been split into two distinct portions.

The luminous golden form floating was himself, representing only a small fraction of his soul, while the vast majority was now peacefully residing within the World Tree Seedling. It was as if his very essence had become an intrinsic part of the majestic seedling itself.