My Arts Evolve When Perfected

He smashed the Demon Race’s bird egg open with his fist, peeled away the shell fragments protecting the egg white piece by piece, and chewed it in large mouthfuls.

A mouthful of warm egg white went down, its smooth texture sliding down his throat. A roiling heat erupted from within, coursing through every sinew and bone in his body.

[Absorbing the essence of the One-eyed Snow Owl]

After he finished the entire egg, a ceaseless warmth spread from his stomach, surged through his powerful bloodline, and dispelled the chill clinging to his skin.

Faintly, Jiang Qiu felt his tender skin being squeezed and stretched, his bones growing taller, bolstered by the heat.

[Human Race Bloodline]

[Tier One Luminous Blood: 9/100]

He licked the yolk crumbs from his fingers and glanced at the panel. It had progressed by 3 points, an increase equivalent to half a year’s worth of regular food and drink.

In the North Snow Tribe, he usually drank the milk of a deer-like Demon Beast. It was highly nutritious, and he normally grew quickly, but it was nothing compared to this Demon Race bird egg.

’If Flower had kept it for herself, her cheeks might be chubbier and her strength would have increased a little.’

’I hope I can perform well in the bloodline test in three days.’

Jiang Qiu wiped his thin lips. He carried the remains of the eggshell over to the bowl rack, grabbed a stone rod, and began to pound the shell. TAP, TAP, TAP.

The shells contained a fair bit of nutrition as well. Once they were ground into a fine powder, he could make them into a soup to sate his hunger.

TAP... TAP... TAP...

Time passed. After he finished grinding the shells, Jiang Qiu pushed the small bowl of powder back onto the rack, retrieved a spear from his room, and walked out into the courtyard.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, piling up in the corners of the courtyard. The stone brick walls were also draped in a thick, white blanket. However, the bluestone slabs under his feet were dry, a faint warmth seeping through the soles of his vine shoes.

The flagstones were made of a special material that repelled the bitter cold, which was why the North Snow Tribe had never been buried by the snows.

SWOOSH—

With a flick of his wrist, the tip of Jiang Qiu’s sharpened spear cut through the air with a piercing whistle, slicing through snowflakes as large as goose feathers.

SWISH! THRUST! WHOOSH!

He performed the Ancient Martial Spear Technique with a wooden spear that was over a meter long. The domineering, sharp Spear Stance, wielded by his tiny, less-than-a-meter-tall frame, created a stark contrast. The resilient glint in his eyes could melt ice and snow.

Although Spirit Charm no longer existed in this world, the body-strengthening effects of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique remained. By practicing this way, the rate at which his Luminous Blood improved would surely surpass that of others his age.

’It’s a shame my strength is still too low to unleash the full power of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique. A tyrannical Spear Skill like Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven will only be possible once my Luminous Blood reaches Tier Two.’

’But even so, relying solely on my Ancient Martial Spear Technique, I can already hunt Ice-toothed Rats taller than Flower, while most children my age in the tribe are just learning to thrust a spear from their elders.’

’However, most people in the tribe grow very quickly. I’ve heard that after the bloodline test, the other children will undergo a sort of Ancestral Return, just like the Demon Race. They’ll inherit their ancestors’ will, and their bodies, Talents, and techniques will all rise to a new level.’

’After that, the tribe will begin to formally train its Warriors. The ten with the best Bloodline Talent will follow the main lineage for their Cultivation, while the rest will be assigned to the various Hunting Teams to be trained.’

’As for the girls, unless they show an exceptional desire for combat or an eye-catchingly advanced state of growth before their first year, they miss out on the bloodline test. They just have to stay in the tribe and wait to be married off when they come of age.’

’The bloodline test requires many expensive resources. Sometimes, children in the tribe are already four or five years old before they get to take the test alongside the one-year-olds, all because resources are so scarce.’

’But the tribe places great importance on me, a Chosen One. Even though resources are tight, they’re still preparing to hold the bloodline test as scheduled in three days.’

’There are two hundred spots for the test, which includes the kids who couldn’t be tested in previous years and the top performers from my own age group.’

’As for those who don’t make the cut, maybe in a few years, once enough resources are gathered, they’ll get their chance to transform.’

’What I want is to place in the top ten of the bloodline test. But that won’t be easy. There are dozens of four- and five-year-olds taking the test, and they’ve all trained with the Hunting Teams already. Both the potency of their Luminous Blood and their physical builds are far superior to a one-year-old like me...’

CLOMP. CLOMP. CLOMP.

A series of heavy footsteps interrupted Jiang Qiu’s thoughts. He slowly lowered his spear, the heat from his practice causing sweat to bead on his tender skin.

He turned his head and saw Xiong, a deer leg as thick as Xiong’s waist slung over his right shoulder. In his left hand, he carried a Cold Iron Spear and a bulging Bear Skin Bag.

"Qiu, how are your lessons with the Elder Witch Priest?"

Xiong’s chiseled, square face radiated a bold and open spirit. His powerful, bear-like physique was a perfect match for his name, but his wide grin held no trace of ferocity.

Jiang Qiu took the Bear Skin Bag as Xiong bent down to hand it to him. "They’re going well. Today he told me more stories about the Northern Boundary and the tribe."

"Haha, our tribe might not look like much, but it’s gathered plenty of stories over tens of thousands of years." Xiong’s rough, massive hand landed on Jiang Qiu’s head and ruffled his hair. He couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. "You’re growing so fast! Only a year old and you’re already almost as big as an Ice-toothed Rat."

"I wouldn’t have grown this big if you hadn’t taken me in."

Jiang Qiu was filled with gratitude for the giant of a man before him, whose face he had to crane his neck to see. He was lucky that Xiong had brought him back from the perilous Snow Forest.

’I wonder if other Chosen Ones have been this lucky?’

"It’s a shame you’re not big enough yet to digest the meat of this Snow Patterned Deer. Just drink the milk for now. After your bloodline test in a few days, you’ll start growing fast."

Xiong smiled, tossed the deer leg into the courtyard, and went back inside to get his carving tools. The muscles in his arms flexed and relaxed, looking like breathing, horned dragons.

Jiang Qiu watched, unable to help. He set down his wooden spear, untied the Bear Skin Bag, and peeked inside. A rich, mellow fragrance wafted from the sloshing white deer milk, as enticing as cheese to an ant.

The deer milk today seemed different from usual. Its fragrance was richer, more mellow, and it even exuded a peculiar aura that made his heart race.

BA-DUM. BA-DUM. BA-DUM...

Swallowing hard, Jiang Qiu’s nose twitched. He put his small mouth to the circular opening of the bag, tilted his head back, and chugged. His slight Adam’s apple bobbed and gurgled.

The milk was rich and fragrant, and a warmth spread through him as if from fermenting wine.

His entire body responded to the milk, and his heart began to pound like a drum.

’The energy in this milk is far more potent than what was in the Demon Race bird egg from Flower. This can’t possibly be milk from an ordinary Snow Patterned Deer.’

[Absorbing the essence of the Rare Snow Patterned Deer]

Huh?!

Jiang Qiu suddenly choked. He lowered the Bear Skin Bag, hastily wiped the milk from his lips, and stared wide-eyed at the bag in his hands.

’A Rare Snow Patterned Deer?!’