The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 251: What Are You?

What Are You? . . .

Bing Xin-Yue, a well-informed individual, swiftly grasped Feng Zhi-Ling's concept as if she could decipher a melody from just a few notes. Her voice trembled as she spoke, her face growing pale. "I... I don't know. I could only feel..."

Her body swayed once more, weakness coursing through her. She descended into Cha-Eun Xiao's embrace, her eyes betraying a trace of fear.

As he held her fragile form, a sense of urgency gripped Cha-Eun Xiao. "What did you feel precisely?" he inquired with haste.

Bing Xin-Yue leaned against him, her body nearly limp. They clung to each other, lost in their thoughts, oblivious to their close proximity.

"That strange power, it came from nowhere. The moment you activated it, I felt like... like..." Her eyes mirrored the fear that gripped her, and she struggled to articulate her experience. "It was as though something was added to my mind. It's difficult to explain. I'm not entirely sure. When you stopped, it immediately disappeared..."

Cha-Eun Xiao remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on her. Finally, in a hoarse voice, he replied, "Then I was right... That's it."

His words carried a blend of fear and excitement, as if he stood on the precipice of a monumental discovery.

Bing Xin-Yue gazed at him with a mixture of hope and trepidation. "Is it true?"

Cha-Eun Xiao nodded firmly. "It's connected to your bloodline."

He paused, his tone heavy as he continued, "This is bloodline inheritance."

Bing Xin-Yue let out a mournful sigh and seemed on the verge of losing consciousness. She spoke with sorrow in her voice, "Does that mean... I'm not human?"

Superior cultivators with bloodline inheritance were often descendants of mythical beings or the most powerful spiritual creatures. They could infuse their bloodline inheritance into their offspring, ensuring their descendants had a prosperous cultivation path. Bloodline inheritance typically remained dormant until a life-threatening situation activated it, granting the owner a powerful boost to escape imminent death.

In essence, it provided a lifeline in the face of unforeseen perils.

Saintly mythical beings and formidable spiritual creatures were rare and struggled to reproduce. Some endured solitary existences spanning thousands of years, making bloodline inheritance crucial for their survival.

Cha-Eun Xiao furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "Nothing is absolute. It may not be precisely as you imagine... In reality, humans can also possess bloodline inheritance. However, those who can bestow it must be individuals capable of shaking the entire universe."

He spoke with solemnity, "When I say 'most powerful,' I don't mean within the Qing-Yun Realm. Such individuals exist in higher realms."

Bing Xin-Yue's pallor deepened as she quivered. "If this person is genuinely that powerful and cares so much for their child, how could they abandon their own flesh and blood?"

Cha Eun Xiao let out a heavy sigh, his gaze filled with a mix of compassion and understanding. "In this world, there are countless mysteries, and no one possesses all the answers. The world is a realm of the unexplained, where every phenomenon has a cause... The truth, well, it often eludes us, and we can only speculate."

Bing Xin-Yue stared vacantly for a moment as tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks. A profound sadness enveloped her.

Cha Eun Xiao sighed once more and posed a question, his voice gentle, "Do you have parents?"

Bing Xin-Yue nodded, her tears continuing to flow.

Cha Eun Xiao fell into a contemplative silence, empathy for her situation evident in his eyes. He knew the depth of the emotions she was grappling with.

If her newfound bloodline inheritance was real, it implied that her biological parents were not the ones she had grown up with. The questions loomed large—her origins, her identity, and her future.

"Are they still alive?" Cha Eun Xiao pressed further, hopeful that they might hold the key to unraveling this mystery.

Bing Xin-Yue's voice wavered as she spoke through her tears, "They passed away a long time ago..."

Cha Eun Xiao exhaled deeply and offered words of encouragement, "Then we must embark on a journey to uncover the truth ourselves. It's better to face it head-on than to remain in the dark."

With a fragile voice, Bing Xin-Yue admitted, "But... I'm... I'm so scared."

To unearth the full truth, she would need to activate her bloodline inheritance fully and embrace its legacy. This path would lead her to the secrets concealed within her bloodline. However, she hesitated, her fear palpable.

She was afraid to confront it, to acknowledge the existence of a completely new Bing Xin-Yue. This transformation would demand she embrace an unfamiliar identity, and her past experiences would seem like a distant dream. It was a daunting prospect—one she wasn't ready to face just yet.

Cha Eun Xiao turned his attention to Bing Xin-Yue, his eyes carrying a deep sense of understanding. "Ultimately, the decision lies with you. I will safeguard your secret," he assured her.

Bing Xin-Yue's voice was soft, her words tinged with uncertainty. "I can't make a decision just yet. I need time... to wait." She paused, inhaling deeply before continuing, "Everything happened so suddenly, but I had a sense of it. I can temporarily suppress the inheritance... You can continue absorbing the energy from my ailment without any adverse effects from my bloodline. However, I can only maintain this suppression for approximately three hundred cycles. After that, you must allow me to rest and regain my strength. Forcing it beyond that point would put us both at risk from the inheritance."

Cha Eun Xiao regarded her with a solemn expression, his words measured and earnest. "Your proposal is pragmatic, but I urge you to reconsider. I, too, sensed the power of your bloodline inheritance. It is an extraordinary, unparalleled force. It likely originates from immensely powerful beings... Once you fully embrace this inheritance, you could become one of the most formidable figures in the Qing-Yun Realm. As long as you exercise careful control over this power, you could even achieve invincibility within the realm. This is something people would sacrifice everything for, a dream they can only dare to imagine."

A bitter smile touched Bing Xin-Yue's lips as she responded, "I am aware of that. However, when I contemplate fully embracing this inheritance, it feels like a betrayal to my parents in this lifetime... They endured immense hardships to raise me, only for me to discover that I am not their biological child... Accepting this means I would be returning to my true bloodline. It feels like a cruel act against my parents..."