Chapter Forty-Six: Dragonblood Warrior

Upon seeing the black dragon of the Sanctuary, Orcus, Hogg could not help but be overtaken by a sudden flash of inspiration and asked with surprise, "Lord Qiankun, is it your intention for me to drink fresh dragon blood to awaken the dormant Dragonblood Warrior lineage within me?"

"What? You want to drink my blood?" Orcus was so furious his nostrils nearly flared out of shape. "You puny human, have you grown tired of living?"

Hogg was momentarily stunned by these words, genuinely startled, especially as Orcus intentionally released a wave of draconic might that left him weak in the knees.

With a crisp smack, Qiankun impatiently slapped Orcus on the head. "It's just a bit of your blood—it's not going to kill you!"

"Master..." Orcus's aura instantly deflated, and he couldn't help but look at Qiankun with grievance. "You're not really going to let him drink my blood, are you?"

"Orcus, you're only contributing a little blood, but in doing so, you'll help forge a powerful Dragonblood Warrior!" Qiankun declared, then turned to Hogg. "Hogg, go fetch some sort of basin or bucket to collect the dragon blood."

Just as Hogg, overwhelmed with excitement, was about to comply, Hillman had already dashed into the living room and swiftly returned, carrying a large iron basin.

"Lord Qiankun, will this do?" Hillman asked carefully, holding out the iron basin.

Qiankun nodded, signaling for him to set it down, and then turned to the black dragon of the Sanctuary. "Orcus, what are you waiting for?"

Filled with resentment and frustration, Orcus, faced with his master's command, could only set aside his draconic pride. He stepped forward and tore open a patch of scales on his chest with a claw. Quickly, several drops of dragon blood, each the size of a human head, dripped down. With just three drops, the basin was already more than half full.

"That's enough!" Qiankun waved Orcus away, then turned to Hogg. "Hogg, hurry and drink the dragon blood! Drink as much as you can—the more you drink, the easier it will be to awaken the Dragonblood Warrior lineage within you."

Hogg, excited, was about to lift the basin and drink, but as he approached it, he hesitated, frowning as he looked up at Qiankun. "Lord Qiankun, dragon blood is exceedingly potent. If I drink it, won't it be like burning fire within me? Wouldn't my blood vessels rupture and I die, burned alive?"

"The blood of a Sanctuary dragon is right before you, and now you don't dare drink?" Qiankun shook his head with a wry smile. "Don't worry! Since I've told you to drink the dragon blood, naturally, I have a way to neutralize its potency. It won't kill you."

As he spoke, Qiankun produced a handful of blue-heart grass, ten stalks in all, and handed them to Hogg. "This is blue-heart grass; it can counteract the potency of dragon blood. After you drink the dragon blood, immediately consume the blue-heart grass, and it will nullify the harm."

"Blue-heart grass? It can neutralize the harm of dragon blood?" Hogg accepted the stalks, dazed, but soon comprehension dawned. "So that's it! Drinking fresh dragon blood can indeed awaken the Dragonblood Warrior lineage—previously, the attempts failed because this blue-heart grass was missing!"

Understanding at last, Hogg put aside his hesitation, lifted the basin, and gritted his teeth as he poured the dragon blood down his throat.

However, there was simply too much dragon blood. Hogg had only drunk half before an intense burning sensation seized his organs, contorting his face with agony.

"Lord Hogg!" Hillman, watching anxiously, was beside himself with worry.

"Enough, Hogg, stop drinking. That’s plenty—quickly take the blue-heart grass," Qiankun ordered sharply, his brow slightly furrowed.

At once, Hogg set down the basin and grabbed the blue-heart grass, chewing and swallowing it.

Having eaten the blue-heart grass, Hogg felt the pain in his abdomen lessen significantly, but soon his brow furrowed again. The Dragonblood Warrior lineage within him was being awakened, and black dragon scales began to grow over his skin—a pain no less severe than that of drinking the dragon blood.

Unable to suppress the agony, Hogg let out a muffled cry, half-kneeling on the ground, fists clenched, pounding the floor in torment. His twisted, anguished expression made Hillman both alarmed and anxious, seeking help from Qiankun. "Lord Qiankun..."

"Don't worry! This is normal. It's the natural reaction to awakening the Dragonblood Warrior lineage. Once he completes the transformation, he'll be fine," Qiankun said calmly, his gaze fixed intently on Hogg's transformation. As black scales covered Hogg's body, two protrusions appeared on his back, eventually forming into a pair of black, scale-covered wings, just like those of a black dragon.

As the transformation completed, Hogg finally relaxed, collapsing to the floor and gasping for breath.

"He didn't faint from the pain—a testament to how the obsession with avenging his wife has made his will so resilient," Qiankun mused inwardly.

Soon, Hogg recovered, and looking at his transformed form, his eyes grew red and moist with emotion. "A Dragonblood Warrior... I, Hogg, have truly become a Dragonblood Warrior. The glory of the Dragonblood Warrior clan will shine again. Ancestors of our Dragonblood Warrior clan, did you see this?"

After a long while, Hogg gradually regained his composure. Unable to restrain himself, he restored his human form and, disregarding his tattered, beggar-like clothes, knelt respectfully before Qiankun. "Lord Qiankun, the kindness you have shown me and my Dragonblood Warrior clan shall never be forgotten."

"Oh, that's enough, get up! There's no need for such formality," Qiankun said with a laugh, stepping forward to help him up.

After standing, Hogg could not contain his excitement. "Lord Qiankun, I truly have no way to repay your help to the Dragonblood Warrior clan! Hillman, quickly, prepare a grand luncheon—I must entertain Lord Qiankun!"

"Ah, the feeling of helping others is indeed wonderful!" Qiankun thought, smiling at Hogg, his mood truly uplifted.

At noon, Hogg, in rare form, spared no expense, preparing a feast and treating Qiankun with utmost hospitality. Overcome with excitement, Hogg drank much wine, so much that by the time he awoke the next day, he learned from Hillman that Qiankun had left during the night.

Upon hearing this, Hogg felt a pang of regret—first, because Qiankun had left so quickly that he hadn't been able to express his gratitude properly, and second, because he hadn't had the chance to have his eldest son, Linley, drink fresh dragon blood and awaken his own Dragonblood Warrior lineage.

Still, Hogg understood he should not be too greedy. Qiankun making him a Dragonblood Warrior was already a tremendous favor. In the future, when he was a mighty Sanctuary-level Dragonblood Warrior, capturing a Sanctuary dragon to draw blood so Linley could become a Dragonblood Warrior himself would not be difficult. His son was now a mage; one day he could become both a mage and a warrior. The thought filled Hogg with joy.

His happiness was not only for the return of the Dragonblood Warrior clan’s glory, but also because with this newfound strength, he could finally seek out his wife's whereabouts and avenge her.

In the rustic bedroom, after Hillman left, Hogg sat on the bed, his hands clenched, his gaze fierce and unwavering. "Lina, very soon... very soon, I will come to find you. After all these years, I know you are likely gone. But even if you are dead, I swear I will avenge you. Otherwise, I will never rest in peace."

"Lina, both our sons are outstanding. Linley possesses remarkable magical talent and will become a great mage. Our younger son, Wharton, has a Dragonblood Warrior lineage strong enough to become a Dragonblood Warrior. In the future, they will restore the glory of our Dragonblood Warrior clan. I will wait, wait until they grow even stronger, until I myself am more powerful... Lina, where are you? What truly happened to you? Are you really gone? No, I do not believe it..." Hogg's face twisted with pain as he murmured to himself, his crimson eyes filled with anguish.