Legend of the Divine Archer

After catching his breath the Bloodsmith launched the final step. Sitting in a meditative position, his body levitated, dragging the six ore pieces in series to hover around him. He moved his hands gracefully, guiding the celestial ore's energy through the intricate vein patterns inscribed on the armor. This was the most dangerous part of the entire forging process.

The celestial energy, raw and potent, had to be precisely channeled. Any misstep could result in a catastrophic failure, potentially causing an explosion that would destroy the entire workshop and harm everyone inside.

As the energy surged through the armor, the old man's face grew increasingly strained. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his breathing became labored. The immense concentration and control required for this process took a heavy toll on him. His soul energy was stretched to its limits, and the delicate balance needed to guide the celestial energy was maintained by sheer willpower.

The strain on the old man was evident. His hands trembled slightly, and blood began to trickle from his nose, a sign of the enormous pressure he was under. His body quaked, and his usually steady hands faltered for a moment, causing a surge of uncontrolled energy to ripple through the workshop. The walls seemed to pulse with the impending threat of disaster.

Suddenly, the armor began to behave erratically. The celestial energy within it roared to life, as if possessed by a wild spirit. It pulsed with a menacing glow, the metal vibrating violently. The half-formed armor pieces started moving on their own, twisting and bending as if trying to break free from the constraints of the forge.

The entire workshop was filled with a terrifying, almost demonic, aura. The air crackled with danger, and it was clear that the situation was spiraling out of control.

"Negative Rhesus... It's a Negative Rhesus factor, run!" The words reverberated through the workshop, triggering a wave of panic. Workers bolted for the exits, their cries for help mixing with the chaotic stampede. Disorganized and driven by fear, they surged out of the space, colliding with each other in a desperate bid to escape the looming threat.

Tools clattered to the floor, and the heavy thud of booted feet echoed through the workshop, amplifying the sense of impending doom.1

As the last worker disappeared through the doors, the workshop descended into chaos.

Yan Jin sprang into action, rushing toward the armor. He condensed his soul energy into a barrier, imitating the technique he had observed earlier. The barrier encircled the armor, restricting its movements. "What is happening?" he demanded, his voice strained. The corrupted armor, thrashed violently within the confines of Yan Jin's soul barrier.

"The celestial ore has been corrupted by Rhesus Energy. It's trying to possess the armor," the old bloodsmith replied, his voice tense.

"Can you fix it?" Yan Jin asked urgently.

"I would need 30 seconds to set up a purification ritual," the bloodsmith answered, his eyes filled with concern.

"Just run. Even if it is Rhesus Energy, it is still a Bloodborn Level Blood tool," he added.

"You had better focus on that ritual," Yan Jin shot back, pressing forward as blood dripped down his nose. Seeing that Yan Jin had no intention of retreating, the bloodsmith shifted his focus toward the purification ritual.

Yan Jin's mind began the mental countdown. "1, 2, 3…" The armor grew stronger as his soul power weakened. By the tenth second, he could no longer maintain the large barrier. Making a series of hand sigils, he condensed multiple chains to restrain the armor while he dismissed the barrier.

The energy, drunk on its newfound freedom, the energy twisted and spun like a cyclone, whipping up a tornado that sent anvils, hammers, and workbenches careening through the air.

The once orderly workspace was now a battlefield strewn with debris, the air thick with the acrid scent of burning metal and the sound of clanging tools.

Yan Jin focused on strengthening the restraints on the armor. "15, 16…" At the seventeenth count, the chains began to break one after the other. From twenty down to ten, down to five, down to two. Finally, the armor broke free at the twenty-fourth count.

He turned his head toward the bloodsmith as if saying, "You better be on time," before running directly at the armor. With his first step, his right arm brace fell. With the second step, both leg braces sank into the ground. On the third step, he disappeared in a flash and resurfaced above the out-of-control armor.

A small black hammer in his left hand, he let the last brace fall directly on the shaking armor. The impact resonated like a gong, distracting the armor.

A loud cry resonated from within Yan Jin, and a terrifying burst of blood energy instantly cooled the hot air of the workshop. A white flame rose from his chest, coating his body and hammer while he swung the flaming hammer.

The release of a coiled spring, every muscle in his body straining with the effort. The hammer cut through the air with a blazing arc, the white flames trailing behind it like a comet. When it connected with the armor, the sound was deafening—a metallic clang that reverberated through the entire workshop, shaking the walls and sending a shockwave of energy in all directions.

The heat from the flames was intense, searing the air and filling the space with a blinding light that momentarily obscured everything else.

"29… 30," he mumbled as he crashed into the nearest wall, blood trickling from his mouth mingling with the acrid taste of smoke, a desperate surge of energy overwhelmed him. His spine throbbed with pain, each heartbeat amplifying his vulnerability.

The old bloodsmith, his face a mask of concentration and strain, bellowed, "Seal!" A radiant light enveloped the workshop, rising like a luminous pillar to the sky, attempting to contain the malevolent Rhesus energy. The energy within the armor fought back, resisting the containment with an intensity that made the old man's hands shake, sweat dripping from his nose from the exertion.

As the struggle between the seal and the Rhesus energy reached its zenith, Yan Jin felt a burning sensation spreading from his temples. It was as if his very soul was igniting. The warmth traveled down his face, culminating in his eyes. The once hollow white orbs began to shimmer, transforming into a brilliant sky-blue vortex.

The intricate runes around his eyes, dormant for so long, flared to life, each line glowing with ancient power.

In that moment, an eye materialized above Pine City—a colossal, terrifying eye that dwarfed the entire landscape. It hovered like a celestial guardian, or perhaps a wrathful deity, its presence suffocating and awe-inspiring. The eye was a deep, mesmerizing blue, swirling with layers of power and mystery, casting a baleful gaze upon the workshop below.

As the eye opened wider, it unleashed a vortex of energy that spiraled downward, converging on the Rhesus-infused armor. The malicious energy within the armor recoiled, a hiss escaping it like a living creature in pain. The vortex's pull was irresistible, dragging the corrupted energy upward, drawing it out of the armor with relentless force.

The workshop became a maelstrom of raw power. The ground shook, and the very air vibrated with the intensity of the celestial eye's intervention. The Rhesus energy, dark and insidious, was lifted from the armor, sucked into the swirling vortex of the gigantic eye. The energy writhed and twisted, resisting to the last moment, before being consumed entirely by the eye's inexorable pull.

Yan Jin, barely holding on to consciousness, could feel the monumental struggle in the air. The celestial eye's vortex was a beacon of purifying force, eradicating the taint of the Rhesus energy. The oppressive, malevolent aura that had gripped the workshop began to dissipate, replaced by a profound, almost divine calm.

Purged of its corruption, the armor shone with a renewed brilliance, its bloodline energy now pure and potent. It had ascended, transformed into a true Bloodborne blood tool. The aura of its transformation radiated outwards, a beacon that did not go unnoticed by the powerful figures of Pine City.

The patriarchs of the Yan, Fu, and Meng families came flying in succession, as did the City Lord and the Golden Warrior Captain stationed in Pine City.

They surrounded the workshop when Xiao Lan emerged, smiling. "Good day, Lords. This is a Treasure Pavilion official business. Please leave. I will visit your clans personally tomorrow to apologize," she said.

The Golden Warrior Captain stepped forward. "Junior! I think you are conducting evil business. Let me in," he demanded.

"I agree, this matter needs to be clarified," added the Yan patriarch, directing some pressure at Xiao Lan, blasting her against the nearest wall.

Not wanting to be outdone, the captain sprinted toward the armor. Just as he was about to grab it, a hooded figure descended from the sky, screaming, "Dare to steal my stuff! You must be tired of living." Blasting the captain into a blood mist.

At least, that is what Yan Jin heard before passing out from his injuries.