âMaster!â Ku Wei shouted as he transformed back to his human form and raced towards Lu Yin.
Lu Yin nodded in reply and diverted his attention over to the ten-thousand-meter tall giant, Chen Huang, who was also staring straight at Lu Yin with eyes that betrayed the giantâs curiosity and shock. âYou- you also possess the aura of our bloodline! Can you also become a colossal giant?â
Lu Yin had already heard the details from Ku Wei during the trip, and had actually managed to figure everything out. Lu Yin had absorbed Progenitor Chenâs blood while in the mausoleum, and Ku Wei had most likely been lucky enough to absorb some of the blood as well. What differentiated the two was the fact that the Progenitorâs blood had actually been assimilated by Lu Yinâs bloodline, just the same as the White Dragonâs blood that he had absorbed. In contrast, Ku Weiâs blood had been assimilated by the Progenitorâs blood.
âI canât transform,â Lu Yin replied.
Chen Huang was confused. âWhy?â
Lu Yin considered his answer. âMaybe I wasnât exposed to enough of it.â
âMaster, it was the blood pool! You fell into it too?â Ku Wei asked, as he had not been aware of Lu Yinâs experience there.
Lu Yin silently nodded while looking at Chen Huang. âYour surname is Chen; is that true of all of the colossal giants?â
âThatâs right,â Chen Huang replied.
Lu Yin instantly understood. âSo thatâs why Xia Shang was also known as Progenitor Chen.â
Progenitor Chen had been hunted by the Daosource Sect and various other superpowers during his time because one of his clones had assumed the form of a colossal giant. He had eventually become a Progenitor, but had been best known for his clone that had been a colossal giant. All colossal giants had the Chen surname, which had been how Progenitor Chenâs fame had spread wide and far.
Qing Kong said, âAlliance Leader Lu, we invited you here as a show of our sincerity. I simply want you to know that, no matter if itâs now or in the future, you will always be seen as a friend. We hope you will view us the same.â
Lu Yin nodded and smiled. âMr. Qing, youâre being overly concerned; if I was disturbed by giants, I would never have kept Ku Wei by my side.â
Ku Weiâs face twisted as though he felt offended. He had believed that he had been sent to Giant Consortium because Lu Yin had already discovered his ability to transform into a giant, and Ku Wei had only learned the truth two days earlier when Lu Yinâs expression had revealed the truth of the matter when he had finally seen Ku Weiâs giant form.
Ku Wei was upset; very upset! His mistaken assumption had caused him to reveal his greatest trump card!
âAlliance Leader Lu, I have one further request,â Chen Huang stated as he stared down at Lu Yin and Ku Wei with massive eyes.
âPlease tell me.â
Chen Huang spoke solemnly, âOur colossal giant bloodline actually went extinct with Progenitor Chen during the ancient war with the Sixth Mainland. Colossal giants such as those of us still alive fall far behind our most powerful ancestors. At best, we can be considered distant kin, but our bloodlines are actually far removed from them. Only by receiving Progenitor Chenâs bloodline can we become true colossal giants, and then we would become a force to be reckoned with.
âI am currently about ten thousand meters tall, which is our upper limit; we canât exceed that. This is why we wish to borrow the power of his bloodline.â
Lu Yin grew curious. âBorrow? How?â
âGive us his blood. The more the better,â Chen Huang stated.
Ku Weiâs face turned a ghostly white. âThatâs impossible! Look at my puny body; I canât provide  much blood at all!â
Chen Huang quickly clarified himself, âNot much! Just a tenth of your blood should be enough. We just need to enhance and overcome the limits of our current bloodline in order to draw closer to the bloodline of the ancient colossal giants. We can accomplish the rest on our own afterwards.â
âNo, no! Thatâs a big no-no. A tenth? Iâll shrivel up!â Ku Wei refused immediately.
Lu Yinâs gaze turned sharp as he stared at Ku Wei.
Ku Wei saw Lu Yinâs expression, and his heart plummeted as he grew nervous. âMaster, do you know how many giants they have here? There are thousands! If all of them take a tenth of my blood, Iâll be sucked dry!â
Lu Yin laughed. âWell, you can always recover your blood.â
Ku Wei grew even more hysterical after hearing Lu Yinâs laugh. Ku Wei knew Lu Yin well; this person was absolutely up to something if he gave off such a laugh. ââMaster, what have they done to deserve our help? Weâre not a charity, and I really canât provide so much blood!â
Lu Yin looked up at Chen Huang. âHear that? Even though weâre cooperating with Giant Consortium, itâs still just a business arrangement, which means we have no reason to provide such help. Not to mention that providing blood is a surefire way to race towards death.â
âA guaranteed road to death!â Ku Wei echoed.
Chen Huang stayed silent, as he was not adept at negotiations. Instead, Qing Kong jumped in, âIs there anything that Alliance Leader Lu requires?â
Lu Yinâs lips curled into a smile. âHow many colossal giants are there here?â
âOne thousand, one hundred, and fifty-two,â Qing Kong answered.
Lu Yin contemplated for a moment. âTwo hundred. I want two hundred colossal giants under my command, and if this condition is met, Iâll allow Ku Wei to give you his blood.â
Ku Wei instantly cried, âMaster, I refuse!â
Lu Yin pressed a hand onto Ku Weiâs shoulder. âShut up.â
Ku Wei no longer dared make any sound and he simply stared at Lu Yin with pleading eyes. If he had known this would happen, he would never have invited Lu Yin to meet the giants. These giants were despicable!
Qing Kong looked up at Chen Huang.
Chen Huang similarly fell into thought for a bit before finally nodding. âItâs time for the colossal giants to go see the universe once again. In the past, the colossal giants marched on the Sixth Mainland and slaughtered countless cultivators from there. That day is rapidly approaching once again.â
âAlliance Leader Lu, Brother Ku Weiâs blood could be released a third at a time; how about allowing him to stay in Giant Consortium? It would make it easier for us to take care of him,â Qing Kong suggested.
All color left Ku Weiâs face as he looked at Lu Yin in a begging manner.
Lu Yin laughed. âMr. Qing, could I trouble you to set us up in a quiet place? I feel we should talk for a bit.â
Qing Kong nodded. âPlease follow me, Alliance Leader Lu.â
Lu Yin looked back at Chen Huang one last time before following behind Qing Kong.
Chen Huang was filled with hope; it would not be long before the colossal giantsâ bloodline would be restored. They had long wanted to go out and fight across the universe, after all, the colossal giants were not meant to hide and cower.
Qing Kong arranged accommodations for Lu Yin and Ku Wei that were truly secluded, though they did have a nice view.
After arriving, Ku Wei instantly dropped to the floor. âMaster, please donât make me give them my blood! I donât wanna stay here! I donât wanna become their pet!â
Lu Yin spoke flatly, âGive me some of your blood; the more the better.â
Ku Wei wailed once again, but this time his theatrics irritated Lu Yin. âEnough of that! I have means to get an even purer source of Progenitor Chenâs blood. All you need to do is give me your blood. Iâm telling you now; the more blood you give me, the higher my chances of refining that purer blood, and youâll stay here you donât give me enough blood to do so.â
Ku Wei twitched in shock and he quickly offered his blood to Lu Yin. At this moment, all Ku Wei could do was trust his master.
Lu Yin had no intention of leaving Ku Wei with the giants, of course. Ku Wei was still Lu Yinâs disciple, and Lu Yin was not so cruel. He had merely wanted to Enhance Ku Weiâs blood, and with his dieâs three pips, Lu Yin believed he would be able to improve the blood from Progenitor Chen back to the same level it had been in the past.
Ku Wei truly put forth his full efforts and released half of the blood in his body. He looked like a terminally ill patient and was not even able to walk.
Blood floated in the air, though Lu Yin was unable to sense any hint of Progenitor Chenâs blood, as Lu Yinâs own bloodline was able to absorb Progenitor Chenâs.
After receiving the blood, Lu Yin went into seclusion, telling Ku Wei that he would only exit after ten days.
Ku Wei was only able to wait and pray that Lu Yin would not be cruel enough to abandon him to offer blood to the giants.
Elsewhere, Qing Kong returned to speak with Chen Huang.
âDid they agree?â Chen Huang asked.
Qing Kong replied, âRest assured, Lu Yin is not only intelligent, but also scheming. He would never easily let go of the colossal giants.â
âThe colossal giants have only fought for themselves and the Fifth Mainland in the past. Itâs unbelievable for them to serve another person now. This would break our ancestorsâ hearts,â Chen Huang lamented.
Qing Kong shook his head. âTimes have changed. Itâs practically impossible for someone like Progenitor Chen to rise from humans. Lu Yin is the most talented human Iâve ever seen; youâll be able to find a place in the Fifth Mainland by serving him.â
âI only hope I can one day become a true colossal giant and be able to grow without limit. The day I finally am able to match Progenitor Chen and can destroy stars with a mere wave of my handâŚâ
Lu Yin waited for eight days before his die finally recovered. He waved a hand and brought out his die.
His die had been used quite frequently recently.
Four pips; his luck was really pretty good. The scenery changed before his eyes and he entered the Timestop Space.
He would definitely be able to roll three pips after entering this place.
Once, twice, thrice, four times. Finally, on his seventh attempt, Lu Yin rolled three pips. Two light screens appeared, one above the other. Lu Yin took a deep breath and started to Enhance the blood.
He ended up using an insane amount of star essence.
Progenitor Chen had been a Progenitor realm powerhouse, and nothing was easy when it came to experts at that level. Enhancing the seemingly ordinary blood consumed required much more energy than any sort of normal item.
Just the first upgrade alone cost Lu Yin three million star essence, and it increased exponentially after that.
. With each upgrade, tangible changes could be seen with the naked eye. The blood exuded an indescribable, overwhelming power. After the sixth upgrade, the blood has taken on a much darker color, and the space around it became distorted. After the seventh, eighth, and ninth Enhancements, it no longer looked like blood, but looked like something that was alive and aware.
It possessed an oppressive pressure and Lu Yin had the strange feeling that his Timestop Space was unable to contain the blood. Suddenly, a fist shot straight at Lu Yin. He quickly retreated, startled, and the fist disappeared. Had it been an illusion? No, that was the fighting spirit that was inherit to Progenitor Chenâs blood. This was something that could not be removed.
Lu Yin stopped Enhancing the blood, despite being confident that he could obtain a pure strain of Progenitor Chenâs blood if he continued. The problem was that Lu Yin had no idea what would happen at that time, or if he would be able to handle it.
Nine upgrades had cost Lu Yin about 1 billion, 20 million star essence. This was actually another reason that he had stopped Enhancing the blood: the cost. He might not possess the wealth needed for such an upgrade.
He was already feeling a huge pinch from the loss of a billion star essence, and this loss would need to be recuperated from Giant Consortium.
Lu Yin shook his head as he looked at Progenitor Chenâs blood that was before him. It was of no use to him, which was a pity, but it was absolutely extremely useful to Ku Wei.
Lu Yin left the Timestop Space when his time expired, and he saw that Ku Wei had already recovered a good deal. Some bit of color had returned to his face, and hope filled his eyes as he stared at Lu Yin.
Lu Yin laughed at the sight. âI took your blood, but Iâm returning some blood to you now. You must use the rest of your life to repay me; do you understand?â
He then threw a bottle of Progenitor Chenâs blood over to Ku Wei, much to the young manâs confusion.
The large amount of blood that Ku Wei had given Lu Yin had only resulted in three bottles of Progenitor Chenâs Enhanced blood, one of which was for Ku Wei.
Ku Wei took the bottle and stared at it blankly. He could not believe that he actually felt an urge to absorb the blood contained within. âMaster, whatâs this?â
âProgenitor Chenâs blood. Try absorbing it,â Lu Yin ordered.