Chapter 33: The Truth of the Continent

The lingering soul of Po’e circled around her repeatedly, as if confirming her identity, its voice filled with astonishment. “Innate Dao body, free of sin and calamity, combined with the protective formation that automatically avoids contact and this sacred artifact—this time, there’s no mistake. You... truly are from the legendary Blue Star clan.”

Qiu Ci remained still, standing in place and allowing the spirit to scrutinize her. She frowned slightly as she watched the spirit’s form growing increasingly translucent. It seemed that the enormous phantom she had just witnessed was the spirit’s final exertion of strength; this remnant soul wouldn’t last much longer.

“Friend... what exactly happened to the Beast Clan?” she asked again.

Po’e’s gaze darkened, his entire soul exuding a heavy aura of death. After a long sigh, he said, “The Beast Clan of old... no longer exists in this world.”

“...” What? The Beast Clan was wiped out?

“My name is Po’e, an ally from Blue Star. For tens of thousands of years, our clan has been waiting for your return. But... you have come too late.” Tears glimmered faintly in his eyes as he recalled a sorrowful memory. After a moment, his voice turned urgent. “However, since you have appeared, you can surely help us find our Young Master. In honor of the alliance, would the Blue Star people aid us?”

“The Young Master? What happened to your clan’s Young Master?”

Po’e’s expression twisted with rage; his fur bristled violently as he said fiercely, “Those traitors stole him away. The Young Master was born with innate deficiencies, making it extremely difficult to break through his shell. Leaving the Sacred City, his chances of survival are slim to none. But now that you’re back, everything can be resolved. The Beast Clan legends say that the Blue Star people possess the power to transcend heaven and earth, to reverse life and death. Surely, you can save our master.”

Qiu Ci fell silent. She truly lacked such power. After a moment of thought, she spoke honestly, “I’m sorry, I’m the only one who returned. The entire Blue Star clan ascended many years ago. I was left behind by accident and am now trying to catch up with my people’s path. By chance, I discovered the alliance between our two clans, which is why I sought this place.”

“What?!” Po’e was stunned. His eyes, which had just brightened, quickly dimmed again. Still, with a glimmer of hope, he asked, “Then... will you help us find the Young Master?”

“Of course!” Qiu Ci nodded firmly. “I will do my best. But I have been asleep too long. Can you explain the alliance in detail? And what exactly happened to the Beast Clan after we left?”

Po’e’s eyes darkened once more. With a long sigh, he began to speak softly, “Alas, it all stems from our clan’s greed.”

He lifted his gaze toward a stone statue ahead and continued.

“Our clan was born with extraordinary talents. Though powerful, we were coveted by others. Tens of thousands of years ago, ferocious beasts allied with outsiders and nearly brought our clan to extinction. At that critical moment, our leader led the last survivors and inadvertently fled into this secluded Linyuan Continent. Only later did we learn that this land was isolated because of your Blue Star clan.”

He pointed upward to the pale blue barrier above. “The Blue Star people used great spiritual power to isolate the entire Linyuan Continent from others. But the Blue Star clan accepted the Beast Clan and signed an alliance, allowing us to live here and offering necessary protection. Those were the most peaceful times for the Beast Clan.”

Qiu Ci nodded, recalling she had read similar contents in the agreement. However, the treaty did not explain why Blue Star protected them. Were the Beast Clan driven to this continent? Clearly, other continents existed in this world, and this one seemed far smaller in comparison.

Thinking carefully, it made sense. Blue Star’s research bases would naturally be located in the most secretive, safest places. Isolating a remote continent for research was reasonable. The Beast Clan likely stumbled in before Blue Star completed the isolation.

A new inhabitant suddenly appeared on their base, and peaceful alliance was naturally preferable to conflict for Blue Star’s approach.

Wait!

If the Beast Clan entered by accident, then what about those people on Linyuan Continent whose bloodlines have awakened? They seem more like native inhabitants. Why didn’t Blue Star ally with them? There are no legends of Blue Star here, and even the language has turned into arcane script. Perhaps this history has been lost on the mainland.

Qiu Ci was puzzled, but Po’e soon gave her the answer.

“Later, the Blue Star clan prepared to withdraw from this continent,” Po’e continued. “Our clan begged Blue Star to grant us the ability to protect ourselves. But Blue Star’s cultivation methods weren’t suitable for the Beast Clan, unless one could achieve a Dao body.”

“A Dao body?” Qiu Ci was taken aback. “Like a human form?”

“Yes! Only humans are born with Dao bodies. Though we Beast Clan members can transform into human form, it requires profound cultivation and immense spiritual power. At that time, only the clan leader could accomplish this.” The Beast Clan differed from humans; their strength relied on their robust physique and natural talent, not cultivation.

This created a catch-22: only those with Dao bodies could cultivate to become stronger, but the Beast Clan could only form Dao bodies if already strong.

“But Blue Star granted us one final request.”

“What?” Qiu Ci was startled.

Po’e’s eyes darkened further as he explained, “Blue Star could not directly give us Dao bodies, but provided another method—they created a natural ally for us. You left behind a gestation pool. Beast Clan members need only drip their blood into the pool to nurture a new life bearing the same bloodline, born with a Dao body.”

“Biotechnology,” the term flashed instantly through Qiu Ci’s mind.

“Reproduction is extremely difficult for the Beast Clan, especially for unique individuals like myself, Po’e. There can only be one Po’e in all the world. To gestate a new Po’e requires exhausting all my strength.” Po’e explained softly, “The method Blue Star gave us creates new life with bloodline resonance. Over time, we regarded these beings as extensions of the Beast Clan’s bloodline and treated them as our offspring, calling them the New Beast Clan. They aren’t born with thousands of years of life like the Beast Clan but can improve through cultivation.”

“This... doesn’t really count as the Beast Clan anymore, does it?” Qiu Ci mused. This was clearly a new race, a product of technology.

“Yes, but at the time, the Beast Clan desperately wanted their own bloodline,” Po’e sighed. “Initially, the clan exercised some restraint, but after Blue Star left, they let loose. More and more New Beast Clan members were born. They were gifted beings, and though cultivation was arduous, they held infinite potential, with some surpassing the original Beast Clan’s power.”

“However, for unknown reasons, the gestation pool gradually lost its efficacy. No new New Beast Clan members were born, and the descendants of the original New Beast Clan began to exhibit Beast Clan traits. They were no longer perfect Dao bodies, and some even lacked cultivatable spiritual roots. This sparked conflict between the two clans.”

“...” It made sense that a technological gestation pool would degrade over time. The imperfect descendants must be genetic regressions, showing Beast Clan traits again.

Wait!

Beast Clan traits!

In a flash, Qiu Ci suddenly understood.

Could it be that the natives with awakened bloodlines she had encountered were the descendants of the New Beast Clan? Was everyone on this continent actually a creation of Blue Star’s technology?

(๑°⌓°๑)