Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1368 Essence of Progenitor Bloodline

"However," Lady Virelia remarked while easing her pace a touch, her face shifting to a thoughtful look. "I detect none of those four bloodline varieties coming from you. Your bloodline appears to function completely beyond this framework. It comes across as a fifth variety, entirely one-of-a-kind, but right now that's merely my guess."

Max gave a soft nod. He recalled sharply how the bloodline had remained locked in a box for endless years inside the Black Lotus Guild in Acaris, regarded as a puzzling artifact more than a force of might, right up until a thief's grab led destiny to drop it straight into his grasp. Looking back at that moment, an odd shiver crept over him unbidden.

"Who would have thought a bloodline hidden in a box for so long could hold such deep mystery," Max mused to himself, his eyes hardening with determination.

Soon enough, they reached the Black Dragon Palace proper, landing close to an old edifice built from shadowy rock embedded with softly shimmering runes. The building exuded antiquity, command, and a heavy legacy that subtly weighed on Max's awareness.

Stepping down to the earth, he spotted various youths—both male and female—navigating the nearby paths, each radiating intense presences that set his reflexes on edge. In a quick scan, Max realized taking down even one would prove challenging, and a few stirred a subtle threat in him, the kind reserved for genuinely tough foes.

They entered the structure shortly, which looked more like a majestic oversight chamber than a home. Inside, things stayed plain but imposing, featuring ebony stone underfoot, dim illumination, and a vibe that promoted concentration over luxury.

"Take a seat," Lady Virelia instructed, pointing to a cushion set in the room's middle.

Max obeyed and settled onto the cushion, as Lady Virelia took her place across from him with poised grace.

"To start," Lady Virelia stated with a soft grin, "you count as an official member of the Black Dragon Palace now. Even more so, you've turned into my personal disciple."

With those words, she flicked a tiny emblem his way. Max snatched it on reflex and studied it intently. One face bore the phrase Thirty Third Hall in flowing dragon-like letters, and the reverse showed his name, Max Morgan, carved sharp and clear.

"That makes you a member of the Thirty Third Hall in the Black Dragon Palace," Lady Virelia clarified. "We have thirty-six halls altogether, and I'm one of the two overseers for the Thirty Third Hall."

"Understood," Max replied, dipping his head while taking it all in.

"Prior to heading off to check in at the hall," Lady Virelia went on, her voice steady and resolute, "there's one additional item you need to get."

She drew out a little vial containing lazily twisting dark fires and passed it over to Max.

"What's this?" Max inquired upon taking it, sensing a mild heat filter into his hand.

"It's the core of a founder-grade Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline," Lady Virelia answered. "Refine this core and blend it into your bloodline."

Her gaze held firm as she continued, "Since I can pick up on the oddity in your bloodline, so can other elder-rank powerhouses. Trust me, you don't want to draw attention as the bearer of a totally singular bloodline without the power to defend it. This core will cover up that distinctiveness and bolster your base at the same time."

Max gripped the vial tight, grasping the seriousness in her advice. Within the Divine Realm, raw talent absent real might wasn't a gift—it was a vulnerability ripe for plucking.

"Go ahead and refine the core now," Lady Virelia directed evenly. "I'll assist in steadying the effects."

Max agreed right away with a nod. He popped the stopper, letting the dark fire core float out gradually, lingering between his hands like something alive. The fire packed density and depth, bearing an old dragon spirit that thickened the air nearby.

Before starting the process, Max already sensed his bloodline surging wildly, detecting equal parts threat and potential in it.

He drew his palms nearer and directed the dark fire inside, letting it seep into his form via his hands. The instant it hit his veins, a fierce upheaval exploded inside.

His blood seemed to blaze up, not from fire's burn, but from a smothering force that raced along every vessel. Dark fires erupted from his skin pores wildly, wrapping his frame like untamed snakes while his innate bloodline battled hard against the invading founder core.

Max gritted his teeth and concentrated, pushing the core through his system by force. He avoided quelling the turmoil. Rather, he let his bloodline consume and purify the core on its own, bit by bit.

With every loop, the fire gained might, turning cleaner and weightier, but also steadier. Yet the founder core proved overwhelmingly strong, and the conflict made his pulse falter as his presence started to waver perilously.

Just then, Lady Virelia acted. She lifted her hand and lightly pushed her palm his way, unleashing a flow of pure black dragon force that wrapped him fully. Her strength avoided meddling with his bloodline outright. Rather, it served as a balancing zone, calming the savage swings and stopping the core from overpowering his frame.

Thanks to her control, the furious dark fires slowly shed their wildness, deepening in hue and packing much tighter.

Max noticed the strain lighten a bit, even as the ordeal stayed grueling. His bloodline started to shift in small ways, its heart turning weightier and richer, like an timeless base had received solid support.

The founder core didn't overwrite his current one. Instead, it merged smoothly, creating a stacked setup that hid the strange side of his starting bloodline while boosting it overall.

Time slipped by unnoticed for Max. Once the final trace of dark fire core got fully taken in, the fierce uproar at last died down. The fires encircling his body pulled back and vanished, leaving just a subtle dragon presence that now seemed much more restrained. Max let out a long breath, his respiration leveling as he lifted his eyelids.

Lady Virelia dropped her hand and gave a subtle nod of satisfaction. "It's finished," she announced. "Your bloodline has taken in the founder core, and its external traits are now well hidden. Plus, your base has become more solid."

Max rose to his feet gradually, sensing the shift at once. His blood flowed denser, more serene, and utterly compliant, as though it now held an age-old order. He bent in a profound bow to Lady Virelia, knowing full well her aid had kept the merging from going haywire.

"Thank you, Master," Max expressed with true gratitude.

Lady Virelia offered a light smile. "Hmm. When you present yourself at the 33rd Hall, I have several tasks for you to handle."