Lizarius' golden eyes remained fixed upon Lían.
For several moments—
he said nothing.
Then—
another thought surfaced.
*...I should test it myself.*
His consciousness quietly descended.
The world around him faded.
---
The endless space of his subconscious appeared.
Everything was completely white.
There was no horizon.
No sky.
No ground.
Only endless emptiness stretching in every direction.
Before Lizarius—
a simulated demon beast stood motionless.
Its body was covered in wounds.
Blood slowly flowed from several injuries.
Lizarius' golden eyes narrowed.
*Begin simulation.*
The surrounding space distorted.
His consciousness focused entirely on the blood flowing through the simulated creature's body.
At first—
nothing happened.
Then—
he sensed it.
Tiny traces of water.
Hidden deep within the blood.
Lizarius' eyes narrowed slightly.
*There.*
He carefully extended his spiritual perception.
The water within the blood responded.
It moved.
The blood itself shifted along with it.
Lizarius remained completely calm.
*So it is possible.*
He continued experimenting.
The water inside the creature's blood gradually gathered.
Its circulation began to change.
The simulated beast's body suddenly trembled.
Lizarius observed the result carefully.
*Controlling the water within blood is essentially controlling the blood itself.*
He paused.
*With sufficient control...*
*One could simply stop its circulation.*
The simulation continued.
The beast's body convulsed violently.
Then—
its movements stopped.
Lizarius' golden eyes remained emotionless.
*It can kill extremely easily.*
Another thought followed.
*However...*
The simulated blood slowly became more difficult to control as the distance increased.
*There is a distance limitation.*
He continued testing.
Different distances.
Different cultivation levels.
Different amounts of water.
Different levels of control.
He carefully observed every change.
Time passed rapidly within the subconscious.
Eventually—
the simulation faded.
---
Lizarius' consciousness returned to reality.
Not even a second had passed.
His golden eyes remained unchanged.
Nearby—
Lían continued absorbing the demon beast's remaining life force.
Lizarius silently turned toward another corpse.
His jaws opened.
**WHOOSH!**
The beast's soul emerged.
Lizarius swallowed it without hesitation.
Yet—
his thoughts had already shifted toward another matter.
*The condition that caused Lían's Water Elemental Physique to awaken...*
His gaze remained calm.
*Was his repeated absorption of materials containing pure Water Essence.*
He considered the possibility.
*If that was the condition required to awaken his physique...*
*Then perhaps absorbing materials containing the pure essence of other elements could allow him to awaken additional physiques.*
Lizarius paused.
Then—
he questioned the system.
*"If that is the case..."*
*"Could Lían awaken another Spiritual Physique by absorbing another elemental essence?"*
The mechanical voice immediately responded.
**[Incorrect.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes narrowed slightly.
The system continued.
**[A cultivator can normally possess only one Spiritual Physique.]**
**[If another Spiritual Physique is acquired, the interaction depends upon the compatibility between the two physiques.]**
Lizarius listened silently.
**[If the newly acquired Spiritual Physique is weaker than the existing one, it will be suppressed.]**
**[If the two Spiritual Physiques possess opposing attributes, they will clash.]**
**[The weaker physique will be destroyed during the conflict.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
Then—
the system continued.
**[However, if two Spiritual Physiques possess complementary attributes, they may fuse.]**
**[The resulting fusion will form an entirely new Spiritual Physique.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes flickered.
*So that's how Spiritual Physiques work.*
His gaze shifted toward Lían.
*Even if he absorbs the essence of another element...*
*He won't simply obtain a second physique.*
He paused.
*If the element opposes Water...*
*The two physiques may clash.*
Another thought surfaced.
*But if the element complements Water...*
His golden eyes narrowed.
*They could potentially fuse.*
He looked toward Lían again.
*Then the real question isn't whether he can awaken another physique.*
*It's which elements can complement the Water Elemental Physique.*
Lizarius remained silent.
*Wood...*
He considered the attribute carefully.
*Wood is nourished by Water.*
*Water gives life to Wood.*
His eyes flickered slightly.
*That should make them compatible.*
*If Lían were to absorb pure Wood Essence...*
*Perhaps his Water Elemental Physique wouldn't reject it.*
*Instead...*
*The two might fuse.*
Lizarius quietly observed Lían.
*Interesting.*
His thoughts continued.
*...And the same may apply to other elements that do not oppose Water.*
*If Wood can complement Water...*
*Then there may be other elemental attributes capable of doing the same.*
He silently considered the possibilities.
*The relationship between different elements may be more complicated than simple compatibility.*
Lizarius moved toward another corpse.
His jaws opened.
**WHOOSH!**
The demon beast's soul emerged from its body.
It was pulled directly into his mouth.
Lizarius calmly swallowed it.
Then—
another thought surfaced.
*What about Bloodlines?*
He paused.
*If a cultivator possesses a Bloodline and a Spiritual Physique...*
*Can they interact in the same way?*
Lizarius immediately questioned the system.
*"What happens when a cultivator possesses both a Bloodline and a Spiritual Physique?"*
The mechanical voice responded.
**[Bloodlines and Spiritual Physiques are fundamentally different.]**
Lizarius listened silently.
**[A Spiritual Physique is an innate or acquired alteration to a cultivator's physical constitution and elemental affinity.]**
**[A Bloodline originates from the inherited essence of a specific race, creature, or higher lifeform.]**
**[Therefore, a Bloodline and Spiritual Physique cannot directly fuse with one another.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes narrowed slightly.
The system continued.
**[However, they can influence one another.]**
**[If their attributes are compatible, their effects may complement each other.]**
**[The Bloodline and Spiritual Physique will remain independent while allowing the cultivator to utilize the advantages of both simultaneously.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
*So they don't fuse.*
*They remain separate.*
He considered the distinction.
*But if they complement one another...*
*They can still be used together without causing conflict.*
The system continued.
**[Correct.]**
**[Compatible Bloodlines and Spiritual Physiques can coexist and enhance the cultivator's overall potential.]**
Lizarius' gaze shifted toward Lían.
*Interesting.*
He then asked another question.
*"What if their attributes oppose one another?"*
The system answered immediately.
**[Opposing attributes may create internal conflict.]**
**[The severity depends upon the degree of incompatibility and the strength of each attribute.]**
**[In extreme cases, the conflict may interfere with cultivation, suppress abilities, damage the cultivator's body, or cause the weaker attribute to deteriorate.]**
Lizarius remained motionless.
*So it's similar to two opposing Spiritual Physiques...*
*But not identical.*
He slowly processed the information.
*If they complement each other...*
*They can coexist.*
*If they oppose each other...*
*They may clash.*
His golden eyes narrowed.
*However, unlike two Spiritual Physiques...*
*The Bloodline and Spiritual Physique cannot simply fuse into a new physique.*
A faint understanding formed within his mind.
*They remain independent.*
*Yet their effects can overlap.*
The endless forest remained silent.
Lizarius' golden eyes narrowed slightly.
Another question surfaced within his mind.
*"What happens if a cultivator possesses two or more Bloodlines?"*
The mechanical voice responded immediately.
**[A cultivator cannot normally possess multiple complete Bloodlines simultaneously.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
The system continued.
**[A cultivator's body possesses a limit to the amount of Bloodline Essence it can accommodate.]**
**[If another Bloodline is introduced after that limit has been reached, the existing Bloodline and the newly introduced Bloodline will come into conflict.]**
Lizarius' eyes flickered.
*"They clash?"*
**[Correct.]**
**[However, Bloodlines do not behave in the same manner as Spiritual Physiques.]**
Lizarius listened carefully.
**[When two Bloodlines are sufficiently compatible, they may attempt to merge.]**
**[When their origins or attributes are fundamentally incompatible, they may attempt to devour one another.]**
Lizarius paused.
*Devour.*
The system continued.
**[The stronger Bloodline will gradually suppress and consume the weaker Bloodline.]**
**[If the difference in strength is sufficiently large, the process may occur naturally.]**
**[If the Bloodlines possess similar strength, the conflict may become prolonged.]**
**[During that period, the cultivator may experience instability, pain, loss of control, or damage to their physical body.]**
Lizarius' gaze became thoughtful.
*"So there are three possible outcomes."*
**[Incorrect.]**
Lizarius blinked slightly.
The system continued.
**[There are two primary outcomes.]**
**[Fusion.]**
**[Devouring.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
*If they're compatible...*
*They can fuse.*
*If they're incompatible...*
*They devour one another.*
He considered it for several moments.
*"And if one Bloodline is overwhelmingly stronger than the other?"*
The system answered.
**[The stronger Bloodline will generally devour the weaker Bloodline.]**
**[The weaker Bloodline will be assimilated and cease to exist as an independent Bloodline.]**
Lizarius' golden eyes narrowed.
*So even though a cultivator cannot normally possess multiple Bloodlines...*
*The process can still occur if another Bloodline is forcibly introduced.*
The system responded.
**[Correct.]**
Lizarius slowly glanced toward Lían.
*Interesting.*
*This also explains why Bloodline evolution can be dangerous.*
*If the new Bloodline isn't compatible...*
*It isn't simply a matter of gaining another ability.*
*The existing Bloodline may fight back.*
A brief silence followed.
Then—
another thought surfaced.
*"What happens if the two Bloodlines are extremely compatible?"*
The system responded.
**[Fusion may occur.]**
Lizarius' eyes narrowed.
*"A new Bloodline?"*
**[Affirmative.]**
**[The resulting Bloodline will inherit characteristics from both sources.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
*So Bloodlines can evolve through fusion as well.*
His gaze returned to Lían.
*Interesting.*
He quietly watched the young cultivator continue absorbing the life force and blood essence of the demon beasts.
*There are far more possibilities to investigate than I initially assumed.*
Lizarius' golden eyes slowly shifted toward the distant forest.
*Spiritual Physiques.*
*Bloodlines.*
*Elemental compatibility.*
*Bloodline fusion.*
*Bloodline devouring.*
*There may be an entire system of interactions between them.*
His expression remained emotionless.
But—
within his mind, another question had already formed.
*...What would happen if a Bloodline and a Spiritual Physique were both pushed to their limits?*