Chapter 647: Chapter 310: Preserving Cultures_2 "They really aren’t native species..." Ron noted these details in his mind while cautiously continuing his exploration: "Moreover, it seems they have been in an unstable state from the very start." The images flowed swiftly, taking him to the end of the Second Era. The visual style underwent a spine-chilling transformation; the already eerie Dragon Species began showing more terrifying abnormal changes. The erosion of the Abyss spread like cancer, and those already unstable Dragon Bloodlines appeared so fragile against the pollution. Ron saw a stomach-churning scene: Originally a radiant giant dragon, under the corrosion of Abyssal Energy, its scales started dissolving into black pus, from which countless tiny tentacles surged forth. The light of wisdom in its eyes gradually got replaced by madness, and ultimately its entire body turned into a mass of writhing flesh, only able to emit meaningless howls. More horrifyingly, the native monsters of the Abyss began to feed on these fallen Dragon Species. They did not simply devour flesh but decomposed, learned, and mimicked the traits of the Dragon Species: Some monsters, originally mere blurry clusters of tentacles, began growing twisted wings after devouring the wing membranes of the Dragon Species; some slime creatures gained the ability to spray corrosive acid after absorbing the dragon breath organs; still others fused dragon scales into their bodies, but those scales looked more like rotting skin. "The Abyss is not only destroying but ’learning’ as well." As Ron watched these images, he couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart: "Through devouring and reassembling, they incorporate the excellent traits of the Dragon Species into their own systems, which is far more terrifying than mere destruction." The historical images continued to advance, turning to the human world. The scenes here appeared slightly more "normal," yet were still filled with bloodshed and brutality. Ron saw many familiar scenes— The legendary figures who established the mortal dynasties indeed had many who once served the Wizards. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦 However, the process of gaining their power was far darker than the legends portray. One particularly clear segment caught his attention: A young knight was tied to a stone platform, surrounded by several Wizards in black robes. It was no sacred ritual, but a bloody experiment. The ritual platform was covered with various unsettling materials— There was not only Dragon Blood and Abyss Crystals but also organs that apparently came from sub-human races, and some unknown substances that wriggled. As the ritual proceeded, the knight’s body began to undergo horrifying transformations: Muscles swelled as if inflated, bones emitted a tooth-grinding sound of breaking and restructuring; In the blood vessels, no longer flowed red blood, but golden liquid radiating a scorching light; Most frightening, the knight remained conscious throughout the process, his screams nearly piercing the skies. When the ritual concluded, what lay on the stone platform was no longer entirely human but something between human and dragon. "So that’s how it was, the first knights or rather Demon Hunters were indeed artificially created through Bloodline Modulation." Ron had a sudden realization, yet felt no warmth in his heart: "The Wizards forcibly created these beyond-mortal warriors using ancient Dragon Bloodlines combined with various forbidden techniques. As for the brutality of the process...it was of no significance to them." The final segment also revealed to Ron the true experiences of the Farouk Royal Family ancestors. It was a scene so blood-soaked it was repulsive— In an underground laboratory resembling an Abyss environment, dozens of subjects were tied to stone platforms like livestock awaiting slaughter. The vast majority of experimental subjects died miserably during the bloodline fusion process, their bodies collapsing into heaps of flesh in agony, staining the entire experimental platform; The few who miraculously survived mostly underwent horrific mutations: Some grew extra limbs, some had their faces completely contorted, and others lost all sanity, only able to emit beast-like howls; Only one person—the earliest verified bloodline origin of the Farouk Royal Family—miraculously completed the transformation after enduring near-death agony, gaining a relatively stable Flame Giant Dragon Bloodline. Even this "successful" case paid a massive price. Ron could clearly see that the humanity in that person’s eyes had mostly vanished, replaced by a cold and insane gleam. "Such low success rate, such horrific cost..." Seeing this scene, a mix of emotions rose in Ron’s heart: "No wonder modern Wizards prefer conducting bloodline research through precise scientific methods—the almost slaughter-like experimental approach is simply too barbaric." The historical rewind ended, and he slowly opened his eyes. A slight headache struck him, a consequence of excessive Spiritual Power consumption, but the harvest left him satisfied. Though the acquired information is fragmentary, it was enough to give him a clear understanding of the true history of the Dragon Bloodlines. Beyond that, the information confirmed his most feared suspicion— To achieve a breakthrough in the final stage of the Crown Breathing Technique, surpassing Golden Ring Level bloodline support is truly needed. "Perhaps tomorrow’s conversation with Eve will yield more useful information." Ron carefully put away the simulation fragment and began clearing the Rune Array on the observation platform: "With her identity and insight, she should know how to acquire Star Ring Level blood samples. Furthermore..."