One of the great puzzles of the ancient methods was the proliferation of the myth of the twelve zodiacs, and why they were chosen. Consensus among old historians varied, though it is said that the twelve zodiacs were from a time when spirit beasts were just mere animals, a time even earlier than the war between the progenitor spirit beasts.

  Despite that, the myth perpetuated. There was just something about the myth that stuck in the minds of people, both mortal and cultivators.

  As a result, amongst the many methods that came from the Old ones and many other great ancestors, the twelve zodiacs, and the five elements, or the ten great primordials are a popular starting point. Maybe because they feel it is instinctive, as if ingrained into the old masters that surely all great living spiritual beings descended from the first twelve.

  As profound as the scripture was, for someone of Tundra’s experience, there was more to it than what it seems.

  The world’s spiritual beasts cannot be categorized into mere 12 zodiacal forms. There are spirit beast bloodlines that originated from bugs, from trees, from lizards and spiders, from fungal spawns and from fishes.

  The 72 Iterations were focused on large beings that were from the land.

  What of the creatures of the sea, creatures of the dark and small?

  In their world, creatures of the sea could be considered under five primary subtypes, the regular fishes, the shelled creatures, the fish-hunters such as sharks and the ilk, the squids, and the tiny half-plant creatures. From the family of the dark creatures, Tundra recalled there were at least six to seven subtypes, there are the bats, the insects, the lizards, the worms and the diggers.

  So, at a cursory glance the zodiacs are woefully incomplete.

  However, the 72 Bloodline Iterations chose to start with the zodiacs, because a large number of the creatures of the zodiac or their related species possessed red blood.

  “The Iterations do not consider creatures outside of the 12 great animal branches that may have blood flowing in them. Is there any notation that covers this?” Tundra asked.

  The elder blinked. “Ah, yes. There should be something.” She pulled out an actual text and flipped through the pages. Eventually she stopped at a page and began to read. “Ancestor Yarak Shurrish noted that the bloodlines originating from outside the 12 large branches do exist, but given their relative rarity, and their inherent parasitic nature, are not considered for this text. The 12 zodiacal branches are chosen as the starting point because of their natural compatibility with man’s blood, bones and marrow.”

  The text continued.

  “Consequently, what does compatibility mean? It meant these bloods are ‘docile’, in the sense that while they came from strong spirit beasts and bestow powerful benefits on their users, not all bloods are created equal. Some bloodlines carry a portion of their originating spirit beast’s malice and will, and exposure to these blood would often corrupt their users. A cultivator takes in a bloodline in order to enhance their own inherent strengths, not to relinquish control over their own minds and bodies. Certain bloodlines, often those from outside the twelve primary zodiacs, often overwhelm their owners regardless of their host body’s strength, and these are thus unproductive.”

  The ancestor’s notes then went on to describe how the bloodlines metastasized throughout the body, and it’s natural impacts.

  Yet, the description went on, Tundra thought it eerily sounded a lot like the Zuja.

  Tundra’s mind began to wander elsewhere.

  He looked at Tia Truehaven, and the image of the bug-infested version of the Zuja was inadvertently superimposed over her appearance, and he wondered how the Zuja corruption actually happened. Could it be that the Zuja are actually also a form of parasitic bloodline, that the parasites are just one of the means of spreading?

  The Zuja originated from the time of the primordial beasts, and was likely one of the progenitor spirit beast’s peers. If the progenitor spirit beasts could bestow bloodlines, certainly those others of its time could as well.

  But unlike the human-friendly progenitors, their gift was far more insidious, and the bloodline spread in two forms, the first and easiest was through actual parasites, but in a much smaller group, that spread was through blood.

  If this was so, it’s likely that Tundra’s own anti-Zuja bug pill was incomplete.

  As far as he knew, his pill worked most of the time, but if there was a bloodline aspect of the Zuja corruption, that could explain why it didn’t work for a small subset of corrupted victims. During the chaos of Zuja wars, he didn’t have much time, or the luxury to fully investigate why his pill didn’t work in that small group.

  Of the thousands of those corrupted by the Zuja parasite, it was likely that a portion of them went further than just a parasitic relationship.

  Then, as he looked at Tia, a woman that he had to kill twice, his thoughts were then linked to the other woman in his life that was corrupted by the Zuja.

  Was she bloodline-compatible with the Zuja. Not just that, could it be that Celestia was also compatible with the Zuja bloodline?

  Thus, the question on his mind popped out, whether he could use a bloodline to counter a bloodline. “Is it possible for two bloodlines to coexist?”

  The elder of the Ancient Titans paused, as if she hesitated to answer. After a long while, she nodded. “It is not impossible. Under certain circumstances, and if the bloodlines do not conflict, yes, you can have two bloodlines in one. But often, one bloodline will inevitably be stronger than the other, and that bloodline’s powers will suppress the other.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Do you have a bloodline?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “That is not something I want to answer.” The woman replied curtly.

  “Have you seen experiments on how it was done? Which bloodline overpowers the other? Can a newly inserted bloodline overpower an existing bloodline?”

  “Are you insane? That’s occult, demonic cultivator stuff. I will forgive and forget this slight as long as you never mention it ever again.” She shut it down there and then. “I’m tired. Let’s continue some other day.”

  ***

  The regressor had a lot to think about, and retreated back to his room.

  “Husband.” Elly walked into his room in a bright blue robe made of some kind of satin, and without prompting, sat next to him.

  “Elly, was everything alright while I was away?” He was away for a few months, and returned with a woman. The optics of that was not great, even if it wasn’t a marriage or anything of real substance. Cultivators may be powerful, but the desire for drama and gossip didn’t go away.

  “It was fine.” Elly took off her outer robe, revealing a far more seductive inner robe. It was so thin that it probably should not be considered clothing, and somehow, she moved behind him and began to massage his shoulders. “Did you manage to find something for Edison?”

  Tundra found her sudden conduct surprising, and realized her current action was a set of actions meant to reinforce her position in the family. He smiled weakly at his wife, and then sighed. “I am not sure if it will work, but if he is willing, I would like to test it out on him. There are a lot of tests to do before we are sure.”

  “Please do try. I will talk to him again if he refuses.”

  “How’s his condition?”

  “He is meditating a lot.”

  “Is he?” Tundra knew Elly was trying to cover up for their son. Edison, from what he heard from his elders, was still in a daze. The vacant stares and movements meant he was still trapped in his own mind.

  “Yes.” Elly lied anyway, her fingers continuing to knead Tundra’s shoulder muscles. For a cultivator of his realm, it wasn’t useful. Someone in the seventh realm has full control over their flesh, but a massage is still a pleasurable experience. She decided to talk about something else instead. “Do you like it?”

  Tundra smiled only slightly, his mind still occupied with other thoughts. “It is nice.”

  “Oh. That’s good.” Elly said, her voice gentle and sweet. It wasn’t her normal tone, and clearly she was trying to appeal to him as a woman.

  Tundra knew what she wanted to do, but didn’t feel like pushing her away. Elly seemed to take the hint to continue, and so she massaged some more.

  The two shared a moment of quietness, as Elly rubbed and kneaded his shoulders and arms.

  “Husband.” Elly suddenly said. “Do you find me attractive?”

  Tundra blinked. This was the kind of question even tenth realm cultivators were not prepared for. “Yes.”

  Elly smiled, and went for the attack. “Good. Now that I’m in the 4th realm, and my body’s condition is better than ever, I’d like to have more children.”

  That made Tundra pause. “More children?”

  “Yes. I know Edison and the others are trying their best, but, now that you’re learning all these new techniques to improve talent and bloodline, I am sure our future children will do much better. It is only right, as your most senior wife, that I bear the future heir of the Fox Family.”

  For a moment, Tundra turned to look at Elly and he realized she was serious. In his mind, what was she playing at? Was this really to ensure that the Mistburn family’s place as they rise through society? “Is there a reason for this, Elly? I would appreciate some honesty.”

  She closed her eyes briefly, and then nodded. “Will you punish me for telling the truth?”

  “No.” Tundra answered.

  “Will there be consequences to the truth?” Elly clarified.

  Tundra sighed. “The fact that you asked worries me.”

  Elly realized it was a set of questions with no good answers. So she dropped it, and, perhaps, as a measure of trust, went for it. “Yes. I am feeling insecure, and I want to reinforce my place. My family’s place and where we are in your family.”

  The regressor looked Elly in the eye and saw there was truth. “Is this your own decision, Elly? One not caused by the others influencing your views?”

  “Is there anything that is truly our own decision?” Elly countered. In life, it is almost always a combination of things. A reaction, a thought, an idea. Many things came together to form a decision.

  The regressor found that to be a good response, and smiled. “Fair. Is this because of Edison?”

  She sighed, and it was the answer. Somehow, the words couldn’t leave her lips. She refused to say them.

  “I will still try to help him. What you fear but would not say is exactly what is on my mind. Edison, increasingly, is unworthy of his place as the heir of the family. Someone better must step up, and right now, in my entire family, no one is.”

  “Even Anna?” Elly asked, a little surprised by the last point.

  “Anna is improving, but the heir must be someone who can outlast me. Someone who can take the family to a better place.” Tundra decided to share his own thoughts, and gave an objective assessment. “Anna’s progress is good, and in time, I may even make her an elder of the Sect. But as it is, I do not see a high chance she could exceed me. If I name her the heir, it is a position she will not hold for long, and not a position she will ever see.”

  A short silence followed that last sentence. Maybe that was how high Tundra’s expectations were.

  “Because someone else better comes along.” Elly frowned, and then said the words on her mind. “I want that future heir to someone born from my womb. I want him or her to be my child, and I will do what it takes to give you that child. For me, and for my family. For us.”

  Tundra smiled sadly. It is a good thing that at the moment, Marin is uninterested in having more children, and Celestia seems to be willing to wait. After all, as things go, they have some time together.

  So, he looked into Elly’s eyes. As his wife, she has every right to ask him to give her more children. “Very well. I have some ideas and plans, but we will need to test those ideas out. If you want to give me a child that can be worthy of that role, we will need to stack the deck with advantages before the child is even born.”

  “Stack the deck?” Elly clarified, uncertain what Tundra meant.

  “As the mother, the child will inherit some of your qualities. Your flesh, your blood. I did not do this before, and honestly, it was something I only learnt in my far later years as a cultivator, that strong families engage in meddling with their own bodies to engineer powerful children.”

  In short, powerful families did far more than just meddle with bloodlines. They tried to obtain inheritances that could be inserted into their child at a young age, some even when they are still in the womb. This doesn’t always turn out well. A child could have all the inheritances and advantages but still turned out to be a failure.

  But with each advantage, with each inheritance, the likelihood reduced. In some cases, even despite being failures, they had such powerful innate advantages that they still amounted to something.

  Elly gulped.

  “Are you willing to do so?” Tundra asked.

  Yet, she nodded with certainty. “Yes. For our family, I will.”