Cursed Immortality

A vortex appeared in the misty Epic Plains, and Jacob walked out. Looking at the misty environment and hidden sky, and when he breathed, he knew what this mist was. 

'Radiation mist in epic plains? Just how many atomic weapons do those fools use?' Jacob couldn't help but sneered. He didn't feel pity or remorse for his actions. This has nothing to do with him.

If even the star network or natives didn't care, why would an outsider like him?

Selecting a random direction, Jacob started walking. His eyes shimmered elation at this moment, and he quickly summoned Immortika!

"Cursed Immortality!"

He quickly glanced at his progress. 

______

[First Phase of Body Transformation: Cursed Blood Condensing (Second Stage)]

-Cursed Blood Condensing Progress: 49.98%

[Description: Convert your blood into Cursed Blood until it reaches 100% completion by Absorbing the Heart Blood of Legendary Beings or their descendants.]

--

-Completion of this stage will result in 500 Years of Lifespan

______

Seeing he was already halfway there, he was extremely excited, and when he thought about what happened back in the champion space, a satisfied look appeared on his face. 

The pages of cursed immortality started to turn before a familiar 'haha' began to cover the page manically. 

Jacob's happy expression instantly fell as he was highly irritated. 

"…haha… bravo, bravo! Another triumph over epic plains trial and unexpected encounters. I thoroughly enjoyed it!" 

"I'm glad." Jacob pursed his lips before he got to the point. He has too many questions, "First, tell my back then when I eat that heart it doesn't work, but when I drink the heart blood it does, why?" 

"Tsk, tsk, can't you just savor your moment of victory for once? How about you treat yourself to some women, food, and a ten-year holiday?"Immortika suggested. 

Jacob coldly replied, "I'm afraid you'll get bored, so I have to keep moving, no? Now cut the crap." 

"Hehehe, you can't see how moved I am, truly." Immortika was as playful as ever as it wrote, "Alright, I'll reward you instead. To answer your question, it's straightforward: the heart you consumed indeed belonged to a legendary bloodline, but the heart blood within has long been absorbed by the heart itself because they didn't have a method like the infinity pendant to keep it fresh. 

"You see, heart blood is extraordinary. If you leave it within the dead heart for some time, even when well-preserved, it will start to break down and be absorbed into the heart itself. This process varies from species to species and their prowess.

"Although, it's a good thing because this would make the heart even more powerful and turn it into a powerful medicine. But you need heart blood, not the heart, which has already absorbed the heart's blood. 

"That's why that heart was nothing but high nutrition for you, while the heart blood turned into your cursed blood. It's as simple as that. Still, you got Heart Blood of Tue High Ore, Ice Fairy, Winged Serpent, and Infant Mortal Giant. I think it's incredibly fortunate. 

"You've already experienced just one drop of true high orc blood, which gives you tremendous energy. It turns .10% of your blood into cursed blood. You can only imagine what would happen when you absorbed these legendary bloodlines' heart blood and all those dilated bloodlines' heart blood that you bought like crazy. 

"I had to admit. I didn't think you would even remember to look into the champion space for things like heart blood, and you even bought high-quality meat from a legendary bloodline as well. It seemed you were well-prepared. Still spending all that wealth without batting an eye, now that is even more impressive. Hahahaha."Immortika laughed, filled with the page thereafter. 

Realization dawned on Jacob as he finally understood why that heart didn't work. 

"I can earn money as long as I live." His eyes burned with anticipation at this moment as he questioned, "So tell me, are all those heart blood enough for 100% completion?" 

"Hard to say, but I'm quite optimal. Who knows, you might awake one or two more interesting aspects." Immortika wrote. 

Jacob's eyes narrowed, "You mean crazy aspects like the Fighting Giant Spirit?" 

"Hehehe…whatever you say." 

"You better explain what the hell is this aspect before I start going crazy." Jacob coldly asked. 

"Now, where's the fun in that? Besides, if you have willpower, you'll be fine."Immortika subtly wrote. 

Jacob knew there was no point in wasting his breath, and he changed the question, "Life crystal, what are they used for besides being food for dark beings?" 

"Hehehe, it's finally come to this point." Immortika wrote, "Fine, I'll tell you a thing or two. Life crystals are refined using the life essence of the living. You do you this much, right?

"Dark Beings used the life crystals to cultivate their powers and advanced in the evolution ladder. They all have an innate ability to create life crystals. The higher they ranked in the hierarchy of dark beings, the faster and more powerful life crystal they could refine. 

"Some extraordinary Dark Beings, like a Lich, can even combine low-rank life crystals and refine them into higher rank. But the living didn't have such ability because it would be too unfair towards the Dark Beings. They also couldn't increase their lifespan like normal living beings, no matter how powerful they became. 

"So, without life crystals, the Dark Beings will die eventually, extinct from the face of Zodiac Plains. 

"Now here comes an exciting fact: what you don't know is life crystals are not just power and life source for the Dark Beings, but they are also beneficial for the Living Beings as well! 

"Life crystals can be converted into Life Medicines by a Dark Alchemist. Dark Alchemists are those who refine Life Crystals into Life Medicines, which can grant living beings a Lifespan depending on the life medicine level. This lifespan varies from a second to a thousand years. 

"But this is a taboo among the living, because once a living being used a Life Medicine to increase their lifespan, they would turn into neither dead nor living, just an alive corpse who can't advance or evolve further. 

"Furthermore, this is just one use of the Life Crystals, and the Dark Alchemy is a taboo subject among the living because it is a profession of the Dark Beings. No one with a sane mind would practice it unless they are courting death crazy. 

"There are many more drawbacks of Dark Alchemy for the living, but I think this much is enough for you to understand just how important the life crystals are for both sides. The allure to live, even if becoming a living corpse, ahh, why does it remind me of someone? Hahahaha…" 

Jacob's expression was grave as he finally understood the truth behind the life crystals, and he learned about a forbidden taboo subject for the living, the Dark Alchemy!