The moon hung low in the sky as Kalen and Sorin continued their journey away from the ruined site of the Eternal Ascendant Order. The weight of Kalen’s newfound power had shifted the balance between them. Sorin, usually calm and collected, couldn’t help but feel the growing gap between their abilities.
That night, as they set up camp once more, Sorin remained unusually silent. Kalen, focused on his own cultivation, barely noticed the shift in his friend’s demeanor until Sorin finally spoke.
**“Kalen,”** Sorin began, his voice low but resolute, **“I’ve made a decision.”**
Kalen looked up from the flames, his eyes still glowing faintly with the lingering power of his recent breakthrough. **“What decision?”**
Sorin hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on the fire. **“I’ve watched you grow stronger, faster than I ever thought possible. The Frozen Flame, the voidflame… you’ve surpassed me in ways I didn’t even think were possible. But I can’t just stand by and watch you charge ahead on this path. I need to grow stronger too.”**
Kalen’s expression softened as he studied his friend. **“Sorin, you’ve been by my side through everything. You’ve always been strong.”**
Sorin shook his head, a slight smile playing at his lips. **“No, Kalen. Not like this. Not with what we’re facing now. You’re walking the immortal path, and the enemies we’re up against… they’ll crush anyone who can’t stand on that same level. I can’t let that happen. I won’t just be your shadow. I want to stand beside you, as an equal.”**
There was a long silence as Kalen considered Sorin’s words. He could sense the determination in his friend, the fire that had been kindled inside him. It wasn’t out of envy or fear but a desire to protect, to fight alongside him, not behind him.
**“What are you thinking?”** Kalen finally asked.
Sorin took a deep breath, his eyes darkening with resolve. **“I’ve been reading the old scrolls from the Stormviel Clan—the ones that talk about immortal cultivation. There’s a technique that’s not focused on balance or elemental mastery like yours. It’s pure combat, forged in the fires of endless battle.”**
Kalen’s interest piqued. **“Go on.”**
**“It’s called the **Path of the Blood Forge**,** Sorin continued. **“Unlike your path, which is about refining power and balance, the Blood Forge path is about harnessing the energy of battle itself. Every fight strengthens the body, mind, and soul. It’s a path meant for warriors—those who thrive in the heat of combat, where the stronger your enemy, the more power you gain.”**
Kalen nodded slowly. He had heard whispers of such paths—methods that allowed cultivators to grow stronger through battle rather than the traditional routes of meditation and refinement. These paths were rare, dangerous, and often attracted those with a thirst for war.
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**“The Blood Forge,”** Kalen repeated. **“It’s not an easy path, Sorin. You’d have to constantly fight, constantly put your life on the line. Are you sure this is what you want?”**
Sorin grinned, the usual spark returning to his eyes. **“I’ve never been one for sitting around meditating. You know that. I live for the fight. The greater the challenge, the stronger I’ll become. If I’m going to keep up with you, I need to take risks.”**
Kalen nodded, understanding Sorin’s reasoning. He knew his friend well enough to recognize that Sorin had always thrived on pushing his limits in battle. The Blood Forge path would suit him perfectly, but it also came with immense danger.
**“Then we’ll walk this path together,”** Kalen said, his voice steady. **“But we have to be careful. The immortal path is full of enemies, and the more power we gain, the more attention we’ll attract.”**
Sorin’s grin widened. **“That’s the point, isn’t it? Let them come. Every enemy I face will only make me stronger.”**
---
**The Path of the Blood Forge** was unlike any traditional cultivation method. While most cultivators spent years refining their energy in solitude, those who walked the Blood Forge path grew stronger through battle, feeding off the heat of combat. Their bodies and souls became tempered like steel in a forge, each battle pushing them closer to immortality.
To begin this path, Sorin needed to first undergo the **Blood Awakening**, a dangerous ritual that would unlock the dormant power in his blood, transforming it into the fuel for his cultivation. The ritual required intense combat, where Sorin would fight at the edge of death, pushing his body and mind to their limits until his blood ignited with the power of the forge.
Sorin explained the process to Kalen as they prepared for the ritual. **“The Blood Awakening is the first step,”** he said, tightening the straps on his gauntlets. **“I need to fight continuously, without rest, until I reach the point where my body can’t handle it anymore. That’s when the Blood Forge activates. It’ll either kill me or give me the strength I need to survive.”**
Kalen’s eyes narrowed. **“That’s a dangerous gamble, Sorin. Are you sure there’s no other way?”**
Sorin shook his head. **“This is the path I’ve chosen. I have to face it head-on.”**
They chose a secluded valley for the ritual, far from prying eyes. The valley was barren, the ground cracked and dry from the lack of life. It was the perfect place for the violent awakening that was to come.
Kalen watched as Sorin stood in the center of the valley, his hands glowing with power. The ritual began with Sorin summoning a series of opponents, each stronger than the last, using a technique that conjured specters of warriors long dead. These warriors, though not alive, fought with the full strength they had possessed in life.
The first few were easy—Sorin dispatched them quickly, his movements sharp and precise. But as the ritual progressed, the specters grew stronger, their attacks more deadly.
Hours passed, and Sorin continued to fight, sweat pouring from his brow as his body was pushed to its limits. Kalen stood at a distance, ready to intervene if necessary, but he knew this was something Sorin had to do on his own.
Finally, after hours of relentless combat, Sorin reached his breaking point. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, his breath coming in ragged gasps. But even as his body began to fail, something changed. His blood, fueled by the heat of battle, began to boil within him, igniting with a fiery power.
Kalen could feel the shift in the air as Sorin’s blood awakened. The ground beneath him trembled as a surge of energy erupted from Sorin’s body, enveloping him in a crimson aura.
Sorin let out a roar as the power of the **Blood Forge** consumed him. His muscles bulged with newfound strength, and the exhaustion that had plagued him moments before vanished, replaced by a raw, primal energy.
With a final burst of power, Sorin obliterated the last specter, standing victorious in the center of the valley, his body radiating the power of the Blood Forge.
Kalen stepped forward, a look of awe and relief on his face. **“You did it.”**
Sorin grinned, his eyes glowing with a fierce light. **“This is only the beginning, Kalen. I can feel it. The more I fight, the stronger I’ll become. And when the time comes, we’ll face our enemies together, as equals.”**
---
From that day forward, Sorin began his journey on the **Path of the Blood Forge**, growing stronger with each battle, his body and soul tempered by the fires of combat. Kalen and Sorin, now both walking their own paths to immortality, stood side by side, ready to face the challenges that awaited them.
Their destinies intertwined, they prepared for the battles ahead—knowing that the enemies they faced would be unlike anything they had encountered before.
But they would face them together, as brothers-in-arms, ready to forge their own legacies on the immortal path.