The blood spring gurgled, divine light shining brightly, as if a fierce beast was about to emerge. But the anomaly only lasted a second before disappearing.
From the eye of the blood spring, a small figure about five meters tall floated up.
"Zhao Shennong?!"
Qi Tian looked at Zhao Xing's transformation, calling out with his heart voice.
"It's me."
Qi Tian was a bit puzzled because Zhao Xing's appearance had changed a lot.
His chest muscles and face were clean and smooth, while his temples, head, legs, back, and tail were covered in pure, soft red fur.
The turtle shell hadn't disappeared—it had merged into his outer skin, hidden beneath the red fur.
Qi Tian could sense that beneath this red-furred, turtle-patterned skin, there was explosive power lurking, making his heart race.
No need to ask—Qi Tian could feel it. Zhao Xing had succeeded!
In the state of Hou Transformation, he had absorbed the essence of the blood pool, making his body even more powerful.
Just a glance from him made Qi Tian, Ji Yuan, and Yang Baihe feel an overwhelming pressure.
All three of them were spell cultivators, and being so close to a physically strong beast, they instinctively felt fear.
"What's going on? Did he succeed?" Yang Baihe asked.
To be honest, Zhao Xing's appearance was so different now that he was afraid this wasn't Zhao Xing at all.
"He definitely succeeded," Qi Tian said confidently. "One body, two bloodlines, perfectly fused from the Demon Ape Clan and Spirit Turtle Clan, inner and outer balance like the natural Dao—this is Hou Transformation! Our Heavenly Timing Sect's Hou Transformation."
"Natural Dao? Isn't that a bit too much?" Yang Baihe couldn't help but say, thinking Qi Tian was exaggerating Hou Transformation's abilities.
"You don't believe it?" Qi Tian snorted. "Ask Zhao Shennong yourself. His combat strength now can definitely match an ordinary Reincarnation Realm warrior."
"I'm talking about imperial standards, not the standards here!"
Zhao Xing had already adjusted, hearing Qi Tian's boasting and seeing Yang Baihe's questioning look.
"Brother Qi Tian's words aren't far off."
Zhao Xing twisted his neck and waist, then looked down at his own palm.
"The Four Seasons Palace's Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation perfectly absorbed the essence of the blood pool. After this change, the bloodlines of the Demon Ape and Spirit Void Turtle are fused into a new race, stronger than pure bloodlines!"
"Just by this Hou Transformation, my physical strength can match that of an ordinary Reincarnation Realm warrior, no problem. But as for martial skills, I only have three basic moves from my bloodline talents. I can handle a Qi Sect opponent, but against a Sword Sect one, I'd still lose."
Zhao Xing's Hou Transformation had gone through three stages.
The first was transforming his initial Minor Divine Ability, "Divine Fire Turtle Transformation," into "Spirit Void Turtle Transformation."
At that time, it was still just a switch between bloodlines of the same level, with no real boost in combat power—meaning "Spirit Void Turtle Transformation" was still at the Minor Divine Ability level, just with better disguise techniques.
The second change came when he entered the Upper Three Realms, combining the bloodlines of the Demon Ape and Spirit Void Turtle, creating "Demonic Turtle Transformation."
Following the Heavenly Timing Sect's doctrines, Zhao Xing first attempted the fusion of "One Body, Two Bloodlines."
At this stage, "Demonic Turtle Transformation" had reached the level of a Major Divine Ability. It improved his concealment and boosted his overall combat ability.
The Demon Ape body let him use some Earthly Advantage spells even without transforming, and he could also use the bloodline talents brought by Hou Transformation.
But it still had flaws—Zhao Xing couldn't fully use his strength.
For example, he couldn't open his Origin Space, couldn't release his Void Straw Puppets for combat, and had to switch back to human form first.
He also couldn't use Earthly Advantage techniques compatible with Extreme Land, like Demon God Earth Palace and Five Finger Mountain.
That's because his body after Hou Transformation was completely different from a human body, with a different meridian system, meaning the "Extreme Land" and "Mixed-Origin World" he previously cultivated no longer existed.
Other than his Will Divine Abilities and soul-based techniques, his transformed form operated with an entirely separate skill set.
Until Hou Transformation underwent its third evolution.
That was during the years he spent in the blood pool with Qi Tian.
Zhao Xing learned the Four Seasons Palace's "Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation," rapidly fixing the flaws from not cultivating Hou Transformation systematically, and practiced it in the blood pool's environment.
The third evolution of Hou Transformation brought Zhao Xing the greatest improvement.
It kept his bloodline talents intact, allowed him to open his Origin Space, and let him use Earthly Advantage spells.
Because the Four Seasons Palace's Hou Transformation was advanced, with "One Body, Multiple Bloodlines," and balanced inner and outer realms.
Now, this Hou Transformation was still called "Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation," but it could be called a new method—an adaptive version exclusive to Zhao Xing.
In truth, everyone's Hou Transformation followed the same cultivation framework, but due to individual experiences, the effects could vary greatly.
For instance, Zhao Xing and Qi Tian both absorbed the blood essence of ten thousand races in the blood pool, making their transformed forms stronger than the other disciples of the Four Seasons Palace who practiced Hou Transformation.
Hou Transformation is about the physical body, and each person's body is unique. Du Yun cultivated the Void Ancestor Golden Body, reaching 996 extremes, while Emperor Tianwu, at the Origin Realm, only had a golden body with a little over 800 extremes.
Right now, Zhao Xing, relying on the enhanced Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation, could match an ordinary Reincarnation Realm warrior.
Of course, if he died and was revived, or if his body was destroyed, then Hou Transformation wouldn't be this strong.
Because a new body wouldn't have absorbed the blood pool's essence.
So whether it's reincarnation or resurrection, the path to regaining one's peak strength is always hard.
"Sir, what about me?" Ji Yuan asked nervously. He'd been in the Blood Demon Cave for almost ten years, and he and Yang Baihe had just been yelling the whole time, making little progress.
Now that Zhao Xing's Hou Transformation was this strong, it was basically a new method. Could he still learn it in a short time? Probably not!
The power borrowed from the sacrificial spirit had to make sense—you needed a good base yourself to borrow effectively.
"Don't panic, it's no big deal." Qi Tian smiled. "My Four Seasons Palace's Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation isn't that hard to use."
Zhao Xing also laughed. "That's right, now you don't need to borrow my power anymore. I've already learned how to externally use the Hou Transformation."
"Hold still, don't resist, this might hurt a bit."
"Hurt? I've gone through military special training, a bit of pain—ARGHH!!!"
Ji Yuan, who had been talking tough, suddenly let out a huge scream, thrashing in the blood pool, rolling around from the pain.
It hurt. It hurt like hell!
Ji Yuan honestly felt like dying!
"Relax, the pain's normal—" Zhao Xing used the Heartfield Technique "Great Dream Swamp" to gently soothe Ji Yuan's mind.
To change from one life form into another, especially in a passive transformation, of course, it was going to be painful.
Among billions of living beings in Hou Transformation regions, usually only a few individuals could endure such pain and successfully reach universality.
It was no different from crossing a tribulation—Ji Yuan had underestimated this kind of pain.
If he had also learned the Myriad Spirit Hou Transformation, it wouldn't hurt as much. But he only knew "Demonic Turtle Transformation," and that was a ritual-based simulated transformation—it wasn't the same at all.
"ARGHHH!!!"
Soon, Yang Baihe also started screaming.
This time, their painful howls were completely real—no acting needed.
After about three months, their passive Hou Transformations were complete.
Yang Baihe turned into a pure white-furred Demon Ape, while Ji Yuan remained a mixed blood of Demon Ape and Turtle Clan. But the turtle shell on his back had shrunk a lot, and he looked more like a Demon Ape now.
"It's... over?" Ji Yuan asked weakly.
"Yeah, it's over. The Hou Transformation was a success," Zhao Xing said.
"Sir, why can't I see the sacrificial spirit reading anymore?"
"You wouldn't be able to see it anyway," Qi Tian explained. "Zhao Shennong transformed you into a 'life form like his,' it's not your own spell-based transformation."
Zhao Xing nodded too. Accepting a teammate's Hou Transformation really took absolute trust.
Because whether Ji Yuan could return to normal now depended entirely on Zhao Xing!
Only the one who tied the bell can untie it. Hou Transformation was a complex transformation of the Dao of Life inside the body—every part, even a tiny bit of flesh or hair, was a maze of life.
Only the one who transformed you could undo it.
In some obscure Hou Transformations, Zhao Xing and Ji Yuan would even form a bloodline suppression, like a bloodline progenitor creating "descendants."
It would create a "return to the ancestor" effect, but that kind of Hou Transformation was already lost.
"Sir, I'm not feeling so good right now."
"Don't worry, it's normal. Just take some time to adapt—we don't have much time left."
Zhao Xing sensed the surroundings. Right now, inside the Blood Demon Cave, about eighty to ninety percent of the guards had already left the blood pool.
They couldn't stay too long, or they'd raise suspicion.
"Yes." Ji Yuan focused, trying to adapt to his new body. He kept hypnotizing himself: "I'm a monkey, I'm a monkey..."
Zhao Xing and Qi Tian couldn't help but laugh.
When all three thousand guards finally emerged from the Blood Demon Cave, it was already eleven years later.
Zhao Xing's group of four came out a bit later, which quickly drew attention from the other guards.
"What a strong aura!"
"Such terrifying pressure."
"Who is he? His bloodline evolution is so high."
"Hmph, what's the use of just evolving your bloodline? If your skills are trash, you're still worthless."
Voices of discussion filled the air, most eyes focused on Zhao Xing and Qi Tian.
Haiyang Marquis' guard captain also glanced over at Zhao Xing and Qi Tian, his gaze settling on Zhao Xing, giving a slight nod.
Because now, Zhao Xing had shed his turtle shell, and his appearance was no different from a pure-blood Demon Ape.
Zhao Xing scanned the surroundings, taking in all the three thousand Blood Demon Guards, including that mysterious physician, Yan Lingjun.
[Name: Yan Lingjun]
[Realm: Abnormal]
[Occupation: Physician]
[Remaining lifespan: One hundred fifty-three years.]
At that moment, Yan Lingjun seemed to sense something too and slightly raised his head.
But Zhao Xing only glanced briefly, then lowered his eyes without making direct eye contact.
"Something's changed again..."
Zhao Xing was full of doubts.
There was still very little information on Yan Lingjun's panel—only four lines, and now there was a new change.
First, his realm now showed "Abnormal"!
Usually, the panel either didn't show a realm or displayed it accurately.
Seeing an "Abnormal" status was extremely rare.
Second, Yan Lingjun's lifespan had decreased again, now only a bit over one hundred fifty years.
"What's going on with this guy? After going into the blood pool, his lifespan decreased, and his realm turned abnormal?"
From the surface aura and life fluctuations, Zhao Xing felt that Yan Lingjun was somewhere between life and death, like he was about to break through.
The Life and Death Dao Domain was special to begin with—feeling a mysterious state between life and death was actually normal.
"I don't know where he's really from. Friend or foe?"
In the end, Zhao Xing decided not to dig deeper—just use the panel to peek when needed.
Maybe he was sent by some other force on a secret mission. Top-level secrets weren't exclusive to just Zhao Xing.
Origin Heaven Palace, Reincarnation Divine Palace, and the Ancient Kingdom Alliance could all have their own secret operations too.
As long as it didn't get in his way, Zhao Xing wasn't that curious.
"The prince is here!"
After waiting a long time in the Demon Cave square, the Demon Ape prince finally appeared.
Zhao Xing noticed his aura was unstable, mixed with killing intent, like he had just fought a fierce battle.
"The prince looks even redder today," Ji Yuan said through their karmic link. "Is he burning up?"
"Outer qi of Yangming, inner qi of summer heat, heart fire rising—that's why," Qi Tian guessed. "He probably just fought and didn't get the result he wanted."
Yang Baihe didn't comment. In his current state, many of his historian skills couldn't be used properly.
"From today on, you are all my Blood Demon Guards!" The Demon Ape prince growled low. "I will choose three vice-commanders from among you!"
"To assist me—on a great and glorious mission!"
"Become a Blood Demon Guard Vice-Commander, and you'll get endless wealth, treasures, and spouses."
"For example, these."
The Demon Ape Prince kicked over a few chests at his feet.
"Clatter~"
The chests burst open, light shining everywhere—inside were high-quality boundary stones, including quite a few Gǔyǔ Stones, Storm Stones, Plum Rain Stones, and Cold Rain Stones.
Zhao Xing's eyes lit up instantly.
"Becoming a Blood Demon Guard Vice-Commander is simple. As long as you can injure him! Even if it's just pulling out one hair!"
"Who's got the guts to be the first to challenge?"
The Demon Ape Prince pointed at the white-haired Demon Ape beside him, muscles exaggerated, wearing partial armor, holding a giant hammer.
The white-haired ape stepped out, roaring at the three thousand strong army.
His pressure was heavy, but that didn't scare everyone.
"Argh~!"
A roar came from the ranks, clear as day among the white ape's sonic intimidation.
The troops parted, revealing the first challenger—
—a beast covered in red fur, with a bull's head and horns, but a body like an ape.
"A hybrid of the Wild Sea Blood Bull Clan and the Demon Ape Clan? How the hell did that happen?" Ji Yuan was baffled but shocked.
"After one point one billion years of the Origin Realm, species' origins are still close enough to breed without problems," Qi Tian said. "You've still got a lot more to see."
"That bull-ape hybrid probably won't win," Yang Baihe analyzed. "Its strength is just at ordinary Dao Domain Realm perfection, far from the Invincible Dao Domain Realm."
The Invincible Dao Domain Realm? That's someone like Du Yun's level—not something you'd find in the Lingxu Origin Realm.
"Captain, you've never seen him fight. How do you know his strength?" Ji Yuan asked curiously.
"Evolution leaves historical traces on him. I can see his past battles," Yang Baihe said. "When we left the Blood Demon Cave, I looked over all three thousand Blood Demon Guards."
"Even that white-haired Demon Ape, with weapons and secret arts, is still far from invincible."
"Only that prince is closer to that level."
And sure enough, just as Yang Baihe predicted.
The white-haired ape didn't even use his weapon. With one step, he grabbed the hybrid's horn with his left hand and slammed him down.
"Bang!" The bull-ape hybrid was smashed into the ground, all his momentum gone—he couldn't even get up.
The hybrid stepped out and lost in just one move.
"Captain, you're amazing," Ji Yuan said. "But that white-furred beast is seriously strong."
Comparing him to a beast, Yang Baihe wasn't sure if Ji Yuan meant that as a compliment or an insult.
"Captain, you've seen everyone. Did you notice anything special about Yan Lingjun?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Nothing particularly noteworthy," Yang Baihe shook his head. "But his body seems to have been injured before."
Zhao Xing thought deeply.
"Look, the second challenger!"
"And lost again! Still just one move!"
The white-furred Demon Ape kept winning—ten rounds, each time defeating his opponent in a single move, without even using his weapon.
The Demon Ape Prince's picks were already considered geniuses, but most of them were from the lower realms. Compared to the white-haired Demon Ape "Chi," born in the upper realms, nurtured with treasures and trained by experts, they were still lacking.
Zhao Xing waited patiently. Of course, he wanted that Vice-Commander spot, but he couldn't be the first.
Besides, he had a feeling—Yan Lingjun might step up.
Better to watch him first.
"Bang!!"
Soon, the white-furred Demon Ape had fifty-seven straight wins.
Fewer and fewer dared to challenge.
Until a wolf clan beast appeared, silver spikes covering its back, surrounded by the wind and metal Dao origins.
"Boom!!"
The Spiked Silver Wolf relied on its agile body and extreme speed, lasting over ten moves against the white-furred ape.
Their speed was neck and neck. After unleashing his talent, the wolf was even faster.
With this edge, after more than ten moves, he seized an opening, enduring an injury to tear off a tuft of fur from the ape's chest with his spikes.
According to the Demon Ape Prince's rules, this guard called "Youyou Wolf" became the first Vice-Commander!
After that, barely anyone dared challenge again. Everyone had seen the white-furred ape's full strength.
If you weren't up to it, there was no point in suffering.
"What? None of you even have the courage to fight?" After a short silence, with no more challengers, the white-furred ape roared.
And that roar did bring out two more.
Yan Lingjun and Zhao Xing.
Both flew out, one after the other.
"Good, you first." The white-furred ape pointed at Yan Lingjun with his thick finger.
Zhao Xing stepped aside.
Yan Lingjun now looked quite different from before.
He used to have a snake face on an ape body—now he had shed the snake face, fully ape-like, though his face was hairless, covered in black-purple scales.
"Still clinging to that Tianyi Snake bloodline?" the white ape sneered. "Foolish evolution choice!"
Yan Lingjun didn't reply—he just attacked.
Like Youyou Wolf, he showed astonishing speed, even faster than Youyou Wolf. His movement was weirder, more unpredictable.
"Youyou Wolf's style is nimble. His is strange—elusive and hard to pin down," Zhao Xing observed carefully.
"On the surface, he's using his bloodline talents, going all out. But his life force is still steady—he's holding back."
"Whoosh—"
After circling the white-furred ape dozens of times, Yan Lingjun suddenly withdrew from the arena.
"Huh? Why stop?!" The white-furred ape growled low.
Yan Lingjun didn't answer, just lifted his hand—holding a tuft of white fur.
"Hahaha, you didn't even know someone plucked your fur." The prince clapped. "Ling Ping, well done. By my rules, you're the second Vice-Commander."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Yan Lingjun rasped.
It was Zhao Xing's first time hearing his voice. It was grating, unpleasant. He wasn't sure if it was due to his alien body or just how he spoke.
The white-furred Demon Ape was frustrated. Two opponents in a row had slightly better speed than him, relying on movement to pluck his fur—he felt utterly stifled.
"You, get over here!"
The white-furred Demon Ape pointed at Zhao Xing. He suddenly shrank his size, and the partial armor and club in his hands shrank too.
"Hahaha, now he's serious," the Demon Ape Prince laughed again, looking at Zhao Xing. "Jing Yan, you better watch out."
Anyone whose name the Demon Ape Prince remembered had clearly impressed him in the earlier tests and in the Blood Demon Cave.
Zhao Xing, born in the lower realms, originally a turtle-ape hybrid, had shed his turtle shell in the blood pool, which greatly surprised the Demon Ape Prince. He now held some expectations for Zhao Xing.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for the reminder." Zhao Xing flew forward, landing in front of Chi.
"Don't tell me you're good at running too!" Chi pounded his chest.
"I won't run, and I won't use weapons."
"Good. I won't use weapons either." Chi was pleased, throwing away his weapon and taking off several pieces of his partial armor.
"Roar!"
Zhao Xing let out a low roar, launching a direct charge.
His Myriad Life Hou Transformation now had two transformation stages.
The first stage, the form he now maintained, had three bloodline talents.
First was the "Demon Ape Tyrant Body," a passive talent from his Demon Ape bloodline. The Lingxu Origin Realm had given this body wild strength and incredible regeneration.
Second was the "Azure Gold Claws," sharp claws that could extend from his limbs with immense tearing power, an offensive talent.
Third was from the Lingxu Turtle bloodline, the "Origin Turtle Armor," a passive defensive talent—a layer of turtle patterns under the fur.
After watching closely earlier, Zhao Xing had already assessed the white-haired Demon Ape's combat power. Staying in the first stage was enough.
"Boom!"
Their fists collided, sending a huge shockwave that shook the space around them.
Zhao Xing showed his bloodstained fangs, his eyes glowing red like he was hurt but refusing to retreat. In truth, the blood was forced out by himself.
Meanwhile, the white-haired Demon Ape skillfully stepped back four paces to relieve the force.
"Roar!" Seeing Zhao Xing's look, Chi got excited and attacked again.
He abandoned technique too, thinking Zhao Xing wasn't using any. To show his superiority, he felt he shouldn't use any either.
"Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!!!!"
A red and white Demon Ape clashed instantly.
No tricks—every punch landed, pure strength and defense clashing!
They both hit each other many times, and both withstood many punches!
Zhao Xing kept coughing up blood. Seeing his performance was enough, golden claws tinged with dark gold aura extended from his fists, slashing across Chi's chest.
"Slash~"
A shallow blood mark appeared on Chi's chest.
"Stop!"
The Demon Ape Prince called off the fight.
"Jing Yan, you are the third Vice-Commander!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhao Xing knelt on one knee, blood at his lips.
"Your Highness, he should be the First Vice-Commander!" This time, the white-furred Demon Ape wasn't upset but excited.
"This fearless, fierce fighting style—that's how our people should be! That's the blood Demon Guard His Highness deserves!"
The Demon Ape Prince clearly admired Zhao Xing too.
"Yes, Jing Yan should be ranked above the other two Vice-Commanders. Then you're the First Vice-Commander!"
"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you Chi Commander!" Zhao Xing acted thrilled.
Zhao Xing, Yan Lingjun, and Youyou Wolf—three Vice-Commanders, each leading one thousand Blood Demon Guards, normally only taking orders from Chi.
The newly formed Blood Demon Guard was mostly from the lower realms, with crude techniques. The Demon Ape Prince was patient, not giving them tasks right away, instead teaching them techniques and training them.
For the first fifteen years, they basically trained in a secret base within the royal city.
"I get a batch of boundary stones every year. Including the Blood Demon Vice-Commander stipend over these years, I now have three thousand eight hundred fifty-six seven-pattern Gǔyǔ Stones, two thousand one hundred fifty-seven Storm Stones, two thousand five hundred forty-one Plum Rain Stones, and one thousand eight hundred seventy-five Cold Rain Stones."
"Still far from enough."
But for now, Zhao Xing had no better options, so he waited in the April Royal City for a chance.
Training while patiently waiting.
Finally, in the twenty-first year, the opportunity came.
That day, Chi suddenly came looking for Zhao Xing.
"Jing, gather your men and come with me."
"Yes."
Zhao Xing immediately gathered his one thousand Blood Demon Guards and waited for Chi's orders.
"Jing, your squad's training results are the best of the three," Chi said seriously. "Now, His Highness wants to assign you a secret mission."
"Brother Chi, just say the word. I'm ready to die for His Highness."
"Now, with the alien demons invading, though we've held the entrance from Sìyáng Realm to Xiàngxīng Realm, many overlord clans inside have voices calling for surrender, some even plotting with the alien demons."
"They all deserve to die!" Zhao Xing said angrily.
"Yes, they all deserve to die!" Chi lowered his voice. "Our clan has many like that too, holding high positions. His Highness has been purging them these years."
"But there are still many in April Royal City. Once these parasites are gone, His Highness can safely go to Yǔxiān Realm, further transform, and become a supreme Heavenly King level (Reincarnation Realm)."
Saying this, he dragged over a heavy chest. "Inside is a weapon to deal with those parasites, and a list."
"For His Highness, for our clan's future—kill them!"
"Complete the mission, and when His Highness receives Yǔxiān's blessing, we'll go with him. That's a great honor!"
The star land where April Royal City sat was surrounded by four lunar stars. It was said they granted the Demon Ape Clan power, greatly enhancing them within the city.
At that moment, within the territory of a Demon Ape royal, the lunar light flickered several times.
But it quickly dimmed again, darkness covering everything, falling into silence.
"Lord, this Ape King named Da-something-pu is dead. There's not a single living thing left in his mansion." In the darkness, Ji Yuan had returned to his human form, his eyes glowing faintly.
He was searching for lingering souls in the area, checking if any had escaped.
"What about the spoils?"
"Captain Yang is counting them now, we should have results soon."
As he spoke, Yang Baihe suddenly appeared with a whoosh—it was his historical record clone.
"Is everything handled?"
"Handled. How'd the looting go?" Their target had normal Reincarnation Realm strength, but that wasn't an issue for Zhao Xing's squad. What mattered was the loot.
"This old Ape King wasn't bad off. Over ten thousand Rain Stones across all four types, though not many seven-pattern ones, mostly Gǔyǔ Stones," Yang Baihe said.
"How do we get them into storage?" Zhao Xing asked. There were surely inspectors in his Blood Demon Guard.
"Leave that to me," Yang Baihe said. "Gather everyone, I'll use a Boundary Pen to alter their historical memories."
"No problem with that?" Ji Yuan asked.
"None. I'm only altering their memories of the loot, it's minimal. They'll all think the old Ape King was poor, everyone saw the same result. Even if we only hand over a tenth, no one will doubt it," Yang Baihe explained.
"You guys really know how to make money." Ji Yuan gave a thumbs-up. "The Demon Ape Prince raises troops, gives weapons and techniques, orders a raid, and ends up with just a tenth."
Zhao Xing also laughed—raiding with historians was the best.
If it wouldn't raise suspicion, Zhao Xing wouldn't hand over even a tenth.
But slow and steady wins the race—they'd take it easy.
"Alright, change back, clean up quickly."
"Understood!"
After their first mission, the Demon Ape Prince looked at Zhao Xing's report and went silent for a moment.
"I heard this Da Pu Ape King was greedy. How come there's so little? You didn't skimp, did you?"
He suspected corruption.
"Your Highness, I checked thoroughly. Many of my trusted men were in Jing Yan's squad—they wouldn't hide anything. Everyone saw the loot together, this really is all Da Pu had."
"So I wronged him?" The Demon Ape Prince doubted himself—had he accused Da Pu unfairly?
Such a 'clean' old Ape King shouldn't have had so little.
"Your Highness, maybe that old guy didn't keep his wealth at home. The Blood Demon Guard only found this much."
"Yeah, that makes sense." The Demon Ape Prince quickly dismissed the detail. He just wanted the surrenderists dead; as for their wealth, it didn't matter, as long as the Blood Demon Guard was loyal.
In the following years, Zhao Xing kept on killing apes and raiding homes—again and again.
Thanks to Yang Baihe, Zhao Xing kept most of the loot for himself, leaving just a bit for the Demon Ape Prince.
After several missions, the Demon Ape Prince even started doubting himself.
Had he killed too many loyal subjects?
But soon he had no time to care about that. As tensions with the alien demons flared up again, he had a lot to deal with and couldn't keep watching over the raids.
Zhao Xing kept a lower profile too, as the other two Blood Demon Guard squads joined in the purges.
With that comparison, he toned it down.
From huge corruption to minor skimming, playing the long game.
With a Star Historian, skimming was easy—just needed more raids to gather the four Rain Stones needed for the ritual.
Eight years later, the final raid.
"After this last hit, I'll have enough of the four Rain Stones," Zhao Xing told his teammates through karmic connection on the way.
After more than ten years, three thousand Blood Demon Guards had taken heavy losses.
Youyou Wolf was dead, and Yan Lingjun's squad was nearly wiped out.
Only about half remained.
Now there were just two squads—one led by Zhao Xing, about eight hundred, the other patched together, over seven hundred.
Yan Lingjun was still a Vice-Commander, but Yang Baihe and Qi Tian had been sent to help him.
"Captain, Brother Qi Tian, have you found a safe method to break through within this realm?"
Yang Baihe was part of the Reincarnation team, originally tasked with breaking through to the Reincarnation Realm here without being rejected.
This was crucial for Zhao Xing now too.
"During the raids, we compared local secret arts and texts. I'd say fifty percent chance of not being rejected immediately."
"But we won't know until we try," Yang Baihe said.
He, Qi Tian, and other team members scattered in April Royal City were all ready to break through at any moment.
It all depended on whether they could stabilize after breaking through and avoid being expelled by the Origin Realm.
If expelled immediately, they wouldn't be able to do much even if they advanced.
"The Demon Ape Prince is about to go to Yǔxiān Realm for a ritual. We must seize this chance and follow him."
"Any word on when?" Yang Baihe asked.
"I heard from Chi—it should be right after this last hit."
"Keep it low. Best to return together, in case he tries to betray us," Yang Baihe said.
"I get it," Zhao Xing replied. "If that happens, I'll count on you, Captain."
If the Demon Ape Prince planned betrayal, then the Reincarnation team's second Star Historian would immediately break through to Reincarnation Realm!
At the same time, Zhao Xing would kill the Demon Ape Prince and all who knew.
Then, the Star Historian in Reincarnation Realm would rewrite history, making the regional Ape Emperor of April Royal City believe Zhao Xing was his descendant!
There were no Reincarnation Emperor-level figures in the Demon Ape Royal City—only in the sacred temple.
Star Historians were an impossible path in the Lingxu Origin Realm. This place had never developed such a cultivation system.
So the plan Yang Baihe came up with had a very high success rate.
Of course, the best outcome would be to smoothly follow the Demon Ape Prince to the ritual.
"Captain, keep an eye on that Yan Lingjun," Zhao Xing added at the end. "I've got a bad feeling about him. Even if he's from the human race of the Xuanling Star Domain, that doesn't mean he's with the Empire's allies."
"I noticed it too, something's off about him. Once, he used some kind of secret technique as a physician, and the way he kills—I don't even understand it," Yang Baihe said.
Who was Yang Baihe? A long-time department head in the Sparks Unit. If even he couldn't understand Yan Lingjun's killing method, of course he'd be wary.
Their final assassination target was the "Purple Mountain Ape King," a King-level figure (ordinary Reincarnation Realm).
Zhao Xing's squad still had a Star Historian, so they could act more boldly.
After invading the territory, Zhao Xing unleashed the Swift Straw Puppet, wearing the "Dao Ancient Cicada" robe, and smashed through the barrier around the mansion, heading straight for the Purple Mountain Ape King's residence.
"Hmm?" The Purple Mountain Ape King, drinking and enjoying himself in the main hall, suddenly looked up sharply. "Who's there!"
Without a word, Zhao Xing drove a double-strung iron rod into the ground.
"Moon-Sealing Divine Needle? You were sent by the royal clan to kill me!!" The Purple Mountain Ape King's eyes nearly burst, and his clothes instantly tore apart.
"Boom boom!"
The hall's roof collapsed in an instant. The Purple Mountain Ape King shot into the sky, trying to escape.
But above him was pure darkness—he couldn't see the moon!
The so-called Moon-Sealing Divine Needle was used to suppress the Demon Ape clan's ability to draw on moon essence for their bloodline transformation.
It was a royal exclusive weapon, made to handle unruly strong members of the clan.
"Hum~"
The double strings of the Moon-Sealing Divine Needle vibrated gently, releasing streams of black light.
Zhao Xing's All-Spirits Marquis transformation was instantly undone, and the Purple Mountain Ape King's transformation was also forcibly reversed, his strength dropping drastically.
"You're not from the royal clan, you're an alien demon!" The Purple Mountain Ape King turned and saw Zhao Xing, panicked.
"Right guess. Your prize—a Five Finger Mountain." Zhao Xing's true body smiled slightly.
Realizing something, the Purple Mountain Ape King looked up and back.
On the path of escape, a giant figure had already appeared in the sky.
He could sense it—that figure was exactly like the demon who burst into the hall just now, only far larger, nearly bigger than an Ape Emperor!
"Hum~"
A giant palm tore through the upper layers of the territory, slamming down.
Below, a Demon God Palace. Above, a Five Finger Mountain.
This planned assassination made the Purple Mountain Ape King feel death pressing down.
He had no idea why a mountain was falling from the sky. Facing such an unfamiliar secret technique, the Purple Mountain Ape King had no choice but to fight to the death.
"Roar roar roar!!!"
The Purple Mountain Ape King pounded the ground, then howled at the sky, holding up both hands, trying to block the demon's move.
"Hum~~~"
Before the mountain fell, he didn't notice that a dense forest had appeared around him.
A mass of mushrooms released toxic gas, surrounding him first.
"This Purple Ape's overall strength should be at the peak of the ordinary Reincarnation Realm, not far from advanced Reincarnation Realm," Zhao Xing thought. "To finish this fast, I need to unleash both my Self and Earth Advantage spells together."
Even the Thousand Illusions Tree was summoned by Zhao Xing—he had no choice, this had to be quick.
The longer it dragged on, the harder it would be for the Star Historian to alter history.
"Boom!"
"Roar!!"
The Purple Mountain Ape King lifted his arms to the sky, struggling desperately, but he was still crushed into the Demon God Palace below.
Once he was inside, things got easier.
The territory chosen by the Purple Mountain Ape King was a blessed place, so the earth veins were high-grade.
The Demon God Palace was using the power of the earth veins to refine the Ape King.
At first, the Purple Mountain Ape King struggled fiercely inside the palace.
After about seven hours, he couldn't resist anymore.
After fourteen hours, he was completely refined.
"Done!"
Zhao Xing let out a long breath and quickly withdrew all his divine abilities.
"Shi Yue, it's your turn."
"Understood."
At the Blood Demon Guard formation outside, a young man wearing a Taishi Crown and holding a Boundary Pen shouted to the anxious Blood Demon Guard, "Look over here."
"Hum~"
He swung his pen, a flash of white light.
The Blood Demon Guard, who had been terrified of alien demons, all froze for a moment, then their expressions returned to normal.
They had set out over eight hundred, now only half returned.
Those remaining were all injured, many divine weapons damaged, including the Moon-Sealing Divine Needle.
All this showed that killing the Purple Mountain Ape King had been a brutal battle.
The Demon Ape Prince silently calculated—given all this, it did match Zhao Xing's Blood Demon Guard's condition.
As for Yan Lingjun's squad, their casualties were much lighter.
"Your Highness, mission accomplished." Zhao Xing knelt on one knee, raising his hand above his head.
A bloodthirsty gleam flashed in the Demon Ape Prince's eyes.
Outside the palace, many personal guards were waiting for his order.
With one gesture, they'd rush in and wipe out Zhao Xing and his Blood Demon Guard.
But after thinking it over, he held back.
Something told him this wasn't the right move.
Besides, Zhao Xing and his Blood Demon Guard were excellent—future key forces against the alien demons.
With that, the Demon Ape Prince reached out, brushing past Zhao Xing's palm. "You've done great."
"In seven days, I will depart for the Yuxian Altar."
"As a reward, you may choose a few subordinates to go with me and receive Yuxian's blessing."
His hand fell, and the guards outside silently withdrew.
Yang Baihe, standing behind, relaxed his clenched fingers.
The hollow look in Yan Lingjun's eyes faded, as an old man's illusion silently dissipated.
Seven days later, Zhao Xing, Ji Yuan, Yang Baihe, Qi Tian, and twenty-seven undercover operatives, along with the mysterious Yan Lingjun, followed the Demon Ape Prince to the meeting point between Yuxian Realm and Gaoxian Realm.