Chapter 670: Holy Blood Converts Into Mortal Fetus

The corpse of Crimson Nine-Heads arrived at precisely the moment Xu Ke was most desperate.

The problem was simple: as the number of exotic beast species grew, the six original heads that had served as the culture medium were gradually being used up.

Though Crimson Nine-Heads was one entity, each of its nine heads possessed a different temperament. Perhaps it was precisely this unusual trait that had caused the cultured exotic beasts to evolve in so many different directions.

Swap in another demonic beast of equivalent power instead, a brown Peng for instance, and the results would likely be nothing alike.

So it could be said that Crimson Nine-Heads had arrived at exactly the right time.

By Xu Ke's calculations, once the number of existing exotic beast species reached a certain threshold, the sheer population of the exotic beasts themselves would be enough to sustain their own propagation and evolution, even without drawing further on Crimson Nine-Heads' flesh and blood.

From that point on, Xu Ke turned his attention to how he might control these exotic beasts.

The vast majority of exotic beasts in this world had been cultured from Crimson Nine-Heads' flesh and blood. Drawing on his past research into the Myriad Beasts Revolving Wheel, and after several generations of mortal lifetimes, Xu Ke revived the long-lost Beast Taming True Art and finally created the Heart-Tuning Art, a method that enabled one to communicate with exotic beasts and, through that bond, command them.

Once Xu Ke passed the Heart-Tuning Art to the mortal clans of this world, humanity subdued the countless exotic beasts filling heaven and earth and achieved total dominion over the minor world. Thus they established a human empire.

The mortals revered Xu Ke as their Holy Imperator, while Little Qing and Little Hong, who had always stayed at his side, were called Holy Masters.

Even hailed as imperator, Xu Ke plainly had no interest in the trivial affairs of mortals.

He simply delegated authority and let humanity govern itself. As for himself, he stayed in seclusion day after day, becoming ever more a figure of mystery. Even Little Qing and Little Hong had no idea what he was doing.

That was, until one day, when Xu Ke suddenly brought a small boy before them.

He claimed the boy was his descendant.

The child was a product of the Holy Blood Fetus Conversion Method. This was a technique that transformed his own essence blood into offspring, born of his study of the gift Sovereign Primus had once given him.

The so-called Holy Blood Fetus Conversion Method took a portion of one's own essence blood and transformed it into an embryo capable of inheriting most of its creator's memories. No mother's womb was needed; given sufficient nourishment, the embryo could grow into the appearance of a young human child in just seven days.

More than that, its physical ability and intelligence would mature to a remarkably high level.

Gazing at the small boy, so familiar and yet so alien, Little Qing and Little Hong felt a jolt of disbelief. At the same time, a grim premonition rose in their hearts.

And indeed, they weren't wrong.

Xu Ke told Little Qing and Little Hong not to interfere excessively in the Empire's human affairs, and to lend aid only if the Empire faced a crisis threatening its very existence. The holy fetus, bearing his bloodline, would serve as a puppet imperator.

Having said all this, Xu Ke left without hesitation.

He told no one where he was going, and from that day on, he vanished without a trace.

Then, years later, Little Hei came knocking at their door.

Little Qing and Little Hong had likewise sensed Xu Ke's presence fade from the world, so when Little Hei arrived in a fury demanding answers, all they could do was bear his anger in silence.

But once he had vented his anger, Little Hei came to his senses. It knew Xu Ke's temperament well. Beneath that carefree demeanor ran a streak of stubbornness, and once he'd made a decision, neither Little Qing nor Little Hong could ever have talked him out of it.

Little Hei went to meet Xu Ke's descendant, the product of the holy fetus, which had by then passed its legacy down through more than a dozen generations on its own. What he found left his heart sinking with bitter disappointment.

Traces of Xu Ke could still be glimpsed in her, and her aura carried faint echoes of his.

She even recognized Little Hei the moment she saw him.

But in the end, she was not Xu Ke.

Without so much as a farewell, Little Hei left the Empire at once, and never returned again in all the years that followed.

In the years after, Little Hei wandered between various minor worlds, never giving up his search for the true cause of Xu Ke's death.

But in the end, he found nothing.

Wandering so long outside its home world made Little Hei's lifespan dwindle at a frightening pace.

As its final limit drew near, Little Hei returned to the place where he had last met Xu Ke.

There, surrounded by memories, he quietly awaited death's arrival.

***

Little Hei's body crumbled completely to dust, scattering into heaven and earth.

But the silhouette of Little Hei on the Xuan Bird Feather within Li Fan's body grew ever more vivid.

Little Hei once merged his existence with the Beastkin World. Though his lifespan ended and his body perished, I have gathered the scattered heavenly providence. Combined with this feather that came from his own body...

Perhaps, in some sense, rebirth can be achieved.

But even if it succeeds, this Little Hei will not be that Little Hei.

Li Fan shook his head slightly.

He left the wooden hut and walked to the edge of the clear pool at the mountain's peak.

He reached out his right hand, and a brown jade bottle containing Xu Ke's essence blood flew out from beneath the water and landed in his palm.

Several of Little Hei's seals covered the bottle's surface, keeping that single drop of essence blood brimming with life even after thousands of years.

No need to rush this. I should figure out what’s going on with Han Yi's statue first. Li Fan pondered for a moment, then put the jade bottle away.

With a single step, he returned to the black obelisk tower.

In his perception, disciples of the Medicine King Sect were busily moving through every corner of the Beastkin World.

Judging by their actions, they seemed to be carving some kind of array into the ground.

"Old Liu, what's got you all so busy?" Li Fan studied them for a while but couldn't identify the array, so he asked out of genuine curiosity.

"Heh heh, this was my idea." Before Liu San could answer, Fang Zaiji eagerly claimed the credit.

"This world is quite vast, with plenty of room for the disciples to move around and relax. But the spiritual qi here is far too thin, and staying too long isn't good for cultivation. Longevity Valley, on the other hand, is thick with spiritual qi. So we're planning to transfer some of Longevity Valley's spiritual qi over here, provided it doesn't affect the medicinal herbs growing there," Fang Zaiji added.

Liu San spoke up as well. "To be safe, I've had the disciples run a thorough survey to check for any other passages. Once we find them all, Old Fang and I will seal off the spatial passages on this side.

"That way, outsiders can only get in through Longevity Valley. And if Longevity Valley ever comes under attack and we can't hold it, we can reopen the passage and retreat in good order.

"So the safety of our Medicine King Sect will be fully guaranteed!"

Liu San finished, his face beaming with pride.

"I appreciate the effort you two have put into this." Li Fan nodded, looking well pleased.

Having entrusted the management of the connection between Longevity Valley and the Beastkin World to Liu San and the others, Li Fan took the Xuan Bird Feather, now filled with the heavenly providence of an entire minor world, and once again approached the area near Han Yi's stone statue.

The instant he felt that immense, ravenous pull of force bearing down on him, he willed the providence in the feather to surge forth.

At the same time, he pushed his speed to its absolute limit, streaking toward Han Yi like a falling star.

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