Chapter 209 - 137: Hong Ji’s Exclusive Blood Rope Armor Insect

Chapter 209: Chapter 137: Hong Ji’s Exclusive Blood Rope Armor Insect

The next time Zhong Yi entered a First Level Secret Realm, he would automatically enter the First Level Divine Origin Slaughter Secret Realm.

Zhong Yi planned to run some tests before entering the Secret Realm.

After returning to his room and taking a bath, Zhong Yi fell into a deep sleep, holding Lan Po in his left arm and Ice Glaze in his right.

The next morning, Zhong Yi had to visit Fu Hongning at the Zhenchong Commerce Association. The Four-finger Creator whom Zhao Kai had recommended, and who wanted to pledge allegiance to him, was also due to arrive.

After Zheng Yufeng returned with the Four-finger Creator, Zhong Yi planned to have him bring over the two new Bizarre individuals with A+ Level potential, whose Deceit Beasts could synergize with each other.

If the abilities of these two new Bizarre individuals proved to be outstanding, and the synergy between their Deceit Beasts created an effect where one plus one was greater than two, Zhong Yi planned to use the Hundred-Eyed Moon Demon to form a Contract with them and begin their training.

What Zhong Yi’s current faction lacked most wasn’t high-end combat power.

With the Fertility Ant Queen around, Zhong Yi’s forces would not want for combat power.

What he truly lacked was administrative talent, people who could manage the faction’s internal affairs.

Right now, the only person who could fill that administrative role was Zhong Chenghuai.

Someone like Zhao Kai, at best, could only manage the Craftsman Apprentices controlled by the Soul Seals.

If, during their training, he discovered that one of them had a talent for administration, Zhong Yi wouldn’t mind promoting them to a managerial position within his faction.

After all, any Bizarre individual controlled by the Hundred-Eyed Moon Demon could be trusted completely.

Shen Xuan slept restlessly that night, jolting awake from nightmares several times.

Lan Po would normally absorb any dreams produced nearby, but Shen Xuan’s were so nonsensical they were like rotten oranges wrapped in chocolate.

The stench repulsed Lan Po on several occasions.

Lan Po had quite naturally begun to avoid absorbing Shen Xuan’s dreams.

Before bed, Shen Xuan had called You Weiwei.

As a Combat-type Celestial Destiny Seeker with an SS-Level potential rating, Shen Xuan was also privy to concerns shared among other Celestial Destiny Seekers.

Shen Xuan had suspected something was wrong with Zhong Yi since noon, so he’d made a point of calling You Weiwei that evening to get the full story.

He never imagined that Zhong Yi had been taken hostage by a Mythical Tier Bizarre individual and wasn’t rescued until early evening.

He had been held hostage for over eight hours in total.

Shen Xuan didn’t blame Zhong Yi for not telling him what had happened.

On the contrary, Shen Xuan completely understood Zhong Yi’s difficult but well-intentioned decision. Zhong Yi was just afraid of making him, Zhong Ling, Zhong Chenghuai, and Zhao Kai worry.

Besides, even if he had been told, there was nothing he could have done to help.

If their roles were reversed, Shen Xuan probably wouldn’t have told Zhong Yi either.

After ending his call with You Weiwei, Shen Xuan clenched his fists tightly.

’Weak!’

’I’m still too weak!’

’I have to get stronger, as fast as possible!’

Whenever he managed to fall asleep, he would dream of Zhong Yi being taken hostage and coerced.

In his dreams, those Mythical Tier Bizarre individuals did many strange things after capturing Zhong Yi.

Then, they beat Zhong Yi, just like how Shen Xuan himself had been beaten by the slaves in the Greenfield Tavern.

Seeing that it was already three in the morning and finding it impossible to sleep, Shen Xuan went down to the main hall on the first floor.

Like You Weiwei and the others, Yan Han had also gifted Zhong Yi three Mythical Tier Gem Golden Turtles, each with four different hues.

Twelve Gem Golden Turtles of various hues were placed on exquisitely shaped Old Pear Wood Carvings, each under a crystal cover polished from Light Cloud White Crystal.

Dozens of hues flickered throughout the living room, making it look like an Immortal Realm in the clouds above a sunset.

Shen Xuan was in no mood to appreciate the unprecedented beauty of the scene. He simply sat on the sofa in silence, fists clenched.

In that moment, Shen Xuan’s original motivation for becoming stronger changed.

Before, he wanted to become stronger so he could keep pace with Zhong Yi and always follow him.

But now, a new ambition was kindled within him.

More than just following Zhong Yi, he now wanted to be the one standing in front of him, protecting him from any and all harm.

Shen Xuan wasn’t the only one. Lying in bed, Qin Ruyue also couldn’t sleep.

For one, the change in her status was too drastic. She was no longer a free woman.

Instead, she now had a firm foothold and a new identity within the world of Guardian Beast Masters.

Qin Ruyue had quietly made obtaining more Flowing Soul Soil from Zhong Yi her new ambition.

She could tell that Zhong Yi was extremely generous.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have provided her with funds to purchase materials for her Night-Cutting Spider’s Tier advancement, nor would he have rewarded her with that black, liquid material after she brought back the Rule Deceit Embryo.

For another, her sleeplessness had a great deal to do with Hong Ji.

Hong Ji had fed all the unused blood from the absorbed materials to the Blood Rope Armor Insect.

The sound of the Blood Rope Armor Insect gulping down blood, GULP, GULP, GULP, echoed endlessly in the room.

Hong Ji, with half a Giant Horror Demon’s corpse slung over her shoulder, gazed tenderly into a mirror.

She then spent a full three hours eating the entire Giant Horror Demon carcass, which had been split open lengthwise.

The sounds of her teeth chewing through flesh, sinew, organs, and bone were all distinct.

These sounds echoed around the room, grating on Qin Ruyue’s nerves.

Qin Ruyue was certain that even those Bizarre individuals of the Flesh and Blood Element were nowhere near as demonic as this Guardian Beast of Zhong Yi’s.

And what’s more, this Human-shaped Guardian Beast could even absorb a Rule Deceit Embryo!

Clearly, the existence of this Human-shaped Guardian Beast was one of Zhong Yi’s secrets.

If she weren’t completely under his control, he likely would have never revealed this secret to her.

This further solidified Qin Ruyue’s belief in Zhong Yi’s potential.

The benefits of following such a generous Healing-type Celestial Destiny Seeker could even surpass those of becoming a Moon Listener Apostle with the chance to serve the Crying Moon Goddess.

Qin Ruyue’s mindset had begun to shift the moment her Night-Cutting Spider absorbed the Flowing Soul Soil.

At first, she had become Zhong Yi’s Servant only because she was forced to by the Hundred-Eyed Moon Demon’s control.

But now, she was starting to think about how she could better prove her value to him.

The scales of her loyalty were already tipping away from the Purifying Moon Sect and toward Zhong Yi.

The next morning, when Zhong Yi came downstairs after washing up, he saw Zhao Kai talking with a somewhat reserved-looking middle-aged man.

Zheng Yufeng stood off to the side, warily eyeing Qin Ruyue. The two were locked in a staring contest.

Zheng Yufeng knew of Qin Ruyue’s existence but had never fought her.

He didn’t know that she was the Mythical Tier, spider-like Bizarre individual who had taken Zhong Yi hostage.

But Zheng Yufeng was certain he had never seen Qin Ruyue in Starlight City before.

’How could a Bizarre individual like her be in Zhong Yi’s house?’

Zheng Yufeng didn’t understand the situation, but he didn’t ask any questions.

He simply assumed that this female Mythical Tier Bizarre individual, whom he had never seen before, was a guard assigned to Zhong Yi by Starlight City.

Seeing Zhong Yi come downstairs, Qin Ruyue immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Then, she fell into step right behind him.

In any case, Qin Ruyue had nothing else to do in Starlight City before the Deceit Dao Assembly.

She might as well use the next two months to stay as close to Zhong Yi as possible and win his favor.

Qin Ruyue had managed to join the Purifying Moon Sect partway through and become a Moon Judge even before Shi Mi.

This was not only due to her talent and sharp mind, but also because she was pragmatic and ruthlessly competitive.

Over the past decade, she had out-competed and left batch after batch of rivals in the dust.

Now, Qin Ruyue saw Shen Xuan, Zhong Ling, and Zhong Chenghuai as her new rivals.

She resolved to work hard and compete with them for a place in Zhong Yi’s esteem.

Zheng Yufeng stepped forward to greet Zhong Yi.

"Lord Su Sheng, I’ve brought the man back for you," he said.

"The Baisheng Commerce Association over in Zhuxue City was stubborn and unwilling to let him go. I had to deal with three waves of pursuers they sent."

"The leaders of two of those pursuit parties were at the Mythical Tier."

"I didn’t go for the kill when I fought them, but I did leave them all severely injured."

"The fact that the Baisheng Commerce Association is so desperate to get Wu Qing back means the Third Level Potion he developed must be truly extraordinary."