DiploNovel Chapter 368 : Blood-Skeleton True Monarch
Chapter 368 : Blood-Skeleton True Monarch
Beast Taming Hall.Chen Beiwu sat in the main seat dressed in green robes. Shu You stood carefully at his side, brewing tea while reporting.
“Master, the Beast Taming Lineage currently has a total of two thousand three hundred and seventy-two disciples. Among them, two thousand three hundred and thirty-nine are Qi Refining disciples, most serving in the outer sect or managing the beast gardens.”
“There are thirty-one Foundation Establishment disciples, all elite inner sect members. Most have successfully comprehended ‘Companion Spiritual Resonance Chapter’, and ten of them have already formed Companion Contracts with Foundation Establishment Spirit Beasts.”
“At present, there are only two Golden Core cultivators: Vice Hall Master of the Hall of Mysteries, Golden Core Elder Yun Cang, and Vice Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall, Crimson Prison Fairy Zhu Qiong, both serving concurrently.”
At this point, Shu You paused slightly before continuing, “In addition, the lineage currently has one hundred and twenty-three alchemists, nine of whom are Second-Tier and above. There are eighty-five artifact refiners, among whom Second-Tier and above number…”
“In order to steadily cultivate sufficient Companion Spirit Beasts, the sect currently controls three large beast gardens, located at Yunmang Peak, Thousand Sparrow Mountain, and Hundred Beasts Ridge. Spiritual contracts have been signed with thirty-three affiliated cultivation families in those areas. Every ten years, they can provide at least thirty-three Spirit Beast cubs to the Beast Taming Lineage, and more at times…”
After finishing her report, Shu You slightly raised her beautiful eyes, carefully observing Chen Beiwu’s reaction.
For the development of the Beast Taming Lineage, she had been diligent beyond measure during this period—rising earlier than a rooster, sleeping later than a dog. Even her own cultivation had been delayed.
Chen Beiwu closed his eyes slightly, dividing his attention. Part of his consciousness had already sunk into the chaotic heaven and earth.
Roar!
Roar!
Roar!
Within the chaotic heaven and earth, the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon raised its head and roared, emitting dragon cries audible only to Chen Beiwu.
The next moment, the purple aura originally flowing around the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon suddenly gained countless streams of mixed white, green, blue, orange, and red fate radiance.
These streams of fate radiance flowed like rivers returning to the sea, continuously merging into the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon’s body. Its form grew more solid and elongated, and even the vast purple aura surrounding it became increasingly dense.
Clearly, these streams of fate radiance were not born from nothing, but originated from the two thousand three hundred and seventy-two disciples of the Beast Taming Lineage.
As long as the Beast Taming Lineage did not fall, Chen Beiwu’s already formidable Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon Rank would continuously receive nourishment from the fate of thousands of disciples.
However, the Beast Taming Lineage’s influence was still too weak. The speed at which it nourished the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon was extremely slow—even inferior to the surge of fate he had gained when defeating Taiqing’s chief Wang Chan and the Three Firmaments of Shangqing, securing victory for the Yuqing Immortal Sect.
But that was normal. The fate gained from defeating peerless prodigies was a one-time acquisition.
The fate augmentation from the Beast Taming Lineage, on the other hand, was like a gentle flowing stream—continuous and steadily strengthening the Heavenly Fate Purple Dragon’s fortune.
“Not bad. You have managed the Beast Taming Lineage very well.”
After confirming the changes in fate, Chen Beiwu slowly opened his eyes and looked at Shu You with interest.
At this moment, the fate above Shu You’s head was not only gray and murky, but faintly showed signs of dark clouds pressing down.
One had to know that an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator tainted with even a trace of dark-cloud-pressing misfortune would likely suffer inner demons within a month, encounter endless calamities, be schemed against, and die abruptly.
Yet Shu You had not only resisted the crushing weight of misfortune but had even advanced smoothly to the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.
Such a stubborn cultivator who could defy fate itself was someone Chen Beiwu was seeing for the first time.
In a certain sense, this too could be considered a special prodigy worth cultivating.
“This servant has merely fulfilled her duty.”
Hearing Chen Beiwu’s affirmation, Shu You felt reassured.
“How is your comprehension of the Golden Core method I gave you? What are your chances of breaking through to Golden Core now?”
Chen Beiwu looked at her pretty face while casually asking, quietly extracting the aura of calamity from her.
“Forty percent.”
Shu You’s heart leapt with joy and she instantly responded.
“Have you been secretly cultivating ‘Secret Record of Fate-Bearing Qi Absorption and Longevity’ recently?” Chen Beiwu asked.
“I have attempted cultivation about a dozen times.” Shu You did not lie.
“That cultivation method is too incomplete and incompatible with your physique. You should stop cultivating it for the time being.”
“This servant understands. From now on, I will no longer cultivate that method.”
“There is no need to overcorrect. Greatly reduce the time spent cultivating the Longevity Record. Just avoid leaving the sect unless necessary.”
Chen Beiwu waved his hand. Without a cultivation prodigy like Shu You, where would he gather so much calamity aura?
With a flick of his sleeve, an exquisite jade bottle landed on the table. “This is the Golden Palace Pill I previously promised you. Take it.”
Seeing the jade bottle before her, Shu You’s breathing halted. She hurriedly bowed, unable to conceal the excitement in her eyes.
Pledging loyalty to the Master had truly been the most correct decision of her life.
Seeing her eyes shimmering with emotion, Chen Beiwu was unsurprised.
The Golden Palace Pill was worth a fortune. Such gratitude was normal.
But the human heart was ever-changing.
Shu You’s loyalty now did not guarantee loyalty in the future—especially once she wielded excessive authority.
But it did not matter. His act of lavish reward was not meant to secure eternal loyalty, but to drastically raise the cost of betrayal within sect rules.
After granting this Golden Palace Pill, as long as the Beast Taming Lineage stood firm, Shu You would have almost no possibility of switching sects—unless she chose outright betrayal.
“I will leave the sect for a period of travel to seek a breakthrough. The Beast Taming Lineage will be entrusted to you.”
Chen Beiwu stood and spoke concisely.
“This servant understands,” Shu You replied respectfully.
…
Mirror Moon Sect, Rotating Star Hall.
A yellow-robed youth with utterly unremarkable features stepped into the hall and merged into the queue.
This was Chen Beiwu after altering his appearance.
To conceal his tracks, he had used a Yuqing secret technique to change his face and physique, and a Concealment Technique to suppress his aura.
Thus, in the eyes of the surrounding Mirror Moon disciples, he was merely an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Please present your identity jade token.”
The cultivator guarding the teleportation formation was a withered-faced old Foundation Establishment cultivator, speaking in a businesslike tone.
Chen Beiwu said nothing and casually produced an identity jade token.
‘Beast Taming Lineage Inner Sect Disciple Mo Qingshuang.’
The old cultivator glanced at it, confirmed its authenticity, and waved his hand. “Stand on the Rotating Star Platform. Do not move about.”
Chen Beiwu stepped onto the teleportation formation alongside a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Buzz!
A flash of silver light, and the cultivators on the platform vanished.
On the other side, Biyuan Market’s Rotating Star Sub-Hall.
The Rotating Star Platform flared with brilliance as a group of cultivators appeared.
Chen Beiwu had no intention of lingering. Choosing a direction at random, he activated his escape light and departed.
A quarter hour later, his eyes flickered slightly. He keenly sensed something was wrong.
At first it might have been coincidence. But after changing direction multiple times, the cultivator behind him still followed closely. Clearly, someone within the sect had targeted him.
Interesting. Was this False Nascent Soul cultivator dispatched by the Patriarch as a protector, or did he harbor ill intent?
Chen Beiwu could not be certain, but that did not prevent him from fishing for law enforcement to uncover the truth.
Activating his escape light, he deliberately altered course, avoiding main roads and instead weaving swiftly through remote, narrow mountain paths.
‘Where did he go? How did he suddenly disappear?’
After crossing a lone peak and finding his tracking guide talisman had lost its signal, Xiang Yuanbai’s face changed drastically. His divine sense probed warily in all directions.
That should not have happened.
With his False Nascent Soul divine sense combined with the tracking guide, he could silently track even an early Nascent Soul True Monarch.
How had Chen Zi’ang, a mere Golden Core cultivator, seen through his trail?
“What are you looking for? Looking for me?”
The sudden voice by his ear made Xiang Yuanbai’s heart tremble violently, every hair on his body standing upright.
Without time to think, relying on instincts honed through countless life-and-death battles, the False Nascent Soul True Qi within him erupted. He retreated violently while simultaneously activating two defensive magical artifacts.
He then saw Chen Beiwu standing midair, gazing at him calmly instead of launching a surprise attack.
“Seems I guessed correctly,” Chen Beiwu said with interest. “Who sent you to your death?”
“To your death? Arrogant! A mere Golden Core cultivator dares such boasting?” Xiang Yuanbai steadied himself, voice cold.
“Arrogance depends on strength.”
Chen Beiwu’s divine sense stirred but failed to penetrate the other’s true appearance and aura.
Clearly, to avoid exposure, this mysterious False Nascent Soul cultivator had made thorough preparations.
At the same time, sensing the terrifying divine sense enveloping heaven and earth, Xiang Yuanbai’s pupils contracted.
Damn it. True Monarch-level divine sense!
To possess Nascent Soul True Monarch-level divine sense at Golden Core— even the Mirror Moon Dao Child was not that exaggerated.
No wonder his trail had been exposed.
A chill ran through him, yet he felt no fear—only faint excitement.
If Chen Zi’ang had fled wholeheartedly, he would have had no way to deal with him.
But the opponent was arrogant and chose direct confrontation—this gave him a chance to complete his mission.
“Struggle is useless. This will be your burial ground,” Xiang Yuanbai said slowly.
“Within the sect, only a handful of high-ranking figures can command a False Nascent Soul cultivator. Even if you don’t speak, I can find the mastermind,” Chen Beiwu said deliberately.
He did not know why Mirror Moon’s upper echelon would target him without reason, but it did not matter. Killers would themselves be killed.
He simply needed to find the mastermind and eliminate him. The instigator could not be the Mirror Moon Patriarch.
After all, no fool would hand a fifth-tier Origin Talisman to their intended target beforehand.
Moreover, if the Patriarch wanted him dead, he could have acted personally at any time.
“Haha. Dao Child, your talent is unmatched. Alone, I indeed cannot capture you. But since you now know what you shouldn’t, you will die here.”
Xiang Yuanbai laughed ferociously and crushed a talisman hidden in his sleeve.
Crack!
As the talisman shattered, an inky crimson strange True Qi shot into the sky, enveloping heaven and earth, forming a pitch-black vortex that devoured all light.
The next instant, from within the vortex descended a vast pressure capable of suffocating Golden Core True Persons and making souls tremble.
Buzz!
Space trembled. The vortex dissipated, revealing a thin cultivator like a bamboo pole.
His face was ruddy, features plain. He wore a black Daoist robe, a necklace of tiny skull prayer beads around his neck, and an eerie human-skin belt at his waist.
Such attire. Such dense demonic aura.
Without doubt, he was a Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Blood Fortune Sect, one of the three great demonic sects of the Western Expansion Territory.
Blood-Skeleton True Monarch Yun Wuyou.
More precisely, Yun Wuyou was a defected True Monarch currently wanted by the Blood Fortune Sect.
“Elder Yun, thank you for your assistance.”
Xiang Yuanbai bowed respectfully.
“Why act in this location?” Yun Wuyou frowned slightly, displeased.
Though some distance from Biyuan Market, it was still within Mirror Moon Sect’s sphere of influence. He did not wish to be hunted madly by Mirror Moon’s Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
“Elder Yun, this man is cunning. To prevent exposure, I had no choice but to act here,” Xiang Yuanbai replied in a low voice.
Between a False Nascent Soul cultivator and a Nascent Soul True Monarch lay an insurmountable gulf.
Moreover, Blood-Skeleton True Monarch was notorious. His blood fortune demonic cultivation was vicious and strange. Even ordinary mid-stage Nascent Soul True Monarchs would not offend him lightly.
“Very well. This oversight is on your side. You must compensate this old man with one hundred thousand souls and three Fourth-Tier Profound Pills.”
Yun Wuyou began raising the price.
Sweat formed on Xiang Yuanbai’s forehead, but he dared not object.
Demonic cultivators were unpredictable. They could tear up agreements and kill at the slightest displeasure.
“Elder Yun, to avoid future complications, we should first capture Chen Zi’ang,” Xiang Yuanbai said decisively.
Yun Wuyou glanced at him, seeing through his intent.
But recalling the Blood Demon True Venerable’s command, he said nothing and turned his gaze to Chen Beiwu.
“Boy, consider yourself fortunate to die at this old man’s hands.”
He pointed.
The gesture seemed slow but was lightning-fast.
Where the finger wind passed, blood rain filled the sky. Space cracked under unbearable strain, revealing black fissures.
More terrifying than that was the inky crimson bloodlight at his fingertip.
The bloodlight shot forth, madly devouring surrounding spiritual energy, forcibly stirring Chen Beiwu’s own blood, soul, and Golden Core.
At the same time, as it traversed space, a nauseating stench of blood spread, carrying an eerie pressure capable of making Golden Core True Persons lose themselves in blood-rain illusions.
Roar!
Golden Egg soared into the sky, activating Three-Phase Indestructible Mysterious Ability, meeting the bloodlight head-on.
Boom!
Gold, green, and blue radiance rotated across Golden Egg’s body, forming an unbreakable absolute domain, grinding the incoming bloodlight bit by bit.
“A fine Golden Core flood dragon, to withstand one finger of this True Monarch.”
Yun Wuyou’s eyes brightened as he stared at Golden Egg.
Though it had been a casual strike, not even using half his strength, it was sufficient to crush a Golden Core Great Perfection cultivator.
This indicated the flood dragon possessed extraordinary bloodline—likely carrying high-tier Nascent Soul Demon King lineage, with limitless future potential.
“Young one, I quite fancy this flood dragon. If you obediently dissolve the contract and offer it up, this True Monarch will leave you an intact corpse. How about it?”