Chapter 90: Taking in a Servant

After a Lesser Beast of the demon race advances from the Body Tempering stage to become a Grand Demon at the Condensed Core stage, they are eligible to become the lord of a mountain.

As long as one successfully challenges the Grand Demon occupying a mountain, they can seize that mountain and become its new master.

Alternatively, one can seek out an unclaimed mountain, settle down, gather Lesser Beasts, and slowly build up their own power.

Taking another step beyond the Condensed Core stage, one must refine the murky Serpent Core within themselves, condensing it into a sparkling, translucent Demon Pill to become a Yao Wang.

Upon reaching the Yao Wang realm, they qualify to subdue and rule over multiple mountains, accepting the tribute and respect of Grand Demons from each mountain.

For most Lesser Beasts, being a minor boss in the mountains is already the height of their aspirations.

Advancing from Condensed Core to Grand Demon exists only in their dreams.

To advance further and become a Yao Wang by forming a Demon Pill is something they dare not even imagine.

But Hong Yanzhi suddenly declared she knew a place that offered the chance to become a Yao Wang.

Lin Xue couldn’t help but be moved.

Her System included the legendary Beast Refinement Codex, which allowed her to devour the Serpent Cores of other demons, digest and absorb a portion of their demon power, and convert it into her own, rapidly increasing her strength.

However, the Beast Refinement Codex had its limits—it could only digest and absorb the Serpent Cores of Lesser Beasts in the Body Tempering stage.

Before reaching the Condensed Core realm, this technique was extremely useful; swallowing a few Serpent Cores could quickly propel her across several minor realms.

But after attaining the Condensed Core stage, the amount of demon power needed to advance increased greatly.

Relying on the paltry demon power gained from Body Tempering Serpent Cores was like a drop in the bucket.

Therefore, after becoming a Grand Demon at the Condensed Core stage, the Beast Refinement Codex’s usefulness became negligible.

If she continued down the path of demon cultivation, it would be difficult to count on the Beast Refinement Codex to form a Demon Pill and ascend to the Yao Wang realm.

Thus, upon hearing of an opportunity to become a Yao Wang, Lin Xue was indeed a little tempted.

But it was only a “little” temptation.

After all, she didn’t really plan to pursue the path of demon cultivation.

Since the human cultivator’s technique, the Changsheng Jue, could be advanced by adding points through the System, she could simply stick to the human path and there was no need to insist on walking the demon’s path.

Whether or not this opportunity existed was actually of little importance to her.

Still, since the topic had come up, there was no harm in listening.

Seeing that Lin Xue was slightly interested but not especially concerned, Hong Yanzhi, fearing Lin Xue might lose patience and turn away, hastily explained:

“My mother is a fox demon, born of the Meishan Fox Clan. The Meishan Fox Clan possesses a divine art called the Wedding Garment Technique. Before the clan leader dies, she enters the Meishan Secret Realm in the mountains, extracts all her cultivation, and stores it on a Lian Tai at the heart of the secret realm.”

“Descendants then compete; the winner becomes the new clan leader, enters the secret realm, sits upon the Lian Tai, and can absorb the previous leader’s cultivation, inheriting her realm.”

“The last clan leader at that time was my Grandmother Ancestor. My Grandmother Ancestor was a Yao Wang. As her time drew near, she entered the secret realm, but not long after, humans from the Demon-Slaying Bureau suddenly invaded Meishan. The Meishan Fox Clan was caught off guard and was slaughtered—only my Grandmother escaped.”

“Later, my Grandmother married and gave birth to my mother, passing on the location and means to open the Meishan Secret Realm to her. My mother, after marrying my father and giving birth to me, passed the location and method on to me.”

“The rule of the Meishan demon clan is always matriarchal—passed down to daughters, not sons. So apart from my Grandmother, my mother, and myself, no one else knows this secret.”

“Only those with Meishan Fox Clan blood can open the Meishan Secret Realm, and they must have reached at least the mid-stage of the Condensed Core realm to enter. My Grandmother and mother, limited by their aptitude, stopped at early Condensed Core and so the secret realm has never been opened.”

“Miss Xue, although I am a cat, I possess Meishan Fox Clan blood. If you’re willing to save me, once you reach mid Condensed Core, I can take you to the secret realm and open it for you. You can enter, sit upon the Lian Tai, and take my Grandmother Ancestor’s cultivation for yourself, immediately forming a Demon Pill and advancing to Yao Wang!”

Hearing Hong Yanzhi’s words, Lin Xue was deeply moved.

If what she said was true, then as long as she reached mid Condensed Core and brought Hong Yanzhi to Meishan to open the secret realm, she could soar to the heavens in a single leap and become a Yao Wang.

That was just too incredible!

Wasn’t this even more thrilling than cheating with hacks?

But she still harbored doubts.

Hong Yanzhi had already deceived her once before—could this be another lie to secure her rescue, making up this “secret realm” out of desperation?

Or perhaps, after Lin Xue saved her and brought her to the secret realm, she would fall into some trap and become a pawn for others?

Lin Xue let out a cold laugh and asked, “How do I know you’re telling the truth? What if you’re lying to me?”

Seeing Lin Xue’s disbelief, Hong Yanzhi’s expression flickered as if she had made up her mind. She gritted her teeth and said, “Miss Xue, if you’re still not assured, then let me show you this.”

With that, she opened her mouth and spat out a long, narrow jade slip.

Lin Xue’s eyes widened in shock.

She was amazed: Such a long jade slip—Hong Yanzhi had actually hidden it in her mouth!

There must be some kind of storage space within her mouth.

What was this jade slip?

Hong Yanzhi explained, “This jade slip is the ‘Beast Mastery Heart Sutra (Recognition Chapter)’, which I obtained half a month ago from the Storage Pouch of that Beast Taming Sect Bird Demon. Inside, it records a method and ritual for demon beasts to recognize a master.”

“If you still don’t believe me, Yanzhi is willing to sign a soul contract with you and become your demon slave, serving you as my master for life, living and dying together, under your command. All I ask is that you save me from this sea of suffering!”

“Once I am your demon slave, should you be in mortal danger, I will die alongside you. My life and death will also be in your hands. Miss Xue, will this suffice to earn your trust?”

After listening to Hong Yanzhi’s explanation, Lin Xue took up the jade slip and infused it with her demon power.

At once, her System panel popped up a message:

“Detected new skill manual ‘Beast Mastery Heart Sutra (Recognition Chapter)’. Please read to record it into the System. After recording, you may use Experience Points to learn.”

She quickly browsed through the jade slip’s contents and recorded it into her System.

Then she casually added Experience Points.

The technique was quite simple; after just ten points, it was perfected.

In an instant, Lin Xue possessed all the knowledge of the ‘Beast Mastery Heart Sutra (Recognition Chapter)’.

As Hong Yanzhi described, this was a master recognition method, or rather, a ritual.

The master recognized by a demon beast could be human, demon, or another intelligent species.

The demon beast must be completely willing, and offer up a drop of Spirit Blood, containing a trace of soul power, to the other party.

The other party must provide a drop of their own Essence Blood, merging it with the Spirit Blood.

Once taken into the body, the ritual is complete and the other becomes the demon beast’s master.

As long as the master holds that drop of Spirit Blood, they can command the demon slave as they please—their life and death are at the master’s whim.

If the master dies, the demon slave will die as well.

In other words, by signing this soul contract, the demon beast places its life entirely in another’s hands.

Seeing Hong Yanzhi produce this technique and willingly become her servant, Lin Xue was finally convinced of her sincerity.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to accept and save Hong Yanzhi.

Previously, she’d been unwilling to intervene, afraid that after saving Hong Yanzhi, she’d find out Lin Xue had killed Hong Huzhi, which could cause trouble.

But now, with Hong Yanzhi willingly becoming her demon servant and her life completely in Lin Xue’s hands, that worry was gone.

Once she reached mid Condensed Core, she could also go to the Meishan Secret Realm and take the cultivation left behind by Hong Yanzhi’s Grandmother Ancestor, ascending directly to Yao Wang!

This was truly a deal with no downside!

Lin Xue said to Hong Yanzhi, “Alright, in that case, let’s perform the recognition ritual.”

Seeing Lin Xue finally agree, Hong Yanzhi let out a long sigh of relief, a look of release in her eyes.

She steadied her mind, then, as guided by the ‘Beast Mastery Heart Sutra (Recognition Chapter)’, wove a trace of her soul into a drop of Spirit Blood and spat it out.

A crimson droplet hovered in the air, drifting toward Lin Xue.

Lin Xue casually produced a wooden thorn and pricked her own finger, squeezing out a drop of Essence Blood to merge with Hong Yanzhi’s Spirit Blood.

The moment the two merged, Lin Xue immediately sensed a subtle connection binding her and Hong Yanzhi together.

She reached out and absorbed the merged blood into her own body.

From this moment on, she was Hong Yanzhi’s master.

Having gained an absolutely loyal servant, Lin Xue was in high spirits.

She smiled at Hong Yanzhi and said, “Wait here for me. I’ll go find Shu Er now and find a way to have him release you.”

With that, she turned and left the room.

……

Hong Yanzhi felt as if an invisible rope had tied her up, its other end firmly in Lin Xue’s grasp.

From now on, she was Lin Xue’s servant.

Half a month ago, she’d been the much-feared young mistress of this cave, and Lin Xue was merely her maid, often scolded by her.

But now, she had fallen to such a state. In order to survive, she had to bow her head, beg Lin Xue, and even actively request to become her demon slave.

A glint of humiliation flickered in Hong Yanzhi’s eyes.

She had only made this choice because she had no other way out.

Originally, she had hoped to trade a method to rapidly advance from mid to late Body Tempering for her freedom, but Lin Xue had already reached late Body Tempering and didn’t need her help.

She had no choice but to grit her teeth and reveal the secret of the Meishan Secret Realm.

This opportunity had been meant for herself alone.

The reason she had refused to marry, insisting on staying at Qixia Mountain, was so that after Hong Lao San’s death, she could take his place, rule the mountain, concentrate all its resources on herself, quickly reach mid Condensed Core, and then open the secret realm to inherit her Grandmother Ancestor’s cultivation and realm, becoming a Yao Wang.

Unfortunately, all this was shattered by Shu Da’s rebellion.

Not only was she publicly violated and humiliated by Shu Da, but he even let all the Lesser Beasts on the mountain defile her.

With her body and mind devastated, her realm actually dropped.

She had already fallen into despair, certain she would be tormented to death.

Fortunately, she encountered Lin Xue, and things took a turn. At last, she saw hope of survival.

Hong Yanzhi knew well that all her suffering stemmed from that damned rat, Shu Da!

She secretly vowed that one day, she would have her revenge, and return all the pain Shu Da had inflicted upon her a hundredfold!