Chapter 451: Gathering the Four Great Rain Stones, Yuxian Festival Sacrifice

Blood bubbled and divine light shone brightly, as if a fierce beast was about to emerge. But the anomaly lasted only a second.

From the eye of the blood spring, a compact, five-meter-tall figure materialized.

"Steward Zhao?!"

Qi Tian watched Zhao Xing's transformation, calling out to him telepathically.

"It's me."

Qi Tian was somewhat bewildered, as Zhao Xing's appearance had changed drastically. His chest muscles and face were clean and smooth, while his temples, head, legs, back, and tail were covered in pure, soft red fur. His original turtle shell hadn't vanished; instead, it had integrated into his superficial skin, hidden beneath the red fur. Qi Tian could feel explosive power latent beneath this red-furred, turtle-patterned skin, making his heart pound.

Without needing to ask, Qi Tian knew Zhao Xing had succeeded! In his transformed state, he had completed the absorption of the blood pool's essence, making his current physique incredibly formidable. Just a single glance from him filled Qi Tian, Ji Yuan, and Yang Baihe with a sense of immense pressure. All three were practitioners of the magical path, and being so close to a physically powerful fierce beast made them instinctively fearful.

"What's going on? Did he succeed?" Yang Baihe asked. Frankly, Zhao Xing's current appearance was so different from before that he genuinely feared this sudden emergence might not be Zhao Xing.

"He definitely succeeded," Qi Tian said with full confidence. "One body, two meridians, perfectly blending the Demon Ape and Spirit Turtle races, with internal and external energies balanced like the natural Dao—this is the Transformation Method of Marquis! Our Heavenly Chronos Sect's Transformation Method of Marquis."

"Isn't 'natural Dao' a bit of an exaggeration?" Yang Baihe couldn't help but say, feeling that Qi Tian was overstating the method's capabilities.

"Don't believe it?" Qi Tian snorted. "If you don't, ask Steward Zhao. His current combat power can absolutely rival an ordinary Samsara Realm martial artist." He added, "I'm talking about the Imperial standard, not the local standard here!"

Zhao Xing had now fully adapted. He heard Qi Tian's boasting and saw Yang Baihe's questioning gaze.

"Brother Qi Tian isn't far off," Zhao Xing said, twisting his head and waist, then looking down at his palms. "The Four Seasons Palace's Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis perfectly absorbed the blood pool's essence. After this change, the bloodlines of the Demon Ape and Spirit Void Turtle fused, creating a new race that's even stronger than pure-blooded ones!"

He continued, "Simply with this Transformation Method, my physical attributes can rival an ordinary Samsara Realm martial artist, no problem. However, in terms of martial arts, I only have the three rudimentary bloodline talents. I can compare to a Qi Sect practitioner, but against a Sword Sect practitioner, I still can't compete."

Zhao Xing's Transformation Method of Marquis had undergone three changes.

The first was transforming his initially learned minor divine ability, "Divine Fire Turtle Transformation," into "Spirit Void Turtle Transformation." This was still a change at the same level, merely switching between bloodlines of equivalent rank. His combat power didn't increase; "Spirit Void Turtle Transformation Method" remained a minor divine ability, only with a more refined disguise.

The second change occurred upon entering the Upper Three Realms, combining the bloodlines of the Demon Ape and Spirit Void Turtle races to create the "Demon Turtle Transformation." Guided by the Heavenly Chronos Sect's theories, Zhao Xing made his first attempt at a 'one body, two meridians' fusion. At this point, "Demon Turtle Transformation" was already a major divine ability, enhancing stealth while boosting overall combat power. The Demon Ape body allowed him to cast some geomancy spells from his untransformed state, as well as bloodline talents acquired after the transformation. However, this method still had flaws; it couldn't unleash Zhao Xing's full potential. For example, he couldn't open his 'Origin Space' to summon the Grand Void Straw Man for combat, needing to revert to human form first. Nor could he use geomancy techniques compatible with the Extreme Land, such as the Demon God's Underground Palace or Five Fingers Mountain. This was because the transformed body and the human body were entirely different concepts, not even sharing the same set of meridians. His previously cultivated "Extreme Land" and "Primordial Chaos Realm" naturally ceased to exist. Except for his will-based divine abilities and soul techniques, which were unaffected, his Dharma body used entirely two sets of skills after the transformation.

This continued until the Transformation Method of Marquis underwent its third metamorphosis. This happened during the years he spent communicating with Qi Tian in the blood pool. Zhao Xing learned the Four Seasons Palace's 'Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis,' swiftly compensating for his lack of systematic cultivation of the method, and gaining practical experience in the blood pool environment. The third metamorphosis of the Transformation Method of Marquis brought Zhao Xing the most significant enhancement. It allowed him to preserve his bloodline talents, open his Origin Space, and even use geomancy techniques. This was because the Four Seasons Palace's Transformation Method of Marquis was highly advanced, featuring 'one body, multiple meridians' and a dual heaven-earth balance. This current Transformation Method was still called "Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis," but it could also be considered a new method, an adaptive version exclusive to Zhao Xing. In fact, while the cultivation framework for everyone's Transformation Method of Marquis was similar, the effects varied significantly due to individual circumstances. For example, Zhao Xing and Qi Tian, having absorbed the essence blood of myriad races in this blood pool, would have transformed forms stronger than other Four Seasons Palace disciples who learned the Transformation Method of Marquis.

The Transformation Method of Marquis involves the physical body, and everyone's physical body is unique. Du Yun, cultivating the Void Ancestor Golden Body, could reach 996 extremes, while Emperor Tianwu, in his Origin Realm period, only possessed a golden body of over 800 extremes. At this moment, Zhao Xing, relying on the Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis strengthened by the blood pool, could rival an ordinary Samsara Realm martial artist. Of course, if he were to die and be resurrected, or if his physical body were destroyed, the Transformation Method's combat power would not be as strong, because the new body would not have absorbed the blood pool's essence. Therefore, whether it's reincarnation or resurrection, the path back to the peak is exceptionally challenging.

"Sir, what about me then?" Ji Yuan asked nervously. He had been in the Blood Demon Cave for almost ten years, and he and Yang Baihe had merely been idly waiting, making very little progress. Now that Zhao Xing's Transformation Method of Marquis had become so powerful, it was essentially a new technique. Could he still learn it in a short time? Probably not! Borrowing power from sacrificial spirit readings required logic; one needed a sufficient foundation to do so.

"Don't panic, it's not a big problem," Qi Tian chuckled. "How could my Four Seasons Palace's Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis be so inconvenient?"

Zhao Xing also smiled. "Exactly. Now you don't need to borrow my strength. I've learned the external application of the Transformation Method of Marquis." He added, "Just bear with it, don't resist. It might hurt a bit."

"Pain? I've been through military special training, mere pain—ROAR!!!" The stubborn Ji Yuan quickly erupted in a huge roar. The blood pool surged, and he writhed in pain in the water. "Pain! Too much pain!" Ji Yuan even felt like dying!

"Relax, pain is normal," Zhao Xing activated the Heart Field Method "Great Dream Marsh," gently soothing Ji Yuan's mind. Transforming from one life form into another, especially a passive transformation, would naturally be extremely painful. In the Transformation Zone, out of billions of beings, usually only a single individual could endure such suffering and successfully advance. The process was no different from transcending a tribulation; Ji Yuan had underestimated the pain. If he himself knew the Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis, it naturally wouldn't hurt as much, but he only knew "Demon Turtle Transformation," and that was merely a priestly simulated change, completely incomparable.

"Roar, roar, roar, roar!!!" Soon, Yang Baihe also began to roar. This time, both their cries of pain were much more genuine; there was no need to act.

After about three months, both their passive transformations were complete. Yang Baihe had turned into a Demon Ape with pure white fur, while Ji Yuan remained a hybrid of Demon Ape and Turtle, though the turtle shell on his back was much smaller, leaning more towards Demon Ape characteristics.

"Is it... over?" Ji Yuan's weak voice asked.

"Yes, it's over. The transformation was very successful," Zhao Xing replied.

"Sir, I... I can't see the sacrificial spirit readings anymore?"

"It'd be strange if you *could* see it," Qi Tian explained. "Steward Zhao transformed you into a 'similar-to-him life form,' not your own magical transformation."

Zhao Xing also nodded. Daring to accept a teammate's Transformation Method of Marquis truly required absolute trust, because whether Ji Yuan could revert now was entirely up to him! Only the person who tied the bell can untie it; the Transformation Method of Marquis involves complex changes to the Dao of Life within the body. Every part, even an inch of flesh or a single strand of fur, is a labyrinth of life. Almost only the person who performed the transformation can undo it. In some obscure Transformation Methods of Marquis, Zhao Xing and Ji Yuan could even form bloodline suppression, as if a bloodline progenitor had developed 'descendants,' creating a "return to the ancestral clan" effect. However, that type of Transformation Method has long been lost.

"Sir, I'm very uncomfortable right now."

"Don't worry, these are all normal phenomena. Hurry up and adapt; we don't have much time." Zhao Xing sensed his surroundings. At this time, eighty to ninety percent of the guards in the Blood Demon Cave had already left the blood pool. They couldn't delay too long, or it would arouse suspicion.

"Yes," Ji Yuan said, beginning to calm down and adapt to his body's changes. He kept hypnotizing himself: "I'm a monkey, I'm a monkey..." Zhao Xing and Qi Tian burst into laughter.

When all three thousand guards finally emerged from the Blood Demon Cave, it was already eleven years later. Zhao Xing and his three companions came out a bit later, quickly drawing the attention of the other guards.

"What a strong aura!"

"Terrifying suppression."

"Who is he? His bloodline evolved so much."

"Hmph, what's the use of just bloodline evolution? If your techniques are no good, you're still trash."

Discussions buzzed, and most eyes focused on Zhao Xing and Qi Tian. The Haiyang Marquis's guard captain, Chi, also looked at Zhao Xing and Qi Tian, his gaze settling on Zhao Xing with a slight nod. At this time, Zhao Xing had shed his turtle shell, and his appearance was indistinguishable from a pure Demon Ape.

Zhao Xing scanned his surroundings, taking in all three thousand Blood Demon Guards, including the mysterious physician Yan Lingjun.

Name: Yan LingjunRealm: AbnormalOccupation: PhysicianRemaining lifespan: One hundred fifty-three years.

Just then, Yan Lingjun seemed to sense something and slightly raised his head. However, Zhao Xing merely glanced, then quickly lowered his gaze, avoiding eye contact.

"It changed again..." Zhao Xing felt a mix of shock and uncertainty. The information about Yan Lingjun on the panel was still scarce, only four entries, and it had changed again. Firstly, his realm actually showed 'Abnormal'! On the panel, the realm column was either invisible or displayed accurately. An abnormal status was very rarely seen. Secondly, Yan Lingjun's lifespan had decreased again, with only just over one hundred fifty years remaining.

"What exactly is going on with this person? After entering the blood pool, his lifespan decreased, and his realm became abnormal?" Judging from his apparent aura and life fluctuations, Yan Lingjun felt to Zhao Xing like he was neither alive nor dead, on the verge of a breakthrough. The Life-Death Dao Domain realm itself was somewhat special, and it was normal to sense a mysterious state of being neither alive nor dead.

"I don't know his origin, whether he's friend or foe." Ultimately, Zhao Xing decided not to investigate further, just using the panel to observe. Perhaps he was sent by some force to execute a secret plan; top secrets might not just involve him. It was also possible that the Origin Heaven Palace, Samsara Divine Hall, and Ancient Kingdom Alliance had undertaken certain confidential operations. As long as it didn't hinder his own actions, he wasn't overly curious.

"His Highness is here!" After waiting for a long time in front of the Demon Cave Plaza, the Demon Ape Prince finally appeared. Zhao Xing noticed his aura was unstable, mixed with a hint of malevolence, as if he had just fought a battle.

"The Prince seems redder today," Ji Yuan communicated via karmic link. "Is he inflamed?"

"Outer qi Yangming, inner qi dry heat, caused by rising heart fire," Qi Tian conjectured. "He probably just fought a battle, and the result wasn't good. At least not what he wanted."

Yang Baihe offered no opinion; in his current state, many of his historian skills were difficult to use.

"From today on, all of you will become my Blood Demon Guards!" the Demon Ape Prince roared. "I will select three Blood Demon Guard Deputy Commanders from among you!" He continued, "To assist Chi in executing a great and glorious mission! Becoming a Blood Demon Guard Deputy Commander will grant you endless wealth, treasures, and consorts. For example, these."

The Demon Ape Prince kicked over several boxes at his feet. With a clatter, the boxes opened, radiating light. They were indeed high-quality Boundary Stones, including many Grain Rain Stones, Rainstorm Stones, Plum Rain Stones, and Cold Rain Stones. Zhao Xing's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Becoming a Blood Demon Guard Deputy Commander is simple: just manage to injure Chi! Even if it's just making him lose a single strand of fur!" the Prince announced. "Who has the courage to be the first to step forward and challenge?" The Demon Ape Prince pointed to the white-furred Demon Ape beside him, who had exaggerated muscles, wore scattered armor, and held a giant hammer. The latter responded, stepping forward and roaring menacingly at the three thousand strong army. The pressure he exuded was heavy, but it didn't scare everyone.

"Roar!" The first roar quickly emerged from the ranks. Amidst Chi's sonic demonstration, this voice stood out clearly. The ranks parted, revealing the true form of the first challenger—a monstrous beast covered in red fur, with a bull-like head and horns, yet an ape's body.

"Is it a hybrid of the Barren Sea Blood Cattle and Demon Ape races? How did they even mix?" Ji Yuan couldn't understand, but was greatly shocked.

"In the 1.1 billion-year-old Origin Realm, the origins between species are still very similar, with no barriers to reproduction," Qi Tian explained. "There's still much more you haven't seen."

"The Ox-Demon hybrid probably can't win," Yang Baihe analyzed. "This Ox-Demon's strength is just that of an ordinary 'Dao Domain Realm Completion,' far from reaching the invincible Dao Domain Realm." An invincible Dao Domain Realm would be someone of Du Yun's caliber, almost non-existent in the Spirit Void Origin Realm.

"Captain, you haven't seen him fight, how do you know his strength?" Ji Yuan asked curiously.

"Evolution also leaves historical traces on him. I can see scenes of his past actions," Yang Baihe said. "When we left the Blood Demon Cave, I surveyed all three thousand Blood Demon Guards. Even that white-furred Demon Ape 'Chi,' with weapons and secret techniques, is far from invincible. Only the Prince is closer to that level."

And indeed, the facts were as Yang Baihe had predicted. The white-furred Demon Ape didn't even use its weapon. With a single flash step, its left hand grabbed the opponent's bull horn and slammed him down. "Thump!" The Ape-Ox hybrid was slammed to the ground, its momentum instantly dissipated, unable to get up at all. After stepping out, the Ape-Ox hybrid was defeated in just one move.

"Captain is truly amazing," Ji Yuan said. "That white-furred beast is also really strong." Comparing him to a monstrous beast, Yang Baihe was momentarily unsure if Ji Yuan was complimenting or disparaging him.

"Captain, you've seen everyone. Did you find 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 was pensive.

"Look, the second challenger!"

"Defeated again! Still one move!" The white-furred Demon Ape accepted ten consecutive challenges, defeating opponents in one move every time, without even using a weapon. The Demon Ape Prince's selections were already considered geniuses, but most originated from the lower realms. Compared to Chi, the white-furred Demon Ape who was born in the upper realms, received treasures, and was trained by masters from a young age, they were still quite inferior.

Zhao Xing had been waiting; he naturally wanted to secure the position of deputy commander, but he couldn't be the first. Moreover, he had a feeling that Yan Lingjun might act. He decided to observe him first.

"Thump!!" Soon the white-furred Demon Ape achieved its fifty-seventh consecutive victory. Fewer and fewer dared to challenge. Until a wolf-type creature appeared, its back covered in silver spikes, its body enveloped by the wind and gold Dao origins.

"Boom!!" The Spiked Silver Wolf, relying on its agile body and extreme speed, endured over a dozen moves against the white-furred Demon Ape. Its speed was on par with the white-furred Demon Ape's, and after activating its talent, it could even surpass the white-furred Demon Ape. It was precisely by relying on this that, after a dozen moves, it found an opportunity. Risking injury from its spikes, it forcibly scraped off a tuft of fur from the white-furred Demon Ape's chest through a gap in its attacks. According to the Demon Ape Prince's rules, this guard named "Youyou Wolf" became the first deputy commander!

Next, almost no guards dared to challenge, because everyone had already fully witnessed the white-furred Demon Ape's strength. If they couldn't meet the requirements, there was no need to suffer.

"Do none of you even have the courage to fight anymore?!" After a moment of silence, seeing no more challengers, the white-furred Demon Ape roared. That roar indeed brought forth two challengers: Yan Lingjun and Zhao Xing. Both flew out one after another.

"Very good, you first." The white-furred Demon Ape pointed its thick finger at Yan Lingjun. Zhao Xing immediately stepped aside.

At this time, Yan Lingjun also had significant changes from his previous form. Originally, he had an ape body and a snake face; now he had shed the snake face, and his entire body was very close to an ape's form, except his face had no fur, only black-purple scales.

"Can't bear to part with the Heavenly Variant Snake bloodline?" Chi snorted coldly. "A foolish evolutionary choice!"

Yan Lingjun said nothing, just began to attack. Like Youyou Wolf, who successfully challenged earlier, he also displayed astonishing speed talent, even faster than Youyou Wolf. His movement technique was even more bizarre than Youyou Wolf's.

"Youyou Wolf's movement technique is agile, while his is a strange, elusive style," Zhao Xing observed carefully. "On the surface, he's using bloodline talents and seems to be going all out, but in reality, his life fluctuations are still very stable, definitely holding back."

After circling the white-furred Demon Ape dozens of times, Yan Lingjun suddenly withdrew from the arena.

"Hmm? Why stop?!" the white-furred Demon Ape growled.

Yan Lingjun didn't reply, just held up the white fur in his hand.

"Hahaha, Chi, you didn't even know someone pulled your fur!" The Prince suddenly clapped. "Lingping, you fought very well. By my rules, you are the second deputy commander."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Yan Lingjun said in a hoarse voice. Zhao Xing heard his voice for the first time and found it unpleasant, wondering if it was due to the pronunciation of a non-human body.

The white-furred Demon Ape was frustrated. Two consecutive opponents had slightly surpassed him in speed and used their movement techniques to pluck his fur, which made him feel very aggrieved.

"You, come here!" The white-furred Demon Ape pointed at Zhao Xing. He suddenly shrank his size, and his scattered armor and the great staff in his hand also shrank with him.

"Hahaha, he's getting serious now," the Demon Ape Prince laughed again, sizing up Zhao Xing. "Jing Yan, be careful." Those whose names the Demon Ape Prince remembered were generally those who had left an impression through previous tests and their performance in the Blood Demon Cave. Zhao Xing, from the lower realms, was originally a turtle-ape hybrid, but in the blood pool, he had shed his turtle shell. This greatly surprised the Demon Ape Prince, who also held a sliver of expectation for Zhao Xing.

"Thank you for the warning, Your Highness," Zhao Xing flew out and landed in front of Chi.

"Don't tell me you're good at running away too!" Chi thumped his chest.

"I won't run, and I won't use weapons."

"Very good, I won't use weapons either." Chi was pleased, throwing away his weapon and removing several pieces of his scattered armor.

"Roar!" Zhao Xing let out a low roar, actively attacking, charging head-on. His Myriad Spirit Transformation Method of Marquis now had two stages of transformation. The first stage, which was his current form, possessed three bloodline talents:First, "Demon Ape Tyrant Body," born from the Demon Ape bloodline. This was a passive talent; the Spirit Void Origin Realm bestowed this body with ferocious strength and astonishing recovery ability.Second, "Azure Gold Claws," which could extend sharp claws from his limbs, possessing extremely strong tearing effects, an attack-type talent.Third was "Primordial Turtle Shell," from the Spirit Void Turtle bloodline, a passive defense talent, referring to the layer of turtle patterns growing beneath his fur.

After his observations, Zhao Xing had already assessed the white-furred Demon Ape's combat power. He only needed to maintain his first stage transformation to deal with it.

"Thump!" Two fists collided, unleashing a huge shockwave from the center that swept the surroundings, shaking the very space. Zhao Xing bared blood-stained fangs, his eyes glowing crimson, appearing as if he would fight to the death even injured. In reality, the blood was forced out by himself. In contrast, the white-furred Demon Ape skillfully retreated four steps to dissipate the force.

"Roar!" Seeing Zhao Xing's appearance, the white-furred Demon Ape immediately became excited and punched again. It also abandoned technique, because it believed Zhao Xing wasn't using any. To show its power as a peer, it felt it shouldn't either.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!!!!" A red and a white Demon Ape immediately clashed. No flashy moves, just fist to flesh, a pure contest of strength and defense! Both landed many punches on each other and endured many punches!

Zhao Xing continuously spat blood. Seeing that his performance was almost complete, a pair of dark-golden glowing claws extended from his fists, sweeping across the white-furred Demon Ape's chest. "Pfft." A very shallow bloodline appeared on the white-furred Demon Ape's chest muscle.

"Stop!" The Demon Ape Prince called a halt to everything. "Jing Yan, you are the third deputy commander!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhao Xing, blood spilling from his lips, knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, he should be the first deputy commander!" The white-furred Demon Ape was not displeased this time; instead, he shouted excitedly, "This fearless fighting style is truly worthy of our clan! He is truly Your Highness's Blood Demon Guard!"

The Demon Ape Prince clearly appreciated Zhao Xing as well. "Hmm, Jing Yan's status should be above the other two deputy commanders. Then, first deputy commander it is!"

"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Commander Chi!" Zhao Xing feigned great joy.

Zhao Xing, Yan Lingjun, and Youyou Wolf, the three deputy commanders, each commanded a thousand Blood Demon Guards. Normally, they only needed to obey the white-furred Demon Ape Chi's orders. The newly formed Blood Demon Guards were mostly from the lower realms with crude techniques. The Demon Ape Prince was very patient, never assigning tasks to the new Blood Demon Guards, but instead teaching them techniques and training them. For the first fifteen years, they primarily trained in a secret base within the royal city.

"I receive a sum of Boundary Stones every year. Including the 'Blood Demon Deputy Commander's stipend' I've received over the years, I now have 3,856 Seven-Vein Grain Rain Stones, 2,157 Rainstorm Stones, 2,541 Plum Rain Stones, and 1,875 Cold Rain Stones." Zhao Xing sighed, "Still far from enough." However, Zhao Xing had no better path for now, so he could only wait patiently for an opportunity in Four-Month Royal City. Thus, they continued training and patiently waiting.

Finally, in the twenty-first year, an opportunity arose. On this day, the white-furred Demon Ape suddenly found Zhao Xing. "Jing Yan, gather your subordinates and follow me."

"Yes, sir." Zhao Xing immediately gathered his thousand Blood Demon Guards, then waited for Chi's command.

"Jing Yan, your training results are the most outstanding among the three teams," Chi said gravely. "Now, His Highness is going to send you on a secret mission."

"Brother Chi, just give the order. I'm willing to die for His Highness."

"Now, foreign devils are invading. Although we have guarded the entrance from the Four Yang Realm to the Xiangxing Realm, many voices within various overlord-level races believe we should surrender, and some even want to secretly collude with the foreign devils."

"They all deserve to die!" Zhao Xing said indignantly.

"Yes, they all deserve to die!" Chi said in a low voice. "Our clan also has many such voices, and they hold high positions. His Highness has been purging them for years. However, there are still many in Four-Month Royal City. Once these parasites are dead, His Highness can safely go to the Rain Immortal Realm for further metamorphosis, becoming a supreme Heavenly King tier (equivalent to an ordinary Samsara Realm practitioner)." At this point, Chi dragged over a heavy box. "Inside are the tools to deal with those parasites, and a list. For His Highness, and for the future of our clan, kill them! Complete the mission, and when His Highness receives the Rain Immortal's blessing in the future, we will also go together. This is a great boon!"

The star continent where Four-Month Royal City was located was surrounded by four Yin Stars. Legend had it that they could grant power to the Demon Ape Clan, significantly increasing the strength of Demon Apes within the royal city. At this moment, within the territory of a Demon Ape royal family member, the Yin light suddenly flickered several times. But it quickly and silently extinguished, enveloped by night, becoming utterly silent.

"Sir, this Ape King named Dap is dead. There are no survivors in his mansion," Ji Yuan, in human form, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, reported. He was tracking the lingering souls in this area, seeing if there were any escapees.

"What's the result of the raid?"

"Captain Yang is counting; there should be results soon." Before the words finished, Yang Baihe zipped out; this was his historical record clone.

"Is it all resolved? How was the raid?" The target had ordinary Samsara Realm combat power, but that was no issue for Zhao Xing's team. He was focused on the raid's outcome.

"This old Ape King's family fortune is decent. There are over ten thousand stones of the four rain types, but fewer with seven patterns; Grain Rain Stones are more abundant," Yang Baihe said.

"How should we record them?" Zhao Xing asked. There must be an overseer among the Blood Demon Guards he commanded.

"Leave it to me," Yang Baihe said. "Gather everyone. I will use the Boundary Cultivation Pen to tamper with their historical memories."

"Won't there be a problem?" Ji Yuan asked.

"No, I'm only tampering with their memories of the raid's outcome. The impact is very minor. They will retain the impression that the old Ape King was very poor, and since everyone witnessed the result, even if only ten percent is handed over, it won't arouse suspicion," Yang Baihe explained.

"You guys are still making money," Ji Yuan couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "The Demon Ape Prince worked hard to train his forces, gave them weapons and secret techniques, ordered a secret raid, and only gets ten percent in the end."

Zhao Xing also smiled; raiding with a historian was great. If taking everything wouldn't be too suspicious, Zhao Xing wouldn't even want to hand over ten percent. "But let's play the long game, slowly."

"Then transform back, and quickly pull back the team."

"Understood!"

Upon returning from the first mission, the Demon Ape Prince looked at Zhao Xing's reported gains and couldn't help but fall silent for a moment. "I heard Ape King Dap was very greedy usually, so why so little? Didn't you miscalculate?" He suspected the Blood Demon Guards were corrupt.

"Your Highness, I have thoroughly investigated. Jing Yan's team has many of my trusted confidants; they would absolutely not conceal anything. Everyone participated in the raid and witnessed it together; this is exactly the wealth Dap had."

"Was it just that I wronged him?" The Demon Ape Prince somewhat doubted himself, wondering if he had wronged Dap. Such an incorruptible old Ape King shouldn't have such a small family fortune.

"Your Highness, perhaps this old fellow didn't keep his true fortune in his lair. The Blood Demon Guards indeed only confiscated this much."

"Hmm, quite possible." The Demon Ape Prince quickly overlooked that detail: he only wanted the surrender faction dead. As for the family fortune, he didn't actually care, as long as the Blood Demon Guards were loyal, it was fine!

In the following years, Zhao Xing's actions were kill ape, raid home, kill ape, raid home—repeating in this manner. Thanks to Yang Baihe's presence, Zhao Xing's raids mostly involved him privately pocketing the majority, leaving only a small portion for the Demon Ape Prince. After several consecutive operations, the Demon Ape Prince even began to doubt ape life itself. Had his father killed many loyal officials? However, he soon had no time to notice these details, because as time passed, signs of renewed war with the foreign devils intensified. He had many matters to deal with and couldn't constantly monitor the Blood Demon Guards' raids. Zhao Xing also became more low-key later, because the other two Blood Demon Guard teams also joined the purge. With that comparison, his actions became a bit more cautious. Major corruption turned into minor corruption, adopting a long-term strategy. With a Starry Sky Historian present, it was still very convenient for him to pocket funds. As long as the operations were frequent enough, he would eventually gather the four types of Rain Stones needed for the ritual.

Eight years later, the final operation. "Once this job is done, the four great Rain Stones will be gathered," Zhao Xing communicated with his teammates via karmic link on the way to the operation. Over a decade of operations, the three thousand Blood Demon Guards had suffered heavy losses. Youyou Wolf had already died in battle, and Yan Lingjun's team had also suffered heavy casualties. Now, only about half of the total personnel remained.

Currently, there were only two teams left: one led by Zhao Xing, with about eight hundred members. The other team was a composite, with over seven hundred Blood Demon Guards. Yan Lingjun was still a deputy commander, but Yang Baihe and Qi Tian had been transferred to help with that team.

"Captain, Brother Qi Tian, have you found a reliable method for breaking through within this realm?" Yang Baihe was from the Samsara group; his original mission was to break through to the Samsara Realm here without being rejected. This was now crucial for Zhao Xing as well.

"During the raids, we also compared some local secret techniques and ancient texts. We can only say there's a 50% chance of not being immediately rejected," Yang Baihe said. "As for the specifics, we'll only know after breaking through." He, Qi Tian, and the team members stationed in Four-Month Royal City all had the confidence to break through to the Samsara Realm at any time. It just depended on whether they could stabilize after breaking through and avoid the Origin Realm's rejection! If they were immediately rejected, then even if they broke through, they wouldn't be able to do much in a short time.

"The Demon Ape Prince is about to go to the Rain Immortal Realm for a ritual. We must seize this opportunity and go with him."

"Did he say when?" Yang Baihe asked.

"From what Chi hinted, after this last job, it shouldn't be long before we set off."

"Be careful," Yang Baihe said. "It's best to return together, to guard against him discarding us once we're no longer useful."

"I understand," Zhao Xing said. "If that situation arises, I'll have to trouble you, Captain." If the Demon Ape Prince intended to discard them, then a second Starry Sky Historian from the White Sheep Samsara group would immediately break through to the Samsara Realm! At the same time, Zhao Xing would immediately kill the Demon Ape Prince and other informed individuals. Afterward, the Samsara Realm Starry Sky Historian would modify history, making the non-ranked Ape Emperor of Four-Month Royal City believe Zhao Xing was his own descendant! The Demon Ape Clan's royal city had no Samsara Emperor-level figures; only the Sacred Temple did. Starry Sky Historians were a completely non-existent path in the Spirit Void Origin Realm; this place had no development of that cultivation system. Therefore, the plan set by Yang Baihe had a very high success rate. Of course, if they could smoothly follow the Demon Ape Prince to the ritual, that would be for the best.

"Captain, you need to be careful with Yan Lingjun," Zhao Xing added at the end. "I always feel this person is a bit sinister. Even if he's from the Human race of the Xuanling Star Domain, he might not necessarily be an ally of the Empire."

"I've also noticed it; this person is a bit peculiar. Once he exposed a secret technique as a physician, and his method of killing, I actually couldn't understand it." Who was Yang Baihe? A department head who had been with the Spark Organization for many years. For him not to understand a physician's killing method, Yan Lingjun would naturally be viewed with suspicion.

The last assassination target was named "Purple Mountain Ape King," a Heavenly King tier (equivalent to an ordinary Samsara Realm practitioner). Zhao Xing's current team still had a Starry Sky Historian, so they acted with a bit more recklessness. After invading the territory, Zhao Xing released the