The very next day, as the various defeated and victorious delegations were finalizing their hurried departures, the bustling streets of Spirit City remained a vibrant tapestry of life. The grand tournament had concluded, but the capital of the Spirit Hall was still flooded with merchants, traveling Spirit Masters, and enthusiastic citizens soaking in the lingering festive atmosphere. The cobblestone avenues were lined with colorful awnings, the air thick with the aroma of roasting meats, sweet pastries, and the sharp tang of spirit-infused incense.
Among the throngs of ordinary humans, Jin Xi, the Emperor Auspicious Beast, was happily roaming the market stalls. She walked alongside Ah Yin, marveling at the shiny trinkets and the myriad of human delicacies displayed on the wooden tables.
Jin Xi was a vision that could easily incite wars between kingdoms. Despite wearing an elegant, high-collared dress of woven gold and white silk designed to blend in, the garment simply could not conceal her curvaceous, voluptuous figure. Her curves were a treacherous mountain path, demanding the attention of every passing gaze. Her heavy breasts strained against the delicate fabric, threatening to spill over the intricate embroidery, while her narrow waist flared into incredibly wide, fertile hips. Her beautiful golden hair cascaded down her back like a river of spun sunlight, and her crimson eyes held a captivating, innocent wonder that completely contrasted with her devastatingly sexy body.
"Yin, look at this one!" Jin Xi exclaimed, picking up a silver pendant embedded with a polished blue crystal. She held it up to the sunlight, watching the light fracture into tiny rainbows across her fair skin. "It sparkles just like the surface of the Star Dou lake at noon! Do you think Zhang Tian would like it?"
Ah Yin walked gracefully beside her, her crimson blood-colored hair swaying gently with her elegant strides. Her mature, maternal aura provided a calming anchor to the girl's boundless energy. She smiled softly, looking at the cheap trinket in Jin Xi's hand.
"It is a pretty stone, Jin Xi," Ah Yin murmured, her voice a soothing melody amidst the market noise. "But Rongrong and Zhuqing are already preparing extravagant treasures for his day of birth. He possesses wealth that rivals entire empires. Offering him a market pendant is akin to offering a single drop of water to a vast, endless ocean."
Jin Xi pouted slightly, placing the pendant back on the merchant's table. "But I must give him something precious. He has provided me with a safe den, delicious food, and he treats me so warmly. If shiny stones are not enough, what should I offer him to celebrate his arrival into this world?"
Ah Yin's crimson eyes glinted with a subtle, mischievous light. She leaned closer to the golden-haired girl, lowering her voice so the passing humans could not eavesdrop.
"If you truly wish to present him with a gift that will bring him unparalleled joy, you should forget about these lifeless objects," Ah Yin joked smoothly, planting a seed in the naive girl's mind. "The absolute best present would be to show off your naked body to him in a private chamber. Offer yourself as his gift. I can assure you, he will definitely like that the most, as he already admires your voluptuous figure with great vigor."
Jin Xi was completely startled. A deep, rosy blush crept up her neck, spreading across her cheeks and tinting the tips of her ears. She stopped walking, her crimson eyes wide with innocent confusion. She was quite a naive little beast who had only recently transformed into a human, still struggling to grasp the complex social dynamics of this new world.
"But... Yin," Jin Xi stammered, her fingers twisting the fabric of her golden dress nervously. "From what I have heard and observed while talking among the humans in the hotel, baring one's flesh and joining bodies is a sacred ritual. It is something that only true mates among humans do."
She looked down, a flicker of genuine worry passing over her beautiful features. "Furthermore, from what I have seen, Rongrong is fiercely protective of him. She guards him like a bear guarding a den. If I attempt to offer my body to him and become his mate, won't Rongrong and Zhuqing bare their fangs at me? I do not wish to cause strife within the pack."
Ah Yin smirked, a predatory curve touching her elegant lips. She subtly guided the innocent girl down the path Zhang Tian had undoubtedly paved for her.
"Naturally, Rongrong is protective," Ah Yin agreed, resuming their stroll through the bustling market. "She is his proper wife. That is why you must be clever, little one. You must take Zhang Tian to a secluded chamber, far from prying eyes, and become his mate in secret."
Ah Yin placed a comforting, maternal hand on Jin Xi's shoulder. "Do not fear their fangs. I will help you when the time arrives. I will stand guard and weave a net of vines so thick and silent that neither Rongrong nor Zhuqing will be able to interrupt your intimate offering. You will have him all to yourself."
Jin Xi's worry instantly evaporated, replaced by a bubbling spring of excitement. She nodded her head vigorously, her golden hair bouncing around her shoulders.
"That is indeed a wonderful plan!" Jin Xi beamed, her crimson eyes sparkling with naive determination. "If I can do that without causing a fight, then I would like that very much. I will be his secret mate!"
However, while the two women discussed their carnal schemes, hidden deeply within the endless sea of people were three Ferocious Beasts from the Star Dou Great Forest—Yao Ling, Chi Wang, and Zi Ji. They were currently executing their own covert investigation within the enemy's capital.
The three ancient beings were roaming in completely different regions of Spirit City to cover more ground. Their terrifying, heaven-shaking auras were entirely constrained, compressed so deeply into their human forms that even high-ranking Spirit Masters would simply perceive them as weak, ordinary humans without a drop of spirit power.
Zi Ji, the Abyss Demon Dragon, was currently seated in a bustling, smoke-filled tavern on the lower tier of the city. She was very smart and incredibly clever, knowing exactly how to extract secrets without causing any commotion or unnecessary trouble. She remained absolutely subtle, specifically targeting only the very low-level operatives of the Spirit Hall—off-duty guards, drunken clerks, and loose-lipped merchants who supplied the lower ranks.
She sat with her legs crossed elegantly, her dark, violet hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore a modest but form-fitting dress that highlighted her dangerous, exotic beauty. The drunken operatives flocked to her table like moths drawn to a consuming flame. She used her beautiful appearance, offering them enchanting smiles and lingering glances, to gather all sorts of information regarding this sprawling human faction.
"So, the Spirit Hall extends its reach into both great empires?" Zi Ji asked softly, tracing the rim of a wooden mug with her slender finger.
"Oh, absolutely, my lady," a flushed, drunken guard slurred, leaning uncomfortably close, though Zi Ji expertly shifted her weight to remain just out of his reach. "The Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire... they both bow their heads when the Supreme Pontiff issues a decree. Our branches are in every major city!"
Zi Ji remained entirely elegant, refusing to let these filthy humans gain any advantages or touch even a single strand of her hair while she seduced the secrets out of their mouths. She learned about the structural hierarchy of the Spirit Hall, their vast influence over the two empires, and the frightening strength of the prominent Elders, all of whom were rumored to be Titled Douluo.
However, because she only interacted with the lowest dregs of the organization, she remained entirely ignorant and oblivious about the existence of the Elder Hall. The low-level operatives simply did not know anything about the hidden sanctuary of the Grand Enshrinement or the true, hidden power of the Limit Douluo residing on the mountain peak.
Once she had drained her targets of their knowledge, Zi Ji slipped away like a phantom, relaying her findings to Yao Ling.
Yao Ling, the Myriad Demon King, sat in a quiet, secluded tea house near the city's grand library. He appeared as an elderly, scholarly gentleman, sipping pale tea while his ancient mind rapidly processed and categorized the intelligence Zi Ji provided. He mapped the human power structures, treating the information like a complex puzzle that needed solving before they struck.
Meanwhile, Chi Wang was far away in the city's industrial sector. He was currently working in a sweltering, soot-stained smithery. He was engaged in blacksmithing, a human craft that surprisingly fit him perfectly. He found the rhythmic, brutal striking of the hammer and the scorching heat of the forge to be a soothing balm for his naturally aggressive temperament.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Chi Wang, appearing as a burly, muscular man with fiery red hair, swung a massive iron hammer down upon a glowing ingot of steel upon the anvil. Sparks showered the dark room like miniature fireworks. He had spent the last several days learning a profound human technique called the Hundred Refinements.
He had discovered that the Hundred Refinements wasn't as simple as merely pounding the metal a hundred times. It was an art form. Rather, the microscopic impurities within the raw metal had to be methodically gotten rid of while strictly preserving the integrity of the metal itself and drastically increasing its physical density.
CLANG! The hammer fell again. The Hundred Refinements purifies and removes the impurities from the metal, forging a material far superior to standard iron. He realized that mastering this human technique could allow him to create terrifying weapons that could even strengthen his own natural claws, or even form specialized weapons for the other beasts in the forest to combat human Spirit Tools.
Chi Wang wiped a thick layer of soot and sweat from his forehead, preparing to plunge the glowing metal into the cooling trough.
Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks.
The heavy hammer slipped from his grasp, hitting the dirt floor with a dull thud. His nostrils flared incredibly wide, drawing in a massive breath of the polluted city air. His pupils contracted into sharp, vertical slits. He had caught a familiar, absolutely impossible scent riding on the faint afternoon wind blowing through the open forge doors.
Although Jin Xi had done her absolute best to conceal her aura and her powerful destiny as the Emperor Auspicious Beast using her innate, divine abilities, Chi Wang was a hound of the highest order. He had spent thousands of years guarding her. He was intimately, instinctually familiar with her unique, golden smell—a scent like sun-baked leaves and ancient honey.
When she wandered through the market squares and entered within his vast sensory range, his sharp canine instincts pierced straight through her magical disguise like a hot knife through butter. He immediately realized who the golden-haired girl wandering in the distance truly was.
'It is her! The Emperor Auspicious Beast!' Chi Wang thought. His mind reeled in absolute, profound shock, the realization hitting him like a physical blow to the chest. 'But... how? She smells entirely human! She has completely transformed into a human!'
This realization was a terrifying paradox. Although he himself had transformed into a human form to infiltrate the city, his transformation was merely a temporary, reversible shape-shifting technique.
But the Emperor Auspicious Beast only had one single, irreversible opportunity to transform into a human by sacrificing her beastly foundation. She must have used that sacred opportunity, which meant that she would be a fragile human from now on.
'Why?!' Chi Wang's internal monologue roared in confusion. 'Why would the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the very anchor of our destiny, permanently transform into a weak, pathetic human?!'
He abandoned his forge instantly, bursting out into the crowded streets. He followed the golden scent, pushing past the angry citizens like a boulder rolling through a stream.
As he closed the distance and reached the edge of the market square, his crimson eyes narrowed into hateful slits. He saw her. She was there, looking beautiful and healthy, but she was casually interacting and laughing happily with another human—a beautiful, mature woman with crimson blood-colored hair.
Chi Wang's senses were entirely clouded by his own blinding rage and his inherently simplistic, violent nature. He focused solely on the betrayal of the Auspicious Beast and the human who dared to stand beside her. Because of his fury, he completely failed to sense the underlying truth about the woman accompanying Jin Xi. He failed to sense that Ah Yin was a transformed spirit beast herself.
Ah Yin had already reached the terrifying level of an 89 Spirit Douluo. Her cultivation had smoothed away any lingering traces of her botanical origins. She had become a complete, flawless human in essence and didn't give off even the faintest, microscopic aura of a transformed spirit beast. To the enraged Chi Wang, she was just another arrogant, thieving human who had kidnapped their sacred treasure and poisoned her mind.
The thought of a human manipulating their Empress shattered his restraint. Without a single thought for stealth, the safety of the surrounding civilians, or the dire consequences of exposing their infiltration in the enemy's capital, Chi Wang snapped.
He threw his head back and let out a furious, guttural roar that completely shattered the peace of the bustling market square.
ROAR!
The sound was a physical shockwave of compressed air and pure malice. It shattered the glass windows of the surrounding shops and sent market stalls tumbling over like wooden toys. Citizens screamed in terror, dropping their goods and fleeing in absolute panic as a monster revealed itself in their midst.
Chi Wang caused a massive, chaotic commotion in the very heart of Spirit City. His physical human body bulged, the muscles tearing through his soot-stained tunic with terrifying strength as he recklessly attacked.
"Release her, human!" Chi Wang bellowed, his voice sounding like two grinding millstones.
He thrust his hands forward, his spirit power igniting the very oxygen in the air. He unleashed a massive, swirling torrent of scorching, dark red flames from his palms. The fire rushed directly toward Ah Yin like a hungry crimson tide, melting the cobblestones beneath its heat.
His temporary transformation into a human retained his raw, devastating power. He possessed a physical and elemental might equivalent to that of a human Titled Douluo at Rank 97, making him a terrifying Super Douluo level threat right in the middle of a crowded civilian zone.
He didn't care who burned. He only wanted to snatch Jin Xi, slaughter the red-haired woman, and drag the foolish girl back to the absolute safety of the Great Star Dou Forest immediately, incinerating anyone who dared to stand in his path.
Jin Xi spun around at the sound of the deafening roar. Her crimson eyes widened in absolute terror as she instantly recognized the burly, fire-wielding man charging toward them through the panicked crowd.
'It's him! Grumpy Old Man is here!' Jin Xi thought, a cold spike of fear piercing her heart. Because she did not know the human name of this Scarlet King, she only recognized his aggressive, fiery aura and the familiar, overwhelming pressure he emitted.
She didn't want to fight him. She didn't want to attack Chi Wang, who had acted like a grumpy but fiercely loyal guardian for her entire life in the deep forest. She raised her delicate hands, desperately wanting to explain the situation, to tell him that she was safe and happy.
"Wait! Stop!" Jin Xi cried out, trying to step forward to place herself between them as a shield.
But Chi Wang was too fast, and his rage was too absolute. He had already launched his devastating attack toward the crimson-haired woman, the wave of fire completely eclipsing the distance between them.
Ah Yin frowned deeply. The warm, maternal elegance that had characterized her moments before instantly shifted into a cold, lethal, combat-ready demeanor. She saw the incoming wave of dark red flames, feeling the oppressive, boiling heat that threatened to incinerate them both.
She didn't panic. She didn't retreat a single step. She gracefully raised her elegant right hand.
WHOOSH!
A thick, writhing wall of crimson vines erupted from the shattered cobblestone street in front of them to intercept Chi Wang's fiery assault.
HISS!
The dark red flames crashed heavily into the Blood Silver Empress vines, a collision of absolute heat and unyielding flora. Steam and smoke exploded outward, blinding the surrounding area, but the vines did not burn.
Although Ah Yin was only at Rank 89, a Spirit Douluo standing against a force equivalent to a Rank 97 Super Douluo, her foundational strength was terrifying and entirely anomalous. Her spirit power was impossibly dense, compressed through years of rigorous cultivation under Zhang Tian's guidance. Her Blood Silver Empress spirit vines were a mutated, supreme plant species, naturally quite immune to both extreme flame and absolute ice.
Furthermore, her body and her spirit had been constantly nourished, bathed, and strengthened by dozens of potent Immortal Herbs procured by her Emperor. These heavenly treasures had altered her fundamental structure, making her vines as durable and heat-resistant as divine steel. They easily absorbed the kinetic impact and entirely deflected the Super Douluo's fiery attack, leaving Ah Yin and Jin Xi completely unharmed behind the botanical barricade.
"You dare resist me, human?!" Chi Wang roared furiously, charging straight through the dissipating smoke. "Hellfire Claws!"
He slashed his hands horizontally. Massive, spectral claws forged from condensed, dark red fire tore through the air, aiming to shred the crimson vines to ribbons.
Ah Yin's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Her fourth spirit ring, a deep, menacing black, flared with brilliant light.
"Fourth Spirit Ability: Blood Silver Overlord Spear!" Ah Yin commanded, her voice ringing out like a silver bell.
The defensive wall of vines rapidly condensed, weaving together into a massive, singular spear of crimson plant matter that hovered in the air, aiming directly at the charging beast.
But she did not stop there. Her eighth spirit ring, another pitch-black halo of terrifying age, ignited.
"Eighth Spirit Ability: Crystallize!"
The transformation was instantaneous. The soft, pliable plant matter of the Overlord Spear hardened instantly. Its surface took on a multi-faceted, prismatic sheen, reflecting the sunlight in blinding flashes. It was no longer a construct of wood and sap; it was now a massive spear of pure, unbreakable ruby crystal.
Ah Yin thrust her hand forward. The crystallized spear shot out like a ballista bolt, intercepting the Hellfire Claws.
CRACK! BOOM!
The collision shattered the fiery claws into harmless embers. The crystal spear lost momentum but remained entirely intact, forcing Chi Wang to cross his arms and skid backward to avoid being impaled.
As Chi Wang fiercely engaged Ah Yin in a violent, destructive exchange of dark fire and unbreakable crimson vines, the explosive fluctuations of their intense battle rippled across the city, acting like a beacon. The sheer magnitude of a Super Douluo clashing in the streets instantly alerted the other two Ferocious Beasts nearby.
Zi Ji, the Abyss Demon Dragon possessing the terrifying power of a Rank 96 Super Douluo, dropped her mug of ale in the tavern and vanished in a blur of violet shadows. Yao Ling, the Myriad Demon King standing at a terrifying Rank 98 Hyper Douluo, abandoned his tea and stepped into the void, traveling through the spatial folds toward the source of the commotion.
Initially, the two ancient beasts, especially the cold, calculating Yao Ling, were absolutely furious at Chi Wang. He was foolishly initiating open combat in a densely populated human city, shattering their careful infiltration.
'That absolute idiot dog!' Yao Ling grumbled internally, his spiritual sea roiling with anger as he closed the distance. He planned to severely punish Chi Wang later for breaking their cover so spectacularly. After all, although Yao Ling didn't know much about the intricate politics of the humans... he could clearly sense the ambient threat level. He could sense that the sheer power emanating from within this Spirit Hall was terrifying. He didn't know that the Spirit Hall had an Elder Hall as well; he just considered the two monolithic structures as the same entity. But he could sense multiple powerful auras of Super Douluo, Hyper Douluo, and even Limit Douluo from the mountain peak. This den of humans was as strong, if not stronger, than even Di Tian himself.
However, when Yao Ling and Zi Ji materialized at the edge of the ruined market square, the angry reprimands died in their throats. Their ancient eyes landed upon the golden-haired girl standing behind the wall of crystal vines.
Jin Xi.
Their anger at Chi Wang evaporated instantly, entirely replaced by a sudden, profound realization of why the Scarlet King had thrown all caution to the wind. Yao Ling realized the gravity of the situation. Since the Emperor Auspicious Beast was here, embedded in the heart of the enemy's capital... they had no choice. They had to take her back by force, right now. Even if they had to fight the supreme experts of this Spirit Hall. Even if they had to wage war against the entire human race.
And, if the situation turned dire, even if they had to summon the Beast God Di Tian by crushing the silver reverse scale he had provided to Yao Ling for absolute emergencies.
Yao Ling's eyes, hidden within the wrinkles of his human form, narrowed into calculating slits. He looked past Jin Xi and locked his gaze onto the crimson-haired woman flawlessly defending against Chi Wang's relentless assaults.
A terrifying, world-shattering realization dawned upon his ancient, vast mind.
Yao Ling instantly recognized Ah Yin's aura. It wasn't the aura of a normal human Spirit Master. It was the specific, unique signature of the botanical construct she wielded.
'That crimson grass...' Yao Ling thought, a cold dread pooling heavily in his stomach. 'She is the woman whose grass spirit is the reason behind the corruption in our home! She must possess the ultimate bloodline of the ruler of that grass spirit.'
He watched as Ah Yin deflected another blast of fire with her crystal spear.
'She is the source!' Yao Ling deduced, his murderous intent spiking to astronomical levels, causing the air around him to warp and distort. 'She is the source of the red-colored Blood Silver Grass that has infected the entire outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest! The plague that is spreading like a cancer across the continent originates from her very soul!'
Realizing the immense, apocalyptic threat she posed to the entire ecosystem of their forest, and acknowledging the absolute necessity of retrieving their Emperor Auspicious Beast, Yao Ling and Zi Ji made a unified decision. They abandoned their stealth entirely. Their human guises flickered as they prepared to unleash their terrifying, unrestrained power to help Chi Wang gang up on Ah Yin and execute the source of the corruption.
"Three-Headed Annihilation Beam!" Chi Wang roared, preparing his ultimate strike, his mouth glowing with a blinding, condensed sphere of volatile fire and dark energy.
But just as the two ancient Super Douluos stepped forward, preparing to intervene and overwhelm the solitary, crimson-haired woman, the entire world around them shifted abruptly.
The explosive clash in the market had not gone unnoticed. The Spirit Hall was a well-oiled military machine. The battle had alerted the patrolling silver-armored knights of the Spirit Hall. War horns blared a frantic, high-pitched warning across the city districts. Thousands of elite Spirit Masters, realizing the capital was under attack by entities possessing unimaginable power, rushed from every direction toward the disturbance.
Naturally, Zhang Tian, who was currently relaxing in his luxurious hotel suite with his comrades felt the sudden, violent tug on his spiritual connection.
His Blood Silver Emperor spirit was intrinsically, deeply linked to Ah Yin's very soul. He was instantly able to sense the terrifying fluctuations in the market. He knew, without needing a messenger, that his beloved maid was currently fighting against a truly powerful, overwhelming force that far exceeded standard Titled Douluos.
Zhang Tian's lazy, wine-soaked demeanor vanished in a fraction of a second. The glass in his hand shattered into dust. He stood up abruptly from the plush sofa, his icy blue eyes flashing with a terrifying, protective rage that dropped the temperature in the hotel suite below freezing.
He didn't waste time running down the stairs. He immediately utilized his immense, Boundless mental power to cast a vast telepathic net across the entire city, pushing his spiritual sea to its limits. He contacted Ning Fengzhi directly in the adjacent, heavily guarded suite.
'Uncle Fengzhi,' Zhang Tian's mental voice boomed like thunder in the Sect Master's mind, echoing with absolute, unquestionable command. 'Request Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone to deploy immediately. Ah Yin is being attacked in the market square by unknown Super Douluos. These individuals are aiming to kill.'
Although deeply shocked by the sudden, unprecedented crisis breaking out in the heart of Spirit City, Ning Fengzhi was a veteran leader. He didn't hesitate to question the order. He immediately relayed Zhang Tian's urgent request to the two pillars of his sect.
The Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, who sat at the terrifying Rank 98, and the Bone Douluo, Gu Rong, standing at the absolute peak of Rank 97, reacted instantly. The two legendary protectors of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect vanished from the hotel balcony in a blinding blur of silver sword light and dark bone shadows. They tore through the sky, rushing toward the market commotion with lethal, unyielding intent.
They were absolutely shocked and infuriated. They knew that someone had attacked Zhang Tian's loyal maid, Ah Yin, and even his new, mysterious companion Jin Xi, right in the middle of Spirit City! The person who had attacked them must be really audacious, or incredibly foolish, to invoke the wrath of the Blood Silver Emperor.
Meanwhile, inside the suite, Zhang Tian turned to Qian Renxue. The future ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire was sobering up incredibly quickly at the sudden influx of lethal tension filling the room. He sent her a rapid, precise telepathic message.
'Renxue, contact the Elder Hall and the Spirit Hall immediately. Use your highest authority. Tell them powerful, hostile entities have breached the city walls and are engaging our people.'
Qian Renxue didn't ask questions. She nodded sharply, her beautiful face setting into a mask of holy determination. Her golden seraphim wings erupted violently from her back, shattering the windows of the suite as she shot straight up into the sky like a golden meteor, heading directly toward the mountain peak to rally the Elder Hall.
With his allies deployed, Zhang Tian summoned his own vast spirit power. The Blood Silver Emperor roared to life within his meridians. He leaped through the shattered window, rushing through the sky like a terrifying crimson comet, leaving a trail of red lightning in his wake as he sped toward the market square to protect his woman and slaughter those who dared to touch what belonged to him.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels [Villain: Manipulating The Heroines Into Hating The Protagonist] and [Harem Master: Seduction System].
Also, check out 20 Chapters Ahead for this fanfic on my P.atreon.
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/c/evildragon04