CHAPTER 182: CHAPTER 156: THE APPEARANCE OF THE DEMON BEAST

"State Preceptor, what is happening?" Cai He looked with some curiosity at the bizarre group before him. He recognized Concubine Mei as the concubine of the previous State Preceptor. The woman beside her must be the one chosen by the current State Preceptor, but what in the world were the silver eagle and the muscle-bound rabbit?

"Cai He, considering my relationship with Senior Brother Yan, it would be appropriate for you to call me ’Uncle,’" Chen Jiuge said with a smile.

"Greetings, Uncle." Cai He was flexible enough to play along, promptly addressing him as such.

"Not so fast. This is the journal Senior Brother Yan left for me. Take a look," Chen Jiuge tossed the journal to Cai He.

Observing Cai He’s expression change dramatically, Chen Jiuge said magnanimously, "Give me the Ten Fierce Essences, and you can continue to be Emperor in peace. Your mother is still with the Yan Family, isn’t she? I recall you were also raised there."

Cai He dropped the pretense, his face twisting with ferocity. "What does the Yan Family have to do with me? My mother should have died long ago; it was that damned State Preceptor who forced her to live until now!"

He continued, "So you want the Essences? It seems you so-called immortals are also terrified of this thing. If you listen to me obediently and properly guide me to become an Immortal, I might still spare you."

Chen Jiuge stared at Cai He, dumbfounded. Is this guy serious? It’s just an Essence. Even if its original body were revived, I could easily gather allies, and it wouldn’t be able to stir up any trouble.

Cai He carried on with his performance, "Well, since it has been discovered, let’s bring its emergence forward. I had originally planned to reveal it during the Heaven-Sacrificing Grand Ceremony, to forge an identity for myself as the reincarnation of an immortal."

"Consider yourselves unlucky."

Chen Jiuge didn’t interrupt Cai He’s actions. He watched as Cai He bit his fingertip and dripped blood onto the Jade Thumb Ring on his hand. Instantly, a crimson light emanated from the most secluded Cold Palace in the Imperial Palace.

Thanks to Yan Wen’s benevolent nature, most of the concubines in the Cold Palace had already been moved out, so fortunately, there were no casualties.

Hmm, is that the Beast Blood Array? Chen Jiuge noted the familiar Array with some surprise.

Although the Beast Blood Array was relatively simple, its upper limit was very high. As long as one was willing to invest enough materials, it was possible to reach the Immortal Rank. The Great Array before them, while not of the highest configuration, had just managed to touch the threshold of the True Immortal realm.

As the red glow intensified, the form of a Hou finally materialized above the Beast Blood Array.

As the Hou’s figure became clearer, Su Mei’s legs grew weak as she said, "Elder Sister, am I seeing things? Is that... a Hou?"

Ye Qingqing, her face also a bit pale, said, "It seems to be... a Hou."

Hmm, something about this aura is a bit off, Chen Jiuge mused, observing the Hou, whose Cultivation fluctuated wildly, its eyes flickering between red and green.

"Hahaha! Do you see it? This is my Divine Beast! With this Divine Beast on my side, I will surely become an Immortal!" Cai He laughed, looking up at the sky.

Supported by Ye Qingqing, Su Mei scoffed, "Your Divine Beast hasn’t even become an Immortal yet, and you still dream of becoming one?"

The Hou’s aura stabilized, its power settling at roughly the peak of the Mahayana Cultivation realm. Its eyes had turned completely red, and its entire body began to thrash wildly within the Great Array.

Observing the Hou’s behavior, Chen Jiuge finally understood the intentions of the Immortal who had once slain it.

I see now. What an ambitious plan! To think they actually tried to use the seven emotions of mortals to cleanse the Hou’s ferocity, and the scattered Essence Qi of mortals to resurrect it—quite the strategy. A pity, truly a pity.

Chen Jiuge looked at Cai He with pity. This profligate son, who fancied himself clever, fed the mortals’ Essence Qi to the Hou. This caused the Hou, originally possessing little ferocity, to be once again consumed by bloodlust. The dense baleful aura dispersed the absorbed Essence Qi. Consequently, the Hou, which should have been resurrected as a True Immortal, only reached the Mahayana Cultivation realm. Moreover, its Spiritual Wisdom was almost entirely lost.

"ROAR!"

The Hou, shattering the Great Array, let out a deafening roar. If Chen Jiuge hadn’t deployed a Great Array in advance, all the mortals in the Imperial City would have likely perished.

Unlike those Mahayana Demon Cultivators whose strength was diluted, this Hou was a true Mahayana cultivator—and one at the very pinnacle of the Mahayana realm.

"Let me have a go at it." Chen Jiuge felt his hands itch. A Mahayana-level Hou was something he and his companions could handle; it was a perfect opportunity to test his recent progress in Cultivation.

"I’ll go first!" Yue Li, upon seeing the enormous, savage figure, was the first to charge out. Then, he flew back even faster than he went, crashing through a great hall.

The Silver King looked at Yue Li, who was largely unharmed, with admiration. What was he thinking? A newly advanced Mahayana practitioner going head-to-head with one of the Ten Fierce at Perfect Mahayana. Doesn’t that hurt?

It hurt, of course, but it was a badge of honor for a man. Yue Li, looking at the rampaging Hou, wanted to try again, but Chen Jiuge stopped him. "I’ll take care of it. You go and evacuate all the mortals from the Imperial Palace."

"Dharma Manifestation!"

A hundred-zhang tall golden giant appeared before the Hou, the Vajra Lock coiling around its entire body. "Let me see the true strength of the Ten Fierce!"

Two colossal monsters engaged in a brutal melee, reducing the glorious Imperial Palace to ruins.

As for Cai He, who had been incessantly clamoring about becoming an Immortal, he had been crushed to death by a collapsing hall. The jade thumb ring in his hand was indeed the core that controlled the Great Array. According to the original Immortal’s plan, as long as the Hou’s non-ferocious revival could be ensured, it would naturally be grateful and guide the Cai family’s descendants in Cultivation. However, the current Hou had lost all its Spiritual Wisdom; how could it possibly show any special consideration?

When the Beast Blood Array was activated, Elder Cai Yue of Xuanwu Peak also sensed it. So soon? Shouldn’t the Hou still require another three hundred years to revive?

Though perplexed, he immediately set off for the Great Cheng Dynasty in the Mortal World.

By the time Cai Yue arrived, he saw a Mahayana Disciple from some Sect pummelling the Hou that his old friend had slain long ago. But shouldn’t the revived Hou possess True Immortal Cultivation? Why is it only at the Mahayana level? And why has its ferocity increased while its Spiritual Wisdom is gone?

With a heavy blow from Chen Jiuge, the Hou staggered and collapsed.

Binding it with the Vajra Lock, Chen Jiuge muttered, It’s not that strong. Could it be because it has no Spiritual Wisdom, only instinct?

Retracting his Divine Skills, Chen Jiuge immediately noticed an old man curiously poking at the bound Hou, muttering to himself, "This shouldn’t be... It can’t be. With so many resources invested, how could such a defective specimen emerge?"

"Excuse me, are you Elder Cai Yue from Xuanwu Peak?" Chen Jiuge’s voice interrupted Cai Yue’s soliloquy.

"I am. And you are a disciple from which Sect?" Cai Yue responded gently.

"Chen Jiuge of Hundred Herbs Peak. My master is Wen Tianming," Chen Jiuge stated, neither haughty nor humble. If he didn’t reveal his backing now, this Hou would be lost to him. Though he preferred to be low-key, he could be high-profile when necessary.

A Heavenly Immortal’s disciple? Cai Yue’s heart skipped a beat. He sighed. Old friend, I’m afraid I can’t keep this Hou.

"Ah, so you are Elder Wen’s esteemed disciple," Cai Yue said. "Do you know what happened here? The Great Array my old friend and I set up shouldn’t have resulted in the revived Hou being in this state."

Chen Jiuge had initially wanted Cai He to explain, as that would have been more convincing, but he hadn’t expected the unfortunate man to be crushed to death by a collapsing building. Fortunately, with Senior Brother Yan’s journal, the images from the Soul Search of the Demon Cultivator, and the fact that a few rebellious members of the Yan Family were still alive, he could roughly piece together the entire story.

Upon learning that the Cai Imperial Family had fed mortals to the Hou under the guise of sacrificial offerings, Cai Yue sighed sorrowfully, "It is fate, all fate."

Through Cai Yue’s account, the truth behind the Fierce Beast’s rampage gradually came to light.

Originally, the Hou had not been consumed by ferocity. It was a docile creature that did little more than eat and sleep. However, Cai Yue’s old friend, Cai Kun, an ancestor of the Cai Imperial Family, accidentally splashed some Demon Blood onto the Hou while slaying a Demon Cultivator.

It must be understood that the Ten Fierce were not so named because they were born inherently ferocious. Rather, their combat power was so immense that they were virtually invincible among their peers, which is why Cultivators designated them as the Ten Fierce. Such potent combat strength naturally came with side effects. Stimulated by the Demon Blood, the Hou began to periodically descend into madness.

The numerous deaths and injuries among nearby Cultivators led to the Hou being besieged. Already dominated by its ferocity, the Hou clan abandoned it. Finally, while still possessing a shred of clarity, the Hou fled to the Mortal World.

The Mortal World was largely the domain of major Sects, so capturing a True Immortal Hou was relatively simple. Coincidentally, the task fell to Cai Yue and Cai Kun.

Being closer, Cai Kun reached the battlefield first. Recognizing this was the very Hou he had inadvertently wronged, Cai Kun hesitated to strike with his full power. The consequences of not going all out against one of the Ten Fierce of equivalent rank were predictable.

By the time Cai Yue arrived, Cai Kun was on the brink of death. Overcome with guilt and an unstable Dao Heart, he decided to undergo Soldier Disintegration for rebirth. Following Cai Kun’s Soldier Disintegration, the Hou perished. This revival Array had been set up based on what Cai Kun left behind.

The Cai Imperial Family was intended as Cai Kun’s place of rebirth. By the time the Hou was to re-emerge, Cai Kun would also be reincarnated. He would then form a Contract with it and return to the Sect.

"So, you’re saying they managed to eliminate their own ancestor?" Chen Jiuge looked at Cai Yue in shock. There’s something off about this story.

"Not exactly ’eliminate,’" Cai Yue said. "Let’s just say they turned Cai Kun’s grand path to the heavens into a narrow country lane. But it’s not a major issue. He was a True Immortal in his past life; it would be laughable if he couldn’t become an Immortal in this one." Cai Yue wasn’t sure how else to describe it; the actions of his old friend’s descendants were indeed rather bizarre.

"The Hou, I’ll leave to you. It’s best to spare its life. The karmic burden rests mostly on my old friend, and I’ve already taken its True Spirit. As for the Cai Family of the Great Cheng Dynasty, I will take those without karmic ties. Those with such ties, I will leave to their own devices. As for the Imperial Family... you can choose a new one." Cai Yue left this mess behind and departed nonchalantly.

Wait, you want me to do it? Chen Jiuge looked at the devastated Imperial City, utterly speechless. I don’t know how to do this either.

"Which of you two knows how?" Chen Jiuge turned to Su Mei and Ye Qingqing behind him.

Ye Qingqing folded her arms. "I only know how to fight."

"Actually, I know a little bit," Su Mei admitted shyly.

"Excellent! From this moment on, you are the first Empress of the Great Cheng Dynasty!"

With a grand wave of Chen Jiuge’s hand, Empress Su Mei officially ascended the throne.

As it turned out, Su Mei indeed knew ’a little bit.’ However, that ’little bit’ proved to be quite substantial. In just a few short years, she governed the Great Cheng Dynasty with such order and efficiency that she revealed herself to be a genuine talent in administration.