In the scenic wilderness, Jun Changxiao sat alone on a rock. From a distance, he looked like a decrepit old man on his last legs.
Having all three values cleared had dealt him too heavy a blow.
It had been several days since leaving Demon Origin City, yet his spirit remained in a state of listlessness and near-collapse.
These days, earning money wasn’t easy. Because of activating some damned mode, he’d instantly become dirt poor. Dog Leftover’s heart was definitely suffering.
“Second Senior Brother.”
Yao Mengying bit into a roasted chicken leg, her mouth full of grease as she said, “The Sect Master hasn’t eaten or drunk for several days. It pains me so much I’ve lost my appetite.”
“Should we go persuade him?” Su Xiaomo said.
“You go?”
“Alright.”
Su Xiaomo cautiously walked over. Before he could open his mouth to speak, he saw Jun Changxiao suddenly turn around, grab him by the neck, and roar, “I’ll fight you to the death!”
He’d gone mad!
Seeing anyone was like seeing the System!
“Sect… Sect Master… it’s… it’s me…”
Under Su Xiaomo’s stuttering shouts, Jun Changxiao finally regained his rationality. Then he kicked him flying, squatted on the rock covering his face, and wailed, “My three values, my three values!”
“Sigh.”
The System sighed, “If I’d known it would deal the host such a heavy blow, I absolutely wouldn’t have activated Crisis Resolution Mode!”
“Don’t mention any mode to me!”
Jun Changxiao clutched his chest, “My heart hurts!”
The System said, “Though the host’s three values were cleared to zero, you still gained tremendous benefits.”
“Bullshit!”
Jun Changxiao roared, “With so many Contribution Values and Achievement Values, if you don’t give me some benefits, how can anyone go on living!”
“Moreover!”
“All it did was let a disciple obtain a constitution, and let Little Evil and Little Fire increase their strength. Compared to several million, these meager benefits are simply too pitiful to look at!”
The reason for Dog Leftover’s breakdown was that clearing was one thing, but shouldn’t he at least get more benefits? Yet the result was only letting Yao Mengying inherit the Innate Sacred Demon Body, and letting Little Evil and Little Fire evolve to juvenile form. After calculating it every which way, it was definitely a huge loss!
Indeed.
If those millions of Contribution Values had been used in the Shop, the benefits obtained would absolutely be much greater than benefiting one disciple and two spirit bodies.
“In my view.”
The System said flatly, “Being able to preserve the host’s and disciples’ lives, even without any rewards, would be worth it.”
“…”
This statement, Jun Changxiao couldn’t refute.
Trading three values for safety was indeed the most worthwhile deal.
“Sigh.”
Jun Changxiao let out a long breath and said, “I seem to have become overly mercenary.”
“What’s more.”
The System said, “The host also accidentally awakened the Stone Statue Clan bloodline through this. No matter how you calculate it, this deal isn’t a loss.”
Mentioning the Stone Statue Clan, Jun Changxiao immediately became serious and said, “How could I have this bloodline? Could the original owner have some unspeakable identity?”
Though he was reluctant to admit it, Dog Leftover was indeed human.
Confusedly awakening the Stone Statue Clan bloodline in the Demon Origin Land was truly incomprehensible and violated common sense.
Unless…
The original owner wasn’t human to begin with.
“I understand now!”
Jun Changxiao suddenly realized, “I’m actually a prince of the Stone Statue Clan left in the outside world, and the entire clan is waiting for me to revive them!”
“…”
The System collapsed, “The host’s imagination is a bit excessive.”
Jun Changxiao had fantasized before that his father was the Heavenly Emperor, his mother was the Heavenly Empress, and he himself was the child of heaven who’d ended up in the mortal world. Now awakening the Stone Statue Clan bloodline, though somewhat different from his ideal, was still barely acceptable.
“Ptui!”
The System couldn’t help but spit.
Jun Changxiao said, “You may think I’m indulging in wild fantasies, but how else do you explain the awakened bloodline?”
“Very simple.”
The System said, “When being ravaged by demonic energy, the stone statue flew out on its own and fused into your body. Only then did the host awaken the Stone Statue Clan bloodline. So fundamentally, the reason lies with that stone statue.”
“Stone statue?”
Jun Changxiao hurriedly examined his spatial ring internally and found that the gargoyle-like thing had disappeared!
The System continued, “If I’m not mistaken, the stone statue should have contained Stone Statue Clan bloodline, which successfully fused with the host under the activation of Crisis Mode.”
“You mean?”
“That’s right. Though the host now has Stone Statue Clan bloodline, strictly speaking, you’re not truly a member of the Stone Statue Clan—at most, you’re a bloodline inheritor or carrier.”
“…”
The System’s analysis was well-reasoned, leaving Jun Changxiao speechless.
“Sigh.”
He let out a long breath and said, “Why is it so hard to find an impressive background identity?”
…
After the System’s patient persuasion, along with possessing the Stone Statue Clan bloodline, Jun Changxiao’s terrible mood gradually improved.
Actually, spending all three values to obtain the Stone Statue Clan bloodline was super profitable just from this alone, after all, bloodlines weren’t something others could casually inherit.
Moreover, previously using the stone statue would gradually result in being consumed by its power, thereby losing rationality. Now inheriting it through the bloodline method, though somewhat brutal and merciless, at least allowed him to control his thoughts and avoid harming innocents.
“This is my trump card.”
Jun Changxiao thought to himself, “Activating the bloodline grants Armament Haki!”
“Loss or gain?”
“Not a loss, huge profit!”
“Snap!”
Jun Changxiao jumped down from the rock, snapped his fingers, and called out loudly, “Treasures, back to the sect!”
Having thought it through, his spirits were refreshed!
Seeing the Sect Master recover from his dejection, Li Qingyang first breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, “Junior Brother Su’s kick wasn’t for nothing!”
“Old brother!”
“On the road back to the sect, are there any forbidden lands!”
“Yes, many!”
“If they’re on the way, let’s go in and look!”
Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and the others’ eyes immediately lit up. This time, the Sect Master was taking them to forbidden lands—there would surely be great gains in martial arts and resources.
The various forbidden lands expressed: We’re feeling a bit panicked right now.
…
Time returned to when Yao Mengying inherited the Innate Sacred Demon Body. Inside the ancient altar, the blood pool boiled again, splashing out crimson blood that once more traced an additional stroke on the massive black shadow on the wall.
“Though we couldn’t revive our master through the Demon Origin Land, it still doesn’t hinder the other resurrection plan!”
The black-robed elder seated in the eastern position, his eyes flickering with excitement.
“Once they successfully bring back our master’s remnant soul and nurture it with demon blood, that will be the day the Upper Realm welcomes its nightmare!”
The black-robed elders seated in the other three positions were also very agitated, as if they’d already fallen into beautiful fantasies about the future.
“However.”
The eastern position elder said gravely, “We must quickly find a way to enter the Demon Delusion Domain and unseal the million-strong Demon Delusion Army. Only then can we assist the resurrected Demon Ancestor in accomplishing great deeds in the Upper Realm!”
“Only the Realm Hall knows the unsealing method. Quickly have Jin Hao investigate it—we can’t delay any longer.”
“That boy has been investigating Gu Zhaoxi lately. Does he really think he’s a member of the Realm Hall?”
“Being undercover too long—does he want to become a good person?”
“Pass down the order: he must find the method to break the Demon Delusion Domain seal as quickly as possible, otherwise… he can come see us with his head in his hands.”
…
On a mountain peak, Jin Hao, clad in golden armor and seated on a war chariot, had received the command. Quite dissatisfied in his heart, he thought, “If the breaking method could be easily found, would I have been undercover in the Realm Hall this long!”
“Coo coo!”
Just then, strange cries came from the distance.
Jin Hao obtained intelligence from them and sneered coldly, “That guy actually dares to go to a forbidden land again. Isn’t he afraid of another accident killing him inside?”
“Whoosh!”
The war chariot cut through the firmament.
Its destination was precisely the forbidden land Jun Changxiao had entered with his disciples.
—