Huye Plain.
Thousand Valley Secret Realm.
Unlike the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere when Lin Chuan visited two months ago, today's Thousand Valley Secret Realm is filled with a tense and murderous aura.
The small village where the Qian Gu Family resides is now bustling with people, its population more than ten times what Lin Chuan had seen before.
However, the clothing of these people is not entirely that of the Qian Gu Family; many of them have various family crests on their backs, different from the Qian Gu Family's rice stalk emblem, such as flying birds, owl heads, and whales.
From this, it can be inferred that they are not Beast Masters from the Qian Gu Family, but rather Beast Masters from other families of the Dongyang Ten Families.
In the deepest part of the small village, there is an ordinary-looking farmhouse courtyard.
This place is the forbidden area within the forbidden area of the entire Thousand Valley Secret Realm.
Because it is home to Qian Gu Zongming, the Qian Gu Family's ancestor, a Level 72 Heavenly King Beast Master.
Qian Gu Zongming is over 300 years old.
However, he appears to be an 18-year-old youth.
His face is like jade, his posture is tall and straight, but the gaze in his eyes is profound and ancient.
A huge round table.
Qian Gu Zongming sat at one corner of the round table.
Around the round table, there were nine other people sitting.
There were youths, young adults, and middle-aged individuals, all of varying ages, but what they had in common was the profound and ancient look in their eyes.
There were a total of 10 people at this table.
They are precisely the ancestors of each of the Dongyang Ten Families, the true wielders of power in the Dongyang Alliance, revered as the Ten Elders.
"Everyone is here, so we can begin," one of the Ten Elders said.
Qian Gu Zongming nodded and gently tapped the table.
After about 10 seconds, a middle-aged man cautiously entered the room.
If Lin Chuan were here, he would recognize this person as Qian Gu Zhengxiong.
Upon entering the small meeting room, Qian Gu Zhengxiong didn't even dare to breathe heavily; he took out a report and immediately began to read.
"Thirty-two days ago, an anomaly occurred in the Mist Forest; mist spread outward, accompanied by an overflow of Dark, Demonic, and Ghost Attribute energy."
"According to collected analysis, the energy level of these energies is quite high; even after diffusion and dilution, they possess a 4th-tier energy intensity."
"It is estimated that the energy level of its core source is at least 7th-tier."
"Twenty-eight days ago, black rain began to fall in the middle layer of the Mist Forest. Wild demonic beasts contaminated by this black rain would gradually become more ferocious, violent, and bloodthirsty. Demonic beasts contracted by civilian Beast Masters, whose intelligence had been erased, would also gradually go mad if contaminated by the black rain, even breaking through the restrictions of their enslavement contracts and attacking their Beast Masters."
"Twenty-five days ago, stationed observers discovered the appearance of aurora in the core area within the Mist Forest. The aurora lasted for 3 hours."
...
"Three days ago, the black rain stopped, and all anomalies disappeared."
That was all.
Qian Gu Zhengxiong finished explaining the intelligence.
Qian Gu Zongming waved his hand.
Qian Gu Zhengxiong bowed deeply to everyone and then respectfully retreated.
"It seems our old friend's time is almost up; he can no longer hold on."
Tsukishima Miki, who looked only 20 years old, was dressed in a flamboyant and alluring manner, exuding a worldly charm. She was one of the only two women among the Ten Elders, and she was the first to speak, chuckling softly.
The Tsukishima Family specializes in feline spirit beasts and excels in Dark and Water Attributes.
"Don't underestimate it."
"Perhaps it's faking it again this time. During our last hunt, it caught us off guard and we lost many family elites."
Chongzong Chengye, a thin middle-aged man, said solemnly.
The Chongzong Family specializes in avian spirit beasts and excels in Wind and Gold Attributes.
"I have divined and calculated many times; this time, it is indeed the old horse's final moment."
"The result of the divination is extremely ominous."
"It has indeed prepared 'generous gifts' for us, which are extremely dangerous."
Zifeng Fang, the other female among the Ten Elders, also appeared to be around 20 years old, but her style of dress was completely opposite to Tsukishima Miki's, focusing on fresh and elegant simplicity, wearing a light yellow, simple style dress.
The Zifeng Family specializes in spirit-containing spirit beasts, excels in Fairy Attribute, and is proficient in divination and prophecy.
Of course, for high-level Beast Masters, legendary sacred spirits, and the like, only rough auspiciousness or ominousness can be divined, not detailed predictions.
"Even if the divination result is extremely ominous, and even if it's dangerous, we still have to act, don't we?"
Haize Takuno, a young man dressed in a suit and tie, in a white-collar office worker style, said.
The Haize Family specializes in fish-type spirit beasts and excels in Poison and Water Attributes.
"Are we really going to let its soul return to heaven and earth, letting all its life essence dissipate into the mountains and nature?"
A silence fell over the conference room.
All the Ten Elders nodded slightly.
Allowing a legendary sacred spirit's soul to return to heaven and earth, with its physical essence dissipating into nature, is a luxurious and wasteful act that only the Three Great Nations would do.
Instead, they should hunt the sacred spirit when it is old and weak, especially when its life essence is gathered at one point in a final burst of vitality, just before it dissipates.
Devour its soul, divide its body, skin it, extract its bones and marrow, and utilize every bit of its essence.
This is the most efficient and beneficial approach for the inheritance of an aristocratic family!
Even if the divination result is extremely ominous, and even if there might be sacrifices and deaths.
As long as they succeed, everything will be worth it!
"I want its soul crystal," Qian Gu Zongming said, and then immediately added,
"My Chi Gu Family is closest to the Mist Forest, and we are usually the ones stationed there, observing the situation. Every month, we have to send elites to risk their lives to infiltrate its territory and observe the situation. Many of my Chi Gu Family's elites have sacrificed themselves for this."
As soon as he finished speaking, dissenting voices immediately arose.
"Wasn't the greatest gain from the last hunt, the Phantom Winged Beast, given to your Chi Gu Family? Is that not enough?"
"I heard that you have already cultivated many mutated new species of spirit beasts through the Phantom Winged Beast's bloodline."
Haize Takuno snorted.
The other Ten Elders also nodded in agreement.
The most precious part of the entire Light Unicorn is its soul crystal, the Light Spirit Core.
A Level 69 Beast Master can use it to forcibly break through to Level 70 and become a Heavenly King.
Whichever family obtains it means they can gain an additional Heavenly King Beast Master, which will completely change the balance of power among the Dongyang Ten Families.
Even if it is not used to cultivate a quasi-Heavenly King, but rather used by these Heavenly King Beast Masters themselves, it can very likely increase their level by one and extend their lifespan by at least 50 years.
These were the Ten Elders at the pinnacle of the Dongyang Alliance.
Yet, at this moment, they were arguing like grandmas and grandpas squabbling in a wet market, neither giving way, neither willing to give up the Light Spirit Core.
Ultimately, this issue could only be shelved.
The Ten Elders began to distribute the Light Unicorn's other materials.
In fact, this was the true focus of the meeting.
As the saying goes, even close brothers settle accounts clearly. Holding a spoils-sharing meeting in advance to delineate the ownership of the relevant gains would allow for more confident cooperation during the subsequent hunt.
After the spoils-sharing meeting concluded.
The Ten Elders were about to disband and immediately prepare to mobilize the elite Beast Masters of their respective families to carry out the hunt according to the plan.
Before everyone left their seats, Zifeng Fang suddenly spoke.
"We also need to guard against Katori Chion; she will most likely make a move this time to contend with us for the Light Spirit Core."
Chongzong Chengye coldly snorted.
"If she doesn't come, we'll let her live for now."
"If she really dares to come, we'll turn her and her spirit beasts into materials. We were too lazy to bother with her before; does she really think we Heavenly Kings can't do anything to her?"
...
Mist Forest, Light Realm.
The Light Unicorn was still prostrate beside the lake; it had maintained this posture for a full month and a half.
Katori Chion, 20 years old, dressed in a high school campus-style sailor uniform today, sat beside the Light Unicorn, hugging her knees.
“Do you really not want my soul essence?”
“If you want it, I can sacrifice it to you to help you break through to the Heavenly King-level.”
The Light Unicorn's voice echoed in the air. When it spoke to Lin Chuan earlier, the Light Unicorn had the voice of a sickly young man, but now, it was even weaker, and its voice had become that of an old person, deep and hoarse.
"No, I would never let my friend sacrifice themselves for me."
"Moreover, a Beast Master's growth and improvement must rely on the feedback energy from their contracted spirit beasts. Any other external means are crooked paths."
"Taking shortcuts might benefit you in the short term, but you will pay the price sooner or later."
"Why haven't the Dongyang Ten Families produced a Level 79 Sealed Title Heavenly King for so many years? It's precisely because they've taken too many crooked paths."
"I don't want to be like them, stuck at the initial stage of Heavenly King."
Katori Chion replied indifferently.
Then, her tone suddenly shifted, and a sharp glint flashed in her black, pupil-less eyes.
"My goal is to become a Sealed Title Heavenly King, to become an Empress!"
"The day I become an Empress, I will confess to the Qilin Emperor!"
Light Unicorn: ...
Every Heavenly King-level Beastmaster has their own firm belief.
Some beliefs are grand, such as the pursuit of eternal life or the prosperity and eternity of the Human Beast Taming Civilization.
Others have very small beliefs, perhaps just wanting to protect someone, or simply not wanting to go hungry.
And Katori Chion's belief, the one that makes her persevere, is the Qilin Emperor.
Fifty years ago, when Katori Chion first embarked on the path of a Beast Master, she was a young girl experiencing her first feelings of love. She happened to encounter the Qilin Emperor, who was leisurely traveling the mortal world. Because she possessed half Star Rock blood, the Qilin Emperor saved her life when she encountered danger.
It was such a clichéd plot.
Katori Chion fell, captivated at first sight.
And then, she vowed!
She would become the woman standing beside the Qilin Emperor; she would become the mother of the Star Rock Federation!
Her encounter and friendship with the Light Unicorn were also due to the Qilin Emperor.
That time, the Light Unicorn took a fancy to the Emperor's contracted spirit beast, the Jade Kirin. Then, that lecherous horse was hung up and whipped by the Emperor's Jade Kirin.
The Light Unicorn couldn't forget the Qilin Emperor's Jade Kirin.
And Katori Chion was captivated by the Qilin Emperor at first sight.
Thus, this human and beast formed a secret crush alliance.
"Go for it, go for it for both of us. If that day truly comes, give me and the Jade Kirin a ghost marriage."
The Light Unicorn said.
Katori Chion gave the Light Unicorn a look of utter disgust.
"If I truly reach that point and become the Emperor's companion, then the Emperor's spirit beast is also my spirit beast, which means it's my family. I would never let my family be with an old pervert like you!"
"..."
The Light Unicorn cursed very vulgarly.
However, in less than 10 minutes, the Light Unicorn stopped, panting slightly, showing signs of fatigue.
Looking at the fatigued Light Unicorn, Katori Chion's gaze deepened.
Without another word, Katori Chion sat quietly, hugging her knees, next to the Light Unicorn.
“You should leave.”
“It's still early.”
“They have arrived.”
"..."
“I will help you bury these people here.”
“Go, become the Great Nation Leader of Dongyang, and create your own epic.”