Zoo.
Ling Chen leaned against a metal bench, so rusted that only its frame remained.
A dark red thread of blood, wriggling like a living thing, coiled around his fingertips. The blood danced and transformed nimbly at his fingertips, finally dissipating into a thin mist of blood that slowly spun in his palm.
His control over Blood Ripple was becoming more and more proficient.
Reflected in the depths of his crimson pupils was not the blood mist before him, but… the bloody and cruel “Whetstone” spectacle unfolding tens of kilometers away in the Linghui Academy Ruins!
The Bloodline Slave Seal, coupled with the Soul Jade Physique’s cold will, acted like an invisible spiderweb, penetrating spatial barriers and clearly “seeing” the bloody devouring within the stadium, “seeing” Zhuang Han’s ruthless crushing of the Bone Spike Corpse Ghoul in the Sculpture Garden, “seeing” the horrific sight of the Corpse Ghoul horde frenziedly tearing apart their own kind, “seeing” Tang Buyu and his two companions’ disheveled escape into the cafeteria like stray dogs…
“Pfft…”
A barely audible chuckle, clearly filled with pleasure, escaped Ling Chen’s lips.
The blood mist at his fingertips instantly vanished.
“That fellow, Zhuang Han…”
Ling Chen smiled, a playful and appreciative glint in his crimson pupils.
“He really catches on quickly.”
He had seen Zhuang Han’s cold command— “Kill! Devour! Only those who survive are worthy of following the master!”
He had seen Zhuang Han’s ruthless method of throwing the Bone Eater Realm Bone Spike Corpse Ghoul to the Corpse Ghoul horde as a “whetstone” for them to share.
“Whetstone, hehe,” Ling Chen murmured to himself, his voice carrying a hint of lazy amusement, “This analogy is quite fitting.”
“Tang Buyu’s current Metal Storm is too weak.”
“But being pushed to the brink and still maintaining composure, organizing a counterattack… he actually shows a faint resemblance to his previous life’s demeanor. Unfortunately… he’s still a bit too green.”
“Li Bing… shadow manipulation… a good hand at stealth assassination. He’s just a bit timid, not ruthless enough.” Ling Chen commented, as if evaluating chess pieces on a board, “As for Bai Lingdong…”
His gaze seemed to pierce through space, landing on the girl’s figure, clutching the spatial fragment pendant tightly, her face pale, and her body trembling all over.
“Spatial fragment, Time Rift Silver Foil, space-type symbiotic spirit artifact.”
Ling Chen’s lips slowly curled into a meaningful arc.
“Good stuff, ah… but unfortunately… the little girl doesn’t know how to use it at all. She has a treasure mountain but is unaware of it… tsk tsk…”
In the depths of his crimson pupils, a hint of… greed and… anticipation… flashed and vanished, imperceptible to others.
Just then.
“Ugh…”
A groan, filled with pain and weakness, came from the shadows in the corner of the Ape House.
Ling Chen slowly turned around.
Tang Yinmeng was curled up on a pile of hay (the “bed” Ling Chen had casually made for her), her face still as pale as paper, her forehead covered in fine cold sweat. She clutched the dissecting knife, which emitted a faint, eerie purple glow, tightly with both hands, her body occasionally twitching from the pain.
Mental backlash!
Forcibly awakening the Grievance Dissecting Knife and then being impacted by the ominous aura of the Gluttonous Beast, her mental core was in agonizing pain as if being torn apart! In her mind, Mu Xi’s tear-stained face, full of resentment and temptation, constantly flickered, like maggots clinging to bone, frantically tearing at her consciousness! Trying to drag her into an endless abyss of hatred!
“Ergh ah…”
With another uncontrollable groan of pain, Tang Yinmeng’s body suddenly arched, struggling violently like a fish out of water! The dissecting knife in her hand almost flew out!
Ling Chen walked over slowly, looking down at her struggling in pain.
In his crimson pupils, there was no pity, no concern, only a… calm like observing a laboratory mouse, and a hint of intriguing amusement.
“Tsk… still too weak, you know I’ve already suppressed it…”
He shook his head, his voice carrying a hint of lazy teasing.
“Can’t even withstand this much backlash… how can you be my… little assistant?”
He squatted down, extended his slender fingers, and gently brushed away Tang Yinmeng’s messy hair, soaked with cold sweat, from her forehead. His movements were gentle, even carrying a hint of… strange tenderness?
“It hurts…” Tang Yinmeng groggily opened her eyes, her amber pupils filled with pain and confusion, like a lost fawn. She saw Ling Chen’s face close by, his crimson pupils appearing particularly demonic in the dim light.
“Big… brother… it hurts so much…” She murmured subconsciously, her voice choked with tears and dependence, as if grasping at her only straw of salvation.
“Hurts?”
Ling Chen’s smile deepened, with a hint of malicious mischief.
“It should hurt. If it doesn’t hurt… how will you learn your lesson?”
He extended his other hand, palm up. A dark red thread of blood slowly seeped out, suspended in the air, condensing into a drop… a blood bead, as brilliant as a ruby, exuding a rich life force!
That blood bead… was precisely the essence blood taken from the Gluttonous Beast’s heart!
The previous essence blood, the little girl had returned directly to him because she had no time to absorb it, but now, looking at this situation.
“Open your mouth, do you think you can escape this?”
Ling Chen’s voice carried an undeniable command and a strong sense of malicious amusement.
Tang Yinmeng, in a state of dehydration, instinctively parted her cracked lips.
Ling Chen flicked his fingertip lightly!
Pfft!
That drop of Gluttonous Beast essence blood accurately landed in Tang Yinmeng’s mouth!
“Mmm—!!!”
An indescribable, scorching energy, like magma, exploded in her mouth!
It surged madly down her throat and into all her limbs and bones! Intense pain! Tearing! Burning! As if to completely ignite her from the inside out!
“Ergh ah—!!!”
Tang Yinmeng let out a shrill scream! Her body convulsed violently as if thrown into boiling water! Her skin instantly turned crimson! Her veins bulged! Her eyeballs protruded! As if she would explode and die the next second!
But… just in this extreme pain!
An even colder, more overbearing will! Following that drop of essence blood! Fiercely pierced into her mental core! Instantly freezing and suppressing the resentful remnant soul of Mu Xi that was frantically tearing at her consciousness!
“You’re already so low on health, just obediently die already!”
“Ugh…” Tang Yinmeng’s scream abruptly ceased! Her body suddenly stiffened!
The crimson blood color receded from her skin like a tide! The rampaging energy was forcibly tamed! Integrating into her bloodline!
The intense pain disappeared! Replaced by a feeling of profound comfort, like a complete transformation!
She collapsed weakly onto the hay pile as if exhausted, panting heavily, sweat soaking her thin clothes. But her eyes were much brighter than before!
“How do you feel?” Ling Chen’s voice, with a hint of a smile, sounded in her ear.
Tang Yinmeng struggled to lift her head, looking at Ling Chen’s face with its playful smile.
“Thank… thank you…”
Her voice was hoarse, with a slight tremor.
“Thanks?”
Ling Chen chuckled softly, reaching out to pinch her still somewhat chubby cheek, his actions as intimate as teasing a pet.
“Don’t thank me so quickly. This bit of essence blood only temporarily helps you suppress the backlash from that knife. If you want to completely control it, if you want to live, if you want revenge…”
His voice paused slightly, his crimson pupils looking directly into Tang Yinmeng’s eyes, with a hint of… a captivating smile.
“You’re still far from it… little Yinmeng.”
“Re… revenge?” Tang Yinmeng’s pupils suddenly constricted! Her mother’s resentful face from her dying moments instantly flashed in her mind! The name cursed with her mother’s last ounce of strength—Tang Hongxi! And that scumbag brother who abandoned them.
Tang Buyu!
An indescribable hatred, like a poisonous fire, instantly ignited her heart! Making her weak body tremble uncontrollably!
“Yes… revenge.”
Ling Chen’s smile grew even brighter, with a devilish allure,
“That scumbag who abandoned you and your mother… those two men who made your mother die with unclosed eyes… that… high and mighty Tang Family Head…”
He leaned down, close to Tang Yinmeng’s ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, his voice deep and magnetic:
“Do you want to, with your own hands… drag him… down from the altar?”
“Do you want your scumbag brother… to also experience the taste of being abandoned?”
Tang Yinmeng’s body trembled violently! Her amber pupils were instantly ignited by the flames of hatred! She bit her lower lip so hard that it bled! Her hands clenched tightly around the cold dissecting knife! Her knuckles turned white from the force!
“Yes!” Her voice was hoarse and firm, with a nearly insane determination! “I want to!”
“Very good.” Ling Chen straightened up with satisfaction, a glint of triumph flashing in his crimson pupils, “Then… prove it to me.”
He pointed to the dissecting knife in Tang Yinmeng’s hand.
“Pick it up. Feel it. Tame it.”
“From today onwards… it will be your fangs… your claws… your… first key… to revenge.”