The three races in the palace hall had distinctive forms. All of them possessed obvious characteristics of different races.
Among them, the leader of the first racial group was an elderly man who was barely a meter tall. His stature was fat, but his cheeks were extremely lean. Upon his cheeks was a thinning beard, and on top of his somewhat tapered nose was a faint, golden smear. His appearance was very peculiar.
However, one could promptly see that this racial group was a branch of the mouse race.
Apart from this old man, there were a dozen or so people standing behind him. Their statures were also short and fat, and compared to this elderly man, their mouse racial characteristics were even more pronounced. It seemed like…the mice hadn’t completely changed into human forms.
There were also some small mice on their shoulders. Their noses similarly bore golden spots, and even their fur was somewhat golden.
This racial group was the descendant race of the mouse ancestor race. Their original bodies had the forms of mice, but when their strengths were high, when they reached a certain age, or if their ancestral bloodlines were strong, then they could change into human forms.
The second racial group was a race of monkeys. Or it could be said that they were a race that was both human-like and monkey-like.
They stood upright, and their bodies were covered in light-brown monkey fur. Their hands and feet were also exactly the same as that of humans. Merely, regardless of whether it was the hands or feet, this race had one fewer digit than humanity. Of course, their faces were still monkey faces, so they were a branch of the monkey race.
Their peculiarity lied in the fact that their leader, a short and small, old monkey whose fur had already turned completely white, was almost the same height as the mouse race on the other side. As for the monkey folk behind the old leader, each one was taller than the last — The tallest one had a height that exceeded a lofty three meters.
Then, there was the third race. The leader’s facial features were simple and honest, and he looked just like a normal human. However, his two legs didn’t have feet. Rather, there was a pair of ox hooves. Likewise, those members of the same race who followed behind him had massive ox heads.
This was a branch of the ox race.
Tianheng took out the picture, and passed down his orders to the three servile races.
The seniors of the three servile races didn’t dare to neglect anything, and they hastily took that painting. They carefully scrutinized it, and agreed without delay: “Lord, please rest assured. We’ll certainly exhaust all our efforts to find this person.”
Tianheng heard this, and slightly nodded his head. Shortly thereafter, he said: “In the future, address me as ‘young master’.”
The three servile race elders naturally agreed again.
However, while the eyes of the mouse race elder were cloudy, this didn’t conceal their astuteness. His eyes lightly swiveled, and he suddenly asked: “Concerning the person whom the young master wants us to find — Do you want him alive or…”
Tianheng’s tone was cold: “This person is someone I hold dearly. After you find him, you must take proper care of him. Don’t harm a single hair on his head.”
While speaking, his imposing aura flagrantly assaulted their senses. His majestic presence was revealed.
The mouse race elder hastily bent his waist low: “As you command, young master.”
Tianheng’s expression slightly relaxed: “Shu Lao, dispatch your children and mobilize mouse-kind throughout the world. Find this person as quickly as possible. Besides this, I’m sending ten sighthound and ten mastiff battle slaves to journey with your mouse race. Dog-kind have excellent noses, and your mouse race can manage mouse-kind. Work together in good faith, and don’t disappoint me. Although the other two races must help you, the importance of this matter largely falls upon your race.”
The mouse race elder bowed again.
Tianheng continued: “No matter which of your three races accomplishes it, I will greatly reward whomever finds him first!”
The eyes of the three races’ leaders lit up. Their energetic looks also changed.
After discussing the matter of finding this person, Tianheng somewhat pretended to mutter to himself: “You’re a race of Gold-Devouring Mice with innate skills. I chose your race to be my subordinates for this reason. I have a mixed ore mine that can produce many types of ore. I’ll hand this mine over to your mouse race to look after, and you’ll send the appropriate manpower to carefully manage it. Afterwards, your race will grade and harvest the various ores inside the ore vein, and you’ll cooperate with the Iron Ox race to forge top-notch mundane weapons and all kinds of spirit weapons. Establish shops from Shijue City to many places abroad. There can’t be any mistakes.”
As he spoke, he looked at the simple and honest features of the ox race people: “Niu Ben, your Iron Ox race is good at fighting and refining weapons. You have to properly coordinate with the mouse race. As for the matter of accounting, you’ll give me a yearly report. If there’s any discrepancies, then there’ll certainly be punishments. If it’s done well, then I’ll naturally reward you.”
The mouse race had crafty natures, and they were also fond of stealing. Once Shu Lao heard this, he knew that this contained the master’s warning. He was reminding them to control their natural instincts. Although the mouse race’s numbers were widespread, their external forms and capabilities weren’t obvious. Nowadays, it was hard for a prodigy-ranked master to willingly receive them. Shu Lao didn’t dare to be careless, and readily agreed with sincerity.
The middle-aged man who was born with ox hooves came from a racial group that was open and guileless. When he heard this, he wasn’t concerned about the deeper meaning within the words. He only knew that he needed to do as he was told. He stepped forward without delay, lowered his head, and spoke in a respectful voice: “Yes, young master.”
After briefing these two sides, Tianheng looked towards that elderly monkey: “Hou Lao, your racial group is the Enlightened Hundred-Spirits Monkey race. Your race excels at harvesting medicine and making wine. Previously, I selected you all because my pharmacist… Because I have ten kilometers of woodlands under my name, and there’s lots of medicinal herbs and fruits within it. Properly harvest and refine them into medicinal wines and fruit wines. Like the Iron Ox race and the Gold-Devouring Mouse race, you’ll open up wine shops that’ll extend far and wide.”
Hou Lao had an aged voice, but the expression in his eyes was wise and farsighted: “I obey the will of the young master.”
Tianheng gave many instructions. At this moment, his complexion relaxed once more: “Since your three races have been received by me, you’re also my subordinates. With me around, I won’t allow others to take advantage of you. In the future, if your three races make many contributions, there’s a large possibility that I’ll receive the outstanding children within your races to become my subordinate retainers.”
The faces of the three races’ elders brightened when they heard this.
Although Ten Ultimates Sect was large and there were many servile races, not everyone was qualified to choose a servile race. For the most part, those who were qualified usually had realms that were already quite high. They would purchase some servants in the sect to handle their own matters. Merely, under this kind of situation, many of the servile races were controlled by the subordinates of these powerhouses. Even if the master was benevolent, there was lots of exploitation beneath layers and layers of managers. It was very hard to truly meet with one’s master, and they had to endure suffering for years on end.
However, as members of the servile races, if no one received them, then they had no other choice but to bitterly toil for the sect. Their resources were at the lowest grades, racial groups had a hard time developing, and the populations never rose. It was, likewise, quite detrimental. And if a master wasn’t benevolent, then it only made matters worse. Not only were they squeezed dry for everything they had, the younger generations within the races were also in precarious states. It was to the point that there was a possibility that they would be taken as playthings before being thrown away. No one had any way of knowing if the population would suffer a steep decline.
As far as the powerhouses within the sect were concerned, the servile races were just servants. Life and death was grasped by their hands. Even if an entire race was wiped out, it wouldn’t hinder them much. At worst, the powerhouses would simply switch to another race. But with regards to the servile races, this was a matter of the continuation of their racial groups. Whether they could accumulate resources and obtain their freedom was the key.
It was a slightly better situation to be selected by an outstanding disciple of the sect.
Once the sect recruited a prodigy with superior aptitudes or an accomplished genius, they could obtain servile races to act as helpers when their realms weren’t too high or their foundations weren’t that robust. At this time, for the sake of development, an outstanding disciple would usually assign the servile race to handle matters, and wouldn’t waste the population of the servile race for no reason.
When Tianheng selected these servile races, these three races were wild with joy. Most of all, they had been granted a meeting with their master today. The elders of the three races were mature and experienced. Right away, they saw that this master made clear distinctions between rewards and punishments. Having made promises beforehand, their hearts, which previously still bore traces of apprehension, rested easy.
At once, the three races’ elders repeatedly thanked their master for his benevolence. They all made plans, and decided that they needed to work properly to push down the other two races, and to allow their own racial group to become the most favored one.
This sort of competitive intent was considered a positive competition, and Tianheng happily watched them acting in this way. Only with competitive hearts that burned fiercely enough would they work even harder on his behalf.
At this moment, everything that needed to be said had been discussed. He waved a hand, and allowed the three races to withdraw. Each of them rushed off.
The three races’ elders quickly brought their members away. What awaited them was the initial construction of Tianheng’s personal properties. There were too many things that they needed to do.
After that, Tianheng let out a clear whistle, and ten men and one woman quietly appeared in front of him.
Tianheng looked at them one by one.
The person leading them was the mastiff race’s Ascendant Realm powerhouse. He was called Ao Ying. He was born with a tall build, slender limbs, and well-proportioned muscles. Every inch of his body seemed to be brimming with strength. His appearance was gallantly handsome and the expression in his eyes was docile. However, amid his wandering gazes, his countenance also possessed a type of untamed grace. It was a contradiction, but this was something that put others at ease, too.
Tianheng was very pleased with him: “Ao Ying, from this day forth, you’ll be protecting me by my side at all times. For anyone who tries to harm me — If you can capture them, then do so. If you can’t, kill them!”
Ao Ying bowed: “As you command, young master!”
Following this were the ten Atomic Realms.
The mastiff race had six people, and all of them were men. The feelings they gave one were similar to Ao Ying. The member of the sighthound race was also a man, and he had almost no sense of existence. But among the three people from the mad dog race, there was one woman and two men. In addition, there was a vague feeling that the woman was in charge.
Tianheng looked at them carefully.
Within the bodies of the mad dog race was the blood of the wild. It was said that they were normally no different from the mastiff race or the sighthound race. However, if they encountered a powerful enemy or their moods underwent violent upheavals, the blood of the wild would be stimulated, and their strengths would suddenly double. It was extremely formidable! If this racial group could properly utilize it, then it was beneficial. If they couldn’t, then it was a detriment. It could even be said to be a double-edged sword.
However, Tianheng made Ao Ying the leader. With his Ascendant Realm strength, even if these three mad dogs went wild, there was someone who could control them. Under his management, the mad dogs would become harmless assault troops.
Tianheng continued: “Ao Ying, these ten people shall be arranged by you. If any of my properties requires a powerhouse’s suppression, you can send one or more people to defend my properties. Do you understand? If things get out of hand, come and inform me. I’ll naturally invite someone else to handle it.”
Ao Ying was solemn: “Yes, young master.”
Tianheng waved his hand again, and ordered these powerhouses to withdraw.
It was only a pity that his Tianlong Guards weren’t able to follow along and that their strengths were insufficient. Otherwise, those Tianlong Guards, who swallowed his blood and practically shared the same bloodline as him, were the best helpers!
On this side of things, Gu Zuo collected the medicinal ingredients, and started to carefully refine the medicine according to the prescription.
When one wanted to smoothly stimulate the Myriad Leaking Body, medicinal decoctions and pills were indispensable. The former worked from the outside in, and the latter worked from the inside out. Promoting both sides was the best course of action.
After meticulously refining for a day and night, Gu Zuo immediately shouted out: “Changfeng, quickly go and call for your big brother! The medicine is going to be finished soon. Have him come over right away!”
Because it wasn’t suitable for Hu Chang’an to stay in the outer courtyard for a long period of time, Hu Changfeng, as the younger brother, had been keeping watch right outside ever since they came back. Now that he heard Gu Zuo’s call, he promptly lifted his legs and dashed away. His heart was racing.
T/N: The surnames of all the beast folk correspond to their race’s animal species.
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