Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

“Boss, were they really from the Spirit race? They seemed so ferocious and savage!” Yue Zifeng finally asked Long Chen after they had all left.

Other than Feng Xinyue, everyone focused on hearing his answer. They were also curious about this. How could such savage lifeforms be part of the Spirit race?

While walking, Long Chen explained, “In truth, the Spirit race is not entirely made of kindness. They have many branches. We’ve encountered the kind members of the Spirit race before, but there are also the Fiend Spirit race, the Evil Spirit race, the Monster Spirit race, and the Blood Spirit race.

“The Scarlet Scale Spirit race we encountered is a member of the Monster Spirit race. All these branches are connected to the Spirit race, but their fundamental natures vary. Most branches lean toward goodness but aren’t purely kind. If treated kindly, they will respond in kind. If mistreated, they will repay with blood.

“The Monster Spirit race, in particular, is ferocious. Once a battle starts, they’ll fight to the last person. They never run or surrender. Their bodies bear the grudges of many races, so I didn’t sense their good side initially. I only decided to help because the Butterfly Spirit mark on my hand reacted. You also saw their bias against humans. Only Chiling Hai showed any gratitude. But even that small response means our efforts weren’t entirely in vain, hehe.”

There was a gain that Long Chen didn’t mention—the corpse of a rank-one Devil Emperor. It was lying on the black soil. However, the body wasn’t easily digestible. Even after so long, the black soil had yet to devour it.

Only the blood leaking from its neck was being devoured, releasing a shocking aura. Long Chen found that even the mysterious vine had become exceptionally active.

Feng Xinyue remarked, “In truth, you’ve planted a good seed for yourself this time. The Monster Spirit race’s power is not to be underestimated, and even the Brahma Pill Valley has to be wary of them. They are a group of madmen; anyone who provokes them will immediately face bloody retribution. Once you’re inside the Heaven Vein Mystic Realm, they will definitely be of assistance.”

Long Chen smiled slightly. He had interfered only because of the Butterfly Spirit mark and that corpse. As for planting a good seed, he didn’t really care.

By aiding the Scarlet Scale Spirit race, Long Chen honored the Butterfly Spirit mark etched upon him. Beyond Chiling Hai, Long Chen felt no personal connection to the rest of his race and had no expectations of their assistance.

The group pressed forward, maintaining a steady pace. Time passed, and they encountered various factions along the way—some human, others demon or devil races, and even strange, unrecognizable lifeforms.

Those lifeforms stared at them from a distance, throwing waves of divine sense to scan them. While that was a rude act, Long Chen and the others simply ignored them.

Long Chen had told his companions to ignore senseless provocations. If they were to fight, they had to fight with the mindset of completely wiping out their enemies.

Fortunately, the rude factions limited themselves to scanning with divine sense and moved on without further provocation. However, not everyone followed suit.

As it turned out, some unknown demonic beasts did get in the group’s way. Perhaps they had been in a minor world for so long that they had become frogs at the bottom of a well. Feeling like the Wind God Sea Pavilion was an easy target, they actually challenged them to a competition.

Declaring their challenge as a “competition to train their disciples,” they arrogantly swaggered over. As a result, the moment they clashed, the Wind God Sea Pavilion's pent-up rage erupted like a dam bursting. With killing intent honed to a razor’s edge, they descended upon their challengers like a pack of wolves.

For days, they had endured the scorn and provocations of countless factions, suppressing their fury at Long Chen’s command. Now that someone blind had finally sent themselves to their door, they showed no mercy. Like beasts unleashed from their cage, they immediately launched killing blows.

It was a slaughter. Although the two sides were evenly matched in numbers, the disparity in power and discipline was glaring. Blood stained the ground as the demonic beasts fell, their experts screaming and begging for mercy.

Their leader—a rank-one Demon Emperor—immediately interfered upon seeing this. However, before he could even get a chance to do anything, Yue Zifeng’s sword slew him instantly. ɽ

The fact that he was slain in one blow stunned everyone, even Yue Zifeng himself. He couldn’t believe it. How could a rank-one Demon Emperor die so easily?

Feng Xinyue later explained, “He wasn’t a true rank-one Demon Emperor. His aura was built from years of faith energy. It was a facade, nothing more.”

With their leader gone, the remaining demonic beasts were swiftly annihilated. Their corpses vanished into the primal chaos space. At least, they served a higher purpose.

In the primal chaos space, half of the rank-one Devil Emperor’s corpse had been devoured, filling the space with a strong aura of primal chaos. The Fusang Trees and Moon Trees, which had been dormant for a long time, were now showing signs of growth. Even the Seven Treasure Colored Glass Tree and the Heavenly Dao Tree were changing.

However, the most remarkable transformation was in the mysterious vine beneath the Heavenly Dao Tree. Now three meters long and as thick as an egg, it crackled with black lightning. Its aura grew increasingly terrifying, and its spiritual fluctuations revealed a thirst for more energy.

Meanwhile, the Golden Crows were slumbering in large eggs. Divine light flashed around them, and as new laws nourished them, their auras grew stronger.

If I were to gain more corpses like this, would they hatch sooner? Long Chen thought, delighted upon seeing this.

The day the Golden Crows came out of their shell was the day they ascended to the Human Emperor realm. At that time, wouldn’t Long Chen be able to trample everyone in the Heaven Vein Mystic Realm?

…

“The laws of space are becoming stable again!” someone exclaimed as they sensed a shift in the environment. The chaotic wind energy had calmed, making it easier to manipulate.

Suddenly, a cry rang out. “What’s that ahead?”

Long Chen gazed into the distance. Up ahead was a mass of darkness, looking like a giant abyss.

Within it, countless giant dragons swam, their movements causing Grand Dao laws to collide and ripple like millions of stars flickering in the void.

Everyone was stunned to see this, and Long Chen muttered, “Qi flow dragon veins?”

As they approached the abyss’s edge, they felt a boundless terror emanating from it. The darkness seemed to stretch infinitely, as though it could devour the universe itself. They instinctively stepped back.

Feng Xinyue gazed into the abyss, looking lost in distant memories.

She softly murmured, “This place is the Heaven Vein Mystic Realm.”