Daji too needed money for her plans. But her need for treasures and stones could not compete with Xiao Hu’s appetite. Thankfully, the two had already established clear rules for loot sharing, enabling them to avoid petty conflicts.
“Fine. You can have them all.” Following a moment of stupor and hesitation, Chun Xu agreed to Xiao Hu’s terms and tapped the blunt side of her Nameless Sword. Who was she to deny someone so committed to treasure and stones that they didn’t hesitate to give up on a Loose Immortal level inheritance?
A cluster of storage bags flew out of the Sword Tomb, each carrying hundreds of millions of spirit stones, with outlandish treasures also hidden in the storage bags. Xiao Hu’s Spiritual Sense swept past them, and satisfied by the content, she smiled at Chun Xu.
From this moment onward, even after Daji got her cut, Xiao Hu could boldly refer to herself as one of the wealthiest women of the Eastern Continent—at least until she spent it all to nurture and enhance her beauty.
“Alright sister Ximei. You got your dues. Now it’s my turn to talk business,” Daji said, and following a nod at Chun Xu, Xiao Hu turned heels, returning to Daji’s side. The fox girl didn’t bother the gals. From the start, Zhiji Jing held her attention. Daji’s shroud prevented them from making eye contact, adding to Zhiji Jing’s discomfort.
“Splendor, you don’t have to be on guard with me. I came for you. Not only to save you but also to help you regain all that you’ve lost.” Daji started, using Zhiji Jing’s forgotten title of “Splendor of the East” to ease the tension. Her words had the intended effects, reducing Zhiji Jing’s apprehension.
“What do you mean by that?” While the colorful peacock’s fears lessened, her vigilance remained. Daji didn’t mind, and with the grace of a celestial goddess, glided towards Zhiji Jing—stretching one hand towards her.
At first, seeing Daji come so close to her, Zhiji Jing regained some of her lost apprehension. But as her fears mounted, colorful rays surged from Daji’s palm, emanating from a medicinal pill that oozed a soothing scent that healed the wounds of all on the scene.
Yes, the scent alone was all it took to erase any damage that Chun Xu and the rest had suffered from confronting the Blood Yang Gorilla. Zhiji Jing’s eyes stretched impossibly.
“This is…”
“Yes, you guessed it. A Sublime Reconstruction Pill—the unique recipe from Qingqiu—refined by my father, True Monarch Bai Zhi,” Daji said, instantly making Zhiji Jing’s heart beat frantically. In the Great Desolation World, for those not surnamed Taiyang or Hengye, True Monarch was the highest nobility title, only bestowed upon Supreme Clarity level experts.
As the sovereign of the White Fox clan, Bai Zhi was not only one of the mightiest peak Supreme Clarity level experts of the world but also a prominent alchemist and formation master that, for a brief time, worked for Hengye Wuxin. His accomplishments in both areas made even some immortals of the Taiyang and Hengye clans request his services. By relying on these connections, Bai Zhi maintained the declining White Fox clan’s independence, guiding them through the horrors of the Western Damnation Sea.
A Supreme Reconstruction Pill refined by Bai Zhi himself could, without a shred of doubt, restore Zhiji Jing’s Monster Core and cultivation base—making her return to her past peak and regain all that the Shentu Spirit clan had taken from her.
“W-what do you want?” The bigger the reward, the bigger the risk. Zhiji Jing didn’t believe that Daji, who had absolutely no connection to her, would grant such a precious pill out of the kindness of her heart.
That pill alone showed that the girl’s status in Qingqiu stood at the very summit—most likely, she’d already been selected as the heir to Bai Zhi’s throne—adding to Zhiji Jing’s concerns.
However, Daji’s subsequent words and deeds shocked her to the core of her soul.
“I do want something from you, but not in a transactional manner. This pill is a gift. Accept it, and you’ll be back to the peak. Afterward, we can discuss things from an equal standpoint.”
“You’re not going to hold the pill hostage to make me follow your will? You do realize that once I return to my past level, your bewitching abilities won’t be able to control me, right?” Zhiji Jing couldn’t believe her ears, and her eyes narrowed at Daji.
“I know. I’m a nine-tailed White Fox, but you are a nine-headed Colorful Peacock. Your clan has always possessed outstanding soul-related abilities. At your peak, you will not fear my bewitching techniques. But who said that I ever considered enslaving you?” Daji asked, forcing Zhiji Jing to reconsider the situation.
“All the beasts I’ve put in chains were creatures of useful strength, but that overall gave us a bad look. Many of them were more concerned with self-destruction and mindless hunts than driving the myriad Mysterious Beast clans to progress. They don’t represent us, our cultures, codes, or the wealth of history our various clans have accumulated. But whenever humans or spirits think of the words “mysterious beast,” those are what they picture.
So, of course, I have to stop them—to put their murderous instincts to better use.
The time has come for us to unite and break all stigma in the word “beast.” To show the world—continent or seas—that we are more than mounts, war tools or threats.
It won’t be easy, and the path ahead filled with rivers of blood, but at the end of it all, all beast clans under these heavens will have the respect they deserve.” Zhiji Jing didn’t let her body betray her thoughts, but in her ears, Daji’s words echoed like a thunderclap.
This was it. The type of passion, drive and leadership that could unite the beast clans under a banner so vast and strong that they could finally end eons of discrimination. But how could a girl of the junior generation shoulder such a momentous task?
Zhiji Jing struggled to accept it. Xiao Hu didn’t, because by now she realized that, Daji’s mind represented the perfect balance of madness, kindness, cunning and intellect.
The Supreme Reconstruction Pill flew towards Zhiji Jing. But while the light and scent lured her in, Zhiji Jing resisted the temptation, letting the pill hover before her.
“Is this your will, or Bai Zhi’s will?”
“My will. Dad is ready to bow, and as we speak, as likely already sent my sisters to the Evernight Palace.”
“How can you be so sure that you can succeed at something that, even your father and past legendary beasts, never dared to consider?”
“Because I am Daji-positive. Just like I’m Daji-positive that you will follow me, I’m Daji-positive that I will bring this great endeavor to the conclusion I envision. Daji-positive people never fail.”
“…”
“Also, I’m not just doing this for myself. A certain someone powers my every move. One day—soon hopefully—we will meet again, and on that occasion, I want that person to not only love but respect me?”
“A man?”
“A God.”
“…”
While Zhiji Jing considered Daji’s plans, Chun Xu’s heart echoed the fox girl’s words. “Not only love but respect me.” If not for Xinzi’s respect, why would she trick Tusha into helping her refine the soul strand, and go so far for personal growth?
Daji and Chun Xu could not imagine that the man they both tried to impress, was one and the same.
At last, Zhiji Jing’s eyes flashed with determination. Her silver beak opened, sucking the Supreme Reconstruction Pill into her body. It dissolved inside, lighting up Zhiji Jing’s cracked monster core and feathers with splendid rays.
Under the girls’ awe-struck eyes, Zhiji Jing expanded to over 300 meters, her soul and core healing at breakneck speed. Massive Holy Force surged from Zhiji Jing’s eyes and feathers, colorful clouds covered her form, and as the pill’s healing power restored her splendor, she not only returned to rank-nine Holy Beast King but also broke through her past bottleneck, rising to rank-ten Beast Sovereign!
Within the clouds, Zhiji Jing’s form shrank, and her appearance morphed into that of a voluptuous goddess, with lustrous dark-blue hair, and a long blue silk dress that left her bountiful cleavage exposed.
“Big sister Daji, accept my bow. If you will have me, I’d like to sign a pledge of sisterhood in blood. From this day onward, Zhiji Jing will join your side, and help you make this world a better place…for us Mysterious Beasts!” Zhiji Jing said, officially joining Daji’s side as the third monstress of the Myriad Beast Gang.