20: Chapter 20 Demon Emperor's Palace

The old woman introduced herself as Granny Hu, an Elder of the Demon Emperor Palace, with a cultivation at the Peak of the Faxiang Realm.

She had stayed in the Demon Emperor Palace for over two hundred years, watching Su Xiaohu's mother, Su Wan'er, grow up with her own eyes, only to watch her leave Heavenly Demon City and never return.

"Child, how did your mother... die?" Granny Hu's voice trembled slightly.

Su Xiaohu lowered her head, tears falling one by one: "The people from the Tiandao Sect... they killed everyone in the tribe. To protect me, my mother was split in two by a slash from a person in a black robe..."

Granny Hu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, a cold glint flashed through her cloudy, aged eyes.

"Tiandao Sect, the Demon Emperor Palace has noted this debt."

She stood up, walked to the wall, opened a hidden compartment, and took out a jade box.

When the jade box was opened, a pale golden bead lay inside, emitting a soft glow.

"This is the life-bound inner core your mother left at the Demon Emperor Palace back then." Granny Hu handed the bead to Su Xiaohu, "Now, it should be returned to you."

Su Xiaohu took the bead, and the moment her fingers touched it, a warm force surged into her body.

Her fox ears glowed slightly, and a faint, illusory tail appeared behind her.

"The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Bloodline requires nine Awakenings; with each Awakening, an extra tail appears." Granny Hu said, "Your mother awakened to the sixth tail, making her the strongest Heavenly Fox in the history of the Demon Emperor Palace. You are her daughter; your Bloodline will only be stronger."

Su Xiaohu gripped the bead and looked up: "Granny Hu, I want to become stronger, strong enough to avenge my mother."

"Becoming stronger is not an overnight task." Granny Hu looked at her, "But you have the Aptitude. From today on, you will live in the Demon Emperor Palace, and I will teach you personally."

Su Xiaohu looked at Chen Yuanji, hesitation flashing in her eyes. "Brother Chen..."

"Go." Chen Yuanji said calmly, "I came to Heavenly Demon City originally just to settle you down. Now that you have a place to go, it is time for me to leave."

"You are leaving?" Su Xiaohu became anxious, "Brother Chen, what will I do if you leave?"

"Cultivating with Granny Hu is better than following me." Chen Yuanji said, "My martial arts may not be suitable for the Yao Race, but the Legacy of the Demon Emperor Palace is specifically prepared for the Yao Race."

Su Xiaohu bit her lip, her eyes turning red. She did not want to separate from Chen Yuanji. Over the past month, Chen Yuanji had been her only reliance; he saved her life, taught her martial arts, and brought her across the entire Eastern Desolate Region to Heavenly Demon City.

"Brother Chen, will you come to see me?" She asked.

"I will." Chen Yuanji nodded.

Granny Hu glanced at Chen Yuanji, her gaze filled with scrutiny.

"Young man, what is your name?"

"Chen Yuanji."

"You saved Xiao Hu; the Demon Emperor Palace owes you a favor." Granny Hu took a token from her bosom and handed it to Chen Yuanji, "This is the Guest Elder token of the Demon Emperor Palace. With it, you can move freely in Heavenly Demon City, and the properties under the Demon Emperor Palace will also be open to you."

Chen Yuanji accepted the token without declining. "Many thanks, Granny Hu."

"Don't be in such a hurry to thank me; I have a question for you." Granny Hu stared into his eyes, "You have no fluctuations of Yuan energy on you, yet you were able to protect Xiao Hu all the way across the Eastern Desolate Region. What kind of power do you use?"

Chen Yuanji was silent for a moment: "The power of the Physical Body."

"Physical Body?" A flash of surprise crossed Granny Hu's eyes, "Not cultivating Yuan energy, only the Physical Body? This is indeed rare." She did not press further, only nodded: "In the East District of Heavenly Demon City, there is a Yaofeng Pavilion, which is a property of the Demon Emperor Palace, specifically for receiving Guest Elders. You can go stay there; just mention my name."

Chen Yuanji bowed in thanks and turned to leave.

"Brother Chen!" Su Xiaohu suddenly ran over and hugged his waist tightly, "You must come to see me."

Chen Yuanji looked down at her and reached out to pat her head. "Cultivate well. When you have awakened the nine tails, I will teach you even more powerful martial arts."

"It's a deal!"

Chen Yuanji left the Demon Emperor Palace and returned to the inn. Niu Dali was sitting in the lobby drinking. Seeing Chen Yuanji return, he put down his wine cup: "How did it go?"

"Xiao Hu has remained at the Demon Emperor Palace." Chen Yuanji sat down and poured a cup of tea, "Her mother was the daughter of the former Palace Master of the Demon Emperor Palace, so the Demon Emperor Palace will take care of her."

Niu Dali nodded and did not ask further, "What about you? What are your plans next?"

Chen Yuanji took a sip of tea: "First, I will settle down in Heavenly Demon City and Cultivate for a period of time."

"Then I will stay too." Niu Dali said, "Anyway, I have nowhere else to go. Although Heavenly Demon City is not peaceful, it is still better than being hunted by the Tiandao Sect outside."

The two settled their room bill and headed to the Yaofeng Pavilion.

The Yaofeng Pavilion was a three-story building; it looked ordinary on the outside, but the interior decoration was extremely exquisite.

The first floor was the lobby, the second floor was the guest rooms, and the third floor was the cultivation rooms.

They were received by a middle-aged fox-race woman with a seductive figure and affectionate eyes. Upon seeing the Guest Elder token in Chen Yuanji's hand, she immediately adopted a respectful attitude.

"So it is a Guest Elder of the Demon Emperor Palace; please follow me."

The two were arranged in adjacent guest rooms on the second floor; the rooms were not large, but they were clean and tidy, with everything necessary provided.

Chen Yuanji closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, and took out the martial dao source stone.

The Huajin had been formed, but it was not yet stable enough. In the coming days, he needed plenty of actual combat to hone the application of Huajin.

"The Tiandao Sect will not give up." He calculated in his heart, "The next ones to come will be at least at the Faxiang Realm. With my current strength, I would only be able to flee when facing the Faxiang Realm; I must improve as quickly as possible."

He held the martial dao source stone in his hand and closed his eyes.

The ancient jade grew slightly warm, and the energy from the source stone slowly seeped into his body, tempering his muscles, bones, and membranes.

The next level after Huajin is Dan Power.

Dan Power, the fourth Realm of Internal Family Boxing, involves condensing the body's Qi and blood into the Dantian to form an "inner core."

Once the inner core is formed, the Qi and blood throughout the body can be directed like an arm moving a finger, and strength, speed, and reaction will all be greatly enhanced.

According to the Legacy within the martial gods remains, Dan Power is equivalent to somewhere between the Shentong Realm and the Faxiang Realm of this other world.

But how far one can reach specifically depends on individual Foundation and accumulation.

"Cultivating Dan Power requires a massive accumulation of Qi and blood." Chen Yuanji pondered, "Hard work alone is not enough; external assistance is needed."

He thought of the martial dao source stone. The energy within the source stone could not only temper the Physical Body but also be converted into Qi and blood.

If he could fully absorb the energy of the source stone, the cultivation of Dan Power could be shortened by at least half the time.

"First stabilize Huajin, then breakthrough to Dan Power." Chen Yuanji sank into cultivation.

Outside the window, the night in Heavenly Demon City gradually descended. The lights of ten thousand homes lit up, and the streets remained bustling. In the distance, from the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace, a few low beast roars could be faintly heard—the aura of Yao Race experts echoing in the night sky.

This largest city of the Yao Race would become Chen Yuanji's new starting point.