24: Chapter 24 Shock! The Difficult Birth of an Eighth-Rank Demonic Beast!

First, this [Zerg Space] thing is simply a divine skill; the fight just now relied entirely on it, so it must be upgraded immediately!

[Ding! Consumed 5 Evolution Points, 'Zerg Space lv2' upgraded to 'Zerg Space lv3'!]

[Zerg Space lv3: The host can store any insects of the same rank into the 'Zerg Space', currently capable of holding 1,000 insects! The host's mental burden is further reduced, allowing for more precise control over the insect swarm!]

"Not bad, not bad, the capacity has directly doubled! From now on, it's an army of thousands... no, wait, it's an army of thousands of insects!"

Chu Sheng nodded in satisfaction, then he looked at [Blood Food Tracking].

In these wild mountains and forests, this skill is like a treasure-hunting radar; it's simply a divine artifact for finding high-level blood bags. It must be upgraded!

[Ding! Consumed 3 Evolution Points, 'Blood Food Tracking lv1' upgraded to 'Blood Food Tracking lv2'!]

[Blood Food Tracking lv2: Within a radius of 300 meters, the host can perceive any creature containing blood!]

There are 14.8 Evolution Points left. The next evolution requires 10, leaving a surplus of 4.8... Keeping these points is a waste, so I might as well strengthen my combat power further!

Chu Sheng's gaze fell on the new skill [Wing Blade Slash].

Using this move for long-range sneak attacks and harassment is perfectly suited to my taste, so upgrade it too!

[Ding! Consumed 3 Evolution Points, 'Wing Blade Slash lv1' upgraded to 'Wing Blade Slash lv2'!]

[Wing Blade Slash lv2: The host can launch more powerful wind blade slashes, causing deeper cutting damage to the target! Qi and blood consumption is slightly reduced!]

A series of upgrades cost 11 Evolution Points, leaving 11.8... After the wolf blood in my stomach is fully digested, it can increase by another 2.8, making a total of 14.6!

That's enough for the next evolution!

"As for skills... now the lowest ones are all lv2, requiring at least 5 Evolution Points to upgrade... I'll just save them for now!"

Chu Sheng put away the panel with satisfaction. Feeling his capabilities strengthened once again, he felt his future was bright!

After finishing all this, Chu Sheng used his thick and sturdy proboscis to poke Gu Yuexi's shoulder: "Buzz buzz buzz! (Empress, stop resting, hurry up and go find that high-bloodline demonic beast!)"

Gu Yuexi, who was resting against a tree: "..."

I just killed so many people in one go, and you won't even let me rest for a while?!

Stop rushing me!

The corners of Gu Yuexi's eyes twitched. Although she was complaining in her heart, she knew the urgency of the situation.

Feeling that her physical strength had mostly recovered, she quickly handled the scene, dragging the corpses of those few people to a place far away from the pig carcasses, and simply covered them with weeds. After finishing all this, she cast her gaze toward the depths of the forest.

She closed her eyes and carefully sensed it.

That faint, yet high-level bloodline aura that made the 《Ten Thousand Beast Melting Furnace Art》 in her body vaguely restless, was like a lighthouse in the dark night, guiding her direction.

"That hunting team... the blood on them was dripping all the way here."

"Following the bloodstains, I will definitely be able to find the source!"

A hint of fervor flashed in Gu Yuexi's eyes.

A pile of iron-skinned pig carcasses could only solve her urgent needs at most.

But the essence blood of a high-bloodline demonic beast could potentially allow her to truly be reborn before the joint entrance exam!

This was the opportunity she truly wanted!

Although... the depths of the Black Forest were full of dangers, with demonic beasts above the fifth rank everywhere. A first-rank mid-stage martial artist venturing deep into it carried huge risks.

However, Gu Yuexi didn't care. As a former Empress, the phrase "fortune favors the brave" was already carved into her bones.

The start of this life was already so hellish; if she didn't take risks, how could she re-enter the Imperial Realm?

Gu Yuexi almost didn't hesitate: "Let's go! Let's go take a look!"

"Buzz! (Let's go, let's go, let's go!)"

Chu Sheng's thought was quite simple—as a reincarnated Empress, since she dared to go deep into the Black Forest, she must have some life-saving means, right?

Since she dared to go! She must have her reasons!

Just like that, one person and one mosquito, following the barely visible bloodstains, sneaked toward the deeper parts of the Black Forest.

Jiangcheng, one of the three major hunting guilds, the headquarters of the "Jingzhe Guild".

Hu Feng brought the remaining team members, not even having time to clean the bloodstains on his body, and rushed into the guild building in a panic.

He was so anxious!

This matter was too big; being one second late might let this massive opportunity slip through his fingers!

Hu Feng's hunting team was only a bottom-tier team in the Jingzhe Guild.

With his rank, naturally, he couldn't see the guild leader who sat in Jiangcheng with a strength as high as the eighth rank.

He could only rush in a panic to the door of the Field Operations Department Manager's office.

"Manager Liu! Something big has happened!"

Hu Feng kicked the door open and roared at the middle-aged man in the office who was drinking tea.

Manager Liu was startled by him, spilling his tea, and his brows immediately furrowed: "Hu Feng? What are you roaring about? Has the sky fallen?!"

Hu Feng panted heavily, his face still showing irrepressible excitement and lingering fear: "Manager Liu! In the depths of the Black Forest, we discovered a... an eighth-rank Azure Flame Flying Lion! High bloodline!"

"So what? What about it?"

Manager Liu looked puzzled; wasn't it normal for there to be eighth-rank demonic beasts in the depths of the Black Forest?

"But!"

Hu Feng swallowed, his voice trembling as he continued: "But! It... it seems to have had a difficult birth! Now it is severely injured, and its strength has dropped significantly. I estimate it has at most the combat power of around the third rank!"

"And... we saw with our own eyes that it gave birth to three cubs! Three living, high-bloodline cubs!"

"Boom!"

This news, like a heavy bomb, exploded directly in Manager Liu's mind.

He froze on the spot, his mind blank.

A difficult birth? Strength dropped to the third rank? Three high-bloodline cubs?!

After all, he was a high-level member of the guild. After a brief moment of loss, he immediately realized what this meant!

Those were three high-bloodline demonic beast cubs!

Manager Liu knew very well that the Spirit Green Snake occasionally seen on the market, although also claimed to be high-bloodline, was a trap!

It needed to molt several times during the growth process, and the mortality rate for each time was as high as over ninety percent!

Out of ten thousand Spirit Green Snakes, if one could successfully reach adulthood and break through to the seventh rank, it would be considered a blessing from the ancestors!

That's why that thing circulated on the market; it was just a lottery ticket!

But the Azure Flame Flying Lion was different!

With this bloodline, as long as enough resources were provided, it could grow up steadily! Adulthood meant the seventh rank! With a bit of luck, it could even recreate the glory of its mother at the eighth rank, or even impact the ninth rank, which was not impossible!

Three of them!

This meant that as long as they got their hands on these three cubs, their Jingzhe Guild would possess three top-tier combatants of the seventh rank or above in a few years!

This was enough to change the power structure of the entire Jiangcheng!

Thinking of this, Manager Liu's breathing became rapid, and he stared fixedly at Hu Feng: "You... engaged with it?"

"We... we engaged."

A bitter and fearful expression appeared on Hu Feng's face: "We originally wanted to take advantage of its weakness to snatch the cubs, but... Old Li and A-Qiang were slapped into meat paste by it on the spot..."

"Although that guy's strength had dropped, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; we were no match at all and could only retreat to ask for reinforcements!"

"You idiot! A piece of trash at the peak of the second rank dared to touch an eighth-rank demonic beast? Do you not want to live?!"

Manager Liu cursed angrily, but now was not the time to assign blame.

He immediately picked up the encrypted communicator on the table, connected to higher-level leaders, and reported the matter in the most concise language.

On the other end of the communicator, there was silence for a full ten seconds.

Obviously, this news also shocked the top bosses of the guild immensely.

Soon, an unquestionable, cold voice came from the communicator.

"This matter is classified as top secret!"

"Immediately dispatch the 'Shadow Tooth Team' to the scene! Led by the seventh-rank beast tamer 'Leng Yan'!"

"They have only one mission!"

"Kill that mother lion! Bring back the three cubs! It must be kept absolutely confidential; if you encounter anyone during the mission..."

"Kill without mercy!"