641 Qin Huai the Thief
The dog-headed advisor, holding his feather fan, confidently said, “I estimate that by the end of the year in the secret realm, we will have gathered six thousand blood beasts!”

To them, the secret realm was the ideal place to breed blood beasts. The power of the six clans and three sects couldn’t match theirs, so they could only watch helplessly as the blood beasts grew in strength. Their only option was to mine spirit stones faster to end the secret realm’s influence.

The Beast King, however, wasn’t completely at ease. “Things are going too smoothly,” he commented. “Ever since I joined our group, I’ve never seen things go this well.”

“Your time has come,” the dog-headed advisor reassured him.

When asked about the activities of the mysterious white-robed king, the advisor reported that there hadn’t been any movement detected. The Beast King, however, was suspicious.

“His inactivity doesn’t sit right with me,” he said, “The clans and sects won’t just accept what’s happening. And that white-robed king is surely planning something.”

The advisor added, “Do you think he might cooperate with the clans and sects?”

The Beast King thought for a moment. “Not necessarily an alliance, but if he reveals our secrets, like those of the blood beasts, then we might be in trouble.”

The advisor, sensing the Beast King’s thoughts, asked, “So, should we make the first move?”

The Beast King nodded. “But we must be careful not to leave evidence. We wouldn’t want to upset the Supreme One.”

Commenting on their ongoing tussle with the six royal clans, the Beast King noted their increased caution, especially after their interactions with the white-robed king. The clans were more secretive now, trying to research the blood beasts on their own. Yet, they hadn’t found anything.

The Beast King concluded, “With our secret card, the power of atavism, we have the advantage. Once we reveal it, the royal clans will act aggressively, like wolves sensing blood.”

The dog-headed advisor paused. “Is it feasible to first drive them out and then target the white-robed king?”
“Why not ally with them instead and target the three sects?” The Beast King looked at his advisor questioningly, puzzled by his occasional lack of insight. “The two families already have differences, and since they have a significant presence in the royal clans, allying with us against the three sects is logical. This alliance will ensure that the clans and the white-robed king won’t team up against us. Besides, this chaos will accelerate the hatching of the blood beasts.”

Impressed, the advisor praised, “You’re brilliant, King!”

The Beast King’s grin widened. He had no intention of sharing the secret of the blood beasts with the royal clans. They would clash eventually, but the secret realm of Pingwang county had brought a brief respite to the tensions.

The Beast King, feeling confident, gazed at his massive army of blood beasts. “White-robed king, you stand no chance against me.”

…

Time turned. Another three months passed.

Seasons in the secret realm barely changed, making the passage of time almost imperceptible. As a cool breeze ruffled Qin Huai’s hair, he opened his eyes to a notification.

“Ding! [Current spiritual palace fusion rate: 50%]”

The rate of his progress had diminished significantly. Peering through the sea of blood, Qin Huai observed the secret realm’s current state.

The three sects and six clans, once dominant, were now reduced. They controlled only about 30% of the realm. Smaller clans, meanwhile, stealthily harvested spirit stones to enhance their cultivation. Surprisingly, the main factions, the three sects and six clans, were embroiled in battles throughout the realm.

Despite the absence of the phoenix clan, they retained a numeric advantage over the three sects. This realm, where everyone had an equal chance at life, only exaggerated this advantage.

The Sacred Heart Sect had also shifted allegiances, collaborating with the royal clans to suppress the three sects. The sects, in their defiance, battled fiercely and mined spirit stones on the go.

Observing the drastic transformation, Qin Huai realized he couldn’t remain passive. If he allowed the royal clans and Sacred Heart Sect to persist, his final breakthrough could be delayed by decades.

Having relished the fruits of tranquility, he wouldn’t let the Sacred Heart Sect and the royal clans trample over him now.

Qin Huai scanned the entire secret realm, his focus settling on Blood Beast Mountain. This mountain, teeming with numerous blood beasts, was deemed a forbidden zone in the realm. The sheer number of blood beasts, which could overwhelm any intruder, made the mountain a formidable place. However, for someone like Qin Huai, this mountain held a different allure.

Thinking to himself, “If the defenses are down, why should I wait?”

He felt the extent of his current strength, the blood refinement realm. Effortlessly, he used the blood vanishing technique and soared over the realm, his dominance in the skies unchallenged after defeating many phoenixes.

Soon, he hovered above Blood Beast Mountain. From this vantage point, the mass of blood beasts below resembled a writhing, blood-red landscape, their collective noise echoing like a mighty storm. He patiently waited in the sky, letting time pass while also releasing a potent qi and blood orb from his palm.

After four hours, the realm’s ambiance shifted, signaling a change in Qin Huai’s power. Now in the visceral prefecture realm, a satisfied smile touched his lips.

He tossed the blood orb into the air. As if infused by a drop of golden essence, the orb quickly turned a brilliant gold. With a mere flick of his finger, he summoned Vajra Rain, Spirit Spring. Golden rain poured from the skies, saturating Blood Beast Mountain.

This golden deluge merged with both the blood beasts and the Sacred Heart Sect warriors guarding the mountain. Elated, many of the warriors exclaimed.

“What a surging life force!”

“Top-grade blood food!”

“Is this a blessing from the heavens?!”

However, they remained oblivious to the subtle transformation taking place in the blood beasts around them.