Zhao Ji’s expression immediately sharpened. He rose and said, “Speak quickly!”
Mr. Qin: “Jumang blooms once every thousand years and bears fruit once every thousand years. In the last millennium, it produced a single Immortal Fruit. This is a true priceless treasure. If obtained, this minister can ensure the Official Family becomes the foremost figure for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations.”
Zhao Ji visibly trembled with excitement. Dragging his white robes, he stepped down from the throne and asked quaveringly, “Where is the Divine Fruit? Was it hard to find?”
Mr. Qin: “This Divine Fruit has already cultivated a human form. It stands right before the Official Family.”
Chaosheng angrily said, “Mr. Qin! Have you gone mad!”
Zhao Ji finally understood. He turned abruptly to Chaosheng, mouth agape, unable to speak for a long moment.
“How to… how to…” Zhao Ji eyed Chaosheng as if pondering how to “consume” him.
But Chaosheng’s eyes filled with scorn toward Zhao Ji.
“Put away your presumptuous thoughts,” Chaosheng said coldly.
Mr. Qin said seriously, “This minister needs only a pill furnace.”
“Official Family,” a voice announced from outside, “Crown Prince requests an audience.”
At such a critical moment, how could Zhao Ji allow his son to interrupt? He immediately shouted harshly, “No one is permitted to enter!”
Chaosheng stepped back half a pace. Mr. Qin immediately pressed a hand on his shoulder, black qi surging and suppressing him. Chaosheng sensed something wrong and began to struggle, but Mr. Qin continued, “…Place this young brother in the furnace and refine him for forty-nine days. Thus, an Eternal Golden Core will surely be obtained, granting the Official Family life eternal with heaven and earth, fortune shared with Shenzhou.”
“Let me go!” Chaosheng cried out in pain.
In the space of the Qingyu Golden Chalice, though Mr. Qin and Chaosheng were in the outside world, his voice boomed like a heavenly bell from above, endlessly resounding.
Wu Yingzong struggled ceaselessly, dragging the iron chains bound to the stone pillar. He yanked fiercely, white light bursting from the Inner Elixir in his chest, accompanied by low, beast-like roars of fury. Anxiously clutching the Pruning Scissors Chaosheng had passed him, he sawed back and forth with the blades, desperate to sever the chains.
Though nameless, the scissors were no ordinary item—they were the magic treasure held by the Queen Mother of the West for pruning Jumang’s branches and leaves. The scissors faintly glowed, notches appearing in the chains, which slowly but surely snapped in two.
By the time Mr. Qin mentioned refining Chaosheng into a pill, Wu Yingzong suddenly stilled, then let out a roar. His body swelled violently, the Talismanic Runes on the stone pillar shattered, cracks appearing.
Zhao Ji stared into Chaosheng’s eyes, greed surfacing as he laughed. Chaosheng suddenly realized—the “Seed” Mr. Qin had mentioned! Zhao Ji nodded repeatedly, saying, “Good, excellent! I grant you full authority over this matter! Guo Jing! I… This is too good, hahaha, hahahaha—!”
Zhao Ji’s mind seemed stimulated into madness, black qi faintly appearing in his eyes. Mr. Qin gripped the back of Chaosheng’s neck with one hand. Chaosheng tried to push him away, his Cultivation Base erupting in green light to resist the invading Demonic Qi, but Mr. Qin seemed to have strength to spare. With his other hand, he gestured toward Zhao Ji in the air.
In an instant, Zhao Ji’s mad laughter cut off. An incredulous look appeared in his eyes as he looked down at his chest. In Mr. Qin’s hand, Demonic Qi bloomed, and a pitch-black tree sprouted from his heart!
Chaosheng was shocked, but the next moment, the demonic tree retracted explosively, merging into Zhao Ji’s body!
A storm of Demonic Qi erupted from Zhao Ji, sweeping through the hall. At the storm’s center, he unleashed mad laughter.
“Immortality—immortality—”
Chaosheng could no longer afford to call for help. He turned immediately, releasing Azure Wood Power from both hands to suppress Zhao Ji’s body as it transformed under the Demonic Qi. At the same time, cries of alarm rose from outside the hall.
Another blaze roared in, shattering all the obstructing screens. Xiang Xian had arrived.
“He… your emperor!” Chaosheng shouted. “He seems to have… fallen to demonization too!”
“Get out of here!” Xiang Xian commanded. “To the outside! Chaosheng!”
“No! No! Wu Yingzong is with him…”
Mr. Qin turned, elegantly pressing Chaosheng’s shoulder. Xiang Xian gripped the Wisdom Sword.
“Wisdom Sword Successor of this generation,” Mr. Qin said. “I hear you still cannot fully control this Shanhai divine weapon?”
Xiang Xian breathed heavily. Zhao Ji transformed in the black storm, Mr. Qin firmly controlled Chaosheng. If he drew his sword recklessly, victory over the demon before him was uncertain—and if he slew the demonized Zhao Ji with one strike, the emperor would perish!
The moment Zhao Huan arrived, he cried out in horror: “What is this—! Assassins! Guards! Assassins!”
The next moment, a roar shook Chongwen Court, the shockwave sweeping out and toppling screens. Mr. Qin’s expression changed—he had never expected a sneak attack. The magic treasure at his waist burst with strong light, followed by an explosion of radiance. Black qi filled the air as a massive white ape over three meters tall charged out!
The White Ape slammed into Mr. Qin, grabbed his ankle with one hand, and dragged him up before slamming him viciously to the ground.
“Stay your hand!” Chaosheng and Xiang Xian roared simultaneously.
The White Ape paused, then swung horizontally, hurling the Mr. Qin-possessed Guo Jing toward the slanted window. The demon flew like a broken kite; if not for Xiang Xian’s timely block, that blow would have smashed Guo Jing’s body to pulp.
The White Ape turned, inhaled deeply toward the demonized Zhao Ji, and roared.
