The corpse of Chi Jiutou resolved Xu Ke's pressing crisis just in time.
Namely, as the varieties and numbers of mutant beasts grew ever greater, the six severed heads that had originally served as culture vessels were gradually being exhausted.
Though Chi Jiutou was a single entity, its nine heads each possessed distinct temperaments.
Perhaps it was precisely due to this unique biological trait that the cultivated mutant beasts evolved in ten thousand different directions.
Had the breeding medium been replaced with other demonic beasts of equal caliber—such as that brown roc—it might not have yielded such results.
Thus, one could truly say Chi Jiutou had arrived right on time.
In Xu Ke's calculations, once the number of existing mutant beast species reached a certain threshold, they would no longer need Chi Jiutou's flesh and blood. Relying on the mutant beasts' own massive base population would be enough to sustain their natural reproduction and evolution.
Hence, Xu Ke next shifted his focus toward how to control these mutant beasts.
Because the vast majority of mutant beasts in this world had been cultivated from the flesh and blood of Chi Jiutou, and combined with his past research into the Myriad Beasts Reincarnation Wheel, Xu Ke drew inspiration from the former True Beast Taming Art over the span of several mortal generations, ultimately creating the Concentric Heart Art, which allowed humans to communicate with and subsequently control the mutant beasts.
After Xu Ke taught the Concentric Heart Art to the mortal populations of this world, mankind took control of the countless mutant beasts across heaven and earth, completing their total dominion over this pocket world and establishing a human empire.
Xu Ke was venerated by mortals as the Saint Emperor, while Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, who had remained by his side throughout, were honored as Saint Teachers.
Even though he had been hailed and crowned emperor by the people, Xu Ke naturally harbored no interest in the mundane affairs of mere mortals.
He simply decentralized power, leaving humans to govern themselves. Meanwhile, he secluded himself day after day, acting with great secrecy, such that not even Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong knew what he was up to.
Until one day, Xu Ke suddenly brought a young boy before the two of them.
Xu Ke claimed that this was his descendant.
It was an offspring produced from transforming his own essence blood, using the Sacred Blood Embryo Transformation Method he had invented through studying Di Yi's former gift.
The so-called Sacred Blood Embryo Transformation Method transformed a portion of one's essence blood into an embryo capable of inheriting the vast majority of one's memories. It required no maternal womb; with sufficient nourishment, the embryo could develop into the form of a young human child in a mere seven days.
Furthermore, both physical capabilities and intelligence would develop to an exceptionally high standard.
Looking at the young boy who seemed both familiar and strange, Qing and Hong felt a pang of astonishment, along with an ill omen rising in their hearts.
Sure enough, Xu Ke urged Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong not to intervene excessively in the affairs of the empire's humans, and to step in only if the empire faced an existential crisis. The sacred embryo bearing his bloodline needed only to serve as a puppet emperor.
Having settled these matters, Xu Ke resolutely departed.
He disclosed his destination to no one, vanishing without a trace from then on.
Until countless years later, in the present day, Xiao Hei arrived at their door.
Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong had also sensed the disappearance of Xu Ke's aura, so in the face of Xiao Hei's furious reproaches, they could only bear them in silence.
Yet after venting its fury, Xiao Hei regained its composure. It knew Xu Ke's temperament well—beneath his free-spirited nature ran an unyielding stubbornness. Once he made up his mind, there was nothing Qing and Hong could do to sway him.
After meeting Xu Ke's descendant—a sacred embryo that had already passed down its lineage for over a dozen generations—Xiao Hei was deeply disappointed.
Though Xu Ke's shadow could still be vaguely discerned, and even the aura bore faint resemblances,
and she herself had recognized Xiao Hei immediately,
still...
it was not Xu Ke after all.
Without even bidding farewell, Xiao Hei departed directly from the Empire, never to return.
In the years that followed, Xiao Hei shuttled through various pocket worlds, never giving up the search for the true cause of Xu Ke's death.
Yet in the end, it found nothing.
Wandering year-round outside its world of origin also caused Xiao Hei's lifespan to rapidly deteriorate.
When its end drew near, Xiao Hei returned to this place where it had last met Xu Ke,
quietly waiting for death to arrive amid its memories.
...
Xiao Hei's corpse turned completely to dust, scattering between heaven and earth.
Yet the silhouette of Xiao Hei upon the Feather of the Profound Bird within Li Fan's body grew increasingly vivid.
"Xiao Hei was once fused with the heaven and earth of the Beast Seed Realm. Though its lifespan ran out and its body perished, through my reconvergence of the ambient heavenly fortune, combined with this feather taken from its body..."
"Perhaps a rebirth of some sort can be achieved."
"Even if it truly succeeds, however, this Xiao Hei will no longer be the Xiao Hei of old."
Li Fan shook his head slightly.
Leaving the wooden cabin, he arrived beside the clear pool atop the mountain peak.
Extending his right hand, a brown jade bottle containing Xu Ke's essence blood flew up from beneath the water in the next instant, landing in Li Fan's palm.
Several sealing restrictions placed by Xiao Hei covered the bottle, allowing that drop of essence blood to retain its vitality even after several thousand years.
"No rush for now. I should first uncover the secret of Han Yi's statue," Li Fan mused for a moment, then stowed the jade bottle away.
Taking a step forward, he returned atop the black three-legged pagoda.
Within his perception, the busy figures of Medicine King Sect disciples could be seen in every corner of the Beast Seed Realm.
Judging by their actions, they seemed to be inscribing some sort of formation across the earth.
"Elder Liu, what are you all busy with?" After examining it closely for a while and failing to identify the formation's origin, Li Fan couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"Heh heh, this was my idea!" Before Liu San could speak, Fang Zaiji chimed in to claim the credit.
"Although this world is vast enough for the disciples to relax and move about, its spiritual energy is far too thin after all; staying here for prolonged periods hinders cultivation. In contrast, the spiritual energy in the Valley of Longevity is exceptionally dense. So our plan is to transfer a portion of the spiritual energy from the Valley of Longevity over here—without affecting the medicinal herbs in the valley, of course," Fang Zaiji added.
At this point, Liu San also chimed in, "For safety's sake, I have already ordered the disciples to conduct a thorough search to see if any other passages exist. Should we find any, Old Fang and I will join hands to seal off the spatial passages on this side."
"That way, outsiders can only enter this place from the Valley of Longevity. And if the Valley of Longevity comes under attack and we are unable to hold it, we can reopen the passage at that time and stage an orderly retreat."
"In this manner, the safety of our Medicine King Sect will be fully guaranteed!"
Liu San explained with a smug expression.
"Thank you both for your trouble," Li Fan nodded, a thoroughly satisfied expression on his face upon hearing this.
Having entrusted the affairs regarding the connection between the Valley of Longevity and the Beast Seed Realm to Liu San and Fang Zaiji, Li Fan carried the Feather of the Profound Bird, laden with the heavenly fortune of an entire pocket world,
and arrived once more near Han Yi's stone statue.
Sensing the immense suction surging toward him, Li Fan willed fortune to pour ceaselessly from the Feather of the Profound Bird, neutralizing the pull.
At the same time, accelerating to his absolute limit, he flew swiftly toward Han Yi.
Chapter 669