A few hours later, Boss Chen examined his entire body in sheer disbelief.
Power!
An incomparable, formidable power!
Three drops of ancestral blood had brought double the agony, but also double the reward.
The moment Boss Chen completed his transformation, he instantly attained the power of peak primary growth.
As long as he cultivated the Flesh Martial Dao for a while with a steady supply of nourishing tonics, he would soon be able to break through to secondary growth.
This was the defining trait of blood scions.
So long as Lu Changsheng's own strength kept pace, he never had to worry about a shortage of powerful blood scions.
All it took was bestowing a bit more flesh and blood.
Take Boss Chen, for instance.
Lu Changsheng had not only granted him three drops of fresh blood, but also a small clump of flesh to assist in his conversion.
Judging by the outcome, the results were remarkably good.
"Greetings, Progenitor."
Boss Chen knew how to behave. He immediately knelt respectfully before Lu Changsheng and kowtowed.
"Very good! Gao Ping, look—our Flesh Temple has gained so many brothers and sisters all at once. This is a fine thing.
"The mortal realm is a sea of bitterness, and all living beings suffer. Only through flesh may one attain eternal bliss! Any brother or sister of the Flesh Temple who walks my Great Dao of Flesh will be purged of pain and disease, enjoying supreme transcendence!"
Lu Changsheng's words moved Boss Chen to tears.
He promptly replied with profound reverence, "Thank you, all-merciful Flesh Progenitor! Were it not for your benevolence, how could we have ever escaped this sea of bitterness? Now that we have embraced the Flesh Temple, we shall follow you for all eternity!"
The newly converted blood scions all dropped to their knees as well.
"All right. Gao Ping, take them to the Flesh Temple first to register.
"Chen Ping, come with me."
Boss Chen's real name was Chen Ping.
Lu Changsheng had expended considerable effort to transform him, so he naturally had use for him.
Soon, the group returned to the Gao family manor outside the city.
It was now the headquarters of the Flesh Temple!
Chen Ping stood before Lu Changsheng.
Only the two of them remained inside the room.
"Chen Ping, hand your gambling den over to someone else to run.
"I promote you to Protector of the Flesh Temple. Devote yourself to expanding our temple, and you will not lack for rewards in the future,"
Lu Changsheng said calmly.
Chen Ping immediately fell to his knees. "Chen Ping is willing to share the Progenitor's burdens.
"May I ask how the Progenitor wishes to expand the Flesh Temple?"
If it had been Gao Ping, he never would have asked such a question.
The fact that Chen Ping asked proved he was a man with initiative.
Right now, Lu Changsheng had no fear of people with ideas—only of those with none.
"The Flesh Temple must expand with discretion, growing in secret. But even while operating in the shadows, our pace must be swift.
"Let us set a modest initial goal: seize control of Gushan City!
"Strive to convert everyone in Gushan City into blood scions as soon as possible, turning it completely into the headquarters of the Flesh Temple!"
Lu Changsheng harbored immense ambition.
Taking control of Gushan City was, in his eyes, merely the first step.
Yet even this first step sent a jolt through Chen Ping's heart.
Clearly, he had glimpsed the scale of Lu Changsheng's ambition.
"This subordinate understands.
"Rest assured, Progenitor. Within three months, I shall have the Flesh Temple take total control of all Gushan City!
"The entire city shall bathe in the radiant glory of the Flesh Temple."
Chen Ping spoke every word with solemn resolve.
"Good. The mortal realm is a sea of bitterness, and all living beings suffer. The sooner the people of Gushan City are converted into blood scions, the sooner they can escape their suffering and ascend together to eternal bliss!"
Lu Changsheng nodded, well satisfied with Chen Ping's pledge.
If Chen Ping truly brought Gushan City under control within three months, Lu Changsheng would naturally bestow even greater benefits upon him.
He might even grant him more flesh to help him reach secondary growth.
Of course, if Chen Ping failed to deliver on his promise, Lu Changsheng would punish him accordingly.
As for the methods Chen Ping used, Lu Changsheng did not care.
He cared only about the outcome.
With that settled, Lu Changsheng returned to the Gao estate.
He left the affairs of the Flesh Temple entirely to Chen Ping and Gao Ping.
Gao Ping's permanent presence at the temple essentially served as Lu Changsheng's eyes and ears, keeping an eye on Chen Ping and maintaining a balance of power.
The actual heavy lifting was done by Chen Ping.
As for Gao Wen's parents, Lu Changsheng was in no hurry to convert them.
He would wait until the time was ripe.
For now, both parents were in reasonably good health anyway.
Lu Changsheng poured all his efforts into cultivating the Flesh Martial Dao, striving to break through to quaternary growth as quickly as possible.
How far the Flesh Temple could ultimately expand depended entirely on his own strength!
From beginning to end, Lu Changsheng saw this with absolute clarity.
Day after day went by.
While Lu Changsheng enjoyed a peaceful routine, the Flesh Temple entered a period of rapid expansion.
As it turned out, Chen Ping was indeed remarkably capable.
Having experienced the benefits of being a blood scion firsthand, Chen Ping now brimmed with vigor.
The lingering injuries and chronic ailments left over from his reckless youth of fighting and brawling had vanished entirely.
It felt as though he had returned to his prime.
Consequently, Chen Ping treasured the opportunity Lu Changsheng had given him beyond measure.
He even yearned to grow stronger!
Although blood scions could increase their strength by cultivating the Flesh Martial Dao, Chen Ping had little interest in that path.
Cultivating was far too slow.
Blood scions could advance directly when their progenitor bestowed flesh upon them—and without the slightest hidden drawback.
Now that he had latched onto the Flesh Progenitor, why would he bother slaving away at bitter cultivation?
No matter how fast one cultivated, could it ever match the speed of receiving flesh from the Progenitor?
In the blink of an eye, three months flew by.
Lu Changsheng glanced at his attribute panel.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Title: Flesh Progenitor
Flesh Martial Dao: Tertiary Growth (71%)
His Flesh Martial Dao had already progressed past seventy percent in tertiary growth.
In another three months, he would reach the peak of tertiary growth.
At that point, he might be able to break through to quaternary growth.
Even so, Lu Changsheng felt the progress was sluggish.
He wanted to capture a few true demons to test whether true demon flesh could accelerate his progress in the Flesh Martial Dao.
Yet he was currently keeping a low profile, and true demons were hard to come by.
He had no choice but to bide his time and avoid reckless risks.
He would wait until he reached quaternary growth and possessed sufficient power to protect himself.
"Lord Progenitor, this subordinate has an urgent matter to report."
Chen Ping's voice came from outside the door.
"Enter."
Soon, Chen Ping appeared before Lu Changsheng.
He was exceptionally deferential in Lu Changsheng's presence.
By now, he had gradually come to understand the truth about blood scions.
Every blood scion, regardless of who had converted them, was inherently suppressed when facing Gao Wen, the Flesh Progenitor.
To what extent they were suppressed, no one truly knew.
After all, no one had yet dared to challenge the majesty of the Flesh Progenitor.
"Progenitor, the three months are up. Nearly everyone in Gushan City has been converted into a blood scion.
"Even the nearby villages and towns are almost entirely comprised of blood scions now."
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
Chen Ping had performed admirably.
Three months meant three months.
In truth, expanding the ranks of the blood scions was no easy feat.
Though becoming a blood scion eliminated disease and invigorated a person with youthful vitality, who could be sure such a state was normal?
People were inherently terrified of the unknown.
Many had undoubtedly resisted fiercely.
Yet under Chen Ping's varied and ruthless methods, fear counted for nothing.
"Only one place remains now.
"The Gushan City yamen!
"After all, the yamen is staffed by court-appointed officials who represent the majesty and face of the imperial court.
"Therefore, for the conversion ceremony of Magistrate Zhang, we may need the Progenitor to preside in person.
"Only when the local government is under our sway can the Flesh Temple truly be said to control Gushan City!"
Chen Ping laid out the situation in full detail.
"The government..."
Lu Changsheng nodded. "Very well. I shall make the trip myself."
"Progenitor, a carriage is already prepared outside."
Chen Ping had arranged everything meticulously.
Lu Changsheng rose, left the Gao estate, boarded the carriage, and headed toward the yamen.
***
Inside the Gushan County yamen.
Magistrate Zhang Qing wore a solemn expression, pacing in restless agitation.
He was no fool.
He simply preferred to avoid trouble and serve as a peaceful, undisturbed official.
Over the past few months, however, he had faintly sensed that Gushan City was anything but peaceful.
"The Flesh Temple..."
Zhang Qing muttered under his breath.
Evidently, he was already aware of the Flesh Temple's existence.
In fact, he had known about it for some time.
Yet he could not fathom what kind of power the Flesh Temple truly was.
Was it true demons?
Or something else entirely?
He genuinely did not know.
However, he had witnessed the eerie, terrifying nature of the blood scions.
He leaned toward the belief that true demons were behind the unrest.
The imperial court was currently corrupt and incompetent, showing all the classic signs of a dynasty in decline.
Zhang Qing had submitted numerous requests to his superiors, pleading for them to dispatch a half-demon to investigate the situation.
Yet no half-demon investigator had ever arrived.
This drove Zhang Qing out of his wits with anxiety.
He had keenly noticed that many people within the yamen itself had already been converted into blood scions in secret.
Before long, the Flesh Temple would likely make a move on him as well.
Clack.
Just then, a jade token landed right before Zhang Qing.
Without him realizing when, a man clad in black had appeared in front of him.
The man possessed blood-red eyes and radiated a faint, suffocating baleful aura.
One look was enough to tell he was not to be trifled with.
Upon seeing the jade token, Zhang Qing sprang to his feet in overwhelming joy and bowed respectfully. "The Magistrate of Gushan County greets the Imperial Envoy!"
A so-called "imperial envoy" was, in truth, a half-demon.
It seemed his repeated petitions had borne fruit after all.
His superiors had finally sent a half-demon envoy to investigate the conditions in Gushan City.
"Magistrate Zhang, I am a busy man.
"Make it brief. What trouble has befallen Gushan City?"
the half-demon envoy asked coldly.
His tone was blunt and utterly devoid of courtesy.
Yet Zhang Qing took no offense. He had long heard that half-demon envoys were eccentric and ignorant of social pleasantries.
That was only natural.
A half-demon envoy had to constantly use their human nature to suppress their demonic nature.
It would be a miracle if their temper were pleasant.
"Reporting to the Envoy, a 'Flesh Temple' has appeared in Gushan City over recent months.
"This Flesh Temple is exceedingly bizarre. By some sinister means, it can convert ordinary mortals into 'blood scions.'
"By now, a vast number of people throughout Gushan City have likely been converted. Even the yamen has been infiltrated; many clerks and bailiffs are already blood scions.
"This official suspects that true demons are at work, which is why I requested an envoy to investigate."
Zhang Qing recounted everything that had transpired in Gushan City from start to finish.
"A Flesh Temple capable of converting people into 'blood scions'?"
The half-demon envoy's eyes flickered slightly, clearly intrigued.
"You say there are converted 'blood scions' right here in the yamen?
"Summon one inside. I want to see for myself what manner of true demon this blood scion really is,"
the half-demon envoy commanded coldly.
"Yes, Envoy.
"This official will summon a bailiff who has been converted. One look, and you will understand.
"However, these blood scions possess immense strength and formidable martial prowess. They are difficult to subdue, so please exercise caution, Envoy."
Zhang Qing offered a word of warning.
Using his authority as magistrate, he summoned a bailiff from the yamen named Zhao Hu.
Before long, Zhao Hu arrived.
Zhao Hu was tall and broad-shouldered, with an imposing, ferocious build.
A few years earlier, he had injured his leg while dealing with criminals, leaving him with a slight limp.
Now, however, his limp was completely gone.
This was the hallmark of becoming a blood scion: long-standing chronic ailments could be cured in an instant.
Had the blood scions not been so profoundly bizarre, Zhang Qing, plagued for years by impotence, might have wanted to experience the transformation himself.
Perhaps it could have cured his condition and restored his manhood!
"Magistrate Zhang, what instructions do you have for Zhao Hu?"
Zhao Hu bowed respectfully.
Yet his expression lacked the usual subservient awe toward an official. Instead, his eyes shone with vibrant spirit and radiant energy.
"Zhao Hu, this is the Imperial Envoy. He has questions for you. You must cooperate fully."
"The Envoy?"
Zhao Hu's heart stirred, and he looked toward the "envoy" at the side.
The next instant, Zhao Hu's expression changed drastically.
The envoy blurred like a gust of wind, appearing right beside him in a flash.
Spreading five fingers, the envoy reached straight for Zhao Hu's arm.
Moreover, the envoy's hand transformed, sprouting fur and morphing into the sharp claw of a beast.
A half-demon!
The envoy before him was undoubtedly one of the imperial court's legendary half-demons.
Zhao Hu let out a furious roar.
Veins bulged across his entire frame as his body abruptly swelled by a size, overflowing with terrifying qi and blood.
He threw a punch straight back at the half-demon.
Boom!
With just that single punch, the half-demon felt an overwhelming, surging force crash through his fist.
"This strength... it rivals that of an ordinary true demon.
"Yet you lack the distinct aura of a true demon. You are no demon—what kind of thing are you?"
The half-demon's expression turned grave, as if he had stumbled upon a major discovery.
"The mortal realm is a sea of bitterness, and all living beings suffer! In the Great Dao of Flesh lies eternal bliss!
"Hahaha!"
Zhao Hu laughed wildly, looking half-crazed.
His aura surged with immense, terrifying momentum.
Yet a half-demon was a half-demon.
Once a half-demon fully underwent demonization, they became a terrifying true demon—virtually unkillable.
In just a few exchanges, the half-demon twisted and snapped Zhao Hu's arm.
He then tore Zhao Hu's heart right out of his chest.
Though Zhao Hu possessed tremendous vitality after becoming a blood scion, blood scions were not demons.
Blood scions could still die.
Suffering such a fatal wound, Zhao Hu ultimately perished.
Yet his death brought the half-demon no satisfaction.
Instead, a sliver of dread crept into the half-demon's heart.
"His strength was dreadful, rivaling an ordinary true demon.
"His recovery and vitality were astounding, and his combat power was exceptionally fierce.
"His only weakness: blood scions can die!
"Yet a blood scion could actually injure my body? Injure a true demon body?
"What sort of monsters are these?"
The half-demon felt fear.
Monsters!
To him, Zhao Hu was a monster through and through.
Not a demon, yet capable of harming demons.
The half-demon even possessed an instinctual dread: had Zhao Hu killed him, he truly would have died!
"Magistrate Zhang, how many blood scions like Zhao Hu are there?"
the half-demon could not resist asking.
Zhang Qing was trembling from head to toe.
With Zhao Hu's corpse lying right before him, sheer terror gripped him.
Yet he had no choice but to answer the envoy's question.
"Envoy, if you speak of blood scions like Zhao Hu...
"Most of Gushan City is like this..."
The half-demon's eyes widened in shock.
"The entire city consists of blood scions?"
He could hardly believe it.
How many people was that? Tens of thousands? A hundred thousand?
Rivaling a hundred thousand true demons?
That was... unimaginable.
A hundred thousand blood scions!
Forget Gushan City—even the surrounding counties and the prefecture capital itself could be swept flat...
In truth, both Zhang Qing and the half-demon had misunderstood.
Zhao Hu was no ordinary blood scion.
He was one of the few blood scions in all of Gushan City who had attained secondary growth, truly rivaling an ordinary true demon.
In the entire Flesh Temple, there were currently no more than ten secondary growth blood scions like Zhao Hu.
All of them were individuals with extraordinary physical constitutions who, upon being converted into blood scions, had ascended to secondary growth in a single bound.
"Who controls the Flesh Temple? Who is the creator of these blood scions? Do you know?"
the half-demon asked again.
"I do not know the exact identity, but these blood scions refer to that person as the 'Flesh Progenitor,'"
Zhang Qing said in a low voice.
"The Flesh Progenitor?"
"This matter is unprecedented and dangerously severe.
"I must return immediately to request experts to wipe out the Flesh Temple!"
The half-demon envoy drew a deep breath, preparing to retreat.
Given the state of Gushan City, how could he possibly stand against the entire Flesh Temple on his own?
It was utterly impossible!
Even if the Flesh Temple were to be eradicated, that was a matter for his superiors and had little to do with him.
"Oh? The scent of a true demon!"
"To think there would be a true demon hiding inside the yamen.
"However, having killed a blood scion of my Flesh Temple, I fear it is too late to leave!"
An unfamiliar voice drifted into their ears.
Zhang Qing and the half-demon blanched instantly.
"Who is there?"
The half-demon snapped his gaze toward the door.
Zhang Qing looked out as well, seeing a massive crowd swarming into the courtyard.
Without exception, every one of them was a blood scion.
"Guards! Men, quickly!"
"Who are you people? How dare you trespass into the yamen?"
Zhang Qing shouted harshly.
"No need to shout. There is no one left in your yamen.
"Take a good look at who these people are,"
Chen Ping said with a chuckle.
Several figures dressed in yamen attire stepped forward.
"You... you are all from the yamen!"
Zhang Qing trembled from head to toe.
These people were indeed yamen personnel—clerks, scribes, and runners who managed virtually every aspect of the Gushan County administration.
By contrast, he, the magistrate, was little more than a living stamp.
These people alone were more than enough to completely undermine and bypass his authority.
Zhang Qing had known that some within the yamen had been converted into blood scions, but he had never imagined the numbers would be so staggering.
A single glance suggested that aside from himself and the county secretary, everyone else was already a blood scion.
"Are you the mastermind behind the Flesh Temple?"
Zhang Qing glared fixedly at Chen Ping.
"No, Magistrate Zhang, you misunderstand. I am Chen Ping, Protector of the Flesh Temple.
"This is our Flesh Temple's true master—the Flesh Progenitor!"
Chen Ping stepped aside, making way for Lu Changsheng to stroll out from behind him.
Upon catching sight of Lu Changsheng, Zhang Qing froze in shock.
"You... Gao Wen?"
"You are the progenitor of the Flesh Temple?"
"You engineered this entire Flesh Temple with your own hands?"
Zhang Qing's expression warped in utter astonishment.
He naturally recognized Gao Wen.
After all, the Gao clan was a prominent merchant family that regularly sent silver gifts to him, the magistrate.
He had seen Gao Wen before and knew him as the sole heir of the Gao household.
Yet never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that this youth—who had once encountered a demon and nearly been scared to death—had engineered the Flesh Temple single-handedly!
Could it be that Gao Wen had been a true demon all along?
Had everything in the past merely been an act?
The more Zhang Qing thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
"Flee!"
The half-demon wasted no time on speculation.
His sole thought was flight!
Against so many blood scions, how many could he possibly fight off?
Whoosh!
The half-demon turned into a streak of shadow, bolting toward the exit.
With power verging on that of a greater demon, he believed he could escape so long as he dedicated himself entirely to running.
Yet that was merely his own wishful thinking.
As he blurred forward like a phantom, he looked up only to find a figure already standing in his path.
It was none other than Lu Changsheng!
"It wasn't easy finding a true demon. And you think you can leave?"
Lu Changsheng smiled faintly.
"Die!"
Knowing he was in dire peril, the half-demon envoy instantly manifested his demonic form.
He was a true demon resembling a fox, colossal in size, exuding a ferocious, baleful aura.
Boom!
The two collided head-on.
Lu Changsheng's hand clamped firmly onto the half-demon's razor-sharp claws.
With a light twist—
Crack!
The half-demon's arm snapped instantly.
Then, with a savage pull, Lu Changsheng tore the limb clean off.
"Aaargh!"
The half-demon shrieked in agony.
Having his arm ripped away hurt immensely!
Of course, it would not kill him.
A new arm rapidly regenerated in its place.
Yet Lu Changsheng drew a deep breath, and his own frame expanded.
Channeling the terrifying might of tertiary growth, he seized the half-demon and systematically snapped both of its arms and legs, curling the creature into a massive, mangled ball.
"Mm.
"This will do nicely. Your limbs haven't been torn off, merely broken, so they will need to continually mend and regrow. As you regenerate, I will simply break your limbs again."
In this manner, Lu Changsheng had effectively trapped the half-demon.
To the half-demon, the process was nothing short of a living nightmare.
Yet in his current state, he could not even take his own life.
He could only wail continuously in torment.
Lu Changsheng had no intention of killing this demon.
Having finally encountered one, he intended to study it thoroughly.
He had accidentally killed the previous half-demon, so he had to be extra cautious this time not to do the same.
After all, as the Flesh Progenitor, Lu Changsheng possessed the power to permanently slay true demons.
Once a true demon was killed by his hand, it was truly dead, with no hope of resurrection.
Holding the half-demon, Lu Changsheng walked right up to Zhang Qing.
Zhang Qing trembled violently.
Yet Lu Changsheng had no personal interest in converting him.
"Chen Ping, I leave Zhang Qing's conversion to you."
"Yes, Progenitor."
Chen Ping turned around, a faint smile spreading across his face.
"Magistrate Zhang, it might hurt a little, but it will be over soon..."
"You... don't come any closer..."
Zhang Qing was merely a scholar-official.
Terror consumed his heart, yet he was utterly helpless.
In the entire yamen, he was the only one left who had not been converted.
What could he possibly do?
Even the half-demon envoy had been beaten into a ball by the Flesh Progenitor. What hope did he have?
Ignoring Chen Ping, Lu Changsheng carried the half-demon directly back to the Flesh Temple outside the city.
Thud!
Lu Changsheng tossed the half-demon to the ground.
With a flurry of popping and cracking sounds, the half-demon's body pieced itself back together.
Yet he did not dare make a sudden move. Instead, he stared fixedly at Lu Changsheng, his voice trembling as he asked, "You are no demon, yet you are certainly no human either. What kind of monster are you?"
The half-demon had never met anyone like Lu Changsheng.
The man made him feel the cold threat of absolute death.
"What is your name?"
Lu Changsheng asked.
The half-demon hesitated briefly before answering, "Ji Quan of the Jing Dynasty's Demon God Ministry!"
Lu Changsheng nodded.
In the Jing Dynasty, the department overseeing half-demons and true demons was called the Demon God Ministry.
Yet it was merely a title.
Whether called demon gods or true demons, they were all demons at their core!
The only distinction was that in the Demon God Ministry, human nature held sway, whereas true demons were ruled by demonic nature.
"Ji Quan, you will cooperate with my research for a while."
With that, Lu Changsheng could not be bothered to care whether Ji Quan agreed.
Ji Quan called him a monster, but in the eyes of ordinary mortals, were demons like Ji Quan any less monstrous?
Lu Changsheng began his experiments.
First, he tested whether true demon flesh could positively influence his Flesh Martial Dao.
He devoured a portion of true demon flesh directly.
Soon, he discovered that the true demon flesh clashed violently with his own.
In the end, one side was destined to thoroughly assimilate the other.
Yet even when Lu Changsheng triumphed and absorbed the demon flesh, it yielded no significant benefit.
His own flesh incurred severe attrition during the struggle.
The meager demon flesh he absorbed was not even enough to compensate for the flesh he had lost in the process.
Thus, consuming true demon flesh to advance his Flesh Martial Dao was simply not worthwhile.
Lu Changsheng had originally entertained the thought of keeping several true demons in captivity, harvesting their flesh periodically for cultivation.
If that had worked, rearing several hundred or thousand true demons would have provided an endless supply of demon flesh, freeing him from the need to search for tonics.
Now, however, that plan had fallen flat.
He could not rely on devouring true demon flesh to bolster his Flesh Martial Dao.
Lu Changsheng spent several days conducting research.
In the end, only one final experiment remained.
He wanted to see whether his own flesh could convert a true demon into a blood scion.
If he could convert a true demon, what would the converted demon become?
Lu Changsheng looked forward to finding out.
This time, he went all out.
"Come, Ji Quan. I shall convert you into my blood scion, allowing you to embrace the Great Dao of Flesh, escape the sea of bitterness, and enjoy eternal bliss!"
With a flick of his hand, Lu Changsheng detached a massive clump of flesh from his body, hurtling it straight toward Ji Quan.
It rapidly enveloped Ji Quan, boring into his body through his eyes, mouth, ears, and even his pores.
"Aaargh!"
"Madman! You absolute lunatic!"
Ji Quan unleashed an agonizing shriek, instantly collapsing to the floor, writhing and convulsing violently.
"Not enough flesh?"
"Then have some more! Keep adding!"
Lu Changsheng flung out another large clump of viscous flesh, covering Ji Quan once again.
No matter what it took, he was determined to forcibly convert Ji Quan into a blood scion today!
Chapter 271