Poison Master, with eight eyes on his face, was uncomfortable to look at. Ren Kurogane frowned at him. "Hey, kid, can you make your eyes look normal? You know, just one pair?"
Poison Master, who was hugging his wife, immediately stiffened. His mind raced. Why is he bringing up my eyes? Does he think I have too many and want to gouge them out?
No one had ever commented on Poison Master's eyes before, so he couldn't help overthinking it when the subject suddenly came up.
"Um… this little demon's cultivation is still insufficient. I haven't fully mastered shapeshifting yet…" Poison Master said awkwardly.
Ren had no idea how nervous he was. Since Poison Master claimed he couldn't do it, Ren simply frowned and waved a hand. "Then forget it. If you haven't cultivated enough, don't go around scaring people. Hurry up and go home with your wife."
"Yes, yes! Thank you, my lord!"
Poison Master and Poison Lady hurried away, afraid that if they lingered a moment longer, this Demon Emperor might kill them.
Watching them leave, Wangquan Fugui turned to Ren. "Lord Mountain Monarch, what you said earlier about my father sealing Poison Master…"
"Ah, that's a long story." Ren clasped his hands behind his back and adopted a profound expression.
"Enough. Just tell us," Honghong said. She was curious, too. Why had Wangquan Baye gone all the way to the Southern Kingdom to seal Poison Master?
"Well, Wangquan Baye had nothing better to do, so he went to the Southern Kingdom for a little trip. There, he saw Poison Master making humans work for him building houses. With nothing else to occupy himself, he beat the couple up and sealed Poison Master inside Poison Lady's crown. He told her that if she went thirty years without killing any living beings, he'd break the seal and reunite them."
"If you knew all that, why did you help them break the seal?"
Wangquan Baye's voice came from the sky.
A white-haired, white-bearded man stood atop a flying sword, gazing coldly at the four people below.
Ren was rather surprised to see him.
"I didn't expect the head of the Wangquan family to visit us! Forgive me for not welcoming you properly!" Ren said with a cheerful smile.
Wangquan Baye landed on the ground and repeated his question. "You know about my past, yet I've never met you before."
"Come on, don't worry about unimportant details." Ren smiled. "It's true that we've never met. As for Poison Lady and her husband, they did capture humans and force them to work, but they still gave them enough food to eat. I imagine you've learned a thing or two about the state of the world by now. Do you still think Poison Master was an evil demon when he provided his workers with food and shelter?"
Wangquan Baye slowly shook his head. "Back then, I was young and hot-headed. The way my family raised me also played a part in what happened. Later, other things occurred, and I eventually forgot about the whole incident…"
Seeing Wangquan Baye lost in thought, Ren continued, "There's nothing inherently wrong with sealing Poison Master. You were trying to save people, after all. But you made one fatal mistake!"
"Oh? And what was that?" Wangquan Baye asked.
"You knocked Poison Lady unconscious, and then you sealed the only person who was still conscious—Poison Master—so he couldn't move. That thirty-year agreement of yours? Poison Lady herself never even knew about it."
"…"
A trace of embarrassment appeared on Wangquan Baye's face.
That was right. When he'd sealed Poison Master all those years ago, Poison Lady had been lying on the ground, gravely injured and unconscious. There hadn't been anyone else around, either. His thirty-year agreement really had been a one-sided arrangement.
"Ahem. Fine, that was a small oversight on my part back then," Wangquan Baye admitted with a cough. "Anyway, I came here today to check on Fugui's injuries. From what I can see, he's almost recovered."
He looked at Wangquan Fugui for a few seconds before leaving on his flying sword.
Honghong blinked, puzzled by how abruptly Wangquan Baye had left.
Ren said, "Fugui, your father brought you the Wangquan Sword."
A long sword with a golden hilt stood where Wangquan Baye had been standing. The two characters Wangquan were clearly engraved on its hilt.
"This…" Wangquan Fugui's expression grew complicated. He hadn't expected his father to come all this way just to deliver the Wangquan Sword to him.
"When you left the Wangquan family, you should have taken the sword with you," Ren said. "It had already been entrusted to you."
Wangquan Fugui nodded. "I failed to understand my father's intentions."
He put away the Wangquan Sword, then cupped his hands toward Ren. "Lord Mountain Monarch, now that I have the Wangquan Sword, you no longer need to trouble yourself with protecting us. I can keep everyone safe on my own. You and the others can go back to your own affairs."
With the strongest sword in the world in his possession, Wangquan Fugui could now hold his own even against a Demon Emperor, at least for a while.
Ren didn't argue. He knew how strong Wangquan Fugui was. The young man wasn't boasting when he said he could protect himself.
"Come visit Tushan when you get the chance! We'll charge you double for everything!"
Only after Ren and Honghong had left did Wangquan Fugui realize something was off.
"…"
Everyone was gone. His internal injuries had nearly healed, and he now held the Wangquan Sword. At last, he could travel the vast world and see what it had to offer.
Suddenly, Ren came running back.
He smiled at Wangquan Fugui. "Fugui, wandering around inside the Circle is fine, but don't venture outside it. Your father went beyond the Circle once, and it ruined his life."
"Thank you for the warning!" Wangquan Fugui replied solemnly.
He was increasingly convinced that Ren knew an extraordinary amount. If he got the chance, he would visit Tushan and ask Ren for advice.
Of course, he'd go with Dongfang Yuechu, using a visit to his aunt as an excuse. That way, they could eat and stay there for free for a few days.
Qing Tong had told him that his aunt was now quite wealthy in Tushan. Even with every expense doubled, they should still be able to enjoy themselves for a couple of days.
High in the sky, Ren watched Honghong flying ahead of him, his gaze turning rather peculiar.
He'd never thought about it before, but now that he had, perhaps he should make some shorts for the women to wear underneath their clothes.
As Ren pondered this, Honghong's eye twitched.
This guy… Is he really going to stare so openly?
Her fists clenched.
Just as Honghong was about to lose her patience, a streak of white light shot toward them.
Yaya had noticed that her sister and Ren had been away for several days. Feeling puzzled, she'd gone out to look for them. She hadn't expected to find them so quickly.
But when she caught Ren's lecherous gaze, irritation immediately surged through her.
"Stupid tiger! Where are you looking?!"
She launched the same familiar flying kick. Ren raised both hands and caught it securely.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Sister Yaya! Something really important just occurred to me, and that's why I've been staring…" He coughed. "Anyway, I, Ren Kurogane, am an absolute gentleman!"
Honghong and Yaya both looked at him with disdain. They'd known him for so long. Did he really think they didn't know what kind of person he was?
Who was the guy who always smiled whenever someone stepped on him?
"Hmph! I'll let you off this time!" Yaya turned her head away with an arrogant little huff. Then, beaming, she ran into Honghong's arms and began to pout.
"Big Sister~ Why didn't you tell me you were going out? I was so worried about you!"
"We went out to help Yuechu take care of a few things," Honghong explained. "We'll be back soon, so there was no need to tell everyone."
"What do you mean? I'm strong enough to fight at the Demon Emperor level now! Of course you should tell me about things like this!"
"All right, all right. We'll bring you along next time."
After a good deal of coaxing, Yaya was finally satisfied. The three of them returned to Tushan together.
The trip had been enormously rewarding for Ren. He'd finally learned how to use his cheat ability properly, and his strength had skyrocketed. Even the Third Young Master wouldn't be able to put on a show in front of him now.
At last, the constant worry hanging over him had lifted. He no longer had to fear being killed one day by some inexplicable force.
Back in Tushan, Ren used his magic power to carve two lines in front of his cave:
Within the Lingtai's Square-Inch Realm,
The Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave.
Then he began his seclusion.
The Super Beast version of himself had made a good point. Everything they were doing now was laying the foundation for some powerful version of themselves in the future.
What's more, the power of the mind really could allow someone to soar to unimaginable heights. Several of their cultivation methods already relied on the mind's power, so researching it further was the right path.
That afternoon, Yaya noticed the two lines carved outside Ren's cave and fell into thought.
That stupid tiger… Has he had another breakthrough in understanding?
A sense of urgency crept over her. If she didn't work harder, Ren might leave her far behind once again!
She stamped her foot, turned around, and returned to her own cave to enter seclusion.
I refuse to come out until I reach the peak of the Great Demon Emperor realm!
Ren had no idea he'd inspired Yaya to enter seclusion again.
As he continued exploring the power of the mind, he clearly sensed a spark of light inside the Tree of Bitterness.
It wasn't a soul. It was something far more advanced.
The aura radiating from this spark wasn't particularly powerful. It was only at the Great Demon Emperor level, yet its very nature surpassed that of every living being in this world by an enormous margin.
To put it simply, if an ordinary soul was a stone, this spark of light was a spirit stone.
The difference in their levels was simply staggering!
This must be the Long-Armed Ape, Ren thought.
He'd previously wondered whether the Long-Armed Ape was plotting some kind of conspiracy. Now, though, it seemed the ape was pursuing a much higher form of cultivation. This method wasn't aimed solely at the beings inside the Circle or those beyond it. In a way, it targeted both.
"To cultivate the power of the mind to this level through his own efforts… What an incredible monkey!" Ren couldn't help admiring him.
The rules of this world made it virtually impossible for demons to deliberately cultivate the power of the mind. No matter how powerful the Third Young Master became, he was still little more than an emotionless fighting machine.
His understanding of emotions was even worse than Yaya's.
It was only after comprehending the method of rebirth, through a fortunate coincidence, that the Third Young Master's strength had reached such a level.
I wonder what the Third Young Master has comprehended…
A flicker of curiosity arose in Ren's mind, then quickly disappeared.
Whatever the Third Young Master had learned, it had nothing to do with him.
Ren immersed himself completely in the life experiences of his counterparts from other worlds, especially the memories of Super Beast Ren. That version of himself had lived for nearly 150,000 years.
Those experiences were the nourishment they needed to cultivate the power of the mind.
His life hadn't been filled with dramatic ups and downs, but he'd witnessed countless people and events. He'd seen every facet of human nature play out in the lives of others, time and time again.
Time passed.
While Ren remained in seclusion, Dongfang Yuechu firmly established himself within the Dao Alliance.
At the Qinlan residence, Dongfang Yuechu sighed.
"I still don't understand why the Wangquan family has been secretly helping me. The Li family is the same. They practically grant every request I make. It feels like they want something from me."
"Don't worry," Qinlan said with a smile. "If you ever run into danger, just tell your mother. I'll have the First and Second Masters come help you!"
More than a decade had passed, yet Qinlan still looked as young and beautiful as ever. That was practically the only benefit human cultivators enjoyed in this world. As long as they deliberately maintained their appearance, they could remain youthful indefinitely.
Of course, if they didn't make the effort, they wouldn't enjoy that benefit.
Dongfang Yuechu nodded. After chatting with his parents for a while longer, he went to find Ren to ask him a few questions.
As for the fox spirit he'd once longed for so desperately, Dongfang Yuechu had finally let her go.
He hadn't shared the same deep bond with her that he'd had with Honghong in the original story. After spending several years traveling around, he'd come to understand that she didn't love him. So he'd given up.
Even so, Dongfang Yuechu still wanted to develop a cultivation method that would allow humans to live longer, solving the problem of human cultivators' short lifespans once and for all.
That was why he'd come to see Ren.
Knock, knock, knock.
Inside his room, Ren opened his eyes and frowned.
"Who's there? Don't you know I'm cultivating?"
If Yaya or Honghong had come looking for him, they would have simply pushed the door open and walked in. They wouldn't bother knocking so politely. Whoever was outside, then, clearly wasn't either of them. Ren was already in a bad mood.
He opened the door and found Dongfang Yuechu standing there.
"You? What are you doing here?"
"Hehe! Lord Mountain Monarch!" Dongfang Yuechu greeted him with a broad grin.
"Spit it out. What do you want?" Ren started walking, with Dongfang Yuechu following behind him.
"Well, I've hit a bottleneck in my research, so I came to ask for your advice!"
"Oh? Let's hear it."
Dongfang Yuechu explained, "I've conducted quite a few experiments over the years. After trying so many different approaches, I've practically exhausted every method I can think of. But I still haven't found a cultivation technique that can extend human lifespans. I've genuinely run out of ideas, so I thought I'd ask for your guidance, Lord Mountain Monarch."
"You've tried everything?" Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Pretty much everything I could think of," Dongfang Yuechu replied.
"Oh. Do you know that there's a third faction in this world besides humans and demons?" Ren asked.
"A third faction? You mean the creatures beyond the Circle?" Dongfang Yuechu mused.
During his years in the Dao Alliance, he'd learned about the creatures beyond the Circle from the head of the Li family.
"No. The creatures beyond the Circle aren't native to this world." Ren shook his head. "The third faction I'm talking about is magical artifacts."
"Magical artifacts?" Dongfang Yuechu extended his hand, and a wisp of Pure Yang Flame appeared in his palm.
"Exactly. Magical artifacts are things only humans can use. Even if demons get their hands on one, they can't unravel its mysteries. And magical artifacts can endure the passage of time without decaying."
A flash of insight struck Dongfang Yuechu. In that instant, he completely understood what Ren meant.
"You're saying that the secret to extending human lifespans lies in our magical artifacts!" he muttered excitedly. "Of course! Humans have always treated magical artifacts as mere tools, so we've overlooked the fact that they can endure the ages without perishing!"
Dongfang Yuechu bowed to Ren.
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Mountain Monarch! I know what direction my research should take now!"
He was about to fly away when Ren grabbed him and pulled him back down.
Dongfang Yuechu looked at him in confusion.
Smiling, Ren took a roll of blueprints from his robe.
"While you're researching, don't let everyone else sit around doing nothing. These are the blueprints for a steam engine. Take them back and have everyone study them carefully. Apart from those researching magical artifacts, everyone else should devote themselves to improving the steam engine. Once you hit another bottleneck, come back and I'll give you the next research direction."
"A steam engine?" Dongfang Yuechu looked puzzled, but nodded anyway. "Leave it to me! I'll get back to you as soon as possible!"
Watching Dongfang Yuechu disappear into the distance, Ren was already imagining the comfortable life awaiting him in the future.
"Hopefully, I'll get to play with a smartphone in fifty years!"