Berserk Demon Hu Li, Purple Finch Divine Light

"Betrayed and Abandoned: As the queen of the Mantis Demon."

You never expected to fall into such a desperate situation.

Even when you were dragged into the ' Black Nest ' by the terrifying Hu Li, you were never this weak.

But the cold, hard reality is already before us.

There are already people who are dissatisfied with you.

However, you failed to take precautions.

Holding a high position for a long time can make people dull.

Even though they lost the protection of the evil spirits months ago.

You also failed to detect the subtle signs that a storm was brewing.

You can enjoy yourself to the fullest on your own turf.

However, the offensive against Jade Ring Mountain became increasingly perfunctory.

perhaps.

This was the trigger for the betrayal.

But in any case.

You've reached a dead end.

It's time to make a decision—

Was it a hasty escape?

Or should you let these enemies before you realize your true strength?

"The Mantis Queen (Roger)"

"Boundary: Embroidery (3) (Severely Injured)"

Talent 1: Multiple Bursts

"Multiple Bursts: You can use a specific feat or normal attack more than twice in a single attack round."

Talent 2: Iron Walls

"Iron Walls: In the defensive wheel, you can display the most perfect defensive posture."

in addition.

Before destroying your arms.

The enemy cannot inflict physical damage on other parts of your body.

"Talent 3: The Mantis Demon's Law of Evolution"

"The Mantis Demon's Law of Evolution: You can advance your level by killing and consuming the corpses of Mantis Demon you've mated with."

Talent 4: Decapitation Art

"Decapitation Art: You are a master of decapitation; your arms can always deliver a fatal blow."

Talent 5: Protective Coloration

"Protective Coloration: You can effectively blend into areas dominated by yellow-green colors, such as jungles, grasslands, and deserts; especially."

In the three valleys outside the region (Gray Valley, Red Valley, Green Valley).

The talent effect is doubled.

A vast amount of memories, along with the information from the character panel, flooded Roger's mind.

Fortunately, he had experience this time.

They have a lot of experience in sorting out things.

Almost exactly a few seconds later.

Roger then figured out the whole story—

As described in the initial task description.

The Mantis Queen, as the leader of the outer realms, encountered a meticulously planned rebellion.

The instigator was a rapidly rising Mantis Princess.

Their objective was, of course, to seize the position of the Mantis Demon leader.

And in this process.

The Fiend Demon Hu Li, who had always supported the Mantis Queen, suddenly withdrew his blessing to her.

This gave the restless Mantis Princess a perfect opportunity to make her move.

All indications suggest that...

This rebellion is inextricably linked to the history of the Mantis Demon.

In an instant.

Images flashed before Roger's eyes like a slideshow.

It all started with the civil war in Peach Blossom Mountain.

Because of the conflict with the Iron-Eating Beast clan in the past.

The Mantis Demon were driven out of the realm.

But they always wanted to retake control of Peach Blossom Mountain.

In order to achieve this goal.

In the end, they completely sided with the instigator of the civil war, the great demon of Peach Blossom Mountain—

The Fiend Demon Hu Li.

Hu Li gladly accepted them.

With the help of the evil spirit.

The Mantis Demon has acquired unprecedented power.

But everything comes at a price.

In order to completely control the Mantis Demon.

Hu Li ordered them to establish a "Black Nest" on the edge of the outer domain.

There.

The demon set up a terrible ritual and barrier.

Even the Mantis Queen herself cannot see the full picture of the Black Nest.

In her memory.

Black Nest is definitely the most dangerous place in Peach Blossom Mountain.

The danger level is even far greater than that of the Jade Ring Mountain battlefield!...

After the Black Nest was established.

The Mantis Demon population is now limited to the Mantis Queen and a few Mantis Princess.

The annual spawning season.

The Mantis Queen and Mantis Princess would climb deep into the Black Nest to carry out unified, large-scale production.

The eggs of these Mantis Demon will be under the absolute control of the Sha.

The following year.

A new batch of Mantis Demon warriors will emerge from the Black Nest.

The best Mantis Demon mantises among these will be kept by the Mantis Queen.

They will be left in Gray Valley.

Become her lover or her bodyguard.

The remaining men were all incorporated into the punitive expeditionary force responsible for attacking Jade Ring Mountain.

Under the command of the Mantis Queen.

They will launch wave after wave of attacks on Jade Ring Mountain without regard for their own lives.

The seemingly impregnable Jade Ring Mountain was repeatedly breached by such high-density and high-intensity attacks.

The Iron-Eating Beast Legion also did its best to protect Jade Ring Mountain.

For hundreds of years.

Jade Ring Mountain was nearly breached many times.

Unfortunately, they were always just a little short! Before Jade Ring Mountain was truly breached.

These male Mantis Demon are just cannon fodder!

In comparison.

The female Mantis Demon are in a slightly better situation.

But only a little bit.

At the beginning of life.

They will be sent to Green Valley or Red Valley.

There.

They will receive care for a period of time.

That period of time was neither long nor short.

That's enough to make the strongest among them stand out.

And then...

It was an internal battle fought for food, no less intense than the battle Jade Ring Mountain.

After several rounds of screening.

Only the ultimate winner will have the chance to become the "Mantis Princess".

They will occupy a place in Green Valley or Red Valley.

They will also have some guards or lovers of their own.

But the number is not large.

Low quality.

In the Queen's memory.

There are approximately 10 to 15 permanent princesses in both Green Valley and Red Valley.

During the annual spawning season.

The princesses will travel to the Black Nest with the Queen.

The lucky ones among them got to eat the leftovers from the Queen's lovers.

This provides the body, which has become weak due to childbirth, with sufficient nutrients.

And those with bad luck.

They can only let the spawning season drain their energy.

They eventually became part of the Black Nest again.

Under this cyclical mechanism described above.

The already weak kinship ties among the Mantis Demon tribe have completely disappeared.

Male Mantis Demon are born to be cannon fodder, breeding machines, or food.

The competition among female Mantis Demon is equally fierce.

Although the Mantis Queen only occupies the territory of Gray Valley.

However, becoming a familiar face in the other two habitable valleys is no easy feat.

The entire Mantis Demon society has long operated in this extremely abnormal state.

The male Mantis Demon is replaced every year.

The average lifespan of Mantis Princess is only between 2 and 3 years.

Only the Empress herself is immortal.

This is partly due to her exceptional personal abilities.

on the other hand.

This stems from the favor of the Fiend Demon Hu Li.

Hu Li controlled the army attacking Jade Ring Mountain through the Mantis Queen.

In fact.

The Queen had been following his orders all along.

But just recently.

The irritable Hu Li seemed increasingly dissatisfied with the progress of the Mantis Demon Clan! He repeatedly criticized the Empress for her unsuccessful attack on Jade Ring Mountain.

The latter was filled with fear.

But not many changes were made.

Centuries of warfare have left the Mantis Queen weary and numb.

She still harbors a strong hatred for Iron-Eating Beast.

But that hatred seems distant and indifferent when it is not provoked.

Jade Ring Mountain is like a ravine that cannot be filled even with countless lives.

She had long lost confidence in winning.

Therefore, he was only in a perfunctory manner when commanding the war.

In fact.

Even the day before the incident.

She had no idea she was about to witness a rebellion! Because...

She didn't notice at all.

Recently.

The number of Mantis Princess in Green Valley and Red Valley.

Only one remains! And it's spawning season.

It's already very close.

"So, the Ether Witch Mantis Princess, ate her other members of her kind?"

"Finally, with Hu Li's tacit approval, they launched a rebellion?"

"No..."

"Her initial task was probably just to survive in Green Valley or Red Valley, right?"

"Why is it that I, playing the mother, have to start with such a difficult situation?"

Roger finally managed to sort out his thoughts.

Mantis Princess had already led her people to encircle and annihilate them step by step.

An eerie black gas shimmered around her.

That's a sign of being favored by evil spirits.

Under this factor.

This upheaval in Gray Valley was less of a rebellion.

It's more accurate to call it a more blatant coup.

It's just that the Mantis Queen is too slow to react! "Wait..."

"If I don't play this role, won't the Mantis Queen be eaten?"

Roger thought to himself.

A sudden, intense heart palpitation surged through me.

His perspective suddenly shifted upwards.

We've arrived at a screen that we're just starting to get used to!

"Notification: You have entered Combat Mode! First Strike advantage calculation in progress..."

"You (the Mantis Queen) have gained a terrain advantage (Gray Valley)!"

"You have gained the First Strike (terrain advantage bonus/higher skill level bonus)!"

"Round one begins!"

"Please select your attack method..."

"You chose to 'run away'!"

"Nonsense, the opposing team has over a hundred people, and I'm still seriously injured. What are we waiting for if we don't run?"

Roger thought to himself:

"I don't know how I got into Combat Mode."

"The Mantis Princess on the other side has already reached the first level of embroidery..."

"And the heavily injured Mantis Queen has less than 1% strength left, not to mention that we are outnumbered..."

Anyway, this character's starting mission isn't to become a "lord of the outer realms" or anything like that.

Let's preserve our strength first.

That's what Roger thought.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

The next second.

"Escape attempt failed!"

"Early Battle Round: Mantis Princess triggered 'Pursue the Victory'."

"Your health -10% (currently 9%) (Severely injured and near death)"

"Damn it!"

Why can't you escape?

"She clearly has a pair of long legs..."

Roger couldn't help but frown.

Is forcing a fight the only way out?

But the opponent has the Demonic Fiend as their trump card.

When Roger took over, the character was already in a very bad state...

"It's too late..."

He was a little disappointed.

In the Combat Mode display interface.

There are just too many people in the Mantis Princess's camp.

After the escape attempt failed.

An "early battle round" was automatically triggered.

In this stage.

One hundred or so people from the opposing camp came up and casually touched him.

He was about to die suddenly.

There wasn't even a chance to fight back!

And things unfolded exactly as Roger had predicted.

Emerald green or yellowish-brown shadows flickered across the battle screen.

Although most attacks result in a MISS.

But even a lucky hit can be enough to make things worse for the Mantis Queen!

Very soon.

His health has dropped to 3%!

Meanwhile, at least half of the opposing team still has the right to First Strike!

"Open the door and kill them..."

"This is completely unreasonable!"

Roger thought to himself helplessly.

At this moment, all the options in his field of vision were grayed out.

There was absolutely no room for maneuver.

They could only watch helplessly as the other party came up and took turns 'himself'.

Not long after.

The Mantis Queen's health points then dropped to 1%.

Roger decided to just watch the show.

Losing an identity is not a big deal.

The important thing is how much information he can gain from this role.

But the next moment.

An unexpected change occurred.

But on the arm of the Mantis Princess.

The tattoo-like black gas suddenly transformed into a bizarre human face.

On the data panel.

"You've triggered the event wheel!"

"You have encountered the Fiend Demon Hu Li!"

I see.

They saw the evil spirit appear.

Roger understood everything immediately.

So all of this was part of the plot.

Regardless of whether one chooses to flee or fight.

Just as it was about to hang upside down.

The biggest boss of Peach Blossom Mountain is bound to make an appearance! So he calmed down.

He patiently watched Hu Li's performance.

"Your choice disappoints me."

Hu Li coldly stared at the fallen Mantis Queen: "I will treat you well."

"But you are becoming more and more cowardly."

"However, even if you were assigned to the punitive expedition, you shouldn't die at the hands of your own people..."

As he spoke.

He turned to look at the Mantis Princess, whose face remained expressionless. "From now on..."

"You are the new Queen of Gray Valley."

"You will gain command of half of the punitive expeditionary force until you prove yourself further."

"And your mother..."

"Stop hunting her down. I have other plans for her!"

Having said all that.

Hu Li then transformed into a black shadow.

Then he rolled it up on the spot.

The shadowy figure ignored Mantis Princess and her companions.

It swept up the fallen Mantis Queen.

The next second.

Roger's perspective returns to the weakened, dying empress.

Everything was pitch black.

It was completely blurry.

A moment later.

Outside the territory.

A desert that stretches to the horizon.

Hu Li threw the empress onto the scorching sand dunes.

Then a small amount of malevolent energy was injected into her body!

"Hint: You have obtained Hu Li's Deathlock!"

"Deathlock: Your health is locked at 1%"

"Without the desire to kill, you are of no use to me."

Hu Li said coldly, "But I still cherish our past relationship."

So I'll give you a chance, your last chance!

"Go to Peach Blossom Mountain, find the mountain fox. I need a body. You know what I mean..."

He left those words behind.

The demon's figure vanished instantly.

On the scorching hot sand dunes baked by the blazing sun.

Only the dying Mantis Queen remained.

"Initial task successfully replaced!"

"You have received a new initial quest: Hu Li's Instructions"

"Hu Li's instructions: The Demon has given you a brand new mission."

He hopes you can find the Mountain Fox Clan that disappeared from the history of Peach Blossom Mountain.

It's obvious.

He needs a mountain fox body he can possess!

"So, the story is only just beginning?"

Feeling the scorching heat all around.

Roger struggled to maneuver the Mantis Queen to the dark burrow at the bottom of the dune.

After using the Queen's remaining aura to scare away a poisonous scorpion.

His second identity is finally entering a slow process of self-recovery.

Take advantage of this opportunity.

Roger reviewed the information he had once again.

The first thing that can be confirmed is...

The Mantis Princess, controlled by the Ether Witch, will surely launch a fierce attack on Jade Ring Mountain.

This can be seen from Hu Li's every move.

Before the Ether Witch found the Golden Carp.

She probably won't turn against the Demon.

Secondly.

Hu Li seems to have some connection with the Mantis Queen.

This 'rebellion' should be entirely under his control.

This is evident.

Sending the Empress to find the Mountain Fox Clan is very likely Hu Li's true purpose!

After all, no matter who commands the expeditionary force, they will fight to the death.

And they've endured this for hundreds of years.

It seems unreasonable that Hu Li suddenly couldn't stand the Empress's slacking off.

at last.

The Mountain Fox Clan that Hu Li mentioned.

Roger spent several hours searching through the Queen's memory bank.

The result was that there were no clues.

But the other party seemed to think they should know where to start.

This is quite intriguing.

"Could it be that I overlooked something?"

In the dark cave.

Roger was a little puzzled.

He glanced at the empress, who was slowly recovering her health.

After a moment's thought.

Roger estimated the time.

Then it started the AFK mode again.

Then the perspective shifts back to the "Juvenile Heavenly Peng"!...

"Automatic cultivation: Wind Thunder Decree cultivation complete, your realm has been raised to 3 Fiend!"

"You've acquired a new specialization: Super Giant Creature!"

"Super Giant Creature: Your size will increase with each level you advance or each period of time you pass."

Current status: Body length 4 meters / Wingspan 6 meters

"Your cultivation level has increased to 3 Fiend, and you have completed Quest 3 (Grow bigger quickly)."

"You have acquired a new specialization: Thunder Calling Art."

"Thunder Calling Art: Consumes a small amount of satiety, allowing you to summon several pillars of lightning to attack enemies through a violent hissing sound."

"You have acquired a new supernatural power: Purple Finch Divine Light"

"Purple Finch Divine Light: Your eyes can burst forth with a bright dazzling light. In Combat Mode, you can inflict a 'stun' status on enemies, which lasts for at least 2 rounds."

"Restriction: Can only be used once per battle"

"This supernatural power is not bad..."

Roger's eyes lit up.

He checked the documents while stretching his muscles.

It has to be said.

Although they are all female spirits.

But Yupeng gave him a much better feeling than the Mantis Queen.

After completing the first formal Wind Thunder Decree training.

He could clearly feel it.

Its own wings were puffed up.

There's a feeling that I'm growing stronger.

"You have completed all the initial tasks. You will now officially integrate into Peach Blossom Mountain as the ' Juvenile Heavenly Peng (Thunder Marsh Overlord)'..."

"That's it?"

"That Young Peng's task is surprisingly simple..."

"If all the starting quests are of roughly the same difficulty, does that mean there's actually a shortcut to 'finding the mountain fox'?"

Roger thought quickly.

However, at this critical juncture...

He didn't linger for long.

Instead, he actively called upon his personal mouthpiece— the Herb Gatherer.

"Have the people Jade Ring Mountain come find me!"

"Now!"

Having said all that...

Roger waited patiently on the platform.

He originally planned to deliver the Ink Jade Bamboo to the other party seven days later.

But the situation has changed now.

The Ether Witch has always been ruthless and decisive in her methods.

He was a little worried that Jade Ring Mountain wouldn't be able to hold him! Roger had to buy time for Youpeng's development.

So when those three muscular pandas came into his view.

Youpeng then slowly spoke:

"I foresaw the future amidst the wind and thunder—"

"A new queen has been born among the Mantis Demon."

"She will attack Jade Ring Mountain in the coming days..."