The Serpent's Blood Conspiracy

Deep within the Lin Hai County yamen, the Criminal Affairs Office blazed with lamplight, the atmosphere heavy.

After the massive corpse of the Unicorn Evil Squid was butchered and processed, the most valuable materials had been properly sealed, awaiting further handling or tribute.

Yet the seasoned coroners and several Monster Hunters hired by the county yamen, while inspecting the relatively "ordinary" remains and tissues sent over, detected a hint of anomaly.

"Your Honor, please look here."

A white-haired old Monster Hunter pointed at a shriveled, dark-purple tentacle fragment on a tray.

Beyond the frozen marks on its cross-section, faint dark-gold veins twisted within the muscle fibers like living things!

"This is no natural formation, nor could it be formed by the Evil Squid's own demonic power. It looks like... like traces of forced erosion by a higher-order demonic energy."

Another coroner submitted a report: "Reporting to the County Lieutenant, upon examining the demon blood, I found that aside from its own attributes, it also contained an extremely faint yet abnormally violent and indescribable aura—utterly incompatible with the Evil Squid's nature, yet eerily fused together, seeming real yet false..."

County Lieutenant Gao Mingyuan and Hall Master Zhao Canghai, who had arrived upon hearing the news, listened with calm faces, but their eyes grew sharper by the moment.

"Higher-order demonic energy erosion and modification... an abnormal violent aura..." Gao Mingyuan tapped the table lightly, his voice icy.

"So it was no accident. This Evil Squid was man-made—'spawned' and 'enhanced' into a monster."

Zhao Canghai nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the dark-gold veins: "To perform demonic energy modification of this level, its strength is no ordinary matter."

"It could be a Great Demon of the Blood Changing Realm, or even... a terrifying existence with a True Spirit Bloodline. But it seems to be in a special state, unwilling to act personally, instead using this beast to stir chaos."

This conclusion made everyone present draw a sharp breath. A Great Demon of the Blood Changing Realm? Possibly tied to a True Spirit?

The implications behind this were far too horrifying. What was a True Spirit? The most powerful "Yao Saints" or even "Great Sages" among the Demon Race. True Spirit descendants, relying on their bloodline, could feast on clouds and breathe qi, born transcendent.

"If not for Hall Master Zhao's peerless blade art, decisively killing it in one strike..." Gao Mingyuan looked at Zhao Canghai, his tone laced with lingering fear and relief.

"If it had escaped, or even continued to grow, the consequences would be unthinkable. And we would never have discovered these traces of demonic modification!"

It was precisely because this modified Evil Squid was slain intact and its corpse brought back that these subtle yet critical pieces of evidence could be laid before them.

Zhao Canghai's gaze was deep; he didn't respond. In his mind, the giant demon's final, illogical chaos flashed again... Was that truly a flaw born from its injury?

"Investigate!" Gao Mingyuan slammed the table, rising abruptly, murderous intent blazing in his eyes.

"I want a thorough investigation—the past six months, no, the past year—of every suspicious person entering or leaving Lin Hai County, especially those with contact with the East Sea. Every record of sea anomalies, every clue possibly linked to this kind of demonic energy. Even the faintest connection, do not let it slip!"

Under Gao Mingyuan's fury, the county yamen's vast machinery began to churn with unprecedented efficiency.

Orders were issued, countless overt agents and covert spies were mobilized, piles of archives were reopened... A net targeting the potential mastermind began to tighten rapidly.

And all of this stemmed from the fact that the giant demon, which should have fled, had been stopped.

Meanwhile, a hundred li from the coastline, deep within the mist-shrouded Chishui River Estuary, a hidden underwater cave lay concealed.

The cave entrance was cleverly masked by natural reefs and dense aquatic plants, but inside, it was a world of its own.

The cave walls were smooth, as if polished by some force, embedded with faintly glowing moss that provided dim light.

The air was damp and stifling, thick with the stench of fish and rust. Deeper inside, several waterborne fortresses clung to massive reefs.

This was the true lair of the Chishui Bandits, and the greatest secret of their leader, "Chishui Flood Dragon" Zhang Kui Tao.

Inside the largest fortress hall, the atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

An exquisite jade wine cup was hurled to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Zhang Kui Tao, seated on a tiger-skin throne, was ashen-faced, his chest heaving violently, his eyes brimming with rage, heartache, and a trace of disbelief and fear.

Unlike the ferocious bandit chieftain of legend, the Zhang Kui Tao before them had a lean, sharp face and sinister eyes.

But his body exuded an aura deeply attuned to the surrounding moisture, carrying a faint pressure. His cultivation had reached the peak of the Tendon Changing Realm, a mere step away from the Bone Forging Realm!

Yet now, this chieftain, who made passing merchants tremble, seemed uncharacteristically unhinged.

"Useless! A bunch of useless fools! Can't even buy time, and you waste a precious 'Cloud Flood Dragon Blood Pearl'!" he growled, his voice like a wounded beast.

The bandit leaders below dared not even breathe, trembling in silence.

They knew well the origin of the "Unicorn Evil Squid."

Months ago, their leader had somehow obtained a drop of mysterious "treasure blood" containing terrifying power. Using a secret method, mixed with copious Blood Food, he forcibly injected it into a captured century-old Evil Squid.

The squid's strength skyrocketed. Though its intelligence barely grew, it became ferocious beyond measure and could follow the leader's commands to a degree.

The original plan was to use this modified Evil Squid, combined with their familiar waters and fog, to repeatedly attack the yamen and passing ships, sowing panic.

This would keep the authorities' attention fixed on the "fierce Sea Beast," masking their true dealings.

By their estimates, even if the yamen sent experts to hunt it, given the squid's strength and cunning, even if outmatched, it could escape using fog and ink.

Who knew... who knew that Zhao Canghai of the Blackwater Martial Arts School would cut it down with a single slash?

Without even a chance to struggle.

Was Zhao Canghai's strength truly that terrifying?!

What galled Zhang Kui Tao even more was that to spawn and control that squid, he had used a precious "Cloud Flood Dragon Blood Pearl."

That was his greatest asset and secret!

"Big brother, what now?" a headman with fish-scale tattoos asked cautiously. "The yamen is surely suspicious, launching a massive investigation... Will they trace it back to us?"

Zhang Kui Tao took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his surging blood and fury. His eyes turned cold and venomous again: "Investigate? Let them! This Chishui River Estuary is a maze, shrouded in perpetual fog. Without someone who knows the waterways, they can't even find the door. And even if they do? I've built this place for years—do you think I've been eating plain rice?"

Though his words were tough, a strong sense of unease rose in his heart.

The plan had gone awry to such an extent—he had never anticipated it.

That vile squid had died too quickly and too thoroughly, which might instead leave behind clues that shouldn't exist...

"Pass down the order!" he said coldly. "All peripheral outposts are to go into hiding for now. Cease all activity. Strengthen defenses in the stronghold. Without my command, no one is to act rashly! Above all, keep those 'Blood Food' under tight watch—not a single word must leak out!"

"Yes!" The underlings hurriedly acknowledged and withdrew.

The empty hall was left with only Zhang Kui Tao. He walked to the window, gazing at the thick, impenetrable fog outside, his expression shifting unpredictably.

He subconsciously touched a hidden brand on his chest, where a faint, searing heat pulsed faintly.

Years ago, during a shipwreck, he had nearly been devoured by fish but accidentally fell into an underwater cavern, witnessing a sight he would never forget—a young flood dragon, no more than a few zhang in length, its scales still tender and immature.

That flood dragon did not kill him. Instead, for some unknown reason, it bestowed upon him a precious drop of its essence blood and taught him some crude methods to wield it.

It was by relying on this drop of flood dragon essence blood that he underwent a Moulting and Bone Changing, his strength skyrocketing, and he established a foothold at the Chishui River Estuary, founding the fearsome Chishui Bandits.

That drop of essence blood was the source of his power and his greatest secret.

He regarded that flood dragon as his master and had secretly gathered "Blood Food" for it over the years, aiding its growth.

The "Dragon Blood Pearl" used to modify that vile squid was condensed from a small amount of blood granted by his master. His original intention was to add another asset for his master while diverting the growing attention from Lin Hai County.

But he never expected to throw a chicken and lose the rice.

"Zhao Canghai... Blackwater Martial Arts School..." Zhang Kui Tao gritted his teeth as he uttered the name, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "And you... Gao Mingyuan."

"No matter who it is—stand in my master's way, ruin my plans—they all must die!" He clenched his fist abruptly, joints cracking with a sharp pop.

"Hmph, but no matter how high your martial arts are, how could you ever imagine that what you're facing is no ordinary bandit scourge..." he muttered to himself, a vicious grin curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Once my master's cultivation is complete and he breaks out of seclusion, this Lin Hai County—nay, the entire South Sea—will be nothing but our hunting grounds!"