Endless Consumption

Mist-like steam permeated the warm bath, hanging in the air like a hazy veil.

Shark Person Princess Cen Qing leaned lazily against the edge of the pool. Though the warm water washed over her smooth shoulders, she felt no comfort; instead, she pressed her slender fingers against her throbbing temples, her brow clouded with a heavy, lingering exhaustion.

The Shark Person royalty possessed an innate, powerful talent for illusion and a mental capacity far exceeding that of mortals, which was why they rarely fell into the unconscious dreams common to men.

However, when they did dream, it was never anything ordinary.

Those dreams were often fragmented yet precise, blurred yet inevitably destined to manifest.

These visions lacked the clear hexagrams or prophetic riddles of Fangxian Dao divination, yet they were always more specific and vivid in their details, as if she had lived through them herself.

Three days ago, on the night Chen Jin descended into this world, she had fallen into just such an unsettling prophetic dream.

In the dream, the sky shattered, raining down viscous, scarlet blood.

Wherever her gaze fell, towering flames swallowed everything they touched.

High in the firmament, those majestic, omnipresent "Law Eyes" fell like struck stars, trailing black exhaust as they plummeted and disintegrated.

On Langya Terrace, the towering sacred tree collapsed with a roar, emitting a wail that tore the world asunder.

And at the center of this apocalyptic scene stood that plain-looking man named Heifu.

He was bathed in blood and covered in wounds, yet he laughed wantonly.

This image was deeply branded into her mind, stirring a sense of intense unease and premonition: this man would cause the total collapse of the plan they had painstakingly cultivated for years.

She had mentioned this terrifying dream to no one; even in the depths of her heart, she desperately tried to deny it.

"We have sacrificed so much... prepared for so many years... and even Master he..." she whispered, her voice drowned out by the sound of the water.

She tried to convince herself: The dream had no clear instructions, and my premonition might not be accurate... Perhaps... perhaps this man is not a harbinger of disaster, but the key to completing our clan's great revenge?

Yet, the brief probing during the illusion today had caused the shadow of that nightmare to resurface.

She had already extended an offer of cooperation, but he had not agreed immediately.

To not agree immediately was, in essence, a refusal.

And so...

Cen Qing took a deep breath, and the last trace of hesitation vanished from her eyes.

She stood up from the water with a splash, crystalline droplets rolling down her perfect curves.

Using a secret technique, she manifested legs to step onto the cold floor. With a slight surge of spiritual power, she evaporated the moisture and summoned a magnificent, dignified dress.

She had to see her husband at once.

She would tell him that she had found the whereabouts of the Mohist School leader's token—the crucial sword, [Mo Mei].

Chen Jin followed Wang Wu and two other comrades through the intricate alleys of Langya City and the desolate wilderness on the outskirts, searching for the lost "Ink Jade Qilin Dog." Chen Jin found the chore tedious and absurd, but for now, he had no choice but to follow his fellow guards, carefully identifying paw prints in the mud.

The dog was indeed extraordinary.

Behind a pile of debris at the end of a secluded alley, Chen Jin spotted it first.

"Over here!" Chen Jin shouted.

The dog was a size larger than an ordinary canine, its fur jet-black and glossy, shimmering with a faint, dark metallic luster in the dim light. Its pupils were not those of a common beast, but held a glimmer of intelligence.

A ripple of black light flashed imperceptibly in Chen Jin's eyes.

[Glance of the Startled Swan] activated!

[Ink Jade Qilin Dog]

[Category]: Spirit Beast

[Status]: Frightened, Hungry

[Bloodline]: Contains a trace of the ancient Ink Qilin bloodline; intelligence newly awakened, sensitive to ominous things. Proud by nature and difficult to tame, but once it acknowledges a master, it is unswervingly loyal.

Note: It is currently extremely hungry; flesh containing the power of "Flesh of Vision" holds a special attraction for it.

The dog sensed the approach of strangers, and the aura emanating from Chen Jin in particular made it feel an inexplicable threat.

It let out a low, threatening growl in its throat and suddenly lunged, attempting to bolt away from the side.

Chen Jin reacted with lightning speed, lunging forward and reaching out to grab the scruff of its neck.

Unexpectedly, the beast was incredibly slippery. It twisted its body in mid-air, opened its jaws, and with speed far exceeding that of a normal dog, bit down hard on Chen Jin's wrist!

The canine teeth were sharp, instantly piercing skin and flesh. Blood surged out as a large chunk of meat was swallowed into the dog's belly.

"Ugh!" Chen Jin frowned.

Good fellow, trying to trick me with a sneak attack.

However, at almost the same moment, the deep bite marks began to squirm and heal at a speed visible to the naked eye!

His skin became as smooth as before, as if that vicious bite had never occurred.

All of this was witnessed in its entirety by the squad leader, Wang Wu, who had just arrived.

Wang Wu's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, his pupils constricting to the size of pinpricks.

The usual cold rigidity on his face froze instantly; though it lasted only a split second, the vivid expression nearly shattered his bronze-toned skin.

Yet, he was a veteran Qin Elite Soldier after all, a man of profound hidden depths.

He immediately forced himself to look away, acting as if he had seen nothing, and turned to bark gruffly at the vicious dog: "Hey! You beast! You still dare to bite people!"

He stepped forward to help, using the rope he carried to snare the dog in a few swift motions. His movements appeared routine, but his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed the monstrous waves crashing within his heart.

He did not glance at Chen Jin's wrist a second time throughout the ordeal, merely grunting in a muffled voice: "Are you alright? This beast has sharp teeth."

Chen Jin's heart sank abruptly.

Damn it!

[Endless Consumption]: Significantly enhances the holder's self-healing ability, repairing all injuries and negative states. Recovery efficiency is linked to the degree of inheritance restoration.

This was a permanently solidified state brought about by the inheritance of the Flesh of Vision, completely beyond his control. He had never expected it to be exposed to someone who shouldn't have seen it in such an inadvertent moment.

This is going to be a huge problem...

The journey back was silent.

The atmosphere was eerily oppressive.

After returning the dog to the arrogant steward and collecting a meager reward, the day's chores were finally over.

At the end of the shift, the setting sun stretched everyone's shadows long across the ground.

Wang Wu called out to two other guards who were about to head off for a drink with their arms draped over each other's shoulders: "You two go on ahead."

The two men were confused, but they dared not defy their squad leader, so they acknowledged him and left.

Wang Wu then signaled to Chen Jin, his voice low: "Fu, come with me for a moment."

He led Chen Jin along in silence, deliberately choosing secluded alleys. They walked further and further into the outskirts until they reached the broken wall of an abandoned residence, where the surroundings fell completely silent, save for the wailing of the wind.

Alarm bells rang in Chen Jin's mind. He secretly tensed every muscle in his body, prepared for the worst.

However, what happened next was completely beyond his expectations.

Wang Wu suddenly spun around, his knees buckled, and with a heavy thud, he collapsed straight onto his knees in the dust before Chen Jin!

The man who was usually as sturdy as an iron tower no longer held a shred of his customary coldness or authority; in their place was a grief and despair that bordered on collapse.

"Fu! Brother!" He raised his head, his eye sockets bloodshot:

"I saw it... I saw everything!"

"I beg you! I, Wang Wu, have never begged anyone in my life! I beg you to show mercy and save my daughter! Only you can save her! She... she, she..."