Celestial Fox Core

On a cold jade bed, the Jade Faced Fox sat slumped, his face as pale as paper, fine beads of cold sweat dotting his forehead. His fingers gripped the edge of the bed, his knuckles white with strain, but a disturbing madness burned in his eyes.

"Mother..." His voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of hell. "My martial arts... are ruined..." He lowered his head, staring between his legs—where his manhood once was, now only emptiness remained. "And... my..."

Desire Zenith Sovereign stood before the bed, her heart twisting as she looked at her son's state. Her nails dug deep into her palms, blood dripping through her fingers, but she didn't seem to notice. Beside her, Illusion Zenith Sovereign's wounded arm was bandaged, but dark red blood still seeped through, clearly indicating his internal injuries hadn't healed.

"Li'er, don't be afraid." Desire Zenith Sovereign's voice was as cold as ice, yet carried a near-mad resolve. "Mother has a way to restore your cultivation, even... to make you stronger than before! Strong enough to make Li Chen Zhou—wish he were dead!"

The Jade Faced Fox abruptly looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. "Mother... what way?"

"The Celestial Fox Core."

Illusion Zenith Sovereign frowned upon hearing this. "Desire, while the Celestial Fox Core can stimulate the Celestial Fox bloodline, Li'er's meridians are now completely destroyed. Forcing its refinement would likely..."

"Father! I'm not afraid!" The Jade Faced Fox suddenly roared, his eyes bloodshot. "As long as I can regain my strength, as long as I can have my revenge... even if it means my soul is scattered, I'm willing to gamble!"

Desire Zenith Sovereign gave her son a deep look, then turned and walked into the depths of the secret chamber. After a moment, she returned holding a fist-sized golden pill—its body as clear as jade, but its surface was entwined with wisps of blood-colored纹路, pulsing slightly as if alive, exuding a disturbing,妖异 aura.

"This is the Celestial Fox clan's treasure, which your father and I obtained with great difficulty back then." She said gravely, "Originally, it required collecting the essence of twenty-eight women with pure Yin bodies to nourish the core, then allowing you to slowly refine it. But now..." A ruthless glint flashed in her eyes. "Swallow it directly, and you will be reborn!"

Without hesitation, the Jade Faced Fox snatched the core, tilted his head back, and swallowed it!

"Boom—!"

In an instant, his entire body trembled violently, countless tiny blood snakes seemed to be writhing beneath his skin, his bones emitted a teeth-grinding "creak", and he curled into a ball, letting out a heart-rending roar!

A trace of heartache flashed in Desire Zenith Sovereign's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by ruthlessness. "Hold on! As long as you get through this, Li Chen Zhou... is doomed!"

Suddenly, a surge of mist roiled around the Jade Faced Fox, gradually coalescing into a huge white fox phantom. A fluffy fox tail slowly emerged from behind him, its demonic aura soaring to the sky!

Illusion Zenith Sovereign and Desire Zenith Sovereign watched this scene in shock. "He succeeded?!"

After a moment, the phantom dissipated, and the mist re-converged, merging into the Jade Faced Fox's body. His eyes gradually regained clarity, but an eerie silver glint was now visible deep within his pupils.

"Li'er, how do you feel?" Desire Zenith Sovereign asked anxiously.

The Jade Faced Fox looked down at his palms, slowly made a fist, and his knuckles cracked crisply. The corners of his mouth curled into a sinister smile. "The Celestial Fox Core's energy is too vast. I've only absorbed one-tenth of it, and already..." He suddenly looked up, the silver light in his eyes blazing. "I've stepped into the Fifth Rank!"

"Moreover..." He stood up, and the injuries on his body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. "My injuries are completely healed."

Illusion Zenith Sovereign was overjoyed. "Excellent! However, the Celestial Fox Core is of great importance. You must act discreetly for now, to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble."

The Jade Faced Fox sneered. "I understand." He slowly raised his hand, and a wisp of eerie silver flame condensed in his palm. "Li Chen Zhou... I will make sure he dies a horrible death!"

Nangong Manor, secret chamber.

Candlelight flickered, illuminating two elongated shadows on the wall. A black-clad figure wearing a bronze mask knelt on one knee and asked in a low voice, "Saintess, why did the Imperial Court suddenly release Illusion Zenith Sovereign?"

Nangong Yue leaned against a soft couch, twirling a jade thumb ring on her finger. Hearing this, she chuckled. "Simple, the Palace Lord offered benefits that moved His Majesty."

"But if you were willing, Illusion Zenith Sovereign would surely die." The masked man was puzzled. "With your status, you only need to speak to the Grand Chancellor, and even His Majesty wouldn't reject the Nangong family's wishes for the sake of the Heavenly Desire Palace."

Nangong Yue's eyes flickered slightly. "Because it doesn't serve the interests of the nation, nor my interests." She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the Capital City in the night. "The Heavenly Desire Palace, in the end, is just a knife. When that knife can bring enough benefits, why rush to break it?"

The masked man was silent for a moment, then asked, "Then... the disaster relief silver plan... should we continue it? After all, the Heavenly Desire Palace just had such an incident."

"Of course, we must continue." Nangong Yue's tone was calm, but it revealed an unquestionable coldness. "In this plan, the Heavenly Desire Palace is just a tool. As long as the plan succeeds, if the tool breaks, we'll just replace it."

She suddenly turned around and asked, "Then... what about Li Chen Zhou's matter?"

"Reporting to the Saintess, arrangements have been made." The masked man cupped his fist in reply. "Tomorrow, he will receive a 'great gift'."

Nangong Yue's lips curved slightly, and a playful glint flashed in her eyes. "Very good. Tomorrow, it will be his turn to feel frustrated."

Li Chen Zhou sat cross-legged in a quiet room, holding a golden pill in his palm—the Greater Revitalization Pill!

This was a treasure he had secretly kept back when confiscating Prince Rong's estate. One pill could increase his cultivation by ten years!

"Gulp!"

He swallowed it in one gulp. The pill entered his stomach and instantly transformed into a torrent of heat, washing over his limbs and bones like lava! His meridians felt as if they were being scorched by flames, yet they were also becoming more resilient under the nourishment of the medicinal power.

"Boom—!"

The true energy within his body surged. Li Chen Zhou abruptly opened his eyes, a burst of sharp light flashing in them!

"Ten years of cultivation... plus the previous thirty years, my cultivation is now on the verge of breaking through to the Fifth Rank!"

He slowly made a fist, and the air actually crackled!

Host: Li Chen Zhou
Martial Realm: Sixth Rank Peak (113/120)
Cultivation Methods:
Thirteen Guardian Golden Bell Shield (Great Accomplishment)
Three Abyssal Slashes (Great Accomplishment)
Thousand Faces (Great Accomplishment)
Soaring Illusionary Steps (Great Accomplishment)
Hell Soul Exchange Scripture (Great Accomplishment)
Soul Absorption Art (Great Accomplishment) Divine Attribute Unlocked: 10%.
Internal Energy Cultivation: 113 years (Ordinary people cultivate for one year according to basic cultivation methods)
Lifespan: 32 years
Weapon: Blood Demon Blade

Li Chen Zhou slowly stood up, feeling the surging power within his body, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Heavenly Desire Palace... Nangong Yue... Tomorrow, I'll see what tricks you can still play!"