As Lin Yinuo stepped into Blood Peak City's Fiend Castle once more, he felt different. Baton, Carl, and Amy followed behind him, their auras noticeably stronger than before (they had refined the Darkness Divine Sparks; although they had not comprehended any Profound Mysteries, their divine power was purer and more substantial). Although he still restrained his own energy fluctuations to the Saint level, his composure and faint air of authority caused the expression of the elven woman who had received him before to shift slightly.
Lin Yinuo placed ten Venomous Poison Lizard crystal cores on the counter, including the core of the Lowgod leader.
After checking them and finding nothing amiss, a trace of surprise flashed through the elven woman's eyes. In a businesslike manner, she took out a black badge with red markings engraved with a single star, along with a standard black robe (equipped with basic defensive and cleaning functions), and handed them to Lin Yinuo.
"Congratulations, Lin Yinuo. You have successfully passed the One-Star Fiend assessment. These are your Fiend Medal and attire. You must bind the medal with a drop of blood. It allows you to accept missions of the corresponding star rank and serves as proof of your identity." Her tone was much more courteous than last time. Completing the Rotbone Swamp mission, regardless of the method used, proved that this man was far more than he appeared to be.
Lin Yinuo accepted the medal and forced a drop of blood from his fingertip into it. He immediately felt a faint connection to the medal and could use it to sense information about missions issued by the Fiend Castle.
One-Star Fiend was only the starting point. Still, with this status, many things would be much easier.
He did not linger in the castle and left with Baton and the two women. With a million Inkstones as his starting funds, he rented a residence in Blood Peak City's inner district, complete with a private courtyard and a small training ground, as Dragon Shadow's temporary base.
In a quiet chamber within the courtyard, Lin Yinuo summoned Baton, Carl, and Amy.
His gaze swept over the three, whose respectful expressions held excitement, and he began assigning tasks without preamble.
"Baton, you will be responsible for gathering intelligence on Blood Peak City and the surrounding areas, including the distribution of major factions, information on powerful figures, resource production, and significant recent events. You can use the Inkstones we have to try recruiting some low-level informants." He handed Baton a hundred thousand Inkstones.
"Yes, my lord!" Baton answered in a deep voice. His steady temperament suited intelligence work.
"Carl, you will handle external contacts and purchasing supplies. We need various cultivation resources, magical materials, and general maps and reference books on the Infernal Realm. Keep an eye out for any locations suitable for a permanent base that are available for sale or rent." He likewise handed Carl a hundred thousand Inkstones.
"Understood, my lord!" Carl was quick-witted and skilled at socializing.
"Amy, for now, you will manage the base and handle internal affairs. Also, look out for people with special talents (such as alchemy, potion-making, or magic formations) and clean backgrounds. You can try approaching them." Lin Yinuo entrusted most of the remaining Inkstones to Amy.
"Leave it to me, my lord." Amy nodded earnestly.
First, establish the framework and let each of them handle their own duties. For now, favor, authority, and future prospects would suffice to maintain their loyalty. [Soul Brand] would remain a last resort.
Having arranged Dragon Shadow's initial structure, Lin Yinuo began planning his own cultivation. He now possessed an Earth Midgod divine spark, but he had no intention of refining it. Becoming a god by refining a divine spark meant cutting off the path ahead, forever losing the ability to comprehend the Profound Mysteries of the Laws on his own. That was something he could never accept.
Perhaps this divine spark could be used to recruit a promising subordinate, or as a bargaining chip.
His focus remained on his own comprehension of laws and rules. He had gained an initial grasp of the "Annihilation" concept of the Destruction Rule, his understanding of the Fire Elemental Laws was steadily improving under Bluefire's remote guidance, and the "Pulsation" Profound Mystery of the Laws of Space was a potent tool for survival and surprise attacks. The newly acquired "Lightning Quickness" fragment of the Laws of Lightning also required time to study.
"Weekly check-ins are a way to rapidly improve my strength, and I must take them seriously. But I cannot rely entirely on check-ins. My own comprehension and accumulated efforts are the foundation." Lin Yinuo understood this very clearly.
Over the following week, he rarely went out, spending most of his time cultivating and seeking comprehension in the quiet chamber. Occasionally, he checked missions through his Fiend Medal, but he did not accept any lightly. Meanwhile, Baton, Carl, and Amy cautiously began their work according to his instructions. With ample Inkstones and the confidence afforded by Lin Yinuo's unfathomable strength, they gained an initial foothold in Blood Peak City.
During this time, Lin Yinuo completed another weekly check-in. Perhaps because he was at a relatively safe base within the city, this reward leaned toward support:
[Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations, host! You have received: [Law Comprehension Acceleration (weak), 7 days] and [Lowgod Artifact Embryo (capable of growth) ×1]!]
[Law Comprehension Acceleration] doubled the efficiency of his comprehension of any law or rule for the next seven days! This was undoubtedly timely aid. He immediately threw himself into cultivation, and his understanding of the Destruction Rule and the Fire Elemental Laws visibly deepened.
The [Lowgod Artifact Embryo], meanwhile, was a hazy mass of liquid metal that seemed condensed from starlight. Nurtured by its owner's will and energy, it could gradually take the form of the most suitable weapon, and it had the potential to grow! Lin Yinuo drew it into his body and slowly nurtured it with magical power and soul power, leaving its form undecided for now.
A week passed in a flash.
Baton brought the first important piece of intelligence he had gathered. "My lord, according to inquiries from multiple sources, the heart of the Zijing Continent is Zijing Main City, administered by emissaries under the great Overgod, the Zijing Overgod. That is where the truly powerful gather, with countless opportunities, but competition is a hundred times fiercer than in Blood Peak City. It is said that permanent residence in Zijing Main City requires at least the strength of a Five-Star Fiend, or an astronomical sum of Inkstones."
Zijing Main City... the place where an Overgod lived! That was the true center stage of the Infernal Realm. A Five-Star Fiend, then...
A sharp gleam flashed through Lin Yinuo's eyes. To him, Blood Peak City was indeed only a temporary stepping stone. His goal was a wider world.
"Well done." Lin Yinuo affirmed Baton's work. "Continue gathering information about routes to Zijing Main City and how to establish a foothold there. Dragon Shadow's ultimate goal is to secure a place in Zijing Main City."
"Yes!" Hearing this, Baton, Carl, and Amy felt no fear; instead, they grew even more excited. Only by following a master with great ambitions would their own futures hold greater promise.
Lin Yinuo walked to the window and looked toward the tallest building in the center of Blood Peak City. It was the City Lord's Mansion, home to the Asura who ruled this region.
Five-Star Fiend... it seemed I needed to improve my strength and Fiend rank faster. Before heading to Zijing Main City, I needed to accumulate enough resources and prestige in Blood Peak City. Perhaps the next weekly check-in should be somewhere more valuable.
He already had his next goal in mind-accept a difficult Two-Star or even Three-Star Fiend mission, hone himself in actual combat, and make the name "Dragonblood Asura" known.
Dragon Shadow's wings had begun to spread quietly in Blood Peak City, while its gaze had long since turned toward the far vaster heart of Zijing.
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