Chapter 38: The Phantom Shadow Clone

Bai Suzhen slowly stirred to consciousness, her eyes immediately meeting the sharp, angular profile of Han Yang’s face.

The glow of the setting sun bathed him in golden light, making him appear like a deity descended from the heavens. She struggled to sit up, but the movement tugged at her wounds, forcing a soft moan from her lips.

"Awake? Your demonic constitution is quite resilient. Fortunately for you, you encountered a benevolent demon like me." Han Yang spoke without turning his head, his tone laced with playful mockery.

A blush crept across Bai Suzhen’s lovely face. Recalling the scene before she lost consciousness, a surge of warmth flooded her heart. Had Han Yang not rescued her in time, she would surely have perished in the jaws of the Qiongqi.

"Thank you, Young Master Han, for saving my life," she said gratefully, her voice soft yet sincere.

"Save the thanks. Stick with me, and you won't be short of rewards." Han Yang stood up and brushed the dust from his clothes, his gaze suddenly caught by a radiance emanating from the Qiongqi’s abdomen.

The Chaotic Golden Peng bloodline within him began to stir, as if answering a silent call. He stepped closer to investigate and discovered a golden inner core hidden inside the beast, pulsing with an ancient aura. The core contained immense energy that resonated deeply with his own bloodline.

"A rare find!" A glint flashed in Han Yang’s eyes, and without hesitation, he absorbed the core.

As his Chaotic Golden Peng bloodline ascended to a new level, a surging power coursed through him, his strength skyrocketing. He clenched his fist, feeling the torrent of energy within, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

...

Meanwhile, the Flood Dragon was scrambling in a panic through a secret chamber. Sharp blades pursued him like vipers, leaving him exhausted and desperate.

"Damn it! What kind of hellish place is this?" The dragon cursed, accidentally slamming into a wall in his haste.

*Rumble!*

The wall shifted, revealing a hidden stone door. The dragon paused, then beamed with delight. "Heaven has not closed all paths for me!"

He scrambled through the doorway, and the blades behind him vanished instantly. Behind the door lay an entirely different world—an ancient alchemy room. It was filled with precious herbs and alchemical formulas, the air thick with the rich scent of medicine.

The dragon was ecstatic, his eyes gleaming. "I’m rich! I’ve hit the jackpot!" He hurriedly began flipping through the scrolls, determined to study the craft so he could refine pills to honor his boss, Han Yang.

...

Elsewhere, Zhu Ganglie was lounging comfortably in a hot spring, humming an obscure little tune. "So relaxing! Following the boss is the best!"

He squinted, savoring the warmth of the water. Suddenly, a graceful figure emerged from the depths of the spring. He thought it was a hallucination, but when he rubbed his eyes, the image only grew clearer.

A beautiful woman rose slowly from the water. Her beauty was peerless, her aura ethereal, her skin white as snow, and her hair cascaded down like a waterfall of silk. She appeared like a celestial fairy, leaving Zhu Ganglie dumbfounded.

The woman parted her red lips, her voice like celestial music: "Who are you, and why have you trespassed into my domain?"

Zhu Ganglie was so captivated by her beauty and grace that he forgot how to breathe, staring at her blankly.

*Gulp...*

He swallowed hard and stammered, "I... I am Zhu Ganglie. I... I just came to soak in the hot spring. I... I mean no harm."

The woman did not blame him. Instead, she said softly, "I am the guardian spirit of this spring. Since you mean no harm, you may recuperate here. However, you must take nothing from this place."

Zhu Ganglie nodded like a woodpecker, his mind filled only with her otherworldly beauty; he hardly registered her instructions. "Yes, yes, yes! I won't take anything! I won't!"

The woman offered a faint smile, beautiful as a blooming flower. With a wave of her hand, ripples spread through the water, and lotus blossoms appeared out of thin air, circling Zhu Ganglie and releasing a refreshing, soothing fragrance.

"Rest well," she said, her form gradually fading until she vanished entirely.

Zhu Ganglie remained lost in the wake of her gentleness until the scent of the lotus flowers finally snapped him back to reality. He realized the spring water had become crystal clear and his body felt infused with newfound strength.

"That... that was a fairy, wasn't it?" he muttered to himself, his heart pounding with excitement.

...

After absorbing the Qiongqi’s core, Han Yang’s strength had increased dramatically. With a flick of his will, a pair of massive golden wings unfurled from his back, blotting out the sky.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Beast Power has increased to 2.7 million!]

[Cultivation has increased to 9,800 years! Gained Qiongqi’s innate skill: Qiong Shadow Clone!]

The system’s voice chimed right on cue. Han Yang opened his interface:

[Level: 8]

[Beast Power: 2.7 million / 40 million]

[Current Cultivation: 9,800 years]

[Cultivation Growth Rate: 0.009 years/s]

[Talents: Eye of Truth, Wings of the Demon Lord, Body of the Demon Lord, Soul of the Taotie, Qiong Shadow Clone]

[Qiong Shadow Clone: During combat, can manifest thousands of clones. Each clone can utilize the host's skills, travel up to a thousand miles away, and appear identical to the original.]

Han Yang was instantly thrilled. "Holy cow! This is great! This is perfect! I can send my clones to cultivate with those women, and I can just lie back and collect the cultivation gains!"

Suddenly, a powerful aura surged from the distance, making his heart skip a beat.

"What is that?"

He followed the source of the pressure and saw a massive black shadow racing toward him across the sky. The shadow blotted out the sun, emitting a suffocating coercion that felt like the end of the world.

Han Yang narrowed his eyes, a grim premonition dawning on him. "This aura... could it be..."

The shadow grew closer, revealing its true form. It was a gargantuan black Roc, its body several times larger than Han Yang’s own Chaotic Golden Peng. Its entire body radiated terrifying demonic energy, and its eyes burned with fierce flames, as if it intended to incinerate everything in its path.

"Demon Roc!" Han Yang exclaimed.

The Demon Roc let out a deafening screech that shook the heavens. It extended its massive, razor-sharp talons and lunged at Han Yang, as if to shred him into pieces.

Han Yang’s expression shifted, and he scrambled to dodge. The Demon Roc’s speed was blinding; he failed to avoid the strike completely, and the talons grazed his shoulder, drawing a spray of blood.

"Damn it!" Han Yang roared, his Chaotic Golden Peng bloodline erupting in full force.

Golden light soared into the sky, colliding violently with the Demon Roc’s demonic aura in a thunderous explosion. A titanic battle had begun.

The Demon Roc’s claws tore through space with terrifying force. Han Yang barely evaded the attack, but the demonic aura grazed his shoulder, burning like fire. The black energy acted like a parasite, spreading rapidly and corroding his flesh.

"Hissss... this thing is much harder to deal with than those coquettish women!" Han Yang gasped. While his Demon Lord body could resist most demonic corrosion, the sheer power of this Demon Roc far exceeded his expectations.

*Direct confrontation won't work—I need a strategy!*

Han Yang’s eyes rolled, and a plan formed. "Qiong Shadow Clone!"

In an instant, golden light exploded, and tens of thousands of Han Yangs appeared out of thin air, densely packing the sky. Each clone possessed all his skills—the Wings of the Demon Lord, the Eye of Truth, and even that same infuriating, cocky smirk.

"Hey there, old bird, seeing double yet?" Han Yang’s real body hid among the clones, mocking the beast defiantly.