The night air of Thousand Waves City was crisp and cool as Shen Yu exited the Golden Leaves Pavilion. He moved with the unhurried, graceful cadence of a nobleman, stepping smoothly into the opulent, shadow-wood carriage waiting for him by the curb.
As the carriage rolled steadily through the quiet, moonlit streets toward the Tang Estate, Shen Yu closed his eyes, leaning back against the plush velvet cushions. He finally allowed his demonic soul to revel in the sheer, intoxicating volume of power he had just absorbed. The Matriarch's Lunar Fire had been an absolute feast. His Dantian felt incredibly dense, his Qi pool swirling violently against the barriers of his realm like a caged leviathan.
But cultivation wasn't his only harvest tonight.
System, Shen Yu called out in his mind.
The familiar, abyssal-black screen with its pulsing neon-pink border instantly materialized in his field of vision.
=========================================
[ QUEST COMPLETED ]
Directive: The Matriarch's Submission
Objective: The Peng Clan's threat requires an immediate, overwhelming geopolitical counterweight. The Jin Clan Matriarch, Meng Yan, is currently highly susceptible to the Host's Yang energy and manipulative conditioning. You must completely shatter her emotional defenses, fully conquer her, and successfully inject the Primordial Genesis Seed to awaken her dormant bloodline.
Reward: 500 DP, [Random Artifact Lottery Ticket] x1 =========================================
Shen Yu's golden eyes locked onto the ticket icon. Artifacts generated by this system were fundamentally bound by ancient, heaven-defying laws. From the inherent knowledge he had absorbed from the Jade Tablet, even a low-grade item gifted by the system was usually capable of completely overturning common sense in the cultivation world.
Use the Lottery Ticket, he commanded.
The holographic screen shifted violently. A wheel of blinding, multi-colored light spun rapidly across his vision, accompanied by the heavy, mechanical hum of the system calculating infinite variables. Golden light flashed, followed by a deep, suffocating purple, before finally shattering into a brilliant, earth-shaking crimson.
=========================================
[ ARTIFACT LOTTERY COMPLETE ]
Rarity: Earth-Grade (Growth Type)
Item Acquired: [ Crimson Fang Spear ]
Description: A lethal, eight-foot polearm forged from the calcified spinal column of an Abyssal Blood-Wyrm. The spearhead is a single, unbreakable crimson fang that perpetually weeps a microscopic layer of corrosive blood-qi.
Passive Ability — [Sanguine Feast]: The spear actively drinks the blood and cultivation base of anything it pierces, transferring a fraction of the stolen Qi directly to the Host to restore stamina in battle.
Growth Condition: By devouring the heart-blood of powerful cultivators or high-tier demonic beasts, the weapon can repair its damaged ancient seals and evolve to Heaven-Grade and beyond.
=========================================
Sitting in the dim light of the carriage, Shen Yu let out a low, dark chuckle. He extended his right hand, his palm facing upward.
A pulse of spatial energy rippled through the confined space, and the Crimson Fang Spear materialized in his grasp. It was breathtakingly vicious. The shaft was pitch-black and textured like dragon scales, while the jagged, crimson blade at the tip hummed with a terrifying, bloodthirsty resonance. As Shen Yu gripped it, the weapon instantly recognized the supreme density of his pure Yang aura, letting out a faint, submissive thrum of satisfaction.
While technically classified as an Earth-Grade artifact, its 'Growth-Type' nature made it infinitely more valuable than a static weapon. In the cultivation world, aritfacts were rigidly divided by the profound laws they could bear: Human, Earth, Heaven, Immortal, Celestial, and finally, the mythical Origin grade.
A weapon that evolved by gorging itself on the life force of its enemies was the absolute perfect tool for a demonic grandmaster who had walked the Blood Path for centuries.
In his past lives, Shen Yu had primarily relied on devastating, close-quarters martial arts—shattering skulls with crushing palm strikes and piercing Golden Cores with his bare fingers. However, as his hand gripped the wyrm-bone shaft, he felt a phantom resonance echo through his very muscles.
The original Tang Wei, had trained with the spear aggressively. He had thrust and parried in the courtyard until his hands bled, desperately hoping to carve out a sliver of respect in a cruel world.
Shen Yu's smile widened into a cold, predatory smirk. The muscle memory was deeply ingrained in his current vessel's bones. He would put that tragic dedication to excellent use. In this life, he would master the spear, and he would let it drink the world dry.
With a mere thought, he dismissed the terrifying weapon back into the system's spatial inventory just as the carriage began to slow down.
"Young Master, we have arrived at the estate," the driver called out softly from the front.
Shen Yu stepped down into the familiar courtyard of the Tang Estate.
He walked toward his private quarters, but before he could even push open the heavy oak doors, a sharp, metallic hum vibrated through the crisp night air. A figure materialized from the shadows of the cherry blossom tree, moving with the terrifying, lethal grace of a drawn blade.
It was Lixue.
She was dressed in a sleek, midnight-blue martial tunic, her hand resting naturally on the hilt of her sword. Her deep blue eyes locked onto him, scanning him meticulously. The moment her innate Sword Sovereign senses verified it was him, the lethal, razor-sharp aura vanished entirely, replaced by a warm, fierce loyalty.
"You're back late, Yu'er," Lixue said softly, stepping into the moonlight. She paused, her eyes widening slightly as her heightened instincts picked up the subtle, overwhelming density hidden just beneath his veil. "Your cultivation... you feel different."
"I had a very productive healing session," Shen Yu smiled, stepping forward to gently tuck a stray strand of black hair behind her ear. "The board is completely set, Lixue. The Matriarch's disease is cured, and in exchange, the Jin Clan now belongs to us."
Lixue's breath hitched. She knew Shen Yu was capable of miracles, but to completely subjugate the Matriarch of the Jin Clan in just three days was monstrous.
"Then the Peng Clan's ultimatum..." she started, her hand tightening on her scabbard.
"Is nothing more than a child's play," Shen Yu finished, his golden eyes flashing with a cold, ruthless light. "They gave us a week to submit. Tomorrow morning, the Matriarch will publicly deliver our reply. Go rest, Lixue. In the morning, we have a very entertaining show to watch."