C21 Change

"Bastard!" Yeh Nianhuo steadied himself, his face darkening as he watched Yeh Yulin's retreating figure.

"He ran away?"

His companions were equally shocked. Moments before, Yeh Yulin had the look of a killer, and now he had fled?

The stark contrast rooted them to the spot.

"Hmph, it's better that he runs. He's nothing but trash!" Yeh Nianhuo spat out the words through clenched teeth. Yet, upon seeing Yeh Haishan and the woman bisected, his body shook involuntarily, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"What happened to him? How did he suddenly gain such immense power?"

...

"Hmph, next time, I'll kill you all!" Yeh Yulin dashed through the No-falling Forest, a savage grin on his lips.

He had to run; he hadn't lost his sanity yet.

He was acutely aware of his condition, nearly depleted of Spiritual Force, and in the No-falling Forest, no less. What if he ran into a Devil Beast?

But no matter, if not this time, there would be a next time.

Next time, he vowed to let none of Yeh Nianhuo's group escape. His thirst for vengeance ran deep.

...

"What do we do now?"

The silence was broken by the other woman in the group, her face a mask of confusion, her voice faltering as she turned to Yeh Nianhuo, "What's our next move?"

"We report to the Law Enforcement Team back at the clan!" the young man exclaimed. "Yeh Yulin attacked his own kin and killed two of our people. He deserves to die a hundred times over!"

"No need," Yeh Nianhuo interjected coldly. "I'll kill him with my own hands!"

"And how will you explain the deaths of Yeh Haishan and the others to the clan?" The young man's eyes glinted with a hint of mockery, though his voice was laced with a sigh. "Are we to tell them it was Yeh Yulin's doing? Brother Nianhuo, this won't look good for you. Perhaps it's best if it's handled quietly."

Yeh Nianhuo fell silent.

Who were they? They were the elite of the Yeh Family, and he, Yeh Nianhuo, was on the cusp of joining the ranks of the Ten Great Heroes.

What about Yeh Yulin?

A waste of space.

Now that friction has arisen between the two sides, with two of our own killed, even if Yeh Yulin faces punishment according to clan rules, how will others perceive us?

Just as the young man suggested, our faction's elders must intervene covertly and paint Yeh Yulin as despicable to obscure the reality of the situation.

...

Yeh Yulin, with a small bundle on his back, hastened along.

He dared not carry the Devil Beast Egg in his hand; otherwise, he surely wouldn't make it back alive.

So he packed all the medicinal herbs, valuable parts from the Devil Beasts, and the Devil Beast Egg into the bundle and cautiously made his way back to his residence.

With the command of the influential figure, even if Yeh Nianhuo and the others lost their minds, they wouldn't dare invade Yeh Yulin's dwelling.

And even if they did, there was no cause for alarm, for Twilight was there.

Though the exact extent of Twilight's power was unknown, the Devil Clan's lifespan far exceeded that of the Beast Clan, nearly rivaling that of the Devil Beasts. Thus, despite appearing to be in his twenties, Twilight was likely centuries old.

Surviving within the Yeh Family for so long as a member of the Devil Clan, even with the backing of that powerful individual, his strength must be formidable.

"Young Master, it looks like you've had a substantial haul this time!"

Yeh Yulin had just come into view of the small courtyard when he saw Twilight waiting for him at the doorway.

From a distance, the sight of her purple attire warmed Yeh Yulin's heart.

Twilight, unable to leave the courtyard, could only watch over him with her gaze, but that was enough.

At least he had a home, someone who cared for him, someone waiting for his return.

"Yes, Sister Twilight, let's go inside and talk!" Yeh Yulin, taking Twilight's delicate hand, led her into the room.

Twilight glanced at her hand in Yeh Yulin's grasp, a flicker of something unusual in her eyes.

Once inside, Twilight swiftly erected a Spiritual Force Barrier to prevent eavesdropping.

"Congratulations, Young Master, on becoming a Level Three Human Battle Soldier and a Level One Devil Soldier!" Twilight said with a beaming smile to Yeh Yulin. "I should inform you that while humans are known as Battle Soldiers, within the Devil Clan, they are referred to as Devil Soldiers!"

"Devil Soldier? A First Grade Devil Soldier?" Yeh Yulin chuckled.

"No, no, no!" Twilight shook her head again. "It's not accurate to call it a First Grade Devil Soldier. Young Master, are you familiar with the current power divisions among the three great forces?"

Yeh Yulin scratched his head, puzzled. "What does this have to do with the three great forces? How is my personal level related to the Devil Clan Empire, the Beast Clan Empire, and the Human Clan Empire?"

"It's somewhat complex to explain. I'd rather transfer my knowledge directly to you, Young Master," Twilight considered for a moment, then added, "I'll also share other insights I have about cultivation."

Soul Transfer, the ability to condense one's thoughts into blood and pass them to another, was an advanced skill. Since Yeh Yulin was unable to cultivate, he frequently visited the Yeh Family's library. Even though it was just a standard library, the millennia of collections amassed by the Yeh Family were impressive enough to expand his worldview. He knew that Soul Transfer was a technique only a highly skilled master could perform.

Twilight was certainly extraordinary!

But...

A flicker of hesitation crossed Yeh Yulin's eyes.

Soul Transfer seemed to inflict significant harm on the user.

Twilight, however, didn't dwell on these concerns. She was acutely aware that verbal explanations were too time-consuming, especially for Yeh Yulin, who was in dire need of time.

In that moment, she extended a finger as smooth and pale as jade, and a subtle power began to emanate from her body.

Her eyes turned a deep shade of purple.

Gradually, a drop of purple blood emerged on her flawless finger, growing larger as her complexion grew paler and her breath more erratic.

"Sister Twilight..." Yeh Yulin couldn't help but call out.

"Young Master, catch this!" Twilight called out sharply, cutting off Yeh Yulin's words as she continued to form the blood bead.

Finally, when the blood solidified into a purple gem, Twilight pressed it into the center of Yeh Yulin's forehead.

"Ugh!" Yeh Yulin grunted, his head feeling as if it were about to burst. An onslaught of memories rushed into his mind, forcing him to grit his teeth.

After more than ten seconds, Yeh Yulin finally adjusted to the pain, gasping for breath as he gazed into the twilight. The agony he felt from merely receiving it was intense, but what about Mu? She had replicated her own memories, then extracted them—a pain that was immeasurably greater than his.

"Young Master is truly kind-hearted!" Mu said with a gentle smile. "However, such kindness can be your downfall as you strive to become powerful."

"I'm simply expressing my gratitude to Sister Mu for all she's done for me!" Yeh Yulin replied firmly. "Gratitude is essential. Without it, what separates us from beasts?"

Mu shook her head, her voice soft. "In the future, you're destined to face many things you'll have to let go of, as well as tough decisions..."

"With my own two fists, I'll tear all those challenges apart!" Yeh Yulin declared, his voice icy and laced with a murderous intent.

In that moment, his thoughts turned to his mother once more. His proud mother had also faced such powerlessness and made compromises, and yet, in the end...

"Scum, I will tear you to pieces one day."

Mu looked at Yeh Yulin with a surprised and curious gaze. His words were filled with an assertiveness and pride that had not been present before. The awakening of the Holy Body and Devil Body had brought about such a transformation. Or perhaps, this was the true Yeh Yulin all along, merely hidden beneath the surface until now.

​