Chapter 905: The Transformation Ends (5/2, begging for monthly tickets)

"Ox Seat?"

Black Hand, who had just arrived at the secret passage's entrance, turned his head to look back. Seeing Ox Seat still in place, his brow furrowed tightly. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and suddenly, as if he understood something, a look of extreme delight flashed across his face.

"Looks like I've caught your trail."

He raised his voice, watching Ox Seat's expression grow darker and uglier, and felt an unusually pleasant satisfaction in his heart.

But before he could speak again, he heard Ox Seat say coldly.

"You shouldn't have died here. You were supposed to die somewhere more useful."

Die?

Me?

What a ridiculous joke!

Black Hand let out a savage, cold laugh.

He could no longer hold back. Whether Ox Seat had some trick up his sleeve or not, he was going to kill this irritating bastard right here!

But just as he was about to make his move...

Squelch—

A bloodied hand, from behind, silently pierced straight through his chest.

Black Hand's expression froze.

"... No... impossible!"

From that bloodied hand that had pierced his body, he felt... the power of Origin Power!

That was a power only those of high Cloud rank, or even Rain rank, could possess!

Who killed me! Who?!

With his back to the murderer, he fell backward onto the ground with a thud.

Darkness gradually swallowed him whole.

At the very end of his consciousness, he heard a voice he could not believe.

"You were too careless, Ox Seat."

It... was her!!

"You were too careless, Ox Seat."

Ninth Huang Nu withdrew her hand, squinting as she smiled and spoke, then took out a cloth to wipe the bloodstains from her hand.

Ox Seat looked at Black Hand's corpse, his expression ugly.

He walked up from below the steps, passed Ninth Huang Nu, and headed into the secret passage.

"How's that guy doing?"

Ninth Huang Nu followed behind Ox Seat, smiling as she said: "Almost done with the conversion. But you really did go through with it, using such methods to get this kind of talent from Seventh Imperial Brother's side."

"I'm just reclaiming something he didn't want."

"That's still quite something. That guy's constitution is far more interesting than the people you've captured before."

"No matter how interesting, it still can't compare to her."

Ox Seat sighed inwardly.

The Phoenix Organization had already detected the internal rebel faction.

He had been disguised as part of the loyalist faction, controlling the frequency all along, sacrificing some of his own people in exchange for time.

But this time, Black Hand had still caught his trail, leaving him no choice but to deal with Black Hand.

Black Hand, the leader of the Three Heiyu, dying at the hands of the rebel faction—this was very troublesome.

It would affect his subsequent plans.

"I know what you're worried about, Ox Seat. Feed me more Phantom Shadow Thorns. I can take even more! Hundred Shadows is far from my limit!"

Ninth Huang Nu said excitedly.

Having just obtained power, she was like a monkey with no self-awareness at all, leaping and bouncing around, utterly annoying.

"Hundred Shadows—you can no longer control it, let alone continue increasing the number of Phantom Shadow Thorns."

"No! More! Give me more! Only this way can I..."

Hearing that Ox Seat would no longer feed her Phantom Shadow Thorns, Ninth Huang Nu grew emotionally agitated, and black blood immediately welled up in her eyes, transforming into Phantom Eyes.

She, too, was a pseudo Phantom Spirit Root.

She had undergone Ox Seat's modification.

Only the power she received was the special Phantom Shadow Thorn.

If the previous Phantom Spirit Root test subjects were considered the first phase.

Then the Phantom Shadow Thorn was the second-phase test subject.

And Ninth Huang Nu, absorbing Phantom Shadow Thorns to violently boost her strength, was the third-phase test subject.

The royal clan's unique aptitude, a constitution outrageously powerful to the point of defying the heavens, could actually receive dozens of Phantom Shadow Thorns and transform them into her own power.

Her strength could advance by leaps and bounds in an instant.

Only this kind of boost had a time limit.

It was based on the number of Phantom Shadow Thorns.

"It's all because, in order to produce more Phantom Shadow Thorns, I did a lot of things outside the organization's missions, which caught the attention of those above and triggered investigations and backlash."

Ox Seat felt a twinge of irritation in his heart.

If the First Imperial Brother's side didn't give some response soon, he would no longer be able to hold back from making a direct move.

Things had almost been pushed to the point where he was forced to act.

Only, if that's the case, the odds of winning are really too low.

Allies! I need stronger allies!

Just then, a figure suddenly flashed through Bull Seat's mind.

"Him… No! That guy absolutely won't become my asset. Even with the True Phoenix Blood in my hands, I can't guarantee he'll fight for me."

The person who flashed through Bull Seat's mind was none other than Fang Yue, who had defeated him back at Early Warmth City.

Only, joining hands with Fang Yue is no easy feat — in too many ways, he is Fang Yue's enemy.

"Bull Seat, if that guy's conversion fails, can you leave him for me to eat?"

"I'll think about it."

If that guy's conversion fails, there's no point keeping him around — letting the Ninth Princess eat him doesn't really matter.

By the time the two had spoken to this point, they had already arrived inside the secret chamber.

Before them stood an enormous nutrient tank.

Inside the nutrient tank was not Captain Wu, but… 【Sword Embryo Body】 Tian Ruichi!

But at this moment, Tian Ruichi looked rather wretched — both his hands and feet had been severed and were nowhere to be seen.

Only a torso and a head remained, sustained by the nutrient tank.

"Lord Bull Seat, the experiment is in its final stage. We'll be able to see the results very soon."

Bull Seat gave a slight nod.

He could sense that violent changes were occurring inside Tian Ruichi.

The Ninth Princess beside him licked her lips, revealing cute little canine teeth.

"Truly delicious — even at this distance, separated by this thing, I'm so drawn to it I can't help drooling."

"Restrain yourself. He's very important to my plan."

"Then, what about the one over there?"

What the Ninth Princess pointed at was another nutrient tank on the other side, inside which was Captain Wu, his back pierced all over with various tubes.

"The one over there is even more important than this one."

"So stingy, Bull Seat. Letting me have a bite wouldn't hurt."

"Quiet."

Bull Seat said, somewhat irritably.

Pulling the Ninth Princess into his own camp had truly been an act of desperation.

In fact, it was the Ninth Princess who had come to him on her own.

After realizing she absolutely could not surpass her other brothers and sisters, the Ninth Princess discovered that Bull Seat's side had a special shortcut.

And this shortcut had indeed boosted her strength.

Even though it was only a time-limited Rain-class, accompanied by a curse that constantly eroded her body, the Ninth Princess still chose the bargain without hesitation.

She needed power far too desperately!

A person with no faction, starting later than her rivals, hopeless in every respect — she could only choose to take a desperate risk.

Fortunately, joining Bull Seat's side — that move of hers hadn't been a bad one.

"How I can't wait, can't wait to see the shocked, stunned, despairing, regretful faces of my royal brothers and sisters when they're struck down by my Rain-class power."

Thinking of the Mobile Division, the Ninth Princess let out a strange, hee-hee laugh.

Just then, a researcher came over and reported: "Lord Bull Seat, the conversion is complete."

(End of chapter)