Supreme Emperor of Mist

"We should get rid of the clothing smeared with blood from the demon beast. At sunrise, a newer batch of demon beast will be active, and we'll end up as their target if we're still drenched with the blood." Qin Huang said.

"Fourth sister, fifth sister, we'll be on guard. Please go ahead and change first," he added before making his way away from the girl's tent.

After they're done with replacing their current clothing with a brand new set without bloodstain, the group of four started to collect their spoil of war from last night. There are at least twenty demon beasts killed by them during the night. And amongst them is a Four-Armed Rodent Demon Soldier.

"Let's recover our stamina before the Diurnal Beasts started to get active." Qin Qin and Qin Qi selected a clean spot to sat down and started to meditate. Both of them took a Flesh Foundation Pill and Flesh Mending Pill to hasten their recovery process.

"Brother, I'm done here. Let's grab some rest." Qin Hu said.

"En. Let's recover our strength." Qin Huang deliberately selected a spot with the best view over Qin Qin and started to meditates as he steals a few glances at her occasionally.

...

"Young lady got so much stronger than before. It looks like we have to train more to catch up with our young lady." one of Hu Jia's female servants said because she's impressed with Hu Jia's third-level Flesh Refining strength.

They were also counted as the luckiest team so far to only encounter the Red Marten Demon Beast pack on their first night. Their hunt went on even successfully with Hu Jia's new third-level strength.

But the advancement comes with a price to pay.

The image of an individual kept appearing inside her mind as she fell into a daze. Even she had no slightest idea about why she feels this way.

"Milady, please take this pill and recover your strength." one of her servants passed a Flesh Mending Pill to Hu Jia, along with a Flesh Foundation Pill.

"Do you think we can see Qin Lan's team later on?" Hu Jia asked. A part of her motivation started to change and disrupt her decision-making as she no longer put the Annual Hunting Festival as significant as it was before.

"I'm sure we will. But milady, please recover your strength first, before we decide to do anything else." the servant smiled.

(Milady is changing. I'll have to keep the team on alert as we might start to make a rash decision soon...)

The servant sat down and swallowed a Flesh Foundation Pill to kickstart his meditation.

...

"Let's go. Our target is the lode of Foul Essence Queen Ant." Jiao Heng from the Jiao Household said. Beside him kneeled a group of rogue cultivators with the game they hunted, numbered around 60 to 70. After paying them with a piece of a written certificate, they left happily.

"Young master, with this, we now have 80 demon beasts inside our Qiankun Bag. 60 first-level, 15 second-level, and 5 third-level." a servant reported what is inside their bag to his young master.

"En. Let's go and get more. I want us to be at least ten times above what the others might have." Jiao Heng smirked. As the candidate with the most potential to be selected by the Cloud Plucking Sect, obtaining first place in this Annual Hunting Festival would provide him with a significant impression on the sect elders.

And to achieve this, the Jiao Household has been paying quite a large sum of gold coin pieces to bribe the examiners in charge of the life inspection.

...

**Whine! - Whine!**

"Aww, the little foxes are too cute!" Lu Qing Yun hugged the kits between her bosom while waiting for Qin Lan to prepare some treasured medicine to feed the kits.

"Young master. Is there anything special about the young yellowtail foxes? Why are we making an effort like this just for the young foxes?" Huo Zunjie couldn't understand the reason behind Qin Lan's effort. But instead of keeping his curiosity aside, he decided to ask.

"That's because nobody knows what these little Yellowtail Foxes can do when they have grown up." Qin Lan poured a drop of Changshen Dew from the medicinal container in his hand into each kit carefully as he massaged their buttocks.

This way, he could stimulate their bowel movement to make sure the kits wouldn't suffer from indigestion from the sudden change in their diet. Since the Changshen Dew is a product created by Qin Lan through the Department of Earth's Blessing, it is widely acceptable to all beings born into this world.

Of course, only Qin Lan could spoil the kits from young with a treasured medicine of this quality. Even the patriarch from the Chu's only has a few drops of the Changshen Dew after spending years of effort nurturing the Earth's Blessing inside his private residence.

"All of you. Open your mouth." Qin Lan ordered. The moment they obeyed his order, Qin Lan flicked his finger thrice to sent a drop of Changshen Dew down their throat.

Powerful vitality forces followed. The tiredness on their eyes and shoulder vanished the instant the drop of dew went through their esophagus. Their wound also began to heal at a rate quicker than before, to the point new, pinkish skin is starting to form.

"Wow! This drop of liquid is too amazing!" Lu Yi stretched his body as he felt much more energetic than before. "What medicinal liquid is that, young master?" he added as he calmed himself from getting too excited over something new.

Although Lu Yi was the one following Qin Lan the longest, he's also the dullest amongst the three of them.

"Heh... Should I be proud of him or sigh for him?" Qin Lan shook his head because Lu Yi's straightforward personality is bound to be a disadvantage at some point in his life. But at the same time, it is the most matching trait to cultivate the Heaven Firmament Art.

Luckily, Lu Qing Yun and Huo Zunjie were slightly smarter compared to their big brother. At the very least, they know that the medicinal bottle in Qin Lan's hand is the one he's always holding every morning when Qin Lan is absorbing the mist from dawn.

"Changshen Dew," Qin Lan said.

"Longevity Dew? No wonder I felt so much stronger!" Lu Yi might be dull, but he wasn't stupid. As the cultivator practicing the Heaven Firmament Art, his physique is counted as top-notch against those in the same level. Although it's somewhat losing in terms of ferocity against Huo Zunjie's, Lu Yi's specialty was not purely physical, but also spiritual.

And the Changshen Dew, which nourishes both Physique, Mental, and Spiritual, is undoubtedly the best tonic for him.

"Young... Young master! My eye is on fire!" Lu Yi's Spiritual Energy started to get out of control as a hint of the spiritual flames appeared on both of his eyes.

"Open your mouth again!" Qin Lan ordered. This time, he flicked two more drops of the Changshen Dew into Lu Yi's throat. It was the most suitable opportunity to take advantage of Lu Yi's innate enlightenment to accelerate his improvement a step further.

"Aargh!" literally clueless on what he should expect, Lu Yi released a howl filled with pain. The Spiritual Energy converged in both of Lu Yi's eyes as it started to burn his sight. There were only flames in his eyes, which capable of blinding him in any moment from now.

"Interlock your palm together with your index and middle finger pointed out! Control your Spiritual Energy from deviating as you memorize the scripture of Heaven Firmament Art. Quickly do it now!" Qin Lan ordered.

Spiritual Energy converged in between Qin Lan's fingers as he tapped on Lu Yi's nape, neck, shoulders, and the back of his left chest. The six struck from Qin Lan's finger unclog Lu Yi's obstructed blood channel and allowed more blood to be pumped from his heart throughout his body.

"One sight to pierce through the Firmament!"

"One gaze to cover the Firmament!"

"One thought to control the Firmament!"

"Heaven Firmament Art. A sight, a gaze, and a thought. Standing upright facing heaven, respecting downward humbly to earth."

"Opening the Flame Eyes of Heaven, impenetrable by all spiritual skills!" Qin Lan moved to the front while creating multiple mirages. He faced Lu Yi and stabbed at his forehead, right in between the two brow-ridges.

Qin Lan's action unlocked the last key acupuncture point that's been holding Lu Yi's advancement up until now.

His eyes opened, revealing a fiery glow that instantly destroyed all mirages created by Qin Lan effortlessly. Standing right in front of the Heaven Firmament Art and the Flame Eyes of Heaven, no confusion, trickery, nor disguise of the same layer is capable of escaping their fate.

It was an instant cancellation of all spiritual attacks.

At the same time, Lu Yi's strength also roused to the third-level of Flesh Refining Layer, making him the first of Qin Lan's followers to advance first.

"Young master! I've advanced to the third-level!" Lu Yi happily said.

"Young master your head! Release your Flame Eyes of Heaven's lock on me!" Qin Lan shouted at Lu Yi that unconsciously applying the effect of one thought to control the firmament.

"But - But I don't know how to do it, young master!" Lu Yi tried to focus his Spiritual Energy. But no matter how he tried, he's unable to withdraw the influence from the Flame Eyes of Heaven against Qin Lan's Mistral Foundation Art.

"Huo Zunjie! Lu Qing Yun, smack him!" Qin Lan ordered. He really wanted to sigh and cry right now.

"Wait! Wait!"