In the suburbs of Newark City, within a heavily guarded private manor.
This was the core industrial base of the Brown Clan.
The night was deep, and the beams of searchlights wove a net across the sky above the manor. Hundreds of fully-armed security personnel patrolled nonstop, both inside and outside the walls, leading genetically modified hounds.
This level of security was even stricter than that of a typical military base.
However, this was just the basics.
The most incredible part was the multiple Arrays integrated with high-tech equipment, including detection Arrays, Space Arrays, and so on!
You could say that not even a fly could get in!
If a fly couldnât get in, what about a mosquito...?
The main reason for such strict security was this:
Deep within the manor, a privately owned entrance to a Secret Realm was hidden!
In the White Eagle Empire, as long as you had money and power, even a strategic resource like a Secret Realm could be privatized.
Such was the power of capital.
At that moment, on a large tree outside the manor.
Chu Shengâs figure appeared out of thin air.
He looked at the iron-tight Defense and didnât rush to force his way in.
With his current strength, forcing his way in wasnât impossible, but it would definitely trigger alarms. When the Brown Clanâs experts came to besiege him, how could he peacefully act as a "Flower-Picking Thief"?
He was here to stock up, not to tear the place down.
So, he had to be smart about it.
BZZZ~
Chu Sheng waited with extreme patience.
About ten minutes passed.
A patrol team on shift change walked out from inside the manor, heading toward the Secret Realm entrance.
They wore special protective suits and held access passes in their hands.
âNowâs the time.â
Chu Sheng seized the opportunity. With a flash, his body became like a speck of dust, gently attaching itself to the crevice of a buckle on the last patrol memberâs backpack strap.
"BEEPâIdentity verification successful."
"BEEPâBiometric scan normal."
One after another, highly sophisticated detection devices scanned them.
âThe Primitive Form Skill might not seem like much, but its camouflage ability was first-class!â
Just like that, Chu Sheng followed the patrol team deep into the manor, all the way into the Secret Realm.
...
Light and shadow shifted.
When his vision cleared, a wave of Spiritual Qi so dense it was almost tangible rushed toward him.
Heâd arrived!
The Brown Clanâs private Secret Realm, their plantation manor, was right here.
Although the Secret Realm wasnât high-level, the environment here had clearly been meticulously modified, making it extremely suitable for plant growth.
Chu Sheng flew off the unlucky guyâs backpack, activated his Nether Vision, and gazed into the distance.
The next second, he nearly started drooling.
As far as his eyes could see, there were neat and tidy Spirit Fields everywhere!
Vast swaths of Spiritual Plants basked under artificially simulated sunlight, emitting an alluring, treasure-like glow.
Red ones, blue ones, purple ones...
Fifth-Grade, Sixth-Grade, and he could even sense the fluctuations of even higher-tier Spiritual Plants in the distance!
The most important thing was the quantity!
The scale here was countless times larger than the Mu Familyâs Spirit Plant Manor!
âIâm rich! Iâm really rich this time!â
Chu Sheng was so excited he rubbed his front legs together.
The scale of this place was so massive that even if he drank his fill, it would probably take several nights to drain everything.
âIn that case, I need a strategy.â
âI canât just strip one area bare all at once. That would be too easy to spot.â
âAnd I canât start by sucking the top-tier Spiritual Plants either, for the same reason.â
Chu Sheng quickly formulated a battle plan:
âSpread the love evenly!â
âHit and run!â
âAnd for each Spiritual Plant, Iâll leave a tiny bit of Life Essence behind so it can maintain a superficial "survival."â
âPerfect!â
With his plan decided, Chu Sheng used Instant Teleportation and appeared directly above a medicinal garden filled with fiery red flowers.
These were Sixth-Grade Spiritual PlantsâRed Flame Begonias!
Each one was incredibly valuable, a Holy Grade item for the Cultivation of Fire Element Martial Artists.
âHehe, my little darlings, Grandpa Mosquito is here to show you some love!â
Chu Sheng was just about to take a bite.
Suddenly!
ROARâ!!!
An incomparably savage roar suddenly erupted from the nearby bushes!
Immediately after, a suffocating, bloody wave of air swept over.
Startled, Chu Sheng hastily dodged to the side.
A giant dogâthe size of a calf, covered in black, steel-like fur, with eyes glowing greenâleapt out from the shadows!
Its Speed was astonishingly fast. Its claws sliced through the air, leaving several cold glints, and nearly swatted Chu Sheng!
A Seventh-Grade Demon Beastâthe Shadow Demon Dog!
Chu Shengâs heart tightened.
âAs expected, itâs here!â
âHeâd seen this information when gathering intelligence on the Brown Clan... they had tamed a special type of Demon Beast!â
This very Shadow Demon Dog.
These specially trained Shadow Demon Dogs have an incredibly keen sense of smell and will attack any creature not belonging to the Adam Clan.
Even if you were a mosquito!
At this moment.
The Shadow Demon Dog bared its fangs, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Its hind legs tensed, preparing for a second pounce.
However, just as it was about to leap.
Chu Sheng unhurriedly took something out from his Space.
It was... a drop of blood.
Adam Brownâs blood.
Chu Sheng quickly smeared the drop of blood on his wings.
BZZ!
In an instant, the pure aura of the Brown Clanâs direct-line young master spread out.
The Shadow Demon Dog, which had been savage and menacing and had already leaped into the air, froze mid-flight the moment it smelled the aura.
Its nose twitched frantically.
It looked at Chu Sheng, then sniffed the air again. Its underdeveloped brain instantly crashed.
But the slavish instinct carved into its genes made it choose the path of least resistance.
THUD!
It forcefully halted its momentum in mid-air and fell heavily to the ground. Then, it instantly rolled over, exposing its soft belly, its tail wagging like a propeller.
Its fawning behavior was so pathetic it was hard to watch.
Chu Sheng hovered in the air, looking at the giant beast that had wanted to eat him one second and turned into a suck-up the next, and couldnât help but sneer.
âHeh, what a stupid dog.â
âIt seems a Demon Beastâs Spiritual Wisdom is indeed very important.â
"BZZ! (Get lost! Donât disturb me while Iâm eating!)"
Chu Sheng issued a majestic Spirit command.
The Shadow Demon Dog actually "understood." It scrambled to its feet, tucked its tail between its legs, and trotted several hundred meters away. It then sat down obediently and even began to watch the surroundings vigilantly, acting as a temporary bodyguard for Chu Sheng.
âHeh, good dog.â
With the trouble taken care of, Chu Sheng could finally eat in peace.
He landed on the stamen of a Red Flame Begonia, and his God-devouring Needle plunged in without hesitation!
âLet the feast begin!â
[Ding! Detected Sixth-Grade Spiritual Plant, Red Flame Begonia. Absorbing Life Essence...]
[Evolution Points +200!]
âSo satisfying!â
âAfter the God-devouring Needle evolved, its effectiveness at absorbing from Spiritual Plants has increased dramatically!â
âA single plant gives several hundred points, and there are at least a thousand plants in this medicinal garden...â
âThis is a gold mine!â
âI "love" the White Eagle Empire! I "love" the Brown Clan!â
âKeep sucking!â
[Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding...]
...
ăThe next morning.ă
When the first rays of sunlight fell upon the skyscrapers of Newark City, Chu Sheng, who had been busy all night, appeared out of thin air in a room on the 20th floor.
Inside the room.
Gu Yuexi was sitting in meditation with her eyes closed.
He yawned, dove directly into the inner pocket on Gu Yuexiâs chest, found a comfortable position, and was out like a light.
Gu Yuexiâs eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
She glanced down at her chest and shook her head helplessly.
âNo need to even think about it. He must have been out getting into some mischief again.â
âEver since that trip to the bottom of the sea, this blasted mosquitoâs Mental Power has surpassed hers again.â
âShe wanted to keep him in line, but she couldnât!â
Even the Empress had her moments of helplessness:
âForget it. Let him be.â
Just then.
WOOOâ!!!
The low, somber blast of a horn, filled with a murderous aura, suddenly sounded from the distant International Youth Martial Arts Center, echoing throughout the entire city!
The sound was like the roar of an ancient beast, instantly awakening the battle lust in the blood of every contestant.
The battle of trapped beasts.
The first round: a free-for-all.
Was about to begin.