[December 23rd, Black Star approached you, expressing his desire to serve under you, and you gladly accepted.]
[In the year 484 of the Kingdom Calendar, January 13th, after much effort, Vanessa became pregnant with her third child.]
[February 19th, you heard rumors that Black Star had grown close to Kazena, becoming good friends. Though surprised, you chose not to interfere.]
[April 21st, after two months of seclusion exploring the fusion of mysteries without success, you decided to take a break.]
[May 2nd, you visited the Far West, where the orcs were behaving themselves.]
[May 29th, on this day, the kings of various nations gathered in the Far West. As the orcs sounded their horns, a spatial rift tore open, and the Peace Dove reappeared.]
[Its gaze locked onto King Rehm, issuing a warning: This King Rehm had been possessed by an evil entity!]
[The kings were shocked, and soon after, King Rehm let out a horrific scream as a massive purple demon eye tore through his skull, revealing itself before you all. It appeared deeply shaken by the Peace Dove's presence.]
[Sensing danger, the purple demon eye attempted to escape, but as its eye was about to close, the white light radiating from the Peace Dove halted its retreat. Surrounded by Saint Realm warriors, the purple demon eye was killed on the spot.]
[You expressed your gratitude to the Peace Dove and offered great concessions during the negotiations to show your appreciation. In a good mood, the Peace Dove explained that the purple demon eye was similar to the Soul Demon race of the Underworld—creatures highly adept at controlling souls, capable of influencing minds and altering memories without detection.]
[May 30th, after discussion, you all decided to pool the resources of the alchemists from various nations to study the corpse of the Soul Demon.]
[Text simulation complete. Would you like to continue?]
Quickly scanning the contents of this simulation, Rhett chose "No!"
The light screen slowly faded from his view, but Rhett's eyes still flickered with surprise.
He had believed that the world might be quiet for a while, without any major incidents. Yet, not only had the development of the Blood Source Power Crystal hit a bottleneck, but even demons from the Underworld were once again invading.
Was this world truly such a tempting target for the Underworld?
Rhett narrowed his eyes in thought. "Soul Demon? Able to manipulate minds and even alter memories? That's terrifying! This kind of silent infiltration is even more troublesome than the Blood Demons..."
For the first time in a while, Rhett felt a genuine sense of danger.
Unlike the Blood Demons, whose power, though overwhelming, was apparent and easy to detect, the purple demon eye's abilities were insidious and its escape skills unparalleled.
As the saying goes, it's not the thief you catch that you fear, but the one who keeps lurking in the shadows. That was exactly Rhett's mindset now.
He had hoped that after dealing with the Blood Demons, the other threats from the Underworld might retreat or at least lay low for a while, but it seemed that assumption was completely wrong.
After a brief moment of tension, Rhett's mood relaxed again. He thought, If soldiers come, I'll block them; if water floods in, I'll divert it. He had already beaten back the Blood Demons' claws and wouldn't fear whatever else came his way.
Even the most powerful beings from the Beast God World had their strength greatly diminished when they came to this world. The same would be true for the powerhouses from the Underworld who crossed through the void.
Thinking about this, Rhett felt more at ease and began to focus on other matters.
"Why can't the Blood Source Power Crystal help break through the bottleneck at the peak of the third tier?"
"Even though the process went smoothly in the early stages, without Battle Qi, it seems that an ordinary person's physique reaches a limit and can no longer evolve."
"According to the analysis from the Saint Knights, Battle Qi allows for control over one's blood and internal organs. Combined with breathing techniques, Battle Qi resonates with the body, allowing repeated breakthroughs and the transformation of life itself."
"Simply consuming Blood Source Power Crystals is akin to constantly ingesting powerful nourishment. It may lead to uncontrolled evolution in the beginning, but eventually, the body reaches a structural limit. From that point on, further progress requires not just accumulation, but a fundamental metamorphosis and ascension before growth can continue..."
As Rhett pondered this, his eyes flashed with realization.
It was like how a person could eat all the supplements in the world, but without a fundamental physiological change, they wouldn't experience any biological transformations beyond getting stronger. The same logic applied to consuming the Blood Source Power Crystals—they were beneficial, but without self-adjustment, no matter how much was absorbed, it wouldn't lead to qualitative change.
That reminded Rhett of his own experience. When he absorbed the purple crystal fragments from the shell remnant, his body broke through the third-tier peak, giving him the physique of a Land Knight.
After thinking it over, it wasn't difficult to understand. The energy provided by the shell remnant and the Blood Source Power was similar in that both enhanced the body. However, the energy from the shell was much more peculiar. Instead of simply strengthening the body, it subtly transformed it into a different, stronger life form, twisting the essence of his being.
If not for his domain's protection, an ordinary person would have been torn apart by that energy long ago.
Now, Rhett could clearly feel that his body structure had become different from that of a normal person. His organs were harder, and his overall functionality had greatly improved.
Still, Rhett felt it was a shame that the Blood Source Power Crystals couldn't help ordinary people break through their limits. While they might extend one's lifespan by a few decades, they couldn't prevent the inevitable aging, which meant that Sveta would still grow old…
Thinking of this, Rhett sighed softly. But he hadn't given up on this plan yet.
There had to be another way—he was sure of it!
Though the Blood Source Power Crystal had its limitations, the simulation was just that—a simulation. Now that Rhett understood the trajectory, he would try to change the outcome!
Standing by the window in the hall, Rhett gazed out at the starlit night. The cicadas' songs had quieted.
He stood there in silence, watching the night turn into dawn.
As the first light of morning touched his face, a ripple of emotion crossed Rhett's otherwise calm expression.
"It's morning…"
He whispered to himself before taking off his royal robe and changing into a more casual black coat. Descending the stairs to the first-floor hall, he was greeted by the enticing smell of breakfast filling the room.
Sniffing the air, Rhett smiled, "Mmm… the smell of blue lobster. I didn't eat enough of it last night, so I can indulge again this morning."
"Good morning, Father!" His sons and daughters-in-law had already gathered at the dining table, greeting him as he approached.
Rhett nodded in acknowledgment before turning to Sveta, who was supervising the kitchen maids. "How did you sleep last night, my good butler?" Rhett asked.
Sveta, glowing with health and vitality, snapped back to reality, beaming as he replied, "It was amazing! I haven't slept so well in years. Ever since drinking that fine wine you gave me last night, I feel like I've grown younger. Those old aches and pains in my back and waist have vanished, and I slept like a baby."
"Haha, I told you, didn't I? Keep drinking it, but remember—only before bed!" Rhett chuckled.
"Understood! That wine is strong. If I drink it during the day, I'll be out cold for the whole day," Sveta said, recalling the drowsy feeling from last night.
"Father, are you talking about Eternal Sleep? Miss Lilith let me try some as well, and it truly is a rare wine," Ruile chimed in from his seat.
"Ha, same here. Last night I almost drank too much, but I recover quickly. Within an hour, the drunkenness had passed. Still, it's the first wine that's made me feel like that," Tuck added with a grin, patting his stomach.
Rhett took his seat, sampling some salad and cutting into a steak. He said slowly, "Ruile, I have a suggestion. Let's have our Alchemy Tower focus on developing more foods and drinks that can integrate Blood Source Power. Whether it's wine or other delicacies, the more integration, the better."
Ruile licked the milk off his lips and replied, "To be honest, I've had that idea for a while, but I don't have the authority to give orders to the Alchemy Tower. You'll need to make that call, Father."
"Then take me there today, and I'll issue the order. Whoever makes progress will receive generous rewards," Rhett said.
"Understood, Father. Once we make progress, are we planning to open shops like the Rattlesnake Tavern?" Ruile asked thoughtfully.
"Hmm… We'll decide that later, based on the development of Blood Source derivatives," Rhett mused. "Alchemy is a subtle talent, and I'm not sure if our current talents at the tower can fully explore the potential of Blood Source Power."
"Father, are you leaving again?" Ruile's brow furrowed, sensing the underlying meaning in his father's words.
Rhett chuckled, "Heh, nothing escapes you, Ruile. Yes, I need to leave today to bring Tylus back from the Ring Tower—it's time for the family to reunite..."
At the mention of Tylus returning, Mina's fingers trembled as she held her soup spoon. Her eyes lit up with joy.
Ruile glanced at Mina and smiled slightly, "Yes, it's time to bring Tylus back. That kid... a lot of people probably miss him."
"Hmph, hurry up and bring Tylus back. I've been itching to tease him. It's frustrating not being able to make fun of him for even a day!" Tuck grumbled between mouthfuls of meat.
Rhett playfully smacked Tuck's shoulder and scolded, "You rascal! Who's going to tease whom when Tylus gets back? By the way, did you absorb the spring water from last night?"
Tuck's eyes lit up at the question, and he nodded vigorously, "Thanks to you, Father, I absorbed it all! Now, my body feels unbelievably strong, like I could take on a hundred of my former selves. I'm confident I could even defeat a Land Knight!"
"That explains last night..." Vanessa murmured, her face flushing slightly as she tried to maintain her composure. "Father, what exactly did you give Tuck that made his body undergo such a drastic change?"
Ruile, too, was curious and looked intently at Rhett.
Setting down his knife and fork, Rhett decided there was no harm in telling them about the Beast God World, though he kept the details vague.
"It was a gift from a visitor from another world. Beyond our world, there are many unknown realms. The spring water Tuck drank came from a mysterious and powerful world. In the future, we'll continue trading with them, and we'll have plenty of that water to go around, so everyone's physique will improve rapidly."
Everyone gasped in astonishment.
Ruile, so intrigued he could barely eat, asked, "What's the price? What do we need to give them in exchange for such a powerful substance?"
"Elemental condensates, like magic crystals or elemental ores. In their world, these things are extremely scarce, while their spring water is abundant. It's simply a matter of exchanging what we both need."
"Incredible! I'll start collecting elemental minerals as soon as I leave the table!" Ruile said excitedly, barely able to contain his enthusiasm.
"Haha, if I drink a few more bottles, could I reach the Saint Realm?" Tuck said with a broad grin.
"Not necessarily. If your Battle Qi can't keep up with your physical strength, there will be a limit to how much you can improve," Rhett cautioned seriously.
Tuck paused, scratching his head as he recalled the spring water experience from the previous night. "Now that you mention it, last night, there was a point where the spring water seemed to go to waste. My body had already reached a strange threshold, and my current level of Battle Qi couldn't drive the physical enhancements any further. If I drank another bottle, it would probably all be wasted..."
He sighed, "I should've saved some for later."
Hearing Tuck's report, Rhett nodded, confirming his earlier suspicions. Just as the simulation had shown, Battle Qi was a crucial part of physical enhancement. Without it, there was a natural limit to how far the body could improve.
After a few more exchanges, breakfast came to an end. Rhett bid farewell to his family.
Then he took off, flying northeast.
Two days later, he arrived at the Ring Tower.
Looking down at the lush landscape below, Rhett couldn't help but compare it to a thousand years ago—it was mostly unchanged.
As he released a small amount of aura, a deep blue figure shot out from the Ring Tower, swiftly coalescing into a human form before him.
Heipaste greeted Rhett with a smile, "Good morning, Rhett. You left in such a hurry last time that you didn't even tell us the name of your kingdom."
"Ah, that was an oversight on my part. It's a simple name—Green Kingdom."