The aftermath of the Grand Auction didn't just break the Iron-Claw Corporation; it shattered the existing power structure of the entire province. For three days, the gates of the Lin Manor—now the official headquarters of the Sovereign Sect—were besieged by high-ranking officials, clan elders, and desperate Tamers, all seeking an audience with the man who had domesticated the "impossible."
Inside the manor, the atmosphere had shifted from the frantic energy of a startup to the heavy, disciplined air of a rising court. Lin Feng had officially integrated her Valkyrie Squad with the survivors of the Hidden Petal Sect, creating a specialized unit known as the "Sovereign Shadows." They didn't just guard the walls; they patrolled the spiritual ley lines of the city.
Lin Yue was submerged in a sea of logistics, overseeing the seizure of Iron-Claw's three hundred warehouses and fifty breeding centers. Meanwhile, Lin Chen had locked herself in the newly renovated Imperial-grade laboratory, using the captured Calamity Cult samples to research the next stage of "Bio-Spiritual Purity."
Lin Xuan, however, was in the deepest level of the manor's vault, staring at a screen that only he could see.
[Sect Reputation: Regional Hegemon.]
[Total Spiritual Assets: 5.2 Million Credits / 4,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones.]
[System Notice: The Host has achieved the 'Foundation of a King'. Unlocking 3rd Taming Slot.]
"Finally," Lin Xuan whispered. His eyes scanned the new prompt.
[Third Forbidden Path Identified: The Weaver of Blood and Bone.]
[Target: The 'Cursed' Scarlet Spiderling.]
[Location: The Imperial Forbidden Zone — Blood-Thistle Valley.]
Before he could process the location, the heavy stone doors of the vault ground open. Lin Yue stepped in, her expression uncharacteristically grim. She held a scroll sealed with the golden wax of the Imperial Dragon.
"Xuan'er," she said, her voice tight. "A messenger from the Capital arrived. It's an Imperial Decree. The Third Prince, long known for his obsession with 'Ancient Rarities', has heard of your insects. He's 'inviting' you to the Capital for the Centennial Beast Competition."
Lin Xuan took the scroll, his thumb brushing over the dragon seal. "An invitation from the Third Prince is usually a demand for a tribute. He doesn't want to see me; he wants my beasts."
"He's a 7-star Tamer," Lin Yue warned, stepping closer and placing a hand on Lin Xuan's chest. "And his primary beast is a Golden-Winged Roc. He's known for being ruthless with anyone who possesses something he desires. We could try to delay, use the City Lord's influence—"
"No," Lin Xuan interrupted, his eyes glowing with a violet light. "We're going. But we won't go as subjects. We go as contestants. If the Prince wants a show, I'll give him one that will haunt the Imperial Court for a thousand years."
The Journey to Blood-Thistle Valley
Leaving the management of Azure City to Lin Yue and Lin Chen, Lin Xuan departed for the Imperial Capital, escorted by Lin Feng and a detachment of Sovereign Shadows. However, he made a detour into the Blood-Thistle Valley, a place where the air was red with toxic spores and the ground was littered with the bones of failed explorers.
"Stay at the perimeter, Feng'er," Lin Xuan commanded as they reached the edge of a crimson-stained ravine. "The beast I'm looking for reacts to high-frequency spiritual energy. Your Panther will only agitate it."
"But Xuan'er, the spores here can rot a 4-star Tamer's lungs in minutes!" Lin Feng argued, her hand gripping his arm. "At least take my 'Wind-Shield' jade!"
Lin Xuan smiled, a sharp, confident expression. He tapped the Moon-Glow Larva on his shoulder. "I have the world's best purifier on my shoulder, and the world's best assassin in my shadow. Trust me."
He stepped into the red mist alone.
[Warning: High Toxicity Detected.]
[Moon-Glow Larva activating: Lunar Filter.]
A bubble of cool, silver light expanded around him, turning the red spores into harmless white ash before they could touch his skin. Lin Xuan walked deeper into the valley, his Divine Tamer's Eye scanning the jagged rock walls.
Suddenly, the Abyssal Shadow-Slayer on his shoulder hissed, its wings vibrating with a high-pitched hum.
[Target Found: Scarlet Weaver (Famine Grade).]
[Status: Dying / Starving.]
[Potential: Path 303 - The Empress of the Thousand Hells.]
In a crevice between two blood-red boulders, a spider the size of a dinner plate hung by a single, crimson thread. Its body was a vibrant, angry red, but its legs were thin and trembling. It had been shunned by other predators because its silk was "poisonous" even to other monsters—a useless trait in a valley already full of poison.
Lin Xuan knelt before it. "They call you a curse because they can't handle the heat of your blood. But I have a use for a thread that can burn through the soul."
He didn't bite his thumb this time. He took a vial of the Abyssal Toxin he had saved from the Crystal Swan and poured it onto the spider's web.
The Scarlet Weaver didn't retreat. It rushed forward, devouring the 6-star poison as if it were nectar. As it ate, Lin Xuan pressed his palm to the rock, channeling his spiritual energy directly into the spider's core.
[Ding! Contract Successful!]
[Third Beast Bound: Scarlet Weaver (Larva Stage).]
[Attribute: Blood / Fire / Thread.]
[Special Trait: 'Eternal Hunger' — The more it consumes, the more lethal its silk becomes.]
The Sovereign's Arrival
Two days later, the massive gates of the Imperial Capital swung open for the Sovereign Sect's carriage. Unlike the quiet arrival in Azure City, this was a procession. Lin Feng rode at the front on a redesigned Storm-Wind Panther, her armor gleaming under the imperial sun.
The Third Prince's emissary, a haughty man in gold-embroidered robes, stood at the inner gate. "Lin Xuan! You have arrived. The Prince is eager to see your... 'miracle bugs'. Hand them over for inspection by the Imperial Beast-Healers, and you may enter the palace."
Lin Xuan stepped out of the carriage. He was wearing black robes with silver insect-wing patterns embroidered on the sleeves. On his shoulders sat the jade larva and the now-visible obsidian ant. Tucked into his collar, a faint red glow betrayed the presence of the spiderling.
"The Sovereign Sect does not submit to 'inspections'," Lin Xuan said, his voice echoing across the courtyard, drawing the attention of dozens of noble Tamers. "If the Prince wants to see my beasts, he can wait for the Centennial Competition like everyone else."
"You dare?!" The emissary's face turned purple. "This is the Imperial City! You are a commoner from the provinces!"
"I am a Sovereign," Lin Xuan replied, his violet eyes locking onto the emissary's. "And in my world, there are no commoners—only those who can survive my insects, and those who cannot."
He walked past the stunned emissary, Lin Feng following with a smirk. As they entered the city, Lin Xuan looked up at the Imperial Palace.
[System Notice: Imperial Centennial Competition - 24 Hours Remaining.]
[Primary Mission: Defeat the Third Prince's Golden-Winged Roc.]
[Reward: Unlock Path 400 - The Dragon-Slaying Hornet.]
"Let them look," Lin Xuan whispered. "Tomorrow, the Capital learns that the smallest creatures carry the heaviest judgment."