Human Clan Defender

"Elder, was that person who just left the famous Shen Changqing from the Great Wilderness Prefecture?" Watching Shen Changqing's departing figure, a youth from the Shen Family turned and asked.

Upon hearing this, Shen Hua nodded, his expression wistful. "Yes, that's Shen Changqing. His talent is immense, able to wipe out the Demonfolk we just encountered. His strength is even more terrifying than the rumors suggest. It's just a pity he is not one of our Shen Family. Otherwise, our family's influence could have climbed to new heights."

At last, a profound regret was evident on his face.

Indeed. It truly is a pity that such a person is not from the Shen Family. After all, he shares the surname Shen. If he truly were one of our own, then the strength of the Shen Family would definitely grow even further.

Wait a minute! Shen Hua's gaze flickered as he looked in the direction Shen Changqing had gone. Our Shen Family has a long history, and over the years, many have left to branch out. It's not impossible that he really could be a member of our family!

Pondering this possibility, he felt an urge to immediately leave the Heavenly Realm and report back to the Shen Family. As a large family, they naturally had methods to identify blood relations. If they managed to confirm that Shen Changqing was indeed a member of the Shen Family, then they might have the chance to draw him back to their fold.

Shen Hua was well aware of how much help Shen Changqing could provide to the Shen Family, given his current strength and his connection with the Demon-Subduing Division. Although the Shen Family currently had members in the Demon-Subduing Division, they were only in the South Nether Prefecture Demon-Subduing Division. As for the Capital Demon Suppression Division, the Shen Family didn't have anyone in a high position.

Looking away, Shen Hua walked over to the small bush and methodically plucked all the Blood Serpent Fruit. All gains from the Heavenly Realm had to be distributed after returning to the Shen Family. Their time in the Heavenly Realm was especially limited; if they spent time on the Refinement of Spirit Fruits, there wouldn't be much left to search for other treasures.

After securing the Blood Serpent Fruit, Shen Hua looked at the others and said, "Bury those who have died here in the Heavenly Realm. Carrying corpses is ultimately inconvenient. As for this Fierce Beast's body, extract its gallbladder; it has its uses."

"Yes!" several young men and women from the Shen Family nodded.

Upon seeing the bodies on the ground, all of them had sorrowful expressions. They had arrived together, but now some would remain here forever. It would be false to say it wasn't heartrending. But they also understood that what Shen Hua said was not wrong. Carrying corpses would make many subsequent actions inconvenient. Rather than letting the bodies be damaged in later battles, it would be better to bury them on the spot.

Watching the few dig graves to bury their kinsmen's bodies, Shen Hua took out something resembling parchment from his chest. Using the Fierce Beast's blood as ink, he dipped a branch in it and wrote on the parchment, where a considerable amount of information was already recorded.

"Blood Serpent Fruit can bloom and bear fruit once every hundred years. I hope this Heavenly Realm will open again one day; otherwise, our records will be in vain."

After finishing the recording, Shen Hua shook his head slightly. Every time the Heavenly Realm opened, all powers entering the realm would indeed record some information from inside and then take it out with them. After all, the Heavenly Realm is vast. Every entry requires a lot of time for exploration. If one could have a map by chance, it would undoubtedly save a lot of effort. This was exactly why Shen Hua took notes of all his travels after entering the Heavenly Realm. The purpose was to help the Shen Family in the future if the Heavenly Realm opened again, providing them with the chance to seize some opportunities here.

Although some people died this time, they did acquire the Blood Serpent Fruit. In his view, it wasn't a bad deal. After all, if they took the Blood Serpent Fruit back, it could enhance the strength of the Shen Family's Grandmasters. The few who died had not even reached the Grandmaster Realm. Compared to that, while not negligible, they couldn't compete with the value of the Blood Serpent Fruit.

After leaving the location of the Blood Serpent Fruit, Shen Changqing headed in the direction Shen Hua had indicated. He walked openly. The Blood Serpent Fruit was precious indeed, but it was of little use to him; striving for it would simply be a waste of time. Moreover, one could only carry so many things. Shen Changqing didn't want to carry a surplus of items that were of little value. Therefore, he readily left the Blood Serpent Fruit for Shen Hua.

For one, it was like exchanging information with the Shen Family, considering Shen Hua and his group had entered much earlier than him. They had seen much more than he had. Perhaps they held information that he needed. For another, it was like doing the Shen Family a favor. No matter how you looked at it, the Shen Family was a well-known power in the South Nether Prefecture, not much weaker than sects like the Myriad Buddhas Sect. It's always good to have more friends than foes. Shen Changqing had no desire to make enemies everywhere. In the end, it was because Shen Hua's behavior and actions aligned with his own tastes, so he didn't mind giving away the Blood Serpent Fruit.

Similarly, the information provided by the other party was also extremely useful. One can only imagine how precious the treasures produced here must be, for a Fierce Beast of at least the late Grandmaster Realm to act as their defender.

At least in the late stage of the Grandmaster Realm... which means it could even be at Grandmaster Peak. The more powerful the treasure, the mightier the defender Fierce Beast. I just hope it's Longevity Fruit. If that's the case, this trip won't have been in vain.

Shen Changqing's eyes flickered. The booklet also had records of Longevity Fruit. Members of the Demon-Subduing Division had once obtained Longevity Fruit from the Heavenly Realm. And from what was recorded, Longevity Fruit was an extremely high-grade treasure, and the Fierce Beasts acting as defenders were far from ordinary.

What is a Fierce Beast? It is an existence far more powerful than a mere ferocious animal, one that truly deserves the name 'Fierce Beast'. However, Shen Changqing hadn't really seen a Fierce Beast until he entered the Heavenly Realm; only after that did he come into contact with one. But what he had encountered so far were merely the corpses of Fierce Beasts. That was like the creature resembling a long snake slain near the Blood Serpent Fruit. As for the ferocious tiger he had killed upon entering, strictly speaking, it didn't fall into the category of a Fierce Beast.

According to Shen Hua's words, the place where that Fierce Beast resides should be around here!

He halted his steps in the woods. Shen Changqing's Divine Sense spread out, searching for any traces of the Fierce Beast's presence. He didn't think Shen Hua would deceive him. Or rather, the other party wouldn't dare to deceive him. If they had lied, the members of the Shen Family might not have been able to leave the Heavenly Realm alive. In the absence of conflicting interests, Shen Changqing didn't believe Shen Hua would be so irrational.

As his Divine Sense spread, every movement within a radius of a thousand feet was within his perception.

After a while, his Divine Sense stirred, and he turned his head toward a position on his left. There, an overwhelming Qi and Blood Force was lurking. Although the Qi and Blood Force was in a dormant, unerupted state, the aura it emitted was enough to perturb the heart. In this place, an entity with such a surging Qi and Blood Force was clearly, with ninety percent certainty, that Fierce Beast.

With a light tap of his toes, Shen Changqing's body darted toward the source of the Qi and Blood Force. A distance of a thousand feet could be covered in an instant without a trace. As he drew closer, he could hear clear breathing sounds from the air.

THUMP! THUMP!!

The breathing was steady but extremely thick, as though someone was forcefully beating a large drum. Looking ahead to where the view became wide open, Shen Changqing did not rush out immediately but instead masked his presence and, with a leap, perched himself atop a nearby large tree. The dense branches and leaves perfectly concealed his figure. Yet, through the gaps in the foliage, he had an extensive view.

The trees in the mountain forest were generally very dense. However, in the area in front of him, the trees were much sparser.

A giant Fierce Beast, cow-sized, its body embedded with red Scale Armor, horns on its head, its body about forty to fifty feet in length and about ten feet in height, was sprawled out there, sleeping soundly. Out of its nostrils, which resembled a blunted nose, puffs of white mist emerged now and then. The ground around the Fierce Beast was scorched black, with clear burn marks. A terrifying, ferocious aura unconsciously emanated from this giant Fierce Beast.

About seven feet in front of the Fierce Beast grew a plant, entirely flame-red, resembling a cluster of burning flames. On the plant were three flame-red fruits, about the size of an adult's thumb. The fruits weren't large, yet they emitted an intense, sweet fragrance.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing's expression became puzzled. He didn't recognize the flame-red fruits, but the rich fragrance and the way they grew spoke to the extraordinary nature of these Spirit Fruits. Upon seeing the Fierce Beast, he was almost certain it was no ordinary late-stage Grandmaster. Looking at the quite extraordinary Spirit Fruits and the visually impressive Fierce Beast, Shen Changqing was certain the Spirit Fruits nurtured here were definitely something valuable.

However, he didn't rashly make a move but instead took out the booklet and calmly flipped through it, careful not to disturb the Fierce Beast.

Turning the pages, Shen Changqing finally found corresponding information in the last few.

Nirvana Fruit: A legendary fruit rumored to have coalesced from the essence of Heaven and Earth Fire Spirit. Upon consumption, a Martial Artist is said to experience a rebirth akin to nirvana; all hidden injuries are recovered, and the physique is further tempered, reaching a higher level. This Spirit Fruit falls off on its own when mature; if forcibly picked before falling, its effect will diminish by roughly twenty percent.

Nirvana Fruit! Looking at the information, a flicker passed through his heart. Especially the last note, which clarified that the Nirvana Fruit was useful to all Martial Artists, meaning even those at Grandmaster Peak would benefit from its consumption.