True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress

"What brings you to Beast Peak today?"

Jian Dan walked side by side with Mo Su as they entered the territory.

"I received an invitation from the Hua clan yesterday. I'm heading over today, thought I'd borrow a chariot."

Mo Su went quiet for a moment, then said simply, "Huan Le City. Auction house. Crimson Blood Ganoderma."

Jian Dan gave him an appreciative glance. She admired how succinct he was and nodded.

"The Hua clan is one of the wealthiest families in the cultivation world. Aside from their spiritual stones, their greatest asset is information. Their auction houses scattered across the realm serve as both ears and eyes."

Mo Su nodded again, signaling her to go on.

"I'm heading there to make a connection... and sell them a favor while I'm at it."

"I understand."

As they spoke, their group arrived at the Beast Bloom Source. A sharp cry pierced the air, and a hawk with a wingspan of three meters descended. It landed in front of Mo Su and affectionately rubbed its head against him.

"Senior Brother, you're not bringing him to the 'Dark Valley'?"

"No. I'm worried the valley's aura might drive him berserk."

The hawk tilted its head and looked at Jian Dan, clearly understanding the conversation. Its eyes, round and guileless, turned back to Mo Su as if waiting for an explanation.

Jian Dan chuckled.

"I won't interrupt your bonding time with your beast companion. I'll head off first."

Mo Su didn't reply, only gave her a nod.

A waiting Golden Core cultivator stepped forward to guide Jian Dan toward the other side of the Beast Bloom Source.

"Your unicorn flying horses have been roaming freely on the peak, never restricted. We didn't know you'd be using them today, so we haven't prepared them."

"No problem. I only decided to take them out this morning."

With a snap of her fingers, two third-rank flying horses playing in the lake at the mountain's heart immediately paused. They shook their manes, scattering water droplets, then unfurled their white wings and soared to Jian Dan's side.

"Having fun, you two?"

She stroked their necks and tossed a storage pouch to the Golden Core cultivator. Just as she was about to speak about the chariot, Mo Su had already risen into the air on his hawk's back and tossed her a brocade box.

"Yun Rong's chariot. She said it's yours now."

Jian Dan recognized the box instantly. She knew exactly what this was about and accepted it without ceremony.

The Golden Core cultivator by her side saw this and realized his chance to earn spirit stones had just vanished. He reached out to return the pouch, but Jian Dan stopped him.

"These two are about to advance. Once I return, prepare some spirit herbs that support advancement. Make sure they get through it smoothly."

"Understood, Jūnshàng. I'll take care of it."

As they prepared to depart, a flash of multicolored light streaked past Jian Dan's vision.

She came to a sudden stop and stared at the creature—a pheasant about half the height of a person. Its feathers shimmered with hues like flowing paint. The pheasant froze under her gaze, then turned to flee.

Jian Dan stepped forward, cutting off its escape. A massive hand formed from demonic energy seized its neck and lifted it off the ground. The pheasant thrashed and flapped its wings in protest, looking thoroughly wronged.

The others were stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Jian Dan's expression turned cold. She glanced at the Golden Core demon cultivator and asked, "Does this pheasant have companions?"

The demon cultivator hesitated, then replied, "Yes. They've just laid a clutch of eggs, currently being incubated. This one may have wandered off to forage."

"Take me to their nest."

"Of course, Jūnshàng. This way."

They circled around to the back of the mountain, where a dense thicket of shrubs concealed a nesting area. A mother pheasant was incubating eggs inside.

Jian Dan flicked her sleeve, sending the bird rolling. She stared at the nest. Inside were several pheasant eggs, each as large as a child's ball. After sensing them for a moment, she beckoned one of the eggs into her hand.

The egg resisted, trembling and twisting, as if trying to return to its nest. But Jian Dan didn't allow it.

"I'll be taking this one."

With that, she pulled out a brocade box, sealed the egg inside, placed an additional sealing talisman on the box, and threw it into her inner space.

She rummaged through her storage ring and retrieved a bottle of beast spirit pills she had once prepared for Yue Liang. She tossed the pills toward the startled pheasant pair and turned to leave.

The Golden Core demon cultivator on Beast Peak watched the golden chariot take off. He wiped invisible sweat from his brow.

As expected of the master of Mo Ying Peak. Her temper was unpredictable. Just moments ago she had been smiling and joking with Mo Su, and now she had nearly slaughtered a pair of pheasants.

When he guided her earlier, he had clearly felt that burst of killing intent. For some reason, she had withdrawn it at the last moment, but those poor birds would never be the same. Even now, neither dared return to their nest.

Inside the golden chariot drawn by flying horses, Jian Dan gently touched the beauty mark beneath her eye, lost in thought.

"If there's a phoenix hidden somewhere in the cultivation world, it must be from this bloodline."

In her previous life, the phoenix that served beside Du Yanran had evolved from a pheasant bloodline. That arrogant creature constantly made trouble for her, though it always acted under Du Yanran's orders.

Du Yanran rarely spoke about the phoenix's origins, only saying it had been a gift from an admirer. Jian Dan never imagined this pheasant today would carry even a trace of phoenix blood.

She had sensed something familiar the moment the male pheasant flew past. Its feather arrangement, especially that single gleaming golden tail feather, had triggered a flash of insight. She immediately located the nest and confirmed her guess.

Back in her last life, a demon cultivator who pursued her for the sake of cultivation techniques was likely from the Heavenly Demon Palace. He had connections to Du Yanran and obtained the Heavenly Demon Art from her. From there, he sought to extract the Ice Jade Demon Physique Technique from Jian Dan to strengthen his own cultivation method.

That pheasant had to be a gift from him to Du Yanran, though whether it was given before or after it hatched remained unclear.

Given Du Yanran's nature after becoming a cultivator, she never made any effort without a gain. She must have discovered the trace of phoenix blood and invested heavily in the pheasant's growth.

But this time, she would not get the chance.

After her trip to the Hua clan, Jian Dan planned to send the brocade box to the beast tribes—specifically to Yingge. Once he absorbed the phoenix bloodline and combined it with the bloodline he awakened in the secret realm, his strength would rise once again.

At the same moment, deep in the heart of Morong City, Du Yanran—who had changed her appearance and identity—suddenly felt a sharp sense of loss. It felt as though something vital had been stripped away from her.

Meanwhile, in the territory of the beast clans, Yingge was fluttering around his older cousin Bai Jue Zhūnzhu, wings spread wide.

"Big Brother, Big Brother! I'm already third rank now! Does that mean I'll reach fourth rank soon? If I do, can I leave the territory and find Xiao Zhuzhi?"

Bai Jue Zhūnzhu flipped open his feather fan, pinning Yingge flat against it. His handsome face remained stern as he tapped Yingge's forehead.

"Shan Yunzu has already reached Nascent Soul. She accepted a sect mission and hasn't returned. Where exactly would you go looking for her?"

"Oh..."

Yingge, who had been full of excitement, drooped his head feathers in disappointment.

Bai Jue Zhūnzhu, unable to bear seeing his younger brother like that, sighed and smoothed his feathers.

"Once you reach fourth rank, I'll take you to find her."