I Can Extract Divine Power

Inside the room, a red egg stood on the floor, trembling slightly.

Through this giant red egg, Shen Bai could feel Red Makeup's aura washing over him.

Faint cracks, like blood vessels, were visible on the giant egg, glimmering with a soft light.

'Red Makeup is about to come out,' Shen Bai thought.

He was certain. It was a deep, intuitive feeling, clearly telling him that Red Makeup had reached the critical point of her breakthrough.

'The Celestial Pride Hall is opening soon,' Shen Bai thought. 'With Red Makeup's breakthrough, I'll have even more options at my disposal.'

There was still some time before the Celestial Pride Hall opened. Shen Bai chose not to go out, remaining in his room to wait patiently.

Time ticked by. After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the giant red egg finally began to change.

As Shen Bai watched, the cracks at the very top of the egg widened. A piece broke off and fell to the floor, dissolving into a wisp of smoke that was absorbed back into the egg.

Then, like someone peeling an egg, fragments from the cracks began to fall to the ground one after another.

With each piece that fell, the fragment would dissolve into smoke and be completely absorbed by Red Makeup inside the egg.

As the fragments continued to disappear, Red Makeup's form gradually emerged.

Fair skin, a stunning, completely naked figure, a classical aura, and that impossibly alluring shade of red.

Red Makeup opened her eyes. Noticing Shen Bai's gaze, she became aware of her own state and couldn't help but blush.

But she didn't try to cover herself. Instead, she stood up gracefully as mist swirled around her, coalescing into a red dress that covered her exquisite figure.

She was a Deceitful Beast. Her everything, her very being, belonged to Shen Bai. While she felt a little shy, it wasn't overwhelming.

If Shen Bai desired it, Red Makeup would lie on the bed without a moment's hesitation.

Shen Bai had witnessed the entire process, his heart remaining perfectly calm.

Red Makeup's figure was indeed exquisite, and Shen Bai had been briefly taken aback by her beauty. But now was the time for serious matters.

"What new abilities did you gain from this breakthrough?" Shen Bai asked.

Every evolution of a Deceitful Beast brought new abilities.

For example, when Amber evolved into a cat-girl, she could give Shen Bai a threefold boost to his combat power and Skill Level acquisition.

Although this was Red Makeup's first evolution, it surely wouldn't be any worse than Amber's first.

A slightly dazed look filled Red Makeup's beautiful eyes.

The Information she'd received from the evolution was a bit jumbled. She needed a moment to process and fully absorb it all.

After about half an incense stick's worth of time, Red Makeup finally finished absorbing all the Information and opened her eyes.

"Master, with this evolution, I have completely shed my paper-doll shell." Red Makeup rolled up her sleeve, revealing a fair arm.

Shen Bai reached out and felt it carefully, discovering that she now had flesh and blood, just like Amber.

"Shedding your paper body to gain a human one is good news."

This was something Red Makeup had dreamed of. Now that it had come true, she was naturally overjoyed.

Red Makeup took several deep breaths to calm her excitement and continued, "Also, on top of the existing bonus to your Swordsmanship, I can now double its power."

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "Doubled, you say? That's a very nice surprise."

A twofold bonus to his Swordsmanship meant that the attack power of Shen Bai's Soul-Annihilating Sword now far surpassed his Vajra Dharma Form Fist.

Although one was an unarmed technique and the other was Swordsmanship, making them not directly comparable, this boost would cause Shen Bai's combat power to skyrocket.

Red Makeup nodded slightly.

She could sense Shen Bai's delight. As his Deceitful Beast, his happiness was her happiness.

This meant her evolution hadn't gone awry in the slightest.

"Master, our chances in the Celestial Pride Hall are even greater now," Red Makeup said, moving closer and lightly taking Shen Bai's arm.

Shen Bai smiled. "Of course. It's time to bring the matter of the Celestial Pride Hall to a satisfactory conclusion."

For a first evolution, Shen Bai hadn't expected Red Makeup to gain more than one new ability. What she'd gotten was more than enough.

"Let's go. Time to meet those so-called geniuses," Shen Bai said with a wave of his hand.

All the preparations were made, and the final piece had just fallen into place.

Red Makeup gave Shen Bai a slight bow, transformed into a streak of red light, and entered the Cold Moon.

Shen Bai grasped the hilt of the Cold Moon Sword, then strode out the door and headed toward the Imperial Palace.

...

「Xuanjing City, the Imperial Palace.」

At this moment, a vast crowd had gathered before a grand hall within the Imperial Palace known as the Celestial Clarity Hall.

This was the hall used in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace to receive envoys from other nations. It was built on an extravagant scale, with a plaza in front so vast one could not see to its end.

A dense throng of people milled about the plaza, looking around expectantly.

Eunuch Chen was dressed in simple robes, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking as though he hadn't quite woken up yet.

Beside him stood an old man in armor, along with the head of the General Department and the Prime Minister, all waiting in front of the Celestial Clarity Hall.

And next to the Prime Minister stood a middle-aged man dressed as a Scholar, gently waving a paper fan.

"Marshal Yang, is that your new recruit? Zhou Qing, wasn't it? Quite the young talent," Eunuch Chen remarked, sweeping his gaze over.

Although the armored Marshal Yang appeared old and frail, a terrifyingly powerful energy flowed within him.

Hearing Eunuch Chen's words, he replied, "That's right. He's bold and unafraid to fight, and his talent for the battlefield is supreme. I have already taught him the Blood Battle Eight Directions Saber and the Military Array Technique."

Eunuch Chen's expression showed his understanding. "I see. It seems that kid Shen Bai's friends are no small fries either. They're just still young and need time to grow."