Big Old Black was in a sorry state.

The massive beast’s eyes were bloodshot, locked onto the Spirit Mulberry tree with obsessive intensity. His body shuddered and twitched uncontrollably, twisting as if a thousand lice were burrowing beneath his fur.

Bibo, perhaps tempered by age, was more composed. Though the old turtle stared at the mulberries with undeniable longing, he suppressed the urge to debase himself.

Wu Yuan waved his hand. Immediately, the Spirit Silkworms nesting in the branches sprang into action.

They harvested every ripe fruit, carrying them down to Wu Yuan’s palm.

Since this was the first harvest, the yield was low—only sixteen berries in total. However, the quality was impeccable. Each one had reached the peak of the First Rank Middle Grade.

They were stunning. The fruits resembled carved crimson crystals, translucent and glowing. Inside each berry, streams of viscous red liquid flowed like living magma.

The more Wu Yuan looked, the more familiar they seemed.

He grabbed a [Blood Jade Spirit Silkworm] and held it next to a fruit. The resemblance was uncanny; the berry was essentially a larger, immobile version of the silkworm.

“True symbiosis,” Wu Yuan sighed in admiration. “They are becoming more alike by the day.”

He decided then and there to name the fruit the [Blood Jade Mulberry].

Seeing the hunger in Bibo’s eyes, Wu Yuan picked out two berries and handed them over.

“Bibo, I promised you one before,” Wu Yuan said warmly. “But you performed excellently in the recent battle. Take an extra one as a reward.”

Bibo’s hands trembled as he accepted the [Blood Jade Mulberries]. “Thank you, Great King!”

To the side, Big Old Black whined, looking between Bibo and Wu Yuan with naked envy.

Wu Yuan laughed at the beast’s flustered state and tossed a berry through the air. “You did good work too. Here’s your reward!”

Big Old Black caught it, looking shocked. “Thank you… Boss!” he stammered.

Nearby, Little Gray watched the scene, stunned by Wu Yuan’s generosity.

To him, the [Blood Jade Mulberry] was a treasure beyond comprehension. Even at a glance, the dense Spiritual Qi radiating from the fruit marked it as a priceless artifact. Yet, Wu Yuan had casually tossed one to Big Old Black?

In Little Gray’s eyes, Big Old Black was weak. Sure, he had contributed, but certainly not enough to merit a spirit fruit of this caliber.

Wu Yuan glanced at the mouse demon and calculated internally. I need to secure Little Gray’s loyalty. His skills will be useful if I ever need to flee.

“You and your sister pulled your weight,” Wu Yuan said, tossing another berry to Little Gray. “This is for you.”

Little Gray held the berry, the intoxicating fragrance filling his nose. His mind went blank, leaving only one thought: What a generous Boss!

Seeing the mouse staring dumbfounded at the fruit, Wu Yuan frowned. “What’s wrong? You’re from the outside world; surely you’ve seen fruit of this quality before?”

Little Gray snapped out of his daze, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Boss, you’ve spent too long in Little Green Mountain. You don’t know how it is out there.”

“Among monsters, strength is supreme,” Little Gray explained rapidly. “Everything in a tribe belongs to the King. Even our lives are his property. Ordinary monsters like us? We aren’t qualified to even smell a spirit fruit like this!”

Bibo nodded solemnly. “The Great King is right. My clan served as slaves in the East Sea Dragon Palace. If the rulers were in a good mood, they might toss us scraps. If they were angry… we became the food.”

The old turtle sighed. “If I hadn’t been clever enough to curry favor and hoard a few assets, I never would have escaped with my life.”

Wu Yuan listened, a heaviness settling in his chest.

I’ve found another reason for the decline of the Demon Race, he thought. Bloodline supremacy and brutal oppression. The lower classes are suffocated.

I thought sacrificing the rat swarm was cruel, but to them, being treated as cannon fodder is just a Tuesday.

He puffed out his chest slightly. I really am a breath of fresh air in this savage world.

Later, when Wu Yuan returned to his treehouse, he saw Little Huang sprinting toward him, humming a cheerful, grumbling tune.

The weasel skidded to a halt, beaming. “Boss! I went to the bamboo grove for a bath and found something! A First Rank Low Grade [Purple Jade Bamboo] has sprouted!”

Little Huang’s eyes sparkled. “With that, you can finally try artifact refining!”

“You really are my lucky general!” Wu Yuan laughed, pinching Little Huang’s chubby cheeks. “You deserve a treat!”

Without warning, he stuffed a [Blood Jade Mulberry] into Little Huang’s mouth.

The weasel was used to Wu Yuan’s sudden feeding habits. He closed his eyes and chewed instinctively. But a moment later, his eyes snapped open. He frowned.

“Boss, I haven’t tasted this one before,” Little Huang mumbled, swallowing. “It tastes… weird.”

He paused, his brow furrowing. “Actually, my body feels weird too.”

Wu Yuan’s heart lurched.

Crap! I forgot the side effects!

He glanced toward Big Old Black’s den. After eating the berry, the dog had developed blood-red eyes and immediately sprinted off to find his mate.

I can’t let my boy get sick from this!

Wu Yuan snatched Little Huang up, inspecting him anxiously. “How do you feel? Does anything hurt?”

Little Huang smacked his lips thoughtfully. “At first, it tasted like blood. But the aftertaste… it was fragrant.”

Wu Yuan let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The weasel seemed fine.

“Little Huang eats so many treasures,” Wu Yuan muttered to himself, “yet he never seems to change.”

A thought struck him. He had never actually seen Little Huang cultivate, nor could he sense the little guy’s power level.

“Little Huang,” Wu Yuan asked, purely out of curiosity. “How many strands of Demon Power do you have right now?”

Little Huang puffed out his cheeks, looking annoyed. “Boss, I told you last time! I have 66 strands of Demon Power! You thought I was joking and kicked me out!”

“Hiss!”

Wu Yuan sucked in a sharp, cold breath.

His grip tightened unconsciously, pinching Little Huang’s fur so hard the weasel squealed in pain.

“Hey!” Little Huang struggled free from Wu Yuan’s claws and scampered away, looking back with an aggrieved expression.

Wu Yuan watched the round, rolling figure disappear, feeling a profound sense of defeat.

Does Little Huang have a cheat too? Is his cheat stronger than mine?!

Sixty-six strands! That was absurdly high for a creature that did nothing but bathe and eat.

Wu Yuan shook his head, regaining his confidence. No matter how strong he is, he still has to call me Boss. Besides, Little Huang has zero combat ability. This house still runs on my power.

“Cultivation time.”

He popped a [Blood Jade Mulberry] into his own mouth.

The skin melted instantly upon contact with his tongue. A rush of warm, viscous liquid flooded his mouth, sliding down his throat like molten silk.

As it hit his stomach, the spirit patterns engraved on his internal organs flared to life.

A massive surge of Spiritual Qi and blood erupted in his belly. It felt as if he had swallowed a fireball. The energy diffused, scorching through his veins and muscles, tempering his flesh from the inside out.

He could feel his physical body toughening by the second. A sensation of absolute fullness and vitality washed over him.

It was so comfortable that Wu Yuan couldn’t help but narrow his eyes in pure bliss.