...

Seeing the Spirit Artifact's reaction, everyone present was taken aback.

"Monster?" Wang Shouzhe frowned and asked, "Do we actually have a monster in our research institute?"

"Of course we do~" Spirit Artifact Lanshan replied matter-of-factly, "Have you ever seen an ancient relic without a monster lurking in it? Don't the newcomers have to go through numerous trials to reap rich rewards?"

"......"

Wang Shouzhe was at a loss for words.

You make a good point.

"But I vaguely remember that our Green Demon Institute only grows some spiritual plants and herbs, and has a lab for cultivating energy conversion vines?" Senior Sister Lu Wei was puzzled, "These can't be considered 'monsters', right? Could it be that a monster from outside has taken over?"

"Reporting to the Venerable." Spirit Artifact Lanshan explained, "Ever since our institute received your order to shut down, no outsiders have entered the depths of the research base. The monster was born within our institute."

"Could it be... that the exotic demon vine I cultivated successfully evolved?" Senior Sister Lu Wei suddenly remembered something and was overjoyed, "It's really like searching high and low only to find it effortlessly! Hahaha~~~ Wait, why am I so happy?"

As she laughed, Senior Sister Lu Wei's expression froze, suddenly confused.

"That's because, Venerable, you had high hopes for that exotic demon vine. You even spent a fortune to build the Green Demon Institute for its cultivation." Spirit Artifact Lanshan explained, "Although you've lost a lot of your memory, your instincts still make you happy. However, I regret to inform you, Venerable, that your experiment failed."

"Uh..." Senior Sister Lu Wei was speechless.

"After our institute was shut down, that exotic demon vine gradually lost control, causing many researchers to lose their lives. Later, it devoured various spiritual herbs and plants, as well as the underground immortal spiritual veins and the demonic veins you transplanted with great effort." Spirit Artifact Lanshan explained, "Fortunately, you had set up a defense system around its experimental field just in case, which limited its growth. But now, everything in our institute that it could devour has long been consumed, leaving it with nothing to eat, forcing it into dormancy to reduce consumption."

Dormancy is an innate ability of all exotic plants, a means of preserving vitality.

"However, it awakens periodically, and once it does, it frantically tries to break through our institute's defense system to escape into the vast world outside. Over the years, our Green Demon Institute's defense system has gradually become overwhelmed."

"Boom!" "Boom!"

As they spoke, the exotic demon vine deep within the institute continued its frenzied assault on the defense system. The ground and walls of the reception room shook more and more violently, and even the spiritual wood beams began to crack with "snap" sounds.

"Spirit Artifact Lanshan, just how powerful is that monster?" The more Wang Shouzhe listened, the deeper his frown became, and he couldn't help but ask, "How much longer can our institute hold out?"

"It's equivalent to the twelfth tier..." Spirit Artifact Lanshan said unhurriedly, "It can't hold out anymore."

Twelfth tier?

Everyone's expression changed.

A twelfth-tier spiritual plant is equivalent to the late Void Realm for humans. Even if the three Void Realm experts present joined forces, it was uncertain if they could defeat it.

Third Prince Shentu Jingming, however, caught onto another point, his expression tightening instantly: "What do you mean by 'can't hold out'? I asked how much longer..."

He had only spoken halfway when a "boom" sounded, and the wall of the reception room exploded.

Amidst the flying debris, a massive black vine burst through the wall, crashing down on the people in the reception room with unstoppable force.

In an instant, a terrifying demonic aura swept out like a monstrous wave.

Under the crushing pressure of this terrifying force, even the surrounding space couldn't withstand it, cracking inch by inch.

No one doubted that if they were hit by this vine, there would be no chance of survival for anyone below the Divine Realm!

Everyone's expression changed instantly.

Fortunately, there were still Zhuo Lao, Qinghuang Demon Emperor, and Ji Yue'er, three Void Realm experts, on the scene. They reacted immediately, each grabbing someone and swiftly dodging into the air, avoiding the deadly strike.

The massive vine missed its target, crashing into the reception room and turning it into ruins.

In the air, the people who had come to their senses looked down and collectively gasped.

It was indeed a monster.

On the ground, within the relic, the black vines stretched endlessly, filling every inch of their field of vision. They twisted and writhed like mad serpents, and the thick vine tendrils smashed everything in sight, leaving the institute's buildings in ruins.

Most terrifying of all, its divine sense was chaotic and filled with violent hostility, like a mindless, raging demon, completely beyond communication.

"Senior Sister, look at what you've been researching! Exotic demon plants? Aren't they just alien plants~~" Wang Shouzhe's cheek twitched, "If this thing escapes and runs into a city, it will cause untold destruction. If it hides in the deep mountains and forests, it will be like a fish in water, becoming even more uncontrollable. If it continues to develop, even the Immortal Emperor or Demon Emperor might not be able to handle it."

Wang Shouzhe always thought Senior Sister Lu Wei was too reckless in her research, with many dangerous ideas. He didn't expect her to be even more outrageous before her reincarnation.

"I've considered that, which is why I built the institute on an island." Senior Sister Lu Wei felt a bit wronged, "Besides, I was very powerful before. I could handle something like this easily. You can't doubt my research abilities because of this. If you don't want money, you can ask for other conditions, and I'll agree to them."

She still hadn't given up?!

Wang Shouzhe had a headache but was even more determined in his belief, insisting on refusal: "Let's focus on dealing with this monster first."

However.

Just as he finished speaking.

That twelfth-tier demon vine began to deal with everyone first.

Several massive vines rose into the air, tearing through space and flying towards them. The thick vine bodies were shrouded in demonic energy, and the overwhelming demonic aura filled the sky, as if it would crush them all in the next moment.

It was clear that it had targeted them.

The Void Realm experts' expressions turned grim, and they quickly dodged with their people.

"Shou..." Qinghuang Demon Emperor, dodging in the air with Nine Yin Demon Envoy and Ancestor Long Yan, showed a rare hint of urgency in her phoenix eyes, "Zheme, this demon vine is likely not just at the early twelfth tier. Even if the three of us join forces, we might not be able to stop it, especially while protecting you all. It's impossible to be its match."

"Indeed. This demon vine has extraordinary potential and is extremely difficult to deal with." Ji Yue'er, carrying Wang Shouzhe and Lu Wei, was the weakest among the three Void Realm experts, feeling even more constrained, her expression the most serious, "Zheme, think of a solution quickly."

In fact, Ji Yue'er was hesitant to go all out, fearing that revealing her techniques and bloodline would arouse suspicion in Zhuo Lao and the Third Prince, leading them to guess her true identity and causing trouble for Wang Shouzhe.

Zhuo Lao, having brought only Shentu Jingming, was still relatively at ease. However, hearing the two women's words, he couldn't help but glance at Wang Shouzhe, thoughtful.

He had vaguely sensed before that this group seemed to be led by Wang Zheme, and now he was even more certain.

This surprised him greatly.

Void Realm experts, being second only to True Immortal and True Demon Realm experts in this world, naturally held significant status and influence.

In such a critical moment, the two Void Realm experts had both chosen to let Wang Zheme make the decisions, indicating his standing in their hearts.

This person was far from as simple as he appeared.

"Zhuo Lao, please take the Third Prince and leave first, heading north." At this moment, Wang Shouzhe suddenly spoke loudly, "I and the Ancestor will lure it south."

"No way!" Third Prince Shentu Jingming was the first to vehemently oppose, "I can't let you and Ruobing sacrifice yourselves because of my noble status! If we die, we die together; if we live, we live together. At worst, I'll risk a scolding and summon the Old Fellow to deal with this demon vine."

It was evident that the Third Prince also had a Demon Emperor's Order.

Wang Shouzhe's mouth twitched.

If he really summoned the Demon Emperor, and the Demon Emperor recognized him as Wang Fugui's great-grandfather, what if he vented his anger on him?

Immediately, Wang Shouzhe signaled Ancestor Long Yan with a glance.

Only Ancestor Long Yan could handle such a reckless youth.

"Shentu Jingming, if my Zheme tells you to scram, then scram!" Ancestor Long Yan scolded coldly, "Stop getting in the way here, preventing us from using our methods."

"Ruobing~" The Third Prince was deeply moved, tears welling up, "I never expected you to care for me so much. You're willing to sacrifice yourself for me."

"From now on, my life is yours. No, my life is yours, and my death is your ghost."

With that, Third Prince Shentu Jingming not only didn't plan to leave but impulsively took out the Demon Emperor's Order, ready to summon the Demon Emperor.

"Zhuo Lao!"

Wang Shouzhe and Ancestor Long Yan shouted in unison.

"I understand." Zhuo Lao, understanding the situation, immediately grabbed the Third Prince, tore open space, and left.

Under normal circumstances, the True Immortal relics could restrict Void Realm experts from tearing space, but the Green Demon Institute's defense system had long been torn apart by the twelfth-tier demon vine, rendering the restriction ineffective.

Zhuo Lao, carrying Third Prince Shentu Jingming, swiftly escaped north through the spatial rift.

Only the Third Prince's tragic cries echoed from the sky: "Ruobing, I'm sorry~~~ Zhuo, let me go! I'll be back!"

Zhuo Lao's speed was swift, and in the blink of an eye, even the cries completely disappeared.

With the Third Prince no longer in the way, Wang Shouzhe could finally command with peace of mind, and everyone could perform to their fullest.

"Senior Ji, Senior Qinghuang, please lure this demon vine out of the relic. We have reinforcements outside." Wang Shouzhe instructed, "Ancestor, Nine Yin Demon Envoy, Senior Sister, come to my side."

With that, he raised his hand, and three shields appeared around him, forming a shield formation.

Ancestor Long Yan, seeing this, immediately joined the shield formation with Nine Yin Demon Envoy and Senior Sister Lu Wei.

Meanwhile, Ji Yue'er and Qinghuang Demon Emperor finally had their hands free, and they began to "lure" the demon vine.

Qinghuang Demon Emperor was already adept at speed, and Ji Yue'er, temporarily boosted by Wang Shouzhe's [Milk Shadow Cloak] Wang Baoli, was even faster than Qinghuang Demon Emperor.

While this exotic demon vine was incredibly powerful, making even two Void Realm experts hesitant to confront it head-on, its mobility was its weakness.

The two of them, fighting and luring, smoothly tricked it out of the relic and led it south.

Under normal circumstances, "luring a monster" wouldn't be this easy.

But this exotic demon vine was extremely irritable, and its consciousness was chaotic, driven almost entirely by instinct, single-mindedly wanting to devour Wang Shouzhe and his group. Even if the path was all ocean, it showed no fear, half-floating, half-drifting as it pursued Wang Shouzhe and his group.

Of course, this was also due to the excellent acting of Wang Shouzhe and the others.

When luring a monster, the most important thing is the word "lure."

You have to constantly make the exotic demon vine feel that the prey is almost within reach, just a little more effort and it can be captured and enjoyed.

During this process, you can't let the exotic demon vine lose hope and retreat, which requires various strategies.

Using the "lure" tactic, after a long time, they slowly led the exotic demon vine to the target sea area.

Here, the sea was vast, with endless black mist drifting around.

Upon reaching this point, Wang Shouzhe and his group finally stopped.

The exotic demon vine, having lost its patience long ago, saw an opportunity and violently lunged forward, intending to devour them all.

However, before it could reach Wang Shouzhe and the others, a powerful voice echoed from the surrounding black mist: "Shouzhe, you went to a relic and brought back such a big wild monster. This demon vine is of a high tier, not easy to deal with."

"That's why we need everyone to join forces to deal with it."

Wang Shouzhe smiled, his expression calm.

During the "luring" process, he and Senior Sister Lu Wei had tried communicating with it several times, but only received violent attacks in response.

Failing to awaken its reason, they had no choice but to kill it for materials.

As they spoke, Dragon Whale King Dragon Jingjing, Ancestor Dragon of Yuan Shui, Jiang Zhencang, and a clone of Di Xiu all appeared from the black mist.

With the original Qinghuang Demon Emperor and Ji Yue'er, the number of Void Realm experts present instantly rose to six.

A group of Void Realm experts each took a position, beginning a ruthless siege on the exotic demon vine.

"What a thick demon vine, with so many tendrils, it's really ugly~"

"I'm sure this isn't a species from our world."

"This thing is equivalent to the late Void Realm, right? It's rare for a demon plant to grow this big. It's a pity it encountered us."

The Void Realm experts showed great interest, their expressions relaxed and casual, as if they were out for a leisurely stroll.

Each of them exuded the terrifying pressure of a Void Realm expert.

The combined pressure of the six experts seemed to suppress even the space itself.

For a moment, the wind and clouds ceased, and even the air seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe.

The previously rampant exotic demon vine instinctively sensed the immense threat, and its countless thick tendrils froze in mid-air.

It was dumbfounded.

So many powerful beings, it was doomed~

"Ahem! Have you all chatted enough~" Wang Shouzhe coughed, reminding the experts, "Let's finish it off quickly, and we'll have cleared this relic."

With the command given.

The assorted Void Realm experts finally stopped chatting and began a ruthless assault on the exotic demon vine. The battle was intense, with pieces of the demon vine flying everywhere.

For safety, Wang Shouzhe and his group retreated to a safe distance, watching from afar.

Even from this distance, three shields continued to orbit around Wang Shouzhe, providing impenetrable protection.

"This, this, this..." Liu Safety, the Divine Treasure Shield, couldn't help but mutter, "Master, is it over just like that?"

"What do you want?" Wang Shouzhe glanced at him.

"Since following Master, I've never taken a direct hit, never shown the true role of a Divine Treasure Shield." Liu Safety's tone was conflicted, unsure if he was relieved or distressed, "How about you move a bit closer? Let me reminisce about my defensive days? Just once, even just one hit would be nice."

"How can that be?" Wang Shouzhe sternly refused, "That exotic demon vine is still very powerful. What if it has a desperate move left? As the head of the family, I bear a heavy burden. My life isn't just my own."

"..." Liu Safety felt like crying, "How about you don't go up. I'll fly over and sneak in a shield strike, just to show some presence."

"Safety! Where's your sense of safety gone?" Wang Shouzhe scolded, "As a shield, your primary role is to protect, not attack. If you go for a shield strike, sure, it's satisfying, but without you, there's a gap in my defense. What if an enemy sneaks up on me, wouldn't that be a safety hazard?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Wang Tank joined in with a childish voice, "A shield that can't stand solitude isn't a good shield. That's what you taught me, don't you remember? Master, I suggest demoting Safety to the second sequence, and let me be the main shield."

"You little brat, after all the years I've protected and taught you, you dare betray me at a critical moment!" Liu Safety was furious, "Am I unable to stand solitude? I'm just testing if the Master is getting complacent. The result is clear, under my years of guidance, the Master's sense of safety is indeed unbreakable, with no blind spots."

The two Divine Treasure Shields, one old and one young, circled Wang Shouzhe, bickering heatedly, while the nearby Dao Artifact Shield, Heaven-Shaking Shield, had complex emotions.

Originally, as the national treasure of the Yan Kingdom, Heaven-Shaking Shield enjoyed unparalleled respect and reverence. Unexpectedly, after being captured, it ended up in the hands of this Wang Clan head.

Initially, it was apprehensive about what kind of character its new master was.

Unexpectedly, such a weirdo.

Could it be that it, the mighty Heaven-Shaking Shield, was destined for an early retirement?

Amidst the bickering of the two Divine Treasure Shields, the siege on the exotic demon vine concluded.

No matter how strong a lion, it couldn't withstand a group of experts' assault. Under the ruthless beating, it tried to escape several times but failed, ultimately being chopped into countless pieces, floating on the sea.

The Yuan Shui Azure Dragon, Dragon Whale Clan, and Wang Clan's armored fleet, accustomed to cleanup, began the post-battle salvage work without needing instructions. Meanwhile, the experts, having stretched their muscles, returned to the cabin to play mahjong.

Wang Shouzhe, the dungeon commander, had nothing much to do, so he pulled Ancestor Long Yan aside for tea and conversation, while also engaging in deeper discussions with Senior Sister Lu Wei, hoping she might recall something from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty era.

Unexpectedly, even after recovering some memories, Senior Sister Lu Wei was no different from before.

The Demon Plant Venerable, in essence, was a technical recluse during the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, oblivious to the outside world, focused solely on research. The memories Lu Wei recalled were mostly about experiments and battles with outer region demons.

Even with more memories, she remained a more advanced technical recluse.

The only difference was that when Lu Wei used to ramble about biochemical technology, Wang Shouzhe could barely understand some of it. Now, he couldn't understand a thing.

Time passed bit by bit.

With the salvage, the broken demon vine carcass filled the fleet's cabins.

These were top-tier materials from a twelfth-tier exotic plant, something even stripping Enlightenment Senior and Demon Emperor bald wouldn't yield as much. It would allow Wang's Research Institute to establish several research projects and be happy for a while.

That's the benefit of bringing an army to raid a relic; you don't even have to collect the loot yourself.

"Great-grandfather."

Wang Anxin, the deputy commander of the militia, joined the salvage team after being released from the Soldier-Hiding Tower.

He approached Wang Shouzhe with a pile of various crystals, asking, "These were found in the demon vine's core. Can you study them to see what they're for? Also, here's the demon vine's core. How should we handle it?"

Wang Shouzhe glared at him.

Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me? I'm not a technician; what can I figure out?

"Demon vine core?"

Senior Sister Lu Wei was quite interested, and she telekinetically grabbed the fist-sized, oval-shaped demon plant core, her eyes filled with excitement: "I thought the energy-devouring demon vine experiment was a complete failure, but it left a seed. Great, I can start the experiment again."

Again?

Wang Shouzhe's head buzzed whenever Senior Sister Lu Wei mentioned "experiment."

He quickly snatched the demon vine core: "Senior Sister, you should rest for now. I'll handle the plant cultivation."

Senior Sister Lu Wei thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded: "Alright, although your cultural level is lacking, your bloodline talent is more suited for cultivating the energy-devouring demon vine. Sigh~ why don't I have a high-quality bloodline like yours? It's like a flower stuck in..."

"Senior Sister, what exactly is this energy-devouring demon vine? I won't dare cultivate it without a clear explanation." Wang Shouzhe's forehead throbbed, and he quickly stopped her from continuing.

"I discovered this demon vine during an expedition to the outer regions." Senior Sister Lu Wei explained, "Its main trait is its appetite for energy, converting what it consumes into crystals. It devours everything: spiritual energy, demonic energy, spiritual veins, and various bioenergies... I once took samples and cultivated a series of vines, the most successful being the Bloodthirsty Vine."

"Bloodthirsty Vine?" Wang Shouzhe immediately thought of his now marginalized "pet," "Wasn't the Bloodthirsty Vine recognized by the Shenwu Royal Dynasty? How did you end up being wanted?"

"Yes, I initially worked for that old dog, the Holy Emperor, researching various spiritual plants. Wait, why did I call him an old dog?" Senior Sister Lu Wei looked puzzled, "Strange, why was I wanted? I'm such an honest technical recluse, it must be the Holy Emperor's fault."

Wang Shouzhe's mouth twitched.

For the Holy Emperor to want you, you must have done something earth-shattering.

Forget it~ the historical gap is too severe, and much of the past has been lost to history. Pursuing it now is pointless; better to spend more time with her and adjust her worldview.

"Will there be any issues if I cultivate it?" Wang Shouzhe hesitated, looking at the demon vine core.

"There won't be any issues." Senior Sister Lu Wei confidently assured, "It's a half-step True Demon Plant, capable of reaching the twelfth-tier peak under normal circumstances, and with luck, breaking through to the thirteenth tier. It's actually quite intelligent, but being confined for too long, its consciousness became problematic."

"Now that its body is destroyed and its consciousness has completely collapsed, even if it's regrown, it'll be like a blank-slate infant. How it's educated is entirely up to you."

The last sentence moved Wang Shouzhe.

Our family has a top-notch clan school; nurturing a worldview is simple enough.

However, Wang Shouzhe's life plant slot was already occupied by Li Xian, making further contracts impossible.

So, it'll just be cultivated as an ordinary spiritual plant.

With this in mind, Wang Shouzhe infused a bit of life essence energy into the demon vine core.

Soon, the fist-sized core emitted a green glow.

In no time, a small dark green vine broke through the core, cautiously emerging and "observing" its surroundings.

Sensing the continuous flow of life essence energy from Wang Shouzhe's palm, it shot out like it had found a delicacy, wrapping tightly around Wang Shouzhe's slender fingers.

Even the two small leaves at the vine's tip clung to Wang Shouzhe's fingers, rubbing incessantly, as if drooling with greed.

At this moment, it seemed to have "delicious" and "clingy" written all over its forehead.

Wang Shouzhe felt a sense of kinship, as if he had gained another child.

Is this a half-step True Demon Plant?

Such an adorable appearance, completely unrecognizable from its previous ugly form.

"Let's give it a name." Wang Shouzhe pondered for a moment and named it, "We'll call it Wang Zongteng. I'll give it some lessons first, and when we return, it'll attend the clan school."

"Yiya yiya." The newly named [Wang Zongteng] happily wriggled, acting spoiled in Wang Shouzhe's palm.