Under the intense lock of spiritual energy, Wang Xiaoqiang's body became sluggish; moving even slightly was extremely difficult. As the hand, large as a cattail leaf fan, came slapping down with a fierce wind, Wang Xiaoqiang wanted to dodge but was too late. Instinctively, he bowed his head and bent his waist, attempting to use the Spirit Silkworm Treasure Robe on his back to resist the enormous force.

"Aoo!!"

As a suffocatingly immense power was about to hit his back, Wang Xiaoqiang suddenly felt a burning sensation on the skin where his tattoo was. At the same time, he heard an outcry that seemed neither tiger nor demon; it roared thunderously as he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye—the Multi-Armed Bear that was about to attack him with its thick arms was brought down by a shadowy figure.

Wang Xiaoqiang felt the burning sensation on his back completely dissipate. He straightened up and saw that lying on top of the Demon Bear was a Patterned Beast—it was the Patterned Beast.

Just as Wang Xiaoqiang was surprised, two other Multi-Armed Bears also pounced toward him.

One of them, under the assault of Wang Xiaoqiang's Spiritual Energy Needle Rain, had quite literally become a blind bear. It charged at him following the sound but couldn't pinpoint his exact location.

Wang Xiaoqiang concentrated his Spiritual Power towards the Multi-Armed Bear that was lunging at him in the forefront and slapped out his palm. Spiritual Energy rolled forth, condensing into three dazzling bolts of lightning on his palm.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Thunderclap Annihilation Palm carrying bolts of lightning pierced through layers of demonic power and struck the relatively soft belly of the beast.

"Howl!"

Accompanied by a mournful howl, the massive body of the beast was thrown backward by the fully powered palm strike, with a burnt black patch on its portly belly. Although the beast hadn't been killed by the palm strike, it did not get up for some time.

Wang Xiaoqiang was startled; he truly hadn't expected the Thunderclap Annihilation Palm to be so powerful.

Delighted, he turned his head and saw that the Demon Beast was still pressing down on that Multi-Armed Bear, gnawing and biting at its head, which had been torn to shreds.

At that moment, the remaining Multi-Armed Bear, blinded, was furiously howling and charging around in a frenzy.

Having killed one, the Patterned Beast leaped up with a fierce roar and pounced toward the blindly stumbling Multi-Armed Bear.

By then Wang Xiaoqiang was certain it was the Patterned Beast; otherwise, it would have been pouncing on him at this moment.

Once sure of this, Wang Xiaoqiang was overjoyed. His eyes swept over the scene, and seeing that the head of the other Multi-Armed Bear had been torn apart, foaming blood at the mouth and seemingly still breathing, he quickly stepped forward, pinned it down with his foot, drew out the Dagger Fish, gutted its thick belly, and extracted the Demon Core, which was larger than a goose egg and the biggest one Wang Xiaoqiang had ever obtained.

He took out one core, but rather than absorbing it immediately, he pierced the semi-dead Multi-Armed Bear with a sword and then plucked its Demon Core out, releasing 300 Spiritual Springs to begin absorption.

The larger the Demon Crystal, the more demonic essence it contained. Based on experience, Wang Xiaoqiang felt that one Multi-Armed Bear's Demon Core was equivalent to two of the Multi-Headed Arrow Leopard's.

After absorbing the core, the 300 Spiritual Springs split into two, turning into 600, and entered his body. "Roar!"

It was then that the Patterned Beast lifted its head from the Multi-Armed Bear and let out a low roar.

Under its body, the head of the Multi-Armed Bear was a mangled mess soaked in blood.

Wang Xiaoqiang stood up and walked closer.

The Patterned Beast, understanding its master's intentions, had deliberately not killed the Multi-Armed Bear. Its head was a pulpy mess but its massive body was still twitching; its legs kicking weakly.

Seeing his master approach, the Patterned Beast immediately leaped away from the dying beast.

Wang Xiaoqiang stepped forward, pinning the nearly dead massive body with his foot, and drew out the Dagger Fish...

After absorbing the third Multi-Armed Bear's Demon Core, Wang Xiaoqiang, while the iron was hot, released 300 more Spiritual Springs for absorption. Eventually, the 300 Spiritual Springs had split and turned into 600,

The Patterned Beast circled around him, vigilantly scanning their surroundings, exuding a majestic and imposing demeanor.

Having absorbed three cores in a row, Wang Xiaoqiang now had an additional 900 Spiritual Springs in his body,

Opening his eyes wide, Wang Xiaoqiang's gaze fell on the Patterned Beast,

Its mighty tiger-like body, with wings growing on its back, the stark black and white stripes, would appear vivid one moment and like a phantom the next—vividly a Shadow Flying Tiger, and at other times, just a vague shadow.

As Wang Xiaoqiang's own cultivation base grew, the strength of the Patterned Beast continued to grow as well.

After giving it a thorough look, Wang Xiaoqiang's face broke into a pleased smile, his Pet Beast would, barring accidents, be his main companion for life. Although it was his beast, its strength was not inferior to his own. If it weren't for this Patterned Beast today, Wang Xiaoqiang's chances of misfortune would have been greater than those of good luck. In the days to come, within the belly of the Mystic Yin Mountains, he would rely on it,

With this Patterned Beast, whose strength was equivalent to that of an Eighth-Level Demon Savage, he wouldn't dare to say he could swagger around, but neither would he need to shrink back like a turtle!

Thinking of this, Wang Xiaoqiang stood up and gestured to the Patterned Beast.

In tune with its master's intentions, the beast moved beside him as soon as he summoned it, its head modestly lowered, its natural ferocity and dominance retracted, exuding an adoring look just like a child.

Wang Xiaoqiang patted its head, which was smooth like brocade, and said, "You're quite the slick one, aren't you? Knowing full well I was in danger, why wait until now to come out?"

The Patterned Beast let out a low whine, as if responding to Wang Xiaoqiang's question.

Even though he couldn't understand it, Wang Xiaoqiang could read the meaning in its eyes.

It was admitting its mistake.

......

In this way, man and beast commenced a life of hunting and guarding in the depths of the Mystic Yin Mountains.

At night, Wang Xiaoqiang would focus on cultivation; sometimes he released Yang Ling to summon wind and rain, while the Patterned Beast stood guard.

During the day, with the help of the Patterned Beast, Wang Xiaoqiang killed demons and collected Demon Crystals as easily as reaching into a bag; it was extremely effortless. However, sometimes they would encounter stronger Barbaric Demons, like the Ninth Level Demon Savage Thorn Flood Dragon, the Ninth Level Demon Savage Ghost Fire Dragon, and the Tenth Level Demon Savage Dragon Horn Turtle; Tenth Level Demon Savage Three-Eyed Ape, all of which exceeded the Patterned Beast. Especially the Tenth Level Demon Savage Three-Eyed Ape, with its extremely strong demonic power and intelligence surpassing that of humans, and what was more miraculous was that such a Tenth-Level Demon Savage could speak human language. Even with his main Pet Beast joining forces, they likely couldn't slay it.

In fact, Demon Savages above the tenth level had awakened their Spiritual Wisdom and could no longer be simply called Barbaric Demons. Take the Dragon Horn Turtle for example; not only could it walk upright like a human, but it could also speak human language. Its skin was as tough as steel, and it bore the majesty of a dragon. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a Spirit Turtle.

......

Another month passed.

During this month, Wang Xiaoqiang had converted 5000 more Spiritual Springs, reaching a total of 15900 within his body. When the number of Spiritual Springs inside him reached 20000, his Cultivation Base would break through to the Second Transformation of the Immortal,

While converting Spiritual Springs, he hadn't forgotten about Body Cultivation. One must strengthen the body, which might seem simple yet is quite difficult.

Strengthening the body is not as simple as exercising muscles, also referred to as Body Refinement.

Body Refinement, like Qi Refinement, is a method of cultivation.

In Ancient Times, there was the concept of Divine Demon Body Refinement. Those Innate Creatures naturally born from earth and sky sought strength and immortality through Body Cultivation. Today, this method of Cultivation still exists, but due to its primitive and cruel nature, it has been abandoned by the majority of Immortal Cultivators. Of course, there are still a few valiant individuals who are fond of this path, and such people are mainly found in the Rogue Cultivator World.

Qi Cultivation is from the inside out.

Body Cultivation is from the outside in. For example, Wang Xiaoqiang, after refining muscles, moved on to Organ Refining. After the Organ Refining Realm, it's the Blood Condensation Realm. Each stage is arduously difficult to cultivate, but if one has a strong will and does not fear the pain of tempering the flesh, once they achieve results, they would become an exceedingly powerful being!

Cultivators of the body are not only tough but also possess endless strength, especially those in the Muscle Refining Stage of Body Cultivation, who can break energy with strength alone, making them formidable foes against Qi Cultivators. It is said that ten years ago, a figure named Beng Tian appeared in the Rogue Cultivator World who could lift a ten thousand catties heavy object with one hand…

On this particular morning, as the sun just began to rise, he ate two Leafless Fruits and was about to go harvest Demon Crystals as usual, when suddenly he heard a dragon-like but not dragon-like long chant, resonant and clear. A thought crossed his mind, and following the sound, he saw to the west in the sky, there appeared a swath of red clouds. The clouds were eerily red and very bright, rivalling the rising sun in the east for splendor, and moreover, the red clouds faintly took the shape of a dragon.

When the dragon chants long and the red clouds emerge, it marks the time when the Spirit Turtle transforms into a dragon.

This phrase emerged in Wang Xiaoqiang's mind upon seeing the phenomenon. He had read it in the "Ten Chapters of Barbaric Demons" before entering the mountains. The passage was about the Tenth Level Demon Savage Dragon Horn Turtle. Even as a Tenth Level, the Dragon Horn Turtle, also known as the Spirit Turtle, was extremely long-lived, but despite its long life, it was not better than transforming into a dragon.

The Dragon Horn Turtle that had lived for a thousand years could cast off its demonic form and transform into a dragon, leaping to become a Divine Beast, and from then on summon wind and rain, and ride the clouds and mist, traversing space, utterly carefree.

Seeing this spectacle, Wang Xiaoqiang felt a rush of excitement and his face lit up with ecstasy. With that ecstasy and excitement, he quickly flipped over, making a bizarre movement—supporting himself with his hands on the ground and pointing his legs toward the sky, closing his eyes; he was using the Gaze Technique, and his "Observing Heaven and Earth" which had reached the Small Achievement stage could detect all activity within ten miles around him.

Through the Gaze Technique, he quickly saw that beneath the red clouds, there was a Dragon Horn Turtle undergoing transformation. At the same time, he also noticed a large number of Barbaric Demons heading toward the Dragon Horn Turtle's location, racing towards it. Moreover, a small group of people too were hastening in that direction.

Without a moment's hesitation, he flew up into the air toward the red clouds—

When the Dragon Horn Turtle undergoes its dragon transformation, it is its time for a metamorphosis; during this time, the Demon Crystal within it also undergoes a transformation, moving towards becoming a Dragon Pill. Should the transformation succeed, it would become a dragon; if it failed, it would become a half-demon, half-dragon entity—a Demon Core. If one could obtain this Demon Core and absorb it, they could not only acquire a shell as tough as that of the Dragon Horn Turtle but also gain a sturdy physique like that of a dragon.

The time of the Dragon Horn Turtle's transformation is also its weakest moment—it is only then one could slay it and only then it is possible to obtain the Demon Core. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)

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