Chapter 711 - 705: Spiritual Beast Breakthrough, Heavenly Tribulation Descends
Inside the Demon Refining Pot, the main spirit beasts of each layer were cultivating in their own unique ways.
Not only had Qin Feng’s cultivation improved at a startling pace due to a series of fortuitous encounters in recent years, but the spirit beasts under his command also basked in his reflected glory, with their Dao cultivation realms advancing by leaps and bounds, reaching cultivation realms that were once unattainable!
Take the Swallowing Sky Toad for example; due to its race’s exceptionally special innate talent, unless it could obtain spatial resources or treasures, each realm advancement would require consuming a thousand times more resources than other demon beasts of the same level.
Such a method of cultivation was not only impossible for ordinary demon beasts to achieve, but even the major sects would not spend such an exorbitant amount of resources on a single disciple.
However, it had encountered a good master, so it was able to continuously advance its cultivation in just a few decades. Especially recently, it first reached the Primordial Spirit Realm due to the powerful origin power within the Golden Apple, then after obtaining precious resources rich with space power from the White Bone City Lord through Qin Feng, the Swallowing Sky Toad had refined less than half of it, yet the space power within it had already condensed to the extreme.
At this moment, in the Chaotic Sky Map of the Demon Refining Pot’s first layer, the Swallowing Sky Toad had left the floating island that provided it with shelter and stepped into the immensely chaotic void.
The void within the Chaotic Sky Map not only frequently experienced massive Void Storms but was also plagued by various scattered spatial torrents that appeared from time to time. If Qin Feng, with his current Dao cultivation, were to control the Chaotic Sky Map, even immortals would find it difficult to escape being torn to shreds by the endless spatial torrents and turned into dust by the Void Storms.
But when the Swallowing Sky Toad’s figure appeared in this void, it moved as effortlessly as flowing clouds and streaming water, treating the chaotic void as if it were a pond it could freely swim in.
With each leap, it covered a distance of thousands of miles, and the violent Void Storms and the spatial torrents capable of cutting through everything would quietly part around it, unable to inflict the slightest harm.
The Swallowing Sky Toad, now at the peak of the Primordial Spirit Realm, had not only grown to a hundred zhang tall, its internal space had become so vast it could contain an entire mountain!
The Swallowing Sky Toad wandered through the void, moving forward without specific intent.
However, its mind was not as aimless as its steps; it was constantly perceiving the surrounding void, sensing those spatial fluctuations.
Gradually, some spatial torrents began to appear around it.
Yet these spatial torrents were chaotic but not disorderly, eventually organizing into patterns, neatly arranged like rows of faintly visible black Flying Swords, floating at will according to its desires.
Time passed unknowingly, and the spatial torrents that surrounded the Swallowing Sky Toad dissipated. In their place slowly emerged a gentle breeze.
The void was silent, and the breeze seemed exceptionally soft.
Gently circling its body a few times, it was like tender little hands caressing its smooth, emerald-green skin.
“Ribbit… Ribbit…”
Suddenly, the Swallowing Sky Toad’s bright eyes snapped open, and several croaks resembling thunder rolled from its mouth, with a faint fluctuation flashing briefly over its body.
Immediately after, the originally very soft breeze around it changed abruptly!
A ferocious Void Storm arose, swirling unpredictably around its figure.
In the midst of the overwhelming Void Storm, the Swallowing Sky Toad’s hundred zhang long body seemed incredibly diminutive, looking from afar like a grain of sand wrapped in a whirlwind.
Yet such a colossal Void Storm was manipulated by the Swallowing Sky Toad, moving according to its will—suddenly forward, then back, left, then right—sweeping across the void and enveloping ten thousand miles.
In the midst of the ever-growing Void Storm, the aura of the Swallowing Sky Toad grew stronger and stronger, the spatial fluctuations around it became more and more intense, and waves of Space Law fluctuations spread out until they reached a climax, and then burst forth…
The Spirit Turtle on the second layer of space was sound asleep, snoring heavily.
After fusing with the bloodline of the Money Turtle, the Spirit Turtle acquired the Money Turtle’s Innate Divine Ability. It could not only condense money to counteract other spells but also connect to the Spiritual Nature within opponents’ Magical Treasures with money. Moreover, it gained the talent for Divination, which further enhanced its existing Prediction Divine Power and made it eligible to ascend to the status of a Demon Immortal.
However, after successfully fusing, it suppressed its own Cultivation while practicing the Money Divination Technique because its first divination revealed that there were other opportunities. Thus, it was waiting for Qin Feng to help with a second bloodline fusion!
In fact, the result of the second fusion was far better than Qin Feng had imagined.
The Big Turtle, which he had not valued much, unexpectedly possessed a part of the Xuanwu Divine Beast’s bloodline!
As the strongest Divine Beast among the Turtle Clan and one of the Four Symbols Divine Beasts, the Xuanwu was sought after by countless turtles. Over the years, many Spirit Turtles have more or less acquired a part of the Xuanwu bloodline, much like many a Snake Demon contains some True Dragon Bloodline.
However, the Xuanwu bloodline in this Big Turtle was exceptionally rich, already purified to a very remarkable degree.
That was why after the fusion, the Spirit Turtle once again fell into a deep slumber.
The Xuanwu bloodline was incredibly powerful, and even though it had only awakened a part of it after merging with the Big Turtle, combined with the thin Xuanwu bloodline obtained from other Spirit Turtles and the original Dragon Turtle, the bloodline in the Spirit Turtle’s body was now extremely formidable.
In its deep sleep, its body gradually underwent changes. It not only grew larger, but its shape also became different from ordinary Spirit Turtles, turning somewhat strange.
Aside from the unchanged Eight Trigrams Divine Pattern on its back, its entire Turtle Shell became more ancient and solid than before, and many mystical patterns appeared along the rim, resembling coins, dragon seals, Taoist talismans, and Divine Runes!
These patterns were mysterious and seemed to contain infinite secrets!
Besides, scales appeared on the four limbs of the Spirit Turtle, its originally sharp claws became slender and powerful, no longer as bulky as before. Two large bulges emerged on its head, gradually forming two dragon horns.
Its mouth protruded forward, with sharp fangs barely visible; two long whiskers appeared near its lips, giving it a resemblance to a Dragon Head. Yet, it retained the distinct appearance of the Turtle Clan, as though it was the offspring born from the union of a True Dragon and a Xuanwu Divine Beast.
While the Spirit Turtle was deep in sleep, its body was undergoing earth-shattering transformations.
This was after multiple fusions, its innate bloodline could no longer suppress those of True Dragon and Xuanwu, completely merging into a new Bloodline, evolving into a previously unseen Divine Turtle!
If previously it was somewhat inferior to the Lifebound Divine Turtle refined by the Gui Ling Ancestor in Ancient Times, now, the Spirit Turtle was in no way inferior to that Divine Turtle, and its combat capabilities were even far superior.
All it awaited was to awaken from its deep sleep, which would mark the end of its evolution and its ascension to the status of a Demon Immortal.
The third layer of the Demon Refining Pot was filled with Golden Gemstones and various Demon Crystals, as well as a palace constructed out of gold; however, the White Dragon was nowhere to be seen.
Because Qin Feng wanted to maintain the purity of its Light Power, he did not fuse it with the Essence Blood of any other Giant Dragons. Although it had previously received the Origin Power of the Golden Apple, allowing the White Dragon to take a step further and become a Demon Beast of the Demigod Realm.
But it did not have the same luck as the other Spirit Beasts to continue ascending in rank, and cultivating in seclusion for a short time would not do much. Thus, Qin Feng let it out to play with the Giant Dragons that had migrated to the Sect.
Dragon Island’s various branches of giant dragons had all been transferred to the Beast Taming Sect by now, and aside from a few batches that had been settled at the Sect’s mountain gate, most of them were in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave Heaven.
These years, the White Dragon hadn’t skimped on its efforts for Qin Feng, demonstrating commendable diligence and suffering. It could take this time as a break, returning to the Giant Dragon Clan to relax for a while, and meanwhile, show off its strength in front of the other giant dragons—flaunting its current realm. It could also help the Sect appease the hearts of those dragons.
After all, they had just been relocated here, and their hearts were undoubtedly filled with anxiety. The appearance of the White Dragon would definitely cause a sensation among the various branches of the giant dragons.
After all, a Light Giant Dragon, who had only just reached adulthood and had returned to Dragon Island decades ago, was well-known for its strength.
And now, how long had it been since it followed a cultivator from the Beast Taming Sect? Yet, it had already grown so powerful!
Seeing the strength of the White Dragon, the other giant dragons would surely be tempted, thus giving rise to the impulse to work hard for the Beast Taming Sect.
Even though not every cultivator was like Qin Feng, capable of nurturing Spiritual Beasts without regard for expenditure, these giant dragons didn’t harbor illusions of advancing as rapidly as the White Dragon. For them, it was enough to break free from their shackles and congeal their divine status within their lifetimes.
Therefore, after the White Dragon made a few rounds among the giant dragon branches, it didn’t take long for some dragons, unable to resist the temptation, to actively approach those cultivators with great potential or strong power, wishing to form contracts and become their Spiritual Beasts.
However, the Beast Taming Sect’s cultivators wouldn’t resort to the so-called contracts passed down by deities from Otherworlds when subduing Spiritual Beasts. Why use those unreliable and restricted contracts when the Beast Taming Technique left by their own founding patriarch was far better, and the controlling power of the Binding Spell even stronger?
As for the White Dragon’s actions these days, how it swaggered among the different dragon branches, and even defeated an elder of the Light Giant Dragon Clan to snatch the position of Clan Leader, Qin Feng didn’t pay it any mind.
After checking on the Swallowing Sky Toad and the Spirit Turtle, Qin Feng turned his attention towards the fourth layer of space.
After years of reproduction, the Crow species within the Ten Thousand Crows Pot in the fourth layer had grown incredibly large, having increased by more than tenfold compared to when Qin Feng first subdued them.
Even the varieties had increased significantly since then.
Some were the result of natural reproduction and variation among the crows, some Qin Feng had collected from the Cultivation World, and others he had captured from Otherworlds.
Despite their numbers, their strength was not considered strong. After all, most had been born in recent years and, without endless resources for cultivation, at most only a few had distinguished themselves from the flock, with decent cultivation levels, while the majority were still in the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment Realms.
These were all subordinates of the Death Curse Crow. Although Qin Feng also gave the Death Curse Crow a secret Ten Thousand Crows Diagram from the Beast Taming Sect for training its subordinates in formation arrays, he hadn’t yet sent them into battle.
His gaze now fell on the Death Curse Crow!
The Death Curse Crow had undergone a huge transformation. After integrating with the Eightfold Crow under the command of the Heavenly Shining Great God, three legs had sprouted beneath the Death Curse Crow’s belly!
Which means, from now on, it could be referred to as the Three-legged Death Crow!
Of course, the changes weren’t limited to its appearance. It wasn’t simply a matter of growing three legs; its strength too had undergone a tremendous change.
There wasn’t much of the Three-legged Golden Crow’s bloodline within the Eightfold Crow, but when Qin Feng was integrating it, he discovered a segment of Fusang Wood that had fallen from it!
Although it was a pity it wasn’t a Fusang Branch which could merge with the Life Tree, it was precisely because of this, Qin Feng infused the essence and the power of the Sun True Fire contained within that piece of Fusang Wood into the Death Curse Crow, making the eerie Burning Fortune Fire within it grow even more vigorous and its power greatly increased.
The now Three-legged Death Crow, although it hadn’t ascended to become a Demon Immortal, could certainly lead even a slight incautious deity or immortal astray with its current strength!
The Undying Qingluan at the fifth level was incomparably beautiful, its entire body adorned with gorgeous feathers. Proudly lifting its head, a cluster of crown-like feathers revealed a noble aura. The long, elegant tail behind it, when spread out, would reveal thousands of sparks, and its mouth even let out a clear chirp like that of a phoenix.
The sixth level’s Hellhound, with its three enormous and fierce head, exuded a nimble yet brutal aura throughout its body.
This ferocious big dog was the first monster under Qin Feng’s command to advance to the Demigod realm and was also the oldest with the longest cultivation time, so its foundation was deeper than that of the other spirit beasts.
After refining the Hell Three-Headed Dog, it had already touched the verge of advancing to the Immortal realm. Later, after receiving the Origin Power of the golden apple, it could have advanced directly, but Qin Feng suppressed it.
Now that he had returned to Biluo, obtaining a Great Demon with the Heavenly Dog bloodline from White Bone City, Qin Feng merged it with the Hellhound, allowing the Hellhound to inherit a portion of the Heavenly Dog’s bloodline legacy. This made it much easier for the Hellhound to cultivate the Heavenly Dog Clan’s techniques.
At this moment, it lay prone by the shores of the Netherworld. It remained indifferent to the murky Netherworld Water flowing nearby, despite eerie faces sporadically surfacing. However, those Fierce Ghosts and resentful spirits were imprisoned by the Netherworld restriction and could not break free.
The Hellhound paid no attention to the resentful souls in the Netherworld Water, its aura fluctuating unsettled.
It was attempting to merge its own bloodline legacy with the techniques of the Heavenly Dog Clan, which would lead to an even more substantial foundation.
The Life Tree on the seventh level had reached the final stages of evolution, having perfectly integrated a branch from the golden apple tree and the Divine Tree from which the God of Plants, Adonis, was born. Not only had its size undergone a tremendous change, but the accumulation of energy was also so immense it was terrifying.
It was only because it was a plant, specifically a Divine Tree, that it could alleviate the excess powerful energy within by growing. Otherwise, if it was any common life form that delayed its evolution, it would likely have been burst by such an overwhelming force long ago!
The Ghost-Faced Spider at the eighth level, after integrating with the Fiery Flame Spider, did not show signs of advancing despite its increased fiery power. Instead, it seemed to be using the cultivation techniques to purify its inner flames and strength.
Qin Feng did not feel any regret for this. On the contrary, it was an opportunity for the Ghost-Faced Spider, as after purifying its power and flames, its potential would only be stronger.
Therefore, he did not urge the Ghost-Faced Spider to speed up its cultivation.
Although the Spring and Autumn Cicada at the ninth level had obtained a Time Hourglass and, coupled with the Origin Power of the golden apple, had the potential to advance, it lacked other special opportunities. Hence, its advancement was even slower than the Ghost-Faced Spider, placing it at the same realm as the White Dragon!
After checking on all the spirit beasts, Qin Feng gradually withdrew the suppressive force within the Demon Refining Pot, no longer constraining their power.
Then, these few spirit beasts felt a release of pressure. Their auras surged violently, and the previously firm barriers within them were forcefully breached like a dam breaking open.
Boom boom boom…
In the outside world, the sky suddenly darkened with dense clouds, with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder!
The violent thunder, accompanied by an oppressively dense atmosphere, descended upon the sky above Manghuang Mountain where the Beast Taming Sect was located!
“Eh? Why such sudden dark clouds? Is a downpour coming?”
Outside the Mountain Gate, a few disciples, who had just left the Market and flown into the sky atop their spiritual beasts, quickly directed their beasts to descend.
The clouds seemed very low, and the thunderous sounds not only made them feel oppressed inwardly, but their mounts were also utterly panicked. They dared not continue flying into the sky. Each mount let out frantic cries, urging their masters to quickly get away!