The Beast Taming Sect Disciples who had survived the calamity were visibly uplifted, and though their expressions hadn't completely transformed, their eyes now held a newfound resilience and sharpness.
Only Qing Feng's expression remained as usual, and he secretly grumbled to himself, "These cultivators, raised in a greenhouse, get all fired up over a few empty words."
After perfunctorily cooperating with Apothecary Jin Shishu to complete the routine inspection, Qing Feng followed the others out of the cave dwelling.
The long-awaited sunlight spilled onto the bluestone slabs. He stretched his limbs and sighed, "Chen Ming Peak is the most comfortable after all. I must sleep for three days and three nights when I get back."
"Congratulations to the host for improving cultivation."
"Thinking of being lazy right after escaping danger? There's a temple fair down the mountain; how about coming with me to listen to music and enjoy the lanterns?" Qin Yue's smile was like a blooming flower, and the jade pendant at her waist jingled as she turned.
"Then I'll entrust this Zouwu cub to Senior Sister's care." Qing Feng tucked the fluffy small beast into her arms. "Having to practice swordplay in the morning and look after a spirit pet, this Disciple is truly overwhelmed. Wouldn't it be a sin if it got thin from hunger?"
Qin Yue gently stroked the cub's soft fur, her eyes sparkling with joy. "That's true. If this snow-jade dumpling followed you..."
Before she finished speaking, the Zouwu was already comfortably snoring in her palm.
From a distance, Yan Yi pursed her lips and chuckled softly, secretly marveling at how this mischievous Martial Brother handled Senior Sister perfectly.
Only Qin Heng stared at their interaction, his sword-like brows slightly furrowed. Where was the filial piety he spoke of? Gifting it away so easily?
"Woof woof." A black shadow darted out from under the thatched eaves of Chen Ming Peak, and the Great Mysterious Dog pushed off its hind legs, ready to pounce.
Qing Feng sidestepped, disdainfully dusting off his clothes. "They say pretty girls, regardless of race, are approachable. But you're neither female nor tidy. Don't you understand that males and males should keep their distance?"
"You brat! When this lord commanded the demon realm, how many peerless demonesses threw themselves into my arms?" The Xuan Dog was so enraged it pawed at the ground, its tail tip stirring up a flurry of pine needles.
In the lingering glow of the setting sun, the bickering of the youth and the spirit pet startled several egrets in the forest.
Qing Feng had been missing for many days, and the Great Mysterious Dog was anxious and restless. But it was, after all, just a spirit dog that had lost its master, without even the right to question Qin Heng or Zi Yun. As it paced back to its den, the Xuan Dog suddenly had a thought: perhaps it would be better if that guy died.
"Only Golden Core level demonic beasts can shapeshift, and those with poor bloodlines will even retain tails and horns. As for you, this mongrel..." Qing Feng's teasing voice suddenly rang out.
"Woof." The Xuan Dog barked in exasperated anger, but instantly became docile upon seeing the crimson pill flicked its way. The moment the pill entered its throat, a lava-like heat surged through its entire body. Its size swelled like an elephant, and its demonic aura shot straight into the sky.
Once its power stabilized, the Xuan Dog fawningly rubbed against Qing Feng. "Master, can I have a few more?"
"These are Thousand Lake World Blood Pills." Qing Feng placed the medicine bottle on the stone table. "Apothecary Jin Shishu is currently refining a pill to completely heal Dao injuries. Wait until you can recover to Golden Core Ninth Level cultivation."
"This great lord will regain the throne of the Demon King and ensure you live a life of leisure." The Xuan Dog swaggered as it waved its paw, and a black whirlwind instantly swirled around the thatched hut.
Qing Feng smiled and walked into the basement. This trip to the Thousand Lake World had been fruitful; Chen Shanyu's Qiankun bag contained not only the ancient spirit beast Zouwu but also mountains of spirit stones.
Three rusty demonic artifacts: the Blood Soul Hook, the Soul Binding Chain, and the Soul Snatching Fork, along with ineffective pills, were swept into a corner, but the contents of the jade slips made his pupils constrict slightly.
After seven millennia, these records were still perfectly preserved.
Qing Feng flipped through the jade slips in his hand, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter. The Blood Transformation Demonic Art required a thousand lives for blood sacrifice, and the Blood Shadow Demonic Claws demanded the harming of hundreds of children. These malicious cultivation methods made his fingertips grow cold.
Jade slips unfolded one after another, filled with sinister methods of soul extraction and refinement. Even the secret arts that reached the Divine Ability realm exuded an evil aura.
"This Demon Sect inheritance truly doesn't value human lives." Just as he was about to destroy all the jade slips, he suddenly saw the four characters "Blood Devouring Demonic Art."
Although this method also required devouring vital blood, it secretly aligned with the profound mysteries of the Kunpeng's Heaven Devouring Dao. Qing Feng thoughtfully put away this jade slip and then found the jade slip recording the Beast Taming Art.
"To supplement one's shortcomings with the power of spirit beasts..." The image of Senior Sister taming the Zouwu appeared in his mind.
He had no desire to engage in the messy work of raising spirit beasts, but raising illusory demonic beasts in the Dream World might be an excellent way to enhance his strength. Just as he was thinking of equipping every Disciple on Chen Ming Peak with a Xuan Dog, a blood-colored vine suddenly dropped out of the jade slip.
The Kirin Blood Vine glowed with iridescent light in his palm, and the surrounding Qi spontaneously condensed into a vortex.
Qing Feng bit into the blood fruit at the tip of the vine, and a nectar-like juice slid down his throat. His dantian instantly surged with a powerful hot current. This supreme treasure from the Thousand Lake World actually increased his cultivation speed by more than tenfold.
He glanced at the small mountain of jade slip fragments piled in the corner, knowing that these demonic cultivation inheritances had to be completely destroyed.
Outside the window, the clouds and mist of Chen Ming Peak rolled as usual. No one knew that this place of quiet cultivation hid a wondrous item that could help one cultivate for a thousand years.
Qing Feng caressed the scaly patterns on the blood vine, a smile playing on his lips.
Once he broke through to the Nascent Soul realm, those troublemakers should quiet down a bit.
The sweet fragrance of the fruit melted on his tongue. As Qing Feng swallowed, a scorching energy exploded within his body.
The Golden Core rotated rapidly in his dantian, scarlet patterns appearing on its surface, as if molten lava surged through his meridians.
As red light overflowed from his seven orifices, a golden glow flashed in the youth's eyes.
He leaned against the bluestone, lightly patting the vine beside him. The illusory image of the fierce beast Kunpeng burst forth from his body, drawing all the blood-colored spirit fruits into a vortex.
When the last blood fruit dissolved, an illusory image of a fire phoenix actually unfurled its wings within the youth's chest, ready to emerge.
Crimson clouds surged in the southern sky, and the Samadhi True Fire condensed into a cocoon. The Golden Core, wrapped in nine profound patterns, spun rapidly, stirring up a tidal wave of Qi. The illusory images of a Golden-winged Great Peng and a seven-colored spirit butterfly suddenly appeared. At the intersection of the three divine beast's pressures, a crimson-flamed Kirin arrived, treading on fire.
The moment water and fire clashed, a Yin-Yang Twin Fish diagram materialized in the air. The instant the Golden Core plunged into the lake of spiritual power, a nine-petaled green lotus burst forth from the water.
Sitting in the heart of the lotus was a small, golden figure about an inch tall, with golden light flowing throughout its body—this was the sign of a newly formed Nascent Soul.
"It's done." The moment Qing Feng's consciousness sank into the Nascent Soul, the lotus carried the golden figure straight into the sky.
Looking down at the churning Yin and Yang Qi in the Dream Sea, the youth's lips curved upward.
From then on, he could ride his sword on the wind. Even if his physical body perished, his Nascent Soul could escape. This was truly knocking on the door of immortality.
This was Qing Feng's world, a wondrous place called the Dream World, also known as the Dream Sea because it was mostly covered by ocean.
Before this, Qing Feng had always observed everything in this world as an outsider, from a God's perspective.
But now, with the power of his Nascent Soul, he could finally experience it all firsthand.
In the Dream Sea, he danced with butterflies, experiencing that light and dreamlike flight, feeling refreshed as the butterflies fluttered and danced.
He played with the Blue Feather, experiencing the grandeur of absorbing all things in the deep North Sea, as if he himself had become a part of the endless flow of heaven and earth.
He also teased the Great Peng, soaring high with it, its wings unfurling to rush into the nine heavens, taking in the vast world below.
Qing Feng was immersed in it, having so much fun that he even began to wonder if he still wanted to return to the real world.
When the game came to an end, his gaze fell upon the newly joined Kirin.