Chapter 9: Confusion Brought by Continuous Breakthroughs

Seeing the Juman's struggles becoming increasingly feeble, Zhang Yi felt a surge of joy and dove down, preparing to deliver the final blow to this big guy.

However, just as he was about to peck at the Juman's vital spot, a sudden change occurred!

The Juman seemed to sense the approach of death; its massive body suddenly swelled up like a volcano about to erupt, emitting a heart-palpitating red light from its entire frame.

"Damn it, this thing isn't trying to self-destruct, is it?!"

Zhang Yi exclaimed, instinctively pulling his wings back in an attempt to put some distance between them.

However, it was all too late.

Boom—!

With a deafening roar, the Juman's massive body exploded like a giant flesh-and-blood bomb, blood raining down across the sky, while the air became filled with a pungent, bloody stench and a burnt smell.

Zhang Yi only felt a violent shockwave send him flying, his golden feathers drifting down like snowflakes; he felt as if his internal organs were about to be shattered.

Before he could even recover from the shockwave, a red fragment wrapped in terrifying energy shot straight toward him like a sharp arrow released from a bowstring.

Zhang Yi had no time to react and subconsciously opened his beak, swallowing the fragment.

"Gulp—"

A scorching power instantly erupted within his body, as if ten million volcanoes were erupting at once; he felt as if his body was about to be burst apart by this power!

The intense pain made him let out a shrill, miserable cry, golden feathers flying once again as he crashed to the ground, curling up in agony.

【System Prompt: Ninth Rank Demon Beast demon core fragment detected. Energy level too high; requires one million blood energy to upgrade the divine ability 'Taotie Feast' before it can be absorbed.】

The cold system prompt sounded in Zhang Yi's mind.

One million blood energy!

Zhang Yi's heart skipped a beat; this was no small amount!

But he had no other choice now; if he didn't absorb this energy, he would likely explode and die!

"Upgrade!"

Zhang Yi gritted his teeth and commanded.

【System Prompt: Divine ability 'Taotie Feast' successfully upgraded!】

As the system prompt faded, the churning energy within Zhang Yi gradually calmed down, and the scorching sensation slowly receded, replaced by an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

He felt that his strength and speed had both been greatly enhanced!

At the same time, the shockwave from the Juman's self-destruction also alarmed Zhang Yi's mother and Younger Sister.

At this moment, the Jubiao was angrily flapping its wings, blowing away all the terrifying energy approaching it, while Zhang Yi's Younger Sister had already run to the Jubiao's side at some point.

Now, she was looking at the very disheveled Zhang Yi below with a smug expression.

After the surrounding energy dissipated, the Jubiao began to look for the scattered demon core fragments with Nudi.

It was just that after they found the demon core fragments, they did not choose to swallow them directly like Zhang Yi, but instead collected them with great care.

"What are you two...?"

Zhang Yi looked at the mother and daughter with a puzzled expression.

"Idiot, swallowing a demon core of this level directly is a one-way ticket to death!"

Nudi rolled her eyes at him in annoyance: "A demon core of this level must be refined with the help of moonlight energy; only then can one absorb the essence to the greatest extent and improve their cultivation."

Hearing the other party say this, Zhang Yi could only scratch his head in embarrassment.

Previously, he had only thought that eating it was a gain, and he really hadn't considered these things.

In the time that followed, the Jubiao and Nudi would refine the demon core fragments with the help of moonlight energy every night.

As for Zhang Yi, he could only watch from the sidelines with envy.

Perhaps feeling disgruntled, he would chatter away incessantly while the mother and daughter were cultivating.

However, this action of his naturally earned him a sound beating from his mother.

"Mom, can you be a little lighter with those claws? My feathers are all falling out!"

"Shut up, you little brat! This is a great opportunity to improve your cultivation, don't you dare cause trouble for me!"

The Jubiao pinned Zhang Yi to the ground with a claw in annoyance and coldly tossed a piece of the demon core fragment to him.

"Here, take this and go play somewhere else!"

As time passed, the energy in the demon core fragments was gradually absorbed by them; Zhang Yi felt the power within his body surging again, and he could even feel the bloodline within him boiling!

【Ding: Detected resonance between a large amount of moonlight energy and demon core fragment energy!】

【Congratulations to the host: Successfully promoted to a Seventh Rank Seventh Rank Shenshu!】

【Advancement rewards being distributed...】

【Congratulations to the host, obtained Refining Points *100】

【Congratulations to the host, obtained Blood Energy *】

【Spirit Qi +】

【Divine Soul +110】

【Physique +330】

【Congratulations to the host, obtained Juman innate divine ability: Three Thousand Blazing Fires!】

Zhang Yi was naturally in a great mood after being promoted to a Seventh Rank Seventh Rank Shenshu this time.

But he hadn't expected that this promotion would bring not only an increase in strength but also trigger a frantic craving for food.

Now, he felt as if his stomach were a bottomless pit; no matter how much he stuffed into it, he could not be satisfied.

He couldn't wait to spread his wings and search the mountain forest, hoping to find more food.

At first, he caught the small animals in the forest to satisfy his hunger without much care; squirrels, rabbits, and pheasants were all unable to escape.

However, to him, these were like a dragonfly skimming the water, touching only the surface before vanishing, completely unable to alleviate that sense of hunger.

"With this bear-like appetite of mine... I'm afraid I really might eat the entire mountain!"

Zhang Yi muttered to himself, his tone full of helplessness.

Even so, he was unwilling to give up, continuing to search the mountains until he had almost completely ransacked the beasts lurking in the shadows.

But in the end, he still had to face the fact—everything he had done seemed to be in vain.

"This is just too depressing for a bird!"

Just as Zhang Yi was huddled on a tree branch, muttering to himself in frustration, his gaze happened to fall upon the mother and daughter not far away.

Nudi, having just broken through, was meditating happily, her whole body radiating a tranquil and majestic aura.

Her mother's steady and calm appearance seemed to be guiding her mind toward peace.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yi's stomach rumbled unceremoniously.

"I'm starving to death!"

Zhang Yi couldn't help but pat his empty stomach.

"Sigh, I might as well go find Mother and ask for something to eat."

Harboring a hope that had emerged for no reason, Zhang Yi swaggered over to the mother and daughter, shook his feathers, and spoke with an innocent look on his face.

"Ahem, um... could you help me with something?"

Nudi, looking speechless, didn't even wait for him to finish before speaking first: "He's hungry again!"

"Yeah, if this keeps up, I'm afraid I'll starve to death!"

Zhang Yi rubbed his stomach, putting on a pitiful expression.

Jubiao wore an expression that saw through everything, playing with the feathers on her claw.

"Isn't this the norm after consecutive breakthroughs? I went through the same thing back then."

Zhang Yi suddenly had a bright idea and said with a flattering smile: "So, great Mother and dear Younger Sister, could you share a little... food with me, so I can safely get through this hunger?"

Jubiao looked at this pitiful little cub with some confusion: "What kind of special food do you want?"

"Something like... like that Juman inner core from a while ago!"

Zhang Yi said with an expectant look.

However, as soon as he said this, Jubiao decisively shook her head and refused him.

"You have to find such things yourself; before, you were all small, but now that you've grown up, it's time for you to be self-sufficient!"

Zhang Yi could only scratch his feathers, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Just then, a commotion came from not far away, seemingly a gathering place for other small Demon Beast.

"Shall we go try our luck?"

Zhang Yi suggested, his wings trembling slightly as he prepared to take flight.

"Go yourself."

Jubiao refused Zhang Yi's suggestion very bluntly.

"If you can't even handle this small matter, then what is the use of breaking through?"