Chapter 129

Wangyue Island.

Wu Jiang was directing a group of spirit farmers as they tended to the spirit fields.

Mu Ruyin, beside her wooden hut, played and laughed with two half-grown children.

Since Wu Jiang led his clan to begin farming on the island, the once desolate Wangyue Island gradually acquired a lively atmosphere.

Zhoa! A green cultivation light slashed across the sky, flying toward the island.

Wu Jiang looked up, his face lighting up with joy, "Young Master Qin has returned."

He immediately walked over as usual, preparing to greet Qin Ming.

Qin Ming also glanced at the island's condition before landing before Wu Jiang.

As Wu Jiang approached, he felt Qin Ming's entire body radiated murderous aura—it felt less like returning from an auction and more like returning from a massacre.

A surging tide of bloody murderous aura rushed toward him; he trembled in fear, unsure how to speak.

Qin Ming also noticed this detail; he subtly activated the Ancient Wood Longevity Technique, suppressing his aura and returning to a calm, still state.

"Wu Daoist, nothing unusual happened on the island these past days, I assume?"

Sensing the thick murderous aura vanish from Qin Ming's body, Wu Jiang instantly exhaled a breath of relief.

"Young Master Qin, all is normal on the island—you may rest assured."

Qin Ming nodded, exchanged a few words with Wu Jiang, then returned to his cave beneath the main peak.

As he passed the cave dug by the Black Water Crocodile, Qin Ming sent out his spiritual sense to scan inside and found the creature's aura had grown significantly.

He then went to check on the Longevity Vine—the Six-Winged Yin Yi Shuangfeng were still in deep slumber.

Qin Ming returned to his cave and examined the storage bags of the four men, repeatedly scanning them thoroughly with his spiritual sense.

He confirmed no special markings, unique auras, or similar traces remained.

The storage bags of four Foundation Establishment cultivators contained an astonishing wealth of items.

Especially the two black-robed demonic cultivators' bags—calling them "fat lambs" was an understatement.

Presumably, having grown accustomed to banditry, they had looted many fine items from across the Wei Kingdom's Immortal Realm.

All kinds of treasures were present—now all belonged to Qin Ming.

Mu Yuanshan, as a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and Young Master of the Mu family of Qilian Mountain, naturally possessed no shortage of valuables.

That segment of Dragon Blood Divine Wood—after circling around—hadn't it ended up in his own hands?

In addition,

Qin Ming also discovered a high-level puppetry cultivation scripture in Miao Renke's storage bag—a welcome surprise.

Next,

According to Mu Yuanshan and Gu Huai's secret plot, the spiritual energy Archipelago was about to undergo a major upheaval.

And the appearance of Lin Zi's gang had given Qin Ming an urgent sense of needing to strengthen his power.

Natural disasters and human calamities cannot be avoided by hiding alone.

Qin Ming approached his life-spirit plant, the Longevity Vine.

He immediately took out the vial of White-Armed White Ape's essence blood, broke the seal, and without hesitation, swallowed the entire vial of beast essence blood.

He then began refining the White-Armed White Ape's essence blood according to the Foundation Establishment section of the Hundred Treasures Glass Scripture, following the method of the First Transformation of the True Gang Formation.

In truth, for Immortal Realm cultivators to directly swallow beast essence blood was extremely dangerous, as the violent energy of beast essence blood clashed violently with human blood—causing, at best, chaotic qi and blood flow, at worst, qi deviation, and even explosion and death.

But Qin Ming possessed a formidable body, coupled with the terrifying blood qi power of True Gang External Emission.

Naturally, he faced no great danger.

Boom! The instant the White-Armed White Ape's essence blood entered his body, a violent energy exploded within him.

Qin Ming quickly followed the Hundred Beasts Visualization Diagram, visualizing the colossal mountain-sized ape.

He then began refining the essence blood according to the scripture.

Roar—suddenly, the image of the dozens-zhang-tall mountain ape reappeared clearly in Qin Ming's mind.

The White-Armed White Ape's essence core within the vial, which had been restless and turbulent inside his body, now seemed to encounter something utterly incomprehensible.

It instantly submitted.

Gradually, the total amount of Qin Ming's blood qi True Gang began surging uncontrollably, overflowing and shifting unpredictably.

Two hours later.

Suddenly! Qin Ming's blood qi True Gang surged skyward, forming a vast crimson shadow that gradually solidified into shape.

Roar—finally, a crimson giant ape shadow, forged entirely from blood qi True Gang, appeared on Qin Ming's body, standing over ten zhang tall, like a demonic deity.

"True Gang Formation First Transformation: Ape Transformation!"

Qin Ming rose and opened his eyes; he felt an unprecedented power filling his body.

As if with a single gesture, he could move mountains and fill seas.

He leapt into the air, vanished from his spot, flew for a stick of incense, and found a lifeless, barren island.

Qin Ming immediately activated the First Transformation of the True Gang Formation—the colossal crimson mountain ape shadow appeared, mirroring Qin Ming's every movement.

He clenched his fist and slammed it down hard upon a mountain peak! Bang! Boom—! The crimson ape shadow's punch obliterated the entire peak in an instant! Qin Ming's expression was ecstatic; he clenched his fist—what terrifying power!

With this technique, he now had the means to defend himself even against late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Yet, after delivering that punch, Qin Ming instantly felt a profound emptiness within—he seemed drained of all his blood qi.

"I didn't expect even the First Transformation of the True Gang Formation would consume such immense blood qi," Qin Ming muttered, his face pale and exhausted.

But he had the 【Blood Qi Crystals】 entry—he could store several 【Blood Qi Crystals】 entries to instantly restore his state.

That way, he could activate it multiple times.

Qin Ming familiarized himself with the state of the True Gang Formation, then returned to Wangyue Island.

With his power greatly enhanced, Qin Ming's mood was excellent.

He had Mu Ruyin prepare a few good dishes, then took out two catties of Spirit-Rest Rice and had her cook it all together.

Wu Jiang and Mu Ruyin listened as Qin Ming said that tonight they would be eating Spirit-Rest Rice, which even Foundation Establishment great cultivators couldn't get their hands on.

They were even more excited than their own two children.

Afterwards, Mu Ruyin carefully prepared a whole large table of delicacies, and Qin Ming ate with great relish.

Wu Jiang and his wife barely touched the dishes; after finishing the Spirit-Rest Rice, their faces both flushed rosy, and they went into the room together to refine the spiritual energy.

……

The next day.

As usual, Qin Ming wanted to check on the condition of his two beast pets.

Rumble rumble! Just at that moment.

A massive spiritual energy vortex rapidly formed above Moon-Gazing Isle.

Such a heavenly phenomenon drew the attention of the Wu clan members working on the island, who thought the Island Master was once again cultivating some powerful divine ability.

Only Wu Jiang showed a look of astonishment, muttering, "Th-this is the spiritual energy phenomenon of a demon beast breaking through to a second-tier Foundation Establishment great demon!"

"Could it be that Daoist Qin's Profound Water Crocodile…"

Likewise.

A hint of joy also appeared on Qin Ming's face. He flew to the vicinity of the Profound Water Crocodile and watched expectantly as it began its breakthrough.

Roar roar～

As overwhelming spiritual energy poured continuously into its body, the aura on the Profound Water Crocodile began to surge rapidly!

A full hour or more passed.

The Profound Water Crocodile only stopped once its aura reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

But it wasn't over yet.

The spiritual energy vortex above Moon-Gazing Isle began to dissipate, accompanied by a mass of black thunderclouds that began to shroud the area of sky above the Profound Water Crocodile.

This was the Lei Jie that a first-tier demon beast needed to undergo when breaking through to a second-tier Foundation Establishment great demon.

Unlike humans, every step of advancement for demon beasts was far more difficult than for humans. Starting from the breakthrough to second-tier, they had to undergo the trial of Lei Jie, and the power of the Lei Jie was not to be underestimated.

Whether it could shed the mortal coil and transform into a great demon, whether it lived or died, all depended on this most crucial step.

(End of this chapter)