You're back?!

Jia Ren was both shocked and delighted to see the Mysterious Turtle return to its dwelling, a radiant smile spreading across his face. The plan was successful!

The Insect External Incarnation hurried away from the Water Curtain Cave Abode, rapidly moving toward the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtles. The Wude Turtle quickly broke away from the group, charging toward Jia Ren.

Master, I have led them back!

"Well done! This is your reward!"

Jia Ren took out a Beast Saint Pill, pinched off the wax coating, and the fragrance of the elixir began to waft out.

The Wude Turtle's small, jet-black eyes suddenly lit up, and it leaped out hastily.

The scent of the Beast Saint Pill made all the Mysterious Turtles turn their gaze at once, their eyes bright. They had only recently consumed a Beast Spirit Pill, and in comparison, the aroma was vastly different.

The Wude Turtle swiftly stretched out its neck and gulped down the Beast Saint Pill.

Eating alone is much better; I can't let my companions snatch it!

"If you follow me in the future, there will be no shortage of elixirs, and advancement is assured."

Jia Ren took out another Beast Saint Pill, pinched off the wax coating, and let the fragrance of the pill permeate the air. One after another, the Mysterious Turtles approached, drool nearly leaking from their mouths.

He casually tossed it toward the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle. After all, the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle was the leader. Without its nod, subduing the other Mysterious Turtles would be difficult.

One by one, the Mysterious Turtles sprang up, scrambling for the Beast Saint Pill.

Hmm? Little brats, you dare try to snatch my food? The normally slow Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle glared. In an instant, the leaping Mysterious Turtles froze in midair, unable to get close to the Beast Saint Pill.

The Beast Saint Pill, unaffected, was drawn by a suction force into the mouth of the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle. It squinted, an expression of pure enjoyment on its face.

The Ancestor doesn't abide by Wude!

We want to eat too!

As soon as the Slow Realm faded, the Mysterious Turtles swam up to Jia Ren. They kept calling out, like nestlings clamoring to be fed.

Master, I'll follow you.

Without hesitation, the Mysterious Turtles abandoned their Ancestor and switched their allegiance to Jia Ren.

Excellent! If all the descendants of the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle took the bait, how could it resist being hooked as well?

"Are you willing to follow me?"

Jia Ren took out a Beast Saint Pill. The Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle's subsequent words were no longer slow.

The Profound Turtle Clan is willing to follow you.

Seeing the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle nod, a smile spread across Jia Ren's face. Still, he couldn't be at ease without a Spirit Contract.

He decisively used the Spirit Contract, establishing contracts with each Mysterious Turtle. Only after all contracts were complete did he allow himself a smile.

The Thousand-Year Mysterious Turtles Clan, twenty-three Mysterious Turtles in all, had joined him, becoming his Monster Pets. Jia Ren wasn't stingy, individually feeding each of them a Beast Saint Pill.

「Three days later」

It was time for the Fathead Fish Demon to get some air. Upon exiting the River Mountain Bag and seeing its Water Mansion surrounded, it immediately became frantic.

How audacious of you Turtle Demons, daring to encroach upon Master's Water Mansion!

Before its promotion to Third Rank, the Fathead Fish Demon was no match for the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle and could only keep a low profile. After its promotion to Third Rank, the Fathead Fish Demon had been in a state of slumber and had never dealt with the Profound Turtle Clan. When the Fathead Fish Demon awoke, the Profound Turtle Clan had already moved away from their ancestral land.

My memory still tells me the Mysterious Turtles were enemies who blocked the path! They must have fled because I, Xiao Ying, advanced to Third Rank and scared them off!

You thought you were so tough before? Well, I, Xiao Ying, have advanced to Third Rank and haven't even shown my true power yet! Today, I'll let you witness Xiao Ying's might!

In an instant, a vast amount of water-elemental Spiritual Power vibrated as the Water-banishing Realm formed. All the Mysterious Turtles were suppressed, unable to use their strength. The greater the disparity in strength, the greater the impact. After its promotion to Third Rank, the Fathead Fish Demon's innate Law Domain had grown in power, far surpassing its previous might.

The Mysterious Turtles withdrew into their shells, desperately calling out to their Ancestor and Master for help.

BOOM!

Law Domains surged as the Slow Realm and the Water-banishing Realm collided. The sky seemed to turn shades of blue and yellow, the two different domains starkly distinct. Where the domains clashed, ripple-like patterns could faintly be seen. The Fathead Fish Demon's Water-banishing Realm, at the early stage of Third Rank, was only slightly weaker than the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle's Slow Realm; there was no clear winner.

It broke through?! Its mouth opened wide, and a massive suction force emerged. The River-swallowing Fish could devour entire rivers and lakes. Once swallowed, escaping alive was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

"Don't fight!" Jia Ren stepped in to stop them, putting an end to the farce.

They're relying on their numbers to besiege Master!

Master, don't be afraid! Xiao Ying will protect you!

Upon seeing its Master appear, the Fathead Fish Demon's spirits lifted, eager to make a good impression. If I step forward and protect Master, how could I possibly lack food?

"We're all family here; let's not disturb the peace," Jia Ren said. A battle between the two beasts, with their powerful Spiritual Power Fluctuations, couldn't be concealed and could easily attract trouble.

One family? The Fathead Fish Demon was stunned, staring at Jia Ren for a long moment, unable to process it. The Turtle Demons weren't invading the Water Mansion? They're all Master's Monster Pets?

Master, are you abandoning Xiao Ying now? Don't you want little Ying anymore? The fish's eyes brimmed with tears, looking utterly pitiful. I've taken a blade for Master! It swayed its head, showing off the golden knife handle embedded there, displaying its past meritorious service.

Jia Ren was speechless. He had lost count of how many times he'd wanted to help the Fathead Fish Demon pull the knife from its head, but the result was always the same. The Fathead Fish Demon's thinking was that it needed to constantly remind its Master of its deeds, so it stubbornly refused to have the knife removed. As time passed, Jia Ren had simply let it be.

"You won't need to take hits for me anymore! The turtle shells are sturdy."

The Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle's defensive ability is astonishing. Three Golden Core Cultivators attacked it continuously for four months and still couldn't kill it. After advancing to the middle stage of Third Rank, its bloodline underwent atavism. Its defensive power will only become even more incredible, comparable to top-tier Defense Magical Treasures. A 'Supreme Grade Defense Magical Treasure' that can be controlled before the Golden Core Stage is far stronger than a Supreme Grade Defense Artifact. In the face of danger, if I take out the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle from the Mountain and River Pearl to act as a shield and activate its Slow Realm, even Golden Core Cultivators would find it hard to injure me.

Master, if you don't want Xiao Ying anymore, I'm leaving! The Fathead Fish Demon swished its tail and left in a huff.

I'm really leaving this time!

Seeing that Jia Ren didn't try to make it stay, it sneaked back.

"I was just worrying about feeding you; this saves on rations," Jia Ren said.

Angered, the Fathead Fish Demon stormed off, leaving behind only the sight of its lofty and proud tail.

"They don't compete with you for food, so what are you worried about?" One ate Fish Saint Pills, the other ate Beast Saint Pills; they weren't the same type of provisions.

The Fathead Fish Demon didn't look back; a Third-order Monster Beast had its dignity...

Jia Ren didn't care in the slightest. He knew the Fathead Fish Demon all too well; it would be back on time for meals.

Things turned out just as expected: the Fathead Fish Demon returned at mealtime. Once it confirmed that the Thousand-Year-Old Black Turtle's provisions were different and it wouldn't compete for its portion, the conflict vanished, and they got along swimmingly.

Jia Ren remained unwavering in his cultivation and in improving his spell proficiency. Before he knew it, a year and a half had passed.

"Qi Refining Completion!"

A stir came from within the Water Mansion. Upon closer inspection, Zhang Peng Peng's Cultivation Level had reached Qi Refining Completion. With the aid of elixirs, she had smoothly broken through to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement. Foundation Establishment was now a hopeful prospect. She diligently practiced every day, and in her spare time, she crafted Talismans and tended the medicine fields. Assisted by high-quality Spirit Enhancement Pills, her cultivation speed was not slow, and she had finally reached the peak of Qi Refining.

Next came the all-important Foundation Establishment. Once successful, one would transcend the ordinary.

"Junior Brother, I've reached Qi Refining Completion!" Her eyes shone with joy and excitement. After many years of effort, she had finally achieved her goal.

For an ordinary Loose Cultivator mastering the Four Arts of Cultivation, reaching the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement was no easy matter. If one exceeded the age of sixty, even with the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, the chances of breaking through were not high. Without Jia Ren's help, she would have had no hope of achieving Qi Refining Completion in her lifetime.

"Congratulations, Senior Sister. This is a congratulatory gift." Jia Ren took out a Jade Vase and placed it on the table, his smile beaming.

"It's not a Foundation Establishment Pill, is it?" Zhang Peng Peng had her suspicions. Last time, when she was stuck at the Eighth Level of Qi Refining, his gift had been a Jade Yang Pill to help her break through the bottleneck. This time it was for Foundation Establishment...

Opening it, she indeed found a brown elixir lying inside. Besides the elixir, there was also a Jade Slip, titled "Minor Foundation Establishment Explanation."

With the Foundation Establishment Pill and Jade Slip prepared, everything was set; only the opportune moment was lacking.

"Thank you, Junior Brother. I don't know how I can ever repay you." Her eyes shimmered, like autumn water.

"This place isn't suitable for Foundation Establishment. For now, there's no rush to take the Foundation Establishment Pill. You need to find a safe place; it would be best to leave the Barren Extreme Land." Zhang Peng Peng had a Foundation Establishment Pill that increased her chances of breakthrough by forty percent, along with a high-quality Mind-Guarding Talisman; her likelihood of successful Foundation Establishment was high.

Times had changed. The first two stages of Foundation Establishment shouldn't be difficult for her. However, the third stage, the Heart Demon Tribulation... To be precise, it should be the Heart Demon Illusion Tribulation!

Jia Ren had made extensive preparations for the Fathead Fish Demon's breakthrough to Third Rank, specifically finding a safe Spirit Land free from the disturbance of Bizarre Demons and Magical Beasts. Even so, the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre had still come knocking.

The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre said it's waiting for my Golden Core to catalyze my Heart Demon. There's another possibility... its influence range is beyond imagination, which is why it dared to leave such words. The first scenario is still manageable, with limited impact. But the second... that's not impossible. Foundation Establishment is intrinsically fraught with peril. If she attracts the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre on top of that, there would be absolutely no chance of a successful breakthrough. At that point, a greater disaster would befall her. Since I don't know the range of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's special abilities, the best method is for her to leave the Barren Extreme Land and head to the Western Wasteland Domain. This is the best way to avoid trouble.

"Leave the Barren Extreme Land? Can't one establish their foundation in the Barren Extreme Land?" Zhang Peng Peng wore a puzzled expression. Jia Ren had established his foundation in the Black Desert Marketplace, and there was no... She stopped mid-sentence, the thought of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre occurring to her.

"Could it be... we'll encounter the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre?" She recalled Jia Ren's ordeal during his Foundation Establishment; the terror of the Bizarre Demons lingered in her heart.

"I won't hide it from you. During the Foundation Establishment's Heart Demon Tribulation, you will be attacked by the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre. You must get far away from the Barren Extreme Land."

"Is it really that terrifying?" Zhang Peng Peng knew how ferocious the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre was, but the idea that its influence—or the Heart Demon it manipulated—shrouded the entire Barren Extreme Land was still terrifying. Junior Brother has no reason to deceive me. It's better to be cautious.

"Are we moving?" Zhang Peng Peng looked bemused. Based on her junior brother's past actions, facing this kind of hidden danger from the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, he would definitely flee the place.

Leave the Barren Extreme Land? This place is relatively safe, and I have ample resources. I can last a very long time here. As long as I don't break through to the Golden Core Stage, the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre can't affect me. Heading to the unknown Western Wasteland Domain... who knows what dangers I might encounter along the way? It's better to stay in the Water Curtain Cave Abode. The stronger I am, the safer I'll be.

If my cultivation reaches the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, or even the False Core realm, it wouldn't be too late to consider leaving then. By that time, with two Third-Rank Monster Pets, I'd be second only to the Bizarre Alliance, the Thousand Illusion Sect, and the Cold Moon Palace in the Barren Extreme Land. I'll definitely need to try and gather the Spiritual Medicines required for the Golden Core Formation Pill.

In the Western Wasteland Domain, there are many Nascent Soul Sects. Competing for Golden Core Formation Pill resources there would be like snatching food from a tiger's jaws. Comparatively, the Sects in the Barren Extreme Land are easier to deal with...

Besides, I've always been one to hold a grudge. The Great Wilderness Market was practically suffocated by the Five Elements Sect's oppression. Once I have the strength, I'll definitely get payback with interest. Perhaps... my opportunity for the Golden Core Formation Pill lies with the Five Elements Sect.

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