Chapter 32

After slaying the three-eyed giant python, the golden-eyed giant eagle, with the help of Dou Tai and others, rapidly expanded its power and became a well-known demon king in the area.

However, at this time, Zhu Ganglie was calmly absorbing the essence of the five metals to enhance his cultivation.

At the Manifestation stage, a cultivator’s spiritual energy increases to thirty-six orbs. However, the true power of the Manifestation stage lies in the ability to absorb various elemental energies from heaven and earth, condensing them into more powerful magical power.

At this stage, a cultivator’s divine soul can leave the body and move about, and magical power can be manifested through objects, displaying formidable strength.

Zhu Ganglie was currently absorbing the essence of the five metals, slowly condensing a single orb of spiritual energy into magical power.

As countless essences of the five metals were absorbed, the orb of spiritual energy in Zhu Ganglie’s divine soul became increasingly brilliant, and the surrounding mist of the five metals became much thicker, gradually blending with the spiritual energy.

Most of the metal objects in the cave had turned into rusted scrap iron.

This prompted Zhu Ganglie to call out to the three who controlled Nanshan: “Golden-eyed giant eagle, Dou Tai, Black Python, you three must search for metal objects with all your might!”

Following Zhu Ganglie’s order, countless metal objects were transported to the depths of the cave, piled up like a mountain. However, in less than half a month, this mountain of metal objects had completely disappeared.

Zhu Ganglie’s single orb of spiritual energy, fused with the vast essence of the five metals, had just barely transformed into the embryonic form of the Gourd Sword Technique’s magical power.

Zhu Ganglie calculated that to fully condense it, he would need metal objects as large as a mountain several miles wide.

Fortunately, he had control over the demons of Nanshan; otherwise, searching for them on his own would have taken an unknown amount of time, leaving no time or energy for cultivation.

During Zhu Ganglie’s cultivation, the only task of the demons of Nanshan was to gather metal objects, searching for all such objects within a radius of several hundred miles.

Actually, if there were a heavenly treasure containing the essence of the five metals, it wouldn’t be so laborious, but such treasures were extremely rare.

After three months of intense cultivation, Zhu Ganglie’s divine soul trembled, and the first orb of spiritual energy gently vibrated, transforming into a small, colorful gourd the size of a soybean, emitting pure and sharp metal energy.

This gourd, radiating five colors, was the magical power of the Gourd Sword Technique.

A single unit of magical power contained a vast amount of metal energy, fundamentally different from spiritual energy. One unit of magical power was equivalent to nine units of spiritual energy, and it was highly condensed with unique properties, far surpassing ordinary spiritual energy.

With a thought, Zhu Ganglie sent the gourd magical power flying, releasing a golden sword aura that sliced through a stone wall several feet away.

“The power of this magical power is truly impressive. If I could fully cultivate the gourd magical power, it would be even better, but unfortunately, time does not allow.”

While Zhu Ganglie was delighted, he also had to set out for Shengxiao Dao.

Cultivating this single unit of magical power had already taken three months, and further cultivation would take even longer, delaying his apprenticeship.

Moreover, all the metal objects within a hundred miles of Nanshan had been gathered, and even if he wanted to continue cultivating, the conditions were no longer available.

At this point, Zhu Ganglie understood the importance of joining a sect, as the sect would certainly have treasures containing vast amounts of metal energy, greatly reducing his cultivation time.

After testing the magical power, Zhu Ganglie focused his mind, and the magical power merged with the core of the Tianxing Sword Pill. Instantly, the sword pill burst with solid golden light, slicing the ground and creating a gourd sword aura several feet long, followed by a massive gully hundreds of meters long extending to the cave entrance.

“Ha ha, this is the true power of the sword pill.”

Zhu Ganglie was overjoyed, knowing that the sword pill powered by the sword technique’s magical power was truly formidable.

“Golden-eyed giant eagle, you have already cultivated the White Bone Technique to the Manifestation stage, so you will remain here.”

Before leaving Nanshan, Zhu Ganglie recalled Dou Tai and Black Python, then left Nanshan, heading deeper into Leize.

Watching Zhu Ganglie leave, the golden-eyed giant eagle was extremely pleased, secretly rejoicing at finally becoming a true demon king, unaware that he had lost a greater opportunity.

After leaving Nanshan, Zhu Ganglie traveled with all his might. Without the support of the Futo warhorse, he could only rely on his own strength, but fortunately, his cultivation had greatly improved, so this was not a problem.

Traveling day and night, Zhu Ganglie covered several hundred miles and arrived at a massive mountain range. The mountains were ten thousand feet high, stretching for hundreds of miles, piercing the sky, with clouds and mists swirling around, and the sounds of apes and cranes, making it a breathtaking sight.

“What a vast mountain, what a perilous peak!”

Looking at the massive mountain and its towering peaks, Zhu Ganglie sincerely praised, but a moment later, his eyes showed a hint of worry.

The mountain was too high, and the peaks too perilous. To cross it, he would have to find gorges and cliffs to traverse, otherwise, it would take an unknown amount of time to climb over countless peaks.

“Roar!”

A sudden, furious roar echoed from the mountain, startling countless birds and beasts. When Zhu Ganglie looked up, he saw two arms covered in black fur suddenly grab a mountain peak and tear it apart.

After the appearance of these massive arms, a giant ape, several hundred feet tall, with a body covered in black fur like iron, appeared on the mountaintop.

The giant ape’s eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty light, emitting a thick aura of ferocity.

Although they were separated by hundreds of miles, the ferocity still rushed toward Zhu Ganglie, invading his divine soul. Fortunately, Zhu Ganglie had cultivated the Great Vajra Dharma, easily suppressing and dispelling the ferocity.

“Squawk!”

Before Zhu Ganglie could react, another long cry pierced his ears. Looking up, he saw a massive ice phoenix with a peacock head, a phoenix body, and a snow-white body flying in the sky, graceful and noble.

Behind it, countless white spiritual eagles followed, covering the sky, numbering in the tens of thousands.

As the ice phoenix flew by, the ten-thousand-foot-high mountain was instantly frozen, turning into a snow-covered mountain.

After the ice phoenix appeared, the giant ape roared to the sky, throwing a massive mountain peak at the ice phoenix, then ran down the mountain.

The ice phoenix, followed by countless spiritual eagles, pursued it.

“Phew! What a close call! What ferocity!”

Watching the two fierce beasts leave, Zhu Ganglie let out a long breath, almost falling to the ground, his back drenched in cold sweat. He had always heard that Leize was full of fierce beasts, and now he had truly witnessed it.

These two fierce beasts were ten thousand feet away, yet their power almost shattered his divine soul. If he hadn’t advanced to the Manifestation stage and understood the first consciousness of Buddhism, his divine soul would have been destroyed, and he would have died.

Understanding the dangers of Leize, Zhu Ganglie became even more cautious.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

However, the sound of breaking air startled Zhu Ganglie again. He immediately gathered his spirit and looked up to see several cultivators flying through the air, about seven or eight of them.

Among these seven or eight, a golden light paused, and Zhu Ganglie felt a gaze on him, making him even more alert.

“Junior Brother Zhu, I am Yan Beisheng. Follow me.”

While Zhu Ganglie was on guard, a voice came from the air, and a golden sword lifted him into the air. As he stepped onto the flying sword, Zhu Ganglie immediately used the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf to conceal his cultivation at the Out-of-Body stage.

This was an instinctive action, as he couldn’t let others know he was already a cultivator when he went to Shengxiao Dao to become a disciple. With a thought, the single unit of magical power merged with the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf, leaving only eight orbs of spiritual energy.

“Junior Brother Zhu, it’s fortunate to meet you here. You don’t need to go through the trials anymore. Follow me back to Shengxiao Dao. The situation in Leize has changed, and if you continue forward, you might face mortal danger!”

After lifting Zhu Ganglie up, Yan Beisheng quickly said, then turned the sword light and led Zhu Ganglie forward with the others.

“May I ask, Senior Brother, what has happened?”

Zhu Ganglie asked, puzzled. From the route of the talisman, he was still tens of thousands of miles away from Shengxiao Dao, and from what Yan Hanqiu had said, going to Shengxiao Dao was part of the sect’s trial for new disciples. Why was Yan Beisheng willing to take him along?

“Not long ago, a fox demon sneaked into Shengxiao Dao and stole a cultivation technique. It was discovered by the sect’s master and severely injured. Now, our Shengxiao Dao is searching for this fox demon.

This fox demon has the bloodline of an ancient nine-tailed fox and has already grown six tails, making it very powerful. Additionally, it is extremely cunning and can change its form, so the path ahead is no longer suitable for you to travel alone.

The ancient ape we just saw was used by the fox demon to anger the Ice Lord, who pursued it for tens of thousands of miles. However, the sect’s master discovered that the ape was being used by the fox demon and ordered us to call back the Ice Lord.”

Yan Beisheng’s words gave Zhu Ganglie a general understanding of the situation, and he was secretly pleased, as he had gained an advantage.

He could save tens of thousands of miles of travel.

With the sword light moving swiftly, Yan Beisheng led Zhu Ganglie toward Shengxiao Dao.