Chapter 36

It has been some time since he broke through to the peak of the second transformation in the Qi Dao. During this period, he went through a series of intense battles in the outer courtyard, and his essence, energy, and spirit all made significant progress. He was just one step away from a transformation.

Moreover, in the past half month or so, he had taken the two spiritual herbs found by the little spirit weasel, and practiced the true Qi Dao cultivation technique, the "Xuanhuang Qi Cultivation Technique." Several days ago, he had vaguely sensed that he was beginning to touch the barrier of the third transformation in the Qi Dao.

Furthermore, regardless of other factors, the threat posed by "Silver Sword" Du Zhongjing, who could appear at any time, made it even more imperative for him not to slack off. Breaking through to the third transformation in the Qi Dao was something that had to be done sooner or later, and could not be delayed.

Now, the "Green Fire Lingzhi" found by the little spirit weasel had come at just the right time, acting as a catalyst.

What Tang Gu was now considering was not whether to take the "Green Fire Lingzhi" and break through to the third transformation in the Qi Dao, but how to take it to maximize its medicinal effects and increase the probability of breaking through to the third transformation.

Recalling the limited knowledge of medicinal herbs in his mind, Tang Gu quickly determined the method: to crush it and boil it into a medicinal soup.

The "Lingzhi" herb was potent, especially the "Green Fire Lingzhi," which was a rare treasure. If taken directly, it might be too much for Tang Gu's body to handle. Therefore, it was better to boil it into a soup and take it in batches.

Breaking through to the third transformation in the Qi Dao was not something that could be achieved overnight. It required a gradual and cautious approach to ensure everything went smoothly.

After making his decision, the only thing left was to act.

A short while later, a thumb-sized piece of the "Green Fire Lingzhi" was missing from the herb, and in his hand, he held a bowl of light green soup with a fragrant aroma.

Without hesitation, Tang Gu sat cross-legged on the simple wooden bed he had made himself. He then drank the light green soup in one gulp, swallowing it all into his stomach.

Instantly, a powerful and scorching heat, like molten lava, flowed from his mouth through his limbs and organs.

Tang Gu's body trembled, and he felt as if his blood was boiling. A faint purple glow appeared on his face.

He guided the scorching heat to the smallest and most hidden acupoints. As each acupoint was opened, his face became increasingly flushed, as if he were drunk. It seemed that every cell in his body was trembling and humming.

Inside Tang Gu's body, it was as if a withered tree that had been dry for hundreds of years had suddenly come back to life. Every part of him felt a sense of joy and vitality, greedily absorbing the surging essence.

In that instant, the nourishment Tang Gu's body received was more than what he would have gained from two or three months of hard cultivation. An endless stream of primordial energy surged from his body, seemingly infinite.

A faint mist rose from his body, enveloping him completely, and even the small thatched hut was filled with mist.

The night passed quickly.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Tang Gu took a second bowl of the green soup, and the same scenario repeated, but this time it was even more intense.

Three days later.

Morning.

Second hour.

In the small thatched hut, on the wooden bed, Tang Gu sat cross-legged. The "Green Fire Lingzhi" on his left was completely consumed, and the last bowl of medicinal soup had been taken the previous night.

Suddenly, Tang Gu's body trembled violently, and his bones and muscles resonated. Drops of blood-like essence, red as jade, flowed from his bone marrow, surging through his entire body.

In that instant, Tang Gu clearly felt a significant change in his body and soul. His cultivation realm seemed to break through a thin barrier, and he instantly sensed the connection with heaven and earth, the sounds of nature, and the world around him.

In the distance, the low chirping of insects and birds in the forest, and the rustling of leaves on the cliff below, seemed to quiet down.

"Third transformation in the Qi Dao, accomplished!"

Tang Gu opened his eyes, and the sharpness in his gaze seemed to have increased. A powerful spiritual energy, several times stronger than when he was at the second transformation in the Qi Dao, surged from his body.

In the small thatched hut, some small objects instantly floated in the air and were then scattered by his movement.

He examined his body internally.

After this transformation, his meridians seemed to have doubled in capacity, allowing his body to contain more primordial energy. His bones were crystalline, his acupoints fragrant, and his skin had a greenish, jade-like luster.

Tang Gu clenched his fist, feeling the incredible strength within his body. This was the power of the third transformation in the Qi Dao.

He changed his fist to a palm and gently slashed at the air in front of him.

Instantly, "puff, puff, puff..."

Transparent, thin ice blocks formed in the air, piercing the ground. The hard rock surface of the cliff instantly developed dozens of narrow, deep cracks, as if cut by a sharp blade.

Faint blue light could be seen emanating from the cracks.

With the increase in his Qi Dao cultivation, the power of the "Water to Ice Technique" had become even more formidable, far surpassing its previous level.

Tang Gu looked into the distance with a smile.

Now, even if "Silver Sword" Du Zhongjing were to come in person, he would not be able to cause significant harm to Tang Gu. In a real battle, the outcome was uncertain.

"I'll use the remaining time to cultivate the Soul Technique and the Beast Taming Technique!"

...

Six days later, in a forest not far from the Moon Blade Peak.

In Tang Gu's soul sea, a square, brown, constantly rotating, turbid crystal emitted a strange spiritual energy, which instantly struck the eyes of a fierce, eagle-like bird called a "Panjiu" not far in front of him.

This "Panjiu" was about 37 centimeters long, with bright and colorful feathers. Its upper body was green, with a bronze-green metallic sheen. Its forehead, top of the head, and neck were gray and dull. Its flight feathers were like copper and iron, dark green, and its under-tail coverts were dark chestnut red.

The most striking feature was a wide, purplish-red band across its chest, followed by a wider, brownish-orange band.

This fierce and unique bird, the "Panjiu," was a rare species of "Ji" bird, living in thorny forests.

Unlike other "Ji" birds, which mostly eat plants, the "Panjiu" was a true carnivore, feeding on small animals like rabbits and gray rats. It was extremely fierce and brave when hunting, even rivaling eagles.

Despite its small, short beak, it was sharp and hooked, gleaming with a cold light. At its feet, a gray, fat rabbit lay half-eaten, its blood dripping, a gruesome sight.

However, the fierce "Panjiu" now had a dazed look in its eyes, the ferocity and strength it usually displayed when hunting completely gone. Slowly, it became sluggish and confused.

After a short while, Tang Gu stood up and walked back to his thatched hut on the peak. The "Panjiu" had been completely tamed and now perched on his shoulder, holding onto his clothes, its eyes showing affection and friendliness.

More than a month ago, Tang Gu had used up the demon soul of the "Phantom Flame Copper Eagle" and the five medicinal herbs, successfully breaking through to the first transformation in the Soul Dao and forming his "Soul Crystal."

The "Soul Crystal" was the source of all mental power, the square, turbid crystal that constantly rotated in his mind.

Otherwise, he would not have been able to so easily subdue "Iron Sword" Du Pengfei in the outer courtyard competition and defeat him.

After all, humans and demon beasts were fundamentally different in terms of physical structure and soul. Human souls were much more complex and powerful than those of ordinary fierce beasts, with extremely intricate thoughts. A single mistake could lead to irreparable consequences.

Therefore, throughout history, people used soul cultivation techniques to tame demon beasts, but rarely used them to control humans. It was not that it was impossible, but that it was too dangerous. A single misstep could result in being counter-controlled, with a more tragic outcome than the one being controlled.

Of course, Tang Gu had no choice but to take the risk that time. In the past six days, this was already the fourth first-transformation demon beast he had tamed. However, the first three were ordinary demon beasts that he later released. Only this "Panjiu" did he decide to keep.

As he continued to experiment and grow over these six days, Tang Gu discovered that as his strength increased and his soul became more powerful, his "Soul Crystal" also became more potent.

Although he was still far from the second transformation in the Soul Dao, the time it took him to tame first-transformation demon beasts gradually decreased.

Moreover, as he became more familiar with the Soul Technique, he could now shorten the first four steps to an almost instantaneous process. Just a glare, and a strange spiritual power would make the demon beast calm and open its heart, allowing him to plant a spiritual thought and achieve a shared consciousness, ultimately taming and controlling it.

Of course, reaching this level was not easy... However, Tang Gu was steadily progressing on this path. He believed that in the future, the time it would take him to tame the "Panjiu" would be even shorter and faster.

PS: Second update, please give me 1 recommendation!