Lang Buping and Laifu were both stunned, thinking they had misheard.
Lang Buping’s eyes widened as he asked, “What? To what Cultivation Realm did you say you could temporarily ascend?”
Zhang Zongnian replied, “Yao Wang. But this requires the full help and support of you and the cave, Master of the Cave.”
Lang Buping looked at Zhang Zongnian as if he were a fool, and disappointment returned to his face.
He didn’t bother to say anything more, waving his hand weakly as he said to Laifu, “Take him away. Let Elder Huai check his head.”
Laifu turned his head to look at Zhang Zongnian, his eyes also filled with pity and sympathy.
A Yao Wang was equivalent to the Golden Core Stage of a Human Cultivator and was a titan who dominated an entire region.
Among Demons, those who could ascend to the Yao Wang level were all exceptionally gifted geniuses, one in a thousand or even ten thousand, who had reached such a Cultivation Realm only after hundreds of years of bitter Cultivation.
Yet now, a tiny Demon at the Body Tempering Middle Stage stood before them, actually boasting that he could temporarily ascend to the Yao Wang level and confront Hei Pi Yao Wang head-on.
He simply did not know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth.
If he had said he could temporarily ascend to become a Demon Core Condensation, it might have had a shred of credibility.
Laifu thought to himself that although his Brother looked perfectly normal on the outside, perhaps his brain had been stimulated or damaged during the process of the Soul Possession of the Mouse or being soul-possessed by Shu Da.
He said to Lang Buping, “Lang Cave Master, it was I who did not ask clearly, making you happy for nothing. Please forgive me, Master of the Cave. I will take him to find Elder Huai right now.”
After saying this, he cupped his hands in a salute and pulled Zhang Zongnian to leave.
Lang Buping lay back on the bed, returning to that death-like state of having no will to live.
Zhang Zongnian saw their expressions and knew they did not believe him. Laifu tugged at him, but he did not move, only insisting, “Please, Lang Cave Master, listen to me finish what I have to say.”
Lang Buping looked askance at him and said weakly, “Fine, if you want to speak, then speak. After you finish, leave quickly and do not delay this Master of the Cave’s rest.”
Zhang Zongnian pushed away Laifu’s hand and said, “I know the Lang Cave Master does not believe what I say. I can prove it to you.”
Lang Buping’s eyes shifted toward him as he asked, “How will you prove it?”
Zhang Zongnian took a deep breath and said, “Please prepare ten Serpent Cores of the Body Tempering Middle and Late Stages for me. I can reach Jindan within one day and be promoted to a Grand Demon!”
He decided to use the Beast Refinement Codex to level up quickly and demonstrate his strength.
Although Wan Shu Chao Yuan could also allow him to improve his Cultivation rapidly, Shu Da had already exhausted almost all the mice in the Monster Mountain to help Shu Er reach Jindan last time. He could sense that there were almost no mice left in the Monster Mountain now. Therefore, he could only choose the Beast Refinement Codex, which he had never used before.
He calculated in his mind that although his mastery of the Beast Refinement Codex was not very proficient and his digestion of Serpent Cores might be insufficient, wasting a lot of Demon Power, quantity would make up for the lack of quality.
Ten Serpent Cores would be enough for him to ascend to a Grand Demon no matter what.
Lang Buping sat up from the bed, staring at Zhang Zongnian. Seeing how certain Zhang Zongnian was, Lang Buping felt a stir of interest.
There were quite a few Serpent Cores in the Storeroom, so giving him eight or ten was not a problem.
Since there was no other way right now, it would do no harm to let this kid try.
At most, it would only be a waste of ten Serpent Cores and one day of time.
Lang Buping then said, “Very well, this Master of the Cave will give you ten Serpent Cores and two days. As long as you can ascend to a Grand Demon, I will believe you.”
He called for the Lesser Beast guarding the door and ordered him to go to the Storeroom to fetch ten Serpent Cores of the Late Body Tempering stage.
The Lesser Beast took the order and ran off, soon returning with a Yufeng Bag of Serpent Cores, which he placed in Zhang Zongnian’s hands.
Zhang Zongnian counted the Serpent Cores, weighed the Yufeng Bag, and said to Lang Buping, “Please arrange an empty room for me, Master of the Cave.”
Lang Buping thought for a moment and pointed at Zhang Zongnian while commanding the Lesser Beast, “Take him to the room where the Demon Princess lives.”
The Lesser Beast took the order and led Zhang Zongnian out the door, turning a corner toward the Dormitory where Lin Xue and Hong Yanzhi lived.
Zhang Zongnian followed behind the Lesser Beast and entered the Dormitory.
As soon as he entered, he saw a Wooden Plank placed in the room with a line of large characters written on it: “Brother, please stay here for now and wait for me to return.”
On the table in the room were some fruits, Lingguo, nuts, grains, and other foods that a Mouse loved to eat.
Zhang Zongnian’s heart throbbed, and his eyes instantly grew moist. He understood that this was Lin Xue’s arrangement.
Lin Xue was worried that after he became a Mouse, he would come here to find her and fail to do so, so she specially left a message and prepared food for him so he could stay here peacefully and wait for her return.
But now she had fallen into the hands of the Yao Wang. If he did not go to help her, could she escape smoothly?
It had been so many days; he did not know if she had suffered any hardships in the hands of the Yao Wang.
I must save her quickly!
Zhang Zongnian sat cross-legged on the ground, took out the smallest Serpent Core, and swallowed it directly, then immediately began to run the Beast Refinement Codex.
Although he had memorized the Beast Refinement Codex perfectly and deduced it countless times in his heart, he still felt it was somewhat difficult when he actually began to run it.
The dissolution of the Serpent Core required mastering a very subtle balance.
If it dissolved too little, the Demon Power would dissipate completely before it even reached the Essence Core through the Meridians.
If it dissolved too much, he felt overwhelmed and unable to control it.
Zhang Zongnian struggled to control the dissolution of the Serpent Core, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
It was only after half an hour that he gradually became proficient and could steadily input strands of fine Demon Power into the Jindan within his Essence Core.
His Jindan grew at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He was focusing on digesting and absorbing the Serpent Core and did not notice Lang Buping enter the room.
Lang Buping had originally been very dismissive of Zhang Zongnian’s claim, thinking he was either bragging or had a broken brain.
His own status as a Grand Demon had been forcibly built up by his father, Lang Qianxing, using countless Ling Yao and Lingguo.
He understood how difficult it was for a Lesser Beast to ascend to a Grand Demon.
He did not believe at all that Zhang Zongnian could ascend to a Grand Demon in just a day or two.
However, seeing Zhang Zongnian’s confident appearance, he decided to come and take a look anyway.
Yet with this glance, he discovered that Zhang Zongnian was practicing some kind of Gongfa, and the Demon Aura around his body was actually rising steadily at a visible rate.
Lang Buping’s face was full of shock. He had never seen such an incredible speed of Cultivation growth.
Cultivation was a matter of slow, patient work that required long years of effort.
Even for those geniuses, there was no saying they could make the surrounding Demon Aura grow so rapidly during Cultivation.
Based on this speed, it was truly possible for Zhang Zongnian to successfully Jindan and ascend to a Grand Demon within two days.
In that case, could it be true that the kid said he could temporarily ascend to become a Yao Wang? Had he misunderstood him?
Lang Buping was greatly pleasantly surprised. Hei Pi Yao Wang was currently at the end of his life force.
If Zhang Zongnian truly could ascend to a Yao Wang, and two Yao Wangs fought head-on, that black-skinned wild boar who was barely clinging to life might not necessarily be able to defeat Zhang Zongnian.
My Miss Yan Zhi is saved!
Lang Buping walked to Zhang Zongnian’s side in wild joy and sat cross-legged facing him, staring straight at him with anticipation as he waited for him to wake from the Inner View State.
After another hour or so, Zhang Zongnian finally finished digesting and absorbing the Body Tempering Middle Stage Serpent Core he had swallowed.
His Jindan had grown by a full size, and his Cultivation had risen from the initial state of the Body Tempering Middle Stage to a state near the threshold of the Late Body Tempering stage.
Zhang Zongnian let out a long breath, ended his Nei Shi, and opened his eyes.
He planned to take advantage of his proficiency to swallow the second Serpent Core without stopping.
However, as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Lang Buping sitting opposite him, leaning forward with glowing eyes, staring at him intently.
Zhang Zongnian was startled and couldn’t help but move back, distancing himself from Lang Buping.
He then heard Lang Buping ask excitedly, “What kind of Gongfa is this? Why can you improve your Cultivation so much just by eating a Serpent Core?”
In the Monster Mountain, there had been Demons who tried to swallow the Serpent Cores of other Demons to improve their own Cultivation, but the improvement gained was minuscule and basically useless.
He hadn’t expected Zhang Zongnian to be able to turn waste into treasure and absorb the Demon Power within the Serpent Core.
A look of hesitation appeared on Zhang Zongnian’s face. Lang Buping understood that he had been tactless and asked a question he shouldn’t have.
He waved his hand, stood up, and said, “I was just asking casually. If it is inconvenient to answer, then forget it. I won’t disturb you anymore. You continue, continue!”
Watching Lang Buping turn and leave the room, only then did Zhang Zongnian take out the second Serpent Core and swallow it.
He closed his eyes and began to continue dissolving, digesting, and absorbing this Serpent Core.
Strands of Demon Power circulated through his Meridians and merged into the Jindan within his Essence Core.
His Cultivation continued to rise rapidly.