One night passed.
Zhang Zongnian stood bare-chested before a magnificent standing mirror.
Reflected in the mirror was a young man with a sturdy, slender build and handsome features.
This was his new appearance after his Transformation.
Looking at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, Zhang Zongnian felt a bit out of place.
Compared to his previous human skin, this face was more rugged.
His muscular body was covered in wounds and wrapped in bandages.
After his life-and-death struggles with various predators in the Forest over the past few days, a hint of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes.
A Lesser Beast called out from outside the door, “Elder Zhang, Cave Master Lang has ordered me to bring word. The Rat Demon brothers in the cave have all gathered. Please follow me to the Hall.”
Lang Buping had already announced Zhang Zongnian’s appointment as an Elder to all the demons in the mountain, so the Lesser Beasts had changed how they addressed him.
Zhang Zongnian put on his clothes in front of the mirror, covering his many wounds, and said, “I understand.”
His current condition was not good, and his injuries had not yet fully healed.
However, he could not afford to wait any longer.
If not for the fact that he needed to be in high spirits to execute the Ten Thousand Rats Toward the Source, he would not have even waited through the night.
Zhang Zongnian finished dressing and walked out the door.
The Lesser Beast bowed to him and said, “Elder, please follow me.” He then turned and led the way.
Zhang Zongnian followed him to the middle-level Hall. Hundreds of Rat Demons were already standing there.
Lang Buping was pacing circles on the platform with a worried expression.
When he saw Zhang Zongnian arrive, his eyes lit up, and he rushed over to ask, “Brother Zhang, how is your recovery?”
Zhang Zongnian nodded. “Good enough.”
Lang Buping breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the crowd of Rat Demons below.
“I have made it clear to all the Rat Demon brothers in the mountain. Every participant will receive three stalks of ten-year-old Spiritual Herbs and double cultivation resources at the end of the year. Everyone is willing to offer their Demon Power to help you increase your strength.”
To rescue Hong Yanzhi, he had promised heavy rewards to all the Rat Demons.
Regardless, there were plenty of Spiritual Herbs in the Luoyun Cave’s storeroom.
If they ran out, he could always request more from Yellow Wind Mountain.
The crowd of Rat Demons had been dazzled by the rewards and had all agreed.
There were even some non-rat Lesser Beasts who were indignant, regretting that they weren’t born as Rat Demons.
Seeing the eight hundred Rat Demons below, each looking expectant and eager to try, Zhang Zongnian felt a massive wave of relief.
His greatest concern had been that these Rat Demons would not cooperate or be unwilling to let him absorb their Demon Power.
He bowed to the eight hundred Rat Demons below and said, “I thank you all for your help, brothers.”
The hundreds of demons returned the gesture, shouting in a disorganized clamor, “Elder Zhang is being too polite!”
“Cave Master Lang’s business is our business!”
“Elder Zhang, feel free to use the Demon Power in our bodies!”
Lang Buping rubbed his hands at the side and urged, “Brother Zhang, everything is ready. Shall we begin?”
Zhang Zongnian nodded. He sat cross-legged on the platform and began to circulate the Ten Thousand Rats Toward the Source.
Below the platform, all the Rat Demons also sat on the ground.
Within the Hall, Demon Aura permeated the air. A force slowly condensed above the crowd, beginning to draw the Demon Power from within the Rat Demons.
……
In Erlong Mountain, before the gates of the Thousand Silk Garden.
A squad of Demon Troops had the courtyard completely surrounded.
Inside the courtyard sat a lounge chair where Guo Shan Feng lay with his eyes closed, resting his mind while still clutching his Long Sword in his arms.
A cluster of black clouds descended at the entrance of the Thousand Silk Garden.
The clouds dissipated, revealing a middle-aged man who looked like a wealthy merchant, followed by a gaudily dressed Nüyao.
The Demon Troops bowed one after another, shouting in unison, “Greetings, Second Leader!”
The middle-aged man who looked like a wealthy merchant was Zong Lie. Hearing the troops call him “Second Leader,” his brow furrowed slightly.
The gaudy Nüyao behind him immediately raised her eyebrows and scolded the troops,
“What ‘Second Leader’? Don’t you know that the matter with that old wolf Hei Feng has come to light and the King has personally executed him? There is only one Chief in the mountain now, my godfather. Why are you still calling him Second Leader?”
The troops quickly corrected themselves. “Greetings, Great Chief!”
Only then did Zong Lie’s expression soften.
Hearing the commotion outside, Guo Shan Feng stood up from his chair and walked out of the courtyard.
He cupped his hands toward Zong Lie and said, “This subordinate greets the Chief.”
Zong Lie asked, “Are there still no signs of the Secret Realm opening?”
Guo Shan Feng replied, “I have been guarding this place since yesterday, and I haven’t seen any movement.”
Zong Lie nodded expressionlessly and said, “Very well. It seems we can only wait for its energy to be exhausted so it opens on its own.”
Guo Shan Feng glanced at the Yaojing behind Zong Lie and noted that she was at the Early Core Condensation stage. His pupils contracted slightly as he asked, “And this is?”
Zong Lie replied, “This is my goddaughter, Jiaojiao.”
The Nüyao lifted her chin arrogantly and spared a glance at Guo Shan Feng.
She was the trump card Zong Lie had prepared to deal with the Hei Pi Yao Wang.
Originally, she was a Lesser Beast at the Body Tempering Peak in Erlong Mountain.
Because of her charming appearance, she had been chosen for the first batch of Yao-Fei to serve the Hei Pi Yao Wang.
However, her luck was exceptionally good. After absorbing the Yang Energy of a man in the Secret Realm, her cultivation broke through the Body Tempering Peak, she condensed her core, endured the Thunder Tribulation, and promoted to a Grand Demon.
Initially, there were many female demons at the Late Body Tempering stage in the mountain, so there was no shortage of targets for the Hei Pi Yao Wang’s Yin-Yang Harvesting.
When Zong Biao saw that Jiaojiao had become a Grand Demon, he had her stay with Du Niangzi to treat the wounds from the Lightning Tribulation instead of sending her to be harvested with the other Body Tempering Lesser Beasts.
Once Zong Lie learned of this, he immediately felt that Jiaojiao could serve as a means to counter the Hei Pi Yao Wang in the future.
Thus, he took her in as his goddaughter, promised to make her his Yao Hou in the future, and secretly taught her the complete ‘Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Secret Manual’, waiting for the day he could use her to kill Hei Pi.
Now that Hei Feng was dead, it was time to play this trump card!
Zong Lie sighed and said,
“The Secret Realm hasn’t opened, and the King is in urgent need of a Yao-Fei to serve him. Fortunately, my goddaughter has practiced the Double Cultivation Art before. In my desperation, I captured a Human Cultivator last night for her to absorb his Yang Energy. Today, I am taking her to the King to serve him, so he can relax and get through this current crisis.”
Guo Shan Feng lowered his head and said, “The Chief is truly loyal. It is Erlong Mountain’s blessing to have such a cornerstone of the state serving the King.”
Zong Lie chuckled and said, “As the Chief, I naturally cannot fail the King’s high regard. Very well, continue to guard this place. I shall go now to pay my respects to the King.”
After speaking, he took his goddaughter Jiaojiao and condensed another cluster of black clouds, flying toward the Demon King Palace.
Guo Shan Feng bowed as they departed. Once Zong Lie was far away, Guo Shan Feng straightened his back and looked at the black cloud, a trace of contempt and ridicule surfacing in his eyes.
He returned to the courtyard, pulled a Transmission Jade from his robe, and injected it with Demon Power.
He whispered, “King, Zong Lie has headed toward you with that Nüyao.”
“Yes. This subordinate obeys!”