Chapter 143: Chapter 141: Strength Breakthrough

After deciding on his training path, Jiang Chen found a secluded spot nearby.

He was there to process the experience from his previous battle, while also consolidating his Wind Sword Intent and Fire Sword Intent and trying to fuse them.

Unfortunately...

The progress of fusing the two Sword Intents was not going well!

He was getting nowhere!

So, Jiang Chen began to delve into the *Wind God Extreme*, the *Eight Celestial Dragon Divine Fist*, and the *Burning Flame Finger*. After half a month of arduous training, he finally mastered both the final form of the *Wind God Extreme*, the Divine Wind Extreme, and the second form of the *Eight Celestial Dragon Divine Fist*, Flood Dragon Soaring to Heaven.

His progress was fastest with the *Burning Flame Finger*!

Perhaps because he had grasped Fire Sword Intent, his comprehension of the *Burning Flame Finger* was twice as effective. In just half a month, he had already mastered the first two "fingers."

He had cultivated both One Finger Shatters the Earth and Two-Finger Sky-Breaking to the Great Success Realm.

Only the final form, Heaven-Burning Finger, remained just out of reach.

Even so, Jiang Chen’s strength had greatly improved.

By now, it was early spring. Everything in the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers pulsed with vigorous life, and the Demon Beasts were especially active.

A ferocious Second-Grade High-Level Demon Beast, a Golden Emperor Python, stared with wide eyes. A single horn had already sprouted from its head, meaning it was on the verge of transforming into a Flood Dragon.

The scales covering the Golden Emperor Python’s body shimmered with a brilliant, dazzling golden light and were incredibly tough. Even a full-powered strike from a True Martial Realm Seventh Stage expert would struggle to pierce its defense. Yet, right now, the great serpent was covered in wounds. Its eyes were filled with a bloody, grim light as it roared, "Human, do you really intend to hunt me to the death?"

"Don’t make it sound so grim. I just need to borrow your Demon Soul for a bit!" Jiang Chen, clad in black robes, said with a smile.

’Borrow my Demon Soul for a "bit"?’

’What the hell!’

’I’ve only got one Demon Soul! If I "lend" it to you, my spirit will be annihilated! What’s the damn difference between that and hunting me to the death?’

The corner of the Golden Emperor Python’s mouth twitched. It glared at Jiang Chen and roared, "Human, my grandfather is the Golden Beast King of the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers! If you dare kill me, he will never let you get away with it!"

In the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers, any creature called a Beast King was, without exception, a Tier Three Demon Beast.

That was a terrifying existence comparable to the Heavenly Destiny Realm.

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "If your grandfather dares to show up, I’ll take his Demon Soul just the same. Enough nonsense. I’ll be the one to send you on your way!"

"One Finger Shatters the Earth!"

Jiang Chen thrust a finger forward.

A black light erupted from his fingertip. It was intensely dazzling, transforming into a magnificent, spiraling beam that shot forward.

As the spiraling beam flew out, a finger-shaped projection of shimmering black light materialized at its core, tearing through the air.

BOOM—

The finger struck the top of the Golden Emperor Python’s head. Its entire body shuddered violently as its Scale Armor shattered. Horrifying cracks spread across its body, like fissures in the earth after a quake. The massive serpent thrashed desperately, leveling the surrounding area.

BANG!

The Golden Emperor Python’s head completely exploded, atomizing into a cloud of blood mist.

"Human, you want my Demon Soul? I’ll never let you have it! ROAR—" A Demon Soul flew out from the Golden Emperor Python’s corpse. It emanated a faint Light of the Soul, on the verge of self-destructing.

Jiang Chen looked at the Black Emperor. "Little Black, seal its Demon Soul!"

"Relax. A piddling snake like this can’t escape me!" the Black Emperor grinned, spitting out a cloud of black mist.

The black mist instantly enveloped the Golden Emperor Python’s Demon Soul.

A layer of black ice crystals formed over the Demon Soul, sealing it away and turning it into an ice sculpture of a Dragon Soul, its face frozen in despair.

SWOOSH!

Jiang Chen snatched the Golden Emperor Python’s Demon Soul from the air. He tossed it in his hand and grinned. "The Demon Soul of a Tier Two High-Level Demon Beast. After I absorb this, my Ten Thousand Laws Golden Pupil should be able to break through again, pushing my Divine Thought Power to the First-Grade Advanced level. Then, I won’t have to fear even an expert at the True Martial Realm Eighth Stage!"

Over the past half a month, besides comprehending Martial Skills and cultivating, Jiang Chen had spent most of his time hunting High-Level Demon Beasts. He would have Little Black freeze their Demon Souls, then use his Ten Thousand Laws Golden Pupil to absorb them and enhance his Divine Thought Power.

After these past few days of frenzied absorption, his Divine Thought Power was on the verge of breaking through to the First-Grade Advanced level!

The Black Emperor rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I never should have told you I could freeze Demon Souls. I’m dead tired from these last few days!"

Little White called him out from the side. "Brother Black, you enjoyed every minute of it, didn’t you? Boss turns all those Demon Beasts he hunts into delicious meals. Have you ever missed out on your share?"

"Hey! You ungrateful Little White! And after all the good things I’ve given you!" the Black Emperor grumbled, looking completely exasperated.

Little White just grinned cheekily.

Jiang Chen glanced at the two beasts. "Stop bickering. Tidy up the Golden Emperor Python’s corpse. We’re having snake soup tonight!"

"You got it!"

"Add extra chili!"

The two beasts skillfully cleaned up the battlefield.

Jiang Chen returned to the secluded valley and began absorbing the Golden Emperor Python’s Demon Soul. His Ten Thousand Laws Golden Pupil emitted a terrifying, dual-colored light of azure and gold, which enveloped the soul. To the naked eye, the Demon Soul vanished in an instant, completely absorbed. Jiang Chen closed his eyes, beginning to process the power he had just devoured.

HUMMM—

Ripples of Divine Thought radiated from his body, one after another.

The fluctuations of Jiang Chen’s aura grew steadily stronger!

’This kid is really something...’ the Black Emperor muttered, glancing at Jiang Chen. ’Especially his eyes. They always give me an unsettling feeling. I wonder what kind of secrets he’s hiding... Ugh, whatever. He’s my half-master, I guess. The stronger he gets, the better it is for me!’

「Two days and two nights passed in a flash...」

Early one morning, the Black Emperor and Little White, who were napping nearby, suddenly jolted and shot their heads up. A dazzling golden light had erupted from Jiang Chen, enveloping him in a brilliant glow. He looked like a Golden Armor War God.

SWISH—

Jiang Chen’s eyes snapped open. Two long beams of azure and gold light shot from his pupils, piercing the air. A look of ecstasy spread across his face. "I’ve finally broken through to the First-Grade Advanced level of Divine Thought Power! Now to strike while the iron is hot and break through to the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage!"

At this thought, Jiang Chen shot into the air. He used his Divine Thought Power to frantically assault the Mixed Element Golden Pill inside him, and surging Pill Power flooded his body.

A layer of the Mixed Element Golden Pill, as thick as a fingernail, melted away.

The golden light around Jiang Chen intensified, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi throughout the valley grew turbulent, surging toward him.

After a full four hours, the golden light around Jiang Chen finally receded.

"The fourth True Essence Spirit Sea is formed! True Martial Realm Fourth Stage—break!" Jiang Chen roared at the sky.

BOOM—

Inside Jiang Chen’s Dantian, four True Essence Spirit Seas were now suspended.

True Martial Realm Fourth Stage!

Jiang Chen landed back on the ground, his body thrumming with power. His strength had taken another huge leap.

The Black Emperor and Little White stood up.

Little White shook himself out. The Black Emperor grinned at Jiang Chen. "Tsk tsk. Your Divine Thought Power has broken through to First-Grade Advanced, and your Martial Arts Cultivation has reached the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage. Now, unless an expert at the Peak of True Martial Realm shows up, no one beneath the Heavenly Destiny Realm can stop you!"

"That’s not a given," Jiang Chen chuckled. "If I run into a genius who has comprehended the True Martial Dao or had some other special opportunity, they could still put up a fight."

Then, his gaze shifted toward the depths of the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers. "It’s been over half a month. News of the Vampire Witch in Yunxian Valley should have spread by now. It’s time we headed over. If we get there too late, there won’t be anything left for us, not even the scraps!"

"You just want to go stir up trouble with Blood Wolf Village, don’t you?" the Black Emperor said, rolling his eyes.

Jiang Chen grinned, a cold glint in his eyes. "I don’t bother people who don’t bother me. But if someone comes for me, I’ll be sure to kill them. Since Blood Wolf Village dared to help Xiong Yingjie against me, they better be prepared to be wiped out."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!"

The Black Emperor hopped onto Little White’s head and gave a flap of its wings.

The man and his two beasts soared into the air, heading straight for Yunxian Valley.