"After refining nearly two hundred Three-Clear True Qi Pills, I've finally completed the cultivation of the Qi Lake. What a waste."

  Although his cultivation had improved significantly, Zhang Ruochen's mood was not very good.

  Two hundred Three Purities True Qi Pills, worth nearly a million silver coins. If other warriors were to know that he was so wasteful with his pills, they would be furious to the point of spitting blood.

  "The Sanqing Zhenqi Dan is only a second-grade medicinal pill. For me, its effect is already quite poor. Even if I continue to take it, there won't be much of an improvement."

  Zhang Ruochen still had 340 Three Clear True Qi Pills left, planning to bring them back to the West Wing and sell them at a low price to new students, then go buy three-grade medicinal pills.

  Outside, a Three Purities True Qi Pill can sell for 5,000 silver coins. If Zhang Ruo Chen sells it for only 3,000 silver coins per pill, he will definitely be rushed to buy. Especially those students in the early and middle stages of Xuanji Realm, the Three Purities True Qi Pill can quickly improve their cultivation.

  After making up his mind, Zhang Ruochen put away the remaining 340 Sanqing True Qi Pills.

  "Blood Qi Condenses into a Beast."

  Zhang Ruochen's entire body was enveloped in a crimson aura, with a seven-meter-tall giant barbarian beast shadow and a blood-red seven-clawed dragon shadow condensed behind him.

  After cultivation was enhanced, the blood and energy became more intense, and the elephant shadow and dragon shadow also became more solid, vividly lifelike, as if they could come to life.

  At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was like a dragon and an elephant combined, emitting a powerful martial aura.

  With his current cultivation, even without activating the power of his bloodline, he could burst out at a speed of 52 meters per second. By activating the power of his bloodline, he could burst out at a speed of 54 meters per second.

  "It's not bad, let the true energy settle for a while longer, allowing the increased true energy and flesh to fully merge, then it can impact the extreme position of the Xuanji boundary."

  This time, he cultivated in the Time-Space Crystal for over a month, and outside, only more than ten days had passed.

  Zhang Ruochen walked out of the Time-Space Crystal, and immediately felt a powerful beastly aura. He looked up to see a five-meter-tall blood-red lion standing in front of him.

  It had two huge skulls, eyes bigger than Zhang Ruochen's fist, and two rows of sharp teeth as long as a palm in its mouth. After seeing Zhang Ruochen, it immediately let out two earth-shaking howls, shaking Zhang Ruochen's eardrums.

  Second-order superior savage beast, double-headed blood lion.

  In almost an instant, Zhang Ruochen took out the Flash Soul Sword, grasped it in his hand, and pointed at the Double-headed Blood Lion. A half-meter long sword glow was emitted from the tip of the sword.

  "Hey young man, don't be nervous, that's just Ben Wong's tamed mount." Xiao Hei sat on the ground, setting up a fire pit and roasting a huge cow leg.

  That cow leg is over two meters long and weighs more than 200 kilograms, already roasted to a golden brown, emitting a strong meaty aroma.

  In the distance, the corpse of a iron-skinned barbarian bull king lay among fallen leaves, but was missing one thigh. It was clear that the other thigh had already been roasted by Xiao Hei.

  "The dual-headed Blood Lion mount you've subdued is a second-tier superior savage beast, its combat strength comparable to that of a martial artist who has achieved the Great Perfection of the Mystic Extreme Realm. It will obediently submit to you." Zhang Ruochen said.

  Xiao Hei looked rather disdainful and said, "It's just a second-rate upper-class beast, if my cultivation hadn't been sealed, it wouldn't even have the qualifications to be my food. Now, it can serve as my mount, which is already its greatest honor. Xiao Shuang, right?"

  The two huge heads of that double-headed blood lion nodded slightly and then lay down in front of Xiao Hei.

  Zhang Ruochen put away the Flash Soul Sword and walked to the side of the Double-Headed Blood Lion, staring into its eyes as he released his spiritual energy.

  After a moment, Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual power and smiled: "I guessed it was indeed correct, you engraved the Beast Taming Seal on the eyeballs of the Double-Headed Blood Lion."

  Beastmasters usually engrave beastmaster seals on the eyeballs, skin, and bones of ferocious beasts to achieve the purpose of driving them.

  Exposed by Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Hei didn't feel embarrassed at all and said: "What's the big deal? At least it's my mount now. If you have the ability, go tame a fierce beast as your mount."

  Zhang Ruochen said, "I don't need to go through so much trouble. I can directly use my merit points to exchange for a Mount Beast at the Imperial Palace. A mid-to-high level Mount Beast would only cost between 200 to 500 merit points. If I'm willing, I could even exchange for a high-level Mount Beast."

  A huge roasted leg of beef, already cooked, and Xiao Hei was about to slowly savor it.

  "Whoosh"

  Suddenly, a sword flashed, and the most tender ten jin of beef on the cow's leg was cut off, thrown up, and fell into Zhang Ruochen's hand.

  "It's been a long time since I've tasted the flavor of meat, it's really delicious, thank you!" Zhang Ruochen held up that golden piece of beef, tore off a piece with his fingers, put it in his mouth, and savored it carefully, fully enjoying this feeling.

  For the past six months, Zhang Ruochen had been using Blood Dan to replace food. Once again tasting the flavor of roasted meat, his mood was indescribably delightful.

  "The flavor is great, Xiao Hei, your culinary skills are even better than the royal chef of the Wang clan." Zhang Ruochen praised.

  He clenched his teeth and restrained himself, finally not losing his temper. He licked his lips with the tip of his tongue and said in a stifled tone: "As long as you enjoy your meal, that's all that matters."

  There's no way out, its fate is now completely controlled by Zhang Ruochen. Can't bear it, what else can be done?

  Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei finished the whole beef leg, Zhang Ruochen ate about 20 kilograms, and Xiao Hei ate 200 kilograms. The amount of food for one person and one cat is simply astonishingly large.

  It's actually quite normal, as it's said that a warrior at the Tianji boundary can devour a single beast weighing several thousand kilograms in one sitting, and convert the beast's flesh and blood into their own strength.

  Zhang Ruochen removed the time-space crystal from Xiao Hei's neck, put it back, stood up, stretched his waist and said: "I'm going to return to the Magic Wind Valley for cultivation, are you going or not?"

  "I'm going to collect some medicinal herbs and refine some elixirs," said Xiao Hei.

  Zhang Ruochen said: "What are you doing refining Dan medicine?"

  "Of course, I'll give it to you." Xiao Hei paused for a moment and continued: "As your cultivation grows stronger, my strength will also increase. I must defeat that Huang girl, she's too arrogant, this emperor has never seen such an arrogant human being."

  Xiao Hei's cultivation was all sealed in the Qian Kun Divine Wood Map. The stronger Zhang Ruochen's cultivation became, the more seals he could unlock, and its strength naturally grew stronger.

  It can be said that Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei are now completely like two cicadas on a string. If Zhang Ruochen dies, Xiao Hei will also be re-sealed in the Qiankun Divine Wood Map.

  "You will still refine the elixir." Zhang Ruochen revealed a hint of a smile.

  Xiao Hei Dao said, "This emperor is erudite and all-knowing, his divine hands are unparalleled. To say nothing of taming beasts and refining elixirs, even refining artifacts, setting up arrays, summoning the wind and rain, or turning stones into gold would be a trivial matter."

  Zhang Ruochen stood in the forest, his face turned solemn, making a silencing gesture with his hand, saying "Shh".

  "Hush, hush, what's the emperor got up his sleeve? For instance, summoning dark troops, communicating with the sun and moon, sealing off all directions under ice." Suddenly, the little black cat's ears perked up, as if it had also heard some sound, and immediately shut its mouth.

  It blew a mouthful of cold air, and the fire in front of it was immediately extinguished. The unburned branches made a "hissing" sound and were covered with a layer of white frost.

  The fire went out and everything around became pitch black.

  That double-headed blood lion lying on the ground seemed to have sensed something as well, its two heads lifted up, and a mouthful of turbid air with a bloody smell was spat out.

  Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes and circulated his true energy to his ears. After a while, he said, "We are surrounded, about two thousand human warriors."

  "Zhang Ruochen, what kind of powerful enemy have you provoked?" Xiao Hei asked.

  Zhang Ruochen sank into thought for a moment, then said: "I understand that the nine counties of Lingxi have troops stationed in Tianmo Ridge, with the most troops stationed in Fangfang County. Prince Huo Xing hates me to the bone, and seeing me leave the West Wing, he will definitely go to the military camp to dispatch troops to kill me."

  "How did he know our whereabouts?" Little Hei Dao.

  "In the military camp, there is a fierce beast called the Three-Headed Dog. As long as it follows the aura I left behind, it will be able to find me." Zhang Ruochen held up the Soul Flash Sword, his eyes becoming extremely sharp, saying: "Prepare for battle."

  "Are you not running away?"

  "Can't escape."

  "Zhang Ruochen, give me a hundred spiritual crystals, and I can set up a Blazing Vermilion Bird Formation. Perhaps it can pose some threat to them," said Xiao Hei.

  Zhang Ruochen didn't even think about it and took out 100 spiritual crystals, throwing them at it.

  Xiao Hei obtained the Ling Crystal and buried each one deep into the ground, using his cat claws to carve array patterns on the surface.

  Before long, a blazing Vermilion Bird Array covering an area of fifty meters was set up. All that was needed was to stimulate the seals with true energy to activate the array.

  "Can only set up a low-level formation, hoping to block this elite army." Xiao Hei returned to Zhang Ruochen's side, looking extremely exhausted.

  At this moment, the sound of heavy iron hooves came from all directions, and the bronze torches illuminated the night sky, forming a sea of fire in the forest, surrounding Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei in the center.

  Zhang Ruochen's gaze swept past, and indeed it was the army of the Four-sided Prefecture, wearing thick iron armor, riding ferocious beasts as mounts, with almost all of their cultivation being at the Small Extreme Boundary of the Yellow Extreme Realm, among which some had even reached the Middle Extreme Boundary of the Yellow Extreme Realm.

  "Whoosh"

  About five hundred soldiers knelt on the ground, pulling open their iron crossbows, with shocking thunder arrows placed on the strings, all pointing at Zhang Ruochen in the center.

  Well-trained, uniform and absolutely elite.

  Dada

  Huo Xing Wangzi rode a second-rate fierce beast, emerging from the army with an arrogant attitude, staring at Zhang Ruochen standing not far away, and said: "Zhang Ruochen, I thought you had already fled in defeat."

  Zhang Ruochen coldly gazed at the soldiers surrounding him from all sides, calmly saying: "I just wanted to confirm whether it was you or not, so I waited for you here."

  "You're deliberately waiting for me here? Well, I suppose you'll be waiting till death then." Prince Huo Xing's face wore a mocking smile.

  "You think they can kill me?" Zhang Ruochen smiled and said.

  Huo Xing Wangzi sneered, saying: "You think you're a Tianji Boundary strong expert, capable of resisting an entire army with your own strength? Let me tell you the truth, this prince has brought two thousand elite Tiger Liet soldiers. Even if it were a Diyi Boundary strong expert who was surrounded, that would still be a dead end."