The golden light of the morning sun filtered through the dense, towering canopy of the Star Dou Great Forest, casting long, shifting shadows across the vibrant, emerald-green grass surrounding the Lake of Life. The air in the core region was incredibly thick, saturated with an ancient, untainted spiritual resonance that made every breath feel like drinking from a pure, refreshing spring. Zhang Tian stood near the water's edge, his dark aristocratic robes hanging flawlessly on his heavily muscled frame, his icy blue eyes sweeping over the imposing figures gathered before him.
The five specifically chosen Spirit Beasts rested securely a short distance away, their auras calm and compliant. They had accepted their impending journey. However, the ancient guardians of the forest were not entirely ready to simply watch them leave without a final exchange of words.
Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, stood tall in his dark-robed human guise. His golden eyes, filled with the heavy burden of countless eras, stared intensely at the human standing before him. Beside him, Bi Ji, the Emerald Swan, offered a gentle, maternal smile, her green dress fluttering lightly in the morning breeze. Xiong Jun, the Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear, crossed his massive, tree-trunk-like arms, his beady eyes glaring with a residual, fiercely protective suspicion. The shadowy form of Yao Ling swayed silently near the treeline.
"The time has come for me to depart, Lord Di Tian," Zhang Tian spoke, his voice a calm, even baritone that carried effortlessly across the serene clearing. He offered a polite, respectful nod to the gathered apex predators. "I will take these five chosen Spirit Beasts back to Crimson Zenith City and begin the process of forming the Origin Blood Resonance Pact. But before I leave, I must inform you of my future intentions."
Xiong Jun let out a harsh, grating snort, his massive claws digging deep, ragged furrows into the grassy bank. "You are taking five of our most promising cubs today, human. Do you intend to demand more of our flesh and blood before the sun even sets on this agreement?"
"I ask for patience, Xiong Jun," Zhang Tian replied smoothly, entirely unbothered by the giant bear's hostility. He understood their perspective perfectly; these were not mere resources to them, but the precious children of their forest. "I will be returning here a few weeks later to ask for a few more young Spirit Beasts possessing exceptional bloodlines. I need to secure partners for my trusted companions and family members."
"You ask for much," Yao Ling hissed from the shadows, his spectral voice echoing with deep-seated wariness. "You take our hatchlings and our cubs to empower your own kind. It sounds like the same old story of human greed, merely dressed in prettier words."
"It is indeed for the selfish reason of empowering those I care for," Zhang Tian admitted with blunt, disarming honesty. He did not try to hide his motives behind a veil of false righteousness. "I want my companions to be strong. I want them to condense their own Spirit Bones and elevate their potential. However, I assure you, this will not be harmful to the Spirit Beast race in the slightest."
Zhang Tian took a slow step forward, his gaze meeting Di Tian's directly. "Consider the grander scale of this endeavor. Once I have perfected this method with my inner circle, this technique will soon be rolled out to all human Spirit Masters across the entire world. When that day arrives, I will ensure that no human ever needs, or even wants, to hunt a Spirit Beast to acquire Spirit Rings or Spirit Bones ever again."
He gestured toward the five waiting creatures. "Why would any sane Spirit Master risk their life battling a furious, dying creature in the wild, risking a fatal backlash, when the Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones they can acquire from my peaceful, symbiotic methods would be vastly superior? I am offering you the end of the eternal slaughter. I am offering your race a chance to thrive without looking over your shoulders every single day."
Bi Ji stepped forward, her emerald eyes shining with a profound, hopeful light. She looked at her fellow guardians. "His words hold merit, Di Tian. If this path truly leads to the preservation of our young ones and stops the blades of the human hunters, it is a future we must embrace. We have shed too much blood over the ages."
Di Tian remained silent for a long moment, the sheer weight of his leadership evident in the tight lines around his mouth. He looked at the human, seeing the unwavering confidence in his posture.
"You will be marked, human," Di Tian finally rumbled, his voice carrying the finality of a falling mountain. "I will uphold my end of the bargain, and you will uphold yours. If you return in a few weeks, and my spatial marks indicate that these five cubs have thrived under your care, then we will discuss providing partners for your companions. Until then, tread carefully."
"I would expect nothing less," Zhang Tian smiled, a genuine expression of satisfaction touching his lips.
With the diplomatic negotiations concluded, Zhang Tian did not immediately gather the Spirit Beasts and take to the sky. He had one final, deeply important matter to attend to before his departure. He turned his back on the Fierce Spirit Beasts and walked smoothly back toward the glowing, crystal-lined entrance of the hidden den.
For the next few days, the five selected Spirit Beasts remained in the lush, vibrant area just outside the den, peacefully absorbing the incredibly rich Life Spirit Energy of the core region and cultivating under the watchful eyes of the ancient guardians.
Inside the den, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the heavy political maneuvering of the outside world. It was a sanctuary of profound, romantic intimacy.
The cavern was illuminated by the soft, warm glow of luminescent moss and glowing crystals. Zhang Tian lay comfortably upon a massive, incredibly soft bed woven from thick spirit-leaves and plush furs. Resting securely against his side, her head pillowed on his broad chest, was Jin Xi.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast looked breathtakingly beautiful in the dim light. She wore a simple, elegant yellow dress that clung desperately to her voluptuous, gravity-defying curves. Her golden hair cascaded over his dark robes like a river of spun sunlight.
Zhang Tian wrapped his strong arm around her incredibly slender waist, pulling her flush against his body. He enjoyed her warmth, his large hand gently stroking her side.
"I will be leaving soon, my beautiful lion," Zhang Tian murmured, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head.
Jin Xi let out a soft, reluctant sigh, her arms tightening around his torso. "I know, Hubby. I will miss you so much. The den always feels so empty and cold when you are not here."
"I will miss you as well," Zhang Tian replied, his fingers tracing the delicate curve of her spine. "But I promise you, Jin Xi, the time of our separation will not last much longer. I will soon be handling all my remaining enemies on the continent. Once the dust settles and my empire is entirely secure, you will be able to leave this forest. You will come to Crimson Zenith City, and you will live with me openly and easily, without any fear of the heavens or the hidden threats of the world."
Jin Xi looked up at him, her golden eyes shining with a deep, unwavering trust and profound adoration. She knew he was keeping her in the core region purely for her own safety, protecting her from the chaotic, shifting tides of the mortal realm and the prying eyes of the divine.
"I believe you, Hubby," Jin Xi smiled brightly, her innocent face radiating pure happiness. "I will wait patiently right here. I will cultivate every day and make sure the young ones in the forest grow up strong."
Zhang Tian smiled back, his heart swelling with affection for her pure, untainted spirit. "Speaking of cultivation," he said, shifting his position slightly so he could look down at her properly. "You have already reached the seventieth level of Spirit Power. It is time I provided you with your Seventh Spirit Ring."
Jin Xi's eyes widened with excitement. She sat up, her massive, heavy breasts bouncing delightfully against the fabric of her yellow dress. "Right now? You are going to use your special method for me?"
"Yes," Zhang Tian nodded. He reached into his storage ring and pulled out a complex, metallic artifact. The Spirit Tool was a masterpiece of intricate gears, glowing jade conduits, and highly conductive spirit-metal, roughly the size of a large gauntlet. It was the heavily upgraded Spirit Ring Condensation Spirit Tool.
He handed the heavy artifact to Jin Xi. "Hold this firmly in both hands," he instructed, his tone turning serious and educational. "Sit cross-legged and summon your Golden Dragon spirit. Focus your mind entirely on your own bloodline. The tool will stimulate your latent potential, and I will provide the vast energy required to forge the ring."
Jin Xi obeyed eagerly. She sat in the center of the soft bed, gripping the cool, metallic nodes of the Spirit Tool. She closed her eyes, her breathing slowing as she delved into her own spiritual sea. A brilliant, overwhelming golden light flared around her body, and the majestic, towering phantom of the Golden Dragon materialized behind her, radiating an ancient, supreme draconic majesty.
Zhang Tian moved behind her. He placed his large, warm hands firmly against her slender back, his palms resting against her shoulder blades. He activated his Life Spirit Core, opening the floodgates of his internal reservoir.
A tremendous, blinding torrent of pure, emerald Life Spirit Power rushed from his hands, flowing directly into Jin Xi's meridians and channeling seamlessly into the Spirit Tool she held.
The metallic artifact hummed violently, a melodic, high-pitched frequency vibrating through the cavern.
Above Jin Xi's head, the ambient energy began to rapidly swirl and compress. A faint, milky-white ring of light snapped into existence. A ten-year-old spirit ring.
"Keep your focus, my dear," Zhang Tian spoke softly over the hum of the machinery, steadily increasing the output of his Life Spirit Power.
The nascent white ring absorbed the emerald energy hungrily. The pale light deepened rapidly, shifting into a vibrant, solid yellow hue. A hundred-year-old spirit ring.
The yellow light intensified, vibrating with escalating power. Jin Xi's brow furrowed slightly in concentration, her hands gripping the artifact tighter. The color of the ring began to darken, the edges bleeding into a rich, majestic purple. A thousand-year-old spirit ring.
The purple light grew incredibly dense, the sheer spiritual weight of the construct pressing down upon the air in the den. With another massive surge of Zhang Tian's energy, the purple shifted abruptly into a deep, fathomless black. A ten-thousand-year-old spirit ring.
But Zhang Tian did not stop. He knew the terrifying, heaven-defying potential of the Golden Dragon bloodline. He poured an ocean of pure vitality into the tool.
The black ring shuddered violently. A stark, brilliant crimson hue began to bleed from the center, rapidly consuming the blackness until the entire ring blazed with a terrifying, blood-red light. A hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring.
Jin Xi gasped softly, a sheen of sweat breaking out across her flawless forehead. Her physical body was beginning to feel the immense, crushing strain of the condensing energy.
Zhang Tian pushed further, his own icy blue eyes narrowing in profound concentration. He wanted to give her the greatest possible foundation.
The blood-red ring pulsed with a blinding brilliance. Slowly, the crimson hue began to lighten, taking on a searing, vibrant orange color. Two distinct, shimmering golden marks materialized upon the surface of the orange ring. A two-hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring.
The cavern was bathed in an intense, warm light, the sheer density of the spirit ring warping the air around it.
Zhang Tian channeled another, final surge of his Life Spirit Power. The orange ring vibrated fiercely, and a third, brilliant golden mark etched itself onto the glowing surface. A three-hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring.
At this precise moment, Zhang Tian felt the delicate muscles of Jin Xi's back tremble violently beneath his palms. He could sense the intricate meridian pathways within her body straining dangerously under the apocalyptic weight of the three-hundred-thousand-year-old energy.
'She has reached her current physical limit,' Zhang Tian analyzed instantly, prioritizing her safety above all else.
He abruptly cut off the flow of his Life Spirit Power, pulling his hands away and allowing the Spirit Tool to power down with a soft, declining hum.
The orange ring with three golden marks stabilized perfectly, dropping down to hover gently around Jin Xi's waist, joining her other six rings in a breathtaking display of power.
Jin Xi opened her eyes, gasping for air, her chest heaving heavily. She looked down at the vibrant, orange halo circling her body in complete, unadulterated awe.
"An orange ring..." Jin Xi breathed, her hands trembling as she touched the tangible, pulsing energy of her newly forged Seventh Spirit Ring. "It feels incredibly heavy, yet packed with boundless power. I can feel the Martial Spirit Avatar resting securely within it."
Zhang Tian moved to sit beside her, reaching out to gently wipe the sweat from her brow with his thumb.
"This is your limit for now, my dear," Zhang Tian explained, his voice filled with warm affection. "I could not push it higher without risking severe damage to your meridians. However, you do not need to worry. Because you cultivate in this specific area, directly over the Lake of Life where the ambient energy is unimaginably rich, this spirit ring will naturally absorb the Life Energy in the air. It will increase in age automatically over time, growing stronger as your physical body adapts and grows."
He cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing her cheekbone. "Your physical strength will also become incredibly, terrifyingly strong as you grow, and your speed of cultivation will remain exceptionally quick. You are on the perfect path."
Jin Xi was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of pure, ecstatic happiness. She had never imagined she would possess a three-hundred-thousand-year-old ring at this stage of her life. The sheer magnitude of the gift he had just bestowed upon her filled her heart to the bursting point.
Unable to contain her profound gratitude and her burning, romantic love for him, Jin Xi threw herself forward. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pressing her large, heavy breasts flush against his broad chest, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder.
"Thank you, Hubby! Thank you so much!" Jin Xi cried softly, her voice muffled against his robes. "You are the most wonderful man in the entire world. I love you so incredibly much."
Zhang Tian chuckled a low, deep sound, wrapping his strong arms securely around her incredibly curvy waist. "You are welcome, my beautiful lion."
Jin Xi pulled back slightly, her golden eyes shining with a deep, unmistakable lust that she no longer tried to hide. Her innocent, pure personality made her seductive actions all the more intoxicating. She didn't know the intricate, degrading games of the noble courts, nor did she harbor the complex, dark desires of his other mistresses. She simply loved him, and she desperately wanted to use her voluptuous body to please him.
"Hubby," Jin Xi murmured, her voice dropping to a sweet, sultry register. "You used so much energy for me. Please, let me thank you properly. Let me take care of you."
Without waiting for his permission, she began to slowly, deliberately unlace the front of her yellow dress. Her movements were slightly clumsy but undeniably eager. The fabric parted, revealing her incredibly massive, milky-white breasts. They spilled out freely, bouncing heavily in the cool air of the den, the dark pink, stiff peaks of her areolas proudly displayed.
Zhang Tian's icy blue eyes darkened instantly, a familiar, predatory hunger igniting within his gaze. He leaned back against the plush pillows, spreading his legs slightly, allowing her to take control of the situation.
Jin Xi crawled forward on her hands and knees, her massive breasts swaying heavily with her movements. She reached down and unbuckled his dark trousers with trembling, excited fingers. She pulled the fabric down, freeing his massive, heavily throbbing cock.
She let out a soft, breathy gasp as it sprang free, thick, veiny, and intimidatingly hard.
"It is so big, Hubby," Jin Xi spoke softly, her golden eyes wide with genuine awe and intense arousal.
She didn't hesitate. She leaned forward, opening her mouth wide, and took the blunt, weeping tip past her soft lips.
She began to fervently, enthusiastically suck and lick his cock, bobbing her head with a sloppy, highly dedicated rhythm. She used her tongue to swirl around the sensitive ridge, trying to take him as deep into her throat as she physically could. The wet, obscene sounds of her deepthroating him filled the quiet, glowing den.
Zhang Tian let out a low, deeply satisfied groan, his head falling back against the furs. He reached down, his large hands tangling in her beautiful golden hair, gently guiding the rhythm of her oral worship.
After several minutes of intense, sloppy pleasure, Jin Xi pulled back, her lips glistening with his pre-cum. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson, a deeply seductive, eager smile on her face.
"Do you want to feel my breasts, Hubby?" Jin Xi asked sweetly.
Before he could answer, she shifted her position. She pushed her massive, heavy breasts tightly together, creating a deep, incredibly plush valley of soft flesh. She guided his thick, saliva-slicked cock directly into her cleavage.
She began a rigorous, friction-filled tittyfuck, sliding her massive breasts vigorously up and down his length. The friction of her incredibly soft, fair skin rubbing tightly against his cock felt divine. She leaned down, kissing his stomach and his chest while her hands moved rapidly, pushing her breasts together with all her strength.
"Ah! Hubby... does this feel good?" Jin Xi panted, her eyes looking up at him through her lashes as she stroked him with her chest. "Do you like it when I squeeze them together like this?"
"I love it, my dear," Zhang Tian growled, his voice thick with lust. He reached out, his large hands aggressively grabbing the outer curves of her massive breasts, helping her squeeze the soft flesh tightly against his shaft. "You are entirely breathtaking."
They spent the next few days engaged in this deep, passionate intimacy. Jin Xi used her mouth and her massive breasts to pleasure him in various, highly erotic positions. She straddled his legs, facing away from him, reaching back to stroke his cock while he kissed her spine and fondled her curvy buttocks. She lay on her back beside him, pulling his dick between her heavy breasts while he kissed her lips deeply.
He did not offer his cock to her virgin passage, and he did not push for it. He respected the delicate, evolving nature of her Golden Dragon bloodline and strictly maintained her pristine purity. But the lack of penetration did not diminish the intensity of their session in the slightest.
When Zhang Tian finally felt his release approaching, he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up.
"Open your mouth, my beautiful lion," Zhang Tian ordered, his voice a husky rumble.
Jin Xi eagerly opened her mouth, her tongue hanging out in a display of pure, devoted submission. Zhang Tian stroked his cock quickly a few times before erupting. He shot a massive, scalding load of his thick seed directly onto her beautiful face, splashing across her cheeks, her lips, and dripping heavily onto her massive, exposed breasts.
Jin Xi didn't flinch. She let out a soft, happy hum, closing her eyes as the hot fluid coated her skin. She then stuck her tongue out, lazily, seductively licking the cum from her own lips and chin, savoring the salty, potent taste of his vital essence.
After spending those few days cuddling and enjoying the peaceful, romantic seclusion of her den, Zhang Tian finally decided it was time to depart.
He kissed Jin Xi deeply one last time at the entrance of the den, promising to return as soon as the continent was secured. He then gathered the five waiting Spirit Beasts, who had been patiently cultivating near the lake, and prepared to leave.
The journey back to the north was remarkably swift, but it was not accomplished through spatial teleportation. Zhang Tian had not yet mastered the intricate Spatial Laws required to transport living, breathing entities of such immense power across vast continental distances. Instead, he relied on his boundless Spirit Power.
He projected a colossal, aerodynamic barrier of pure, emerald Spirit Power that entirely enveloped the five chosen Spirit Beasts. This translucent shield cut through the atmospheric drag, protecting the creatures from the freezing, high-altitude gales. Zhang Tian flew at the vanguard, his own integrated Spirit Bones propelling him forward at a terrifying pace, dragging the encased beasts along within his slipstream.
Inside the protective bubble, the Spirit Beasts marveled at the sheer velocity.
"Human, your reserves are bottomless," the Chrono-Scale Serpent-Tortoise communicated through a direct pulse of Mental Power, its lethargic mind struggling to process the rapidly blurring landscape below. "To carry five beings of our weight and cultivation at this speed without tiring... your foundation rivals the ancient ones."
"You may call me Master, Shi Ying," Zhang Tian replied calmly through the mental link, bestowing upon the ancient tortoise a simple, fitting female name. "Rest your mind. We will arrive in Crimson Zenith City shortly."
Jin Xi had been clever. She had deliberately scoured the clans to select solely female Spirit Beasts with the highest potential. Her reasoning was cheeky and entirely domestic; she knew that once these beasts eventually transformed into their human forms, their exceptional bloodlines would grant them breathtaking beauty. They could then serve as loyal maids alongside her to attend to Zhang Tian's every need.
Zhang Tian understood her playful intent perfectly and humored it, bestowing elegant names upon his new companions.
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine was named Lei Ting. The Void-Rending Mantis became Kong Yue. The Chrono-Scale Serpent-Tortoise was Shi Ying. The majestic Silver Moon Wolf King was designated Yin Yue. And the arrogant, primordial Yin-Yang Chaos Bird received the title Hun Ling.
Upon arriving at Crimson Zenith City, Zhang Tian did not take the beasts directly into the bustling heart of his mansion. He flew them to a vast, highly secure, and deeply secluded mountainous sector of his sprawling estate that he had specifically designated for their residence.
Utilizing his supreme mastery over the plant kingdom and the elemental forces, Zhang Tian began to terraform the environment.
He summoned millions of thick, vibrant Blood Silver Grass vines, weaving them into massive, sprawling enclosures that mimicked the specific, ideal habitats for each individual Spirit Beast.
For Lei Ting, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, he carved a deep, jagged crater into the stone, infusing the earth with highly conductive ores. He established complex spirit arrays that continuously drew static electricity from the freezing atmosphere, creating a localized, miniature thunderstorm that perpetually showered the crater in crackling blue arcs.
For Kong Yue, the Void-Rending Mantis, he constructed a sprawling, cavernous maze filled with shifting, reflective obsidian mirrors and dense, interwoven vines, providing the perfect, disorienting environment for the beast to practice its spatial slicing abilities.
For Shi Ying, he excavated a deep, tranquil pond, lining the bottom with smooth, ancient river stones and infusing the water with a heavy, lethargic spirit power that naturally slowed the passage of time within the immediate vicinity.
For Yin Yue, the Silver Moon Wolf King, he crafted a beautiful, expansive grove of silver-barked trees upon a high, exposed ridge, ensuring the beast had an unobstructed view of the night sky and the moonlight it craved, while embedding the surrounding soil with a rich mixture of diverse elemental crystals to feed her multifaceted core.
And for Hun Ling, the arrogant, majestic Yin-Yang Chaos Bird, he constructed an incredibly high, isolated spire of smooth white stone and dark basalt. It pierced the cloud layer, allowing the bird to bask in the unfiltered, chaotic energies of the upper atmosphere.
With their respective habitats perfectly established, Zhang Tian did not rush the contract process. He knew that absorbing and merging with the profound Blood Essence of high-tier Spirit Beasts required immense, focused preparation. He planned to form the Origin Blood Resonance Pact with each beast one by one, spacing the contracts out over the course of several weeks to give his physical body ample time to properly adjust to the new power and seamlessly settle the condensed Spirit Bones within his skeleton.
He chose Lei Ting, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, as his first partner.
Zhang Tian walked into the crackling, storm-filled crater. The five-thousand-year-old vine swayed excitedly at his approach, the deep purple lightning arcing across its thorny surface.
"Master, we should quickly form a connection…I am so eager to get stronger," Lei Ting communicated through their mental link, her thoughts sharp and crackling with energetic anticipation.
"It is indeed the time for that, Lei Ting," Zhang Tian spoke softly, stepping into the center of the crater.
He initiated the Origin Blood Resonance Pact. He extended his right hand, summoning a highly concentrated, glowing sphere of his own pure, emerald Life Spirit Energy, mixed with a single, potent drop of his own vital essence blood.
Lei Ting responded eagerly. She extended a thick, central tendril, forcing a drop of her own highly volatile, crackling purple blood essence to the surface.
The two drops of essence met in the air between them. They did not clash; they merged seamlessly, forming a brilliant, pulsating orb of crimson and purple light. The pact was sealed.
Zhang Tian drew the merged essence into his body, guiding it flawlessly down his meridian pathways toward his left leg. He already possessed the hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Bone from a previous Thunder Hell Prison Vine in that exact slot. Now, he utilized his Human Spirit Bone Condensation Technique to ruthlessly refine the newly acquired blood essence, forcefully linking the living resonance to the existing artifact.
The process was intensely painful, a searing heat burning through his leg as the foreign laws crystallized and merged with his own marrow. But he endured it with a stoic, unflinching calm.
As Zhang Tian's blood essence settled into the body of Lei Ting, the physical reaction of the Spirit Beast was explosive and immediate.
The five-thousand-year-old plant shuddered violently. Fed by the massive, overwhelming energy and the boundless potential contained within Zhang Tian's Limit Douluo-tier vital essence, the vine began to grow at a terrifying, visible pace.
"Master! This power... it is overflowing!" Lei Ting exclaimed mentally, her vines thickening and twisting.
Her dark purple coloration deepened, the vines growing thicker, stronger, and more metallic. It didn't take long before she breached the ten-thousand-year-old mark, the lightning surrounding her turning a deeper, more destructive shade of blue.
But she didn't stop there. Lei Ting continued to rapidly absorb the shared power, her cultivation soaring past twenty thousand years, then thirty thousand, reaching all the way to the fifty-thousand-year-old mark in a matter of hours.
As the beast breached the fifty-thousand-year threshold, the sky above the crater darkened ominously. The localized, artificial thunderstorm Zhang Tian had created was suddenly overpowered by a massive, genuine accumulation of dark, heavy thunderclouds gathering from the heavens. The natural, terrifying heavenly tribulation was forming, drawn by the incredibly rapid, unnatural advancement of the ancient plant. The heavens sought to strike down the anomaly.
Zhang Tian was not worried by the gathering storm. He stood up from his meditation, his left leg pulsing with newly refined, deeply integrated power.
"Relax yourself, Lei Ting," Zhang Tian commanded, looking up at the churning black clouds. "I will shield you from the wrath of this Heavenly Tribulation."
He activated his Blood Silver God Tree spirit. Millions of incredibly thick, diamond-hard vines erupted from the crater walls.
"Self-Created Spirit Skill: Blood Silver Earthly Firmament!" Zhang Tian called out.
The vines wove together at lightning speed to form a massive, towering wooden dome over the entire crater. He actively channeled his profound mastery over the Earth element, infusing the wooden dome with dense, unyielding rock and minerals, creating a grounded, highly conductive cage that would intercept the worst of the heavenly strikes.
CRACK-BOOM!
A colossal bolt of jagged, blinding white lightning descended from the tribulation clouds, slamming into the dome.
"Self-Created Spirit Skill: Crimson Wood Sovereign Shield!" Zhang Tian bolstered the defense, pouring his Life Spirit Energy into the construct to instantly repair the scorched, splintering wood.
The tribulation rained down for an entire day and night, the deafening cracks of lightning shaking the very foundations of the mountain. The wooden dome groaned and burned under the relentless assault, but it held, protecting the evolving beast within.
"Master, your strength defies the heavens themselves," Lei Ting murmured through the mental link, her awe palpable as she watched him casually deflect the apocalyptic storm using his profound techniques. "I have never witnessed such power."
"Focus on your internal condensation, Lei Ting," Zhang Tian instructed calmly, manifesting another technique. "Self-Created Spirit Skill: Lightning-Devouring Lotus!" Massive, crimson blooms sprouted along the exterior of the dome, actively absorbing the residual electrical runoff to lessen the impact.
When the storm finally passed and the clouds parted, Lei Ting had successfully completed her advancement. She now proudly boasted the terrifying cultivation of a sixty-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast.
In fact, fed by the massive, seemingly endless reservoir of Zhang Tian's power, she could have easily continued to surge, potentially reaching the coveted hundred-thousand-year-old mark. However, the sentient plant had stopped herself. She possessed a faint, instinctual premonition that if she continued to advance so artificially, completely bypassing the necessary, natural tempering of the heavenly lightning, her foundation would become fatally unstable, and she would inevitably die from the backlash. Thus, she halted her growth, knowing that she had to patiently endure and absorb the lightning naturally from this point onward to solidify her new strength.
Zhang Tian didn't mind this cautious decision in the slightest. He knew this was the proper, sustainable progression path for this specific Spirit Beast.
Before leaving the crater, Zhang Tian raised his hand, plucking two small, crystalline flowers from his own aura. He placed the Blood Silver Mirage Clones gently upon the thickest vines of the beast. They sank into the plant matter, becoming dormant, invisible wards. He left them behind to ensure Lei Ting wouldn't suddenly suffer a fatal mishap during her future, natural tribulations, guaranteeing that his clone would manifest to protect the beast if she ever fell into mortal danger.
Exactly one week later, having allowed his physical body to perfectly acclimatize to the newly reinforced Left Leg Spirit Bone, Zhang Tian decided it was time to proceed with the next contract.
He walked into the sprawling, cavernous maze of obsidian mirrors he had constructed. He sought out Kong Yue, the spatial attribute Spirit Beast.
The Void-Rending Mantis, her fifty-thousand-year-old scythes shimmering with spatial distortion, waited for him calmly in the center of the maze.
"Master, I have been awaiting you," Kong Yue communicated, her mental voice sharp, precise, and observant. "I am ready."
"Let us begin, Kong Yue," Zhang Tian said, stepping forward.
Zhang Tian initiated the Origin Blood Resonance Pact once more. The exchange of vital essence occurred seamlessly.
However, this time, the internal process was vastly more agonizing and incredibly time-consuming. Zhang Tian did not possess a pre-existing Spirit Bone for his left arm. He had to utilize the Human Spirit Bone Condensation Method to literally forge a brand new Spirit Bone from scratch, crystallizing his own compressed spirit power and the mantis's blood essence directly within the marrow of his left arm.
The grueling process took many days of uninterrupted, excruciating meditation. It felt as though the bones in his arm were being repeatedly shattered and rebuilt on a molecular level. Sweat poured down his face as he forced the profound, shifting laws of spatial distortion to anchor themselves within his flesh.
During this agonizing period, Kong Yue stood guard over him. She experienced the profound connection solidifying within her own core. Her intelligence, already formidable for a beast of her age, sharpened immensely under the influence of his Limit Douluo-level mental force. Her digestion of ambient spirit power increased manifold, the sluggishness of beastly cultivation entirely erased.
"Master, my mind has seemingly cleared up," Kong Yue whispered through their link, her scythes clicking softly. "The fog of the instinct upon my mind has lifted and even some bloodline abilities that I possessed but never knew had also been comprehended by me now. Your gift is immeasurable."
"I have happy for your growth, Kong Yue," Zhang Tian grunted, his focus wavering slightly under the intense pain of the condensation.
Finally, after five days of relentless torment, the process was complete.
A faint, silvery glow pulsed beneath the skin of his left arm. He had successfully condensed a flawless Left Arm Spirit Bone.
As the knowledge of his new abilities imprinted onto his mind, Zhang Tian smiled in profound satisfaction. He had not acquired simple, rudimentary attacks. He had gained core spatial control.
The first ability was "Spatial Severance Grasp."
This terrifying technique allowed him to lock down and manipulate the spatial coordinates in a designated area, rendering enemies completely immobile, frozen in a pocket of distorted space.
The second was "Rift Walker's Embrace." This granted him the power to merge seamlessly with the spatial layers, allowing him to traverse vast distances instantly without leaving a single trace or ripple in the physical realm.
He was naturally extremely pleased with these abilities. More importantly, he was certain that by continuously utilizing this new Spirit Bone and studying the spatial fluctuations it generated, he could eventually understand and freely use the Spatial Laws even without relying on the bone itself in the future.
As for Kong Yue, she had acquired an incredible, life-altering boon. She had successfully tapped into Zhang Tian's monstrous, heaven-defying growth speed. Now, in the future, as the Spirit Bone residing within Zhang Tian's left arm continued to grow stronger and denser with his cultivation, the mantis would symmetrically, rapidly grow in cultivation age.
It was, in the truest, most profound sense, a flawless, virtuous cycle of mutual power. The new era of cultivation had officially begun.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels [Villain: Manipulating The Heroines Into Hating The Protagonist] and [Harem Master: Seduction System].
Also, check out 20 Chapters Ahead for this fanfic on my P.atreon. [Check Out Art Of Characters On My Patreon. It's Free To View btw.]
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/c/evildragon04