After breaking through to the Dao Realm, the Little Demon’s cultivation aura was rising at a breathtaking speed.
However, once one’s cultivation breaks into the Dao Realm, every minor realm after that requires a truly astronomical amount of Spiritual Power.
Under normal circumstances, for a Martial Artist in the Early Dao Realm to raise his cultivation from Early Dao Realm to the peak of the Early Dao Realm, it would take at least a hundred years of bitter cultivation.
But once cultivation breaks into the Dao Realm, comprehending the Heaven and Earth Laws becomes incomparably important.
To be more specific, a Martial Artist’s power is like a weapon; cultivation is like the weight of this weapon—the higher the cultivation, the heavier it is, and the greater its might.
As for comprehending the Heaven and Earth Laws, that can change the material quality of this weapon.
A great blade weighing ten thousand tons made of iron, and a great blade of the same weight made of steel—there is a world of difference in their power.
With roughly the same weight, a steel blade can easily slice apart an iron blade.
And how much Heaven and Earth Law Power a Dao Realm Martial Artist comprehends determines whether this weapon is made of iron or steel.
With the same cultivation, the Martial Artist who has comprehended more Heaven and Earth Laws will definitely have stronger combat power than one who has comprehended fewer.
Moreover, within the Dao Realm, Heaven and Earth Law Power is a kind of power that allows a Martial Artist to challenge opponents of higher realms.
But it’s not that the one who has comprehended more Heaven and Earth Law Power will definitely win.
There are too many factors that influence victory or defeat in a battle. Once you have power, you still need to see how you use it. Still, power is the foundation.
In such a situation, once a Martial Artist’s cultivation breaks into the Dao Realm, he has two different paths to choose from.
Some Martial Artists place their focus on raising cultivation, while others place their focus on comprehending Heaven and Earth Law Power.
Because above the Dao Realm lies an incomparably long process of improvement; every step forward is extremely difficult.
But for the Little Demon, who has just raised his devouring ability again, this process becomes completely different.
It’s even somewhat simple.
As long as there is a sufficient number of Dao Realm Experts, the Little Demon’s cultivation can soar at an astonishing rate—whether it is Heaven and Earth Law Power or cultivation.
All of that, the Little Demon can obtain through devouring.
At this thought, Ye Zhen’s heart suddenly trembled.
The Little Demon can do it, doesn’t that mean that he, Ye Zhen...
On Ye Zhen’s future path of cultivation, because the bottleneck exists, he can’t say it will be a smooth, broad avenue, but his cultivation speed will definitely not be something ordinary Martial Artists can compare to.
The cultivation Hu Buding had gained from several thousand years of bitter cultivation was completely devoured by the Little Demon in just an hour; flesh, blood, and bones all turned into powder.
Ye Zhen made a rough estimate and found that the Little Demon’s devouring ability had also greatly improved in terms of devouring speed compared to before.
One could say that the three hundred and ninety thousand Spirit Void Fruits Ye Zhen had thrown onto the Little Demon were not only not wasted in the slightest, but were absolutely worth far more than their cost.
"Father, I know what my improvement this time is!" Just after waking up, the Little Demon anxiously shouted to Ye Zhen.
"You can devour the Heaven and Earth Law Power comprehended by Dao Realm Martial Artists, can’t you?" Ye Zhen countered.
The Little Demon froze for a moment, then said joyfully, "Father, you already know?"
"You just broke through to the Dao Realm, and right here."
Ye Zhen glanced around them, and the Little Demon immediately understood.
"It’s like this, Father. Besides that, I’ve completely refined the thirty-six Plum Blossom Essence-Stealing Needles you previously refined for me from Ancient Divine Tree Root into a part of my body. Also, the speed and conversion rate of my Devouring Divine Ability have both been greatly enhanced," the Little Demon said.
"Mm, to what extent exactly has it been enhanced? Tell me." Ye Zhen said.
"Father, the conversion rate when I devour Spiritual Power mainly depends on the attribute of that power. For Wood Spirit Power, my conversion rate is one hundred percent. Water Spiritual Power, Earth Spiritual Power, and other powers that don’t conflict with my original attribute could only be converted at about twenty percent before, but now, they can be converted at forty percent.
As for Fire Spirit Power and Golden Spirit Power, which conflict with my original attribute, my conversion rate before was extremely, extremely low, not even half of ten percent.
But now, take the Fire Spirit Power in Hu Buding’s body for example—the amount that can be devoured and converted into my cultivation can reach ten percent." the Little Demon said.
"Then what about the degree to which you can devour Heaven and Earth Law Power?" Ye Zhen asked.
"That’s even less. I estimate at most half of ten percent, around five percent! This Hu Buding had actually comprehended quite a lot of Heaven and Earth Law Power over these years. I only devoured five percent of it, yet it was already enough not only for me to break through to the Dao Realm smoothly, but even left me with surplus." the Little Demon said.
"Five percent!"
Ye Zhen nodded in satisfaction.
His initial estimate had been that even one or two percent would be good.
This amount looks small, but in fact, it’s terrifying.
In just an hour, the Little Demon had obtained five percent of the Heaven and Earth Law Power that a Peak of Early Dao Realm powerhouse had painstakingly comprehended over several hundred to nearly a thousand years.
In other words, as long as something like this happens twenty times, the Little Demon can obtain the equivalent of Heaven and Earth Law Power that would have taken over a thousand years of bitter comprehension.
If this were to spread, the Little Demon and Ye Zhen would probably become the public enemies of all Dao Realm Experts in the All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds in the very first instant.
After all, no one would be willing to become the devouring target for the Little Demon to raise his cultivation.
"No one is allowed to mention the specifics of the Little Demon’s Devouring Talent Divine Ability to anyone in any way."
Even though the only ones who knew about this were Ye Zhen, the Little Demon, and a few others like the Mirage Dragon Primordial Spirit Achou, Ye Zhen still issued a gag order.
Just imagining being hunted by all the Dao Realm Experts of the All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds—how terrifying would that be?
Perhaps even existences at the Creation Realm would make a move.
But correspondingly, the value of this... is simply...
"Little Demon, during your devouring process, did you discover the Mustard Seed Space inside Hu Buding’s body?" Ye Zhen asked.
"Father, I could sense that there was a Mustard Seed Space inside Hu Buding, but I couldn’t sense the exact location. Moreover, this Mustard Seed Space collapsed and disappeared when Hu Buding’s Primordial Spirit disintegrated." the Little Demon answered.
This answer made Ye Zhen feel a slight pang of heartache.
An existence at the Peak of Early Dao Realm, and on top of that the Ninth Elder of the Qingqiu Fox Clan—his accumulation was definitely not small, and there were surely large amounts of Heaven and Earth Treasures among it.
Yet all of it vanished into nothing together with the collapse of the Mustard Seed Space in Hu Buding’s body.
This is the greatest change after a Martial Artist’s cultivation breaks through to the Realm King Realm.
Once a Martial Artist’s cultivation breaks through to the Realm King Realm, he can condense a Mustard Seed Space in his own body.
Even if he only forges a Mustard Seed Space a few meters across, it is still the safest space in the world for storing wealth.
No Escape Technique can reach that place, and Ye Zhen’s Innate Five Elements Divine Escape is no exception.
Since everything here had been taken care of, Ye Zhen was ready to leave. Hu Qingtong still didn’t know that Chi Ling’er had been rescued; better to go back quickly so she wouldn’t worry.
But before leaving, Ye Zhen still spent a little time roughly examining this incomplete Little World in front of him.
An incomplete Little World with a radius of three thousand li wasn’t large, but the fact that living beings could enter it meant that the most basic earth, water, wind, and fire had already undergone Refining Stabilization.
When Ye Zhen had the ability in the future, he would further refine the Five Elements, strengthening the Water Spirit Power and Wood Spirit Power within this incomplete Little World.
Who knew, this incomplete Little World might become Ye Zhen’s Spirit Void Fruit Tree Garden.
At the spot where Hu Buding’s corpse had dissipated, Ye Zhen found the control Realm Talisman for this incomplete Little World. As long as he left here and obtained the Jade that this incomplete Little World was attached to, Ye Zhen would truly have full possession of this incomplete Little World.
This could be considered another unexpected gain for Ye Zhen today.
On Five Immortals Island, this kind of incomplete Little World that could accommodate living beings was always being sought at sky‐high prices. It was rarely seen on the market, and anyone who obtained one treated it as a supreme treasure.
Now, it had fallen into Ye Zhen’s hands with ease.
Before leaving, Ye Zhen paused slightly.
After pondering for a few breaths, Ye Zhen brought out Hu Buding’s eldest grandson, Hu Changji, who was still imprisoned inside the Mirage Dragon Pearl.
"Little Demon, I’ll leave him to you."
A few breaths later, amidst a terrified scream, Hu Buding’s eldest grandson Hu Changji silently collapsed into a pile of powder.
Allowing the Little Demon’s Cultivation to improve slightly.
Even after obtaining ten percent of Hu Buding’s power, the Little Demon’s current Cultivation had only just stepped into the Dao Realm.
However, with the Little Demon at Dao Realm, it would be much more convenient and reassuring for Ye Zhen to act in the future.
At this point, Ninth Elder Hu Buding of the Qingqiu Fox Clan had practically been exterminated by Ye Zhen’s hand. Aside from that eldest son Hu Kuan, who served as some Great Saint’s Think Tank, only his son‐in‐law Tu Xiong and grandson Tu Yan remained.
As for Hu Buding’s eldest grandson Hu Changji, Ye Zhen had absolutely intended to kill him, without the slightest hesitation.
Ye Zhen could not possibly leave behind such a calamity. Besides, before he laid hands on Chi Ling’er, Hu Buding should have anticipated that this outcome was possible.
He who harms others is always harmed in turn.
But when it came to dealing with Tu Xiong and Tu Yan, Ye Zhen found it hard to bring himself to act.
Tu Xiong was easier to talk about. Ye Zhen would have no psychological burden killing Tu Yan’s father, Tu Xiong; after all, he was Hu Lian’s husband. There was nothing more to say about that.
But when it came to Tu Yan, Ye Zhen couldn’t quite bring himself to do it.
Tu Yan was still just a child.
This wasn’t Ye Zhen overflowing with sympathy. He could be ruthless enough to wipe out Hu Buding’s entire line, but he couldn’t bring himself to lay hands on a ten‐year‐old child.
If he really did that, what difference would there be between Ye Zhen and Hu Buding?
So, after hesitating for a long time earlier, Ye Zhen ultimately did not kill Tu Xiong and Tu Yan, father and son.
The reason for keeping Tu Xiong alive was that if he killed Tu Xiong but spared Tu Yan, it would be no different than killing Tu Yan himself.
In the Taimeng Demon Realm, a minor Little Demon without the protection of his elders wouldn’t survive for more than a few days.
It was exactly the same as when Hu Buding had tried to threaten Hu Qingtong by expelling Chi Ling’er.
Or rather, it was Ye Zhen’s instinctive unwillingness to become someone like Hu Buding that made him spare Tu Yan!
Still, for now, Ye Zhen would have to continue imprisoning the two of them inside the Mirage Dragon Pearl. Even if he meant to release them, he would wait until he left the Taimeng Demon Realm.
Using this incomplete Little World’s control Realm Talisman, he opened the Two-World Passage to leave. As he did so, he casually tossed the Jade that this incomplete Little World was attached to into the Mirage Dragon Pearl.
The entire Residence of the Ninth Elder was no different from when Ye Zhen had left.
Silently, Ye Zhen once again slipped into the ground and departed, swiftly returning to Hu Qingtong’s small courtyard.
When Ye Zhen appeared, Hu Qingtong was sitting there silently shedding tears. No matter how strong or independent she was—
For a mother, losing her child was like the sky collapsing.
"Did you find her?" Seeing Ye Zhen return, Hu Qingtong hurriedly asked, nervous and on edge.
Ye Zhen slowly nodded.
Hu Qingtong was momentarily stunned, as if she found it hard to believe. She had just opened her mouth to ask where the child was when Chi Ling’er appeared in Ye Zhen’s arms.
Hu Qingtong froze for a moment, then flung herself forward without a care, crashing into Ye Zhen’s embrace. Holding Chi Ling’er and Ye Zhen together, she broke into wrenching sobs, crying as if her heart were being torn apart.
Chi Ling’er, who had been terrified, burst into tears again the moment she saw her mother.
Ye Zhen gently patted the backs of Chi Ling’er and Hu Qingtong, comforting them. "It’s over now, don’t worry. Everything’s over. Everything’s over. The child has been rescued, hasn’t she?"
With his soft words, after a long while, Hu Qingtong and Chi Ling’er finally calmed down. Only then did Hu Qingtong realize that she was actually nestled in Ye Zhen’s arms, and Chi Ling’er’s big, dark eyes were looking at her mother and Ye Zhen with a strange expression.
Hu Qingtong had one hand around Chi Ling’er, the other around Ye Zhen’s neck, tear tracks still on her face. Ye Zhen, for his part, had one arm around Chi Ling’er and the other around Hu Qingtong’s waist.
For someone as strong as Hu Qingtong, being looked at like this by her own daughter made her delicate face flush slightly red.
"Right, Qingtong, we don’t know if Hu Buding left any tricks on Chi Ling’er. We should hurry and check." Ye Zhen timely helped Hu Qingtong out of the awkward situation, but at his words, Hu Qingtong grew anxious again.
Ye Zhen used the gentlest Wood Spirit Power and Divine Sense Power to begin examining the inside of Chi Ling’er’s body.
At the same time, Hu Qingtong carefully questioned Chi Ling’er about the circumstances of her capture by Hu Buding.
Fortunately, according to Chi Ling’er’s account, Hu Buding hadn’t done anything to her, nor had he made her ingest anything.
Ye Zhen guessed that Hu Buding hadn’t yet had time to make his move. After carefully examining Chi Ling’er’s body several times, he still didn’t find anything unusual.
Only then did both Ye Zhen and Hu Qingtong finally feel relieved.
"Brother Ye, Chi Ling’er is fine, but according to what you found in your earlier investigations, this Fox Clan’s Great Clan Leader also seems to have his eye on Qingtong. We need to hurry and come up with a plan." Zhu Hong’s words made Hu Qingtong’s face harden.
She hadn’t thought that it was actually because of her involvement with Chi Ling’er. Worse, even now, she still didn’t know what exactly the Great Clan Leader and Hu Buding were plotting regarding her.
This also left Ye Zhen somewhat puzzled.
Ye Zhen’s original plan had been to pry the truth from Hu Buding’s mouth and find out what exactly they were plotting regarding Hu Qingtong.
But the Little Demon’s Devouring Divine Ability had cost Ye Zhen that chance, and to this moment he still didn’t know what secret Hu Qingtong carried.
"The solution is actually very simple. I’d already made up my mind earlier!" Ye Zhen said.
"What solution?" Hu Qingtong, Zhu Hong, Ling Qianbi, and the others all turned their gazes toward Ye Zhen.

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