Chapter 944: Chapter 412: Fourth Rank Upper Grade Mouse Lord; Unexpected Situation (2)

"This little mouse greets Master. Many thanks for Master’s many years of nurturing grace, for bestowing such fortune and helping this little mouse break through the heavenly barrier. This kindness, this virtue, I will never forget for all my lives."

Xu Ping sized him up from head to toe, then nodded in satisfaction. "Mm, not bad."

His tone was calm, yet carried clear approval.

Now that this mouse had broken through to Tier Four Top-grade, he could finally be of real help.

Off to the side, Shan Tianyou watched this scene, secretly shocked once more in his heart.

This Water Lake Mouse had already risen to be a Tier Four Top-grade Demon Beast, with strength on par with a great sect’s patriarch, yet in front of Xu Ping he was still so respectful and obedient.

That fawning attitude had even become instinct....

Xu Ping’s methods of control were truly unfathomable.

Shan Tianyou, however, showed none of this on his face. Smiling, he cupped his hands toward the Water Lake Mouse and said:

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Water Lake, on your successful emergence from seclusion and the attainment of the Demon Monarch Dao. From now on, our Outer Sea Human Race has gained yet another powerful ally!"

In his words, he was already treating him as an equal.

The Water Lake Mouse hurriedly returned the salute, beaming. "Fellow Daoist Shan flatters me. That this little mouse could achieve today’s success is entirely thanks to Master’s grace and your esteemed sect’s blessed land."

"In days to come, I will still need Fellow Daoist Shan’s many favors and guidance."

His polite words were spoken beautifully, leaving not a single flaw.

The few of them chatted a while longer in the outer hall, mostly exchanging congratulations and courtesies.

Seeing that the Water Lake Mouse’s realm had already stabilized, Xu Ping smoothly proposed taking his leave.

Shan Tianyou personally escorted them.

He accompanied Xu Ping, Duan Shuang, and the newly transformed Water Lake Mouse all the way to the mountain gate of the Mystic Water Sect, his attitude earnest and his manners impeccable.

...

Three months later, Blood Bone Island.

Xu Ping and his group returned safely.

After exchanging a few brief words with Duan Shuang, Xu Ping took the Water Lake Mouse straight down to the underground cave mansion beneath Blood Bone Hall.

"Let me see your current strength."

Xu Ping spoke bluntly; he wanted to personally test the Water Lake Mouse’s combat power after his breakthrough.

The Water Lake Mouse accepted the order. His expression turned solemn, and the restrained dragon might around him suddenly erupted.

Dark-golden Demonic Power shot up to the sky, turning into streams of incomparably condensed dragon-shaped force, roaring and bellowing.

After a round of testing, the result left Xu Ping quite satisfied.

Though the Water Lake Mouse had only just entered Tier Four Top-grade, by relying on that refined, formidable True Dragon Bloodline, his battle strength was already no weaker than some Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivators with firmly established cultivation.

He could even rival some of the stronger descendants of those with True Dragon Bloodline among the demon emperors.

Be it physical toughness or the depth of his Demonic Power, he could be called top-tier.

"Not bad."

Xu Ping nodded in praise once again. "With bloodline this dense, if you one day break through to the fifth rank, you may well be able to completely shed your mouse form and attain a true True Dragon body."

"You might even have the potential to contend for the Dragon King’s throne."

Hearing this, a blazing yearning flashed through the Water Lake Mouse’s eyes, but he quickly restrained it and gave a sheepish laugh.

"Master jests. The fifth-rank realm is illusory and far-off. That this little mouse could achieve Tier Four Top-grade is already a blessing from heaven; I would not dare to covet more."

"Everything still depends on Master’s continued cultivation and guidance!"

He knew his own limits well. To break through to the fifth rank, besides talent and resources, required vast fortune and opportunity; it was anything but easy.

Xu Ping neither affirmed nor denied this, but changed the subject. "Since you’ve already broken through, this Tier Four Lower Grade Spirit Vein on Blood Bone Island will provide limited help for your cultivation."

"For your future training, you will likely need to go to the Golden Spirit Mouse clan and rely on the higher-grade Spirit Veins in their ancestral land."

Hearing this, the Water Lake Mouse not only showed no dissatisfaction, but instead revealed a look of anticipation. He hurriedly said, "I will follow whatever arrangements Master makes."

These past years, in order to break through to Tier Four Top-grade, he had remained in seclusion and had not seen his Dao companion and offspring for a long time, and he wished dearly to visit them.

What’s more, his status among the Golden Spirit Mouse clan was exalted, and the treatment he enjoyed was excellent; naturally, he was happy to return.

"However, before you leave, you must leave behind some blood." Xu Ping revealed his true intention.

Now that the Water Lake Mouse had advanced to Tier Four Top-grade, the Dragon Blood Essence contained in his blood far surpassed before; it was the perfect fertilizer to water those Dragon Blood Fruits and attempt to further enhance their medicinal power.

If he could use this to push the Dragon Blood Fruit to an even higher level, it might help him break through in Body Refining and even let him touch the threshold of Tier Four Top-grade!

"Alright!"

The Water Lake Mouse agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Half an hour later.

After leaving behind a large vat of blood, the Water Lake Mouse departed from Blood Bone Island.

Xu Ping came before the Dragon Blood Fruit tree and poured the Water Lake Mouse’s essence blood over it, using a Secret Technique to speed its growth.

The blood seeped into the soil and was greedily absorbed by the Dragon Blood Fruit tree.

Soon, the entire tree flared with a bright crimson radiance, its branches and leaves swaying.

The two Dragon Blood Fruits at the top swelled even fuller at a speed visible to the naked eye, their color growing deeper, and the blood-energy they emitted faintly climbed higher as well.

"It really works!"

A gleam of joy flashed in Xu Ping’s eyes. "Let’s hope these fruits can meet my needs."

Once his Body Refining reached the threshold of Tier Four Top-grade, he would be able to control the Puppet Array formed by ten Tier Four Middle-grade Puppets.

A Puppet Array of that level would definitely reach the Nascent Soul Perfection Level, and its defensive power might be even stronger.

Suppressing the anticipation in his heart, Xu Ping returned to the secret chamber and silently began cultivating.

...

Time flew by; three years passed quietly in the outside world.

During these three years, the entrance to the Ancient Demon Hall remained unusually peaceful.

Even the Demonic Qi that had been continuously eroding the entrance seemed to have receded and weakened somewhat.

This made many Cultivators in the Outer Sea, who had been on edge, gradually relax.

Some even began to think that perhaps the disaster of this demonic calamity had naturally dissipated along with the weakening period of the Ancient Demon Hall’s rules.

However, true undercurrents often lurk beneath calm waters.

In the extreme depths of the Outer Sea, at the main base of the True Dragon Hall.

This was a magnificent realm located ten thousand fathoms beneath the sea, shrouded by a vast, invisible barrier—a Crystal Dragon Palace.