164: Chapter 164 Molten Black Hound!

...

Life became increasingly comfortable, and the situation was unexpectedly peaceful.

In recent years, while the Qingcang Kingdom was busy consolidating its territory and Taiqing and Xuanqing were occupied with recovery, the entire Xuanling Continent enjoyed a rare period of peace.

White Cloud Immortal City, Southern District Spirit Beast Market.

Zhao Family Deacon Zhao Kuo stood before the shop, weighing a heavy Storage Pouch in his hand, grinning from ear to ear...

In the shop's backyard, dozens of pitch-black Black Dog pups with glossy fur were frolicking and biting at each other.

These pups all had sharp glints in their eyes and fire on their four paws; even though they were just weaned, they exuded a fierce energy, looking both tiny and menacing.

"Deacon Zhao, I'll take this entire batch of 'Molten Black Hounds' for my Qingmu Fort. Three hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones per head, how about it?" a Loose Cultivator merchant said, rubbing his hands with a face full of smiles.

Zhao Kuo rolled his eyes and slammed the bag of Spirit Stones onto the counter.

"Three hundred? Do you think you're buying common mutts?"

"These are pure-blooded descendants of our sect's Old Ancestor Kuang Dou's lineage! Born with an affinity for the Fire Dao, they can guard the house, track, and find treasures once grown. Upon reaching adulthood, they possess a cultivation at the Late Qi Refining stage."

"If raised well and nurtured carefully, there's even a possibility of Foundation Establishment!"

Zhao Kuo held up five fingers. "Five hundred Spirit Stones per head, no bargaining. If you don't want them, there are plenty of Families lining up behind you."

The merchant bit his lip and paid up readily.

Nowadays in the cultivation world, the "Molten Black Hounds" produced by the Ming Province Northern Protectorate have long since become a hot commodity, widely renowned.

There's no other reason than they are too versatile and offer extremely high value for the price!

Their combat power is no weaker than tigers, leopards, or wolves, yet they also possess scouting and searching capabilities; they are friendly to people and easy to domesticate.

They aren't picky about resources and can be raised on a budget or with luxury. Their Bloodline limit even has the potential to advance to Foundation Establishment!

They can be called the most cost-effective Spirit Beast choice for a Qi Refining Cultivator or a Foundation Establishment power, bar none.

Unfortunately, the Molten Black Hound pups sold are all neutered.

It can be said that they are one of the exclusive Spirit Beasts of the White Cloud Temple and also the best-selling kind, hence their widespread fame.

...

At this moment, on Kuangdou Peak.

Kuang Dou lay at the entrance of the Fire Cloud Cave, listening to his subordinate little demons report this month's income, his dog mouth grinning from ear to ear.

"Let those pups down there breed freely! The more they give birth, the more we sell!"

"Exchange all the earned Spirit Stones for fire-attribute Spiritual Materials. I want to charge for the Late Foundation Establishment Stage; I want to charge for the Golden Core!"

The wild growth of the Black Dog lineage was just a microcosm of the Northern Mountain Range.

The five lineages of the Bear Clan were even busier. Aside from the Thunder Bear lineage following Shi Jian in secluded cultivation, the other four lineages were either staking out territory or breeding frantically.

The size of the Yao Race was swelling like a snowball during these comfortable years.

...

In a dark cavern deep underground beneath the Northern Mountain Range, thousands of feet down.

A vortex of extremely cold Spiritual Qi exploded with a bang.

Elder Rat sat cross-legged on a piece of Mysterious Ice, his grey-black fur standing on end, and the Yin-Fiend Qi on his body's surface was so dense it almost materialized.

"Bang!"

A muffled sound came from within him as the shackles were broken, and the liquid spiritual power in his Dantian instantly expanded by more than double.

His bones crackled, his flesh grew wildly, and his rat tail became increasingly slender.

Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!

Elder Rat opened his small eyes, which flashed with sharp light. He stood up and shook his fur, feeling his entire body filled with power.

"Hehe, after so many years, I've finally reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage..."

"I didn't expect that I, who followed the Old Ancestor earliest, would have the lowest cultivation now. Even that fellow Kuang Dou's advancement speed far exceeds mine."

"Breaking through the Bloodline shackles is truly fraught with difficulties..."

"The five lineages of the Bear Clan were personally nurtured by the Old Ancestor, and combined with the Bear Clan Bloodline's natural strength and high status, such advantages are naturally incomparable."

"I didn't expect that junior Kuang Dou would actually catch up from behind; it's truly a twist of fate for a demon."

Elder Rat stroked his whiskers, feeling emotional. The overall Bloodline of the rat demons is weak, which is a racial limitation and truly difficult to change.

Just as he was still pondering how to change his Bloodline and calculating how to proceed.

A bolt of purple-gold lightning exploded in his mind without warning.

"You've broken through?"

Shi Jian's deep and resonant voice directly penetrated the thousand-foot ground layer, vibrating within Elder Rat's Sea of Consciousness.

Elder Rat was so startled he shuddered all over and fell prostrate on the ground with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly toward the direction of Zixiao Peak...

"Old Ancestor's Divine Might!"

"This lowly one was lucky to break through, all thanks to the Old Ancestor's cultivation!"

He was terrified in his heart; the Old Ancestor was clearly still in seclusion and hadn't even opened the door of his Immortal Cave, yet his Divine Sense could penetrate the ground without hindrance and pinpoint his location accurately.

Such Divine Sense strength is truly terrifying!

"Since you've broken through, go do something for me. You are the most suitable for this task."

"Please give your orders, Old Ancestor!"

"Even if I have to climb mountains of blades or jump into seas of fire, this lowly one will not flinch!"

"Go to the mountain gate of the Shangqing Sect in Qing Prefecture. Shi Yin has been lurking there for so many years; it's time to meet up..."

"I expect that after all these years, he should have mastered quite a few things."

Hearing the name "Shi Yin," Elder Rat's expression turned solemn.

That White Bear of the Frost-Snow Lineage was given by the Old Ancestor to Master Luanshan years ago, and subsequently followed Master Luanshan into the Shangqing Sect.

This hidden piece had been buried for decades. Now that the situation was stabilizing, the Old Ancestor was going to use this hidden piece.

"This lowly one obeys! I shall set out immediately!"

...