Chapter 796: The Seal (I)

"

RAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!

"

The excited roar echoed across the field, but it wasn't from the twelve golden peak beasts. Instead, it came from the iron-eating beast, the Supreme Harbinger of Doom, trapped in the center.

With Chu Liang’s gesture, the little creature’s combat energy seemed to surge several levels higher out of nowhere, as if flames of qi were about to rise from its back.

The twelve golden peak beasts responded with an earth-shaking roar that echoed throughout the entire black iron mountain.

"

GWOARRRR!!!

"

Once again, a terrifying shadow loomed over the iron-eating beast.

However, the iron-eating beast didn’t just roar loudly. It also made a move, reaching into its left ear socket.

Of course, it wasn’t due to an itch. It was because a dark red pill was hidden inside its ear socket. The iron-eating beast took out the pill, swallowed it, and quickly crunched it into bits.

The Eight Meridians Divine Blood-Enhancing Pill, one of the signature pills of the Mount Shu Sect’s Hall of Alchemy, was a powerful elixir designed to invigorate qi and blood. Its effects were even comparable to Chu Liang’s Divine Dragons’ Great Blood-Burning Technique.

The downside was that a person could only take it once and subsequent consumption would not yield the same effects.

Every time Chu Liang descended the mountain, he would carry various pills and talismans in case of emergencies.

He had never found an occasion to take this Eight Meridians Divine Blood-Enhancing Pill himself, but now, it had come in handy for the iron-eating beast.

Before the fight, he had told the little creature that if it couldn’t win, it should eat the pill hidden in its left ear.

The iron-eating beast had remembered his words, and now that its opponents had suddenly increased in number, it swallowed the pill.

Boom!

After swallowing the pill, the iron-eating beast’s once-soft fur bristled upright, and its plump little body transformed, resembling a hedgehog. Its beady eyes shone with a dazzling blood-red light.

It looked extremely fierce!

As the golden peak beasts encircled the iron-eating beast and tried to attack it, the iron-eating beast merely leaped, vanishing into a blur. Its speed had increased more than tenfold, and it was almost as though it had teleported.

Swish!

It used the same basic tactics, appearing behind a golden peak beast and striking with its golden brick. But unlike before, it wasn’t just a single blow.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

After its qi and blood surged, the iron-eating beast’s speed and strength skyrocketed. Seizing the moment, it unleashed a relentless ten-hit combo on the golden peak beast beneath its brick!

The brick struck with such force that it began to smoke.

Sparks flew from the golden peak beast’s skull with each strike.

That single combo left the beast staggering before it collapsed with a crash. The iron-eating beast flipped backward and landed gracefully. Facing the remaining golden peak beasts, it assumed the posture of a true grandmaster, standing with its left hand forward and right hand behind.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Still, the golden peak beasts showed no fear and continued charging at the iron-eating beast recklessly. Their massive size was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Compared to them, the iron-eating beast was too small, and when two golden peak beasts lunged at it simultaneously, they nearly crashed into each other.

The iron-eating beast weaved through the gaps between the massive creatures with nimble footwork. Whenever it spotted an opening, it struck with a rapid combo, bringing down another beast. In mere moments, ten golden peak beasts lay defeated beneath its golden brick.

At this moment, only two golden peak beasts remained standing before the iron-eating beast. Now, it was the two big fellas who were afraid. Staring at the tiny ball of flesh before them, they hesitated, unwilling to take another step forward.

But just then, the iron-eating beast’s aura suddenly weakened. Its small body slackened, and the light in its eyes dimmed.

The spectators above immediately understood what had happened. The pill’s effect had worn off!

Moreover, pills that temporarily boosted qi and blood always had a drawback. Once the effect wore off, a period of weakness followed. Even for a powerful species like the iron-eating beast, it would still fall into a temporary state of weakness.

At this moment, its combat strength was less than half of what it had been before taking the pill.

Yet, it still had two opponents to face.

"Because of you all, a divine creature like the iron-eating beast has become so..." The Jiuli priest paused, struggling to find the right words. He clearly wanted to say something negative, but since he was commenting on High God Jiuli’s mount, he didn’t dare. After a long internal struggle, he finally sighed and muttered, "So... smart..."

Although he didn’t recognize the pill, the ongoing battle made its effects clear. Seeing a mighty Jiuli vicious beast rely on drugs to enhance its combat power felt almost humiliating.

Chu Liang chuckled and said, "As long as it wins, does it really matter how?"

"Win?" The Jiuli priest sneered coldly. "And how do you plan on winning now? Do you really think it can handle another one of those pills?"

The Jiuli priest wasn’t wrong. Blood-boosting pills like these typically couldn’t be taken twice in a row. However, unfortunately for him, his knowledge was a few thousand years out of date.

Just then, the still-slumped iron-eating beast reached into the nook behind its right ear and pulled out another pill. This one was deep purple with golden patterns shimmering across its surface.

This was the latest creation from the Mount Shu Sect’s Hall of Alchemy. It was a newly developed pill that Chu Liang had insisted on creating and heavily invested in.

The idea had come from the time he raided Misty Waters City at the Assembly of Immortal Sects.

Back then, Chu Liang had used the Army of Beans to create a massive force that took turns hurling Thunderfire Pills into the city, unleashing a relentless bombardment.

After the night raid, a thought crossed his mind. Did it really have to be so troublesome? Could a single person unleash the same overwhelming barrage of attacks? Was it possible to condense the destructive force of countless Thunderfire Pills into just one?

After an intense period of research and development, the Hall of Alchemy provided him with an answer he was more than satisfied with. The result was the Nine-Palace Thunder Dragon Firecloud Pill.

This pill had finally been developed, but it had no real market value. Its cost was equivalent to thousands of Thunderfire Pills, yet its power was only a few hundred times greater. Almost no one could afford it, and those who could likely had cultivation levels so high that they didn’t need it.

This was the first time the pill was being used in actual combat.

The iron-eating beast retrieved the pill and, just as Chu Liang had taught it, flung it forward without any unnecessary movements.

Boom!

...

Tan Qingfeng gazed at the ruins beneath him, suddenly feeling a sense of disillusionment. He couldn’t help but question, "Is this what cultivators of the new era have become?"

If divine techniques could multiply one’s cultivation power several times, if enchanted tools could enhance it tenfold, and if the power of the Great Dao could boost it a hundredfold, then what could unleash power a thousand times beyond one’s limits? The answer was burning money.

The tiny iron-eating beast hurled the Nine-Palace Thunder Dragon Firecloud Pill, and in an instant, the world was swallowed by radiant light. It was as if a lightning dragon had descended from the sky while fire clouds erupted from the ground. Celestial lightning and raging flames fused into a blinding brilliance, consuming everything in an instant.

A massive mushroom cloud rose toward the heavens.

The black iron mountain, forged by God Jiuli, was known for its unmatched durability. Yet, when the pill exploded, it obliterated half the mountain, reducing it to rubble and leaving a massive hole in the ceiling.

The explosion startled several fully grown iron-eating beasts, who quickly came over to spectate.

Chu Liang and his group knew what was coming and had already retreated the moment the little creature threw the pill. However, in their haste, none of them had thought to warn the Jiuli priest.

By the time he crawled out of the wreckage, his face darkened. This time, it was in the most literal sense. He had clearly been caught in the explosion and taken the full brunt of its force.

"You—!" He trembled with fury, pointing a finger at Chu Liang. "What did you give the iron-eating beast?! I will demand judgment from the High Priest. I will have you all—"

His voice caught in his throat, unable to finish the sentence.

Before he could finish speaking, Chu Liang had already scooped up the iron-eating beast. Even after winning, the little creature didn’t look the least bit excited. As if it hadn’t been the one who caused it, its vacant eyes seemed lost in the shock of the explosion.

Standing before the chubby little creature, the Jiuli priest no longer dared to express his anger. Suppressing his frustration and gritting his teeth, he said, "Very well. Lord Supreme Harbinger of Doom has passed the coming-of-age trial. I will notify the High Priest right away."

"Good job." Chu Liang grinned and casually stuffed a spirit plant into the iron-eating beast’s mouth like he was feeding a bamboo to a panda.

The iron-eating beast’s eyes sparkled with smug satisfaction. It finally showed an expression of joy and was now relishing the fruits of its victory.

As long as enough spirit plants are given, all golden peak beasts would be smashed to pieces.