"Lord Ox, this axe is a small token of my respect. Since you are a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against me. If you have urgent business, you should be on your way down the mountain."
The Bamboo Rat King kept his front paws tucked against his chest, smiling ingratiatingly, his two prominent incisors catching the eye.
Han Chen bent down, picked up the Kaiyuan Axe—which had shrunk back to three inches in length—and tucked it into the back of his waist.
"That won't do. I killed a demon from Kuaile Mountain and frightened the guests and maidens. How can I just up and leave?"
The Bamboo Rat King squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.
"I understand, I understand."
With that, he clapped his paws.
Before long, a dozen or so lesser bamboo rat demons huffed and puffed as they carried over a large bamboo chest.
The Bamboo Rat King lifted the lid of the chest and introduced its contents with a flattering tone:
"Lord Ox, inside here are five hundred and sixty-one Greater Returning Pills of the finest quality. Their main ingredients are centuries-old spiritual meat-ganoderma, and they are fragrant, flavorful, and colorful. They are best suited for the cultivation and consumption of Greater Transformation Realm demons."
Han Chen lowered his gaze to take a look. Sure enough, the chest was filled with plump, fleshy, perfectly round medicinal pills.
He picked up a Greater Returning Pill and brought it to his nose for a gentle sniff.
Fragrant—that was the only word for it!
Gulp!
Han Chen's mouth watered profusely, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.
Suddenly, he glanced sideways at the Bamboo Rat King, his gaze cold and sharp.
"You didn't put poison in these to try and harm me, did you?"
The Bamboo Rat King trembled all over with fright, shaking his head like a rattle-drum.
"This little one wouldn't dare!"
"I should hope not. If these really are poisoned, I'll crush your skull before I die."
Han Chen flashed a grin, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.
Putting on a brave face, the Bamboo Rat King gave a bitter smile. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
Talk about terrible luck for eight lifetimes!
He had thought that bringing a few demons to put on a show and frighten the ox demon would make him understand the might of Kuaile Mountain. Who could have imagined they would run into a mad ox instead? Upon hearing about Kuaile Mountain's background, the beast had only become more excited.
While the Bamboo Rat King was inwardly lamenting his fate, Han Chen had already picked up the large bamboo chest and swallowed all five hundred and sixty-one Greater Returning Pills in one go.
The texture of the Greater Returning Pills was somewhat similar to meatballs, but far more fragrant. With a single bite, one tasted nothing but springy, tough meat fibers. Truly delicious.
Han Chen lifted his gaze to the void and summoned his interface for a quick look.
The First Layer of Transformation Realm Black Wolf Great Demon he had dealt with earlier had provided nearly three thousand experience points, and now these five hundred and sixty-one Greater Returning Pills were rapidly increasing his experience at a rate of twenty points per second.
In addition, once the pills reached his stomach, Han Chen quickly began to feel a heat spread throughout his body. He could clearly perceive the pills transforming into wisps of pure flesh-and-blood essence, merging into his limbs and bones to nourish his physique.
By the time all the Greater Returning Pills were fully digested, Han Chen's aura was already pushing close to the Great Perfection of the First Layer of Transformation Realm, with every chance of breaking through to the second layer at any moment, while his experience points had reached five thousand three hundred.
"Lord Ox, how do you feel?"
The Bamboo Rat King crept closer with a fawning expression.
Han Chen reached out a hooved hand and rubbed the Bamboo Rat King's chubby head.
"This Lord Ox is very satisfied. I really want to stay here at your place for ten days or half a month."
The Bamboo Rat King's legs turned to jelly, and he almost burst into tears.
"Rest assured, Lord Ox really does have urgent business and needs to be on my way. I'm leaving now—I'll come back to play with you another time when I'm free."
With that, Han Chen strode out of the small hall, leaped straight from the summit toward the base of the mountain, and with a booming crash carved out a giant crater nearly a hundred feet wide. Then, he continued on his journey toward Sunken Earth Mountain.
Phew!
Seeing Han Chen's figure finally vanish into the boundless night, the Bamboo Rat King let out a long sigh of relief.
At that moment, the Black Wolf Great Demon stepped forward, looking unreconciled.
"Are we just going to let him leave like this?"
The Bamboo Rat King glanced sideways at the Black Wolf Great Demon.
"What else? Invite him to stay another two days?"
A fierce glint appeared in the Black Wolf Great Demon's eyes.
"The Great King could send word to the Golden Peng King or other powerful demons of the Transformation Realm and have them come slaughter this ox demon."
The Bamboo Rat King's expression darkened.
"You think high-level demons like the Golden Peng King, who are at the Eighth Layer of Transformation Realm and above, are so easy to summon? The price of getting them to make a move is far greater than a Kaiyuan Axe and five hundred and sixty-one Greater Returning Pills.
Black Wolf, if you want to avenge your younger brother, I won't stop you, but you are not allowed to drag Kuaile Mountain's name into it."
Seeing his thoughts instantly seen through by the Bamboo Rat King, the Black Wolf Great Demon wore an awkward smile.
"I was only worried that outsiders would look down on Kuaile Mountain, and that other demons would start shaking you down just like this mad ox."
The Bamboo Rat King gave a cold laugh.
"If every other First Layer Transformation Realm demon were as strong as this mad ox, our Demon Race wouldn't have been driven into these deep mountains and old forests by the human race in the first place."
The Black Wolf Great Demon had nothing to say.
Indeed, anyone who could crush a demon of the exact same realm with a single hoof kick possessed a rare, one-in-a-thousand superior bloodline.
...
Leaving Kuaile Mountain behind, Han Chen traveled day and night without rest, frantically pushing forward until he finally reached Sunken Earth Mountain on the morning of the fourth day.
Sunken Earth Mountain was an active volcano, but it had not erupted for over a century. Standing a total of thirty-six hundred meters tall, its peak was shrouded in clouds, mists, and pristine white snow, making for a truly magnificent sight.
"What brings you to Sunken Earth Mountain?"
Just as Han Chen was standing at the foot of the mountain enjoying the scenery, a shrill voice suddenly rang out from high above.
Han Chen looked up in surprise to see a giant bird diving down from the sky.
As it drew closer, Han Chen realized the giant bird was actually a massive bat with huge, outstretched flesh wings.
"I am the Red Bull King of Red Bull Mountain. I have come this time to request official recognition at Sunken Earth Mountain."
"Red Bull Mountain?"
The giant bat had never heard of Red Bull Mountain and looked at him in total confusion.
Han Chen took out the map he had prepared in advance and pointed to the spot marked as Red Bull Mountain.
"It's this mountain peak right here. It was originally called Black Tiger Mountain, but it has now been renamed Red Bull Mountain."
Seeing that Red Bull Mountain was located in such a remote area, a hint of arrogance crept into the giant bat's eyes.
"Did you bring a tribute for recognition?"
Han Chen produced the tribute that Jade Face had prepared beforehand and handed it to the giant bat.
"This is a Red Dragon Fire Essence Stone. I heard the Fire Bat King loves cultivating with fire-attribute energy, so I specially offer this stone in the hope that it will be to his liking."
The Red Dragon Fire Essence Stone had cost Jade Face half a year's harvest from Red Bull Mountain to trade for from the human side, making it extremely precious.
"And here is a Fire Ganoderma for your esteemed self, for all the trouble of passing along the message."
Han Chen produced another fungus radiating a dense aura of fire and offered it to the giant bat.
Jade Face had said that the lesser demons of Sunken Earth Mountain were mostly kin to the Fire Bat King and held a particular fondness for fire-attribute spiritual materials.
Seeing how tactful Han Chen was, the giant bat swallowed the Fire Ganoderma in one gulp, then took the Red Dragon Fire Essence Stone and the map in its jaws.
"Wait here while I go report this."
Within the span of an incense stick, the giant bat returned.
"The Great King has ordered me to bring you into the mountain. Follow me!"
Han Chen hurried along behind it, climbing the mountain via a flight of stone steps winding around the slopes.
He had expected to climb all the way to the summit, but halfway up, the stone steps suddenly turned into a massive stone cave.
Entering the cave, they followed the stone steps deeper and deeper. After who knows how long, they finally emerged from the cave and arrived inside the volcanic crater.
Above them was the enormous mouth of the volcano, and beneath their feet was a flight of stone steps carved into the inner volcanic wall, leading straight down to the base.
Along the stone steps, sentry posts stood every hundred meters, each manned by red-skinned fire bats with flesh wings. Even the weakest among them was at the Seventh Layer of Blood Condensation, and quite a few had reached the Transformation Realm.