Chapter 692: Group Evolution

A group of people gathered around, their breathing quickening. The Black Ox, Ouyang Feng, and the great demons from Kunlun—all of them had fervent, intense eyes, practically glowing green with anticipation.

Following the dramatic changes to the world, all manner of creatures were undergoing evolution. These individuals were among the most exceptional of these creatures, with some having already lived for centuries, on the verge of becoming "spirit beings."

For instance, the Black Ox would occasionally let slip tales of his life centuries ago, recalling his unforgettable goddess-level companion—a beautiful Green Yak from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Similarly, the Siberian Tiger often shamelessly boasted, claiming that for centuries he had roamed across Siberia and the Northeast region, never once suffering defeat, truly unmatched and seeking only a rival!

Lately, this group of great demons had been feeling immensely frustrated, trapped on the island with their lives constantly threatened, and they yearned desperately to evolve and grow stronger.

“Don’t rush,” Chu Feng said. “We need to ensure everyone is in their optimal state. Have you all recovered sufficiently?”

The Black Ox thumped his chest. “Don’t worry,” he declared. “Since you purged those strange energies from my body, my injuries have completely healed in just one day and night, thanks to the Six Paths Reincarnation Pill, which is typically used by cultivators at the Golden Arhat level.”

Chu Feng observed that the group's evolutionary progress was uneven. Some were at the Carefree Realm, others in the mid-Visualization Realm, and some in the late-Visualization Realm.

The elixirs they required at this moment also differed.

Chu Feng did not possess a large quantity of elixirs specifically for the Sky-Gazing Realm, but he had enough to go around. However, he had an ample supply of elixirs for the Carefree and Visualization Realms.

“Old Bear, Old Hu, you all should first raise your strength to the Visualization Realm!”

Chu Feng distributed the elixirs, with each person receiving a small jade jar. These jars contained more than just a couple of pills; there was enough for them to evolve and ascend to the next realm.

The Old Black Bear and a yellow fox were the grandfathers of Xiong Kun and Hu Sheng, respectively. Their grandsons had initially met Chu Feng as adversaries, but after their conflicts, they eventually submitted, then followed him, and ultimately began calling him 'Little Uncle Master'.

When Chu Feng first traveled to Kunlun, upon reaching the western region, it was the Old Black Bear King who provided a mount to carry Chu Feng for the final leg of his journey.

“Haha, this is wonderful!” The old demon exclaimed, delighted.

In addition to them, the Tibetan Antelope King and others, as well as Chu Feng’s parents, were also at this realm. Indeed, many of the great demons on the island were commonly at this level.

The Tibetan Antelope King felt a profound sense of emotion. When Chu Feng first journeyed to Kunlun, he powerfully slew the Violet-Gold Woodpecker King who had been causing him trouble. At the time, the Tibetan Antelope Martial King also harbored animosity towards Chu Feng, resulting in his two thick horns being completely shattered. It was only after they had jointly endured life-and-death struggles and shared hardships that it changed its attitude towards Chu Feng. Now, it was about to receive immense grace from him.

The next group of individuals included those in the early Visualization Realm, such as the Old Lama, the Mastiff King, and the Old Ape from Dalin Temple.

A few individuals were in the mid-Visualization Realm, including the Black Ox, Old Grandmaster Wu Qifeng, and the Siberian Tiger.

Undoubtedly, many had managed to ascend to this level thanks to the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Toad. The exotic fruits the two had brought from the depths of the Indestructible Mountain had allowed this group to undergo rapid transformation and evolution.

As for the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng, they had recently been stalled at the late-Visualization Realm, consistently unable to acquire higher-tier fruits.

“There’s an issue deep within the Demon Race’s Holy Land,” Ouyang Feng explained. “The current challenge we face is exceptionally difficult. Terrifying slave races guard the exotic trees and fruits there; even individuals at the Shaping and Golden Body Realms risk death if they enter.”

Ouyang Feng was indignant; otherwise, they could have advanced further, but their path had been completely obstructed.

“Don’t worry. After this rapid progress, we will all be in the Sky-Gazing Realm,” Chu Feng reassured them. “Afterward, I’ll try entering with you to breach that barrier.”

“It’s a pity you’re not a demon,” the Yellow Ox said, shaking his head.

“We can get some demon blood and deceive them,” Chu Feng replied, suggesting a way to 'fool the heavens'.

Ouyang Feng’s eyes lit up. “Oh,” he exclaimed, “perhaps we can bring in outside help that way. Yellow Ox, think about those hints we found. Otherwise, even those at the Golden Body Realm would die upon entry. Isn’t that a dead end, a path to certain death? They’re clearly making things impossible for us. Wait, the more I think about it, the more plausible it becomes. Isn’t there a broken bronze tablet? Though its records are incomplete, it seems to mention ‘outer protectors’ of the demon race!”

“We’ll examine it closely later!” the Yellow Ox said, also showing a look of surprise.

Then, Chu Feng became serious, reminding the Black Ox, Old Lama, Mastiff King, Wu Qifeng, and the others that despite having an abundance of exotic fruits, evolution at the Visualization Realm now required personal comprehension to manifest one’s own unique visualization scroll.

Chu Feng was exceptionally serious. “At this realm,” he stated, “blood essence serves as the canvas and spirit as the pigment. The resulting Dao Fruit has profound implications, so one must not be reckless. Do not rush your advancement or become negligent simply for the sake of rapid evolution!”

He feared they might be too eager for quick results, which could lead to an unstable foundation and limited combat prowess.

Because, truly visualizing one’s own unique scroll is, in fact, an extremely arduous task.

In the outer realms, the most formidable evolution sects impose strict requirements on their disciples, even having them meditate and visualize at this level for several years!

“Don’t worry, we’ve already solved this problem!” the Siberian Tiger chuckled. Then, everyone turned to the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng, immensely grateful to them.

Currently, this group of great demons had remained within the mountain gate, never truly entering the demon race’s holy land to brave the perilous trials. Only Ouyang Toad and the Yellow Ox dared to undertake this, as it was exceedingly dangerous. Only peerless demon geniuses could enter; otherwise, annihilation was guaranteed.

There had been a bloody lesson learned!

Among the first to arrive here, besides the Yellow Ox, Ouyang Feng, Big Black, the Siberian Tiger, and the Old Donkey, there was also a Golden Eagle, Chu Feng’s mount, which he had subdued at Mount Lu.

However, the Golden Eagle was extremely competitive and insisted on entering with the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng to compete and clear the trials. Tragically, it died after failing to clear more than a few stages.

This was also why the Black Ox, the Siberian Tiger, and the Old Donkey adamantly refused to enter; the environment within was simply too brutal.

Naturally, later arrivals like the great demons from Kunlun also lingered outside the mountain gate, practicing various demon race secret techniques that the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng had brought back from within.

“Don’t worry, the Visualization Realm won’t be an issue,” Ouyang Feng said, his eyes now healed and once again squinting at people.

He and the Yellow Ox had brought back a vast collection of visualization scrolls from ancient demon predecessors, retrieved from the forbidden depths of the Indestructible Mountain—a place where demon saints were nurtured. These were provided for everyone’s reference.

The records were incredibly detailed, containing various methods, specific steps, experiential notes, and even rare, untransmitted personal manuscripts. They were, quite simply, invaluable!

This was immeasurably easier than having to explore and innovate purely on one's own!

However, this also meant they bypassed the rigorous process of pioneering and deep contemplation, essentially taking a shortcut.

The Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng were exceptions to this. They genuinely comprehended and engaged in innovative visualization independently, then cross-referenced their insights with the manuscripts left by ancient demon predecessors.

The Old Donkey looked at Chu Feng, baring his large teeth. “Brother, why the frown?” he asked. “Do you truly expect us to be as exceptional as you? We’re not aiming to contend with the universe’s top young prodigies. We have no such ambition; we merely wish to follow behind you, wave flags, and beat those bastards to a pulp! Beat them to death!”

Chu Feng felt relieved. It was unrealistic to expect everyone to pursue perfection on the path of evolution, as their individual combat power levels naturally varied.

For instance, he possessed a small black-and-white grinding mill within him, the Yellow Ox had a mysterious medicine-pounding mortar, and Ouyang Feng had acquired a small bronze roller from the demon race’s forbidden land within the Indestructible Mountain. All these items could help them refine their bloodlines, purify the exotic fruits they absorbed, and refine the various energies from heaven and earth.

Other individuals, however, did not possess such items, as they were exceptionally rare and precious. Only the most powerful Dao lineages in the universe possessed them, and even then, their use was typically restricted to direct lineage descendants.

Chu Feng smiled. “Excellent. With the Visualization Realm issue resolved, a major obstacle has been cleared. Everyone, evolve as quickly as you can. We have Heavenly God Liquid, so there’s no need to worry about any issues from rapid, continuous evolution.”

Heavenly God Liquid was a rare and immensely valuable treasure.

Naturally, this substance could not be used without restraint. Even the Heavenly God Race themselves would not squander it. Such supreme races imposed incredibly strict requirements on their direct descendants, prioritizing their personal comprehension and demanding they explore paths independently.

As the Old Donkey had said, not everyone needed to ascend to the pinnacle of evolution and contend for supremacy; they were content with their current achievements.

Chu Feng then added, “Regarding the Sky-Gazing Realm, do not rush. I will scout ahead first and strive to find a great fortune for everyone!”

He instructed everyone to advance their cultivation, but to hold back at the final threshold. Even the Yellow Ox and Ouyang Feng, who were currently at the highest evolutionary stage, were to suppress their breakthroughs after consuming the exotic fruits and not rush into the Sky-Gazing Realm. Chu Feng intended to scout a particular location to see if he could obtain a certain 'immortal glow' and 'divine mist'.

He had personally experienced this before, suppressing his advancement for several months, only to break through on the dead star containing the cosmic black prison. His purpose was to ensure that the very first ethereal mist he consumed upon ascending would be a peerless treasure, capable of enhancing his combat prowess and providing immense benefits for his future evolution.

Fortunately, he succeeded, seizing the fortune meant for the Xilin race.

On this day, the island shimmered with radiant light, thousands of streaks of ethereal glow and auspicious energy bursting forth. Everyone was busy evolving; with ample elixirs and the cultivation manuscripts from ancient predecessors found deep within the forbidden demon lands of the Indestructible Mountain, their transformations proceeded very smoothly!

One could observe the Mastiff King’s missing forelimb regrowing and re-evolving, making his physique even more massive and dazzling.

Similarly, the Black Ox’s two broken horns were continuously growing, thick and sturdy, as if they could pierce through heaven and earth. Their rough surface bore strange, intricate patterns, exuding a domineering and wild aura.

Old Grandmaster Wu Qifeng grew progressively younger, his white hair vanishing, and even his complexion becoming gradually ruddy and refined. He no longer resembled a centenarian, but rather a robust man in his thirties.

The Old Lama glowed, no longer appearing like a Buddhist monk over a hundred years old. Vigorous life force overflowed from him, and his damaged Dharma Body was undergoing repair. He possessed a solemn and dignified demeanor, his entire body enveloped in golden light, giving the impression of a Bodhisattva’s reincarnation. Golden light flowed from his form, and he appeared remarkably young.

Xiong Kun’s grandfather, the Black Bear King, sprouted a single silver horn on his head, crackling with lightning and thunder. This was an extraordinary bloodline mutation, and his strength was skyrocketing.

The physiques of everyone in the group were undergoing intense improvement.

Chu Feng estimated that he had enough elixirs, with some to spare. He thought of old acquaintances whom he had recently avoided, fearing to implicate them.

He had, in fact, already instructed them to hide.

For instance, Xiong Kun, Hu Sheng, Thousand-Mile Eyes Du Huaijin, Far-Hearing Ouyang Qing, Ye Qingrou, and others, along with the elder Lu Tong, he planned to help them enhance their physiques when the time was right.

The elder Lu Tong, in particular, had previously provided him with great assistance. Chu Feng felt it was imperative to pave the evolutionary path for this old fox.

At the same time, Chu Feng thought of the individuals within the syndicates: Jiang Luoshen, King Kong, the Silver-Winged Heavenly God, and even that 'broken' director Zhou Yitian. He wondered how they were faring.

He also considered his former adversaries, such as the Peacock King and the Nine-Lives Cat King. What had become of them now?

When he had the time, he intended to seek them out.

Chu Feng observed that the island was glowing everywhere, with everyone exuding vibrant life energy. “Don’t rush, take your time, and make sure to restrain yourselves,” he advised. “I’ll go scout ahead and seek out a great fortune for you all!”

He departed, but did not travel far. Instead, he submerged into the seabed to find the Dragon Girl. He wished to enter the True Dragon’s Lair, where True Dragon Qi surged, wondering if he could acquire it.