Subduing the Black Tiger

Inside the cell of the Earth Prison, Fang Mu skillfully used torture instruments to separate the flesh and skin of a Rat Demon.

After stripping away some of its claws and fur, the remaining flesh and blood were refined by the Demon Refining Mirror.

The intermediate Essence Blood Pill was forged from the Rat Demon's blood essence, and consuming it could strengthen Blood Essence and nourish the physical body.

The advanced Essence Pill could warm the meridians and improve cultivation.

Fang Mu looked at the two additional pills in his hand. He swallowed the Essence Blood Pill himself and handed the Essence Pill to his clone for refinement.

For the past two days, he had been in the Earth Prison, killing demons to improve his strength.

Although he and Huihai were currently allies, it was hard to guarantee that Huihai wouldn't suddenly decide to kill him on a whim.

Huihai's previous restraint was merely due to his apprehension about the origin of the Zen Staff.

Once he discovered the truth, there was no telling if he wouldn't strike with lethal intent.

For the past two days, that Tu Shan had also been completely inactive, which worried Fang Mu. He wondered what Tu Shan was plotting in secret.

Therefore, he needed to improve his cultivation and strength as quickly as possible to prepare countermeasures.

Now, demons of the first and second rank were no match for Fang Mu.

With the heavy Zen Staff in hand, he felt as if he were holding a meteorite. If he were hit, he would almost certainly die or be severely injured.

Even swinging the Zen Staff was somewhat tiring. Even with Fang Mu's current strength, he could only swing the Zen Staff twice in a row at full power.

After that, he would be out of strength and need to rest to recover.

Soon, the clone finished refining the Essence Pill, and its cultivation advanced to the second-rank Martial Realm.

The clone's Demonic Energy was all absorbed by Fang Mu.

Although the Demonic Scripture was good, it could enhance cultivation faster and also absorb Demonic Energy for one's own use.

But with a fake Demonic Scripture, it was hard to guarantee that this Demonic Scripture wouldn't have problems.

Even if the Demonic Scripture had no issues, Fang Mu didn't want his clone to cultivate a body full of demonic energy.

If it went out, it would be mistaken for a great demon and captured and killed.

As for not having a cultivation method, it didn't matter.

His current cultivation was not strong yet. Before the Innate Realm, it was all about building a foundation.

As long as the foundation was solid and Vital Energy was abundant, cultivation would naturally break through, so he wasn't in a hurry.

There weren't many demons imprisoned in the Earth Prison. He had killed almost all of them in the past two days.

Only in cell number twenty-six was there a ferocious tiger demon, possessing the strength of a half-step Innate Realm, and it was at its peak combat power.

Therefore, Fang Mu saved it for last, planning to kill the tiger demon after strengthening himself, which would make him more confident.

Recalling his thoughts, Fang Mu swung the Zen Staff, brandishing it inside the cell.

Although he could only swing it a few times before becoming so tired that he was covered in sweat and needed to stop and rest.

But this was also a form of cultivation, which could better squeeze and temper his physical body.

Fang Mu had been using the Zen Staff recently. He found that when he used ordinary swords, they felt as light as nothing in his hands.

He could casually swing them, creating afterimages, so fast that only the glint of the sword could be seen.

Soon, the medicinal power of the Essence Blood Pill that Fang Mu had swallowed was completely absorbed, integrating into his limbs and bones.

Fang Mu could feel his physical body strengthening further. Although it wasn't much, a little improvement each day could accumulate over time.

Soon, Fang Mu left the prison cell and, with his stabilized clone, arrived at cell number twenty-six of the Earth Prison.

"Roar!!"

Angry roars and growls echoed, and a fierce Black Tiger appeared, looking extremely wild.

Its eyes were filled with bloodthirsty killing intent, staring intently at Fang Mu, who had entered the cell.

"Clang... Clang!"

At this moment, clanging sounds rang out, and the chains shook violently.

The ferocious Black Tiger suddenly shrunk its body, shattering the chains that pierced through it, and lunged at Fang Mu.

Fang Mu seemed to have anticipated this. He let out a cold laugh, swung the Zen Staff in his hand, and smashed the Black Tiger away like a meteor hammer.

"Roar!!!"

The Black Tiger swiped a claw at the Zen Staff, then let out a scream. It was sent flying backward, spitting blood, and crashed heavily onto the torture rack.

The clone slashed out with the Golden Sword, darted forward, and swung a sword at the Black Tiger.

The Black Tiger flipped to evade the clone's sword, roared, and unleashed its half-step Innate Realm aura, charging at the clone and engaging it in a fierce battle.

Although the clone left many sword wounds on the Black Tiger with the sharpness of the Golden Sword, The Black Tiger's claws had been injured by the Zen Staff earlier, causing it to limp, which affected its movement and combat power.

However, the Black Tiger was too strong and fast, and its claws were as sharp as blades, leaving countless bloody marks on the clone.

Seeing that the clone was having trouble dealing with the Black Tiger, Fang Mu hefted the Zen Staff and charged forward, intending to surround and kill the Black Tiger with his clone.

The Black Tiger let out a roar and actually jumped away, retreating to the side. It lowered its head and whimpered and roared at Fang Mu.

Fang Mu frowned. He couldn't understand what the Black Tiger was growling about, but judging by its demeanor, it seemed to be begging for mercy.

"Master! It wants to submit to you and wants you to spare its life."

At this moment, Xixi ran out from Fang Mu's watermelon rune pattern and explained to him.

Fang Mu was stunned for a moment and looked at Xixi curiously, asking, "You can understand what it's saying?"

"Yes! Although I'm a plant, I know beast language."

"Uh..." Fang Mu was truly surprised. He didn't expect it to be so amazing, understanding beast language.

"Can it also actively form a contract like you?" Fang Mu asked curiously.

"No, only those with unique innate divine abilities, who are rare species born of heaven and earth, and possess inherited knowledge can actively form contracts."

"Ordinary demons and common beasts do not have the ability to form contracts on their own."

Hearing Xixi's words, Fang Mu looked at it with newfound seriousness for the first time.

He asked with some surprise, "You mean you are a rare species born of heaven and earth? Then what are your innate divine abilities?"

"My inherited memories say so. As for my innate divine abilities, they are wood-element vines and the ability to understand beast language."

"..."

Fang Mu was speechless. He thought, Your innate divine abilities seem a bit weak!

The Green Snake also seemed capable of forming contracts independently, which made Fang Mu suspect if it was also a rare species born of heaven and earth.

If that were the case, then these rare species weren't that uncommon, like cabbage, easily encountered everywhere...

Recalling his thoughts, Fang Mu had Xixi communicate with the Black Tiger in beast language.

Afterward, he used the Jade Faced Gentleman's soul seed technique, planting a soul seed within the Black Tiger's soul.

Condensing the soul seed consumed a large amount of Fang Mu's soul power.

After condensing one soul seed, he was almost dizzy and exhausted, with more than half of his soul power depleted.

However, gaining a tiger demon at the half-step Innate Realm was considered worth it.

Fang Mu possessed the Demon Refining Mirror. As long as he could refine more demons, he could obtain elixirs.

At that time, he could increase the tiger demon's strength and cultivate it into a great demon of the Innate Realm.

Then he would have another powerful helper. Even if he had the tiger demon guard Fang Jing, Fang Mu would feel a bit more at ease.

As for killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, Fang Mu felt he wasn't lacking with one tiger demon.

After putting the Black Tiger into the demon capturing bag, and then placing the demon capturing bag into the Demon Refining Mirror's space, Fang Mu left the Earth Prison and headed outside.

When he left the county office, the sky had already darkened. Fang Mu walked alone on the deserted street. Looking at the empty street, his heart was unmoved.

Huihai had already left the county office yesterday, leaving Fang Mu with a token and a way to find him.

That old schemer hadn't left Qingzhu County. He was probably hiding in some obscure corner right now, watching and plotting something.

Therefore, Fang Mu was very vigilant and didn't head directly to the slums. Instead, he circled the streets a few times.

As Fang Mu walked past a dark alleyway, a shadow flashed, approaching him stealthily like a phantom.