The Saint's Direct Disciple Gets a Mount, the Iron-Eating Beast's Bamboo-Eating Ambitions, a Vast Appetite and Feeble Strength!

Lin Zhu cultivated in the Purple Bamboo Forest for a thousand years, reaching the late Grand Yi Realm.

Further cultivation there brought little benefit.

Thus, Lin Zhu left the Purple Bamboo Forest and Mount Putuo, continuing his travels through the South Sea.

He traveled through the South Sea for another hundred years.

Lin Zhu found several islands and obtained some Spiritual Roots and spirit herbs.

One day!

In the central region of the South Sea, Lin Zhu discovered an island brimming with spiritual qi.

This island was where Earth Veins converged, and the spiritual qi underground was far richer than that above the island.

Seeing that the island was a blessed land, Lin Zhu revealed his True Body and became a Nine Section Bamboo. His roots burrowed downward into the Earth Vein, continuously absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within it.

After settling there for more than a hundred years, Lin Zhu's cultivation improved greatly.

Then, one day, an auspicious cloud drifted down from the sky and landed on the island. A huge black-and-white panda leaped down from atop the cloud.

The panda was over three zhang long, round and plump, swaying as it walked with a thoroughly simple-minded appearance. It was a Primordial Beast known as an Iron-Eating Beast.

Upon seeing Lin Zhu's True Body, the Iron-Eating Beast headed straight for it, intending to climb up the bamboo stalk and eat its branches.

Lin Zhu was startled. His body swayed a few times before transforming into human form.

The Iron-Eating Beast was greatly startled at the sight.

"You dare eat me?" Lin Zhu shouted.

After its initial surprise at seeing the spirit bamboo Transform, the Iron-Eating Beast was instead overjoyed.

"Transformed spirit bamboo! Eating it will surely greatly advance my cultivation! Hahaha!"

With that, its enormous body pounced at Lin Zhu. It opened its jaws, intending to swallow him whole.

"You little thing, you still dare act so brazenly!?"

As the Iron-Eating Beast lunged at him, Lin Zhu swung his fist. A massive fist phantom shot toward the beast.

Boom!

The Iron-Eating Beast took the blow head-on and went tumbling away.

Yet its hide was thick and its defenses formidable. It was completely unharmed and instead sprang back up, pouncing toward Lin Zhu once more.

Lin Zhu had used a full thirty percent of his strength in that strike, yet he had failed to injure the beast.

Lin Zhu was slightly surprised.

"What thick hide and tough flesh!"

Seeing the Iron-Eating Beast charge at him again with terrifying ferocity, Lin Zhu pointed a finger. A flash of light streaked through the air, and a gigantic lightning serpent blasted toward the Iron-Eating Beast, striking it squarely.

It was the Golden Divine Lightning unleashed by Lin Zhu.

The Iron-Eating Beast froze, seemingly paralyzed by the divine lightning's power. Its fur exploded outward, every hair standing on end.

But in the blink of an eye, the Iron-Eating Beast recovered.

Seeing this, Lin Zhu formed hand seals and recited a True Incantation. He pointed three fingers forward.

Immediately, three bolts of divine lightning emerged from the void—Golden Divine Lightning, Water Lightning, and Wood Lightning—and struck the Iron-Eating Beast.

This time, although the Iron-Eating Beast was not injured, it suffered greatly. Its entire body went numb, and only after several breaths did it recover.

Having witnessed Lin Zhu's strength, the Iron-Eating Beast no longer dared prolong the battle and turned to flee.

"You think you can leave so easily?" Lin Zhu's figure flashed, blocking the Iron-Eating Beast's path. With a wave of his hand, the Twelve Sea Stabilizing Divine Pearls whistled forth.

Twelve beams of radiant light shot into the sky, instantly surrounding the Iron-Eating Beast at their center.

The Iron-Eating Beast seemed to sense the danger and feel the immense pressure.

It was certain that if those twelve pearls came crashing down, even if it did not die, it would be severely wounded.

The Iron-Eating Beast trembled inwardly and hastily spoke in human language. "Upper Immortal, spare my life. I know my mistake. Please do not wipe me out completely."

Lin Zhu looked at the Iron-Eating Beast and said, "You are also a Primordial Beast, and your foundation is not bad. Having offended me this time, I originally intended to take your life."

"However, considering that cultivation has not been easy for you, why not submit to me and serve as my mount?"

He had long recognized the beast's origins.

In the future, the Iron-Eating Beast would be Chi You's mount. He might as well take it as a mount himself, sparing himself the need to fly everywhere.

Moreover, the Iron-Eating Beast was not a carnivorous creature and had a clean background.

Thus, Lin Zhu decided to subdue it.

But the Iron-Eating Beast refused to bow its head. "My skills are inferior, so I should accept my defeat. But asking me to serve as your mount is impossible."

Lin Zhu smiled. "You do have backbone. But if you become my mount, it will greatly benefit your cultivation."

"Do you know who I am?"

As the Iron-Eating Beast looked on in surprise, Lin Zhu announced his identity.

"I am Lin Zhu, Saint Tongtian's personal Senior Disciple and the First Disciple of Jie Sect. If you become my mount and listen to the Dao before a Saint, how could that possibly disgrace you?"

The Iron-Eating Beast was utterly astonished.

This man was actually a Saint's disciple?

It was merely a Primordial Beast with a shallow foundation. Its hopes of attaining the Dao were slim.

If it could listen to the Dao before a Saint, it would naturally be of immense benefit to its cultivation.

This was simply a heaven-sent opportunity!

The Iron-Eating Beast immediately knelt to the ground. "I am willing to submit to you and serve as your mount."

Lin Zhu was overjoyed upon hearing this.

This beast possessed astonishing defenses and a powerful physical body. With a little guidance, it might become a useful helper.

He then pointed a finger and placed a mark upon the Iron-Eating Beast's forehead.

"Greetings, Master!" the Iron-Eating Beast hurriedly said.

Lin Zhu said, "Serve as my mount, and I will teach you a body refinement method. One day, your physical body will become even stronger."

The Iron-Eating Beast was naturally overjoyed upon hearing this!

"I have cultivated here for many years. It is time to leave. Let us go!"

With that, Lin Zhu leaped onto the Iron-Eating Beast's back.

The Iron-Eating Beast soared into the air and flew into the distance.

With the Iron-Eating Beast as his mount, Lin Zhu no longer needed to expend mana traveling. Sitting atop its back, he became far more carefree.

Along the way, Lin Zhu explained the methods of body refinement to the Iron-Eating Beast.

Combining the Witch Race's body refinement methods with his own Grand Void Body Refinement Art, he created a technique suited for the Iron-Eating Beast's cultivation.

The Iron-Eating Beast was overjoyed to hear Lin Zhu impart the Dao.

It became even more convinced that becoming Lin Zhu's mount had been the right choice, and it grew grateful toward him.

Not only that, Lin Zhu also fed the Iron-Eating Beast some of the Spiritual Roots he had found.

As a result, the Iron-Eating Beast's cultivation began advancing by leaps and bounds.

The Iron-Eating Beast was a Primordial Beast. By consuming spirit herbs, it could directly improve its cultivation and strengthen its physical body.

This secretly delighted Lin Zhu.

With the Iron-Eating Beast, Lin Zhu continued his travels.

At the same time, he found more Spiritual Roots and spirit herbs, feeding the ordinary herbs to the Iron-Eating Beast.

His cultivation also steadily improved during his travels, advancing toward the Primordial Unity Peak.

Lin Zhu had been away from Mount Kunlun for many years, and he began to wish to return.

Thus, riding the Iron-Eating Beast, he prepared to leave the South Sea and return to Mount Kunlun.

Just as man and beast were about to return to the Primordial Continent, an island suddenly appeared ahead.

A towering murderous aura rose from that island.

"The aura of a Fierce Beast!"

Lin Zhu was immediately startled.

He had once entered a Ferocious Beast Nest with Xuan Du, so he was extremely familiar with the aura of Fierce Beasts.

Upon sensing that murderous aura, Lin Zhu immediately determined that there had to be a Fierce Beast here.

"Let us go ashore!"

At Lin Zhu's command, the Iron-Eating Beast swooped down and landed upon the island.