Eighth-Rank Magical Beast Corpse, Puppet Refinement Method

This Magical Beast corpse was rather enormous. It had clearly been dead for a long time, its flesh and bones completely desiccated.

Most eye-catching of all was its pair of massive bone wings. Their material was quite peculiar, resembling jade.

"Ugh—what a stench!" The instant the dried corpse appeared, Zi Yan pinched her nose, her face full of disgust.

Standing before the dried corpse made Zi Yan feel uncomfortable all over, so she simply ran off to play elsewhere in the treasury.

"We found this in a mountain ravine. It appears to have been a peerless ferocious beast on the verge of advancing to the eighth rank." Mo Tianxing introduced it to Tang Chen with a solemn expression.

Seeing Tang Chen's interest, Mo Tianxing immediately put on a respectful expression. "If you are interested, my lord, please take it."

Seeing how sensible Mo Tianxing was, Tang Chen nodded in satisfaction. With a casual wave, he stored the huge dried corpse in his Storage Ring.

"Tang Chen, I found so many good things!"

Right after he stored the corpse, Zi Yan's delighted voice rang out.

Tang Chen turned and saw Zi Yan holding a huge pile of natural treasures in her arms, her little face brimming with happiness.

When Mo Tianxing saw what Zi Yan had taken, his heart bled. Yet with Tang Chen standing right there, he could only force a smile and watch helplessly.

And so, under Mo Tianxing's pained gaze, Zi Yan took item after item, nearly emptying more than half of his collection.

Mo Tianxing was like a powerless husband, able only to watch Zi Yan take everything away without having any means to stop her.

Only after Zi Yan was thoroughly satisfied did Tang Chen take her away. Before leaving, he left Mo Tianxing a Communication Jade Slip for contact.

Having visited the Black Emperor Sect, Tang Chen naturally would not let Demon Flame Valley off the hook. He was extremely interested in Earth Demon Old Ghost's Puppet Refinement Method.

Tang Chen tore through space with Zi Yan and headed directly toward Demon Flame Valley.

Demon Flame Valley was located within a mountain range in the northern part of the Black-Corner Region. The valley was vast, roughly comparable to a city, and had a large population.

A spatial rift tore open above Demon Flame Valley, and Tang Chen stepped out from it with Zi Yan.

He did not conceal his aura. Standing in midair with his hands behind his back, he spread his soul power outward, blanketing the entire Demon Flame Valley in the blink of an eye.

Through his perception, Tang Chen swiftly locked onto an aura that was rapidly fleeing northward.

"A six-star Dou Zong. Your perception is sharp, and your reaction isn't slow either." Tang Chen's lips curved upward as he reached toward the direction in which the man was fleeing.

An immensely powerful suction force erupted from his palm, forcibly dragging Earth Demon Old Ghost back even though he had already fled far away.

The instant Tang Chen appeared, Earth Demon Old Ghost sensed him. Though he did not know why such a powerful expert had come to Demon Flame Valley, he was certain it was most likely nothing good.

Knowing he was no match, he fled without hesitation. His escape technique was quite formidable; after burrowing underground, he could conceal most of his aura, making him difficult for ordinary people to detect.

Unfortunately, he had encountered Tang Chen. Tang Chen's soul realm had reached the late Spirit Realm, so this little trick was utterly insignificant before him.

Tang Chen gripped Earth Demon Old Ghost by the throat, leaving him unable to circulate even the slightest bit of Dou Qi. He struggled desperately like an insect.

"M... my lord, spare... my life!" Earth Demon Old Ghost begged, feeling himself on the verge of suffocation.

"Tell me, why did you run when you saw me? I hadn't intended to make a move." Tang Chen's tone carried a trace of helplessness.

Though he said that, his hand did not hesitate in the slightest. With a gentle squeeze, he directly crushed the six-star Dou Zong Earth Demon Old Ghost to death, as easily as crushing an ant.

"The big one is dead. The little ones can't be spared either."

A flash of killing intent crossed Tang Chen's eyes. With a wave of his hand, several flames shot through the air and transformed into fire dragons that roared as they dove toward Demon Flame Valley below.

Before long, all of Demon Flame Valley's upper echelons had been slaughtered by Tang Chen.

"Zi Yan, time to work!"

Tang Chen called out to Zi Yan, who was eating pills nearby.

"Got it!" Zi Yan swallowed the pills in her mouth in a few quick bites, and her eyes lit up.

She then activated her treasure-hunting talent and led Tang Chen in a frenzied sweep through Demon Flame Valley's treasures. No matter what restrictions they encountered, Zi Yan could pass through them with ease, something even Tang Chen found rather enviable.

Before long, the two had turned the entire Demon Flame Valley upside down.

Demon Flame Valley truly deserved its reputation as an old force that had dominated the Black-Corner Region for many years. Its foundations far surpassed those of minor factions, and Tang Chen reaped a bountiful harvest. The Puppet Refinement Method, as well as the Flame Manipulation Art capable of condensing imitation Heavenly Flames, were both among the spoils.

Looking over the gains from this trip, Tang Chen was extremely satisfied. Nothing in this world felt better than getting something for free.

He stored everything in his Storage Ring, then rose to his feet and said to Zi Yan beside him, "Zi Yan, let's go. We've gathered more or less everything we need. Your transformation issue can be resolved soon as well."

"That's great! I can finally grow up!" Zi Yan's little face was filled with excitement, as though she wished she could grow up on the spot.

Tang Chen smiled faintly, took Zi Yan's hand, and stepped into a spatial rift.

Heavenly Snake Mansion.

Qing Lin was practicing her Dou Technique, her little face filled with concentration.

During the time Tang Chen had been away, Qing Lin had subdued several more snake-shaped Magical Beasts at the Dou Zong level. Her overall strength had risen dramatically, and her cultivation speed was terrifying.

She cultivated with great diligence. Relying on the talent of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and the resource support of Heavenly Snake Mansion, not only had her Dou Qi level broken through to one-star Dou Emperor, but her combat ability had not fallen behind either. Her use of Dou Techniques had become increasingly proficient.

During this time, Lu Yan had personally guided Qing Lin, and their relationship had grown ever more harmonious. Lu Yan genuinely liked this little girl, while Qing Lin was deeply grateful to the old grandmother who taught her so attentively.

After finishing her Dou Technique practice, Qing Lin wiped the sweat from her face. Feeling the progress she had made lately, she revealed a satisfied smile.

"When Young Master returns and sees Qing Lin as she is now, he'll definitely be very happy." Qing Lin smiled as she thought expectantly.

"If... if Young Master could praise Qing Lin, then pat Qing Lin on the head, Qing Lin would be very happy too." The more she thought about it, the redder her little face became, and she murmured softly to herself.

She missed Tang Chen's large hands, and she missed the feeling of being stroked by them.

"Qing Lin."

As Qing Lin was lost in thought, an incomparably familiar voice sounded behind her.

She abruptly turned around and saw Tang Chen standing behind her.

"Y-Young Master! Young Master is back!" Qing Lin's little face shifted from disbelief to wild joy.

The little girl was overjoyed and threw herself straight into Tang Chen's arms.

Tang Chen had heard Qing Lin's murmuring just now, so he naturally did not hold back on his praise. As he praised her, he reached out and patted her little head.

Qing Lin loved the feeling of being stroked by Tang Chen, and a deep sense of satisfaction welled up in her heart.

Seeing how comfortable Qing Lin looked while being patted, Zi Yan refused to be outdone. No longer afraid of failing to grow taller, she grabbed Tang Chen's other hand and placed it on her own head, narrowing her eyes in enjoyment.

Thus, a scene appeared: Tang Chen stood with a little girl on each side, each hand rubbing a little head, while both girls wore expressions of utter bliss.

After dealing with the two little girls, Tang Chen had Lu Yan find him a secluded place rich in energy.

He had returned to Heavenly Snake Mansion this time intending to use the medicinal ingredients he had seized earlier to refine a batch of high-grade medicinal pills.

Since the pills were of considerable grade, including even eighth-tier pills, someone would need to stand guard during the refinement process. The current Heavenly Snake Mansion was naturally the best choice.

"I'm rather looking forward to seeing what eighth-tier pill lightning is like."

Looking at the medicinal cauldron before him, a trace of anticipation appeared on Tang Chen's face.