Mountain-Shifting and Sea-Filling Art

Only when Liu Chen and his companions had vanished completely at the end of the mountain path did Jiang Yuechu turn away.

At the vast village entrance, only she, dressed in black, and the towering Old Locust Tree remained.

Jiang Yuechu slowly withdrew her gaze and walked toward its massive trunk.

She raised a fair-skinned hand and pressed it gently against the bark.

"Whoosh—"

Countless wisps of red mist seeped from her pores.

In the blink of an eye,

the eerie mist turned into tendrils and wrapped around the tree demon's trunk.

Only...

Why did she feel so strangely reluctant?

Jiang Yuechu frowned.

Don't tell me I'm unwilling to eat vegetables?

"No picky eating!"

After muttering that to herself, she forced down her reluctance.

Hiss, hiss, hiss—

The red mist churned, like a great whale drawing in water.

A long while later,

the locust tree crumbled to ash and scattered on the wind.

Jiang Yuechu closed her eyes and carefully sensed what was happening within her.

Her Golden Core was now perfectly round and flawless, its whole surface shining with brilliant golden light.

Each revolution sent the blood and vitality throughout her body surging like rivers, accompanied by low rumbles of thunder.

Perfect Core Formation.

Only...

Her brows drew together slightly. There was little joy on her face; if anything, she looked faintly disgusted.

By rights, the Old Locust Tree was a Great Demon at Perfect Core Formation that had lived for over twenty-eight hundred years. Its cultivation and reserves should have far surpassed those of the Black River White Flood Dragon or the old White Ape.

But what had happened?

After swallowing its entire body, she had barely advanced from Late Realm to perfection.

She had almost fallen short.

If she had not devoured the Qiang River Dragon King