Inside the cave abode in the secret realm.
Li Ping immersed himself in cultivation, utterly unaware of what was happening outside.
Before he knew it, a year had passed. Aside from the progress in his own cultivation, what delighted Li Ping most was that the Desolate Fire Sparrow had finally advanced.
The spiritual qi inside the cave abode rippled slightly. With a clear cry, the spirit beast soared straight into the sky, turning into a fireball and swooping back and forth through the air.
The commotion naturally disturbed Li Ping's cultivation.
He opened his eyes and rose to his feet, smiling at the excited Desolate Fire Sparrow overhead.
The Desolate Fire Sparrow's advancement to second-tier mid-grade meant he now had another capable helper. Especially against evil cultivators such as demon and ghost cultivators, the evil-slaying properties of its innate spirit flame would make it a formidable weapon.
But Li Ping had always treated others kindly and disliked fighting, so the Desolate Fire Sparrow's innate spirit flame currently had no opportunity to prove its worth.
Suddenly-
Just as Li Ping was smiling, the Desolate Fire Sparrow's gaze fell on the barrier of the third-tier formation at the center of the secret realm.
"Screee!"
It let out a piercing cry, then lunged straight toward the barrier.
The Desolate Fire Sparrow's actions left Li Ping looking slightly bewildered. He had no idea what it intended to do.
However, there were no other living beings in this cave abode, nor was this a moment of crisis, so he did not hurry to recall the Desolate Fire Sparrow. Instead, he patiently watched what it would do next.
Then he saw it.
When the Desolate Fire Sparrow came within ten feet of the third-tier formation's barrier, it abruptly stopped, hovering there with its wings fluttering.
"Chirp,