The second floor of the Exquisite Ghost Market.
Inside the Hundred Questions Tower, in a side hall.
Wang Ba sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.
On the cushion opposite him sat the phantom of the Pale-Headed Elder Wang Ba had met last time.
At this moment, however, the elder's phantom had his eyes slightly closed, one hand resting on the head of a golden ape before him.
Tang Ji stood respectfully to one side.
Yao Wudi, by contrast, stood carelessly beside Wang Ba, leaning forward as he stared at the elder impatiently.
"I say, Martial Uncle, I only asked you to look at a monkey. Why is it taking so much effort?"
Hearing this, the Pale-Headed Elder's phantom immediately opened his eyes.
In that instant, Wang Ba, sitting opposite him, felt as though he saw endless stars, suns, and moons within those eyes...
The Pale-Headed Elder glared at Yao Wudi in displeasure, then turned to Wang Ba, a trace of appreciation flashing through his eyes.
"Not bad. This spirit beast's progression does indeed roughly match the effects the formula you provided could produce."
"To raise a second-tier low-grade Mountain-Moving Ape to the third tier with such inferior Spirit Materials in a barren place like the Yan Kingdom—and for it to have even mastered the minor divine ability 'Demon Ape Transformation'—not bad! Very good indeed!"
"You already meet the conditions for entering the Ghost Market's Third Layer, as well as the requirements for joining our sect..."
Hearing the elder's praise, Yao Wudi immediately broke into a smug smile, feeling even better than if he himself had been praised.
Tang Ji, standing nearby, also looked unsurprised.
He had personally verified Wang Ba's talent for raising spirit beasts, so he had never doubted this outcome in the slightest.
Wang Ba, too, let out