A Backstabbing Betrayal: Devouring His Master!

Deep within the secret room.

Zhou Tianle's process of absorbing the Heaven and Earth Qi is coming to an end.

The Ice Dao Heaven and Earth Qi in his Dantian gradually merged with the vortex of spiritual power, and a wisp of icy blue energy was taking root deep into the core of the spiritual power.

Only one last step remains.

Once the Heaven and Earth Qi is fully integrated into the Dantian, the Core Embryo can be condensed. Then comes the third stage: Core Condensation. It's just one step away!

He could feel the pulse of that energy, which was becoming more and more in sync with his own heartbeat.

Soon, in half an hour, or at most an hour, he will be able to touch the boundary of the Golden Core and achieve the Golden Core!

Just then...

He felt a slightly cool touch on his back...

But upon sensing the presence, Zhou Tianle's mind stirred slightly, and he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shi Yin?"

"When did you come in...?"

Zhou Tianle couldn't care less about Shi Yin at this moment. He quickly focused his mind, as this was a crucial moment for Core Formation, and he dared not be distracted too much.

Even the smallest mistake could cause a deviation in the rhythm of the fusion of Heaven and Earth Qi...

Shi Yin is his natal spirit beast.

It was given to him by True Person Luan Shan. He had been with Shi Yin since childhood, and after spending decades together, they had become as close as brothers.

Zhou Tianle regarded him as family, someone even closer than his clansmen!

Shi Yin also liked him very much and often stayed by his side, so when Shi Yin appeared here, he felt there was some hidden danger.

However, he didn't think the other person would hurt him.

Perhaps his mind had already been twisted, for he simply allowed Shi Yin to stay by his side without any restraint...

"Stay put and wait until I successfully Core Formation, then I'll take you to eat some spiritual fruits."

Zhou Tianle closed his eyes and focused all his attention on the final fusion.

He didn't see the fleeting, cold glint in Shi Yin's eyes—a gaze not of a beast's loyalty.

That was the expression of a hunter intently watching his prey.

It's like a fruit that has been waiting for a long time, finally blossoming and bearing fruit!

Zhou Tianle's breathing became increasingly steady.

The Ice Dao Heaven and Earth Qi in the Dantian has been integrated to more than 90%, with only a few wisps of energy remaining, still penetrating deep into the core of spiritual power.

The entire process was smooth and efficient, exceeding everyone's expectations.

Shi Yin narrowed his eyes, waiting for the right opportunity.

Zhou Tianle treated him well, providing him with plenty of spiritual fruits and spiritual liquids, and often taking him to various Blessed Land within the sect for cultivation.

Shi Yin was indeed well-behaved.

He ate the spiritual fruits given to him by Zhou Tianle and drank the spiritual liquid he was fed. When the other party went out to train, he stood in front of him to protect his master and be loyal to him.

Decades have passed, enough time for a Demon Beast to thoroughly understand a person.

Zhou Tianle's cultivation habits, Cultivation Method, meridian pathways, spiritual energy circulation cycle, and even what the other party was thinking...

Shi Yin knew everything about it!

It wasn't out of loyalty, it was out of necessity.

The Master-Servant Contract was etched into his soul, like a taut rope, constantly reminding him that he was just a beast and that the servant was the master.

If an animal wants to turn over, it has to untie the rope first.

Shi Yin spent decades painstakingly infusing his divine soul power into Zhou Tianle's sea of consciousness.

It gradually erodes their character and distorts their will.

Everything we've done is for today, to break free from all these shackles!

The sealed room was filled with icy air.

Zhou Tianle's integration of the Heaven and Earth Qi has reached its final stage.

Shi Yin slowly stood up.

A bear paw covered in frost landed on the back of Zhou Tianle's neck.

Cold air enters the body.

The Frost and Snow Bear Demon's innate chill, carrying all its spiritual power, flowed along the meridians at the back of its neck and directly into Zhou Tianle's Dantian.

"You--!"

Zhou Tianle out a low growl, his eyes widening in anger.

The chilling energy that Shi Yin poured in collided suddenly with the Ice Dao Heaven and Earth Qi that he had merged with. The two forces, which were of the same attribute but completely different, churned together in his Dantian.

The process of merging the Heaven and Earth Qi was thus interrupted.

Just as the vital energy was about to enter the body, it was completely severed by this attack.

The energy threads that were about to be embedded in the core of spiritual power were forcibly torn out, and the backlash force erupted.

Zhou Tianle's Dantian trembled violently, and his meridians ruptured inch by inch.

Fresh blood gushed from his seven orifices, soaking his front.

"Stone... hidden..."

Zhou Tianle's voice was hoarse and broken.

He couldn't believe it—no, he couldn't understand why the spirit beast that had followed him for decades would choose to betray him at the most crucial moment of his Core Formation.

"Why?"

Shi Yin did not answer. It wasn't that he couldn't speak, but in those icy blue vertical pupils, Zhou Tianle only saw a hint of mockery and indifferent composure.

Zhou Tianle's pupils contracted sharply, and his distorted and suppressed emotions finally erupted. He suddenly realized that everything before him had become real.

Master-Servant Contract!

Since this rope binds Shi Yin's soul, even if he dies, he will drag this beast down with him. If the master dies, the servant will suffer a backlash, ranging from serious injury to death!

Zhou Tianle used his last bit of strength to activate the contract mark in his soul.

However, all of this was expected.

The contract began to backfire, but given Shi Yin's interference over the years, Zhou Tianle wasn't harming Shi Yin's life; he was breaking the contract!

The moment the contract was dissolved, Zhou Tianle's eyes instantly cleared.

Zhou Tianle then realized what was happening.

It turns out that all these years, it wasn't him controlling Shi Yin, but rather Shi Yin who, taking advantage of his lack of maturity, used the Master-Servant Contract to influence him in the opposite direction!

"You... were already here..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Heaven and Earth Qi in Zhou Tianle's Dantian completely went out of control, and the vast power of the Ice Dao exploded along with Zhou Tianle's own spiritual power.

The temperature inside the sealed chamber plummeted to its lowest point, and the ice layer on the stone walls swelled to several feet thick, filling the entire space with ice crystals.

Zhou Tianle's body shattered in the icy light.

His physical body was frozen inch by inch, starting from his fingertips, gradually covered and devoured by ice crystals, eventually transforming into a crystal-clear ice sculpture.

Then the ice sculpture cracked and shattered into dust, which, along with the Heaven and Earth Qi that had not yet fully merged, turned into a sky full of ice dust that drifted throughout the secret chamber.

The Shi Yin stood up and opened his mouth wide.

He inhaled the remaining traces of Heaven and Earth Qi that lingered in the ice dust, mouthful by mouthful.

Although the quality of this Heaven and Earth Qi was somewhat diminished as it dissipated from Zhou Tianle's body, most of its essence remained.

For Shi Yin, that was enough, even more than enough!