Never Let Your Guard Down!

Shi Jian smiled, ignored him, and then called out to him again via telepathy.

In less than half an incense stick's time.

The isolation array outside the cave abode rippled, and three figures entered the cave abode one after another, silently awaiting instructions.

The fastest to arrive was a black-haired rat, already the size of a mongrel, walking upright, with shifty eyes—it was the Lord Rat!

Closely following behind was Shi Mo, a black bear with an extremely robust physique and an entirely jet-black body.

Bringing up the rear was a Grayback Bear Shi Yin, whose presence was extremely inconspicuous.

If one does not carefully investigate with their Divine Sense, one might even overlook its existence, as its aura blends perfectly with the shadows of the surrounding rocks.

"Greetings, Ancestor!"

The Lord Rat knelt down with a thud and expertly kowtowed three times, looking incredibly obsequious, as always, a sycophant.

Shi Mo and Shi Yin approached, crouched down on all fours, lowered their heads, and let out a deep, mournful roar...

Shi Jian's gaze swept over the three subordinates whom he had personally Enlightenment and awakened their intelligence; these were the ones he truly trusted.

"Get up, all of you."

Shi Jian opened his mouth wide, and Yao Qi surged forth.

Splash!

Three piles of various treasures, each radiating different Spiritual Qi fluctuations, landed in front of the three demons.

The temperature inside the cave abode dropped instantly, accompanied by an extremely pungent smell of blood and a sharp aura of Geng Metal.

The Lord Rat stared at what was in front of him, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

It consisted of a pile of dark red ore, several bottles of viscous Demon Beast Essence Blood, and a broken, blood-red dagger radiating a strong Sha Qi.

"Lord Rat, you've been with me the longest, keeping an eye on all the big and small things in Hongtian City for me. You've done a lot, even if you haven't made any great contributions."

Shi Jian stared at the rat and spoke bluntly.

"But your bloodline aptitude is too poor. With ordinary breathing techniques, you'll only be able to cultivate to the high level of Qi Refining at best in your lifetime."

"This pile of things is entirely composed of treasures from the Blood Dao and the Sha Dao."

"That dagger is a magical Law Artifact I snatched from a Devil Cultivator; it contains an extremely heavy aura of Blood Sha."

"I want you to take an extreme path, using Blood Sha to cleanse your meridians, forcibly breaking the shackles of your bloodline, and thus transforming and sublimating..."

"This path is agonizing; you might explode and die if you're not careful."

"But as long as you can hold on, you can become a true demon rat, break through the Foundation Establishment, and even achieve Core Formation in the future. It's not without hope."

The Lord Rat trembled, but did not back down.

Instead, he grabbed the pile of treasures and pulled them into his arms, his small eyes filled with madness.

"Rest assured, Ancestor!"

"My life is worthless, a lowly life meant to toil in the mud. If the patriarch gives me a chance, I'll risk everything, even if it means losing my life, I will never disgrace you!"

Shi Jian nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at Shi Mo.

Before Shi Mo lay a pile of dazzling metallic ores, several metallic Demon Core, and a Dark Gold skeleton.

That piece of bone belonged to a level 4 Dark Gold Ape he hunted in the secret realm. It was a close relative of the Dark Gold Ape that Zhao Qing had fought to the death to kill back then, and it had great potential!

"Shi Mo, you are a black bear by nature, your physical body is the most powerful and fierce."

"You previously devoured a piece of the Dark Gold Ape's bone, which has given you a trace of the Metal Dao foundation within you."

"The Black Bear clan doesn't have any special bloodline talents, so we'll create our own."

"These metallic treasures are enough to temper your flesh and bones to their ultimate level. Combined with this Dark Gold Ape corpse, you're bound to achieve great things!"

"Ancestor, I will guide you to the path of indestructibility."

"By cultivating your body to its peak, and then using the Metal Dao method to forge its ultimate killing power, you will become the sharpest blade in our clan!"

"Yes, I will obey the ancestral decree."

Shi Mo agreed without further ado, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed the piece of Dark Gold Ape bone along with a metal-attribute Demon Core core.

at last--

Shi Jian's gaze fell on Shi Yin.

The items in front of Shi Yin were the fewest, but of the highest quality.

A crystal-clear, snowflake-shaped ice crystal emanated a bone-chilling cold, and even the few Water Dao spirit items and bottles of Cold Marrow Spirit Liquid scattered around it were covered with a layer of frost!

All of these things were taken by Shi Jian from that unlucky prodigy of the Cold Water Sect.

That snowflake ice crystal was an extremely rare third-tier ice and snow attribute spiritual object, possessing Extreme Cold power and being incredibly mysterious.

"Shi Yin, your talent is truly unique."

"Your ability to conceal your presence is such that even I, your ancestor, sometimes overlook your existence."

"Swallow this ice crystal and refine it slowly within your body, along with these remaining water-based treasures..."

"Enough for you to gradually transform Spiritual Qi into extreme cold."

"Concealment combined with the power of ice and snow."

"I want you to remain hidden in the shadows, a contingency plan for my clan's future!"

Shi Yin raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his gray eyes.

It stretched out its paws and carefully cradled the snowflakes and ice crystals in its arms, then took a half-step back and blended back into the environment.

Allocation complete.

Shi Jian stood up, his massive body, three zhang tall, exuding an extremely strong sense of oppression.

Its light blue mane, crackling with tiny arcs of electricity, made the air in the entire cave abode feel scorching.

"These resources are not given to you for your own enjoyment."

Shi Jian's voice was deep and resonant, carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"I am about to go into seclusion, which will last for at least five or ten years, and possibly as long as twenty or thirty years. The day I emerge from seclusion will be the day I attempt to break through to the Golden Core stage."

"The Core Formation will trigger celestial phenomena, inevitably attracting covetous eyes from all sides."

"Those people from the Sun Clan are easy to use, but they can never be trusted. After all, they are outsiders, they are Human Race, while we are demons!"

"You three, once you've taken the resources, train like crazy for me."

"On the day I, your ancestor, unleash the Heavenly Tribulation, the three of you will be my personal protectors. Anyone who dares to step into the back mountain, whether Rogue Cultivator from elsewhere or the patriarch of the Sun Clan clan..."

As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in Shi Jian's eyes.

"Kill without mercy!"

"If the Sun Clan dares to rebel, then their entire clan will be exterminated!"

The three demons knelt on the ground, letting out a terrifying roar.

"I will obey the ancestral decree!"

"Go."

"Each of you find a place to cultivate in seclusion. Unless summoned by your ancestor, silently accumulate power and do not delay your own cultivation."

Shi Jian waved his claws.

The three demons quickly gathered the treasures on the ground and quietly left the cave abode.

Looking at the empty stone chamber, Purple Firmament's voice rang out again.

"The Metal Dao is fierce and powerful, the Blood Sha is treacherous and unpredictable, and the Ice Path is shrouded in darkness. Add to that the Earth Dao bear named Shi Pan, and they're all placed beside Sun Yao..."

"And then there's you, a monster who cultivates the Dao of Lightning."

"Hey, if your team really grows up, this tiny Hongtian City might not be able to hold you all!"

If it doesn't fit, we'll find a bigger place.

Shi Jian lay back down on the stone bed, adjusting himself into a comfortable position.

The Demon Essence within his body began to circulate at an unprecedented speed!

Within the space inside his abdomen, the massive amount of lightning-attribute Spirit Plant, Demon Beast Essence Blood, and various heavenly materials and earthly treasures began to be crushed and digested little by little.

Violet Firmament Golden Lightning Qi was released from the jade box, flowing along his meridians, repeatedly cleansing and refining his bloodline...

I'm going to sleep.

Shi Jian's voice grew lower and lower. "I'm leaving the guarding outside to you."

"As for the Sun Clan, once they've completed the Spirit Vein and thunder pool, don't disturb me. Just guide the thunder energy into my body directly."

"Sleep soundly."

"With me here, no one in this wretched place can take your life!" Purple Firmament snorted coldly, then fell silent.

The cave abode became completely quiet.

Only Shi Jian's long, heavy breathing, like a bellows being pulled, echoed continuously in the stone chamber, like thunder, as if a new storm was brewing.

With each of his breaths.

The Spiritual Qi within the cave abode would then form a tiny vortex, which would then surge wildly into his body.

Outside the back mountain.

The entire Sun Clan family has fallen into an unprecedented frenzy.

Sun Bo'an quietly left Hongtian City with a large number of spiritual items and went to various black markets to collect Foundation Establishment Pill; Sun Mao personally led people to begin injecting Thick Earth Essence and Spirit-Nurturing Stone into various nodes of the main peak.

Tens of thousands of ordinary people and low-level cultivators were mobilized to work day and night to carve out the mountain and set up formations.

The original forbidden zone is gradually expanding.

Everything was thriving, and the entire Sun Clan seemed to have already seen a bright future!