Cultivation Starts from Farming

Another half a year passed.

Under Xu Ping's nurturing, the Water Lake Mouse finally reached the peak of the First Rank and could officially begin to break through to the Second-stage.

Inside the cultivation chamber.

Squeak squeak!

The Water Lake Mouse, nearly a zhang tall, stood obediently in front of Xu Ping, its eyes shining, eager to give it a try.

"This mouse is in good condition." Xu Ping nodded inwardly, feeling that it wasn't in vain that he gave the mouse a few days off to rest and build its strength.

"Get on the stone bed!"

Under Xu Ping's command, the Water Lake Mouse swiftly climbed onto the stone bed.

Then he placed several auxiliary breakthrough spiritual materials, pills, and two differently colored Demon Cores in front of the stone bed.

Staring at the Demon Cores before it, the Water Lake Mouse almost drooled, but without Xu Ping's command, it dared not move a muscle.

"Hmph, spending so many resources on you, if you don't break through to the Second-stage this time, I'll definitely turn you into a dish!" Xu Ping coldly snorted, deciding to put some pressure on it.

The Water Lake Mouse shivered all over, its scarlet eyes became firm.

"Begin!"

Once everything was ready, Xu Ping retreated to the back, responsible for protecting.

The Water Lake Mouse swallowed all the spiritual materials and the pill in one go.

At that moment.

Bang!

The demonic power within it began to rise, absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

A demon beast's abilities mostly lie in their physical body and bloodline, their demand for Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi during a breakthrough is not as big as human cultivators, and the commotion is much smaller.

At a certain moment, the Water Lake Mouse also swallowed the two Demon Cores.

Whoosh bang!

As soon as the Demon Cores were swallowed, the demonic power inside the Water Lake Mouse surged like a violent tide, as if it was about to shatter the entire cultivation chamber.

Fortunately, the array protected it, and the cultivation chamber stood firm.

At this moment, the Water Lake Mouse's body underwent changes, emitting a faint glow, and the air around it alternated between frigid cold and scorching heat due to its cultivation.

"The commotion from this breakthrough is quite big!" Xu Ping was secretly amazed, while his mana quietly circulated, ready to handle any unforeseen circumstances.

As the power of the Demon Core was gradually absorbed by the Water Lake Mouse, the demonic power inside it began to become unstable.

The Water Lake Mouse's body trembled slightly, and a flash of pain crossed its eyes.

The surrounding air temperature became even harsher, sometimes bone-chilling cold, sometimes blazing hot.

If it were a first-rank Body Cultivator here, they wouldn't be able to withstand such temperature changes, but to Xu Ping, it felt like a gentle breeze.

Boom!

After some unknown time, the figure of the Water Lake Mouse gradually became blurry, and the surrounding spiritual energy seemed attracted to it, crazily pouring into its body.

"It's the critical moment!"

Xu Ping's eyes slightly narrowed as he flipped his palm, and the token controlling the array appeared in his hand. Then he pinched a spell, injecting a trace of mana into it.

Whoosh!

Instantly, all the spiritual energy of Thousand Leaves Mountain rushed into the cultivation chamber, forming a dense fog of spiritual energy.

At this moment, the Water Lake Mouse suddenly burst into red and blue spiritual light, nearly blinding the eyes.

In the next moment.

With a deafening roar, the body of the Water Lake Mouse suddenly swelled, and its demonic power surged sharply, stepping into the threshold of a second-stage demon beast.

"Success!" Xu Ping's eyes lit up.

Unexpectedly, however, the Water Lake Mouse's breakthrough hadn't ended; extreme cold and scorching heat appeared simultaneously on its body.

Its body seemed to fall into a state of extreme pain.

"Bloodline conflict?" Xu Ping's heart sank, his Divine Sense spread out, sensing that the Water Lake Mouse's demonic power inside was violent, its bloodline chaotic, nearly collapsing!

...

...

Ten days later.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the sky above Thousand Leaves Mountain's cave abode was unusually agitated.

Since Duan Shuang and Gong Yang had long since gone out to explore relics, no one noticed.

Inside the cave abode.

Under the cover of two Second-stage arrays, a powerful wave of demonic power erupted, with the wind howling and the stone walls trembling.

The fierce aura was enough to make an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator moved.

Squeak squeak!

The Water Lake Mouse's body expanded greatly, its face and limbs were stained with dried blood trails, and the blue and red hair on its body became deeper.

Its scarlet pupils cast a grateful and pleasing emotion toward Xu Ping.

If not for Xu Ping's thorough preparations, having already refined pills to regulate bloodline conflict, this mouse would have exploded long before it could even think about advancing to the Second-stage.

"As expected, the more naturally talented a demon beast is, the more difficult it is to break through!" Xu Ping felt a pang of emotion.

"Mas... Master!"

At this moment, a childlike voice sounded in Xu Ping's mind.

"Divine Sense transmission!" Xu Ping looked at the Water Lake Mouse, full of a flattering look, surprise crossing his face.

To know that even some Second-stage Upper Grade demon beasts do not possess Divine Sense transmission, it's surprising that this mouse learned it just after breaking through to the Second-stage.

It seems this mouse is indeed extraordinarily gifted, certainly also having much to do with being raised by a cultivator.

"Interesting!" Xu Ping stroked his chin, though he was very much interested in exploring what other abilities this mouse acquired upon its breakthrough to the Second-stage, but considering it just advanced, it still needed to stabilize its state.

...

...

A month later, the Water Lake Mouse's stage was stabilized.

Now, it was a veritable early-stage Second-stage demon beast, matching human Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Inside the cave abode, Xu Ping tested the Water Lake Mouse's capabilities.

First and foremost was the ability to spit demon fire.

Boom!

A clump of purple demon fire spewed from the Water Lake Mouse's mouth, the scorching heat almost melting the stone bed. Fortunately, the cultivation chamber was bolstered by an array; otherwise, the entire room might have been incinerated.

"This fire is so formidable!" Xu Ping was secretly amazed, feeling threatened by the fire even with his physique, likely not inferior to some Second-stage Middle Grade demon fires.