Chapter 233: The Transformation of Zihuo, the Absolute Land Lion Tribe
For the next three days, Zihuo's body was completely enveloped by the intense Shapeshifting Fire. It remained motionless within the flames, but a terrifying power, forged in the fierce fire, began to spread quietly.
As Zihuo gradually absorbed the essence of the seventh-level beast remains, its power increased rapidly. It wasn't until it broke through to the fifth level that its growth finally slowed.
Feeling Zihuo's rapidly increasing power, Mo Yu couldn't help but smile. A fifth-level magical beast was comparable to a human Dou Wang (Battle King).
Unconsciously, the small Purple Crystal Winged Lion King from the past had grown to this point. Mo Yu realized he would need to work hard to keep up.
After breaking through to the fifth level, Zihuo's rapidly increasing aura finally stabilized. The Shapeshifting Pill, wrapped in the bloodline of the Seven-Winged Purple-Gold Snake, was quickly being absorbed by Zihuo.
When the fourth morning covered the mountain range, the overwhelming power of the Shapeshifting Pill began to thin out, and the flames that enveloped Zihuo's massive body also started to fade. It was clear that Zihuo had almost fully absorbed the pill's energy.
Sitting silently on a green stone atop the mountain, Mo Yu stared unblinkingly at the figure in the flames. During these four days, he hadn't closed his eyes once, but instead of feeling tired, his eyes were filled with intense anticipation and curiosity.
"Boom!"
In the following days, the terrifying heat waves emanating from Zihuo's body became stronger and stronger. Eventually, Mo Yu and Uncle Snake couldn't bear it any longer and had to retreat a hundred feet away from the mountain peak.
Once they were outside the mountain, they noticed that the entire area within a hundred feet of the summit had been completely scorched. From a distance, it was a truly spectacular sight.
"So, this is what it's like for a magical beast to transform. It's terrifying," Mo Yu murmured as he watched the scene.
And this was just a fifth-level magical beast transforming. How much more powerful would the transformation of a seventh-level beast be?
The terrifying waves of power from the mountain summit continued for most of the day. As nightfall gradually enveloped the earth, Mo Yu suddenly noticed that the powerful waves were quickly dissipating.
"Has the transformation finished?"
Realizing this, Mo Yu's spirits lifted, and he quickly looked towards the mountain peak. Due to the high temperatures, the summit was now shrouded in mist, making the scene appear hazy.
Thud!
As Mo Yu focused on the summit, heavy, clumsy footsteps echoed from within the thick mist. Soon, Mo Yu saw a figure slowly emerging from the white fog.
The thick mist spread across the mountaintop, but Mo Yu's gaze was locked onto the figure that walked out with heavy, clumsy steps.
This figure was incredibly muscular, with a body like steel, standing over two meters tall. A mane of golden hair stood tall on its head, and just standing there, it radiated a suffocating pressure.
The figure was completely naked, with a face that appeared somewhat simple and honest. Although his appearance wasn't as handsome as Mo Yu's, it could still be described as decent, with a deep, fierce aura in his dark eyes.
The atmosphere on the mountaintop seemed to fall silent as Mo Yu stared at the muscular figure standing on the cliff edge. After a moment, a smile slowly appeared on his lips. "Zihuo?"
When the towering figure heard this name, his previously simple and honest eyes suddenly brightened. He stared intently at Mo Yu, scratching his head as if trying to say something, but all that came out was a heavy, rough breath. However, the sudden excitement in his eyes did not escape Mo Yu's notice.
"Not bad, he's completely shed his beast form. The Shapeshifting Pill really is a seventh-level treasure..." Uncle Snake said in amazement as he observed the fully transformed Zihuo.
Mo Yu's gaze was curious as he looked at Zihuo. "So Zihuo can't speak yet?"
"Although he now possesses intelligence comparable to that of a human, it will take some time for him to adapt before he can speak fluently," Uncle Snake explained with a smile.
Mo Yu nodded, understanding this well. He was just so excited to see Zihuo in human form that he had spoken without thinking.
With a face full of joy, Mo Yu floated up and stood in front of Zihuo. Even standing there, he was only at Zihuo's chest level, and the powerful aura constantly emanating from Zihuo made it slightly difficult for Mo Yu to breathe.
"Master…"
Zihuo stared at Mo Yu, a silly grin appearing on his face. Then he knelt down, and a deep, rough voice, clumsy and hesitant, came out of his mouth.
"Don't call me master."
Mo Yu shook his head with a smile as he lightly patted Zihuo's iron-hard shoulder. "From now on, just call me Boss."
Zihuo scratched his head, and although he now had true intelligence, the deep recognition and loyalty he felt toward Mo Yu remained unchanged.
"Bo…ss."
With a broad smile, Mo Yu then pointed to Uncle Snake beside him. "This time, you were able to fuse with the beast remains and successfully transform, thanks to Uncle Snake's help."
"Thank… you, Uncle Snake."
Looking at the tower-like Zihuo, Uncle Snake nodded in satisfaction and said with a light laugh, "Follow your boss well, and your future will be limitless."
"Uncle Snake… don't worry, Zihuo… will."
"Zihuo, put on some clothes first," Mo Yu said with a smile as he saw Zihuo struggling to speak. He pulled a large black robe out of his storage ring and tossed it to Zihuo, who clumsily put it on.
Once dressed, Zihuo stood by Mo Yu's side like a towering pillar. His tall, strong body was incredibly imposing.
"Zihuo, how strong are you now?" Mo Yu suddenly asked, his curiosity piqued.
Zihuo smiled, scratching his head. "That big guy… who chased you… I could crush him… with three punches."
Mo Yu was stunned, then raised an eyebrow. The big guy—was he referring to Gao Li?
Even though Mo Yu had managed to snatch the Shapeshifting Pill from the hands of the Barbarian Beast Sect, it had been thanks to the Flash Void Thunder's teleportation ability that he barely escaped. If it came down to a real fight, he couldn't have lasted three moves against Gao Li, who was a genuine eight-star Dou Wang.
But Zihuo, who had no reason to lie, was confident that he could crush such a powerful Dou Wang with just three punches...
If Zihuo's strength was that formidable, perhaps even a low-level Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) would have difficulty defeating him.
"He absorbed the massive energy of the Shapeshifting Pill, making him equivalent to a top-tier fifth-level magical beast. Plus, he's fused with the remains of a seventh-level beast, so his power likely rivals that of a sixth-level magical beast," Uncle Snake explained with a smile, seeing the surprised look on Mo Yu's face. However, even he was inwardly amazed by Zihuo's transformation.
"Zihuo, after merging with those mysterious beast remains, did you gain any useful information?" Mo Yu asked.
For Zihuo to have the power of a sixth-level magical beast at the fifth level, those beast remains were clearly extraordinary…
Upon hearing the question, Zihuo frowned tightly, thinking hard. After a moment, a name emerged from deep within his mind, and he slowly pronounced each word: "Ab…so…lute… Land… Lion."
"Absolute Land Lion?"
Mo Yu murmured the name, his brow furrowed. Even after searching his memory, he couldn't recall hearing of such a beast clan.
"It's the Absolute Land Lion…" Uncle Snake's surprised voice sounded in Mo Yu's ear as he was deep in thought.
"Oh? Uncle Snake, you've heard of this beast clan?" Mo Yu quickly asked.
Though he knew the storyline of the original novel, the Dou Qi Continent was vast and endless. The original novel only covered a small part of it, so Mo Yu's understanding of the continent naturally didn't compare to Uncle Snake, who had spent decades roaming the Central Plains.
"Because of the snake bloodline within me, many powerful magical beasts don't mind befriending me. Decades ago, while traveling in the Central Plains, I met a powerful expert from the Ancient Dragonbear Clan.
From him, I learned that tens of thousands of years ago, the magical beast world wasn't ruled by just the three great beast clans like it is now. Back then, four great beast clans stood at the top.
You must know, the three great beast clans are the rulers of the magical beast world. Each of these clans not only has powerful bloodlines and incredible strength but also commands countless subordinate species.
When you enter the Central Plains, it's better to provoke a strong sect than to offend one of the beast clans. Otherwise, you'll die without even knowing how it happened.
This shows just how powerful the beast clans are. As for the fourth beast clan that declined thousands of years ago…" Uncle Snake paused, his gaze shifting to Zihuo.
Realizing the implication, Mo Yu smiled bitterly. "Uncle Snake, are you saying that the Absolute Land Lion Clan, which Zihuo has now fused with, was the fourth great beast clan?"
Uncle Snake nodded, his expression serious. "I didn't expect you to be so lucky, stumbling upon the remains of a beast from one of the ancient beast clans in a small mountain valley.
It's a good thing the Absolute Land Lion Clan has declined. Otherwise, if they knew you had the remains of a seventh-level Absolute Land Lion, they'd have traveled thousands of miles to kill you. These beast clans are incredibly protective of their bloodlines.
But even so, when you head to the Central Plains, you must be cautious. Even though the Absolute Land Lion Clan is no longer considered one of the great beast clans, it's still a clan with deep roots, not to be trifled with lightly," Uncle Snake warned, his face serious.
Hearing this, Mo Yu nodded, feeling a bit shaken. He knew well how domineering the beast clans could be.
In the original novel, when Xiao Yan bought the blood and wings of a member of the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan at an auction, he was hunted down by the entire clan. The beast clans were extremely sensitive about their bloodlines being spread.
After the initial shock, Mo Yu felt a surge of joy.
Who would have thought that in a seemingly ordinary mountain valley in the Jia Ma Empire, the remains of a member of an ancient beast clan were hidden?
The three great beast clans, whether it's the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan, or the Nine Nether Earth Python Clan, are among the most powerful forces on the continent.
The strongest of the three, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, is not even weaker than the Ancient Clan or the Soul Clan, which are among the eight ancient clans. If their clan leader, Zhu Kun, hadn't been trapped in the Dou Di's tomb, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan would have been even more powerful.
Although Mo Yu had never heard of the Absolute Land Lion Clan, any clan that could stand alongside the three great beast clans must have been formidable.
For Zihuo to inherit the bloodline of the Absolute Land Lion Clan would greatly benefit his future growth.
Thinking of this, Mo Yu felt genuinely happy for Zihuo. The little Purple Crystal Winged Lion King from the past might one day grow into the fearsome Absolute Land Lion King, shaking the continent.
"Mo Yu, where are you planning to go now?" Uncle Snake asked as he looked at Mo Yu and Zihuo, as well as recalling Xiao Yan, whom they had met in the Jia Ma Empire. Uncle Snake had a feeling that these people might all become key players in shaping the continent's future.
"I'll find a place to rest first, then head to the Jia Nan Academy to report," Mo Yu said, stretching lazily. "Now that Zihuo has successfully transformed, he still needs a weapon. Let's see if we can find some materials to forge one for him."
"Thank you… Boss," Zihuo said with a silly grin, expressing his gratitude.
Waving his hand dismissively, Mo Yu replied, "No need to thank me."
"Yes… Boss."
After their discussion, Uncle Snake returned to the beast ring, and Mo Yu spread his Purple Cloud Wings, patting Zihuo on the shoulder before heading toward the edge of the mountain range. Zihuo followed closely behind like a shadow.
Half a day later, Mo Yu emerged from the mountains and stopped in a small city near the range called Shiyan City.
Compared to larger cities like Di Yan City, Shiyan City was a small, remote town with no major powers like the Di Yan Sect. Only a few minor, unremarkable factions were based there.
After paying the entrance fee, Mo Yu and Zihuo walked through the city, their eyes scanning the shops lining the streets.
Like Di Yan City, Shiyan City was chaotic. Street fights and gang wars were common, as if they were just part of daily life in the Black-Corner Region.
Mo Yu shook his head at the sight. Just as he was about to steer clear of the violence, a cold voice suddenly reached his ears.
Looking over, he saw nearly a hundred fierce-looking fighters standing in two distinct groups, clearly in the midst of a conflict.
Though uninterested, Mo Yu's footsteps halted when he heard what was said next.
"Leader Ling, the Fierce Tiger Gang has been destroyed. Hand over the Crimson Refined Copper now!"
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.