Translator: CinderTL
"Once the Nether Fox breaks through, I'll release the Soul Source Essence for you to absorb, aiding your complete hatching," Song Wen said.
"Yes, Master," Shadow Void replied, though reluctant, daring not to contradict Song Wen's words.
Song Wen quietly concealed himself among the jagged rocks, time slowly passing as he waited.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. Finally, unusual activity stirred from the cave where the Nether Fox had been in seclusion.
The Primordial Qi outside the cave entrance suddenly began to surge violently, rushing inward.
As time passed, the Primordial Qi's turbulence intensified. Gradually, the Qi above began to converge, forming a massive vortex.
The vortex was as black as ink, resembling a colossal black tornado that pierced the heavens and shook the earth.
Amidst the jagged rocks, Song Wen remained calm, his gaze exceptionally sharp.
"Stay vigilant. Alert me immediately if any living beings approach," Song Wen instructed Shadow Void within his Sea of Consciousness.
Even without Song Wen's reminder, Shadow Void had been constantly scanning the surroundings.
"Master, two fifth-tier Void Clan members are approaching from the north, several thousand miles away. To the east, eight hundred miles distant, a Fourth-Tier Vengeful Spirit is approaching," Shadow Void suddenly reported.
"Can you control those two Void Clan members to fight?" Song Wen asked.
"Master, while I can command low-ranking Void Clan members, I can only issue simple orders," the shadow void replied. "If I were to force them to act against their will, they would resist with their own consciousness, making it difficult to succeed."
Song Wen clicked his tongue. "Then can you at least drive them away?"
"I'll try. They likely sensed the abnormal fluctuations of Primordial Qi here and came to investigate. They might not obey my commands," the shadow void said.
A strange wave emanated from the shadow void, overflowing from Song Wen's Sea of Consciousness and spreading into the distance.
A moment later, the shadow void spoke again. "Master, it's done! The two Void Clan members have departed."
"Well done," Song Wen said. "Where's that Fourth-Tier Vengeful Spirit now?"
"It's almost reached the Nether Fox's secluded cultivation area," the shadow void replied.
"Use a divine sense attack to shatter its Soul Body directly," Song Wen ordered.
"Master, to execute a divine sense attack, I must extend my tentacles beyond your physical form," the shadow void explained.
"Granted," Song Wen replied.
Instantly, eight tentacles erupted from Song Wen's head.
The tentacles continued to extend, reaching dozens of meters before stopping.
The eight tentacles began to vibrate rapidly, emitting a series of sharp, piercing hums.
Instead of dissipating, the hums converged into an invisible sonic torrent, surging toward the Nether Fox's location.
Dozens of kilometers away, a fish-shaped resentful spirit shuddered violently upon hearing the hums, as if struck by lightning, writhing in agony.
With a sudden pop, the resentful spirit exploded into countless soul fragments, which drifted through the pitch-black Primordial Qi.
Meanwhile, Song Wen also heard the hums from the shadow void, but felt no discomfort whatsoever.
This wasn't due to the Sea of Consciousness Black Hole, but rather the shadow void's presence.
The shadow void emitted a peculiar energy that blocked the hums from penetrating Song Wen's Sea of Consciousness.
Over the next period, the strange phenomena caused by the Nether Fox's advancement attracted a steady stream of Void Clan members and resentful spirits, none exceeding fifth-tier strength. With the shadow void's protection, they were either driven away or slain, posing no threat to the Nether Fox's progress.
As time passed, the vortex formed by the Primordial Qi grew increasingly massive.
When the vortex reached a diameter of a hundred miles, it suddenly shattered, surging outward like a tidal wave in all directions, churning the surrounding Primordial Qi into violent turbulence.
Amidst this sweeping black torrent, a resentful spirit swam against the current, heading straight for the Nether Fox's location.
"Master, trouble! A sixth-tier resentful spirit is approaching. My divine sense attacks can't directly eliminate it," Shadow Void reported.
"Where is it? Lead me there," Song Wen said, leaping out from the rubble.
"In that direction."
As Shadow Void spoke, one of the eight tentacles extending from Song Wen's head snapped taut, pointing deep into the pitch-black Mist.
Song Wen moved swiftly, following the direction indicated by Shadow Void.
After traveling several hundred miles, a resentful spirit resembling a blue ox came into view.
The spirit also detected Song Wen. Lowering its massive ox head, it charged toward him.
Buzz—
Shadow Void's eight tentacles began to vibrate violently, emitting a piercing, ear-splitting buzz.
The resentful spirit staggered abruptly, its charge grinding to a halt.
Moo...
The resentful spirit let out a series of piercing howls, its body rippling with fine, dense waves, clearly affected by the divine sense attack unleashed by the shadow void. Its Soul Body seemed to be destabilizing.
A cold glint flashed in Song Wen's eyes as Thunderlight crackled across his palms.
The resentful spirit's howls were also a form of divine sense attack, but they had no effect on him, nor did they disturb the shadow void hidden within his Sea of Consciousness.
The Thunderlight, like a wrathful dragon, tore through the thick Primordial Qi and struck the immobilized resentful spirit.
In an instant, the resentful spirit's body was engulfed in Thunderlight, its howls gradually weakening into feeble whimpers.
With a wave of his hand, Song Wen dispersed the raging Thunderlight, revealing the resentful spirit.
The creature appeared severely weakened, its Soul Body now translucent and flickering.
Suddenly, a Blood-colored Tentacle shot out.
The tentacle's tip split into a massive, bloody maw, swallowing the resentful spirit whole.
The tentacle then began to retract, surging back into Song Wen's body.
A faint smile curved Song Wen's lips, his expression one of satisfaction.
With the shadow void's assistance, his combat prowess had significantly increased.
This blue bull resentful spirit possessed mid-sixth-tier strength. Had he faced it alone, slaying it would have been a protracted and arduous task. But with the shadow void's aid, it had proven remarkably easy.
At that moment, the Nether Fox's voice suddenly rang out.
"Master, I've successfully advanced to the fifth-tier!" Its tone was filled with elation.
"Excellent!" Song Wen replied calmly, then flew to the entrance of the mountain cave where the Nether Fox had been in seclusion.
The Nether Fox emerged from the cave at the same time.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master. I've finally..."
The Nether Fox's words trailed off abruptly, its joyful expression vanishing to be replaced by shock.
"Master, what's that on your head? Why does it emanate the aura of a void fiend?"
Song Wen had already realized that the Nether Fox would inevitably discover the void fiend, so there was no need for further concealment.
"I've suppressed a void fiend within my Sea of Consciousness. There's no need for alarm."
"Suppressed a void fiend within your Sea of Consciousness?" The Nether Fox's eyes widened in disbelief, this concept far exceeding its understanding.
Unbeknownst to the Nether Fox, while it marveled at Song Wen's unfathomable methods, Song Wen was secretly marveling at its innate talent.
The Nether Fox had advanced to the fifth-tier in less than a year.
Back when Song Wen had achieved Divine Transformation, it had taken him over two decades.
Even considering the Nether Fox's possession of a Demon Corpse, which allowed it to rapidly break through bottlenecks, this speed was still astonishingly fast.
(End of the Chapter)