Start from Wusheng

Chapter 982 Successive Breakthroughs Followed by Sudden Assassination
The phoenix swallows the dragon, rising higher and higher.

Zhou You absorbed the essence refined by the crocodile demon, increasing his power step by step, while cooperating with the Bitter Soup Pharmacist to maintain the operation of the Demon Transformation Cauldron.

The two are parallel programs that do not interfere with each other. The nutrients absorbed by the Infant Phoenix Devouring Dragon Technique are, to be precise, unique attributes of the 'Dragon' Gate sequence and will not reduce the total amount of demon essence and demon ore obtained by the Demon Transformation Cauldron.

On the contrary, because they complemented each other, the progress of refining the alligator demon far exceeded expectations.

The Demon Transformation Cauldron was refining the substance, while Zhou You was devouring it, creating a double effect that generated ten or even a hundred times the lethal dose.

As Zhou You's vital essence and blood surged, the Infant Phoenix Devouring Dragon Technique continuously replenished him, allowing the technique to circulate at an unprecedented pace.

His previously stagnant cultivation level rapidly rose to the peak of the seventh level, only a thin layer away from the eighth level.

This thin barrier didn't stop Zhou You for long.

boom!
Zhou You's body trembled slightly as he crossed the threshold of the eighth heaven, his internal energy still circulating.

His gaze fell on the Demon Transformation Cauldron, where the alligator demon was still struggling. As a powerful demon, its vitality was exceptionally strong, and he estimated that it could still sustain Zhou You for a while.

By this point, Zhou You had only absorbed a small portion of the alligator demon's resources.

If you devour the alligator demon until not even a bone fragment remains, breaking through to the ninth level of the Martial Realm will not be a dream.

But will those powerful demons give him a chance?
"The governor's son actually managed to outwit the alligator demon to this extent, impressive!"

The one who spoke was the master of Lotus Bottle Mountain. He was a staunch confidant of the Great Gentleman. When the Great Gentleman was enfeoffed to the southeast, both Lotus Bottle Mountains surrendered to him, handing over all their elites to serve him.

Correspondingly, Lotus Bottle Mountain also reaped rich rewards, becoming a super sect with influence spanning several southeastern states.

The Lord of Lotus Bottle Mountain, at the peak of the Earth Sect, is the most promising figure to break through to the Heaven Sect.

Even he found the alligator demon troublesome, but it was actually imprisoned in the Demon Evolution Cauldron by the 'father and son' of the Governor of Li Huo Prefecture and tortured.

Anyone with eyes still intact could see that the aura of the alligator demon was rapidly weakening as it was being refined. Given enough time, it was entirely possible that 'Zhou Daqian' could succeed and completely destroy this great demon.

The Lord of Lotus Bottle Mountain suddenly trembled, abruptly loosened his hair bun, and a black dot mixed in with the hair swelled up as if inflated.

"Demon Embryo Transfer Technique!"

The black dot was clearly a demonic fetus, silently sneaking into his vicinity, attempting to launch a ruthless sneak attack.

The one who made the move was none other than one of the four great demons that had attacked, the Fear Demon.

The outline of the black dot resembled a proliferating tumor, constantly wriggling and expanding, transforming in the blink of an eye into a monster with all four limbs and distinct features.

This monster was actually one of the avatars of the Fear Demon.

"nausea!"

The Lord of Lotus Bottle Mountain held a fist-sized circle in both hands and slammed it down on the monster.

In an instant, intense white light emanated from his palms, beams of light like searchlights striking the monster directly.

The monster screamed in agony, billowing smoke rose from its spot, evaporated, dissolved, and finally collapsed into a pool of sewage.

"Oh no, the alligator demon is doomed today!"

The demon's methods were broken, and its true form felt a slight stinging pain, causing it to shake its head and sigh.

The three great demons rampaged through the crowd of martial artists, and no one could stop them. However, they always circled around the outer area of ​​the Demon Transformation Cauldron and could not penetrate into the core area.

The masters invited by Zhou Nanwang certainly wouldn't risk their lives for Lihuo Prefecture, so the three-headed demon easily dealt with the massive number of enemies.

It's not that they deliberately let them win, but rather that there were no life-or-death conflicts of interest involved; those masters had no reason to risk their lives.
Zhou Daqian activated the Demon Transformation Cauldron, billowing black smoke, and the aura of the great demon within the cauldron plummeted. They wouldn't risk their lives in a fierce battle with the great demon, but they could still use their methods to trap the three demons, preventing them from rescuing the remaining small demon.

This was already part of Zhou You's plan; he intended for these foreign players to play a supporting role.

But these masters also realized that there was a real chance of winning big today, and that the Alligator Demon, one of the Ten Demons of the Southeast, would perish here.

The real main force, Zhou Nanwang, led his staff to put out fires everywhere, and several times blocked the three-headed demon outside the Demon Transformation Cauldron.

The clock is ticking……

"I'm at the mid-stage of the eighth level, and it looks like I'm moving towards the later stage. I might even reach the peak of the eighth level."

Zhou You circulated his cultivation technique continuously, and the Infant Phoenix Devouring Dragon Technique gradually improved, pushing his realm to the mid-stage of the eighth heaven.

The body's essence, qi, and blood are more than ten times more abundant than those of the Seventh Heaven.
In the later stages of the Strong Martial Realm, the difference between each level is tenfold, a hundredfold, or even astronomical.

"It seems we'd have to squeeze the alligator demon dry, reducing it to mere sugarcane pulp, before we could even barely reach the threshold of the Ninth Heaven!"
Zhou You felt a little regretful. The alligator demon was being used in two ways, making it extremely valuable, but even with its high health, it couldn't withstand being eaten from both ends.

To steadily ascend through the nine heavens and solidify one's realm, one must also...

Zhou You turned his gaze to the battlefield, where the Wu Yao, a gray-white creature that was almost transparent, was rapidly weaving through the crowd. Wherever it passed, shouts and curses rose and fell.

This great demon is also in the 'Dragon' Gate sequence...

Speaking of which, it's worth mentioning that the 'Dragon' sequence is the most powerful among the twelve zodiac animals.

The strongest in the first tier, Cang Yao, is from the Dragon Gate sequence, as are the second tier's Tuo Yao and Wu Yao. The weakest in the third tier has none...

Of the Ten Demons of the Southeast, 30% are from the Dragon Gate sequence, and they are all in the upper-middle tier of strength, which shows how powerful and terrifying this group is.

Therefore, after Zhou You entered Li Huo Zhou, he forbade himself to never use the Dragon Subduing Tiger True Qi or the Seven-Step Poison Sand Palm, otherwise he would be completely restrained.

Even the Infant Phoenix Devouring Dragon Technique is dangerous; there is also a Chicken Gate sequence among the Ten Demons of the Southeast.

In order to plan today's situation, Zhou You had taken all factors into account. He set up a trap at Juding Mountain in advance to trap the beautiful demon before he could openly display his power to transform into a demon.

It’s not easy, it’s really not easy!

Zhou You glanced subconsciously at the Bitter Soup Pharmacist; this disguised practitioner had also played a crucial role, achieving an extremely brilliant teamwork with the real person…

Just then, the bitter soup pharmacist in front of him suddenly bulged out his eyes, opened his mouth, and spat out a piece of thin, black rope.

After the thin rope hit the ground, the bitter soup pharmacist's face began to turn black rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, his skin, flesh, bone marrow, and internal organs all turned pitch black.

In a split second, the Bitter Soup Pharmacist stopped breathing and died!

Zhou You only had time to recognize that the thin rope was actually a... rat's tail!

"A powerful demon launched a sneak attack; it must be at least one of the top ten demons in the southeast, at least in the second tier!"

The thought crossed my mind, and I felt a sense of extreme danger.

The opponent launched a sneak attack, and the first target was the Bitter Soup Pharmacist. It is likely because the outside world is saying that the Demon Transformation Cauldron must be driven by a pharmacist, so the first target was the Bitter Soup Pharmacist, cutting off Zhou You's powerful helper.

This was also a twist of fate that allowed Zhou You to escape a calamity.

The Bitter Soup Pharmacist was a projection on the panel. The moment the accident happened, Zhou You sensed something was wrong and removed the projection before the Pharmacist's life completely ended, allowing the Pharmacist's disguise to return.

Within the illusory surface of the armory, the mark of the fourth armory's Bitter Soup Pharmacist remains.

(End of this chapter)