Chapter 354: Come On, Beat Me!

Crack, crack!

His body shook, muscles snapping with sonic booms as he strode to the special stone pillar used for testing brute beasts' strength and threw a punch.

Hum!

Light flickered.

A line of text slowly emerged... 5000!

At the Grandmaster realm, strength exceeds a thousand cauldrons. Normally, early stage is 1000 cauldrons, mid stage 2000, and so on, with peak stage around 4000 cauldrons.

Zhang Xuan, at half-step Grandmaster, already had 1500 cauldrons of immense strength. Now, having reached peak, he had advanced by leaps and bounds to about 5000 cauldrons.

This power was already not far from that of an ordinary half-step Supreme.

"Pity, the number of spirit stones is still too few; otherwise, it could never be just five thousand..."

Though excited, he was not satisfied.

The five spirit stones obtained from Mo Tianxue, plus the one from Prince Feixuan, had all been used up in the past half day, turning to powder.

As expected, the higher the cultivation level, the greater the consumption of spirit stones.

Previously, one spirit stone had taken him from early Grandmaster to mid stage; now, six stones only barely allowed him to reach peak.

Given the current consumption, to冲击 Supreme, he feared that without ten, or even dozens, it would be impossible.

"I need to find a way to earn spirit stones in the future..."

He rubbed his brow.

Although the Heavenly Dao Divine Art cultivated quickly, its demand for spiritual energy was astonishingly high. Especially as the cultivation level rose, true qi became purer, and consumption increased.

A Grandmaster required dozens; if he wanted to go further in the Supreme realm, wouldn't he need hundreds?

Even a first-rank kingdom like Tianwu Kingdom had a reserve of less than ten; where could he get so many spirit stones?

He had thought that with tens of millions of gold coins in his storage ring, he was wealthy, but now he had become a pauper again.

Gold coins and such were but floating clouds... spirit stones were the true way!

"Adjusting my state, plus cultivation, a day has passed..."

He looked out the window; it was already noon the next day. He couldn't help but feel speechless.

Detoxifying the national guardian beast had consumed much of his true qi and strength. Just recovering his stamina and adjusting his state had taken considerable time. Adding the breakthrough, he hadn't realized it was already noon the next day.

"Let's help the Golden-tailed Lion break through!"

He stretched lazily, ate a bit of the food Mo Tianxue had sent, and pushed open the door to go out.

With his cultivation at peak Grandmaster, his Heavenly Dao true qi was purer and thicker, enough to help this big fellow break through.

"President Liu!"

As soon as he left the room, he saw Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu standing not far away.

They had been waiting here all along.

Whether he could help the Golden-tailed Lion break through concerned the very foundation of Tianwu Kingdom. Even the composed Mo Tianxue could not be an exception; as soon as dawn broke, she and Mo Yu came here to wait.

Knowing how they felt, Zhang Xuan was not surprised. He responded, "Take me to the Golden-Tailed Lion!"

"President Liu, I've already arranged with the Golden-Tailed Lion. We can use your method to help it advance!" Mo Yu smiled as she looked over.

"My method?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Could Mo Yu know that his true qi could purify the bloodline of savage beasts?

Impossible!

Last time, when he helped the Azure Eagle Beast break through, he used the excuse of the Cloud Lightning Ancient Sparrow's bloodline; when he helped the Iron-Toothed Skyhowling Beast advance, it was because of the elixir she refined...

Logically, she shouldn't know...

Then... what did she mean by that?

His expression turned serious. Just as he was about to ask for clarification, he saw the girl point forward.

"The Golden-Tailed Lion is all ready!"

Following her finger, Zhang Xuan's eyelids flipped, and he nearly fainted.

There lay the massive, majestic Golden-Tailed Lion, tied up like a zongzi with countless iron chains, lying on the ground, looking over with a resentful expression.

What the hell?

Zhang Xuan's face was full of confusion. He couldn't help but look over: "This is..."

Tying this guy up like a zongzi—what does that have to do with my method?

Not only was he puzzled, but Mo Tianxue on the side was also utterly bewildered.

This morning, his precious daughter had come to him, saying that to make the Golden-Tailed Lion break through, they had to tie it up.

He had discussed it for a long time before convincing the lion to willingly be bound.

This... would allow it to advance to the Supreme Realm?

He had never heard of such a thing...

"Your cultivation is only at the early stage of the Tongxuan Realm. To safely perform the [Beating Taming Technique], we have to restrain its movements..."

Mo Yu said with a serious expression.

"..." Zhang Xuan's face was full of awkwardness.

Back when he helped the Azure Eagle Beast break through, he used the [Beating Taming Technique]. She probably thought that this was his ultimate method for helping savage beasts advance...

Now, the disguised President Liu was only at the early Tongxuan Realm, certainly no match for the Golden-Tailed Lion, so she had tied it up in advance...

Ahem!

She had startled him for nothing. So that's what she meant...

Though it seemed a bit odd, it conveniently concealed his disguised identity and also masked the effect of the Heavenly Dao true qi purifying bloodlines—killing two birds with one stone.

"Mm, not bad. Then I'll begin..."

He nodded in satisfaction and strode toward the zongzi-like Golden-Tailed Lion not far away.

Mo Tianxue quickly focused his attention.

His daughter had spoken with such conviction, yet he was still completely in the dark, unable to understand what the so-called Beating Taming Technique meant.

The Golden-Tailed Lion, lying on the ground with a resentful expression, was even more clueless. Seeing Zhang Xuan approach, its eyes showed gratitude.

If not for this physician, it would probably have been poisoned to death without anyone knowing.

Although even now, the chrysanthemum still ached a bit, the deadly poison had been neutralized, and the rest of its body had already eased considerably. With the powerful recovery ability of a savage beast, it should be fully healed in a few days.

Just as it was feeling grateful and wanted to show affection, it saw its benefactor approach and, without a word, kicked it over.

"Roar???"

The golden-tailed lion was utterly bewildered.

Weren't you supposed to help me advance? Why are you kicking me?

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Before it could react, the guy in front of it kicked out wildly again.

Each kick landed on yesterday's wounds, making it bare its teeth and howl in agony.

...

"So this... is the 'beat-the-beast training method' you mentioned?"

Mo Tianxue's mouth twitched.

As the king, he was well-traveled and had personally seen beast tamers help savage beasts improve their strength, but beating a beast wildly and claiming it would help it advance—he had lived so long and never heard of such a thing.

"Don't worry, President Liu will definitely succeed!"

Mo Yu said with full confidence.

The scene of the green eagle beast breaking through after being beaten was still vivid in her mind, remembered clearly.

This golden-tailed lion shouldn't have too much trouble either.

"But..."

Her daughter spoke with such conviction, yet Mo Tianxue still found it hard to believe.

"Look, the golden-tailed lion seems to realize something..."

Knowing he would find it hard to understand such an advanced method, Mo Yu pointed.

Mo Tianxue looked.

He saw that the beast, which had been in pain just moments ago, now had eyes shining with intense excitement.

Beaten until it spat blood, its body trembling in pain, yet its eyes were full of excitement...

Mo Tianxue felt all his previous understanding collapse completely, and he nearly fainted.

...

Under Zhang Xuan's relentless beating, the golden-tailed lion was in agony at first, but after a while, it sensed something was off.

Each kick delivered a surge of true energy that purified its bloodline, causing its power to soar.

At this point, even if it were stupid, it would know the other was helping it break through. It no longer resisted but frantically absorbed the true energy entering its body, making its bloodline power stronger and stronger.

Boom!

After absorbing who knows how much true energy, its bloodline was purified to the limit. With a violent roar, a powerful force radiated from its body!

The Supreme Realm, attained!

"Roar..."

With a long howl, the golden-tailed lion suddenly stood up, its massive body trembling.

Clatter!

The iron chains binding it immediately broke free and fell to the ground.

"Really... broke through?"

Mo Tianxue stood frozen in place.

Even seeing it with his own eyes, his mind couldn't process it.

The Supreme Realm—even humans find it hard to break through, let alone savage beasts with fixed bloodlines... Beaten black and blue, spat blood, and then broke through...

This is too damn ridiculous!

"Could it be... that this President Liu, though openly beating it, is actually clearing the blockages in its body, helping it increase its power?"

A thought occurred to him.

He had read in ancient texts that some great masters, when helping others advance in cultivation, would beat them fiercely to clear the knots in their bodies, thereby unblocking true energy and greatly increasing their cultivation.

This man beat the golden-tailed lion until it spat blood and nearly died, yet the latter managed to break through smoothly—it might be the same principle.

"If he can help a savage beast break through like this, can he also help a human break through?"

His eyes lit up, and Mo Tianxue thought of something, a burning eagerness appearing on his face.

...

"Alright!"

Seeing the golden-tailed lion break through, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

It seemed that true energy at the peak Grandmaster level could indeed help a half-step Supreme break through.

Later, he would try it on the Iron-Fanged Howling Sky Beast. If that one could reach the Supreme Realm, even if he had to roam the Tianwu Kingdom, he wouldn't have to worry.

He clapped his hands, ignoring the grateful lion, and was about to say something when he saw Mo Tianxue approach.

"Thank you, President Liu, for helping the lion break through. I am deeply grateful..."

Mo Tianxue bowed sincerely.

"It's nothing!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had agreed to it before, and besides, he had received five spirit stones from them; this small favor was nothing.

Seeing him speak so casually, Mo Tianxue became even more certain of his guess. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "I have another presumptuous request... I hope to receive President Liu's help!"

"Oh?"

"I have been stuck at the peak Grandmaster realm for many years, unable to make progress. President Liu... can you also help me break through the bottleneck? I don't ask to reach the Supreme Realm; half-step Supreme would be fine..."

Looking at him with eager expectation, Mo Tianxue's breathing quickened.

"Help you break through?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Yes, don't worry, I know what to do..." Mo Tianxue nodded.

Seeing his confident expression, Zhang Xuan was puzzled. Could it be that this guy knew he needed spirit stones and had some hidden stash he hadn't mentioned before?

Before this thought could finish, he saw Mo Tianxue casually pick up the iron chains on the ground, tie himself up tightly, and then lie down: "I'm ready! Come on, beat me..."

"..." Zhang Xuan.