"Black Jade Monkey?"

’I don’t know what species this is,’ Su Qing thought, ’but monkeys usually appear in groups, don’t they?’

"I know what kind of Demon Beast it is."

"I’ll stand guard over the mining area for a while. Go and calm the miners down." Su Qing nodded, then burned the fur in his hand.

He slipped into the earth and headed for the mining area.

The Steward left, a look of confusion on his face.

But he didn’t linger.

’How could someone like him possibly fathom the thoughts of a Foundation Establishment Lord?’

...

The night was dark and the wind was high.

It was an overcast night.

There was no moon.

Su Qing waited by the vein for the expected Demon Beast to appear.

An entire night passed, but surprisingly, nothing happened.

When day broke,

Su Qing sensed several fluctuations in aura.

He activated his Earth Vein Resonance Technique and instantly appeared inside one of the mine shafts.

Sure enough, there was a black monkey.

A Black Jade Monkey. Its fur was exceptionally lustrous.

Like polished black jade.

It was certainly a ferocious fighter.

The few Cultivators present were on their last legs.

It had a Tier One Cultivation.

Su Qing killed it with a single slap, splitting the Black Jade Monkey’s skull open.

"Alright, you’re safe now," Su Qing said nonchalantly, then left without even taking the Black Jade Monkey’s corpse.

It was all incredibly casual.

He left behind a few Cultivators, who could only stare at each other in dumbfounded silence.

’This Yama’s strength is just insane.’

’They had heard the rumors, but now they had seen his true power with their own eyes.’

’The Black Jade Monkey could take on several of them at once, yet the Yama of the mines killed it with a single slap.’

"This living Yama is the real powerhouse in the mining area."

"Yeah, I heard some people tried to form a faction and go up against the living Yama."

"Heard they got killed with a single slap."

"Serves them right. Forming a faction like that would just mean more trouble for us. This living Yama isn’t so bad after all."

"You can say that again. I heard he refuses all gifts, too."

...

...

Su Qing quietly returned to his residence.

He basked in the sun.

As evening fell,

He said nonchalantly, "Come on out. You have three breaths."

"Don’t make me get my hands dirty."

A clear male voice with a strange accent spoke up, "The Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body truly is one of a kind."

"You were even able to detect me, a Golden Core Realm expert."

"How terrifying~"

A figure appeared at Su Qing’s side, showing no fear of him whatsoever.

"Golden Core Realm? A clumsy Golden Core like you?"

With a flick of his hand, Su Qing grabbed the Golden Core expert by the neck, lifting him off the ground. The man’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

"You... Impossible! No matter how powerful the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body is, you can’t possibly fight a Golden Core expert while you’re in a lower realm!" The figure’s face was now visible as he exclaimed in shock.

He had the handsome, fair-skinned face of a scholar.

The kind of look that women found very appealing.

He grabbed Su Qing’s arm with both hands, his fingernails transforming into sharp claws as he tried to tear the arm to shreds.

"A demon from the Demon Court? You’ve got some nerve. Do you actually dare to cause trouble within the territory of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect?"

Su Qing stared coldly at the creature before him.

Suddenly, with a flick of Su Qing’s wrist, the creature before him was forced back into its true form.

It was a mink.

It was tiny. It tried to slip from Su Qing’s grasp, turning into a streak of Escape Light and flying away at high speed.

Heaven-Soaring God and Demon! 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Moving at an incredible speed, Su Qing snatched the mink out of the air once more.

"You!"

"You can’t possibly be at Foundation Establishment!"

"Spare me, spare me!" the purple mink began to panic. Its purple fur bristled, crackling with arcs of lightning.

But when the lightning touched Su Qing’s arm, it had no effect whatsoever.

It spat out a Purple Pill.

A towering bolt of lightning erupted from it, shooting toward Su Qing.

This was the Source Power of its Lifebound Demon Pill, a special Talent it possessed as a Purple Thunder Mink. Although it would leave the mink weakened for a long time, it was confident that the blast could peel the skin off even a Ninth-Layer Golden Core Human Race Cultivator.

CRACKLE!

’Damn.’ Su Qing’s "Ice God’s Care" triggered instantly.

Su Qing, still gripping the Purple Thunder Mink’s arm, suddenly tightened his grasp, snapping its bones. His other hand moved in a blur, flicking a finger.

He flicked the Purple Pill, shattering it in mid-air.

The instant the Purple Pill shattered, a massive burst of lightning exploded outwards.

"Devour!"

Su Qing’s Devouring Divine Technique activated, swallowing all of the lightning whole.

"You!"

"You..."

The Purple Thunder Mink’s voice suddenly grew ancient and frail, and then it went silent.

It was dead.

Su Qing had destroyed its Inner Core, shattering its Golden Core Realm, and broken its bones.

It couldn’t be more dead.

"Devour!"

The Devouring Divine Technique instantly absorbed all of the Purple Thunder Mink’s vital essence, converting it into Life Force that flowed back into Su Qing. He could distinctly feel his own lifespan increasing.

’As expected of a God Demon Golden Core. None of the God Demons are short-lived.’

"Golden Core Realm... heh." Su Qing gave a faint smile, then sighed. ’The times are changing.’

’For a Golden Core Realm Demon Beast to infiltrate the territory of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect... it spoke volumes.’

’One, the Sect Lord and the Grand Elder are too preoccupied to bother with such things. To them, this is just a minor nuisance.’

’It means they’ve run into trouble themselves.’

After dealing with the Purple Thunder Mink,

Su Qing returned to his residence in the mining area.

Another day of leisure passed.

First-Layer of Spiritual Platform [Quasi-Star River Visualization Map: Mastery (231.6997/1000)]

Just a moment ago, Su Qing’s Quasi-Star River Visualization Map had successfully broken through to the First-Layer of Spiritual Platform.

The comfort that stemmed from the depths of his soul made Su Qing groan. "Ah~"

’So comfortable.’

’The Quasi-Star River Visualization Map’s progress is too slow for my soul now.’

’I might as well synthesize it again.’

’It’s only at the Third Realm. The progress is far too slow.’

’It’s become my weak link again.’

Su Qing thought for a moment and decided to replicate those weak Visualization Techniques he had used before.

[Synthesis Successful: Demonization Triggered]

...

[Synthesis Successful: Divinization Triggered]

...

[Synthesis Successful: Standardization Triggered]

[Super God Demon Devouring Universe Map: A Visualization technique where one visualizes themselves as a God Demon that consumes the cosmos, with the ultimate goal of mastering it. Cultivating this technique to Perfection grants an immortal soul, a purified and protected spirit, the authority to command the cosmos, the power of Breathing In and Out of All Things, and the ability to control time and space. While visualizing the God Demon Devouring Universe Map, you are immune to all soul-based control.]

"Standardization is just that powerful!"

’I can’t absorb it here,’ Su Qing thought. ’Last time, I was unconscious for several days.’

’It’ll probably be the same this time.’

He made a trip back to the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect.

He used it on Cold Extremity Peak within the sect.

Instantly, Su Qing fell unconscious.

...

「Half a month later.」

The Visualization Map in Su Qing’s mind had transformed. It now depicted him breathing in and out entire galaxies. To the God Demon he visualized himself as, these galaxies were utterly minuscule.

First-Layer of Spiritual Platform [Super God Demon Devouring Universe Map: Entry Level (0.0003/500)]

’Half a month, and only 0.0003 progress?’

"..." Su Qing fell silent.

’I guess I’ll have to accept this speed.’

’Good thing this Visualization Map cultivates on its own.’

’Plus, thanks to Standardization, I’m now immune to all forms of mental control.’

’It’s already been half a month.’

Su Qing returned to the mining area.

「In the mining area.」

The atmosphere had grown incredibly tense.

The Steward rushed to Su Qing’s residence once more.

When he saw that Su Qing had finally returned, he cried out, "Lord!"

"What’s the matter?"

"More Demon Beasts have been appearing in the mining area recently."

"If there are Demon Beasts, just kill them. Don’t tell me none of you can handle a simple Demon Beast?" Su Qing frowned. ’Are the Stewards in the mining area really this useless?’

"But these Demon Beasts are specifically targeting the miners. By the time we arrive, the miners are already dead."

"Now, not many mortals are willing to work in the mines anymore."

"Only a few Loose Cultivators are still willing to go."

Su Qing paused for a moment. "A Void Nether Stone Vein isn’t like a Spirit Stone Vein," he said. "But what we get from it is far more valuable."

"Alright. I’ll stand guard for a few nights and kill any Demon Beasts that show up."

"You can go back and keep watch for now."

「Over the next few days.」

Su Qing went all out in the mining area.

He killed every single weak Demon Beast he came across.

’It’s like every demon and monster is crawling out of the woodwork.’ A flame appeared in Su Qing’s hand.

...