“Compared to before, the energy released by the black sword this time has increased by half!” He showed an expression of excitement. “If it weren’t for this old man going mad, I could be certain that as my cultivation improves, the energy released by the black sword will also increase!”

“If that’s the case, within ten days I’ll be able to reach the peak of Body Refining Level Four!”

Henry Dawson burst out laughing, his heart filled with incomparable joy, yet there was no one to share it with.

“The black sword is of great importance; telling anyone would be unwise. It’s best to let it remain my secret! When Father returns, I’ll teach him the Ling Tian Nine Forms!”

“But, the sword technique has already become one with me, and I still can’t fully grasp even its form. Can I really teach it to Father?”

Setting aside his doubts, he found a wide crevice in the rocks, crawled in to hide, and as his excitement gradually calmed, he soon drifted off to sleep.

A night passed. After washing by the stream, he roasted a bear paw and ate it, then continued deeper into the forest, seeking fierce beasts to hone his skills.

One day, two days, three days—time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the last day of October had arrived.

Henry Dawson sat cross-legged in a cave, eyes tightly shut, a determined brilliance flashing across his handsome face. Ten days of bloody battles had stripped away some of his youthful shyness and made him more composed.

He had reached the peak of Body Refining Level Four and was now breaking through to Level Five!

Boom!

After a surge of true essence within his body, Henry Dawson let out a long howl and sprang up from the ground.

Body Refining Level Five!

He laughed heartily. In just over a month, he had leapt from the early stage of Body Refining Level One to Level Five. Who would believe it if he told them? Who would dare believe it?

“In any case, no one at that home is happy to see me. Father will probably return around the New Year, so I might as well wait until then to go back and amaze everyone at the celebration!”

“Although Father never said it, I know he has high hopes for me! This time, I won’t let him down again!”

Henry Dawson walked out of the cave and looked down at the lush, dense forest. The mountain wind blew, making the trees sway. Suddenly, a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart. With a clang, he drew his longsword and fiercely unleashed a series of profound and mysterious sword shadows.

“I’ve basically mastered the form of the first Ling Tian move. Now I just need to comprehend its essence!”

“Keep fighting!”

“I still haven’t encountered a single demon beast so far. As expected, such creatures are extremely rare!”

With a push of his foot, Henry Dawson leapt forward.

With his cultivation level rising, both his strength and speed had greatly improved. Each leap covered nearly ten meters, like a sharp arrow slicing through the air—astonishingly fast.

As evening approached, Henry Dawson entered a grove. Suddenly, a clearing appeared ahead. Though only about ten meters in diameter, it was so abrupt that Henry Dawson couldn’t help but stop.

Buzz—a slight tremor came from the black broken sword in his dantian, its tip pointing toward the center of the clearing.

Henry Dawson was taken aback. This old man only ever trembled at midnight to release energy; at other times, no matter how he tried to connect with it mentally, there was never any response. Why did it suddenly move now?

He turned his gaze to the clearing: blackish-yellow earth, a few scattered leaves—nothing unusual. In the center stood a stone half as tall as a person, but there was nothing strange about it either.

Henry Dawson was not lacking in adventurous spirit, so he couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, heading toward the stone.

A sense of indescribable danger suddenly enveloped him. Henry Dawson immediately stopped, his already unsheathed longsword held horizontally before his chest.

“Hiss!”

A low growl sounded. From behind the stone, a head suddenly emerged—entirely golden, with two huge eyes taking up almost half its face, and then a mouth appeared, looking ferocious.

Its snow-white teeth were sharp and pointed, with two fangs nearly an inch long. A long tongue flickered in and out, dripping with blood like a crimson ribbon!

Bang—the beast leapt onto the stone, revealing a body as sleek and powerful as a leopard, covered in interwoven white and yellow fur, but with three tails swaying constantly from its rear.

Three-tailed Wolf Eagle!

A name suddenly popped into Henry Dawson’s mind—demon beast!

Such demon beasts are not to be trifled with! Once mature, they reach the Flesh Refining Realm, and with their brute strength far surpassing that of humans, their combat power can leap one or two minor realms!

Why are demon beasts so terrifying, and why can’t martial artists of the same level defeat them? It’s precisely because, in addition to cultivating true essence, demon beasts possess fearsome brute strength!

“Hiss—” The three-tailed wolf eagle let out another low growl, its gaze fixed intently on Henry Dawson, radiating a fierce and intimidating light. It didn’t attack immediately, as it was still uncertain of Henry Dawson’s strength.

Demon beasts possess a certain degree of intelligence!

Henry Dawson knew that if he retreated even a step now, the three-tailed wolf eagle would immediately launch a thunderous, storm-like attack.

A demon beast of the Flesh Refining Realm!

A surge of wild fighting spirit rose in Henry Dawson’s heart. The beasts he had hunted before were all ordinary wild animals—fierce, yes, but too weak, not a single one could withstand even a single blow from him.