A full month passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the tree house, Wu Yuan slowly rose from his seated cultivation posture. His body erupted in a symphony of pops and cracks, his joints celebrating the release of tension like a string of firecrackers.

He had grown. Originally standing at one meter, he had shot up by half that height, now towering at a full 1.5 meters. Among the Rat Demon clan, such a physique was nothing short of a behemoth.

Wu Yuan stood tall, his fur restored to its original jade-like luster. Under the sunlight filtering through the leaves, his coat shimmered with a cyan glow. His muscles were clearly defined, flowing with liquid power beneath the skin.

Coupled with his indifferent, stoic expression, he resembled a majestic statue carved from living jade, radiating an aura that commanded instinctive awe.

“My injuries are fully healed,” Wu Yuan murmured, clenching a fist. “And the gains… are massive.”

He closed his eyes, turning his focus inward. He could feel the surging Qi and blood roaring through his veins, accompanied by a turbulent ocean of Demon Power. The sheer vitality, the restless energy of his evolved bloodline—it was intoxicating.

“Seventy strands of Demon Power.”

“An increase of a full ten strands. As they say, great terror brings great opportunity.”

Wu Yuan felt a surge of satisfaction.

“This method—completely draining the body, then flooding it with high-quality Lunar Essence to rebuild, all while regulating it with the Power of Creation…”

“It not only enhances the physical foundation but also forcefully excavates the dormant potential within the bloodline.”

“This Power of Creation is truly a supreme treasure.”

“It heals injuries, replenishes deficits, unlocks potential, and even enhances technique comprehension. It really is a universal panacea.”

This was the trump card that had given Wu Yuan the audacity to fight the Goat Spirit to the death.

Ever since he had used the Power of Creation to modify his digestive system, Wu Yuan had been relentlessly testing its limits.

His experiments were gruesome. He had sliced away flesh to leave only white bone, severed blood vessels, chiseled into his own skeleton, and even excised portions of his internal organs.

He had subjected himself to research that could only be described as a crime against rat-kind. Every session was a torture that made death seem like a mercy.

If he hadn’t been able to transfer a portion of his consciousness into the Spirit Mulberry Tree when the pain peaked, he likely would have collapsed from shock long ago.

Even with that safety valve, Wu Yuan’s pain tolerance had been tempered to a terrifying degree. Now, he could slice open his own abdomen and remove an organ without so much as blinking.

This masochistic discipline was precisely why he had fearlessly traded blows with the Goat Spirit.

Wu Yuan had discovered a golden rule: as long as an organ retained a spark of vitality and remained structurally recognizable, the Power of Creation could restore it.

However, the heart and brain are the forbidden zones. I must avoid damage to them at all costs, Wu Yuan silently reminded himself.

Shifting his focus, Wu Yuan transferred his consciousness into the Spirit Mulberry Tree. He directed his senses toward the Formation trapping the enemy. His expression turned grave.

“It’s been a month, and that Goat Spirit still isn’t dead.”

“His body is devoid of flesh, blood, or Demon Power. I’ve even drained the fluids from his brain.”

” Yet, he clings to life. There is a foreign power protecting his final breath.”

Wu Yuan scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on. “What kind of monsters and demons are these sects raising?”

A vague sense of unease gnawed at him. The Goat Spirit’s condition was bizarre, and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

“I need to be fully prepared before I act. I’ll summon the Gray Rabbit to extract some intelligence first.”

Moments later, the Gray Rabbit Spirit stood nervously before Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan fixed his gaze on the rabbit, his pressure weighing down the air in the room.

“Do you know the current state of that Goat Spirit?” Wu Yuan asked, his voice low. “Why does it refuse to die? There must be a reason.”

Little Gray paused, taken aback. He frowned, thinking deeply before replying with a serious expression.

“Boss, if I had to guess… the Goat Spirit probably died a long time ago. What remains is likely just a shell, puppeteered by the power of a Great Demon.”

Wu Yuan’s heart clenched. A Great Demon again.

The shadow of this unknown entity was like a boulder pressing on his chest.

However, Little Gray quickly added, “But Boss, I don’t think it poses much of a threat.”

“After all, Little Green Mountain currently prohibits any power above the mid-stage of Qi Condensation from manifesting.”

Wu Yuan instantly latched onto the discrepancy. “Little Green Mountain forbids power above the mid-stage of Qi Condensation? Why?”

Little Gray scratched his long ears, looking at Wu Yuan with genuine confusion.

“Boss, didn’t your Clan Leader brief you before you entered?”

Wu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained an unreadable mask.

“Just tell me what you know,” he said calmly. “I need to verify if your information matches my records.”

Little Gray, simple-minded as he was, didn’t suspect a thing.

“Boss, Little Green Mountain was originally part of a Grotto-Heaven—a Blessed Paradise. But right now, it’s in a recovery phase. The laws here can currently only accommodate cultivators at the early stage of Qi Condensation.”

“The recovery process requires an astronomical amount of Spiritual Qi. The mountain has essentially turned the surrounding area into a spiritual desert to feed itself.”

“If anyone at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation or higher gets too close, the mountain will drain them dry. It’s a death sentence.”

Realization crashed over Wu Yuan.

No wonder I always found Little Green Mountain strange. The environment never matched the intelligence in the jade slip Bibo gave me!

But a new question arose. Why did Bibo seem completely unaware of this?

Little Gray continued his explanation.

“That’s why the various Demon Race factions made a pact. The spirits sent inside are all strictly early-stage Qi Condensation.”

“They are allowed to bring one or two low-grade Magical Artifacts for self-defense, but that’s it.”

“I’ve heard that the method of entry differs for each faction, though. I only know that the Wood Spirit Temple sent the Goat Spirit in directly.”

“As for the others… I’m not sure.”

Wu Yuan’s mind raced.

The Goat Spirit’s entry definitely had hidden strings attached. He wasn’t a wanderer. The water here is deeper than I thought.

“What faction do you belong to?” Wu Yuan asked. “And why are you here?”

Little Gray gave him a strange look.

“Boss, the Rabbit Clan and the Rat Clan are both Neutral Factions.”

“We enter just to stake a claim on some territory. We don’t participate in the competition for the title of ‘Lord of Little Green Mountain’.”

Wu Yuan nodded slowly. “What about the Fox Clan?”

“The Fox Clan belongs to the Pro-Human Faction,” Little Gray explained. “They don’t get along with the Beast Spirit Temple, who believe in Demon Supremacy. Those two groups are always at each other’s throats.”

Little Gray paused, tilting his head. He looked at Wu Yuan with growing suspicion.

“Boss… why do I get the feeling you don’t know anything about this place?”

Wu Yuan fell silent. He debated the risks. Should he maintain the charade, or use the truth to gain leverage?

If Little Gray decides to dig, he’ll easily find holes in my story.

Right now, I am the strongest entity in these mine tunnels. If he reacts poorly, I can simply dispose of him. It’s safer than letting him leave with doubts.

He needed information. Beating around the bush would only yield fragments. He needed the whole picture.

Wu Yuan straightened his posture and looked Little Gray dead in the eye.

“Little Gray, you might have sensed something off. The truth is… I didn’t come from the outside.”

“I am a native demon of Little Green Mountain. Born and raised.”

As he spoke, Wu Yuan’s muscles coiled, ready to strike the moment the rabbit showed any sign of hostility.

Little Gray had been intimidated by Wu Yuan’s serious demeanor, but upon hearing the confession, his eyes went wide. His pupils trembled, his face a portrait of utter disbelief.

“Boss…” he stammered, his voice shaking.