A minute later, Chu Chen looked at the empty plate and couldn't help but reveal a wry smile. Clearly, Lei Yao still wasn't full.

It's important to note that this was a full twenty kilograms of food.

Considering Lei Yao's current size, it could easily consume tens of kilograms of food, but what Chu Chen prepared wasn't ordinary food. These foods have extremely high nutritional value and a strong sense of satiety. In the past, Lei Yao would be stuffed after just one portion, but today it had consumed four portions and still seemed not even half full.

Chu Chen wasn't concerned about the cost of the food; he was worried that Lei Yao might overeat and upset its stomach.

Chu Chen thought for a moment and took out another four servings of food, then patted Lei Yao's arm and patiently advised, "Eat slowly, there's plenty of food."

Upon hearing this, Lei Yao nodded and instantly resumed eating, its eating speed still remarkably fast.

After it had consumed the sixth portion of food, its pace finally slowed down slightly.

A moment later, after Lei Yao had devoured the remaining two portions, it contentedly rubbed its newly bulging stomach.

Chu Chen found himself somewhat speechless at the sight—Lei Yao had indeed eaten too much, forcing him to temporarily set aside his plan to test Lei Yao.

It was only then that Chu Chen remembered he still had a concentrated amount of Soul Power inside him that he hadn't refined.

The source of this power, of course, was Lei Yao's feedback after its breakthrough.

Chu Chen estimated that this mass of Soul Power could propel him directly to the Ninth Rank of the Soul Warrior Level.

With this realization, Chu Chen immediately entered a state of meditation.

About a quarter of an hour later, Chu Chen slowly opened his eyes, still smiling, clearly having made a smooth breakthrough.

Zhang Yuyan, noticing this, said enviously, "Why does it seem like training is easier for you than for me? Your breakthroughs seem as simple as eating and drinking, and your Guardian Beasts get more and more fierce. Could you be the legendary child of fortune?"

Chu Chen awkwardly scratched his head and replied, "I just have slightly better luck, that's all; it's nothing to boast about."

After exchanging a few casual words, Chu Chen glanced up at the sky and softly said to Zhang Yuyan, "Let's keep moving."

Zhang Yuyan nodded and quickly hopped onto the back of the Wind Burst Mad Lion.

Seeing this, Chu Chen swiftly absorbed Nirvana into his Soul Sea and then leapt onto Lei Yao's shoulder.

From the rescue of Zhang Yuyan to Lei Yao's breakthrough, half a day had already been spent.

Reaching the central area of the Secret Realm would require at least half a day's travel, and any combat en route might delay them further.

Three hours later, Zhang Yuyan looked at the sky gradually being cloaked in darkness and said quietly, "We should find a place to rest."

Chu Chen looked around and noticed a mountain in the distance, believing there might be an abandoned cave at its base.

"Let's head over there," Chu Chen pointed toward the distant mountain peak.

Their journey so far hadn't involved many battles, not because the number of Star Beasts had decreased, but because they chose to avoid fights.

When encountering large insect swarms, they would take a detour; against smaller swarms, they charged through them.

Through repeated battles, Chu Chen gained a general understanding of Lei Yao's current strength.

With an increased size, its running speed has enhanced by about thirty percent, making its movement more stable, almost allowing it to serve as a mount, and the view from its shoulder is broad.

In terms of power and defense, both have increased to varying extents; power by at least fifty percent and defense by about thirty percent, resulting in an overall combat power increase of roughly forty percent.

However, there are still drawbacks. Its enlarged size naturally reduces agility, though the decrease isn't significant, only about ten percent, a result Chu Chen can accept.

These gains are due not only to talent but also the crucial role of the beast attributes.

The beast attributes chiefly enhance the Guardian Beast's physical qualities, and Sturdy Body happens to be highly compatible with these attributes, with a cumulative effect far greater than the sum of its parts.

A moment later, they finally reached the base of the mountain just as night fully descended.

Wasting no time, they began searching for an abandoned cave at the mountain's base.

Shortly after, a human scream pierced the air from not far away.

The two exchanged a glance upon hearing the sound.

"Should we go check it out?" Zhang Yuyan asked quietly.

Chu Chen shook his head and replied, "Better to avoid getting involved; we don't know what's happening over there, and it's unnecessary to take risks."

"Alright then, let's hurry and get out of here."

As they were about to leave.

An angry shout broke the air: "Li Yifei, may you die a horrible death, ah!"

The voice cut off abruptly, yet faint sounds of a scuffle could still be heard.

Upon hearing the name Li Yifei, Chu Chen suddenly stopped.

Zhang Yuyan, noticing this, asked quietly, "Why aren't we moving?"

Chu Chen pondered briefly and said, "I've decided to go see what's happening."

Zhang Yuyan seemed to recall something and glanced toward where the sound had come from, saying, "Perhaps we could solve a potential problem ahead of time."

"That's my thought as well."

The two agreed instantly, and without hesitation, they headed straight toward the source of the sound.

They hid behind a large tree, peering toward the nearby cave.

The earlier sounds had come from inside the cave, where fighting could still be heard.

Carefully observing, Chu Chen finally made out the situation within the cave.

Three people were inside, two men and a woman. The leader was none other than the S-level contract prodigy Li Yifei, the girl by his side was the A-level genius of the Vermilion Bird Daoist School, Feng Yu, and the third person was already lying in a pool of blood.

The voice they had heard earlier belonged to this person, who Chu Chen didn't recognize. However, he was certain that the dead youth wasn't from the Vermilion Bird Daoist School nor from any of the five families affiliated with it.

Chu Chen was so certain because he had already memorized the faces and names of every genius from the Vermilion Bird Daoist School that had entered the Secret Realm.

There seemed to be a very powerful Star Beast hidden inside the cave. Its movements were elusive, keeping itself shrouded in darkness, and each of its assaults posed a lethal threat to Li Yifei and Feng Yu.

If their strength hadn't been sufficient, they might have already perished within the cave.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuyan, somewhat puzzled, asked, "The Star Beast in the cave seems very dangerous; why aren't these two leaving?"

Chu Chen explained solemnly, "Such a situation could only have two explanations: the first is that the Star Beast's power is too formidable, and the two don't dare move recklessly, fearing a sneak attack; the second is that something inside the cave is attracting them, making them unwilling to leave."

Zhang Yuyan thought for a moment and asked, "Which do you think it is?"

Chu Chen earnestly replied, "I am more inclined toward the second. With Li Yifei's strength, there's likely no Star Beast in the Secret Realm that could stop him if he chose to flee. There must be an extraordinary treasure within this cave; otherwise, given his resources, he wouldn't risk his life in such a way."

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