Zhang Yang had always been intensely curious about Qimen Dunjia, but unfortunately, the art had vanished for far too long, leaving him without any related materials.

This booklet was absolutely paramount to Zhang Yang, and what made it even better was that it was the introductory volume—perfectly suited for his current level.

Clutching the booklet, Zhang Yang completely immersed himself in reading, paying no heed to the two parrots standing nearby, showing not the slightest vigilance toward them.

The two parrots exchanged glances, then nodded again. Zhang Yang’s absorption pleased them immensely; it was a demonstration of trust. Whether human or spirit beast, all creatures yearned for recognition and the faith of others.

Unknowingly, the two parrots had begun to regard Zhang Yang as an equal to their master. Of course, for now, Zhang Yang only possessed potential on par with that level; until he truly cultivated to the fifth layer and reached the stature of the parrots' master, they would never place him on the same pedestal as their owner.

The parrots remained silent, and so did Zhui Feng and Wu Ying, standing by quietly watching.

Zhui Feng had no idea what Zhang Yang was engrossed in; it only knew that whatever it was, it was useful to Zhang Yang. As long as it benefited him, Zhui Feng would guard him faithfully, no matter how long he studied.

During his time accompanying Zhang Yang, Zhui Feng had witnessed too many powerful experts. It desperately hoped Zhang Yang’s strength—and its own—would increase rapidly so that the next time they encountered such masters, the instinct to flee wouldn't be their primary thought.

The great, thousand-mile flight of escape last time was an experience Zhui Feng would never forget.

Time crept by slowly, and Zhang Yang himself never imagined that one reading session would last for seven full days.

This Qimen Dunjia Introductory Volume, bound in spirit beast hide, had been penned by a fifth-layer practitioner. It possessed the common characteristics of fifth-layer cultivation techniques, though the scribe was not the parrots' master; this item was merely something the master had acquired by chance.

The parrots’ master had learned Qimen Dunjia entirely through self-study.

Zhang Yang, too, was currently teaching himself. Self-study was difficult, but it was certainly infinitely better than having no doorway into the art at all.

Seven days granted Zhang Yang a much deeper understanding of Qimen Dunjia. He finally grasped why this miraculous skill had ultimately faded into obscurity.

Qimen Dunjia was incredibly difficult to comprehend, encompassing a vast array of knowledge. Even the introductory volume alone featured classifications such as One Star, Two Forms, Three Talents, Four Combinations, Five Elements, Six Harmonies, Seven Stars, Eight Trigrams, and Nine Palaces, among others. Each of these categories contained numerous complex subdivisions. Just reviewing these basics made Zhang Yang’s vision swim, leaving him dazed.

Furthermore, since the booklet was written by a fifth-layer expert, it carried the hallmark of their secret manuals: one had to physically practice it while studying; relying solely on memory before achieving success was entirely useless.

After a brief rest, Zhang Yang dove back into deciphering these concepts.

Ten days later, he finally emerged from his seclusion, having spent a total of seventeen days entirely within the depths of Wild Man Mountain, with the small booklet perpetually in his hands for the majority of that time.

For several days, Zhang Yang hadn't slept at all. All these days of relentless effort had finally yielded fruit.

“Ah Hua, Ah Cai, thank you both!”

Standing outside the clearing, Zhang Yang grinned and beckoned to the two parrots ahead. Over these seventeen days, beyond the gains in his internal energy and Qimen Dunjia, he had become thoroughly familiar with these two creatures.

These parrots had very pleasant names: one was called Ah Hua, and the other, Ah Cai.

These were the names their master had given them. The first time Zhang Yang learned these names, he couldn't help but laugh aloud, which subsequently earned him the silent treatment from both parrots for two full days.

“Jee-jee-jee!”

Wu Ying also hopped over, chirping loudly. Zhui Feng didn't call out, but its demeanor was significantly better than at the start.

Over these recent days, the parrots and the others had grown accustomed to one another. Though not as intimately familiar as Zhang Yang, the initial hostility had faded. They all understood now that these parrots meant no harm to Zhang Yang.

“Wu Ying, you must diligently practice your new skill; once you master it, its power will be tremendous!” Ah Hua instructed Wu Ying. Wu Ying’s small face immediately flushed crimson, and it burrowed directly into Zhui Feng’s ear.

The result was that Zhui Feng’s ear twitched uncontrollably for a long moment, shaking it out again.

Wu Ying was much larger now than before; Zhui Feng’s ear could barely accommodate it.

“Haha, Wu Ying, Ah Hua is right. You must work hard. Next time we meet an enemy, if you just go, you can handle it, and it’ll save us a lot of trouble!” Zhang Yang burst into laughter, teasing Wu Ying.

Wu Ying scurried away in a flash, hiding beneath the still-sleeping Shan Dian. It was genuinely shy now.

Its new ability had been a secret kept from Zhang Yang for a long time, but this time it couldn’t resist showing off a bit in front of the two parrots, leading to this outcome.

The memory of Wu Ying’s new skill made Zhang Yang want to laugh, and he understood why Wu Ying hadn't told him about it earlier.

Ah Hua and Ah Cai were also chuckling, finding Wu Ying’s bashfulness akin to that of a shy child, which delighted them immensely. They hadn't laughed this freely in a long time either.

“Zhang Yang, you must come back often in the future. If you advance to the fifth layer, don’t forget your promise!” Ah Cai turned back to say to Zhang Yang, showing a trace of reluctance.

Ah Hua and Ah Cai had lived there for several centuries; loneliness had been their constant companion. It was a blessing that they existed as a pair, otherwise, life would have been much harder. These ten-plus days with Zhang Yang, Zhui Feng, and Wu Ying had forged a strong bond, so parting naturally brought a sense of sorrow.

“Rest assured, it won’t take long. I will definitely reach the fifth layer, and I’ll take you both out then!” Zhang Yang nodded firmly. When the parrots’ master left them behind, numerous restrictions had been placed upon them.

For instance, they were forbidden from killing any living being, harming other spirit beasts, participating in others’ conflicts, or leaving Wild Man Mountain; they could only venture to the mountain’s edge at most.

The area where Zhang Yang had been staying previously was at the edge of the mountain, which is why Ah Hua could venture out there.

However, these restrictions were not absolute. If a fifth-layer expert arrived and the parrots willingly chose to follow, the limitations could be lifted.

It absolutely had to be a fifth-layer expert; even a peak late-stage fourth-layer cultivator couldn't take them away.

Ah Hua and Ah Cai had long yearned to leave, but there had never been a fifth-layer expert—or one they approved of—to take them. They could only remain.

Now, Zhang Yang represented their hope, a significant one at that. A few days prior, Zhang Yang had made them this solemn promise.

“I believe you can do it. Go back now, and visit when you have the chance. With Zhui Feng’s speed, you all…” Ah Cai continued, but stopped mid-sentence, turning back with astonishment.

Wu Ying, who had been hiding beneath Shan Dian, suddenly leaped out, also staring at Shan Dian beside it with shock.

A formidable aura was slowly manifesting around Shan Dian. Shan Dian was still asleep, yet this pressure grew heavier and more intense.

“What is this?” Zhang Yang turned back, surprise mingled with a distinct joy. Shan Dian’s might was overwhelming; it clearly exceeded the bounds of the third layer. Shan Dian was about to advance!

“Jee-jee-jee!” Wu Ying called out in dissatisfaction. Its own previous advancement had been quiet and unremarkable, whereas Zhui Feng’s had involved a major spectacle. Now Shan Dian was doing the same, overshadowing it and making Wu Ying feel dejected.

Zhui Feng’s eyes were wide too. Its advancement to the fourth layer happened at Yin Long Mountain, aided by that powerful Illusionary Rat. That event had certainly caused a stir, but compared to Shan Dian’s current display, it seemed somewhat less impressive. At least its initial manifestation hadn't possessed the same sheer weight as Shan Dian’s.

This sight caused the competitive Zhui Feng to stare fixedly at the still-unawakened Shan Dian. After only a moment, however, it lowered its head in dejection. Shan Dian’s aura continued to swell, growing to a level that even Zhui Feng found unnerving. In terms of sheer initial pressure, Zhui Feng had indeed been far inferior.

Zhui Feng felt a pang of disappointment, but it overlooked one crucial factor. Its own advancement hadn't been purely through self-effort; it was the combined result of spiritual medicine and the Illusionary Rat’s assistance. Strictly speaking, Zhui Feng’s breakthrough was externally aided, which inherently paled in comparison to Shan Dian’s self-driven advancement.

Shan Dian’s eyelids flickered; it was nearing wakefulness. When it opened its eyes, it would officially be a fourth-layer spirit beast, adding another such entity to the world.

“Whoosh!”

A small whirlwind rose around Shan Dian—not an energy vortex, but the unintentional leakage of its surging power. Shan Dian was already a fourth-layer spirit beast, but having just reached this stage, its body hadn't yet mastered the control over this new influx of strength.

“Boom!”

An even greater surge of power shot toward the sky. Many spirit beasts dwelling in various parts of Wild Man Mountain instantly stiffened, staring toward the center in shock.

Seventeen days prior, the fierce clash that occurred there was still fresh in their memories; many beasts had only recently dared to return. They never expected such a massive disturbance to erupt again so soon after their return.

This commotion was clearly indicative of a spirit beast’s advancement. Human and spirit beast advancements manifested differently, a distinction even the beasts could recognize. This advancement was a high-tier one—a breakthrough toward the fourth layer.

This realization stunned many of the local beasts. As natives of Wild Man Mountain, they were somewhat familiar with their neighbors. Apart from the terrifying pair of parrots at the core, Wild Man Mountain harbored no other fourth-layer spirit beasts. The strongest local residents seemed to be just a few mid-stage third-layer beasts, and they were still far from breaking through.

Alongside their shock, deep confusion lingered: who managed to ascend to the fourth layer so quickly? More prevalent, however, was envy, accompanied by the fervent hope that one day they too could become such mighty beings.

At the fourth layer, one could essentially walk unimpeded across Wild Man Mountain. The pair of parrots in the center showed no ambition to claim the entire mountain; as long as no one foolishly provoked them, the mountain was effectively their territory.

This was also one reason why fourth-layer experts faced little danger entering Wild Man Mountain: the parrots harmed no one, and apart from them, no other beast in the mountain posed a threat to a fourth-layer cultivator. If they encountered a fourth-layer expert, they would likely flee instantly, as fast as they could manage.