"Is this the legendary chaotic ferocious beast, the Taotie?"
Xue Jing's face, which was fairer than any woman's, showed a look of shock and uncertainty, his heart churning with immense waves. Among those present, only Xue Jing could be considered knowledgeable. After all, he was from the Starry Sky of Ten Thousand Realms, an Undying Blood Clan, and held a significant position within it.
He had once encountered information about chaotic ferocious beasts in a tattered ancient book. The beast before him bore some resemblance to the Taotie described in that book. However, what Xue Jing found incomprehensible was why the beast, which resembled a Taotie, had a human face so similar to Zhang Fan's. Could this ferocious beast have transformed from Zhang Fan?
Xue Jing couldn't believe it. The Taotie was one of the oldest chaotic ferocious beasts, a creature of legend. It was said that even super powerhouses at the level of a Mahayana Immortal Emperor would not dare to provoke such an existence lightly.
As Xue Jing's thoughts became chaotic, a roar that shook the heavens and earth emanated from the Taotie's spectral form.
"Chaos Devour!"
The Taotie spoke with Zhang Fan's voice. The spectral image's mouth became like a bottomless black hole, emitting an irresistible devouring force. A massive vortex of air formed, twisting the very space of the secret realm. The Taotie slowly swallowed it.
To the disbelief of everyone present, the secret realm, which spanned several football fields in size, was entirely devoured by the Taotie's spectral form in less than a minute, disappearing from sight. A brief void appeared where the secret realm had been, followed by spatial distortion. The void and space gradually merged and were covered by Earth's space.
Their Blood Clan's secret realm... was gone? They had watched with their own eyes as the vast secret realm was swallowed by the spectral beast and vanished from their sight! If Xue Jing hadn't witnessed it personally, he wouldn't have believed that someone could devour space! What kind of divine ability was this, so terrifying?
Zhang Fan emerged from the void. His aura was simple and unadorned, like that of an ordinary person, yet he appeared incredibly radiant in everyone's eyes. Even Xue Jing couldn't discern Zhang Fan's current cultivation level. His eyes, black as ink and as deep as black holes, seemed capable of devouring even divine senses, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at him for fear of being trapped within.
"Quick, get me something to eat!" Zhang Fan beckoned to Xue Jing. Before Xue Jing and the others could offer congratulations, Zhang Fan uttered this command, leaving them completely stunned.
After reaching the Core Formation realm, cultivators might eat occasionally, but it was merely to satisfy their cravings. After all, Core Formation cultivators could absorb ambient energy from their Nascent Core to sustain themselves. Eating had become a superfluous matter. For Zhang Fan to prioritize food as his first act upon emerging from seclusion was indeed baffling.
Upon recovering, Xue Jing quickly replied, "I'll arrange it right away!" Prince Hill, understanding Xue Jing's intent, transformed into a streak of light and vanished, hurrying to prepare a feast.
Zhang Fan's gaze swept across those present. Seeing that Wuchen Jianxian and Aile Bella had all made breakthroughs in their strength, Zhang Fan had intended to say a few words. However, the intense hunger gnawing at his stomach prompted him to change his mind. "Let's go, let's eat something first."
The Taotie was known for its ability to devour and its gluttony. Zhang Fan guessed that his current state was related to his cultivation of the "Taotie Catalog."
In the spacious hall, a ten-meter-long wooden table was set. Zhang Fan took the head seat, while Xue Jing, Wuchen Jianxian, and the others sat along the sides. Dishes from around the world were continuously brought to the table.
"Let's eat!" Without further ado, Zhang Fan gestured to the others and began to savor the delicacies. In the past, Zhang Fan hadn't been particularly fond of food. No matter how exquisite the dish, he had tasted it before, so it held little interest for him. But today, as he tasted the food before him, it felt incredibly wonderful, as if he had missed out on so much previously.
Everyone present possessed considerable strength; even Aile Bella, the weakest, had reached the peak of the Divine Realm. They weren't like an ox that could eat endlessly. In the beginning, they, like Zhang Fan, slowly enjoyed the dishes on the table. Course after course was served. They ate for a full day, and even Xue Jing felt full, but Zhang Fan showed no signs of satiation.
By the second day, everyone else could no longer eat and could only stand by the side, watching Zhang Fan eat. Zhang Fan's stomach seemed to be an endless void. The amount of food he consumed could fill a van, yet he barely seemed to notice.
This grand feast lasted for three whole days, during which Zhang Fan ate continuously. The chefs of the Blood Clan, who had reached the Transcendent realm, were almost exhausted before Zhang Fan finally stopped and stood up.
"I finally feel something, about seventy percent full," Zhang Fan declared, nearly causing Xue Jing, whose stomach was already bulging, to collapse. After three consecutive days of eating, to still feel only seventy percent full—Xue Jing desperately wanted to know what Zhang Fan had experienced in the past year!
"Your Blood Clan chefs' cooking is quite good. Let's take care of business first, and then we'll have another three-day feast when we return." Zhang Fan patted his slightly bulging belly with satisfaction. Hearing Zhang Fan's words, Xue Jing and the others felt their stomachs churn. If they had to go through this again, even with their formidable strength, they wouldn't be able to endure it.
"Haha..." Zhang Fan burst into laughter at their reactions. He felt that after cultivating the Taotie Catalog, he had become a super glutton. After some preparations, Zhang Fan decided to take Xue Jing, Wuchen Jianxian, and the three Blood Clan princes with him to the Holy See. Aile Bella desperately wanted to go, but she knew her strength was still too weak. She couldn't even deal with an early-stage Core Formation cultivator, and would only be a burden.
After taking the Guiyuan Pills bestowed by Zhang Fan, three of the Blood Clan princes had successfully broken through. Prince Hill had reached the late stage of Core Formation, while the other two, although they hadn't broken through, had reached the peak of the mid-stage of Core Formation. Their combined strength was formidable enough that even Wuchen Jianxian, who had already etched a Golden Core Dao pattern, would require some time to deal with them.
Before departing, Zhang Fan called his parents on Hu Xin Island in China. He learned that everything had been peaceful on the island during his seclusion year, which reassured him.
"Let's go!" With Zhang Fan's command, he soared into the sky, transforming into a white stream of light that pierced the heavens. Xue Jing, Wuchen Jianxian, and the other five followed Zhang Fan, flying towards the direction of the Church of Light. Aile Bella, the Blood Clan Patriarch Laitos, and several elders watched their retreating figures, feeling an inexplicable surge of excitement. It was expected that after today, the name of the Church of Light would cease to exist on Earth.
...