"Master... do you hear my voice?"
"Hahaha, I have made a breakthrough, Master, I am so happy."
"Master, I can communicate with you now. Master, do you hear my voice?"
"Owner..."
Suddenly, countless voices sounded in Li Taixing's mind, and his brain exploded with the overwhelming chatter.
"Stop! You guys are all talking in my head! Do you want your master to go insane?"
Li Taixing hurriedly stopped them from talking all at once. His pets had just evolved to the Golden Core Realm, and it seemed they were all too excited, chatting nonstop. The worst part was that he couldn't even tell who was talking.
Hearing his frustration, the pets fell silent, looking dejected.
After evolving, they were all eager to communicate with their master, but none of them realized the others were also talking, creating a chaotic, deafening noise.
Li Taixing, finally able to breathe, sighed and said, "Alright, come one at a time. Xiong Er, you go first. What do you want to say?"
"I just wanted to tell you I've broken through to the Golden Core Realm," Xiong Jing scratched his head, his voice sounding as honest as ever.
"Okay, next," Li Taixing gestured to the Giant Bird Monster King.
"Master, I've broken through to the Golden Core Realm," Silly Bird, the Giant Bird Monster King, spoke. Her voice had a mature, royal-sister tone, surprising Li Taixing.
He glanced at the remaining pets, looking calm, and said, "Let me guess—you two also want to say, 'Master, I've broken through to the Golden Core Realm,' right?"
"How did Master know?" Ma Jia, the giant crocodile, seemed puzzled, his voice gruff like a middle-aged uncle.
"Yes, Master," replied the Wind Wolf King softly, her voice gentle and cautious, different from the cold tone of the Spider Queen.
Now, Li Taixing could match the voices to his pets, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Alright, cut it out. You've reached the Golden Core Realm; of course, I can see it myself."
Ding! [Host's pets have reached the Golden Core Realm.]
Ding! [Triggering the tens-of-billions multiplier effect, all pets have advanced to the ninth level of the Golden Core Realm.]
Li Taixing froze for a moment.
He was used to his own power being amplified, but now the effect extended to his pets too? Well, that was a pleasant surprise.
With a grin, he asked, "Do you feel like your realm has advanced again?"
"Yes, Master."
"Yes, Master! I thought it was just an illusion, but I'm almost at the Nascent Soul Realm now!"
"Master, you're incredible. Did you do this?"
"Master, you're my idol!"
Suddenly, Li Taixing's head felt like it was about to explode again from the barrage of excited voices.
"Enough! Stop yelling in my head!"
Raising his hands, Li Taixing begged for silence. 'I need a solution for this madness!' he thought and quickly turned to the system for help.
"System, how do I get these pets to communicate properly without messing with my mind?"
[Recommend allowing them to reach the Nascent Soul Realm.]
"Nascent Soul Realm?" Li Taixing pondered. With his understanding of cultivation, he could easily guide himself to that level. But, these pets weren't like him. It would be challenging for them to advance quickly without his guidance.
"Well, there's no choice then. I'll have them eat beast cores until they evolve further," he sighed.
Originally, Li Taixing had planned to take them along for treasure hunting, but now that seemed foolish. Their sizes alone would be a hindrance, and their constant chatter would drive him insane.
"Listen up," Li Taixing addressed his pets. "I've got a lot of beast cores here, and they're all for you. Stay in this cave and eat them until you reach the Nascent Soul Realm. Don't come out until you've evolved."
The pets were dumbfounded. They had just broken through to the Golden Core Realm, and now he wanted them to reach the Nascent Soul Realm?
"As for food, hunt for it yourselves. You're in the Golden Core Realm now; you shouldn't need to eat as much." He handed each pet a storage ring, filled with a billion beast cores corresponding to their attributes.
The pets exchanged confused glances, unsure why their master was in such a hurry for them to evolve. Sensing their unease, they turned to the Spider Queen for answers.
"Master, why are you doing this?" the Spider Queen asked.
"Because you're all too noisy! I want you to evolve to the Nascent Soul Realm so you can speak more coherently."
"In those rings, I've stored a billion beast cores each. You'll keep consuming them until you reach the Nascent Soul Realm. If you don't evolve after that, just keep eating."
"How much is a billion?" Xiong Jing scratched his head, confused. The other pets seemed equally lost.
"Just eat!" Li Taixing waved them off. "I've got things to do."
"Master..." Wind Wolf King whined, "are you leaving us again?"
"I have things to take care of. Stay here." Li Taixing dismissed their concerns and began to leave the cave, intent on hunting for treasure alone.
As soon as he stepped outside, Wang Xuanwu, his master, noticed him.
She raised an eyebrow, surprised to see that Li Taixing had already reached the Golden Core Realm.
"Okay, seriously? What's up with this kid?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head in disbelief.
But then, she smiled faintly. "At least everything's going according to plan."
Wang Xuanwu glanced at her storage ring. "Though I'll need more supplies in about three months. Maybe I should either ask him for more or head back to town for some food."
Suddenly, a sect recall order flashed in her hand. It was from Zhao Wentian.
"Fifth Elder, return to the sect immediately."
Wang Xuanwu frowned. She quickly calculated her disciple's safety and, realizing he'd be fine for a while, decided to head back to the sect.
"Something big must have happened if Senior Brother is calling me back." Without hesitation, she left the Ferocious Beast Forest.
Meanwhile, Li Taixing, unaware of his master's departure, looked around and thought to himself, 'Master must be nearby. With her around, I should be safe.'