Tao Qingqing was currently in a deep sleep, with a tremendous energy seemingly gestating within her.
Wen Wen was very familiar with such a slumber; she herself had fallen into a similar state when she advanced from Disaster-class to Cataclysm-class.
If she could successfully advance, it would be equivalent to Wen Wen gaining another Cataclysm-class monster without having to fight.
Moreover, the vampire physique was the one Wen Wen had utilized for the longest time, and its metamorphosis would make her use of abilities even more proficient.
Qin Shuang, on the other hand, was in a state of frenzy, exhibiting a wild, almost unrecognizable demeanor. He no longer showed any fear towards Wen Wen, though Wen Wen paid no mind to his current insolence.
Despite his body accumulating energy beyond what his current level should possess, this energy was insufficient to propel him to advance into a Cataclysm-class ghost.
However, Wen Wen knew how to help him advance smoothly.
Wen Wen still held six fragments of the Human-Demon Puppets. The residual power within these fragments, though not as potent as a complete Human-Demon Puppet, was enough to provide a crucial boost during Qin Shuang's advancement.
Wen Wen tossed the six puppet fragments into Qin Shuang's room and left. If it were his former self, he would have certainly toyed with Qin Shuang using these fragments, but he was not in the mood now.
The news that his father was still alive weighed upon his heart like a massive stone, making him preoccupied and unfocused in all other matters.
Next, he began testing the physiques of the monsters. The Disaster-class demons were unremarkable; while many possessed novel abilities, for Wen Wen, they were merely icing on the cake.
The Cataclysm-class demons were the main focus.
As a mid-tier Cataclysm-class demon, the Faceless Demon, along with other monsters, was confined in the Cataclysm Zone.
The current environment of the containment facility was not as dire as before. There was food and a cook, and even furniture in the cells, so the Faceless Demon and the Dread Hand Demon did not appear particularly miserable.
Truthfully, becoming a prisoner was far better than they had anticipated, at least it meant they were still alive.
Moreover, the good condition of the cells exceeded their expectations. If they were to imprison criminals, they would have considered it merciful to confine them in dark, damp cells infested with rats and maggots.
After a brief look, Wen Wen proceeded to the central hub of the Cataclysm Zone. These demons could adapt to the environment with ease, so they did not require much of his attention.
Perhaps they would be happier seeing less of him.
Wen Wen took a deep breath and then selected the Faceless Demon's physique using the cell number on his left wrist.
A violent transformation ensued, forcing him to bend over. This was the first time Wen Wen experienced such intense pain during a physique conversion.
Gradually, Wen Wen's skin began to writhe, and his body's surface became covered in a layer of purple light. This purple light then transformed into a mercury-like substance. When Wen Wen stood up, he had already acquired the Faceless Demon's physique.
With this physique mastered, its combat capabilities were considered average among mid-tier Cataclysm-class monsters. It allowed him to manipulate a purplish-black energy for attacks.
During combat, it could mimic the appearance and abilities of his opponent. However, this mimicry had its limits. If the opponent was a high-tier super ability user, the imitation would only extend to their appearance.
Even for a mid-tier super ability user, if one of their abilities was exceptionally powerful, complete imitation was not possible.
In combat, this ability could be considered somewhat redundant.
But its true marvel lay in its ability to perfectly replicate an opponent's appearance without being easily detected. With this ability, Wen Wen could transform into anyone he wished at any time!
Next, Wen Wen switched his right-hand physique to that of the Dread Hand Demon. With a slight flick of his wrist, all ten fingers on both hands became sharp blades. These blades were exceptionally sharp and could release something akin to sword energy.
However, this was somewhat redundant for Wen Wen, as he could achieve similar effects using a sword. Therefore, this physique would serve only as a backup guise.
Using his two newly acquired physiques, Wen Wen sparred with the giant tadpole, the central administrator of the Cataclysm Zone.
After reclaiming the portion of the containment facility's authority that resided in the Plague Spirit, the central administrators could move freely within their respective floors and exert Cataclysm-class strength.
As for the exact level of this Cataclysm-class strength, Wen Wen had not yet ascertained. Regardless, no matter how Wen Wen attacked, the tadpole handled it with ease.
After fighting the tadpole for a while, Wen Wen stopped, a look of confusion on his face.
"Strange, the combination of the Faceless Demon's physique and the Dread Hand Demon's physique should be stronger than a normal Faceless Demon. Why do I feel that the strength I can currently exert is the same as a Faceless Demon?" Wen Wen muttered to himself, frowning.
"You have encountered a power barrier."
The tadpole spoke politely. Its manner of speaking was peculiar; each individual tadpole within its body emitted a different sound, and these sounds blended together to form the voice Wen Wen heard.
"A power barrier?" Wen Wen asked, confused. He had never heard such a term before.
The tadpole bowed slightly to Wen Wen and then explained, "To put it simply, you've hit a bottleneck, or rather, your limit. Relying solely on powers bestowed by others can only take you to the mid-tier Cataclysm level at most. To advance further, you must rely on your own self-improvement."
"But in my Cataclysm Warden state, I can use Cataclysm-level power."
"That power, however, can only be used within the containment facility. If your own strength reaches the 'True Sequence' level, you can also bring the Cataclysm Warden's power outside the facility."
After listening to the tadpole's words, Wen Wen fell silent, then let out a long sigh.
This meant that if he made no changes, no matter how many monsters he collected, he could at best possess mid-tier Cataclysm-level strength.
His own strength was like a bottle; no matter how much power was outside, it could only fill one bottle's capacity at most.
Wen Wen needed to build a larger container for himself to accommodate more energy. To contain power beyond the mid-tier Cataclysm level, Wen Wen himself needed to advance to the Cataclysm level.
With his physical prowess, coupled with his Ferocity and the Nameless Swordplay, he was capable of contending with, and even defeating, ordinary Disaster-class super ability users.
However, none of those were considered genuine super ability powers. No matter how strong these things were, Wen Wen was not a true super ability user.
To advance to the Cataclysm level and possess power akin to mythical creatures, he had to awaken true super ability powers. But how to acquire true super ability powers was something Wen Wen did not yet know.
"I'll take it one step at a time. Actually, this is not bad either."
Wen Wen's despondency lasted only briefly before he ceased worrying, feeling a sense of relief instead.
If he remained weak himself but continuously mastered powerful abilities, it would ultimately leave significant hidden dangers.
If he truly could not become a super ability user of the Assimilation realm through his own efforts, then it would be fine to let his strength remain at this level.