Lei Lan and the others glanced at one another before quickly following suit.
From a distance, one could see streaks of spiritual light flashing through the air, but those streaks of light quickly disappeared into the darkness.
...
A rhinoceros-like demon beast that was over 100 feet tall crashed heavily to the ground amid a resounding boom, causing the nearby ground to tremor with its enormous weight.
Brilliant red light flashed, and several tens of red threads shot forth from within the rhinoceros' body before disappearing into the body of a humanoid figure in the air that was radiating red light. There were a few other winged humanoid figures hovering in the air, and one of them said in a loud voice, "Senior Martial Brother Zhu, your Crystal Flame Threads are becoming more and more powerful. This mid-grade Black Rhinoceros' skin is harder than that of even some high-grade demon beasts, yet you were still able to slay it with such ease. Surely even Fei Ye of the Nan Long Race doesn't possess such abilities."
The one who had attacked the demon beast was none other than Zhu Yinzi of the Chi Rong Race. The other people with him were naturally the other holy disciples of the same race.
The place that they were situated in was a round base with a radius of thousands of kilometers. They were surrounded by dense black forests, yet there was a patch of barren land stretching for over 50 kilometers at the center of the basin, and this entire stretch of land was covered in grey head-sized oval stones.
At the very center of this stretch of land was a black hole that was over 1,000 feet in size, leading deeper into the ground.
The Chi Rong beings were situated near this hole, and that Black Rhinoceros had clearly emerged from the forest nearby before being slain by Zhu Yinzi.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhu Yinzi said, "Hmph, stop trying to suck up to me. We've waited here at this entrance for three or four days already, but we've only killed the holy disciples of another minor branch; the Tian Peng Race holy disciples still haven't turned up yet. It looks like they've either gone to one of the two other entrances or are still toiling away on the second level. Most of the other holy disciples have most likely entered the third level already. We have to kill these Tian Peng beings, but we can't give up on the Infernal Flame Fruits, either. How about this? Chi Tian, Hong Sha, you two follow me down to the third level; everyone else, continue to stand guard here. I'll bring back your Infernal Flame Fruits for you."
"Senior Martial Brother Zhu, the holy disciple with the Han surname from the Tian Peng Race seems to be quite powerful. Will we be sufficiently equipped to bring them down if we split up?" Chi Tian asked with a concerned expression.
Zhu Yinzi seemed to have considered this already, and he immediately assured, "Hehe, don't worry about that. Junior Martial Brother You's cultivation base isn't inferior to mine by much, and I'll leave our race's Falling Soul Bell with him. This bell attacks in a completely soundless and untraceable manner, and even Great Spirit Generals will be forced into submission if they were to be caught off guard. With Junior Martial Brother You unleashing sneak attacks from the shadows, there's no way anything can go wrong."
He then opened his mouth to expel a ball of green light, within which was contained an antiquated little bell that was around an inch tall.
He pointed a finger at the bell, and it abruptly disappeared, only to reappear above the head of a burly Chi Rong being in the next instant.
"Thank you for entrusting me with this treasure, Senior Martial Brother. I'll be sure to complete my assigned duty!" The man with the You surname caught the bell expressionlessly, and his voice was oddly sharp, akin to the sound of metal grating on metal.
Even though he was a man of few words, Zhu Yinzi seemed to be extremely confident in his abilities. As such, after a brisk nod, Zhu Yinzi waved a hand before entering the black hole with Chi Tian and Hong Sha closely behind him.
"Listen up! From now on, all of you have to conceal yourselves so you don't betray any signs of our presence here. I'll set up a concealment formation and hide in there. Once our targets arrive, I'll use the Falling Soul Bell to unleash a sneak attack against them. You can all show yourselves after that," the burly man instructed.
The man was clearly quite an authoritative figure among the Chi Rong Race holy disciples, and none of them stated any objections as they made hand seals or summoned their concealment treasures.
Everyone else disappeared in the blink of an eye while the burly man flew into the black hole. Thus, peace and quiet resumed, and it really was as if no one was present in the area.
Elsewhere on the second level, deep within a dense forest filled with massive dark green trees, there was a massive black and yellow pillar that was visible even from 50 kilometers away, standing atop a tall hill.
Upon closer inspection, one would discover that this so-called giant pillar was actually a massive plant with a diameter of around 500 meters. It was as if it had been constructed from countless vines twisted and intertwined together before extending all the way up into the sky.
There was not even a single blade of grass growing within a radius of several tens of kilometers around this plant, as if it were situated in a barren desert.
At this moment, there was a series of explosions erupting amid flashes of spiritual light of different colors at the foot of the plant.
There were Flying Spirit Race beings here, and they had been trapped at low altitudes nearby by tens of thousands of golden moths.
There were two groups of Flying Spirit Race beings here. One of them had a dozen or so members in each group, consisting of both male and female beings. However, all of them had black tattoos on their faces. Meanwhile, the other group consisted of only four members, but all four were remarkably tall and broad men with a massive blade strapped to each of their backs.
The fist-sized moths flying around them were all of a shimmering golden hue. None of them approached the Flying Spirit Race beings; they merely flapped their wings from afar to send waves of rainbow moth powder sweeping toward them, cutting off all avenues for escape.
The moth powder appeared to be quite mundane, but the two groups of Flying Spirit Race beings didn't dare to let so much as a single speck of powder come into contact with their bodies. All of them were unleashing secret techniques and treasures in rapid succession to protect themselves.
Chapter 1451: Small Beast and Ice Fiend
Of the Flying Spirit Tribe beings, only two stood still in the air and showed no intention of attacking.
One of them was short and skinny, the Sevenpass Race’s Ao Qing. The other was a large dual-pupiled man. They both appeared quite indifferent and tightly frowned.
Seeing the rainbow moth dust that surrounded the area and that their attacks were unable to affect it, the tall man slowly said, “Fellow Daoist Ao, this is the first time a demon insect like the Gold Abyss Moth appeared on the Myriad Vine Path. The insect should only exist on the fourth level of the earth abyss. There is something different about the earth abyss, causing these deeper level demons to appear here.”
Ao Qing coldly replied, “I already knew that. Since mid-grade demons can be encountered on the first level. It isn’t much of a surprise to find Gold Abyss Moths here. Those old b*stards in the clan should be behind this, not us. But if you’re still following me after we reach the third level, don’t blame me if I cut you down.”
The tall dual-pupiled man’s gaze drifted off as he sullenly said, “Lady Ao is so heartless, but you’ve taken my heart nonetheless. I’ve already proposed marriage to your clan three times, but each time, you refused. Would the marriage solidify our clans’ strength? And from the rumors, you seem to only wish to wed the strongest holy disciple of the races.
Could it be I still don’t meet your standards?”
He was the Nan Long’s Fei Ye, a character as famous as Zhu Yinzi and Ao Qing.
Ao Qing smirked, “That’s right. The Sevenpass Race’s holy disciples may only marry the strongest individua
ls of other branches. Others may not know about your skills, but I do. Your meager strength isn’t enough for me to consider you. I may as well extinguish your vain hopes.”
Glaring at Ao Qing, Fei Ye said, “I know that Fellow Daoist Ao’s abilities are powerful, but I don’t believe the difference is so vast. I also don’t believe there are others more suitable than me.
If I am not considered, you must think of the others to be lesser as well. Or perhaps you fancy that Chi Rong youth named Zhu. In that case, I will find him and kill him.”
“Zhu Yinzi? Hmph, he is suitable. If you feel dissatisfied, go and find him. However, I’ve also found someone else interesting during the gathering. Although I hadn’t personally witnessed his power, I feel like his abilities are no lesser than mine.”
“Which branch is he from? Tell me! I will go to this person. If his abilities are greater than mine, I’ll leave you alone. But if he isn’t, hehe...” Fei Ye’s expression quickly became sinister.
The two spoke as if none of the other holy disciples were present, and they viewed the Gold Abyss Moths’ attacks lightly.
With the surrounding moth dust suppressing them, the other holy disciples began to use their various abilities to protect themselves and slowly withdraw inch by inch. It appeared as if they wouldn’t last much longer.
Ao Qing’s expression stirred and she nodded, “It’s fine if you want to test his abilities. That Tian Peng holy disciple seemed to be surnamed Han and his face is unfamiliar. I don’t know much else about him.”
Amazed, Fei Ye said, “The Tian Peng holy disciple? How could the holy disciple of that puny branch be so powerful?”
“That is hard to say,” Ao Qing indifferently explained, “The Tian Peng are incredibly weak, but it's still possible for a genius to appear in their ranks. Don’t forget that I’ve cultivated the most profound technique of the Sevenpass Race, the Seven Apertures Analysis Arts. Its efficacy isn’t something the other tribe branches can hope to achieve.
Although I only looked at him from a distance, he gave me an unfathomable impression. If you truly pick a fight with him, try not to throw away your life.”
Fei Ye forcefully said, “That’s fine. But if you’re mistaken, I’ll be heading over to your clan when the trial is over and I’ll ask again to wed you. Don’t forget, your rite of transformation is only a few more years. This time, you won’t have the opportunity to refuse me.”
Ao Qing raised her head and snorted, “You actually know quite a bit. That’s right, in three years I won’t be able to delay my coming of age ceremony any further and my clan hasn’t been able to find anyone in the same generation that is stronger than you. When we return, I will agree to your marriage proposal.”
Fei Ye wildly laughed and sneered, saying, “Then it's agreed. If I do encounter that Han fellow on the third floor, it’d be for the best, but if I can’t, I’ll challenge him after we return. Since you have your sights on him, he shouldn’t fail the trial.”
“Do as you wish,” Ao Qing glanced around and indifferently said, “These insects are somewhat irritating. Will you get rid of them or will I?”
“Hehe, leave it to me. It’s only a slight effort!” the large man smiled and suddenly pressed his hand against the back of the sword. Suddenly, the sword hummed and surged to the sky, turning into a mass of dense golden light as it circled in the air.
Meanwhile, Fei Ye leaped forward, turning into a strange bird with a wyrm head and a whale tail.
He unfolded his wings and shot straight up. In several blurs, the large bird arrived at the mass of golden light and fused as one.
When the surrounding moths saw him emerge from their defenses, they let out cries as they directly swarmed towards him.
But before they drew close, countless clouds of dust rushed to the golden light ahead of them.
A deafening boom suddenly vibrated the air. Soon, the golden light surged several times in size and streaked downward in an expanding violent storm.
Layers and layers of incredibly dense dust were scorched away by the golden lightning, piercing through the dust clouds.
As for the large numbers of golden moths hiding behind the dust, they quickly perished as the light passed them by.
In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the moths had died.
The Gold Abyss Moths shrieked as they were massacred and their remaining numbers scattered in every direction.
When Ao Qing saw this, her expression sank and she muttered an incantation, summoning a huge black phantom behind her.
The phantom was blurry but it faintly resembled seven distinct heads, those from animals like apes and leopards, but each and every one of them appeared menacing.
With an incantation gesture, Ao Qing commanded the seven heads to slowly open their crimson eyes and widely opened their mouths.
A cloud of green mist violently streamed out of each of them, quickly spreading out to their farthest surroundings in the blink of an eye.
As the green clouds passed the moths by, they immediately ruptured in green flashes, leaving only a bloodmist behind.
Now, the Gold Abyss Moths were only a tenth of their number.
At that moment, the golden light in the air withdrew to reveal Fei Ye carrying a huge sword on his back.
He looked at Ao Qing’s seven head phantoms with a trace of adoration on his face.
...
A nimble black figure flickered. Several crystalline black demons were torn to countless peaches in a wave of white clawstreaks, which promptly scattered them into black Qi.
The nimble figure cleanly absorbed the black Qi drifting in the air and promptly circled in the air before returning to Han Li. A kitten-like creature soon appeared on his shoulder, the Leopard Kirin Beast.
A beautiful woman, the Green Night Race’s Qin Xiao, clicked her tongue in marvel as she watched from the side. She said, “I truly didn’t expect Brother Han’s spirit beast to deal with these ice fiends so efficiently. It acted before I could even sense they were there. Might I know the name of your spirit beast? This is the first time I’ve seen it.”
Lei Lan and Bai Bi looked at the Leopard Kirin Beast with equal surprise.
Han Li stroked the small beast’s soft head and smiled, “I’m not sure of its name myself. I came across this spirit beast on the outside. I didn’t expect to be so fond of absorbing the ice fiend’s Qi.”
Not long after they entered the ice fiend area, the small beast sleeping with the Weeping Soul Beast in his pouch woke up and contacted Han Li through their spiritual sense connection.
Surprised to see that the beast wanted to quickly be let out, Han Li didn’t dare to neglect it as it was incredibly capable in spite of its young age. Before any enemies appeared nearby, the beast quickly emerged from the ring.
Not long after it appeared, Han Li and the others were given a shock.
As soon as it emerged, it was not only actively awake, but it keenly sensed the ice fiends before they could fuse with the glaciers and before Han Li could sense them. The Leopard Kirin Beast promptly pounced with claws bared, slicing them into countless pieces and absorbing their remnant baleful Qi into its stomach with great joy.
Although the ice fiends didn’t pose a threat to them, the fiends were skilled at concealment. If they suddenly ambushed the party while they were least expecting it, it would prove incredibly troubling.
To prevent this, the Leopard Kirin Beast would simply scuttle away and let out a strange roar to the ice below, frightening away any ice fiends hiding in the deep ice sheet below.
Han Li wasn’t only surprised by this, but the others also grew interested in the beast.
As such, the party continued on their way with the Leopard Kirin devouring over a thousand ice fiends. The beast’s patterned yellow fur began to faintly shine with white light.
The beast’s cultivation appeared to greatly progress.
As Han Li turned a blind eye to the beast’s actions, he couldn't help but ponder to himself with c
hin in hand.
Chapter 1452: Demon King Ice Fiend
Because the Leopard Kirin Beast only had the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator when he first tamed it, Han Li rarely sent it out against enemies. But after he gave it an unending supply of rare medicine pills, its cultivation made huge bounds and it now had the strength of a demon beast at the peak of grade ten. With another step, it would breakthrough and become a Deity Transformation-grade existence.
According to conventional reasoning, most grade eight demons would be subjected to lightning tribulation, gaining human form and full sentience.
However, a few variant spirit beasts and beasts of peculiar bloodlines are an exception to this rule. There were a few that underwent tribulation at a different rank, or those that didn’t transform during their entire lifetime. But when these exceptions did acquire a transformation, their wisdom and abilities would far exceed those from beasts of similar grade, to the point where they would outright exterminate them.
The Leopard Kirin Beast was originally a strange beast that inherited the Kirin bloodline. Only the heavens knew if this was the opportunity it needed for a change or if a later opportunity would come.
But now it appeared, the ice fiend Qi gave the beast the chance to breakthrough the bottleneck to Deity Transformation-stage.
Han Li could only wryly laugh in his mind when he quickly realized what the beast was facing.
If the beast were to breakthrough any other time, it would be well received, but they were currently in the earth abyss. If the beast advanced during this period, it could provoke trouble. Lei Lan and the others didn’t know the circumstances of the Leopard Kirin Beast, but the increasingly dazzling white light shining from its body and its growing aura amazed the party nonetheless.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 815