A steep, Sky-Supporting Peak rose into the heavens, with a silver palace on its mountain top. Three large characters—"Star River Palace"—were written on the plaque.
Wang Ruyan sat at the entrance of Star River Palace, with the Demon Suppression Zither placed before her as she played with complete focus.
Wave after wave of urgent zither music rang out from Star River Palace. On an open plain ten thousand miles away, two enormous Golden Toad Beasts were attacking each other. Upon closer inspection, one of the Golden Toad Beasts' eyes had turned blood-red.
"Wake up! Don't mistake me for an enemy."
One of the enormous Golden Toad Beasts spoke human words, its tone filled with anxiety.
The smaller Golden Toad Beast remained unmoved and continued attacking its companion.
A huge toad claw materialized out of thin air and slapped toward the Golden Toad Beast.
It hurriedly opened its bloody maw, sending a golden, lengthy tongue shooting out to shatter the toad claw.
A dark, murky sound wave swept over, passing through the Golden Toad Beast's body. The Golden Toad Beast let out a shriek, and its body convulsed.
The zither music grew even more urgent. More than a dozen dark, murky sound waves shot over, and wherever they passed, the ground exploded as countless cracks appeared in the void.
The dozen or so black sound waves passed through the Golden Toad Beasts' bodies. Their bodies convulsed before they lost all signs of life, their internal organs completely shattered.
The two miniature toads had only just flown out of their bodies when they were enveloped by Azure Rosy Cloud and swept into a Azure Jade Bottle, vanishing without a trace.
The zither music stopped. Three beams of escape light flew over from two hundred thousand miles away and landed on the ground.