A Master of Deception

Vast snow swirled through the air, and the bitter wind cut to the bone. Xiang Tian trudged onward with one foot sinking deep and the other shallow.

This godforsaken place was supposed to be a haunt of the Beast Race, yet he could not see even the shadow of a single beast. On top of that, his Companion Bracelet had lost all its power. How was a Deity Transformation Realm cultivator like him supposed to obtain Hun Tian Tu? By swindling and trickery?

The surroundings grew ever colder. Xiang Tian could only take out his coat and put it on. From afar, he looked like a great black bear slowly lumbering along. In a place like this, no realm of cultivation could make up for the temperature.

Xiang Tian suddenly remembered that he seemed to have something on him related to the Divine Beast Clan.

At once, he took out the Dragon Bone covered in bite marks. He had bought it in the Upper Realm before, intending to let Little Huang use it to grind her teeth, but he had never expected it to come in handy now.

He crushed the Dragon Bone into powder, casually sprinkled some over his trousers, then made a sachet, poured the rest inside, and hung it from his waist.

The Beast Race generally lacked intelligence and was crude and reckless. Besides, the Dragon Clan was part of the Divine Beast Clan and was scarce in number, so Xiang Tian was not afraid of being exposed while impersonating one of them.

There were permanent residents on the Snowfield, though they were all spirit beasts that had taken human form. After all, the most perfect form acknowledged beneath heaven was that of humans.

Sure enough, Xiang Tian was not disappointed. Before he had gone very far, he spotted a small town. It was not large and looked somewhat desolate, without a single person in sight.

The buildings appeared frozen over, crystal-clear and gleaming. Xiang Tian walked down the streets, where the ground was covered in solid ice, and he had slipped and skidded all the way here.

There was a small tavern ahead, and he could vaguely make out a few figures inside. Xiang Tian hurried over.

While still some distance away, Xiang Tian heard the clamor within. The sounds of drinking and finger-guessing games rang out without pause.

"Ahem!"

Even when Xiang Tian reached the entrance, he did not attract anyone's attention. Most of the people inside were drunkards, their faces flushed red with alcohol.

Only when they heard someone cough did a few turn their heads. They were heavily intoxicated, and the wine jugs in their hands clinked and rattled.

They looked no different from ordinary people, except the vicious aura around them was too heavy and their faces were fierce. That had something to do with their innate true forms. Their original appearances were simply too ugly; even after taking human form, unless their realms were truly high, most still looked crooked and misshapen.

"Yo, a human?"

A drunkard spoke, sounding somewhat surprised. It was no wonder he thought so. In a place like theirs, they truly could not find anyone capable of transforming as perfectly as Xiang Tian.

"Well, isn't this rare? There's actually a human here. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Why aren't you staying in those human places of yours? What did you come here for? To fill the gaps between our teeth?"

Another person spoke, baring his white fangs in a savage grin at Xiang Tian.

Xiang Tian merely watched them expressionlessly.

At last, several people who were relatively sober frowned and began sizing Xiang Tian up from head to toe.

The moment they released their divine sense and sensed him slightly, they slipped straight off their chairs with a whoosh, their faces turning deathly pale.

"D-Dragon... Dragon Clan."

Two of them could barely speak. They trembled from head to toe, their eyes filled with terror.

What?

The Dragon Clan?

Those drunkards sobered instantly. With a jolt, they cautiously released their divine sense as well, then were so frightened that they dropped straight to their knees.

Xiang Tian remained outwardly calm, but inside, he was already scared stiff. Fortunately, his luck was good enough that he had really run into a few idiots.

"You people live quite comfortably, drinking here."

Xiang Tian's words left them completely baffled, unable to understand what he meant.

"M-My lord, to be honest, our Eastern Ice Domain is simply too remote, and the weather is too cold. We drink only to keep warm."

One of them hunched his neck and forced himself to speak.

Eastern Ice Domain?

Xiang Tian did not understand the Snowfield. In truth, he did not know what the situation here was, much less which Divine Beast Clan controlled this region.

Xiang Tian pondered for a moment, then nodded. "This place is indeed remote. I merely encountered a spatial storm while roaming through the void and was transported here. Fortunately, my luck was decent, and I was not sent to those humans' territory."

Those people did not doubt Xiang Tian's words much. The Dragon Clan was born capable of traveling through the void, so such an explanation was reasonable.

"Let me ask you: which divine lineage governs this place?"

To the Beast Race, the word "beast" itself was a taboo. They did not like others calling them demon beasts, because they believed their status was not something those lowly demon beasts incapable of taking human form could compare to.

Xiang Tian knew this, which was why he asked in that manner.

"In reply to my lord, it is the Ancient Demon Ape lineage."

Xiang Tian was overjoyed. It was actually this Divine Beast Clan. It seemed Immortal King Guang Hao had put some thought into it when choosing this location for him.

Although the Ancient Demon Ape lineage possessed explosive combat strength and had evolved bodies packed with muscle, their brains did not seem to have evolved along with them.

Their ancestor, Battle Demon Ape Kong Wu, had once been a formidable figure capable of facing one of the Three Great Sects head-on. His combat ability was self-evident. Rumor had it that he was exceptionally sharp-witted, and through his own strength alone, he had elevated his descendants' bloodline to the status of divine beasts. Back then, even the Dragon Clan had howled in agony after being hammered by him.

Unfortunately, ever since Kong Wu ascended to the Upper Realm, this race's intelligence seemed to have declined generation after generation. It was truly rather lamentable.

If it was this clan, things would be much easier. Xiang Tian secretly let out a breath of relief.

Xiang Tian said meaningfully, "So it's them. No wonder. Why have I not heard much news about them lately?"

Those people looked at one another, then finally turned their gazes toward the man who had spoken earlier.

With no other choice, that fellow could only continue speaking. "Recently, an important figure in their clan suffered qi deviation while cultivating and needs some treasures to calm the mind. Their people have already scattered to search for such treasures!"

Xiang Tian:!

Damn it, Immortal King Guang Hao had done this on purpose, hadn't he? No wonder he said he had a way to obtain Hun Tian Tu, then tossed him here without another word. As expected, people at the Immortal King level were all shrewd beyond measure!

A treasure that calmed the mind? My Vajra Sarira will definitely work!

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Xiang Tian looked at the man who had answered.

"Where has their clan settled? Tell me."

That fellow pointed in one direction. "On Tianqi Mountain in that direction."

Xiang Tian said nothing more. He turned and left.

Inside the tavern, the group stared at one another for a long while before all breathing sighs of relief. Was that what an important figure was like? Sure enough, he did not waste a single word!

Tianqi Mountain was said to be the sacred mountain that had nurtured Kong Wu. Among the entire Beast Race, it could be considered a holy land.

After a long journey, Xiang Tian finally arrived at the foot of the mountain.

However, the sight before him surprised him somewhat.

Green mountains, clear waters, beasts roaming and birds soaring.

Was this really a scene upon the Snowfield?