My Noble Master, This Human Shell is Unworthy of Your Esteemed Identity

Beneath the abyss, Lu Yuan saw the true form of the beast.

When he had looked down from the cave's edge, the beast had seemed the size of a small mountain, but now that he stood before it, he realized it was vaster than a ten-thousand-meter giant peak.

Lu Yuan, standing before it, was smaller than a grain of rice.

The beast's two scarlet eyes were like sun and moon, demonic flames roiling across its body, every inch of it radiating brutality and bloodlust.

"A human?"

"A million years, and finally someone comes?"

The beast spoke human words, but its limbs and head were pinned to the ground by Sky-Piercing Giant Swords, unable to move.

Its sun-and-moon-like eyes burned with madness and chaos. It looked Lu Yuan up and down and began to tempt him:

"Human, break my seal, and I will grant you immortality."

Lu Yuan wore a faint smile and gently shook his head.

"Not enough?"

The beast was not angered. It continued its temptation: "I will grant you eternal wealth and make you the master of an empire."

Lu Yuan shook his head again.

The beast said, "I will grant you peerless martial power, to stand at the pinnacle of the world."

Lu Yuan shook his head and remained silent.

The beast grew somewhat irritated. "Human! You are too greedy. Though I cannot sense your aura, what I offer is already the peak of the mortal world. What do you truly want?"

Only then did Lu Yuan speak softly. "I want you to become my mount, my companion, and fight beside me across heaven and earth."

"Impossible."

The beast refused outright, pride swelling in its voice. "I am a beast born from the Tribulation Qi of the Great Dao. Nothing in this world is nobler than I. It is only fitting for humans to be mounts."

Lu Yuan said calmly, "You overestimate yourself. You are merely a reflection of the true beast Taotie cast across the Cosmic Heavens. It is your honor to become my mount."

"No, impossible. I am Taotie, and Taotie is me."

The beast Taotie grew frantic at Lu Yuan's words.

Lu Yuan said flatly, "If you were the true Taotie, you would not be sealed here. Of course, in a certain sense, you are indeed the true Taotie—just weakened countless times over."

"Hmph! Even if I am not the true Taotie, I am not something a human can enslave or drive. No one in this world can command me, unless you are the First Demon of Chaos."

Taotie quickly accepted that it was not the true Taotie, but remained haughty.

Lu Yuan smiled enigmatically. "The First Demon of Chaos? I am not that, indeed. But I believe I am enough to be your master."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan actively mobilized the three demonic bodies within him.

The Primeval Demonic Body, the Supreme Demonic Heart, the Eternal Demonic Pupils!

In an instant, Lu Yuan's entire body was wreathed in Demonic Qi, his eyes turned violet, his hair went white, and his aura underwent a world-shaking transformation.

At this moment, Lu Yuan was no longer Lu Yuan, but—

The Supreme True Demon!

Lu Yuan extended two fingers. "Now you have two choices: submit, or die."

Taotie stared with its blood-red eyes, each the size of a sun and moon, and was stunned for a long moment before speaking:

"Such primeval Demonic Qi... my noble master, dwelling in this weak human shell is an insult to your exalted status."

Clearly, Taotie did not believe that a being with such pure and noble Demonic Qi could be a human.

But Lu Yuan did not care. He returned to his original form and smiled slightly. "It is of no consequence. This Seat has his own plans. Now I will release your seal. Follow me, and I will take you to the summit of the cosmos."

Taotie lowered its noble head. "Yes, my noble master."

Lu Yuan's lips curled slightly. With a flick of his finger, he pulled out the five Sky-Piercing Giant Swords pinned into its body and stored them away in his Storage Space.

These five giant swords were of no low quality—nearly reaching the grade of Saint Artifacts.

Though Lu Yuan thought little of them, they would make fine rewards for his subordinates.

With the Sky-Piercing Giant Swords gone, Taotie stirred slightly and slowly rose to its feet.

A million years had passed, and Taotie had devoured nothing. Its body was weakened to the extreme.

Noticing this, Lu Yuan tossed out five hundred-thousand-year Saint Herbs and the corpse of a Saint Realm Dragon.

"Eat. Recover quickly."

A flash of joy crossed Taotie's fierce, savage face. "Thank you for the gift, master."

After consuming the Saint Herbs and the dragon corpse, Taotie swiftly returned to its peak.

Its original realm was the peak of the Saint Realm. A million years ago, seeking to break through, it had come to the Tianxiao Continent.

But as soon as it arrived, its power was suppressed to the Peak Emperor Sealing realm, and it encountered a freak—hence its imprisonment.

"Shrink your body a bit, and you can come out with me," Lu Yuan said.

Taotie's body was too large, too conspicuous. Lu Yuan had no desire to be so flashy.

"Yes, master."

In the end, the Taotie shrank to the size of a wild bull. Even so, its body was nearly as large as three domestic cattle, its intimidation still fully intact.

Lu Yuan mounted the Taotie and leisurely walked out of the cave.

Just then.

The Purple-Robed Elder and a group of Martial Sect experts arrived at the scene.

Seeing Lu Yuan riding the Taotie, everyone was dumbfounded.

"Which one is the beast?"

The crowd was bewildered, unable to tell whether Lu Yuan or the Taotie was the legendary ferocious beast.

"Who are you, and why are you in the Martial Sect Forbidden Ground?"

The Purple-Robed Elder remained calm, discerning that Lu Yuan was of the Human Race, but he couldn't guarantee whether the Taotie beneath him was the legendary beast.

Yet a ridiculous suspicion arose in his heart.

"Martial Sect? The legacy left by that one?"

Lu Yuan murmured.

Then, ignoring the crowd, he rode the Taotie forward leisurely.

"For the sake of the Martial Venerable, don't block me. Otherwise, I will kill every last one of you."

The Purple-Robed Elder's face darkened. "Do you know what kind of brutal existence the beast beneath you is? It once nearly destroyed the Tianxiao Continent. Releasing it is like letting a tiger return to the mountains. Whether you've tamed it or it has beguiled you, you're not leaving today."

Lu Yuan's expression was calm, neither joy nor sorrow. He gently patted the Taotie beneath him. "Can't you see? It's very docile."

"That might be an act. Young man, you're still too young. You don't know the dangers of the world, how cunning and despicable ferocious beasts can be. While it's weak, step aside and let me kill it. I'll let you leave this place unharmed."

The Purple-Robed Elder said.

"Ancestor, why waste words with him? He's just a wet-behind-the-ears brat. I think he's been bewitched by this beast. Let's just make a move. If this kid gets in the way, kill him too."

Behind the Purple-Robed Elder, a Martial Sect expert spoke forcefully.

The Purple-Robed Elder raised a hand to stop them and spoke to Lu Yuan again. "Young man, I'll advise you one last time. No matter how docile or kind this beast seems now, it once nearly destroyed the Tianxiao Continent. Its sins cannot be washed away in ten thousand years. If you still block us, you share the same guilt."

"What's wrong with the Ancestor? Why is he stopping us? It's just a brat. Why not kill him and be done with it?"

"Yeah, I don't get it either. The Ancestor is known for being tough. Why is he acting so out of character, being so gentle with this kid?"

Hearing the murmurs behind him, the Purple-Robed Elder smiled bitterly inside.

Didn't he want to kill Lu Yuan and be done with it?

But he couldn't see through Lu Yuan.

And Lu Yuan had entered the Martial Sect Forbidden Ground without any obstruction, released the beast, and the beast was so docile.

Every sign pointed to Lu Yuan being no ordinary person.

Thus, the Purple-Robed Elder dared not act rashly.