The Magical Beast Mountain Range

Based on the memories of the body's original owner, Kolan knew that two great wars had broken out on the Yulan Continent over the past several thousand years.

One was the World Destruction War, which had taken place more than five thousand years ago. Back then, the Yulan Material Plane had five continents, and the Yulan Continent was the northernmost of them. The other four continents were caught up in the war's world-shattering battles. The seas surged and space shattered; even battles fought over the ocean affected those continents. One after another, the four continents broke apart and sank beneath the waves, while countless Deity-level experts fell.

In that battle, Beirut swept aside countless powerful foes, killing who knew how many Deity-level experts and establishing his position as the King of the Forest of Darkness.

Without Beirut, the entire Yulan Continent would probably have been destroyed.

It was also after that World Destruction War that the High Priest became a god and supported the Yulan Empire in unifying the entire continent.

The second war had taken place two hundred years ago, when powerful experts from another plane arrived. Kolan's original body had lived through it.

Just as before, Beirut had killed and imprisoned all those experts from another plane, then established the Necropolis of the Gods.

It could be said that Beirut had tricked these Deity-level experts into their deaths by pretending to be weaker than he was.

After entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Kolan didn't linger in its outer reaches. He headed straight for the central region.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was divided into three regions: the outer, inner, and central regions.

The outer region was generally home to First-, Second-, Third-, and Fourth-Level Magical Beasts. Hunters who preyed on low-level magical beasts did so in the range's outermost reaches. Fifth-Level Magical Beasts rarely appeared there.

The inner region was teeming with Fifth- and Sixth-Level Magical Beasts, and even Seventh-Level Magical Beasts appeared from time to time.

The central region was different. The weakest beasts there were Seventh-Level Magical Beasts; Eighth- and Ninth-Level Magical Beasts were everywhere, and even Saint Realm Magical Beasts could be found. Each Saint Realm Magical Beast had its own territory.

Magical beasts were far stronger than humans of the same level. Even a relatively weak Saint Realm Magical Beast could match a peak human Saint Realm expert.

The outer and inner regions posed no threat to Kolan, so he crossed them and went straight to the central region.

The central region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range was all but untouched by humans. Seventh-, Eighth-, and even Ninth-Level Magical Beasts roamed there, and only Ninth-Level experts dared to cross the range.

This time, Kolan intended to travel through the central region, following the mountain range's central axis southward all the way.

Even an ordinary Ninth-Level expert would hardly dare attempt such a feat.

The environment here is actually well suited to cultivating the Life Law, Kolan thought.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was covered in forests and vegetation, with life flourishing everywhere. It was an ideal place for the Life Law.

Rather than seek out a Ninth-Level Magical Beast to test himself against, Kolan went straight for a Saint Realm Magical Beast.

After all, a Ninth-Level Magical Beast wouldn't put enough pressure on him.

"Rustle..."

Just then, an extremely faint sound came from the distance.

Kolan looked in the direction it came from and saw a python's head emerge.

The enormous head was as big as a house, and its eyes were as eerie and terrifying as red lanterns. Only the head and a dozen meters of its body had emerged from the forest. Seeing the alternating black and yellow patterns along its body, Kolan recognized the species: the Black-Ringed Giant Python.

The Black-Ringed Giant Python was one of the more powerful members of the python race. A mature one was generally a Ninth-Level Magical Beast, comparable to a Hydra. Among pythons, it was renowned as a "war machine."

If a Black-Ringed Giant Python were let loose among an army, it could easily kill a hundred thousand soldiers.

The Black-Ringed Giant Python was a Dark Element magical beast, known for its powerful defense and venomous fangs.

"Looking for death!" A cold glint flashed in Kolan's eyes as he realized the Black-Ringed Giant Python had mistaken him for prey.

"Whoosh!" A fierce gust roared as the Black-Ringed Giant Python swung its entire body at him.

Kolan drew his greatsword, and space trembled.

With one strike, he cleaved through the Black-Ringed Giant Python's defenses and chopped off its head.

He cut out its Magic Beast Core and stored it in his Space Ring.

To a Saint Realm expert, wealth was like a passing cloud.

But when traveling the world, it was still useful to have money. Sometimes, it was necessary.

A Ninth-Level Magical Beast Core was worth around five million gold coins.

A Saint Realm expert could easily kill Ninth-Level Magical Beasts. A single trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, the Sunset Mountain Range, or the Forest of Darkness could easily yield ten Ninth-Level Magical Beast Cores, worth fifty million gold coins.

Saint Realm Magical Beast Cores were worth far more. They were priceless treasures.

That was why Saint Realm experts never lacked money.

If a Saint Realm expert wanted to establish a kingdom, it would be quite easy.

Kolan then lit a fire, prepared the Black-Ringed Giant Python's carcass, and began roasting its meat.

A Ninth-Level Magical Beast was valuable from head to toe. If sold at auction, the carcass alone would probably fetch over a million gold coins.

But to Kolan, it was a delicious meal.

Saint Realm experts could go without food or drink, but Kolan still thought eating and drinking were worth doing. They were pleasures in their own right; good food and wine shouldn't go to waste.

Once the meat was cooked, Kolan took out a jug of wine and enjoyed it alongside the python meat.

After being strengthened by fusing his magical power and Battle Qi, his body had become incredibly powerful, and his appetite had grown just as formidable.

Kolan ate the enormous Black-Ringed Giant Python's meat all by himself, leaving not a scrap.

Then he continued on his way.

At last, Kolan came across a Saint Realm Magical Beast.

It was a golden-haired giant ape, nearly twenty or thirty meters tall—about as high as an eight-story building. Its eyes were like two enormous purple wheels, and the force swirling faintly around its body made the air tremble.

The Saint Realm Magical Beast, the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape!

"Human, this is my territory. Humans aren't welcome here. Leave now!" The Purple-Eyed Golden Ape spoke.

Saint Realm Magical Beasts were highly intelligent, no less so than humans, and could even speak.

"I'm Kolan. I've come to train in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and I'd like to spar with you." Excitement flickered in Kolan's eyes.

The Purple-Eyed Golden Ape would make a fine opponent!

It was a magical beast with both strength and agility, making it an ideal sparring partner.

"Human, you're no match for the great Heru. If I kill you, you'll have only yourself to blame!" roared the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape, feeling as if its dignity had been challenged.

This human wasn't challenging some other Saint Realm Magical Beast—he was challenging Heru. Did he think Heru was weak, an easy target?

The Purple-Eyed Golden Ape threw back its head and roared, then swung its massive palm at Kolan.

It meant to crush Kolan with a single blow, smashing his body into a pulp. It would defend its dignity with Kolan's life.