The Utterly Base Black Donkey

The voice was hoarse, like an old duck's strange cry, as the black shadow shot up four or five meters into the air, then came crashing down with a heavy thud, landing solidly.

Zhou Heng and Han Yulian both fixed their gazes on that black shadow, their faces filled with extreme astonishment.

"Two brats not even fully grown, daring to stare so rudely at This Seat—courting death!" The black shadow climbed to its feet, then stretched its limbs. "Let This Seat loosen up a bit first; haven't moved in a few hundred years!"

Zhou Heng and the other stood like fossils, numbly staring at the black shadow before them.

They had even seen living skeletons, so in theory nothing in the world should be able to frighten them anymore. But this black shadow... it wasn't human, it was a donkey, pitch-black all over without a single strand of off-colored fur.

Demonic beasts could cultivate and possessed considerable intelligence, but no one had ever heard of one being able to speak!

A beast was, after all, just a beast!

Yet this black donkey before them had opened its mouth and spoken, and in a tone that was old and seasoned.

"What's with the looks like you've seen a ghost? Could it be that after sleeping for a few thousand or tens of thousands of years, I've gotten even more handsome?" The black donkey struck a vain pose. "Hey, you two, why aren't you prostrating yourselves in worship before This Seat? This Seat will reluctantly accept you as my mounts!"

Zhou Heng's face darkened. Being told by a donkey that it would take him as a mount—how could that sit well with anyone?

"Brat, what are you glaring at? With your pitifully weak strength, This Seat could crush ten thousand of you with one finger. Taking you as a mount is a blessing you cultivated for in your past life!" The black donkey said grandly, plopping its rear onto the ground, propping one front leg against its mouth in a haughty pose.

They had actually run into a donkey that knew how to put on airs!

With a clang, Zhou Heng drew his long sword, twirled it into a flourish, and said, "I'm hungry anyway. Perfect time to have some donkey meat to fill my stomach!"

Judging from the aura this donkey gave off, it was only at the Tenth Layer of Body Refining, not much stronger than Han Yulian. And since he had now reached the Ninth Layer of Body Refining, though a full major realm behind, the Heaven-Soaring Nine Styles were enough to make up the difference.

"Brat with no hair grown yet, daring to think of eating your Donkey Lord? I'll spit in your face!" The black donkey flew into a rage, leaped up, and swung a front hoof at Zhou Heng.

Whoosh!

The wind howled; this kick was incredibly fast.

Zhou Heng twisted his body, activating Flying Cloud Steps, narrowly dodging the strike. He thrust his sword back, aiming for the black donkey's big mouth—that foul mouth of his.

"Watch This Seat's Three Kicking Styles!" The black donkey reared up on its hind legs, and with a series of rapid kicks, it moved even faster than a demonic beast of the same rank, appearing behind Zhou Heng's head and slamming a hoof down.

Zhou Heng pivoted on his foot, dodging by a hair's breadth, shock surging in his heart.

Ever since he had cultivated the Heaven-Soaring Nine Styles, it was as if he had grasped the overarching momentum of all martial techniques under heaven. He could deduce an opponent's next attack path from the slightest movement—even an old hand at the Blood Refining Realm like Zhou Xianming was no exception!

But this black donkey's attacks completely transcended that scope, truly like a heavenly steed soaring across the sky or an antelope hanging its horns—unpredictable, leaving him unable to judge. Thus, he could only rely on Flying Cloud Steps to adapt on the fly.

This was the first time he had lost control of a battle situation.

"Watch This Seat's kick, kick, kick!" The black donkey shouted noisily. "Brat, you're no match for This Seat at all. Hurry up and kneel in surrender, or This Seat will kick your ass to pieces!"

"Before This Seat, you don't stand a single chance!"

"This Seat sees your talent as passable and will reluctantly take you as a disciple!"

"Pale-faced disciple, why don't you kneel before This Seat and loudly call me master!"

This black donkey was a complete lunatic, making Zhou Heng and Han Yulian almost wonder if someone was wearing a donkey skin as a disguise. The initial shock was completely offset by the donkey's shamelessness; listening to its foul mouth, they only wished they could stuff its mouth shut.

"Brat, hurry up and take me as your master, and This Seat will pass down peerless divine skills!" The black donkey tucked both front legs behind its back, walking upright on its hind legs with a footwork that was truly quite mystical, repeatedly evading Zhou Heng's sword thrusts.

Zhou Heng's gaze sharpened. His figure suddenly halted, and a terrifying sword intent spread out as he began to channel the First Form of Heaven-Soaring.

"Damn, what kind of sword technique is this, actually making This Seat feel a bit of fear?" The black donkey dropped its front legs. "This Seat isn't playing with you anymore!"

Swoosh, it bolted away on all four hooves at an absurd speed, vanishing in an instant.

Zhou Heng stared dumbfounded. Though he was skilled in movement techniques, Flying Cloud Steps only had the form without the corresponding cultivation method; his speed wasn't much faster than an ordinary Ninth Layer of Body Refining martial artist. He could only watch helplessly as the black donkey disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"This place... is too strange!" Han Yulian said with a trembling voice. The series of events before her had completely exceeded her limits.

Strange indeed!

A corpse that came back to life, a donkey that could talk!

Zhou Heng walked over to where the stone stele had stood, now only a massive pit. He leaned in to look, but it was pitch-black—he couldn't see a thing! He picked up a stone and tossed it down, but no sound of it hitting bottom came back for a long time. The depth was unfathomable!

How had that black donkey climbed out?

Boom!

A powerful, heart-stopping aura erupted from the underground hole. Zhou Heng involuntarily stumbled backward, retreating dozens of meters before stopping.

"It looks like we've caused trouble!" Zhou Heng scratched his head. He was now fairly certain that the original stone stele had been sealing this hole.

"It was you, not me!" Han Yulian's mood, stirred up by the black donkey, had lost some of its fear, and she could even joke with Zhou Heng.

That was true; it was indeed his fault alone.

Zhou Heng walked over to the edge of the stone stele and tried to gauge its weight. As he lifted it, he felt a heavy strain, barely raising it an inch.

"My strength is nearly ten thousand jin now, so this stone stele must weigh even more than that!" Zhou Heng thought to himself, but he still dragged the stele toward the hole, drenched in sweat by the time he reached the edge.

Hum!

The Blood-Colored Stone Stele trembled, then stood upright on its own, shooting toward the hole with a whoosh.

Zhou Heng quickly activated Flying Cloud Steps, darting aside in a blur. Whoosh, the stele grazed past the edge of his body, nearly hitting him!

That stone stele weighed a full ten thousand jin, and with the speed it had just now, if it had struck him, it would have shattered every bone in his body in an instant!

Only then did he feel a wave of fear, cold sweat streaming down his back.

"What is this place?" Han Yulian said, trembling.

Everything was eerie! If they could ask that donkey, they might get answers—unfortunately, that donkey ran far too fast!

The Heaven-Leveling Mountain Range held more than just this one strange location. The human silhouette reflected from the bottom of the Cold Pool of the Absolute Valley was equally bizarre.

This place seemed to seal away something terrifying. He was far from having the strength to investigate it now. Better not to touch it. Hopefully, it wasn't that donkey, Zhou Heng thought to himself, or else he'd truly have caused a catastrophe.

The two turned back, threading through the winding, twisting pass. Before them once again appeared the hazy mist, and faintly, they could hear strange howls.

"...You're gonna kill your Donkey Master!"

"Is anyone here? Get your Donkey Master out of here!"

"Donkey Master still has to catch the saintess of East Spirit Immortal Pool to be his maidservant—can't die here!"

The wailing grew louder, and soon a black shadow burst out of the mist. Wasn't it that foul-mouthed black donkey?

Seeing Zhou Heng and the other, the black donkey immediately started braying loudly and charged toward them, shouting, "So you're still alive! Your Donkey Master missed you to death!"

As it drew close, the black donkey suddenly spun around. Swish, swish—its two hind legs kicked out, aiming straight at Zhou Heng.

"I knew you were up to no good!" Zhou Heng was already prepared. With Flying Cloud Steps, he shifted his body, dodging the donkey's kick, and swung his sword in an arc, stabbing at the donkey's rear.

"A snot-nosed brat, trying to make your Donkey Master's ass bloom?" The black donkey leaped upright, barely dodging the strike, then thrust its big, black rump backward. "If you've got the skill, hit your Donkey Master! This Seat will gift you a face full of gold!"

Faced with this thuggish black donkey, Zhou Heng felt like vomiting blood. It completely overshadowed the shock of hearing a donkey talk.

First Form of Heaven-Soaring!

"Again!" The black donkey was quick to react. Its front hooves hit the ground, and it dashed over twenty meters away, out of the range of Zhou Heng's sword intent. "Good thing your Donkey Master is well-traveled, or else getting stabbed by some brat would ruin a lifetime of fame!"

"Brat, come chase your Donkey Master!" The donkey stood upright again, wiggling its rear while slapping it with its front hooves—so utterly shameless it defied description.

Zhou Heng sheathed his sword and stood still, a smile forming on his face. "I can get out of here!"

The black donkey froze as if turned to ice, but in the next instant, it shot over to Zhou Heng. "Kid, take This Seat out, and if This Seat is happy, I might casually teach you a few moves. I guarantee you'll become the number one expert under heaven!"

Zhou Heng laughed heartily but shook his head. "Tell me your origins first, and then I'll consider it!"

"What? You snot-nosed brat dares to threaten This Seat?" The black donkey flew into a rage. Its front hooves hit the ground, and swish—its hind legs kicked at Zhou Heng again.

"Damn black donkey, truly despicable and shameless!" Zhou Heng hurriedly dodged, barely avoiding a hit to his chest. He slashed his sword back, forcing the donkey to retreat.

"Wrong! This Seat is kindly teaching you!" The black donkey was thick-skinned beyond measure, speaking without a shred of shame.

Faced with a donkey that wore shamelessness like a badge of honor, Zhou Heng was left speechless. He simply swung his sword with even greater ferocity.

"Stop! Stop!" the black donkey yelled. "This Seat has no time to bicker with you!"

Zhou Heng knew he couldn't do anything to this quick-witted donkey, so he stopped his attack. But the black donkey, treacherous as ever, took the chance to kick him again.

"You wretched beast!"