"Huh?"
"That place is..."
Xiao Ze, standing nearby, stared at the shocking sight as if he had noticed something.
He immediately took a jade box from his Storage Ring.
Opening it, he revealed a piece of Ancient Beast Skin, its surface shimmering with an unusual light. It was a Sixth-Rank Magical Beast's hide.
After comparing it with the scene for a while,
excitement gradually appeared on his face.
"That's it!"
He realized that the place where the strange phenomenon was now erupting looked strikingly similar to the map recorded on the Ancient Beast Skin in his hand. Clearly, it was the Dou Zong Ruins marked on the hide.
"But it's only a set of Dou Zong Ruins. Is there really any need for such a spectacle?" Though he now understood the source of the phenomenon, Xiao Ze was still a little doubtful.
"Perhaps the ancient Dou Zong experts were different from the Dou Zong of today." That was what he thought.
Gazing at the phenomenon in the distance, he had an idea. Turning to Yun Yun beside him, he asked, "Sect Master Yun, would you care to explore these Dou Zong Ruins with me?"
"Hm?" Yun Yun had been watching the phenomenon. Hearing his words, surprise appeared on her pretty face. "You're saying this phenomenon was caused by a set of Dou Zong Ruins?"
"Almost certainly!" Xiao Ze handed her the Ancient Beast Skin. "Well? Would you rather leave, Sect Master Yun, or come with me and see what lies within?"
"..." Yun Yun's eyes flickered.
A set of Dou Zong Ruins held great allure for her.
If she could find treasures left behind by her predecessors, perhaps they might help her master—the previous Misty Cloud Sect Master—break through to Dou Zong.
"All right. I'll go with you." After thinking it over, Yun Yun agreed at once.
Xiao Ze smiled and turned to the Amethyst Winged Lion King beside him. "Little Lion, are you coming with us?"
"Me?" The Amethyst Winged Lion King drew its neck in. "I think I'll pass."
"Big brother and sister-in-law, you two can go."
"I'll stay here and guard the place..."
"Really? You don't want to go?" Xiao Ze gave a sly grin. "These are Dou Zong Ruins. There might be treasures like a Human-Form Pill inside."
A Human-Form Pill?
The Amethyst Winged Lion King swallowed.
That was a good thing.
Especially for magical beasts like them—it was a precious treasure that could help them break through their limits.
A Human-Form Pill could help a magical beast shed its beast form and take human shape, granting it a cultivation speed comparable to a human cultivator's. With one, it might even break through to become a Seventh-Rank Magical Beast!
"Th-this..." The Amethyst Winged Lion King reluctantly shook its head. "I think I'll pass. My cultivation is still low, so I'd better not join in the fun."
Though a Human-Form Pill was tempting, it was nothing compared with its own life.
Now that the Dou Zong Ruins had appeared, who knew how many terrifying overlords in the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range had been stirred? Rather than risk its luck there, it was better to stay put in its cave.
At least that was safe, wasn't it?
"Very well. Sect Master Yun, let's go." Seeing that the Amethyst Winged Lion King refused, Xiao Ze did not force it.
He turned and flew with Yun Yun toward the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
"That damn human calamity has finally left. This king is exhausted..." As Xiao Ze and Yun Yun disappeared into the distance, the Amethyst Winged Lion King collapsed to the ground.
Thinking back on the hardships of the past few days, two streams of tears slipped from its eyes before it even noticed.
It was the mighty overlord of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a Sixth-Rank Magical Beast whose strength rivaled a Peak Dou Emperor. It had never imagined it would suffer such humiliation one day.
Now that the calamity had left, it could finally get some proper rest.
Turning its head toward the phenomenon in the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, it sighed. "Dou Zong Ruins? I wonder which old friends in the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range will fall this time..."
It ambled toward its cave.
But before long,
its piercing howls rang out from inside.
"Beast! You beast!"
"I've been saving up Purple Spirit Crystals for years! How can not a single one be left?"
"And..."
"Where's my son?"
"He only hatched a few years ago! He's still just a child!"
"Monsters! You monsters!"
"Give me back my son! Give me back my son!"
"..."
"Ah-choo, ah-choo~"
As Xiao Ze flew toward the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, his nose suddenly itched, and he couldn't help sneezing several times.
"What's wrong?" Yun Yun asked with concern.
"It's nothing..." Xiao Ze rubbed his nose. Once it felt better, he asked, "How far have we gone into the Magical Beast Mountain Range?"
"How much farther until we reach the ruins?"
Yun Yun stood in the air, her graceful curves tracing an elegant figure. Her brilliant blue Dou Qi wings were breathtaking. Gazing at the horizon, she made a quick estimate.
"About... five hundred miles."
"Five hundred miles?" Xiao Ze murmured. At their current speed, they would reach the place in about half an hour.
"Be careful. The closer we get to the ruins, the more dangers there'll probably be around us. I've already sensed the auras of several formidable Sixth-Rank Magical Beasts." Xiao Ze turned and warned Yun Yun.
"Thank you..."
Yun Yun offered a brief word of thanks, and the two continued on their journey.
Following the map recorded on the Ancient Beast Skin,
the two spent over half an hour
and finally arrived before the thousand-zhang pillar of light that shot into the sky.
By now, the pillar of light was swaying as if it might collapse at any moment. It seemed that the ruins hidden deep in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for countless years would soon open.
"Roar!" The moment the two appeared, a thunderous roar rang out. "Damn humans, this is the territory of us magical beasts! You're not welcome here!"
"Get lost!"
A gigantic demon ape, holding a black iron staff, crouched atop a mountain peak. It glared at the two with savage, blood-red eyes and roared at them.
Each strand of its fur was like fine steel, radiating a chilling aura.
Judging by the aura it gave off, it was another Sixth-Rank Magical Beast, its strength comparable to a high-level Dou Emperor!
"A Sixth-Rank Magical Beast, the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape?"
"Wasn't this terrifying magical beast already gone without a trace for hundreds of years?"
"Why is it here?"
Looking at the dozens-of-zhang-tall ape, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes filled with surprise. She had never expected this overlord magical beast, which had vanished from the records of the Misty Cloud Sect, to appear here.
Judging by its attitude, it had probably been hiding in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for a long time.
"Damn humans, get lost!"
"Or don't blame this king for showing you no mercy with my iron staff!"
The Gold-Devouring Demon Ape rose to its feet. Its enormous body, as hard as fine steel, unleashed a terrifying aura. The fine-steel staff in its hand gleamed with a chilling light, infused with Dou Qi.
"Hmph!" Facing the Gold-Devouring Demon Ape, Xiao Ze snorted. "What do you mean, this is the territory of magical beasts?"
"This day, I've come—and this place is mine!"
"Now, I'll give you a choice!"
"Either get lost!"
"Or... die!"
An overwhelming aura shot into the sky.
A razor-sharp sword light suddenly appeared, transforming into a thousand-zhang sword shadow that cleaved the entire sky in two.
As if drawn by Xiao Ze,
the Taixiao Sword, which had hung at his waist all along, rang out with a clear, sonorous cry.
Snow-white sword light filled the sky. Though no one controlled it, the sword hovered quietly beside Xiao Ze as countless sword energies burst forth. Blades flashed and swords gleamed, their imposing force surging as they ultimately formed a domain of the sword.
"Human! You're asking to die!"
Before you continue