Several enormous exotic beasts, their blood and vital energy as deep as an abyss, occupied a corner of the pasture.
The ordinary mounts nearby dared not approach them, leaving a vast stretch of ground empty.
A giant rhino demon covered in scarlet scales snorted, spraying two streams of scorching white vapor.
"Lord Ink-Horn, what do you think?"
An old man who had assumed a form half a person's height, with a pitch-black horn atop his head, stroked his beard impassively as the other demons looked toward him.
"Just a little Chessmaster Realm cultivator. What's there to make a fuss about?"
Disdain flashed in Lord Ink-Horn's eyes as he sneered. "Look at that delicate skin and sheltered air. She's probably some unpromising junior of an immortal household in the Heavenly Court, stuffed into this backwater office by her elders to gild her credentials."
"Pampered aristocratic clan scions like her cherish their lives and fear trouble most of all. As long as we don't tear the roof off the Imperial Horse Immortal Bureau, she won't dare meddle. She'll just keep one eye open and the other shut."
His words finally eased some of the other demons' apprehension.
The Scarlet-Armored Giant Rhino opened his bloody maw, revealing rows of sinister fangs. "That's wonderful. My mouth's been starved of flavor these past few days. Tonight I'll catch a few morsels of blood food to fill the gaps between my teeth."
Being mounts for the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods sounded glorious, but their lives were terribly dull.
When serving in heaven, they represented their masters' dignity.
They had to restrain their ferocity at all times and put on the bearing of auspicious beasts.
Every day, they ate bland immortal grass and drank spiritual spring water without the slightest trace of meat.
Even their belches