Translator: AnubisTL
At the very heart of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, atop Beast King Mountain, a sudden gale swept across the land, swirling around the colossal peak.
Lightning flashed incessantly across the sky, as if a heavenly tribulation were brewing from thin air.
The commotion was so immense that it immediately drew the attention of countless demon races.
"Hmm? Why is thunder gathering above Beast King Mountain?"
"Could it be? Is a demon trying to break through? Is this a transformation tribulation?"
"Hiss... It does have the aura of a transformation tribulation. But who's undergoing it?"
The demons who witnessed this spectacle gasped in astonishment.
In their eyes, this was a demon beast of unparalleled talent and power, having completed its inheritance on Beast King Mountain and gained immense benefits, now seizing the opportunity to undergo its tribulation.
Yet such a decision seemed reckless. Attempting a breakthrough during a tribulation was fraught with peril, and to do so without preparation was foolhardy.
This was one of the most crucial trials in a demon's life, one that should never be rushed.
Succeed and live, fail and die!
Of course, after so many years since the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm was established, there had been a few precedents like this. Some had even attempted their breakthrough and tribulation on Beast King Mountain before leaving the ancestral land.
But without exception, these individuals possessed extraordinary talent and strength, leaving an indelible mark on the demon realm.
"Could it be Bai Xing? Among all the demon races, his talent is unparalleled. He's the most likely candidate to successfully achieve transformation!"
"That's possible. He's about to leave the ancestral land and has no ties to the other royal clans. Fearing targeting by other demon kings outside, he might have chosen to force his breakthrough and tribulation here."
"If that's the case, could it be that human?"
"Hmm, that's not impossible. But do humans need to undergo a thunder tribulation to reach the nascent soul realm?"
Having been isolated from humans for so long, the demons were largely unfamiliar with human customs and cultivation practices.
They knew that the human nascent soul realm corresponded to the demon transformation stage, but whether humans needed to undergo a tribulation to reach this realm remained a mystery.
As discussions about this grew, many demon races turned their attention to the matter.
Soon, the more perceptive among them noticed something amiss.
"Logically speaking, the opening of the ancestral land seems unusually delayed, much slower than in previous years."
"I've calculated the time carefully. It's been approximately thirty-eight days since we arrived outside the ancestral land. In the past, the ancestral land typically opened around the thirtieth day."
"Perhaps some unforeseen circumstances are causing the delay?"
"..."
The vast majority of demons assumed that the sudden thunder tribulation over Beast King Mountain was due to a demon attempting transformation. They believed the prolonged delay in the ancestral land's opening was a consequence of this thunder tribulation.
But the truth on Beast King Mountain was far more extraordinary!
At the mountain's peak, a pair of silver wings, imbued with Wind-Thunder Power, soared autonomously through the sea of lightning. Their ethereal, unpredictable flight paths defied capture.
"Heh heh, not bad, not bad at all! It was worth delaying the ancestral land's opening for you. You actually managed to refine this forbidden artifact!"
Dao Lord Bai Ling watched the wings darting through the lightning and thunder with a satisfied nod.
"In other words, if you can find sufficiently high-quality spiritual materials in the future, you might even have a chance to refine a heaven-piercing spirit treasure."
"Of course, these wings are only suitable for travel and flight, not for offensive combat."
Upon hearing this, Li Qing was first stunned, then burst out in wild joy:
"Senior Bai Ling, you never actually refined this heaven-piercing spirit treasure during your lifetime?"
Dao Lord Bai Ling chuckled softly.
"Indeed. After gaining the ability to refine such a treasure, I poured all my energy into the Soul Refinement Scripture, wasting a considerable amount of time."
Li Qing's heart began to race. He never imagined that the legendary heaven-piercing spirit treasure was so close to him!
"Don't get too excited, though. A true heaven-piercing spirit treasure is vastly different from this forbidden artifact. You've only barely grasped these dao patterns for now."
"Furthermore, heaven-piercing spirit treasures demand extremely high-grade spiritual materials. Even I could only barely refine a single one in my prime.
"If you truly wish to refine these wings, you'll likely need to find the spirit bones left behind by a fifth-tier great demonic bird—specifically, the spirit bones from its wings!
"Finally, you'll need to combine them with various superior materials possessing Wind-Thunder and spatial attributes to have even a sliver of a chance at successfully refining them."
These words did nothing to dampen Li Qing's confidence. His eyes remained filled with fervent desire.
Though the silver wings before him were merely a forbidden artifact with extremely limited uses, their power far surpassed that of most magical treasures!
Combined with his own Kunpeng Divine Power, he might even be able to unleash a fraction of the true might of a heaven-piercing spirit treasure!
Above, the silver wings had nearly completed their thunder tempering, the dao patterns on their surface becoming even more distinct.
Li Qing's gaze never wavered as he murmured to himself:
"Let's call these wings... the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings!"
Almost the instant he spoke, the thunder and lightning in the sky vanished.
The Wind-Thunder Silver Wings drifted down from the heavens, appearing before Li Qing in the blink of an eye.
Successfully refined forbidden artifact: Wind-Thunder Silver Wings. Reward: 60 years of lifespan!
Staring at the familiar notification, Li Qing felt a flicker of doubt.
"Sixty years? That's all? It must be related to the forbidden artifact status. Refining a treasure with limited uses probably doesn't grant much lifespan."
He quickly recalled his previous experience refining the Four Symbols Heaven-Suppressing Cauldron for the Ghost Sword Sect.
That cauldron had also been a forbidden artifact, but since he had only assisted in its refinement, he had received a mere twelve years of lifespan.
Still, he wasn't particularly concerned about the meager lifespan reward.
His greatest gain was undoubtedly the successful refinement of the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings, allowing him to fully comprehend those profound dao patterns.
With this mastery, he now had a genuine chance of reaching the level of heaven-piercing spirit treasures in the future.
Li Qing accepted the silver wings, which had just withstood the thunder tribulation. The blue-purple dao patterns shimmered faintly across their surface, radiating an intensely concentrated Wind-Thunder Power.
Once activated, these wings could unleash terrifying speed!
This would be his trump card for escaping later.
Watching all this unfold, Dao Lord Bai Ling slowly spoke from the side:
"Prepare yourself. I've withdrawn my interference with the ancestral land. We should be leaving this place soon."
With that, Dao Lord Bai Ling retracted the divine sense power he had projected into Beast King Mountain.
As expected, the space began to tremble.
Almost immediately, pillars of light erupted around the perimeter of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm!
Boom!
Demonic beasts were already being teleported out, their bodies enveloped by the glaring beams of light.
In the blink of an eye, the illuminated creatures vanished from their spots, transported out of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm.
"Alright, I'll now reside within this piece of Immortal Spirit Green Gold on your person to escape the ancestral land!"
Dao Lord Bai Ling transformed into a wisp of azure smoke and burrowed into the rust-covered bronze fragment Li Qing carried in his arms.
To be honest, Li Qing hadn't even fully prepared himself. He hadn't expected the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm to begin teleporting people out so quickly.
"Senior, won't the Soul Refinement Scripture left here be seized by other demon races?" Li Qing asked curiously.
Dao Lord Bai Ling's divine sense echoed back, "Don't worry. Without the Moonfall Star Chart, it's impossible to activate this stone tablet and obtain the Soul Refinement Scripture!"
"Even a demon race cultivator at the divine transformation stage couldn't do it!"
"That's because this stone tablet originates from the upper realm!"
Something from the upper realm!
Li Qing's heart skipped a beat as he heard this. He gazed at the mysterious stone tablet with renewed interest.
This was his first encounter with something from the legendary upper realm!
Li Qing had always harbored a deep fascination and longing for that mythical realm, often imagining what it must be like.
However, after his experiences in the Kunpeng Trial, he realized that the so-called upper realm might not be as idyllic as he had imagined.
"I see," Li Qing murmured, withdrawing his gaze from the stone tablet containing the Soul Refinement Scripture. He patted the two spirit beast pouches at his waist, recalling Fan Tong and the ninth insect.
Next, he activated his wings, pressing them tightly against his back to ensure he could activate this powerful forbidden artifact at a moment's notice.
With these preparations complete, Li Qing finally settled into a meditative posture, calmly regulating his breathing as he waited for the ancestral land to teleport him out.
Pillars of light gradually descended from the outer perimeter of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, gradually approaching the inner regions.
Within a massive tomb mansion, a Mountain Ridge Giant Elephant reluctantly raised its trunk and let out a resounding roar:
"Woooonh~"
A gentle voice echoed from within the tomb mansion:
"Enough. I am merely a lingering obsession, destined to dissipate into this heaven and earth. There's no need for such reluctance."
"You have already completed the inheritance of our elephant clan. The future of our people now rests on your shoulders!"
In the next instant, a dazzling pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky.
Outside the tomb mansion, the colossal Mountain Ridge Giant Elephant was enveloped by the radiant beam. Before long, it vanished from its spot.
Meanwhile, at the exit of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, several figures radiating subtle auras stood in mid-air.
They were the kings of the demon realm, demon cultivators at the transformation stage!
They had gathered here to await the opening of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, eager to learn the fate of the younger generation who had been undergoing trials within.
However, the situation with the ancestral land this time was different from previous occasions!
"What's happening? It's been delayed by eight days already, and the ancestral land still shows no signs of opening."
"This shouldn't be happening. What could possibly go wrong in the ancestral land?"
The Black Crocodile King of the Profound Crocodile Clan voiced his concern, a sudden unease creeping into his heart.
The Golden Bear King, however, remained unfazed. "Black Crocodile King, you're worried about a mere eight-day delay?" he said calmly. "Remember, the ancestral land was jointly established by the demon ancestors of the Ancient Era. What could possibly go wrong?"
The king of the Azure Wing Rat Clan chimed in, his voice measured: "Jin Lie's bloodline is powerful. Could he have truly awakened the ancestral spirit of the Ancient Dragon Bear?"
The Golden Bear King, a massive figure, chuckled proudly at this suggestion. "Hahahaha, that's not entirely impossible!" he boomed. "But the competition in the ancestral land is fierce, and everything depends on one's own strength. If my son Jin Lie got a little carried away, I hope you'll all forgive him!"
Clearly, the Golden Bear King had unwavering confidence in his offspring. He couldn't imagine any demon race within the ancestral land posing a threat to his heir.
The other demon kings fell silent, unsure how to respond to this boast.
The Nether Python Clan's demon king spoke in a low, ethereal voice, "Anything can happen in the ancestral land. If they perish in the struggle for opportunities, they can only blame their own lack of strength. Who else could be held responsible?"
She showed no concern for the situation within the ancestral land. The Nether Python Clan had not sent any core transformation stage demon beasts, instead granting their quota to a jade azure serpent as a favor.
Although the jade azure serpent shared close ties with the Nether Python Clan, even if it died inside, she wouldn't feel a flicker of emotion.
This ancient demon king of the Nether Python Clan possessed blood colder than ice.
"Hm? Hahahaha! Look, the ancestral land has opened!" The Golden Bear King's massive frame shuddered as he immediately turned his gaze toward the entrance of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm.
Buzz!
As several pillars of light descended, a number of demon races began emerging from the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm.
The Azure Wing Rat demon king spoke with a hint of worry, "I wonder what happened inside. Who ultimately dominated this opening of the ancestral land?"
"Hmm, let's grab one and ask!" The Black Crocodile King said, already moving to act.
With a wave of his massive hand, a crimson streak shot forth, swiftly capturing a third-tier demonic beast from the Wild Bull Tribe.
"Moo~" The golden horned wild bull, possessing a noble bloodline, dared not stir in the presence of the mighty demon kings.
The Black Crocodile King spoke, "Don't panic. Tell us what happened in the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm!"
"How fared the three-headed profound crocodiles of my clan? Did they manage to claim a Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit?"
The golden horned wild bull trembled violently, its divine sense conveying a shaky reply:
"Senior Black Crocodile King, the three-headed profound crocodiles failed to obtain a Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit."
The Black Crocodile King's voice rose sharply. "What did you say?"
But the Golden Bear King quickly released the golden horned wild bull, chuckling boisterously. "Black Crocodile King, you're being too harsh on this young one. The Wild Bull Tribe is a major clan in the demon realm. He's merely reporting the facts."
"Hahahaha! Tell us, how many Spirit Fruits did the Myriad Beasts Spirit Tree bear this time? And which clan's descendants claimed them?"
By now, the golden horned wild bull was on the verge of fainting from terror, its entire body trembling violently. It feared that after speaking, these two demon kings would devour it swhole!
Yet it had no choice but to truthfully report everything it knew.
"This time, the ancestral tree bore eight Spirit Fruits. To my knowledge, the ones who claimed them were Bai Xing of the Lion Clan and the jade azure serpent."
Upon hearing the bull's report, the Golden Bear King's brow slowly furrowed. He hadn't heard the name of his own offspring.
Where's Jin Lie? What happened to him?
The Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit was one of the most crucial opportunities in the ancestral land. Failing to obtain one would be a catastrophic loss.
"Where's Jin Lie? There's no way he couldn't have claimed at least one Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit!" the Golden Bear King demanded in a deep voice.
The Black Crocodile King beside him chimed in, "Indeed! What about my son, Crocodile Third Sky? He mastered the innate divine ability Profound Crocodile Threefold Annihilation! How could he have failed to secure even a single Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit?"
The golden horned wild bull lowered its head deeply and slowly replied, "Jin Lie and the three-headed profound crocodile are dead!"
As the words fell, the entire hall was plunged into a deathly silence.
(End of the Chapter)