Chapter 417: Reopening (End of Month, Requesting Moon Tickets)

'The Demon Beast Realm is ultimately a training ground of the Seven Kill Demon Palace; one powerful beast skilled in concealment hasn't caused much trouble yet...'

If every powerful beast could do this and formed demonic clan forces to hunt humans in retaliation, it would be self-sabotage—a path to death...

Moreover, sheltering too many demonic clans would draw the attention of Yuan Shen cultivators... when they come down specifically to cleanse the area, it would be even more self-sabotage...

Fang Xing flew while shaking his head.

He liked the old white ape, so he taught him a method to suppress his aura—enough for the beast to survive a long time.

As for other demonic clans, he simply didn't care much.

'Extraterrestrial demons, Seven Kill Demon Palace cultivators... I hope they arrive before I finish this wine.'

He landed atop Black Mountain, gazing into the distance, thinking with a touch of melancholy.

Seven Kill Demon Palace.

'The outer sect disciples participating in this year's inner sect examination... Murong Yue, Li San, Song Zhong...'

An Yuan Shen elder hovered in midair, his gaze sweeping over the disciples below.

Each outer sect disciple stared straight ahead, secretly relieved: 'As long as it's not Blood Butcher Elder... twenty years ago, he suddenly raised the inner sect exam standards twofold—how much bloodshed did that cause?...'

Song Zhong was an ordinary-looking young man, yet possessed Ninth Layer of Mortal Realm cultivation, standing out among the outer sect disciples.

'See that? Among the outer sect disciples, a few have strong chances of passing this exam—he is one of them, from the Song family...'

One disciple whispered low: 'Too bad the Song family has declined; otherwise, we might have joined them... and perhaps, like those disciples who followed Sister Ning back then, one achieves enlightenment and the whole family rises with him...'

Song Zhong's ears twitched—he seemed to have heard these murmurs—but his expression didn't change at all.

In his childhood, his older brother shielded him from hardship; the Song family was still prosperous, and he truly enjoyed a period of comfort.

But twenty years ago, not only did his brother die, but the family's treasured artifact was lost in the Demon Beast Realm.

The Song family immediately fell into ruin, and he endured nothing but cold glances.

Fortunately, Song Zhong was the type who grew stronger with every setback; he barely kept the Song family afloat, and his cultivation surpassed his brother's, reaching Ninth Layer of Mortal Realm.

'This time... the Zhang and He families covet the last of our family's assets—I must become an inner sect disciple to have the status to protect them...'

Song Zhong clenched his fist inwardly: 'The Demon Beast Realm... Brother Cai said my brother died at the hands of a mixed-blood demonic dragon... I don't believe it. With a Yuan Shen artifact protecting him, how could my brother die so easily? Besides... that Cai fellow is the suspected mastermind behind the Zhang and He families' persecution of me...'

He didn't realize that far more than a few curious disciples were watching him.

'Is this the target?'

Li San's triangular eyes flickered subtly—he now had his answer: 'Brother Cai ordered me to make sure Song Zhong dies in the secret realm, just like his brother—once and for all...'

Murong Yue's expression was cold and detached, as if she cared nothing for any of this.

The Yuan Shen elder in the air felt the same.

After confirming the list, he spoke calmly: 'To become an inner sect disciple, you must undergo the Beast-Slaying Trial... your standard: one powerful beast per person, bring back its essence-blood and soul-spirit as proof—and you may enter the inner sect... go!'

The Yuan Shen elder waved his hand—the teleportation force instantly enveloped the entire square.

A flash of silver light—and one after another, figures vanished.

In the Demon Beast Realm.

'They've arrived!'

On Black Mountain, Fang Xing suddenly lifted his head.

Just now, he sensed a faint spatial fluctuation.

The spatial barrier that had covered the entire Demon Beast Realm had, for an instant, developed gaps and flaws.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator's Nascent Soul could potentially escape the Demon Beast Realm via instantaneous teleportation.

'This technique is rather crude... did I overestimate the Seven Kill Demon Sect?'

He mentally grumbled, then continued lying low, waiting for a lucky fool to walk right into his trap.

Several days later.

Fang Xing opened his eyes: 'A guest comes from afar...'

Outside Black Mountain, Song Zhong stood atop the back of a giant crow, staring at the mountain: 'Is this where the Black Mountain Elder resides?'

'Yes, Great One—this is where the old beast dwells.'

The crow spoke in human voice.

It didn't want to betray Fang Xing, but it simply couldn't win—and didn't want to die...

'Brother...'

Song Zhong's expression grew melancholy; he drew forth a long spear.

'Go!'

He pointed his spear—the crimson spearlight instantly pierced through miles, carving a massive gash across Black Mountain.

'Roar!'

The next instant, a colossal black dragon burst forth, roaring: 'Again you?! Damned extraterrestrial demons!'

'Indeed—a mutated Stone Dragon offspring... its demonic aura has reached Ninth Layer of Mortal Realm.'

To Song Zhong, the dragon's cultivation growth over twenty years was only natural.

'Black Dragon... twenty years ago, did you kill my brother and steal our family's treasured battle blade?'

He roared, eyes blazing red.

'Your brother?'

Fang Xing, immersed in his performance, finally noticed the newcomer's face—it bore a striking resemblance to the Seven Kill Demon Palace disciple who'd once carried a bloodstain on his forehead: 'Heh...'

He sneered, offering no explanation.

After all, a wild powerful beast and an extraterrestrial demon were natural enemies—why explain anything?

This was the actor's self-discipline!

'Die!'

Seeing this, Song Zhong's eyes turned crimson; a spark ignited at the spear's tip, exploding instantly into a skyful of fiery blossoms.

Each spear shadow carried power sufficient to severely wound a powerful beast.

'Ninth Layer of Mortal Realm peak, Fire Principle Stage Two... stronger than his brother... wait, is he hiding something?'

Fang Xing's mind stirred; his massive form weaved through countless spear shadows, each scale flowing seamlessly into the void, his movement impossibly smooth.

'Void Dao? You, black dragon, have begun to master Void Dao?'

Song Zhong was stunned—Fang Xing's current display was merely preliminary mastery of spatial principle.

But to integrate it into movement was already extraordinary.

'Die!'

Fang Xing flickered several times, evading every spearlight, then suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a pitch-black battle blade.

At once, crimson patterns glowed along the blade's surface.

In the void, a brilliant crimson blade-light appeared—the power of the Fire Principle.

'Fire Principle... that's... the Heartflame Battle Blade?!' Song Zhong gasped, twisting his spear into a rapid spin, forming a swirling, unified defense before himself.

Screech!

Within the crimson blade-light, his crow mount let out a shriek of agony, sliced into countless fragments of flesh and bone, raining down from the sky.

Puff!

Song Zhong's face flushed crimson—he spat a gout of blood, crashing into a two-hundred-meter-tall ancient tree, snapping countless branches, sending leaves swirling everywhere.

This commotion immediately drew the attention of someone lurking silently in the distance.

'Indeed... Song Zhong is strong!'

Li San's eyes turned icy as he watched silently: 'The Song family's Yuan Shen artifact—the Heartflame Battle Blade—was indeed lost in the Demon Beast Realm... taken by that black dragon. If I take it out, Brother Cai will surely... wait, if I seize this artifact myself, I'll become an inner sect disciple—what use is there for that Cai fellow?'

His gaze grew greedy.

Though before entering the Demon Beast Realm, Brother Cai had promised him many rewards, instructing him to permanently trap Song Zhong here and recover the lost artifact.

But handing the artifact to that Cai fellow was worse than keeping it for himself.

After all... that Cai fellow was merely an inner sect disciple.

If it were Sister Ning, I might consider it—she's fiercely ambitious, becoming an inner sect disciple and then a True Disciple within ten years.

A True Disciple of the Seven Kill Demon Palace, if they don't die, will inevitably reach Yuan Shen—boundless future ahead!

'Die...'

As Li San eagerly anticipated, he was stunned to see the black dragon glance toward him—then turn and retreat? Retreat?

'Damn... what's wrong with this black dragon?'

Li San was utterly baffled.

But seeing Song Zhong crawl out, struggling to recover his injuries, he gritted his teeth: 'Go!'

In an instant, he lunged forward, a serpent-shaped longsword appearing in his hand.

The swordtip glowed with dark radiance—he moved like a venomous snake striking, aiming straight for Song Zhong.

This was assassination sword art!

Li San had used this technique to kill several Ninth Layer Mortal Realm experts—he was certain Song Zhong, wounded as he was, had no chance!

Clang!

The swordlight flashed—then was blocked by a spear shadow that arrived later but struck first.

'Impossible... his spear speed... far exceeds what he showed before.'

Li San's face twisted as he saw Song Zhong's calm expression: 'You were hiding your strength?!'

You guessed right.

Song Zhong smiled faintly: "My name is Song Zhong—my spear ends lives. You finally showed yourself—then let me send you on your way!"

His spear technique flowed endlessly, like a curtain of flame sealing off every escape route for Li San.

After dozens of exchanges, Li San was pierced through the chest by a single thrust and collapsed to the ground.

"You…"

Li San stared at Song Zhong, his face filled with shock: "You… you had already mastered the Fire Dao Principle to an extreme depth—even capable of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm with a single thought, unlike us who still had to pass the inner sect and core disciple exams and rely on pills to break through. You're a true genius… yet you hid it all this time?"

"If I hadn't, how would you have revealed yourselves?"

Song Zhong gazed at the red tassel on his spear, his expression tinged with sorrow: "That black dragon may have been powerful, but it shouldn't have been able to kill my brother, who wielded the Heartflame Battle Knife. It must have been Cai Zhujin, that traitor…"

Li San fell silent, with nothing left to say.

But soon, his eyes grew hazy.

"Now, I ask one question—you answer one."

Song Zhong spoke, clearly having activated some mind-bending technique.

Moments later, having obtained the information he wanted, he drove his spear through Li San's heart, then soared upward to Black Mountain: "Black Dragon… come out!"

"You already know what happened back then—why come back now?"

Fang Xing emerged, sighing: "Look… I held back before."

"You didn't hold back—you just didn't want someone else to reap the benefits. And besides, Cai Zhujin was the mastermind back then, and you were his accomplice. Worse still, you stole my family's ancestral treasure."

A flicker of killing intent surfaced in Song Zhong's eyes; threads of crimson flame Dao energy rose around him.

"Hmm?"

"You're truly strong… you've been hiding your true strength."

Fang Xing sighed.

To grasp Dao principles so deeply at the Ninth Layer of the Mortal Realm—truly a genius.

This boy's understanding of the Fire Dao Principle is nearly equal to mine.

"Die!"

Song Zhong swept his spear in a wide arc; flames danced wildly across the sky.

Fang Xing whipped his tail, his body seeming to merge with the void—like something that could coalesce into form or disperse into air. His massive form turned ethereal, and the torrent of flames passed through him without a single scratch.

"Hmm? The Void Dao Principle… has he reached this level?"

Song Zhong's eyes widened: "Again!"

He roared, and a ball of flame ignited at the tip of his spear, then engulfed his entire body, transforming him into a towering flame giant, dozens of meters tall.

His comprehension of the Fire Dao Principle had reached the third stage—Mastery—and with a single thought, he could achieve Nascent Soul!

'Then it's you.'

Fang Xing narrowly dodged, his mind made up—he would make this man his pet… no, his slave!

Enslave his soul with the Ten Thousand Hearts Secret Art!

'Normally, soul enslavement is nearly undetectable… especially since I've perfected the Ten Thousand Hearts Art to Master level. It leaves no trace—even if they inspect my slave's mind sea, they'll find nothing amiss…'

'Now, I must complete the enslavement subtly, during battle…'

'Perfect timing—otherwise, once he achieves Nascent Soul, it'll be troublesome…'

A soul slave is utterly loyal, obeying only the master's commands—even killing his own parents, wife, and children without hesitation.

But without question, becoming a slave drastically reduces one's original potential.

The most vital thing for a strong cultivator is free will!

Whether righteous or evil, even if mad—if free will is gone, potential naturally plummets.

But this man can already achieve Nascent Soul; as a slave, he can still deliver partial potential—no great loss.

Fang Xing roared, each lunge and claw strike carrying a hidden pattern as he tangled with the flame giant.

In truth, with every clash, his soul energy seeped silently into Song Zhong's body—like a trickle of stream, gradually gathering until it swelled into a flood.

"Now!"

Fang Xing was struck by the flame giant's spear and flung into Black Mountain, drenched in blood, barely alive.

He cried out: "Spare me! I'll surrender the treasure!"

He threw the Heartflame Battle Knife toward Song Zhong.

Song Zhong's spear tip flicked upward, catching the knife. He held it in his hand, his expression a mix of sorrow and joy.

In that moment of intense emotional fluctuation, his gaze grew hazy, then hardened with resolve: "I'll spare your life—but you must become my slave and come with me to expose Cai Zhujin!"

This was the command Fang Xing had implanted after silently enslaving him.

He needed a reason to be taken out—while a Void Dao adept pet was useful, it wasn't particularly compelling evidence.

(End of Chapter)