After an unknown time, Ye Guan slowly opened his eyes. His head felt a little dizzy.
This teleportation had taken quite a while.
Moments later, Ye Guan glanced around. Before him was a river with crystal-clear water. On the opposite bank stretched an endless mountain range. At the far horizon of those mountains, a thousand-zhang flag could faintly be seen.
Guanxuan Academy.
Clearly, that was their destination for this journey.
At that moment, Nalan Jia beside him suddenly said, “This place is not simple.”
Ye Guan looked towards the flag. He was considering whether to fly straight over.
Just then, a piercing scream suddenly came from the sky to their right.
Ye Guan and Nalan Jia quickly turned to look. In the distance, a man plummeted straight down from the air. What had struck him was a pitch-black flying demon beast.
The beast resembled an eagle but was as large as an ox, with twin wings that stirred fierce gusts as they flapped.
Earth-tier demon beast.
Most importantly, it was not alone. There was a flock.
At least a hundred of them.
Ye Guan and Nalan Jia exchanged a glance and shook their heads with a smile.
It seemed flying was out of the question.
If he used sword control, he might shake off these beasts, but he did not want to reveal all his trump cards at this stage.
Ye Guan said, “Let’s walk.”
Nalan Jia nodded.
The two reached the riverside and were about to fly across when Ye Guan’s brows furrowed. He pulled Nalan Jia back. “Wait.”
Nalan Jia looked at him. Ye Guan’s pupils suddenly contracted. He yanked her behind him. At that instant, the ground before them split open. The next moment, a black shadow lunged straight at them.
Its speed was too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Yet Ye Guan was faster.
Bang.
Without seeing how he moved, the black shadow was sent flying. After tumbling several zhang, Ye Guan and Nalan Jia saw its form clearly. It was a demon beast resembling a rat, covered in tiny scales, with only one eye.
Nalan Jia said gravely, “This is a shadow rat, an earth-tier demon beast. But they are more terrifying than heaven-tier beasts. Their speed is incredibly fast.”
Ye Guan examined the shadow rat. At that moment, it turned and vanished into the distance as an afterimage.
If it could not win, it ran.
Demon beasts were not foolish. They would not fight to the death.
Ye Guan said gravely, “We really cannot let our guard down.”
Before this, he had thought that with his current strength, he could dominate this place.
Such thinking was dangerous.
With that mindset, one would unconsciously become complacent.
Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses full strength.
Nalan Jia said gravely, “The demon beasts here are at least earth-tier at the lowest.”
Ye Guan replied, “There are surely plenty of heaven-tier ones too.”
With that, the two exchanged a look. Ye Guan said gravely, “I wonder where Xiao Ge and Sun Xiong are now.”
Nalan Jia said, “Let’s go. I hope we run into them.”
Ye Guan nodded, and the two pressed onward.
Soon, they entered the vast mountain range.
Upon entering a dense forest, Ye Guan’s brows immediately furrowed. The forest was eerily silent, unnaturally quiet.
Ye Guan stopped. He scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, from above his head, a cyan snake over ten zhang long plunged down.
The cyan snake halted inches from his head because a qi sword had somehow pierced its skull.
At that moment, rustling sounds echoed throughout the forest.
Nalan Jia glanced around. Cyan snakes had appeared densely all about.
Ye Guan said softly, “We’ve entered a snake forest.”
Countless snakes slithered towards them, flicking their tongues. It was extremely creepy.
Nalan Jia suddenly edged closer to Ye Guan. He looked at her and saw her face had gone slightly pale.
Ye Guan blinked. “Afraid of snakes?”
Nalan Jia nodded.
Ye Guan naturally took her hand. “It’s alright.”
With that, he surveyed the area. Finally, his gaze settled on a deep purple snake.
Seeing him look over, the deep purple snake emitted a strange hiss. The next moment, all the snakes in the area charged madly at Ye Guan and Nalan Jia.
Just then, Ye Guan snapped off a nearby branch. The next instant, with a whoosh, the branch pinned itself to the deep purple snake’s head.
The deep purple snake suddenly spoke. “Stop.”
Ye Guan was stunned. This snake king could speak human language?
The snake king stared fixedly at Ye Guan. “You may pass.”
It knew this human had held back. That branch could have killed it.
As the snake king’s voice fell, the snakes before Ye Guan and Nalan Jia parted to both sides.
Ye Guan glanced at the snake king, then pulled Nalan Jia forward.
As if remembering something, Ye Guan suddenly stopped. He turned back to the snake king. “Are there any particularly dangerous spots ahead?”
The snake king stared at him without speaking.
Ye Guan opened his palm. A storage ring floated towards the snake king. Inside were a thousand gold crystals.
The snake king glanced at the ring, then said, “Give me another thousand gold crystals, and I’ll have one of my underlings guide you safely.”
Ye Guan was silent for a moment, then said, “You can do that?”
The snake king said calmly, “If you can fight, fight. If you cannot, find another way to earn money. What’s wrong with that?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Nothing wrong.”
He had thought demon beasts might not be very clever, but clearly, that was not the case.
Ye Guan gave the snake king another storage ring.
At that moment, a small snake flew before Ye Guan and Nalan Jia.
The snake king said, “Follow it.”
Ye Guan nodded. “Good.”
Thus, Ye Guan and Nalan Jia followed the small snake deep into the forest.
Along the way, with the small snake’s guidance, they avoided many demon beast territories, saving a great deal of trouble.
Demon beasts were highly territorial. Intruding, intentionally or not, was seen as provocation.
With the small snake leading, they avoided countless issues.
Before long, under the small snake’s guidance, Ye Guan and Nalan Jia reached a canyon. Towering mountains thousands of zhang high flanked both sides. It was a magnificent sight.
At that point, the small snake stopped.
Ye Guan and Nalan Jia looked at it. The small snake said, “Ahead is the territory of the earth bears. Our snake clan has always been mortal enemies with them. If they catch my scent, they will definitely attack you. So, you must proceed on your own from here.”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. He opened his palm, and a storage ring floated to the small snake. He smiled. “Thank you.”
The small snake glanced at the ring. Inside were a hundred gold crystals.
The small snake blinked, then said, “That earth bear king once studied at the Guanxuan Academy. It particularly likes human etiquette. If you are polite, it might not trouble you.”
Ye Guan smiled. “Thanks.”
The small snake smiled. “Thanks for the tip.”
With that, it stored the ring and vanished from their sight.
Ye Guan and Nalan Jia exchanged a glance and shook their heads with a smile.
Nalan Jia smiled. “Suddenly, snakes do not seem so scary anymore.”
Ye Guan smiled. “Indeed.”
The two walked onward.
Nalan Jia said softly, “The reason demon clans, humans, and the hundred races can coexist peacefully today is thanks to the Human Sword Master of old. He unified the universe, brought peace among the races, and established a new order. Otherwise, the world would be far more chaotic.”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. After joining the academy, he had read much about the Human Sword Master.
As Nalan Jia said, the peaceful coexistence between humans and the hundred races was indeed owed to him.
He united the hundred races single-handedly.
Every race had to abide by the Guanxuan laws.
Though conflicts still existed between some regional leaders, large-scale wars had never occurred.
As if something occurred to him, Ye Guan asked inwardly, “Tower Master, do you know the Human Sword Master? I mean the kind where you know him, and he knows you.”
After a brief silence, the little tower replied, “Yes.”
Ye Guan said excitedly, “Tower Master, you actually knew the Human Sword Master… You really are impressive.”
Little tower: “…”
Ye Guan continued, “Tower Master, why did you previously discourage me from aiming to become a supreme powerhouse like the Human Sword Master?”
The little tower said, “I meant you should take it step by step and not aim too high too soon. Understand?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Understood.”
As they spoke, he and Nalan Jia had reached deep into the canyon. Suddenly, the ground trembled violently. Then, a massive black bear appeared. It was larger than three oxen combined, exuding an invisible pressure just by standing there.
Heaven-tier demon beast.
Ye Guan’s expression grew serious.
He was serious because it was not just one bear, but over a hundred.
Over a hundred bears.
Though some were not particularly high-level, if they all charged together, even he could not withstand it.
Demon beasts loved to move in packs.
Ye Guan collected his thoughts, then bowed to the massive black bear. “I have inadvertently trespassed on your esteemed territory. Please forgive me, Bear King.”
Beside the massive black bear, another black bear suddenly roared, “Human…”
The massive black bear turned and slapped it.
Smack.
The bear was sent flying several zhang.
The other bears were stunned.
The massive black bear said coldly, “What are you roaring for? I taught you, didn’t I? Be polite. Polite.”
With that, it looked at Ye Guan and bowed in return. “Young sir, Old Bear greets you courteously.”
Ye Guan: “…”
Nalan Jia could barely contain her laughter.
Ye Guan smiled faintly. “It is said far and wide that the Bear King is knowledgeable and refined. Seeing you today, the reputation is well-deserved.”
The massive black bear blinked. “People outside know of me… know of this one?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Yes.”
The massive black bear smiled. “All empty fame, empty fame.”
Ye Guan smiled faintly. He took out an ancient book he carried with him and handed it to the bear king. “Bear King, this book is from the Guanxuan Academy collection. Though not a technique or skill, it was left by the Human Sword Master himself. I have benefited greatly from reading it. Today, passing through your territory and feeling a connection, I gift it to you.”
Hearing this, the massive black bear quickly accepted the book. “Human… oh, young sir, you are too kind.”
With that, it hurriedly produced a heaven-tier inner core and offered it to Ye Guan. “It is impolite to receive without giving in return. Please accept this heaven-tier inner core.”
The other bears: “…”
Ye Guan: “…”
