The small white snake transformed into a colossal python reaching the heavens. Its body stretched a hundred zhang long, blazing like fire as it sprawled across the void, radiating overwhelming demonic might.
“Roar.”
The red giant snake opened its massive maw and let out a beastly bellow that shook the earth and sky.
The onlookers paled at the sight of the red snake.
“Heavens, how does An Ruoxi have a demon beast?”
“Does he not know that humans regard demons and devils as archenemies? Why would he keep a demon beast?”
“Top sects often send disciples down the mountain to slay demons and exorcise evils. For a holy son like An Ruoxi to possess a demon beast is not surprising.”
“That demon beast’s strength is no trifling matter. It should be at the half-step Nascent Soul realm.”
“With An Ruoxi’s demon beast aiding him, Ye Changsheng is done for.”
“I knew the holy son of the Mending Heaven Sect could not die here so easily.”
“…”
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect also cried out in alarm.
“To think An Ruoxi has such a powerful demon beast.”
“Young Master Ye is in danger.”
“Holy Maiden, what is the origin of this demon beast? Do you recognise it?” a female disciple asked.
Yun Xi stared at the red snake in the void for a moment before saying gravely, “This is a Thousand Li Scarlet.”
“Legends say that an adult Thousand Li Scarlet can reach a thousand zhang in length.”
“Though this demon beast rarely achieves sainthood, an adult Thousand Li Scarlet can strike down even saints.”
Hiss.
Those behind her drew in sharp breaths of cold air.
Yun Xi continued, “This Thousand Li Scarlet has been at the peak of the Cavern Heaven realm for a long time. It is only half a step from the Nascent Soul realm, a genuine half-step Nascent Soul.”
“With this demon beast and An Ruoxi’s lightning body, Changsheng may lose.”
Thinking this, Yun Xi gripped her longsword tightly, ready to aid Ye Qiu at any moment.
At the same time, she transmitted to Ye Qiu.
“Changsheng, this demon beast is a Thousand Li Scarlet at half-step Nascent Soul. Be careful.”
Ye Qiu replied with a smile, “Don’t worry. Your man fears no mere beast.”
Just then, An Ruoxi’s voice rang out. “Ye Changsheng, with my half-step Nascent Soul demon beast at my side, you cannot kill me today.”
An Ruoxi looked at Ye Qiu with a savage grin, his killing intent boiling over.
Who would have thought Ye Qiu would laugh brightly. “A mere demon beast. Who are you trying to scare? I have a divine beast too.”
An Ruoxi did not believe him and sneered, “Do you think a divine beast is something anyone can possess? Stop bragging.”
Damn it, why does no one believe the truth when spoken?
What is wrong with this era?
Before Ye Qiu could speak, the voice of the Longbrow Daoist rang out.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Possessing one demon beast and thinking yourself invincible under heaven. That is laughable, poor Daoist says.”
An Ruoxi turned to glare at the Longbrow Daoist and snarled, “Believe I won’t have Little Red bite you to death?”
“Come bite me if you dare. If not, you are a grandson.” With that, the Longbrow Daoist drew Xuanwu from his Daoist robe’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother, your time to show off has come.”
In an instant, Xuanwu’s body grew large, emanating the aura of a divine beast that awed the heavens and earth.
The crowd jumped in fright.
“Xuanwu. It is one of the five great divine beasts, Xuanwu.”
An Ruoxi’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. He thought, how could an unknown fellow at the peak of the Golden Core realm possess a Xuanwu?
In the distance, Wei Wuji stared at Xuanwu with a flicker of heat in his eyes.
“This is Xuanwu. Only as my mount would it not waste its status as a divine beast.”
The Longbrow Daoist leaped onto Xuanwu’s back, holding his whisk as his Daoist robe billowed in the wind. He cut quite the figure of a transcendent immortal.
The Longbrow Daoist pointed his whisk at the red giant snake in the void and asked An Ruoxi, “What did you say earlier? This beast is called Little Red?”
“What a tacky name.”
“Not as good as the name of the mongrel dog I raised before. Right, my mongrel was called Little An.”
Little An…
Are you cursing me, you bastard?
An Ruoxi grew so furious his nose twisted. Ye Qiu could curse him, at least he had the strength. But what was this fellow, daring to curse him too?
“You.”
An Ruoxi had just opened his mouth when the Longbrow Daoist interrupted.
“Poor Daoist has observed for a while. If I am not mistaken, your demon beast is female, is it not?”
“You, a grown man, secretly keeping a female demon beast and calling it Little Red so affectionately. Could it be you two have that sort of relationship?”
“Little An, why not change your name? Just call yourself Xu Xian.”
An Ruoxi roared in anger, “Are you blind? Little Red is male.”
“What, this demon beast is male?” The Longbrow Daoist looked at An Ruoxi in mock horror and said, “Who would have thought, Little An. Your tastes run so heavy. Poor Daoist admires you, admires you…”
“Die.” An Ruoxi was about to strike when Ye Qiu interrupted.
“Your opponent is me.” Ye Qiu smiled.
An Ruoxi shot the Longbrow Daoist a venomous glare and said coldly, “After I kill Ye Changsheng, I will come for you.”
“An Ruoxi, stop boasting. Though I have no demon beast, I truly do have a divine beast.” With that, Ye Qiu opened his Qiankun Bag.
The next second, a divine beast appeared out of thin air.
This divine beast stood about half a metre tall and two metres long. Its head resembled a dragon, its form like a horse, its shape akin to a deer, its tail like an ox’s, with five-coloured azure patterns on its back and yellow fur on its belly.
“This is one of the five great divine beasts, the Qilin.”
“Ye Changsheng has a Qilin.”
“To think two of the legendary five great divine beasts would appear today. Well worth the trip, well worth it…”
Many trembled with excitement.
Divine beasts like the Qilin and Xuanwu were rare once in ten thousand years. For two to appear at once was truly shocking.
“How is this possible? How does this fellow have a Qilin cub?” An Ruoxi’s face darkened.
At that moment, the Qilin spotted the red giant snake in the void and took a step forward.
Hiss.
The Qilin cub reared its head and let out a long cry that shook the void in an instant. At the same time, its body expanded rapidly, growing as large as a small hill.
Its fur emitted a dazzling, brilliant light, and an aura of supreme supremacy among beasts swept over everything.
“Even as a cub it is so powerful. What will it be like as an adult?”
The distant onlookers were all stunned and filled with boundless envy.
“The Qilin cub has awakened?” The Longbrow Daoist looked thrilled. He thought Ye Qiu and Yun Xi must have found a million-year divine medicine in the secret realm to heal the Qilin.
Then, the Longbrow Daoist patted Xuanwu’s head and said, “Brother, team up with the Qilin and take down that beast.”
At once, Xuanwu charged forward to the Qilin’s side. The two divine beasts exchanged a glance, then Xuanwu’s body grew rapidly too, emanating the aura of a king among beasts.
Immediately, the red giant snake in the void felt suppressed by the bloodline of the divine beasts and retreated involuntarily.
“Take it down.”
At Ye Qiu’s command, the two divine beasts shot into the high sky like twin blazing stars.
