“Senior speaks truly!”
Shi Yan nodded quickly, his face showing earnest pleading. “Senior, Elder Li Yan has fallen, and Rock Valley has been destroyed. We must immediately return to the Myriad Beasts Sect headquarters to report this matter.”
“Senior has shown us grace akin to giving us new life. We earnestly request Senior to accompany us to the headquarters!”
“The headquarters is filled with powerful experts. They will certainly be able to entertain Senior better, and also allow the sect master to know of Senior’s kindness and strength!”
Ying Wu also nodded vigorously, her vertical pupils filled with anticipation.
Having witnessed Chen Ping’s true combat prowess, they deeply understood that if they could invite this mysterious expert to the headquarters, it could bring a turning point, both for them personally and for the Myriad Beasts Sect, which was in fierce conflict with the Myriad Souls Demon Sect.
Chen Ping pondered briefly.
He needed a place to settle and gather information about the Myriad Souls Demon Sect and Soul Devouring Venerable. The Myriad Beasts Sect, as the local dominant force and an enemy of the Myriad Souls Demon Sect, was undoubtedly the best choice.
Although the initial encounter at Rock Valley had been unpleasant, Shi Yan and Ying Wu were sincere in their attitude. There was no need to completely refuse because of one person like Li Yan.
“Very well.”
Chen Ping replied concisely.
Shi Yan and Ying Wu were overjoyed. They immediately rallied the dozen or so surviving disciples, briefly collected the belongings of their fallen comrades, and set fire to all the corpses in the valley to prevent them from being used by the demonic sect.
Then, without any delay, the group set off under the cover of night, led by Shi Yan and Ying Wu, hurrying towards the deeper parts of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range where the headquarters lay.
Leaving the scorched ruins of Rock Valley behind, the group travelled through even denser and more dangerous primeval forests.
The deeper they went into the mountain range, the richer the spiritual energy in the air became. It even condensed into faint spiritual mist. However, this also meant the lurking demonic beasts were far more powerful.
If not for Chen Ping, this god of slaughter, presiding over them, Shi Yan and the injured disciples alone could never have ventured so deep.
Along the way, they encountered a swarm of blood-winged demonic bats, whose strength generally ranged from the second to third grade of the Heavenly Immortal realm. They blotted out the sky as they attacked.
They also disturbed a black ice flood dragon concealed in the depths of a cold pool, its power comparable to the seventh grade of the Heavenly Immortal realm. It could freeze a hundred li with a single breath.
But these dangers were utterly insignificant before Chen Ping.
Sword light flashed, and the demonic bats fell like rain. A single punch erupted, containing chaotic immortal power and the supreme yang force of fire laws, directly shattering the scales of the black ice flood dragon. It wailed and burrowed back into the pool, not daring to emerge again.
Chen Ping acted decisively and swiftly. Often, before the others could even react, the threat was already eliminated.
This made the surviving beast clan disciples revere him even more. Their eyes were filled with admiration and trust.
The little fire qilin also feasted heartily during this journey. The essence of flesh and blood, along with the inner cores of those powerful demonic beasts, were great tonics for it. Its body grew slightly larger again. Crimson-gold light flowed around it, making it extraordinarily majestic and divine.
Shi Yan and Ying Wu seized the opportunity to introduce the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range and the Myriad Beasts Sect to Chen Ping.
The Myriad Beasts Mountain Range stretched for millions of li. It was one of the largest gathering places for demonic beasts in the Tenth Heaven, and also an important foundation for the beast clans.
The Myriad Beasts Sect was not a strictly unified sect. It was more like a vast alliance formed by numerous beast clan tribes united together. They revered a common totem and were jointly governed by several of the most powerful elders and the sect master.
The disciples under the sect cultivated different beast soul battle techniques according to their bloodlines and talents. They could communicate with demonic beasts and even transform into beast forms to fight. Their strength was not to be underestimated.
Their mortal enemy, the Myriad Souls Demon Sect, occupied the Scarlet Blood Plain adjacent to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range. The cultivators in that sect specialised in devouring souls and refining demonic heads. Their actions were insidious and vicious.
In recent millennia, they had become increasingly rampant, continually encroaching on the resources of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range. Conflicts between the two sides had grown ever more intense.
Chen Ping listened quietly, committing all this information to memory.
He noticed that when the Myriad Souls Demon Sect was mentioned, besides hatred in the eyes of Shi Yan and the others, there was also a trace of worry that was hard to detect. Clearly, the pressure from the demonic sect was immense.
After travelling without rest for three days and three nights, crossing several dangerous gorges and swift rivers, the group finally arrived at the majestic main peak region of the mountain range.
