Immortal Refiner

Li Qing noticed the terror in the Terrorclaw Lizard’s eyes, a reaction that surfaced immediately after Fan Tong appeared.

This struck Li Qing as odd.

Though Fan Tong exuded a fierce aura, his actual strength was only at the early third-tier of demon beasts. There was no reason for the Terrorclaw Lizard to be so utterly terrified.

After all, in a vast demon realm, surely there must be at least one tiger-type demon beast!

Seeing this, Li Qing immediately pressed the lizard:

”What are you so afraid of?”

The Terrorclaw Lizard replied in a trembling voice:

”Master, I strongly advise against releasing this core formation black tiger for the rest of our operation!”

”In the demon realm, the Golden Bear King’s lineage and the tiger clan have been mortal enemies. When the Golden Bear King rose to power, he single-handedly wiped out the entire tiger clan across the demon realm!”

”If Jin Lie sees this tiger, it will undoubtedly provoke his hostility!”

Jin Lie was the sixth son of the Golden Bear King, a core formation demon bear who had awakened the Ancient Dragon Bear bloodline.

Among all the demon beasts in the secret realm, he posed the greatest threat.

”Awoo!” Fan Tong’s spiritual intelligence was naturally high. It was only one step away from mastering Divine Sense Transmission. Once it reached the mid Core Formation Realm, it would likely be able to grasp this ability.

Though it couldn’t yet converse with Li Qing, understanding the Terrorclaw Lizard’s words posed no problem.

Immediately, Fan Tong roared furiously, showing no fear whatsoever toward the Golden Bear King’s sixth son.

”Jin Lie, the Golden Bear King’s sixth son?” Li Qing murmured, a strange glint appearing in his eyes.

He coveted the Myriad Beasts Fruit and the ten beast ancestor tokens, making a clash with this powerful foe inevitable.

However, revealing Fan Tong’s presence now would prematurely draw the enemy’s hostility.

After pondering for a long moment, Li Qing shook his head with a wry smile. ”Heh, I’m actually quite eager to test the true strength of the Golden Bear King’s sixth son.”

After all, he had already fought the Crimson Flood Dragon. In terms of bloodline potency, the dragon was undoubtedly on par with the Golden Bear King’s sixth son.

If they did encounter the beast king’s sixth son, Li Qing was confident he wouldn’t lose, especially with Fan Tong and Ninth Insect’s assistance.

After all, the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm was a terrestrial environment, not the ocean. Fan Tong and Ninth Insect could effectively restrain their opponents.

”Let’s go! We’re setting out now to search for the beast ancestor token and news of the Myriad Beasts Fruit!”

With that, Li Qing leaped onto Fan Tong’s back, a familiar perch he hadn’t occupied in ages.

Ninth Insect followed closely behind, its tentacles spread wide, constantly scanning the surroundings for danger.

In the desert, only the Terrorclaw Lizard remained. After a moment of hesitation, it finally decided to follow them.

Considering the Terrorclaw Lizard’s valuable intelligence, Li Qing saw no need to take its life.

If he needed demon beast inner cores and essence blood, this place was teeming with them anyway. There was no need to break his promise and go back on his word.

For the sake of facing the heart demon tribulation when he advanced to the nascent soul realm, it was best to avoid acting against his conscience.

Noticing the Terrorclaw Lizard trailing behind, Li Qing paid it no mind. He clasped his hands behind his head and chuckled softly:

”What? I spared your life, yet you still follow me?”

The Terrorclaw Lizard hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking. ”Master, I’m all alone in this Myriad Beasts Secret Realm. I want to follow you from now on!”

Its plan was simple: stick close to Li Qing and hope to get a share of the spoils.

But this came with risks. If Jin Lie or any other demon race discovered their alliance, they would both become targets of hostility.

”You’ve got some nerve,” Li Qing said mockingly. ”Aren’t you afraid Jin Lie will see you as an enemy too?”

”Heh heh, I figure if you’re so confident, Master, you must have a way to handle him.”

”To be honest, I used to have my own territory in the demon realm. I was guarding a spirit herb that was about to mature when Jin Yan, the fourth son of the Golden Bear King, forcefully seized it from me.”

The Terrorclaw Lizard recounted its past experiences in the demon realm, none of it fabricated.

In the demon realm, survival was nearly impossible without the protection of a demon beast king.

This meant the remaining royal clans could bully weaker demon races at will. Even seizing spirit herbs you guarded was commonplace.

If you were unlucky enough to cross paths with a royal clan in a foul mood, you might even lose your life.

Most royal clans in the demon realm were equally tyrannical, but the Golden Bear King was currently at the peak of his power, making the Bear Clan’s demon beasts particularly arrogant and domineering.

Li Qing listened without much concern. He silently retrieved some healing spirit pills and elixirs from his storage pouch and began treating the wounds on his arm.

At his current cultivation realm, healing was relatively easy as long as limbs weren’t completely severed.

Even a severed arm could be reattached and restored to its original state with some vital energy expenditure.

While healing, Li Qing asked, ”Tell me about the Heavenly Demon Tiger Clan that the Golden Bear King annihilated in the demon realm.”

”Also, is there any powerful tiger clan inheritance within Beast King Mountain?”

The Terrorclaw Lizard, who had been following beside them, glanced first at the fiercely imposing Fan Tong before answering:

”Long ago, in the demon realm, there was a powerful demon race called the Heavenly Demon Tigers, who were once overlords of the region. Their Tiger King possessed unparalleled strength, so formidable that he could be said to dominate the entire demon realm.”

”However, unlike other royal clans, the Heavenly Demon Tigers lacked unity. They fought mostly as individuals, and even if a member was defeated or killed by a demon of equal rank, the Tiger King would not intervene—so long as it wasn’t a case of the strong bullying the weak!”

”Despite this lack of cohesion, the Heavenly Demon Tiger Clan grew increasingly powerful, expanding their territory across the demon realm!”

”Eventually, the various clans, including the royal clans, began to feel threatened. They launched a coordinated campaign against the Heavenly Demon Tigers, sending their strongest heirs in successive waves to challenge the isolated tigers, wearing them down until they were exhausted and defeated!”

At this point, the Terrorclaw Lizard couldn’t help but glance at Fan Tong again, wondering which clan this fiercely imposing tiger demon belonged to.

He was certainly not the Heavenly Demon Tiger the lizard knew, yet his ferocity seemed no less than that of the once-renowned Heavenly Demon Tigers.

The voice continued, ”As the other clans targeted them, the Heavenly Demon Tiger Clan gradually declined. Yet the Tiger King never intervened.”

”Later, near the end of its lifespan, the Tiger King finally fathered a pair of cubs.”

”But with its lifespan dwindling, it couldn’t wait for its cubs to reach the transformation god stage. So the Heavenly Demon Tiger King planned to forcefully enter the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm to secure an inheritance and opportunities for its offspring, hoping to lay a foundation for their future.”

”Alas, the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm was a unique realm established by the ancient beast ancestors. Even the immensely powerful Heavenly Demon Tiger King couldn’t breach its defenses.”

”The Tiger King suffered grievous injuries, nearly dying. Seizing this opportunity, the Golden Bear King allied with several other royal clans to completely annihilate the once mighty Heavenly Demon Tiger Clan.”

Hearing this, Fan Tong let out another low growl, its ferocious aura intensifying.

Though not of the same clan as the Heavenly Demon Tigers, it now harbored deep loathing for the Golden Bear Clan and the other royal clans of the demon realm.

Li Qing, however, showed little reaction, focusing solely on healing his injuries, remaining silent.

And so, the man and three demons journeyed together for several days, finally emerging from the desolate desert region.

Ahead lay a treacherous rift valley, its steep sides overgrown with lush, ancient trees, the spiritual energy here far denser than before.

Suddenly, an intense surge of vitality erupted from the depths of the rift valley, a brilliant green light instantly illuminating the dark chasm.

”Hmm?”

Li Qing immediately sensed the potent life force. Even the wounds on his hand seemed to heal more rapidly under the green light’s influence.

”Such concentrated vitality... could it be a Wood dao treasure is about to appear?”

The Terrorclaw Lizard pondered for a long moment before exclaiming in delight, ”This energy fluctuation... could it be the Tempering Life Spirit Pool has opened?”

Li Qing raised an eyebrow. ”Tell me more,” he demanded. ”What is this Tempering Life Spirit Pool, and why didn’t you mention it before?”

The Terrorclaw Lizard immediately replied, ”Master, the Tempering Life Spirit Pool is a treasure pool brimming with potent wood attribute spiritual energy. Entering it will completely heal any injuries to the fleshly body. Moreover, by absorbing the unique Spirit Wood Essence within, one can establish a solid foundation and unlock hidden potential—it’s a pool that enhances one’s innate capabilities!”

”The reason I didn’t mention it earlier is that the Tempering Life Spirit Pool doesn’t activate every time the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm opens. It usually only appears two or three times out of ten openings.”

”As far as I know, the Tempering Life Spirit Pool was activated during the last opening of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm as well.”

The Tempering Life Spirit Pool requires time to accumulate vast amounts of wood attribute spiritual energy and life force. If it hasn’t accumulated enough, it won’t activate.

Theoretically, since the Tempering Life Spirit Pool activated during the previous opening of the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, it shouldn’t appear this time. That’s why the Terrorclaw Lizard naturally wouldn’t have mentioned it.

Feeling the surge of rich life force, Li Qing’s eyes flickered for a moment before he made his decision.

”Based on your analysis, the other demon races would subconsciously assume the Tempering Life Spirit Pool wouldn’t activate, so they wouldn’t come near this area.”

”Does that mean we’re the closest group to the Tempering Life Spirit Pool right now?”

Upon hearing this, the Terrorclaw Lizard immediately began jumping up and down in wild excitement, its impatience palpable.

”Exactly! This is our chance!”

”Let’s hurry! We’ll definitely be among the first to enter the Tempering Life Spirit Pool!”

”This opportunity is no less valuable than the Myriad Beasts Fruit. Once we enter and bask in the life energy of the spirit wood, our potential will soar! Who knows, I might even be able to attempt transformation in the future!”

An opportunity to enhance one’s potential—whether for a human or a demon beast—was truly not to be missed!

Li Qing made a decisive move, addressing Fan Tong:

”Let’s go! To that rift valley!”

Instantly, the group—one human and three demon beasts—charged forward with incredible speed.

Though the terrain was treacherous, it posed no significant challenge to them.

Whether demon beasts or cultivators, those who had successfully achieved core formation could fly through the air using their fleshly bodies.

Boom! Boom!

As they approached the rift valley, the wood attribute life energy permeating the air grew increasingly abundant.

Sensing this, Li Qing couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement and anticipation.

”Truly the work of an ancient demon race powerhouse! A spirit pool brimming with such potent life energy would make even transformed demon beasts envious.”

”And those great beings actually established such a place within a secret realm? What extravagance!”

Lost in admiration, Fan Tong had already traversed the dense forest and charged directly into the rift valley. Guided by the concentrated life force, it arrived at the valley’s heart.

”Roar!”

Fan Tong roared, and the dense wood attribute life force pouring from its surroundings began to cleanse its fleshly body.

The sensation was exquisite, even Li Qing narrowed his eyes slightly, a look of pure enjoyment on his face.

Suddenly, several piercing sounds erupted from the green light’s periphery.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sharp fangs materialized from thin air, hurtling at breakneck speed toward Fan Tong and the Terrorclaw Lizard.

”Hmm?”

Li Qing immediately sensed the danger. With a wave of his hand, a torrent of pitch-black flames erupted, instantly forming a fiery barrier.

Spirit Devouring Demon Flame!

Under the terrifying spirit fire’s scorching heat, the sharp fangs were incinerated to ash the moment they pierced the barrier, scattering to the ground.

”Awoo!”

A mournful wolf howl echoed through the rift valley.

Li Qing narrowed his eyes, then withdrew the wall of Spirit Devouring Demon Flame.

A colossal wolf, its body encased in white bones, stood atop a rocky outcrop, howling at the sky.

The Terrorclaw Lizard, sensing the danger, spoke uneasily, ”Master, that’s a Bone Demon Wolf. It’s summoning the demon beast corpses buried beneath the ground to fight for it.”

No sooner had the words left its mouth than the surrounding earth began to heave.

One by one, grotesque demon beast skeletons crawled from the soil, eerie green flames flickering in their hollowed-out bone sockets.

Having completed this ritual, the Bone Demon Wolf finally turned its gaze toward Li Qing and his companions, who were approaching the edge of the Tempering Life Spirit Pool.

Its eyes swept past Ninth Insect, the Terrorclaw Lizard, and Fan Tong, before settling on Li Qing. The wolf’s cold, piercing gaze froze for a long moment.

A transformed demon beast king?!

Li Qing’s presence clearly caught the Bone Demon Wolf off guard. Like the Terrorclaw Lizard before it, the wolf couldn’t comprehend why a transformed demon beast king would be here.

(End of the Chapter)