Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 1001: Chapter 997: Soul-Eating Beast

Leng Tieya could also feel an inexplicable aura circulating outside his body.

This aura merged with the Void, making it extremely difficult to detect; it seemed like wind, yet also like clouds.

Being within this aura felt like being immersed in a lake, isolating him from the inside and outside.

His own aura did not leak out.

The Cloud Concealing Treasure Robe was a well-known treasure robe in both the Phoenix Dynasty and the Jade Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, the Great Heavenly Demon Palace also had it.

Its origins could be easily guessed without needing to investigate further.

He quietly suppressed the ripples in his heart, revealed a smile, and clasped his hands in thanks.

At that moment, a burst of laughter suddenly rang out from outside.

Zheng Shanggong was taken aback and then overjoyed, saying, ”Manager, Yuanfeng has returned!”

Zhou Jiangming nodded.

Upon hearing this name, Leng Tieya guessed that the visitor was Zhao Yuanfeng.

The two were traveling outside, preparing to return for this siege of the Ghost Bone Sect by the Great Sky Demon.

”Finally back!” Zheng Shanggong breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden was lifted.

Leng Tieya pondered silently.

It seems that this Zhao Yuanfeng is very important and highly valued in the eyes of Zheng Shanggong and Zhou Jiangming.

He should be a formidable figure.

Although he knew their names, he didn’t know the details about them.

The entire Inner Palace was quiet and cold; he only met Huang Daochu, who spoke only of cultivation insights, not mentioning these matters.

Seeing Huang Daochu’s demeanor, he knew asking would be in vain; Huang Daochu simply didn’t care about or want to discuss such things.

”Haha... Greetings, Manager, and Elder.”

Laughter suddenly echoed within the great hall.

The curtain moved, and sunlight poured in, as a tall and slender figure entered the great hall along with the sunlight.

Leng Tieya looked over.

It was a handsome and erect young man with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a nose as firm as suspended gall.

Only his pupils were slightly small, giving him an especially sharp look, revealing his strong demeanor.

He smiled and clasped his hands in greeting to Zhou Jiangming and Zheng Shanggong, his gaze falling on Leng Tieya.

Zheng Shanggong smiled and said, ”Yuanfeng, this is the newly-promoted Inner Palace disciple, Leng Tieya.”

”Junior Brother Leng, nice to meet you,” Zhao Yuanfeng laughed.

Leng Tieya clasped his hands in salute, ”Greetings, Senior Brother Zhao.”

He sensed that this Zhao Yuanfeng was on the same Realm as himself, also in the Eighth Grade.

He didn’t know how long Zhao Yuanfeng had been in the Inner Palace, nor his age.

The age of the Great Sky Demon was very difficult to discern.

Just like Zhou Jiangming and Zheng Shanggong.

Zheng Shanggong appeared older than Zhou Jiangming, but he deduced through his Super Sense and intuition that Zhou Jiangming was actually older.

Zhou Jiangming said, ”How’s it going, did you achieve your goal?”

”Alas...” Zhao Yuanfeng shook his head, ”I was just a bit short; it escaped.”

”Spiritual beasts cannot be tamed,” Zhou Jiangming said. ”It has always been this way since ancient times, why insist?”

Zhao Yuanfeng laughed, ”I just wanted to see if I could surpass my predecessors. More importantly, that spiritual beast’s power was comparable to a Demon Artifact; truly a pity!”

”What kind of spiritual beast?”

”The Soul-devouring Beast!”

”Hmm—?”

Zhou Jiangming and Zheng Shanggong were startled, their expressions changing slightly.

Zhao Yuanfeng sighed, ”Three years of effort ultimately ruined in an instant!”

”The Soul-devouring Beast... a spiritual beast beyond compare and hard to come by, truly unfortunate,” Zhou Jiangming and Zheng Shanggong lamented.

The Soul-devouring Beast was a legendary spiritual beast, feeding on souls but not devouring the souls of the Demon Clan, only eating the souls of plants, spirit stones, and animals.

It was said that if it recognized a master, it could continuously strengthen the master’s soul.

Zheng Shanggong then smiled, ”The Soul-devouring Beast is the spiritual beast among spiritual beasts, and no predecessor has ever been able to tame it.”

”Indeed, now I realize the vastness of the sky and the boundlessness of the earth,” Zhao Yuanfeng nodded. ”Are we really going to take action against the Ghost Bone Sect?”

Zhou Jiangming said, ”Hmm, if we don’t take action, it might grow out of control.”

”Is it that severe?” Zhao Yuanfeng said, ”Weren’t they almost wiped out by us; how could they revive so quickly?”

”Don’t underestimate the Ghost Bone Sect; we have always underestimated them!” Zhou Jiangming shook his head, looking at Leng Tieya, ”If it weren’t for Tieya’s caution this time, we might have suffered a major setback.”

”Oh—?” Zhao Yuanfeng glanced at Leng Tieya.

Leng Tieya had been watching in silence, not speaking.

He felt the equal treatment from Zhao Yuanfeng, Zhou Jiangming, and Zheng Shanggong.

It was like a conversation among equals, with equal tone and demeanor.

Reflecting on his experiences since joining the palace, he vaguely understood the status of the Great Sky Demon within the Great Heavenly Demon Palace.

The so-called Inner Palace disciples indeed hold a transcendent status, distinctly different from the Outer Palace disciples.

Leng Tieya chuckled, ”I made an unexpected discovery, so I want to probe them in advance.”

”The Outer Palace hasn’t explored it? There are quite a few miracle techniques practiced there,” Zhao Yuanfeng said.

Many of the Outer Palace disciples are at the Heavenly Demon First Grade, stuck there unable to step into the Great Sky Demon.

At this point, they often practice some miracle techniques to expand their vision and the way they perceive the world.

These miracle techniques are extremely powerful, each with its marvels, making detecting the reality of the Ghost Bone Sect a piece of cake.

”The Outer Palace failed this time.” Zhou Jiangming shook his head, ”Tieya wants to go probe personally, Yuanfeng, do you want to accompany him?”

”Chief... I barely rushed back and need to rest first. I’ll leave this matter to Junior Brother Leng.”

”Alright.” Leng Tieya secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If he really were present, I would be constrained, unable to deploy many methods.

”Then you go, Tieya.” Zhou Jiangming said, ”Be careful.”

”Yes.”

Leng Tieya clasped his fist in farewell and turned to leave.

Once the curtain fell and Leng Tieya disappeared, Zhao Yuanfeng looked at Zhou Jiangming and Zheng Shanggong, ”This Junior Brother Leng is at the Eighth Grade, right?”

Zheng Shanggong sighed, ”Indeed the Eighth Grade, in just a few months, advancing from the Heavenly Demon First Grade to the Great Sky Demon Ninth Grade, and then to the Eighth Grade, his progress is unprecedented, his talent and comprehension are rare in the world.”

”So formidable?” Zhao Yuanfeng laughed, ”Better than me, eh.”

”Yuanfeng, you’re not wrong, this Cold Nephew is stronger than you all!” Zheng Shanggong sighed.

”Really that formidable?” Zhao Yuanfeng showed no sign of jealousy, only a face full of curiosity.

His goal is not to be the best in the world, but to become a Supreme Heavenly Demon.

So whoever steps into the Great Sky Demon, or the Eighth, Seventh, Sixth Grade, it doesn’t matter to him.

The path to becoming a Supreme Heavenly Demon is destined to be tough, arduous, and lonely.

Those who can become Great Sky Demons are all geniuses among geniuses, but almost none can achieve becoming a Supreme Heavenly Demon.

The entire Demon World has not seen a Supreme Heavenly Demon for ten thousand years.

The Great Heavenly Demon Palace is the strongest sect within a five-thousand-mile radius, but in the entire Demon World, it’s just one of the Nine Sects, not the strongest.

The Demon World spans a hundred thousand miles, with countless talents, yet in thousands of years, not a single Supreme Heavenly Demon.

Zheng Shanggong sighed, ”Not only is he extraordinarily talented, but also meticulous and cautious. In short, his future is limitless.”

”Then congratulations to the Chief and Elder, our Great Heavenly Demon Palace’s strength has increased again.”

”Haha...” Zheng Shanggong laughed heartily, ”Indeed it’s something to celebrate, in the next Nine Sects competition, we hope to climb another spot.”

Zhou Jiangming nodded, ”Yes, in two more years it will begin, this time we hope to improve our rank.”

In the past ten years, the strength of the Great Heavenly Demon Palace indeed increased significantly.

Of course, while the Great Heavenly Demon Palace is growing, the other Eight Sects have not been idle either.

...

Leng Tieya appeared halfway up a mountain peak.

At the foot of the mountain behind another peak lies a dense forest, within which is a valley, almost with no traces around.

That’s the location of the Ghost Bone Sect’s base.

Super Sensing Illumination around, no hidden posts, no sentries.

If it weren’t for the Super Sense, the sensing of our Great Sky Demons wouldn’t detect anything unusual about the valley below.

Under Super Sensing Illumination, the valley appears like a giant beast.

The mountain walls are covered with patterns, resembling the carvings inside that original mountain peak.

The patterns together form a Qing Beast.

He pushed his Super Sense to the extreme.

As expected, the superior Super Sense made a discovery.

A Qing Beast loomed faintly above the valley.

This Qing Beast was a hundred meters long, ten meters tall, steadily crouching in the void, like a dark cloud shrouding the valley.

Leng Tieya’s expression turned solemn.

He faintly sensed danger.

Super Sense once again illuminated the valley, searching one by one for the things that made his heart race.

Besides the nine small black altars, there was this Qing Beast.

To destroy the Qing Beast, should he first break the pattern?

Thinking and acting instantly, a Flying Knife slipped out of his sleeve, gliding lightly through the leaves, soon landing at the peak opposite the valley, wedged into a crack in the rock.

From there, one could overlook the valley.

He then turned and left, reaching the entrance of a cave half a day later.

Inside the cave was nothing unusual, no traces, the Ghost Bone Flower still swayed.

Even from a distance, the Super Sense felt the exotic fragrance wafting over.

The Ghost Bone Flower must have reached its harvestable stage.