Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1235: High-Rank Void Beast
Previously on Record of a Demon's Cultivation...
Three days subsequently, Song Wen and his cohort of five ascended into the heavens, embarking on their journey into the Primordial Qi Death Zone.
As their gazes fell upon the pervasive black Primordial Qi swirling around them, Manager Yin, Bu Ren, Yan Tong, and Feng Youyou each activated their protective measures. Some conjured treasured artifacts, while others unleashed formidable secret arts, manifesting barriers that encircled their forms to fend off the encroaching Primordial Qi.
A subtle luminescence radiated from Song Wen’s physique, appearing to possess the ability to repel the Primordial Qi.
His apparent invulnerability to the Primordial Qi was, naturally, merely a deception. The radiant aura was, in fact, a closely fitted defensive shield powered by his spiritual energy.
With the group venturing deeper into the treacherous Primordial Qi Death Zone, the surrounding Primordial Qi intensified in density, steadily diminishing their divine sense and constricting their range of perception.
After traversing a distance of ten thousand li, Song Wen’s sensing radius had contracted to less than ten li.
For Manager Yin and the remaining companions, their perception range had been reduced to a mere three to five li.
"Fellow Daoist Yan Tong, let us cease holding back. Summon forth your owl void demon. We have already penetrated ten thousand li into the Primordial Qi Death Zone and could fortuitously encounter fifth-tier void beasts and fifth-tier vengeful spirits at any given moment. Without your owl void demon to provide guidance, the perils that lie ahead are truly immeasurable."
Yan Tong nonchalantly brushed a black cloth satchel situated at his waist, and a colossal creature, exceeding three meters in height, instantly materialized before them.
The formidable being bore a resemblance to a nocturnal owl, yet its entire being was clad in scales, each one perpetually dripping a viscous, dark fluid.
In place of a feathered tail, it sported the distinctive nine tentacles characteristic of a void fiend.
Song Wen’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. This was indeed a fifth-tier, mid-grade void fiend.
He had not anticipated that any entity, apart from those within the Divine Blood Gate, would possess the capability to subjugate void fiends.
"This… this is a void fiend! Fellow Daoist Yan Tong, you actually possess a void fiend? How did you possibly accomplish such a feat?" Song Wen’s countenance was suffused with disbelief, as though he had just witnessed something utterly beyond comprehension.
Yan Tong offered a faint smile, a subtle glint of pride momentarily flickering within his eyes.
"To forge a contract with a void fiend, one must do so immediately after its nascent stage of hatching. At that precise moment, their minds remain shrouded in confusion, rendering them most amenable to being guided into a binding contract. Should one hesitate even for the briefest instant, their nascent consciousness will gradually begin to clarify. Given their exceptionally keen intellect, even an individual possessing heaven-defying cultivation would find it nearly impossible to subdue them."
"If it is so exceedingly difficult, fellow daoist, how then did you manage to tame this owl void demon?" Song Wen inquired.
Yan Tong elucidated, "I chanced upon it serendipitously during an expedition within the Primordial Qi Death Zone. It had only just hatched, and through a confluence of fortuitous circumstances, we successfully forged a contract."
As his explanation concluded, the other four individuals, including Song Wen, could not suppress their expressions of envy.
However, confronting their envious gazes, Yan Tong abruptly shed his air of arrogance and continued, "The contract that the owl void demon entered into with me is denominated the Primordial Blood Contract. Each member of the Void Clan is permitted to forge but a single such contract throughout their entire existence. Consequently, even if it were amenable, it would be utterly incapable of forming another contract with anyone else."
His unspoken implication was evident: he was indirectly cautioning Song Wen and the others against any contemplation of terminating his life to seize the demon. Even if they were to succeed, the owl void demon would forever remain unable to forge a new contract.
Song Wen, Manager Yin, and Feng Youyou displayed minimal outward reaction to this significant revelation. Manager Yin and Feng Youyou had evidently encountered this facet of Yan Tong's narrative previously.
Song Wen himself had acquired this particular piece of information from the shadow void. Yan Tong’s declaration also served to resolve a persistent query lingering in his mind: the reason behind the Divine Blood Gate’s extensive efforts to hatch void fiend eggs. The answer was strikingly straightforward: it was to forge these invaluable Primordial Blood Contracts with the newly hatched fiends.
Only Bu Ren’s eyes betrayed a subtle flicker of nascent disappointment.
A fifth-tier void fiend possessed the capacity to detect activity within a vast radius exceeding two thousand kilometers within the confines of the Primordial Qi Death Zone.
Under the meticulous guidance of the owl void demon, the group proceeded with remarkable smoothness. Even when resentful spirits or other void fiends made occasional appearances, the five companions adeptly evaded them from a considerable distance.
To proactively mitigate against unforeseen incidents, they adhered to a measured pace. Yet, even at this deliberate velocity, they traversed over a hundred thousand kilometers in just slightly over an hour, ultimately reaching the precipice of a colossal, imposing mountain.
Prior to succumbing to the pervasive Primordial Qi, this imposing mountain had most likely served as a revered site for cultivation. The vestiges of crumbling walls and the dilapidated foundations of ancient edifices could still be faintly discerned amidst the dense, overgrown vegetation.
This was none other than Changtong Mountain, the very location that Manager Yin had previously alluded to, where the legendary Beauty Serpent had once made its appearance.
"Fellow Daoist Yan Tong, have you detected any signs of the Beauty Serpent?" Manager Yin inquired. Yan Tong shook his head. "I’ve scanned the area within two thousand kilometers, but there’s no trace of the Beauty Serpent. It must have left this place long ago." "Everyone, let’s split up and search Changtong Mountain," Manager Yin stated. "Look for any traces left by the Beauty Serpent. It might help us find it." The group dispersed, scouring every corner of the mountain. Song Wen soared to a platform halfway up the mountain. This platform had once been a grand plaza, but the passage of time had left it in ruins. Song Wen had no interest in the Beauty Serpent whatsoever. The fact that Manager Yin and the others hadn’t found it was good news for him. It meant he still had a chance to lure them to the mountain valley where the Six Fiends Hall was located. However, that valley was hundreds of thousands of miles away. Figuring out how to guide the four of them there would be quite a challenge. "Shadow Void, do you know anything about this Beauty Serpent?" Song Wen asked, casually strolling across the plaza while conjuring an image of the creature in his Sea of Consciousness. After studying the image carefully, Shadow Void replied, "This should be a bone serpent void demon, a high-rank void beast." "A high-rank void beast!" Song Wen exclaimed, slightly surprised. This was the first time he’d heard of another high-rank void beast besides Shadow Void. "Fellow Daoist Yan Tong, have you detected any signs of the Beauty Serpent?" Manager Yin inquired. Yan Tong shook his head. "I’ve scanned the area within two thousand kilometers, but there’s no trace of the Beauty Serpent. It must have left this place long ago." "Everyone, let’s split up and scour Changtong Mountain," Manager Yin commanded. "Look for any traces left by the Beauty Serpent. It might help us discover its whereabouts." The group dispersed, meticulously searching every corner of the mountain. Song Wen ascended to a platform situated halfway up the mountain. This platform had once served as a grand plaza, but the relentless march of time had reduced it to ruins. Song Wen harbored no interest in the Beauty Serpent whatsoever. The absence of its discovery by Manager Yin and the others was favorable news for him. It implied that he still possessed an opportunity to lure them towards the mountain valley where the Six Fiends Hall resided. However, that particular valley lay hundreds of thousands of miles distant. Devising a method to guide the four of them there would present a significant challenge. "Shadow Void, do you possess any knowledge regarding this Beauty Serpent?" Song Wen inquired, ambling nonchalantly across the plaza while materializing an image of the creature within his Sea of Consciousness. After scrutinizing the image with care, Shadow Void responded, "This should indeed be a bone serpent void demon, a beast of the high-rank void category." "A high-rank void beast!" Song Wen exclaimed, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. This marked the inaugural instance he had learned of another high-rank void beast existing apart from Shadow Void.