Chapter 101: Demon Cultivators
After Li Yan landed, he kept surveying his surroundings. Before coming, he had studied many ancient texts about the secret realm. He knew that opposite him were the demon beasts who had also participated in the realm’s harvesting and the Wheel of Life and Death.
Clearly, those three were not human. They should be humanoid forms transformed from third-rank demon beasts. First-rank demon beasts usually evolved from ordinary demon beasts or were born from rare bloodlines of different species.
When wild beasts devour heavenly materials and earthly treasures and begin consciously absorbing and exhaling the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, they have a chance to evolve into ordinary demon beasts. After cultivation, ordinary demon beasts may then advance to first-rank demon beasts.
Some powerful demon beasts possess ancient demon bloodlines. From birth, they are already first-rank or even second-rank demon beasts. These types are ancient species and extremely rare.
First-rank demon beasts have already awakened intelligence. Upon reaching second rank, they gradually gain transformation powers. Some demon beasts with strong bloodlines can fully transform into human form at this stage.
Most second-rank demon beasts, however, can only change parts of their bodies, like beast heads with human bodies or human heads with beast tails, not true transformation.
Once a demon beast advances to third rank, its transformation abilities reach mastery. Their transformed appearances are indistinguishable from humans, though the demonic aura on their bodies cannot be completely eliminated. Generally, only cultivators of the same or higher rank can detect this aura.
By the fourth rank, they are equivalent to human Nascent Soul ancestors. Their demonic aura is basically gone. Unless they reveal their true forms, it’s hard for others to detect them, except for cultivators with powerful divine senses.
The three demon beasts Li Yan saw showed no visible demonic aura at all, indicating his cultivation level was too low to sense it.
Behind those three demon beasts, the chaotic groups had dozens of half-human, half-demon beasts.
There were serpent-headed, human-bodied demon beasts, their upper bodies bare, revealing taut sinewy muscles, wielding giant tridents. They hissed from red serpent-like tongues, occasionally curling upward to lick their nostrils, their small green eyes shining with sinister light.
There were also demon beasts sprawled on the ground resembling huge, plump white maggots, but their heads had human mouths and prominent noses. Their earless sides were covered with dense coin-sized eyes that spun ceaselessly in all directions, making one feel nauseous.
There were pangolin-like demon beasts, covered with scales all over, standing upright like humans. Their limbs resembled human ones, and their arms had a healthy wheat-colored skin, but their heads and tails were sharp cones, looking very strange...
Behind each group of dozens of demon beasts were over a hundred demon beasts incapable of transformation.
Li Yan guessed the dozens of demon beasts up front were second-rank, akin to human Foundation Establishment cultivators; those behind were first-rank, equal to his own Qi Condensation realm.
As Li Yan observed, he suddenly felt someone approaching. Turning his head, he saw Li Wuyi slowly walking toward him.
This place should be the destination. The Core Formation cultivators ahead were talking, and those Foundation Establishment cultivators were either whispering or observing their surroundings and the demon beasts opposite as well as opponents from other sects.
Li Wuyi was not competing but came to lead Xiao Zhu Peak on Wei Zhongran’s behalf, so he did not observe the opponents.
“Senior Brother!” Li Yan greeted with a slight bow.
Li Wuyi waved his hand, signaling Li Yan not to be so formal, then stood beside him. He had noticed Li Yan looking at the demon beasts and, hearing their unrestrained shouting, he spoke softly.
“This is the nature of demon beasts. They are born hostile to humans and thus have no scruples or feelings of mercy.
Demon beasts are ruthless killers; they like to devour their victims’ bodies after slaying them and won’t even spare their souls. Without a soul, there’s no chance for reincarnation, it means complete annihilation from this world.
Moreover, some demon beasts like to rape female human cultivators. If a female cultivator falls into their hands, the outcome is too tragic to describe…”
Li Wuyi’s voice echoed in Li Yan’s mind.
“That… then why send female cultivators to participate? Such things are a taboo among cultivators. Doesn’t the sect intervene?”
Li Yan frowned upon hearing this, glancing freely toward Gong Chenying, Zhao Min, and Li Changting’s direction. Even among the four sects, such matters were absolutely forbidden.
At least officially, such things cannot happen. Even if you have reason to kill the opponent, rape is not allowed and is severely punished.
“The four great sects have, of course, discussed this matter with the secret realm demon beasts, but the harvesting area is hidden from the outside. What happens inside? How can one get evidence? It’s very difficult.
In the past, some cultivators tried carrying specially made jade slips to record footage at critical moments, but those jade slips are rare and cannot be carried by everyone. Even if carried inside, you need a chance to record, which is unlikely.
So in the end, this matter became an unspoken understanding. However, in retaliation, human cultivators would not spare the demon beasts’ souls after killing them. They erase the soul’s consciousness and embed it into the demon core. Such demon cores can boost alchemy and artifact forging by several levels, which is also a taboo in the outside world.
Demon beasts that lose their souls cannot reincarnate either. If forged into spiritual tools or treasures, they are forever controlled until the soul is exhausted. That is no less harsh than entering the eighteen levels of hell.
But this is a bloody trial. Outside of this secret realm, if either side crosses these lines, the other side will swear to hunt them down to death.
The cultivation world’s dirty secrets are not limited to this. Are female cultivators not cultivators? Even if protected, are they never allowed to leave the sect? Will we never face death? How will they survive then?”
Li Wuyi’s voice in Li Yan’s mind was calm but stripped of its usual gentleness, strangely detached.
Li Yan was stunned and then remained silent.
“Cultivation is a thorny path. Reliance is but a mirage; even mountains fall and rivers dry. Only oneself remains.”
He thought to himself.
“I trust they each have ways to swiftly assess the situation. But if they truly didn’t have time to act then find out who did it, and make sure he pays the price.”
Li Wuyi’s voice was very light.
Li Yan was startled. He felt there was more meaning behind his senior brother’s words.
“Pay the price? The secret realm opens only every fifteen years, and next time those demon beasts won’t participate, right?”
“Heh heh heh… Let’s not talk about that. Do you know what the original forms of those three demon beasts ahead are?”
Li Wuyi obviously didn’t want to continue this topic. Some secret matters were not for Li Yan to know at this time.
Li Yan shook his head. Although he had noticed before, apart from roughly guessing that the sinister-looking, deep-eyed, hooked-nosed man in black might be an eagle or hawk-type, he could see no features from the other two.
“I actually know a bit. During previous secret realm harvesting events, I’ve seen these three several times and later asked our master about them.
The gaunt man in the black robe is a late-stage third-rank Gale Hawk, named Yin Congfeng. Many years ago, it was already known to have reached late third-rank.
This demonic cultivator’s innate divine ability contains spatial power. It’s said he has mastered some rudiments of spatial power, but even this small portion grants him incredible speed and peerless teleportation techniques.
I heard a martial uncle of the Ten Steps Sect once sparred with him. Despite suppressing him with realm, with the sword saint’s sharp attacks and swift sword flight, he still failed to prevail.
Afterwards, that martial uncle declared this demon a top expert at the Core Formation stage, extremely difficult to contend with, only preset formations or spatial confinement treasures stand a chance against him.
The handsome young lord is a Jade Qilin named Lin Mingyu, a very rare ancient heteromorphic species. Born already a first-rank demon beast, he was said to have reached the early peak of third-rank thirty years ago; his current realm is unknown.
His innate divine ability is understanding Heaven’s will and listening to destiny, granting him prediction and foresight.
Our master once said with this demon’s early third-rank strength, escaping even a late-stage human Core Formation cultivator isn’t impossible. Such power is formidable indeed. Normally, a late Core Formation cultivator facing an early third-rank ordinary demon beast might not find it effortless but would not have too much trouble.
The purple-robed burly man’s true form is a Mountain Devouring Beast, named Yan Motian, who was at mid-third-rank cultivation fifteen years ago.
Mountain Devouring Beasts favor consuming all kinds of rocks and minerals and evolve very slowly, but their greatest trait is exceptionally solid defense. Generally, an early third-rank Mountain Devouring Beast’s body can’t be penetrated by magical attacks alone from a late Core Formation cultivator without using treasures. His attacks are ferocious enough to be described as able to move mountains and overturn rivers.”
Hearing this, Li Yan was quite surprised, he hadn’t expected these three demon beasts to be so powerful, nor that the ancient heteromorphic species from the classic texts he had been pondering moments ago included a Jade Qilin present right here.
What sort of immortal created this secret realm, to have even ancient heteromorphic demon beasts among its residents? Back in ancient times, this place must have had an even greater variety of demon beasts.
At this point, Li Wuyi glanced again at the group of second-rank half-human, half-demon beasts behind.
“Among the second-rank demon beasts, I know a few that are also very formidable. When the death wheel competition begins, it’s highly likely they will be the ones to fight.
Jinchui Yan, of the Golden Flame Sacred Lion race, at the second-rank peak, equivalent to human Foundation Establishment Pseudo Core stage, specializes in fire-based divine arts, possesses extraordinary bravery and strength, with an innate divine art called Nine Seas Ascension. It’s a wide-area group fire attack with power touching the true essence of the three realms’ true fire at the Core Formation realm. Any cultivator below Core Formation who is struck will perish instantly.”
Following Li Wuyi’s gaze, Li Yan saw behind Yan Motian a lion-faced man over a zhang tall, majestic and upright, wearing a golden robe that did not flutter in the wind. He stood with crossed hands, casting a sideways glance at the two sects, exuding a domineering air.
Several demon beasts stood nearby, whispering among themselves and occasionally pointing at the human cultivators. The lion-faced man merely nodded occasionally but did not speak.
“Wu Wuan, from the Qingjing Centipede race, at second-rank peak, specializes in ice-based divine arts. He’s cunning and treacherous, with an innate divine art called Ice Spirit Sorrow Wind, a wide-area group attack. The ice crystals contain a unique potent toxin; cultivators below Core Formation struck will turn to dust within half a quarter-hour. Their souls are frozen by the toxic ice, unable to escape or enter reincarnation.”
That demon beast wore a blue robe, also with a human body and beast head, standing behind Yin Congfeng. His collar was raised to cover his neck, and his figure was slender. When Li Yan looked over, he met Li Yan’s gaze.
Suddenly their eyes locked, and Li Yan clearly saw that the head was mottled with black, blue, and red spots, with several long whiskers curling downward. His large mouth stretched toward his ears, exposing yellow pointed teeth.
Seeing Li Yan looking at him, he grinned. In an instant, his face seemed to split at the mouth into upper and lower halves. Peering closer, his head was left only as a dark hollow throat.
Li Yan felt a chill inside. Li Wuyi smiled at the blue crystal centipede beast and then turned his gaze elsewhere.
“Yuehen Guo, of the Moon Shadow Cat race, second-rank peak, specializes in wind-based divine arts, with an innate divine art called Shadow Flow Light, a high-speed offensive ability. Its claws are comparable to low-grade magical treasures.
Its terrifying trait is that it carries the power of time. Those struck have their life force rapidly drained. Foundation Establishment cultivators hit can lose their life essence within fifteen or sixteen breaths, aging to death.”
Li Yan followed Li Wuyi’s gaze and saw a petite, graceful, and beautiful woman in a light green long dress. Her skin was as bright as moonlight, truly charming.
From her appearance, she had fully transformed, though occasionally when her long sleeves moved, she revealed a pair of pure white jade arms. However, instead of hands, there were a pair of furry sharp claws.
“Yanshui Chu, Holy Sound Spider, second-rank peak…” Li Wuyi continued without pause, introducing seven or eight demon beasts before stopping. All of these were peak second-rank, the ones most to be wary of among demon beasts.
Then he turned his gaze toward the Grand Profound Sect...
Li Yan truly admired this senior brother’s toughness; these precise insights must have come from previous encounters.
At that moment, the Core Formation cultivators who had been whispering suddenly ceased their conversations. Even the Jade Qilin, whose handsome face shone like a radiant star river while chatting with the Peak Mistress, stopped speaking. Every Core Formation cultivator raised their heads and looked toward the distance!
(Chapter End)