Chapter 737

The entire Devouring Beast was covered by the earth's crust, which descended with a glossy sheen, appearing incredibly hard. The inverted peaks resembled sharp spears.

Although the Devouring Beast, Xiaosan, was in a state of hunger, it was not without reason. As the earth's crust, bringing mountains with it, pressed down, it instinctively twisted its body, dodging the spots where the sharp peaks would strike. Its entire body was then pressed beneath the barren valley floor by the earthen crust.

“Wooh-ooh—”

“Rumble…rumble, rumble, rumble…”

The Devouring Beast, covered underground, struggled fiercely, twisting its body and thrashing its tail. Several sections of the fallen earth's crust continuously rose and fell, with some even beginning to crack.

Two demon kings floated in the air, observing the scene. They then looked back at the thousands of sprites and demons skilled in earth-manipulation techniques. Each one was straining to maintain their spells, chanting incantations in unison. Some were drenched in sweat, while others trembled.

A demon cultivator with two large black wings on his back flapped a few times and flew to the side of the young demon king in the brocade robe.

“My King, they can't hold on much longer.”

“Hmph, a bunch of useless creatures. I didn't expect them to be of much help anyway.”

As he spoke, the man looked at the fellow dressed in animal hides not far away.

“Now, the people of Weimei Sect have crossed our border without cause; we are not the ones provoking this. Weimei Sect has indulged their immortal beast, allowing it to slaughter our demon race. Naturally, they must pay the price!”

The man in animal hides, though appearing crude, simply smiled.

“Then, Demon King Miaoyun, feel free to proceed.”

The brocade-robed man narrowed his eyes at the man in animal hides.

“What, you're not going to act?”

“The Devouring Beast has an immature mind and is difficult to control. The Weimei Sect members are isolated deep within our territory. Demon King Miaoyun is leading troops, so I presume you can handle this easily. I won't make a fool of myself.”

“Hmph, then stand there and watch!”

The brocade-robed youth, known as Demon King Miaoyun, said no more. With a sweep of demonic wind, he flew directly towards the trembling ground below, where the Devouring Beast was buried. Only after he had left did the man in animal hides behind him shout out a remark.

“Oh, right, the woman on top of the Devouring Beast's head is not simple. Demon King Miaoyun, you must not be careless!”

The youth cast a cold glance back at the man in animal hides high in the sky. Then he descended towards the ground at an even faster pace. In less than two breaths, he had already stepped onto the earth's crust.

The moment his toes touched the ground, a slight ripple immediately spread out within a foot of his sole. This ripple then grew larger and larger, eventually becoming a veritable storm.

“Boom—”

The barren valley ground seemed to be struck by a colossal hammer, collapsing several zhang downward within a radius of several miles. An earthen storm continuously spread outwards from the brocade-robed youth's feet, and the sections of the earth's crust that had previously cracked instantly closed back up.

“Roar-wooh…”

The Devouring Beast let out a painful roar for the first time. Many of the spiritual lights on the buildings on its back shattered, and numerous pavilions and towers collapsed with a crash. Jiang Xueling stood on the Devouring Beast's forehead, forming hand seals with one hand. With her other hand, she grasped her horsetail whisk and swept it upwards several times, significantly slowing the downward momentum of the earth's crust. However, it still pressed down on the Devouring Beast, causing it extreme discomfort.

The Star-Gazing Platform on the Devouring Beast's back was a very special location. Even as pavilions collapsed around it, the platform itself remained unaffected. Not even a ripple appeared in the tea in the cups on Ji Yuan's and the others' table.

“Demon kings prioritize strength; though their state of mind may not compare to ours as immortal cultivators, their destructive power truly cannot be underestimated!”

Ju Yuanzi looked up at the already descending earthen crust and said this to Ji Yuan and Lian Baiping. Ji Yuan had just shifted his gaze away from the Devouring Beast's head.

“Demon kings have their own paths; otherwise, they wouldn't possess such might. Moreover, the Southern Barrens are truly demon and sprite territory, with no small number of devils either. Though not as chaotic as the Black Barrens, it is certainly not a benevolent place. We should be ready to act at any moment.”

When Ji Yuan said this, Lian Baiping and Ju Yuanzi, of course, assented. After assenting, Lian Baiping then shifted his words.

“However, Master Ji, I once heard that the Devouring Beast's transformation also requires its potential to be stimulated and that it is achieved through trials. Perhaps this current situation is a trial for the Devouring Beast, and it would be unwise for us to interfere too early.”

“Reasonable.” “Let's observe for now.”

Lian Baiping's words were indeed reasonable, especially coming from him. Jiang Xueling's intervention had been a last resort, which, while helping the Devouring Beast, might also have increased the difficulty of its success. It was even less appropriate for Ji Yuan and the others to intervene casually.

Outside, with the demon king's first stomp, only the Devouring Beast's cries of pain were heard, not screams of agony. His other foot, suspended in the air, immediately stomped down heavily again.

“Boom…”

From the edges of the barren valley ground and the compacted cracks of the earth's crust, innumerable fragments of rock and dust immediately erupted.

“Wooh-roar—”

The Devouring Beast's cries contained more anger than pain. Jiang Xueling, standing on its forehead, merely flicked her horsetail whisk twice, only diffusing some of the pressure. Then, in a slightly cool and clear voice, she said:

“Xiaosan, they're about to flatten you with mountains. If they merge the earth's crust into one, you'll be suppressed underground. Even if you don't die, who knows how many years it will take for you to get out, let alone eat anything.”

“Wooh-ooh—”

Boom…rumble, rumble, rumble…”

The Devouring Beast's entire body was trembling, and the tremors grew increasingly violent. Even the Star-Gazing Platform where Ji Yuan and the others were began to crack. Ju Yuanzi simply slapped the ground, and the entire Star-Gazing Platform detached from its base on the Devouring Beast's back. It floated up a foot, and the cracked parts closed, forming a complete square platform once again.

The intense tremors from underground naturally propagated upwards, causing the demon king's legs to feel numb and itchy. A trace of surprise appeared on his face; the Devouring Beast's power was indeed terrifying to both humans and demons.

“You sprites and demons, use the Mud Transformation Art!”

“As you command, My King!” “As you command!”

The demon king's voice resonated loudly, and in an instant, all the sprites and demons inside and outside the barren valley heard the command. They promptly obeyed and cast their spells.

Amidst a cacophony of strange or piercing sounds, the earth layer beneath the crust, especially below the Devouring Beast's body, began to soften and become extremely muddy.

“Hahahaha, now that you're off solid ground, let's see how much strength you can muster!”

The demon king laughed mockingly from atop the earth's crust, then stomped down heavily again.

The earth's crust sank several more zhang into the ground and began to merge. Countless sprites around them chanted spells in unison, accelerating this fusion. Above, earth and rocks even began to pile up, forming the rudimentary shapes of mountains, much like a mountain-suppressing technique—powerful yet also more brutal.

Jiang Xueling's aura remained stable, while Ji Yuan and the other two observers were still pouring tea. Seeing this scene, Ji Yuan sighed with a smile.

“This Devouring Beast, though appearing as formidable as a mountain, also has some fish-like qualities. By turning the earth into mud, far from depriving the Devouring Beast of leverage, it's actually helping it!”

“That's why it's said that demons prioritize brute force and find it difficult to align with the Great Dao!”

Lian Baiping also chuckled. No sooner had their words fallen than they felt the Devouring Beast actively plunging downwards into the muddy underground mire. This caused the demon king, who was standing on the earth's crust, to suddenly feel as if he had stepped into empty space.

‘What's happening?’

No sooner had this thought formed in his mind than he suddenly heard the sound of rushing water coming from underground. The next moment, immense power erupted from beneath his feet.

“Rumble—” “Splosh-splosh-splosh…”

The earth's crust instantly exploded, caught off guard. Countless mud, mixed with shattered rocks and dirt clumps, shot out in a hemispherical pattern in all directions. A giant Devouring Fish, writhing in the muddy water, surged out from underground in one swift motion. A gaping maw, dark as an abyss, ascended to devour, its target obvious.

The demon king had already flown skyward in that instant. Although the eerie suction force from the Devouring Beast's devouring glow was present, it was not enough to fully pull the demon king into its maw.

Even so, Demon King Miaoyun, now airborne, was startled. He looked down to see many sprites and demons caught in the blast who hadn't retreated in time. They were like people falling into a watery vortex, continuously being drawn towards the Devouring Beast's mouth.

“My King, save me…!” “My King!”

“Ah…”

The cries for help from the demons were mere noise to both the Devouring Beast and the demon king. Watching them being devoured had no effect on the demon king whatsoever. However, the Devouring Beast's escape from confinement greatly angered him. He turned to look at the man in animal hides on the other side of the sky. Though the other man remained silent, he somehow felt that he was smiling.

“Weimei Sect cultivator, you have trespassed into our Southern Barrens, slaughtering our demon people. Do you have nothing to say?”

The mud on the Devouring Beast's body was sliding off in all directions. Some of its seemingly horrific but actually superficial wounds were healing, and it began to float upwards again.

Jiang Xueling stood on its forehead and declared loudly.

“Our immortal path and your demonic kind are inherently antithetical. There's no point in further words. You didn't become a demon king by merely talking, did you?”

Hearing Jiang Xueling's words, Ji Yuan's brows furrowed slightly. It had to be said that, on a broad level, the notion of immortals and demons being irreconcilable was a typical mindset for many immortal cultivators; even Jiang Xueling was no exception. Speaking it now seemed only natural and righteous. However, in Ji Yuan's mind, strictly speaking, they were not in the right this time.

“You! You're practically asking for death! Demon King Huanggu, won't you come and help me? These immortal cultivators are scoffing, saying there's no one left in our demon race!”

The man in animal hides also had no intention of continuing to merely observe. At this moment, he burst into wild laughter.

“Hahahahaha… They say Weimei Sect is famously unfeeling among immortal cultivators, and it seems to be true. Since you're seeking death today, I shall grant it to you! Roar—”

Amidst the roar, the man's demonic aura almost materialized into flames, igniting the entire sky as if it were on fire. His animal hide clothing began to extend continuously, and the fur on his body grew longer and longer. His physique expanded outwards in all directions, eventually transforming into a massive, hundred-zhang spotted leopard. He had actually revealed his true form. Though still quite small compared to the Devouring Beast, the terrifying demonic aura that swept forth gave him a presence far stronger than the Devouring Beast's.

“This Devouring Beast is so massive. After we kill it, there'll be enough for all the demons within a thousand li to feast. By devouring the essence of its spiritual charm and absorbing some immortal aura, hahahaha…”

“Excellent!”

One of the two great demon kings manifested his true form. With a thunderous roar, he directly leaped onto the Devouring Beast's back and tore a swath of blood with a swing of his claws, making the Devouring Beast writhe and struggle. The other directly manifested a sword from behind him. Like a meteor piercing the earth, he charged towards Jiang Xueling. His demonic energy condensed into a sharp sword light, its momentum like a rainbow, difficult to resist.