Two beings, resembling humans by seven or eight parts but possessing ash-grey skin, dark red eyes, and a single, sharp, curved horn protruding from their foreheads, floated almost imperceptibly in the air. One, seemingly the elder, frowned slightly. "Several hundred li away, there appears to be a violent surge of energy fluctuation. The combatants are likely creatures at the Golden Core stage."

"Elder Tianluo, could it be that the spirit fox that escaped has finally met an opponent?" The other, whose skin appeared smoother and whose demeanor was younger, displayed excitement in his eyes. "It’s only four hundred li or so; why don’t we go take a look?"

"Young Master." The elder alien, named Tianluo, furrowed his brow deeply. "I have escorted you this far not for a mere spirit fox. If we happen upon it incidentally, so be it, but do not stir up trouble for it. After all, once we cross this mountain range, we enter the territory of the Zhao Prefecture humans. Compared to the Barbarians, humans are a vast race spread across the Nine Provinces; their strength should not be underestimated, and carelessness is forbidden."

"Elder Tianluo." The Young Master grew anxious. That Three-Tailed Spirit Fox was an exceedingly rare creature, possessing the potent bloodline of an Ancient Great Demon. He was unwilling to give up so easily. He retorted sharply, "Our Monoceros Clan was once renowned across heaven and earth! Do not let our prestige fall because of mere humans. It’s only a few hundred li away; it won't derail any grand plan."

"Hmph. If not for the fortuitous discovery of the Divine Temple entrance, what harm would indulging you once do?" Elder Tianluo remained unmoved by his words, his face perfectly calm. "Young Master, you know what price we paid to uncover the true intentions of the Barbarians this time. That damned Barbarian Prophet, Kucas—how many of our clan's experts have perished under his Great Perception Art?" As he spoke the last words, his expression became grim and icy. "Young Master, we cannot risk even the slightest danger. In short, this accidental discovery of the Divine Temple entrance is already a colossal stroke of luck. Once we obtain the heritage guarded by the Barbarians, it will be the day our clan rises again. Otherwise, even if you are the Young Master, I, Tianluo, will strike you down." Internally, however, he sighed. If intelligence hadn't suggested that the temple seemed accessible only to those below the Golden Core cultivation level, why would this Young Master have been sent here?

Alas, they were both young. While his Young Master was decent and adequate, he paled in comparison to that Saintess of the Barbarians, who had risen like a comet. Tianluo held little hope for the outcome should the Young Master and the Saintess enter the temple simultaneously. It was fortunate they had gained a head start by miraculously finding the temple entrance right here. Pity the Saintess, relying on ancient intelligence, still believed the temple lay within the borders of Zhao Prefecture, meticulously planning her infiltration into the region.

Faced with Tianluo's cold gaze, the Young Master shivered involuntarily. Although he still lamented the injured spirit fox, he dared not speak further while Tianluo was furious, forcing him to sulkily resume his position behind the elder, not daring to mention the fox again.

The narrative splits. Here, Leizhen was somewhat pleased with the efficacy of the Tianluo Diwang (Heaven and Earth Net) he had researched over the years. The material of the net was derived from netherworld ghost essence, and when deployed within the range of his Netherworld Grand Technique, it was extremely difficult for either spiritual sense or eyesight to detect them. If it had been a single net, perhaps that spirit fox would have soon broken free. But several nets bound it tightly, like a zongzi (rice dumpling), wrapping it completely. It was sticky and ensnaring, possessing tremendous resilience. Moreover, threads condensed by Leizhen constantly coiled around it. No matter how fiercely the spirit fox struggled, it could not escape the predicament, emitting incessant squeaks.

A live Three-Tailed Spirit Fox—Leizhen almost felt like laughing. Of course, he knew that once demonic beasts matured, their wild nature became difficult to tame. Most importantly, Golden Core demonic beasts possessed extremely high intelligence; they were capable of feigning death or playing dumb. In the past, many had attempted to research methods to subdue adult demonic beasts, turning them into powerful allies for human cultivators. However, in reality, it proved exceedingly difficult. It wasn't that they were truly impossible to subdue. Rather, many Golden Core demonic beasts, when faced with subjugation, would pretend compliance when they saw no chance of resistance. Once an opportunity arose, the seemingly docile beast would violently turn on its master. This usually occurred when the master was engaged in combat or facing a critical moment. Consequently, the "master" was almost always killed by the backlash. At that moment, the demonic beast's savagery would be fully unleashed; even at the cost of its own life, it would definitely seek to bite back.

Over time, as such tragedies frequently unfolded, few dared to attempt taming adult demonic beasts any longer. After all, no one could be certain if the beast was truly subdued or merely pretending, and even using life-and-death controls was ineffective. Therefore, those seeking battle pets could only resort to blood sacrifice with newborn demonic beast cubs. But the problem was that not all demonic beasts had excellent opportunities for growth. The vast majority matured through chance and immense fortune. Thus, using ordinary demonic beast cubs for blood sacrifice carried significant risks. This was precisely why the cubs of demonic beasts with excellent growth potential and ancient bloodlines were so valuable. Leizhen’s Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger was one such example.

Consequently, Leizhen never considered capturing this Three-Tailed Spirit Fox alive to be a battle pet. The reason for capturing it alive was solely to test the effectiveness of his Tianluo Diwang. Now that it was snared, Leizhen naturally held no mercy; that single bead capable of strengthening spiritual sense alone was an extremely valuable commodity. The remaining beast blood, hide, and soul essence also held their respective worth.

Leizhen pursed his lips and, with a single hand gesture, summoned the Scarlet Refining Flying Sword, which materialized three inches before him. The sword's body was crystalline and translucent, flowing with a crimson light and wreathed in a seemingly faint but intensely hot flame. Just as he prepared to dispatch the Three-Tailed Spirit Fox, a strange phenomenon occurred.

The spirit fox, trapped within the net, exerted itself to unleash an illusion. Like a three-dimensional holographic projection from Leizhen's previous life, a woman appeared, clad in flowing white robes yet possessing immense charm, who seemed to be kneeling submissively before Leizhen. "Big Brother, please spare little sister’s life. I am willing, just like that Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger, to become your spirit pet."

Leizhen had not anticipated such a turn of events and was momentarily stunned. But he quickly regained his composure, sneering coldly. "Spirit Fox, your illusion technique is quite effective, even using this method to communicate with me. Too bad everyone in this world knows how cunning demonic beasts are. It’s better for me to extract your spirit sense bead now than to wait for you to betray me at a crucial moment." Internally, he mused that this spirit fox was indeed intelligent to devise such a method of pleading. However, only she could manage it; ordinary demonic beasts lacked such innate illusionary skill and wisdom. She was truly a descendant of an Ancient Great Demon. Still, Leizhen’s resolve was firm; no matter how ten times more beautiful the illusionary fox became, he would not be moved.

"Big Brother, please show mercy and listen to a few words first." The Three-Tailed Spirit Fox's delicate face dimmed with sorrow, appearing pitiful, as if on the verge of tears. "Little sister grew up in these great mountains and has never done anything wicked. But the law of the jungle—the weak being preyed upon—is the rule of heaven and earth. If I am less skilled, I have no complaints. However, little sister is willing to offer heavenly materials and earthly treasures far exceeding her own worth to ransom herself. I beg Big Brother to grant me one chance." With that, she began listing various rare treasures. Indeed, the chaotic assortment, when combined, amounted to something worth over ten or twenty million. It seemed this little fox was quite the collector.

"What a pity, what a pity. If I were desperately short of spirit stones, perhaps I would be moved." Leizhen hesitated, then slowly shook his head. "However, my goal is your spirit sense bead. So, you had better quickly reveal the bead." Saying this, he moved to attack again.

The little fox hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly. "Wait! Please listen to one more thing, Big Brother. Big Brother, you are not deceiving me into feigning agreement only to take my spirit sense bead later. Such magnanimity in a man truly earns little sister's admiration. But little sister holds a colossal secret. If I reveal it, and Big Brother is still unsatisfied, then you may take my life directly."

"Oh?" Leizhen showed a slight surprise. After a brief contemplation, he said, "Then I will grant you one more chance. However, you need not bother offering those heavenly materials and earthly treasures from before to embarrass yourself further." While those items were tempting, Leizhen knew that obtaining them only required a little effort. Moreover, they were raw materials, and he had no immediate need for alchemy or artifact forging.

The little fox visibly relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief, and began to speak in a gentle tone. "Little sister knows of an Ancient Ruin, seemingly connected to the ancestors of the Barbarians who inhabit the Great Desert. When little sister was very young, I accidentally broke in once and gained quite a few benefits, eating many rare and exotic fruits. But at that time, my intellect was not fully developed; I was muddle-headed and didn't realize I should take more benefits before leaving. Only after cultivating to the Golden Core stage and gaining full awareness did I realize the things I ate were precious treasures. Yet, I could never enter again. It wasn't until recently that I finally understood the two conditions required to enter that Divine Temple: the timing must be opportune, and one's cultivation cannot exceed the Foundation Establishment stage. Now, the time seems just right for entry, and Big Brother is a Foundation Establishment cultivator and an intelligent human; you are sure to reap great benefits."

Leizhen began to feel hesitant.

"Big Brother, you likely want my spirit sense bead to cultivate your divine sense, correct? That Divine Temple has been untouched for years, and it grows countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures. I know of one item inside called the Soul Fruit. I ate one as a child, which is why the essence of my spiritual sense far surpasses that of an ordinary Three-Tailed Spirit Fox." The little fox quickly added.

"Soul Fruit?" Leizhen was greatly startled.