Shi Yan followed Yang Lao, slowly proceeding toward a valley nestled between the two divine mountains.

Several li away from the valley, Shi Yan could already faintly sense an overwhelming aura of fierce malevolence emanating from within.

Above the valley, the azure and black clouds were intensely dense, radiating potent demonic qi and netherworld qi. These two distinct energies merged strangely, seemingly originating entirely from the monstrous beast within.

“Roar!”

As if sensing an approach, a world-shattering bellow suddenly erupted from the valley.

With that roar, all the various demonic beasts penned in the surrounding valleys immediately prostrated themselves in terror, utterly subdued, daring not even to lift their heads.

“This ferocious thing,” Yang Lao muttered, his face etched with helplessness. “Rearing this beast is truly taxing. In just a year and a half, it has devoured nearly a hundred third and fourth-tier demonic beasts. If our Yang family weren't so wealthy, we truly couldn't sustain it.”

Shi Yan was horrified.

Third and fourth-tier demonic beasts were already quite precious. For that creature to have consumed so many high-level beasts in such a short span demonstrated its extreme ferocity, suggesting it would be difficult to handle.

Even Yang Mu’s Twin-Headed Flood Dragon hesitated before the beast's single roar, displaying evident fear.

The Twin-Headed Flood Dragon was a sixth-tier beast. Such beasts were notoriously difficult to tame within the Yang family, even more savage than the Azure Blood Demon Bat. Previously, a fierce cry from the Twin-Headed Flood Dragon would make all the local beasts tremble, yet here was a creature causing it to waver.

Yang Mu was forced to dismount his dragon and offered Shi Yan a wry smile. “Little Yanzi, you see for yourself. That thing is far trickier than my Twin-Headed Flood Dragon. Alas, I don't know what Great-Grandfather was thinking, asking you to tame it. It’s a joke. Even I feel a knot in my stomach just seeing it.”

Shi Yan grew even more astonished.

“Let’s go,” Yang Lao snorted coldly. “Don’t let that fellow look down on us. Since our Yang family can suppress it, we naturally have means to deal with it. We've poured so many resources into it; we must recoup the cost.”

Shi Yan nodded lightly, his expression solemn. “I am becoming more and more eager.”

“Be careful, Shi Yan,” Yang Meng said, her small face full of worry. “Don’t end up eaten by it instead of taming it. That creature is genuinely hard to provoke. You must be cautious; one slip-up, and you might truly be consumed. The last time I approached, I was nearly immobilized by the aura radiating from it.”

“Howl!” In the valley, the beast roared again, clearly showing its displeasure at the approach of humans; the moment it scented them, it unleashed its murderous aura.

Any ordinary martial artist, upon hearing its savage roar, would likely tremble and dare not come closer.

Even Shi Yan frowned deeply, holding his breath and concentrating, refusing to let his guard down.

Finally, led by Yang Lao, Shi Yan arrived between the two divine mountains.

The ground was littered with countless white bones, enormous skeletons clearly belonging to demonic beasts.

The valley floor was entirely covered in bones, appearing like a sea of skulls as far as the eye could see—truly breathtaking and macabre.

“Crunch!”

As his foot landed on the brittle bone, the sound of fragments breaking sent a chill down Shi Yan’s spine.

The dense demonic and netherworld qi coiled perpetually above the valley. In the center of the green netherworld qi and black demonic qi, the massive silhouette of the demonic beast flickered in and out of view, roaring skyward with bared fangs and claws.

Twelve pitch-black iron chains, thick as arms, connected the two divine mountains, tightly bound around the beast. Every time the creature struggled and thrashed, the chains emitted violent metallic clanging.

“Hoo, hoo, hoo!”

The beast inhaled deeply, opening its maw to the sky. The thick clouds of netherworld and demonic qi swirling above were suddenly sucked into its body as if drawn by a sponge.

The previously indistinct beast abruptly materialized amidst the surrounding piles of white bone.

Shi Yan stared in awe.

It was a gigantic, serpentine beast, like a dragon or a python, stretching ten meters in length. It lacked fleshy wings; its underside was covered in scales, and its body bristled with ferocious, arm-length black spikes. Its entire form shimmered with black light, sporting two massive dragon claws that gleamed sharply, seemingly capable of tearing through anything.

It slammed its dragon claws onto the hard stone ground, punching deep craters into the earth. Each strike resonated with a mighty boom through the valley.

Most terrifying was the beast’s head—it was undeniably a hideous ghoul’s face. In its bell-sized eyes, a green light shone, brimming with bloodthirsty malevolence. This phantom-like visage was further adorned with jagged black spikes erupting from its face like swords driven into its flesh.

The beast, about ten meters long, resembling a dragon or python with its terrifying ghostly visage, inspired primal fear with a single glance.

Seeing the intruders, the beast roared again, unleashing an intensely concentrated aura of fierce malice that radiated outward from it like a hurricane.

This malevolent pressure felt almost tangible, causing souls to tremble. Wherever the aura passed, the scattered bones of nearby demonic beasts cracked and shattered.

Yang Mu and Yang Meng couldn't help but recoil a few steps, their eyes shifting nervously. Shi Yan’s expression also changed; he hastily condensed his spiritual sense, using the power of his Sea of Consciousness to resist the intangible pressure emanating from the beast. Only then did he manage to stand firm without retreating in fear, his legs rooted to the spot.

Yang Lao looked on with surprise, regarding Shi Yan with a slightly peculiar expression.

Since this beast was brought here, many Yang family martial artists had come to witness its ferocity. Almost every newcomer was initially stunned by its savagery, showing fear and instinctively stepping back, unwilling to meet its gaze.

Yang Mu and Yang Meng, both possessing cultivation in the Status Realm, still found themselves somewhat unable to withstand the beast’s terrifying aura this time, involuntarily retreating a few steps.

Yet Shi Yan stood unmoving. This was utterly abnormal.

Shi Yan, only at the Hundred Calamities Realm, what exactly allowed him to remain steadfast under the beast's fierce presence and terrifying stare?

Yang Lao couldn't fathom it, feeling that perhaps the words of Yang Qingdi held some credence. Shi Yan’s Sea of Consciousness rippled as strands of spiritual sense subtly spread out, using their power to ward off the beast’s fierce energy. Seeing Yang Mu and Yang Meng retreat, he was secretly shocked but also somewhat pleased. He realized that his immunity to the intimidation this time was entirely due to condensing his Sea of Consciousness. The Sea of Consciousness had many miraculous uses, the simplest being the ability to borrow the power of spiritual sense to resist soul shocks from such malevolent auras.

Although Yang Mu and Yang Meng both cultivated in the Status Realm, they had not yet condensed a Sea of Consciousness. Facing the beast’s savage aura, their souls were directly exposed without the defense of spiritual sense, causing their minds to be shaken, forcing them to retreat against their will.

“What in the world is this creature?” Shi Yan asked deeply after drawing a breath.

“Gui Liao,” Yang Lao deliberated before explaining, “It is said to be a hybrid of a Celestial Ghost from the Netherworld and a Tusked Dragon from the Demon Domain. Both the Celestial Ghost and the Tusked Dragon are eighth-tier demonic beasts, notoriously difficult for even the Netherlings and Demon Kin to handle in their respective realms. Your Great-Grandfather discovered this Gui Liao in a strange place within the Fourth Demon Domain. This specimen is merely a juvenile, seemingly only a few centuries old, yet it is already a sixth-tier beast. According to your Great-Grandfather, because the Gui Liao is the hybrid of two eighth-tier beasts, it possesses infinite evolutionary potential. He claims that if its fortune allows, it can at least reach the ninth tier, and with rare treasures, perhaps even the tenth tier!”

Shi Yan was stunned.

Demonic beasts capable of continuous evolution were typically exceptionally savage. Ninth-tier beasts were exceedingly rare anomalies in all realms, and tenth-tier beasts were usually only heard of in legends, rarely witnessed in person.

This Gui Liao not only had the capability for continuous evolution but could reach the ninth tier, potentially even ascending to the pinnacle of beasts, achieving the tenth tier.

Shi Yan had truly never seen, nor even heard tales of, a beast of this caliber.

“No one knows how a Celestial Ghost from the Netherworld appeared in the Fourth Demon Domain and mated with the Tusked Dragon of the Demon Domain to sire this strange Gui Liao hybrid,” Yang Lao shook his head. “Even your Great-Grandfather couldn't figure out why a Celestial Ghost would be in the Demon Domain, nor how it could combine with a Tusked Dragon. The name Gui Liao was coined by your Great-Grandfather; this thing supposedly never appeared before—it is the rarest anomaly under heaven and earth.”

“Then, how does one subdue such an anomaly?” Shi Yan murmured.

Yang Lao paused, then shook his head with a bitter smile. “Don’t ask me; I know absolutely nothing. After your Great-Grandfather brought this creature back to Undying Island from the Demon Domain, he personally bound it with twelve profound iron chains. He instructed us to deliver a third or fourth-tier beast every seven days for it to eat, saying that you would be the one to tame the Gui Liao when you arrived on Undying Island.”

“Me?” Shi Yan was dumbfounded. “Great-Grandfather truly thinks highly of me.”

“Indeed,” Yang Lao nodded, his expression strange. “None of us believe you can tame this Gui Liao... but your Great-Grandfather insisted that only you and this Gui Liao share a destined connection. I don't know what basis he had for that claim, but he gave the strict order that only you are permitted to attempt its taming. I can't fathom his reasoning.”

“Great-Grandfather must be confused,” Yang Meng stuck out her tongue, adorably. “Brother Yan hasn't even seen this thing, nor does he have any experience taming beasts. He certainly can't do it.”

“It doesn't matter,” Yang Lao mused, then turned to Shi Yan. “You stay here and try to subdue it. Remember, do not approach within a hundred zhang; that is its physical attack range. Since your Great-Grandfather said it, there must be a reason. While I know many methods for beast taming, none suit this creature. Your Great-Grandfather also commanded that I not instruct you on any beast-taming knowledge.”

With that, Yang Lao immediately led Yang Meng and Yang Mu away, leaving Shi Yan alone to fret over the Gui Liao.

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