Immortal Refiner

The entire Great Rift Valley began to tremble violently, as if struck by a massive earthquake, sending loose rocks tumbling down the slopes.

The cataclysmic event was caused by Li Qing’s devastating punch, which sent Jin Lie hurtling through the air like a meteor crashing into the earth, unleashing a shockwave of immense force.

A colossal crater now scarred the landscape, shrouded in swirling dust that obscured the depths of the impact zone.

The demon race spectators stood frozen in place, their eyes wide with disbelief, not a single word escaping their lips.

Even Bai Xing, who had been locked in mortal combat with Fan Tong, halted his attack, his gaze fixed on the massive crater Jin Lie had carved into the earth.

Bai Xing’s lion-like eyes burned with grim realization.

This human is terrifyingly powerful. If he could send Jin Lie, a creature of immense strength, crashing into the ground with a single punch, leaving his fate uncertain, then Bai Xing himself stood little chance against such a foe.

Was Jin Lie merely a paper tiger?

No, that couldn’t be true. Bai Xing, who had once been considered Jin Lie’s equal, knew firsthand the true power of this golden bear, whose bloodline traced back to the Ancient Dragon-Bear.

In truth, the two were evenly matched at best. Given the inherent advantages of his bloodline, Bai Xing had always believed himself to be slightly inferior to the dragon bear in raw combat prowess.

In the sky, Li Qing clenched his fist as he slowly descended, casually flicking his wrist as if the battle had been effortless.

And indeed, it had been. Li Qing had relied solely on his raw physical strength, without any enhancement from divine arts or techniques.

Yet even this primal force had proven insurmountable for the Golden Dragon Bear.

Amidst stunned and awestruck gazes, Li Qing strode toward the massive crater Jin Lie had carved into the earth.

He had vowed to extract the bear’s gall bladder and sever its paws, and he intended to keep his word.

Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, powerful heartbeats reverberated from within the dust-choked crater.

A faint aura of oppressive might surged from the dense smoke.

Something was wrong. Jin Lie wasn’t dead yet!

”Heh, now this is getting interesting. Otherwise, this Ancient Dragon-Bear bloodline would have been a real disappointment,” Li Qing remarked, his confidence unshaken.

Moments later, the thick smoke abruptly dissipated.

The Golden Dragon Bear had undergone a complete transformation!

Its golden fur had been entirely replaced by a layer of gleaming golden scales.

It rose on its hind legs, a dragon’s tail extending from its back, and the sharp claws on its bear paws elongated.

”Since my birth, this is the first time I’ve been forced to fully activate my bloodline,” Jin Lie said in a deep, rumbling voice.

It was undergoing dragonification, its body transforming toward that of a true dragon.

Of course, Jin Lie wasn’t a true Ancient Dragon Bear, and its bloodline wasn’t particularly potent. This dragonification remained incomplete, with many Bear Clan features still visible across its body.

Legend had it that a true Ancient Dragon Bear, upon reaching a certain level of power, could even temporarily transform completely into a true dragon!

Even so, Jin Lie’s current strength had increased dramatically.

Roar!

A roar that sounded both draconic and ursine reverberated through the air.

The roar carried an overwhelming pressure, causing weaker-blooded demons nearby to tremble inwardly.

Li Qing, however, felt no such fear. Instead, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

In the next instant, the Kunpeng Divine Power within his body surged forth, coursing through every inch of his fleshly body.

Kunpeng Treasure Technique!

This was the true Kunpeng Inheritance. With his fleshly body now even more formidable, he could unleash this devastating offensive technique without restraint.

In the blink of an eye, both combatants moved.

The man and the bear erupted with terrifying speed, each leaving afterimages in their wake.

Before a single breath could be drawn, they clashed in a furious melee.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Jin Lie, having fully activated his Ancient Dragon-Bear bloodline, unleashed a surge of power far surpassing his earlier strength.

But Li Qing countered with the Kunpeng Treasure Technique. Every strike and movement carried the shadow of the Kunpeng, each blow lethally precise.

Their collision shook the earth, the battle locked in a perfect stalemate.

”Golden Dragon Suppression!”

A phantom image of a true dragon materialized behind Jin Lie as he clasped his palms together, channeling a crushing force toward Li Qing.

Yet Li Qing refused to retreat, instead meeting the attack head-on.

His arms trembled, his entire being transforming into a Kunpeng poised to soar through the heavens. He launched himself skyward.

Kunpeng’s Vast Heaven Diagram!

In the blink of an eye, Li Qing’s fleshly body endured immense pressure, yet he forcefully broke through Jin Lie’s assault.

With a palm strike, he moved like a Kunpeng flapping its wings, Kunpeng Divine Power surging through his body at lightning speed.

Boom!

Jin Lie, having fully activated his bloodline, was once again sent flying.

But Li Qing wasn’t finished. He pursued relentlessly, his figure tearing through space with such speed that it became impossible to track with the naked eye.

In the next instant, space flickered.

Swish!

Two strange bear paws, each tipped with dragon claws, were severed, crimson blood arcing through the air.

”Roar!” Jin Lie roared in agony, its eyes burning with fury.

But now severely wounded, it was utterly unable to withstand Li Qing’s relentless assault.

Li Qing surged through space again, his hand transforming into a formidable Kunpeng Claw. He pierced Jin Lie’s abdomen, the scales offering no resistance.

Splash!

Along with a torrent of blood, Li Qing actually tore a fist-sized bear gall from Jin Lie’s belly!

In a few swift moves, Jin Lie was reduced to helpless prey.

”Hey, Brother Jin,” Li Qing said, his tone casual, ”I’m also quite interested in your demon core. How about lending it to me for a little while?”

Without waiting for Jin Lie’s consent, Li Qing abruptly thrust his finger forward, piercing Jin Lie’s skull.

The surging energy instantly drained every last trace of life from Jin Lie’s body.

With the deed done, Li Qing stored Jin Lie’s corpse in his storage pouch.

After all, this was a late third-tier demon beast with the Ancient Dragon-Bear bloodline. Every part of its body held considerable value.

The other demons witnessed this scene, utterly shaken.

Jin Lie, slaughtered like a fish in just a few strokes?

This was a major incident!

Many of the demons present were of high status, either members of the royal clans from the demon realm or closely connected to them.

They understood the implications of this event.

Jin Lie was the sixth son of the Golden Bear King, and the king’s most beloved offspring.

Didn’t they see how the Golden Bear King had even proposed to the other royal clans to open the ancestral land early for the sake of his descendant?

Yet now, Jin Lie had been so easily killed by a human. It was almost unimaginable.

When they left the ancestral land, the Golden Bear King would surely go berserk!

”Though the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm operates on the principle that strength alone determines status, regardless of nobility or common birth, this human has gone too far,” the shadow leopard said warily. It immediately turned and fled, choosing to escape the area.

It wasn’t a member of the royal clan, nor was it related to any of the powerful royal families. It had no connection to the matter.

If the Golden Bear King learned that the shadow leopard had been present when Jin Lie died, he might vent his rage on it!

In the demon realm, the Golden Bear King was known for his overbearing nature.

”Heh, this human cultivator certainly has guts. Jin Lie was the most talented of the Golden Bear King’s offspring, and the one most likely to achieve transformation.”

”And now you’ve just killed him, completely severing the Golden Bear King Clan’s prospects for having two kings. You’ll likely face their wrath later,” the jade azure serpent hissed, flicking its tongue.

The bone demon giant wolf and blazing demon weasel, realizing the situation was dire, belatedly followed the shadow leopard’s lead, fleeing the vortex of this incident. They feared being caught in the crossfire and later incurring the Golden Bear King’s wrath.

Upon hearing this, Li Qing showed no signs of unease. He chuckled and replied, ”I’ve already made an enemy of Jin Lie. Even if I hadn’t killed him just now, would the Golden Bear King have spared me once we left this place?”

His words startled the other demons, who quickly realized he was right.

In truth, from the moment Fan Tong revealed himself, Li Qing had no chance of making peace with the Bear Clan.

”Indeed, that’s true. Heh, then I wish this human Daoist friend good fortune,” the jade azure serpent said, transforming into a wisp of green smoke and drifting away.

The remaining demon race members cast deep glances at Li Qing, imprinting his features into their minds before swiftly retreating from the area.

The Tempering Life Spirit Pool had closed, and now it was time to prepare for the Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit, which would soon ripen on the Myriad Beasts Spirit Tree.

Only three demon beasts remained: Fan Tong, who had just fought the white lion; the heavily injured ninth insect; and the hesitant Terrorclaw Lizard.

”Master, you’ve really stirred up a hornet’s nest now! Jin Lie’s sudden death is a catastrophe!”

”Master, after we leave the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, the Golden Bear King will definitely come after you!”

The Terrorclaw Lizard’s voice trembled with fear. After a long pause, it stammered, ”Master, I may not be able to accompany you any further. Please forgive me!”

Li Qing nodded without reproach.

The Terrorclaw Lizard still had its own clan in the demon realm. If the Golden Bear King learned of its association with Li Qing, the entire clan could face annihilation.

Letting it leave now was the best course of action.

”I understand,” Li Qing said. ”But since the bone demon giant wolf also knows we traveled together, should I eliminate it in this secret realm to prevent future trouble?”

Indeed, apart from the bone demon giant wolf, no other demon race knew that Li Qing and the Terrorclaw Lizard had journeyed together as companions.

The Terrorclaw Lizard shook its head. ”That won’t be necessary. The Bone Wolf Clan and the Golden Bear Clan have a strained relationship, even harboring some animosity. The bone demon giant wolf is unlikely to inform the Golden Bear Clan about this matter.”

”Master, the Myriad Beasts Spirit Tree and Beast King Mountain in the ancestral land are both crucial. With your strength, you should easily reap significant rewards.”

”I won’t say more. Take care!”

With that, the Terrorclaw Lizard sprinted out of the Great Rift Valley.

Li Qing watched the Terrorclaw Lizard’s retreating figure, then smiled. ”Quite an interesting demon race. If it weren’t for its clan ties, I would have brought it back to the Lingyun Sect.”

With that, Li Qing shook his head, banishing these thoughts from his mind.

”Awooo!”

”Master, what’s next? Killing Jin Lie will make things difficult to handle afterward.”

Li Qing froze at the deep, rumbling voice, then turned around in surprise.

Fan Tong, his body bearing several claw marks, was slowly approaching.

Fan Tong could speak!

”You rascal! Weren’t you just at the mid-stage of core formation? How can you already speak human language?” Li Qing was overjoyed.

Generally, demon beasts could only communicate through divine sense transmission at the mid-stage of the third-tier, and only those at the late third-tier could speak human language.

But perhaps because Fan Tong had been by Li Qing’s side for so long, constantly exposed to human speech, he had managed to speak human language immediately after advancing to the mid-stage of the third-tier.

”Master...”

Before Fan Tong could finish, Li Qing interrupted with a hearty laugh:

”You blockhead! There’s no master-servant distinction between us. Just call me Big Brother.”

Fan Tong blinked its massive eyes and said, ”Brother, ever since I entered this secret realm, I’ve sensed a faint, persistent call.”

Li Qing paused, then nodded. ”This is the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm of the demon realm. There must be a powerful Tiger Clan inheritance here. It could be a strong inheritance from Beast King Mountain calling to you.”

”Let’s head out now, collect as many beast ancestor tokens as possible, and gather information about the Myriad Beasts Spirit Tree.”

”We need at least five beast ancestor tokens to get you into Beast King Mountain and receive the Tiger Clan’s powerful inheritance.”

With that, Li Qing made his decision.

As for the severely injured ninth insect, it had already chosen to enter a deep slumber to heal its wounds after seeing Li Qing emerge from his seclusion.

The injuries weren’t critical. With its abundant potential and solid foundation, it simply needed quiet recuperation within the spirit beast pouch.

Afterward, Li Qing and Fan Tong left the Great Rift Valley and began searching the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm for beast ancestor tokens while gathering intelligence on the Myriad Beasts Spirit Fruit.

Of course, Li Qing didn’t forget to examine Jin Lie’s body along the way.

Soon, three bone tokens, as white as jade, appeared in his hand.

”Heh, adding these three beast ancestor tokens from Jin Lie, I’ve unexpectedly gathered five entry tokens for Beast King Mountain!”

Li Qing weighed the tokens in his hand, nodding with immense satisfaction.

But this wasn’t enough. He planned to collect five more so that Ninth Insect could also enter Beast King Mountain and receive some inheritance.

If circumstances allowed, Li Qing even considered gathering five beast ancestor tokens for himself, hoping to gain some rewards on Beast King Mountain.

As for leaving the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm, he temporarily pushed that matter to the back of his mind.

Having arrived in such a place, he could only take things one step at a time.

If all else failed, he would have to teleport to the World of Eternal Night to seek refuge.

Li Qing hadn’t yet devised a better solution to deal with the Golden Bear King’s threat.

(End of the Chapter)

Translator’s Corner

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