Wandering Swordsman |

As Shen Mo approached, the Demon-Refining Beast King involuntarily shrank back, its four claws carving deep furrows into the rocky ground.

It let out a low, whimpering sound, its head bowed, its red eyes darting out—a gesture of submission, a signal of begging for mercy.

Shen Mo finally stopped, only three feet away from it.

He slowly raised his sword sheath, pointing it at the man's brow, his voice low and deep like dripping cold spring water, yet each word resounding like thunder:

"Either submit or die!"

These six short words, however, were like a divine decree, causing the entire canyon to resonate incessantly.

At this moment, Shen Mo was no longer the boy who had to fight with all his might and risk his life to kill the Demon Refining Beast King in the Demon Refining Mountain many years ago.

Now, as the Heavenly Demon God, he has integrated the aura of the Beast King, the power of the Buddha Relic, and the energy of the Heavenly Demon into one, transcending human limits and becoming a true ruler.

The Demon-Refining Beast King trembled violently, then suddenly bent its knees and knelt down with a "thud," burying its head deep into the rock crevice. Only a faint red light flickered between its brows. This action seemed to indicate that it had understood Shen Mo's words and was willing to become his servant!

Shen Mo slowly sheathed the Green Ox Sword, but did not retract his right hand.

He stepped forward and gently placed his palm on the lowered head of the Demon-Refining Beast King.

In an instant, its massive body trembled slightly, not from fear, but from awe and a sense of belonging.

Hua Tianyou watched this scene from afar, his heart surging with shock like a tsunami:

My lord... he actually managed to make an ancient demon-refining beast willingly submit to him with his own flesh and blood!

This is no longer a suppression by force, but a complete conquest of bloodline and will!

Shen Mo withdrew his hand, his black robe fluttering slightly, and turned to walk towards Hua Tianyou.

The Demon-Refining Beast King lay motionless on the ground, seemingly imprisoned, as if even heaven and earth acknowledged this silent coronation.

"Let's go," he said, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "Let them lead us the rest of the way."

Before the words were finished, the subjugated Demon Beast King let out a low roar, its voice like muffled thunder but without any killing intent.

It slowly lowered its body, its broad back like a platform, just large enough for a person to sit upright. The other, slightly smaller Demon-Refining Beast King also slowly awoke, and at the former's signal, it also lay down to await orders.

Hua Tianyou stepped forward in a daze, his fingertips touching the scales, and found them to be warm as living jade, with no trace of corrosive poison.

He flipped himself onto the beast's back, feeling as steady as a rock, its four claws treading the ground silently, yet faster than a galloping horse.

Two demon-refining beast kings carried the two of them, darting through the depths of the Soul Devouring Abyss like arrows released from a bow.

They are intimately familiar with miasma, poisonous insects, and bone-corroding winds, and they always choose the safest routes to speed along.

Sometimes they leap across a hundred-foot-deep abyss, traversing a rift valley in a single bound; other times they dive into underground rivers, passing through cracks in the rock strata to avoid the vortex of poisonous fog above.

Hua Tianyou then understood—these Demon-Refining Beast Kings were originally the "natives" of this canyon, the oldest guardians leading to the far west, and also living maps.

After leaving the central area of ​​the canyon, the miasma gradually thinned out, but the canyon still stretched endlessly.

The two giant beasts did not stop, traveling day and night, their hooves creating a whirlwind, reducing the journey that would have taken several months to less than a month.

......

Shen Mo remained silent throughout the journey.

He sat upright on the beast's back, his gaze piercing through the thick fog, looking towards the distant western horizon. His thoughts surged like a tide:

The Demon-Refining Beast King in Demon-Refining Mountain was generated by Li Er's great formation. Compared with the Demon-Refining Beast King here, it naturally lacks some of its spirituality.

The Demon-Refining Beast King here is not only more complete in form, but it can also reproduce in large numbers, and compared with the Demon-Refining Beast King of Demon-Refining Mountain, it seems to have more spirituality...

Is the far west the end of Xuanyuan Ling's journey, or... another, even greater mountain of demon-refining?

His fingertips unconsciously caressed the scabbard, his eyes flashing alternately.

The far west is no ordinary place.

This problem is like a lock, and the "Heavenly Demon Divine Art" left behind by Xuanyuan Ling may be the only key to unlock it.

The wind blows from the depths of the canyon, carrying ancient whispers.

The two demon-refining beast kings marched forward under the moonlight, their hooves beating like drums, heralding the path to the far west.

......

As the last canyon cliff was left behind, the view suddenly opened up before us.

Shen Mo and Hua Tianyou stood atop the high slope, gazing into the distance—

A silver ribbon-like river meanders from afar, shimmering like shattered jade in the sunlight; lush forests line both banks, ancient trees reach for the sky, and birdsong echoes through the branches; further away, an endless grassland stretches to the horizon like a green velvet carpet, dotted with wildflowers, herds of cattle and sheep graze, and pastoral songs drift faintly on the wind.

This land is full of life, with a warm breeze on your face, and even the air is filled with the fragrance of grass and soil.

Compared to the miasma-filled canyons that swallowed thousands of troops, the snow-covered plains and mountains frozen for thousands of miles, and the deserts where yellow sand blocked out the sun behind them, this place seemed like two different worlds—on one side was a deadly trap set by heaven and earth, and on the other side was a gentle gift from the creator.

Hua Tianyou took a deep breath, as if trying to fill his lungs with this long-lost "vitality." He murmured, "My lord... we've arrived."

Shen Mo remained silent, simply leaping lightly to land on the back of the Demon-Refining Beast King. Hua Tianyou followed closely behind. The two giant beasts let out a low growl, as if in salutation.

Shen Mo raised his hand and lightly waved his palm—

A warm, black aura, like a ribbon, wrapped around the backs of the two beasts. It was neither a command nor an expulsion, but a silent acknowledgment and farewell.

The two Demon-Refining Beast Kings raised their heads and roared, their voices shaking the forest and wilderness. Then, they pushed off the ground with their four paws, like two dark golden lightning bolts, and turned to run into the direction of the canyon. Their figures were quickly swallowed up by the surging miasma, leaving only the thunderous sound of their hooves as they gradually disappeared into the distance.

From then on, they returned to the desolate canyon, while the two stepped back into the human world.

As the environment suddenly improved, the two increased their speed of travel.

No longer needing to use internal energy to ward off the cold, avoid poison, or resist wind and sand, one can freely use light-body skills and traverse hundreds of miles of grassland in just one day.

At dusk the following day, a city-state suddenly appeared on the horizon.

Shen Mo paused slightly, a rare look of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

This city-state was completely different from the towns of the Central Plains—

The city walls were not made of blue bricks, but were built of huge stone blocks with sharp edges and towering like blades; the city gates were not painted with red lacquer and copper nails, but were covered with iron and oak, with ferocious animal head reliefs inlaid on them; the streets were not laid out in a chessboard pattern, but radiated outwards from the center, and the stone-paved roads were wide enough for four horses to ride side by side.

The most striking feature is the castle in the center of the city—its spires pierce the clouds, and its stained-glass windows reflect a magnificent glow in the setting sun; the outer walls are built of white marble, inlaid with gold-threaded heraldic symbols, and gilded griffin statues stand on the eaves, their wings spread, exuding a majestic aura. The castle is surrounded by a moat, its clear waters reflecting the towers and the evening glow, creating a scene like a dream.

Outside the castle, the houses are low and simple: thatched roofs, mud walls, wooden fences, wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, and children running barefoot.

The magnificent castles are like the abode of gods, while the houses of ordinary people are like anthills in the world—extreme luxury and simplicity stand in stark contrast, creating a jarring divide.