"Oh,"
Zi Ying finally relented.
There was nothing she could do. She couldn't fight them, and she might get hurt.
Having been chased by the green-faced fiend before, the sight of this dark, narrow passage made her skin crawl. Fortunately, with her cultivation now, she could handle most evil spirits.
Zi Ying walked slowly through the passage, casting a "Radiant Orb Technique" with her hand. It served as both a light source underfoot and a way to detect her surroundings in advance.
She led the way, with Liu Jiang Fusheng following behind, separated by a distance as wide as the Siberian River, so much so that they couldn't even hear each other's footsteps. They proceeded along a straight tunnel. After an unknown duration, they saw a glimmer of light at the end of the darkness.
However, along with the light, indistinct rustling sounds of various strange things could also be heard.
Swooshing, hissing, low and deep, like grinding and scraping, and in considerable numbers, the sounds were both odd and terrifying.
Zi Ying stopped in her tracks.
Her soft, tearful voice called out from ahead, "Senior Brother, there might be something up ahead..."
"Go in," the heartless, clear voice interrupted her curtly.
Zi Ying's expression went blank, and her voice returned to normal, "...Okay."
That man, no wonder his wife left him! With someone like him, it was a miracle he ever got married!
After venting her frustration in her mind, she took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and dispelled the "Radiant Orb Technique."
Cautiously stepping from darkness into light, she looked up. Her vision suddenly widened. Majestic and grand architectural structures, with circular tiered seating areas closing in from all sides, were made of massive stone blocks forming iron cages. Inside these cages were countless demonic beasts.
She stared in disbelief, realizing that the end of the dark passage led to such a large demonic beast arena.
Exquisite stone walls, lit by blazing torches from above, illuminated the rock-hewn arena as if it were daytime.
The various types of demonic beasts confined within the iron bars, which had been lying lazily or boredly, suddenly caught the scent of a human cultivator.
The delicious and alluring aroma made them snort loudly. Their fur bristled, and their eyes snapped open, revealing dangerous, vertical pupils. They began to peer outside.
As countless ravenous, green gazes focused on Zi Ying, it felt like a mountain pressing down. She stood frozen, unable to move, feeling the greed in their beastly eyes, which sent shivers down her spine.
"Human cultivator?"
A deep voice, as if weathered by the ages, echoed through the space.
Zi Ying looked around, shocked, "A talking demonic beast?!"
Generally, demonic cultivators, upon taking human form, could speak human languages. But demonic beasts were different. Due to their mixed bloodlines, they were considered inferior and akin to common beasts. They crawled and found cultivation difficult. Only a few with purer bloodlines could break through to the tenth level, becoming high-level demonic beasts capable of speaking human languages.
However, a demonic beast that could reach the tenth level was equivalent to a human cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage!
Zi Ying thought, a hundred of her plus ten senior brothers like Fusheng wouldn't be able to defeat it.
Her bright almond-shaped eyes scanned the surroundings. Seeing a closed large gate on the east side of the beast arena, she nervously quickened her pace. Placing her palms against the gate, she pushed with all her might but found it wouldn't budge. Then, she saw a double-ringed keyhole on the gate.
At that moment, the authoritative, ancient voice spoke again, "Human cultivator, to leave this place, you must pass through that gate. But with your strength, it is impossible. You can only use a key."
You all... She turned her head and saw Liu Jiang Fusheng, who had arrived at the arena at some point.
Liu Jiang Fusheng glanced at the golden light restrictions floating above the iron bars and asked good-naturedly and gently, "Where is the key?"
Roar—
Bang bang—
As the demonic beasts caught his scent, they became frenzied and mad, repeatedly slamming into the cages. The immense crashing sounds made Zi Ying's hands and feet go cold.
Clearly, compared to Zi Ying, Liu Jiang Fusheng's aura was even more delectable.
"Quiet down, all of you!"
This beastly roar spread outwards, forcing the demonic beasts to cower. They whimpered, shrunk their necks, and retreated, but their cold, hungry eyes still licked over Liu Jiang Fusheng.
"If you release me, I will tell you where the key is."
Following the source of the voice, Liu Jiang Fusheng raised his head. In a particularly large iron cage at the highest point, he saw a snow-white demonic beast chained by its limbs and lying prostrate on the ground.
Its size was larger than all the other demonic beasts here. Its white fur was thick, and from his angle, he couldn't discern its full form. Its long, sparse eyelashes were white. He only saw its pale silver beastly eyes, gazing down like a deep pool, filled with a devouring, ferocious gleam.
Liu Jiang Fusheng's beautiful, clear face remained expressionless, and he asked seemingly guilelessly, "Release? How do you propose to do that?"
The tenth-level demonic beast paused, then said solemnly, "Destroy the restrictions on the cage!"
It exhaled a thick stream of air, its voice rumbling like thunder.
"No," Zi Ying objected urgently.
At this moment, a heavy stone door suddenly descended from the secret passage they had come through, sealing it shut.
"Hmph, then you will be trapped here with us demonic beasts."
Zi Ying was stunned. At this point, she abandoned her previous timidity, and with malice rising, she said, "Who wants to be trapped here forever with you? Don't think I don't know. You were captured by Daoist Du Sheng long ago. It's been over a thousand years. You must be weakened from being imprisoned. I'll kill you demonic beasts cage by cage. I don't believe I won't find the key after searching thoroughly!"
These words were meant to remind Liu Jiang Fusheng. Even a starving camel is bigger than a horse. She was incapable of killing them, but Liu Jiang Fusheng, with his celestial root and immortal sword, might be able to try.
Liu Jiang Fusheng glanced at her. Her words did remind him. He said, "You are too dangerous. If I release you, who knows if you'll go back on your word. However, among you demonic beasts, there are some who have gained sentience, right? If anyone can tell me where the key to open the gate is, I will release it."
Zi Ying's eyes lit up upon hearing this. This method was very feasible, and she nodded in agreement.
The arena fell silent for a moment. Having been confined for thousands of years, many of the lower-level demonic beasts had already turned into skeletons. Who wouldn't want to leave this sunless prison? Thus, many demonic beasts began to consider the offer.
They tentatively stepped forward. Before they could make any indicative gestures, the tenth-level demonic beast at the top became enraged. A roar, as if squeezed from the clouds, directly suppressed them. The ferocity and violence within it made the demonic beasts shrink back in fear.
The suppression of their rank prevented them from disobeying its command.
"Let's see who dares to help you!"
As soon as it finished speaking, a white, fluffy creature resembling a snowball emerged from a iron cage in the center.
Upon closer inspection, it was a small, white mouse demonic beast of unknown lineage, wriggling out through the gaps in the cage.
Both Liu Jiang Fusheng and Zi Ying stared in surprise.
Weren't there restrictions? How could it possibly come out?