Princess Xiyue trembled at the toad's gaze, fear showing on her face.
Having heard the phrase "toads want to eat swan meat" too many times, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if this toad decided to do something to her!
In reality.
The toad hadn't even looked closely at Princess Xiyue.
Princess Xiyue's beauty was like a pile of cow dung in the toad's eyes.
Because of the difference in species.
Their aesthetics were completely different.
In the toad's eyes, humans possessed no beauty whatsoever. With two arms, two legs, and a dry body, they were utterly devoid of aesthetic appeal.
It preferred female toads the most.
Golden ones were even better.
As for human beauties?
They were more suitable as food.
"Ling Zun, what are these people doing? That... can it be eaten?"
The toad smacked its large lips.
Princess Xiyue, Kou Wei, and the others became even more panicked, their faces as white as paper!
Ling Fan smiled faintly and said, "Toad, you missed a good show. Just now, this person looked down on us in every way, saying we were so poor we didn't even have a mount, that we weren't worthy of riding his noble demon pet, and that we were ungrateful for refusing their kind offer."
With every word Ling Fan spoke.
Kou Wei's expression grew more unsightly.
His heart became increasingly fearful and uneasy.
"Damn it! How dare you disrespect Ling Zun? Kid, are your skin itchy or are you tired of living?"
The toad slapped Kou Wei hard with its paw. Kou Wei's face immediately swelled up like a pig's head, yet he dared not move. He lowered his head, as humble as could be.
"Ling... Young Master Ling, is it? Young Master Ling, please forgive me! I was blind just now and offended you greatly. I apologize to you! Please don't take it to heart!"
The greater Kou Wei's sense of superiority had been earlier.
The more pathetic he was now.
After saying this in a low, subservient tone, Kou Wei's heart felt like it was bleeding.
Ling Fan didn't bother to concern himself with such a character.
He waved his hand dismissively.
Kou Wei felt as if he had received a great pardon.
He eagerly wanted to leave on the Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle.
However, the toad called out to him.
"Wait!"
"Does Lord Demon Venerable have any other instructions?" Kou Wei's expression was more bitter than if he were crying.
"I, Mo, searched this great wilderness just now and couldn't find a suitable demon bird. Coincidentally, your iron-feathered bird, Mo, will requisition it."
"Get down!"
The toad shouted.
In the sky, the late-stage Giant Spirit Realm Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle let out a trembling cry and cautiously descended, its body deeply bowed in submission.
Seeing the Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle's swift betrayal, Kou Wei's heart bled again.
This Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle was their Kou family's most precious and powerful demon pet, tamed at immense cost.
He had finally pleaded with his elders to let him ride this demon pet to the Tianyun Kingdom.
He had intended to show off.
But before he could even reach the Tianyun Kingdom, it was snatched away by the toad with a single word. This was like digging flesh from his heart!
He didn't know how his Kou family elders would punish him upon his return.
Ignoring the crestfallen Kou Wei, the toad grinned obsequiously and invited Ling Fan and Xue Yi to mount the Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle.
Xue Yi looked at Princess Xiyue and said, "Sister Xiyue, why don't you all come up too?"
"Ah? Okay! Okay!"
Princess Xiyue snapped out of her shock, feeling a bit ashamed, and quickly climbed aboard.
Kou Wei barely managed to swallow his anger.
He was already calculating that once they reached the Tianyun Kingdom, he would quickly find his cousin and have him help reclaim their family's demon pet!
He and the Void Core elder from their Kou family were also preparing to board.
However...
The toad squinted and barked, "Scram!"
"Ah?"
Kou Wei was stunned.
"Don't you understand? I'm speaking human language. If I were speaking the language of our Demon Devouring Golden Toad clan, I'm afraid you wouldn't even understand. I said, scram!"
"You trash like you, wanting to ride with our Ling Zun? Are you worthy? What are you, a single hair!"
Kou Wei trembled uncontrollably with shame and indignation.
His face burned as if on fire.
He could only watch as his family's Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle flapped its wings and soared into the sky, quickly disappearing from his and the Void Core elder's sight.
"Ah!!!"
Kou Wei roared in fury, waves of spiritual energy erupting from him. He could only vent his frustration on the mountain beneath his feet.
"Damn it! You wait, you useless piece of trash! I will repay this humiliation a hundredfold!"
...
Tianyun Kingdom.
One of the four six-star martial arts kingdoms in the Tianshan Domain, its martial arts prosperity was unparalleled in the Tianshan Domain.
Tianyun City was the capital of the Tianyun Kingdom.
The Tianyun royal family, the seven Great Martial Venerable families, and more than half of the Void Core families were all gathered here.
The Iron-Winged Mountain Eagle landed outside Tianyun City.
The toad planted a demon power imprint on it and let the eagle go play on its own.
The group walked into Tianyun City.
Everyone marveled at the grandeur and prosperity of Tianyun City.
Even Xue Yi was looking around everywhere.
Only Ling Fan remained calm.
"Sister Xue Yi, Young Master Ling, we shall part ways here. We still need to visit some forces. We'll meet at the Martial King Battlefield, and we sisters must join forces against others."
Princess Xiyue said with a smile.
Xue Yi nodded.
After Princess Xiyue and her group left, Ling Fan and Xue Yi found an inn to stay in.
Ling Fan used this time to inquire about the Tianyun Kingdom and the Martial King Battlefield.
Within the Tianyun Kingdom, the undisputed ruler was the Tianyun royal family.
It was said that the current King of Tianyun had reached the peak of the Core Condensation realm, making him the strongest individual in the Tianyun Kingdom.
Furthermore, the Tianyun royal family was brimming with talent. Under the King of Tianyun's dedicated cultivation, the royal descendants were all devoted to martial arts and warfare, possessing exceptional talent.
Among them, the Crown Prince of Tianyun Kingdom had the strongest talent and cultivation.
At less than thirty years of age, he had already reached the Void Core level, only one step away from achieving a Nascent Core and entering the Martial Venerable realm.
In addition to the Tianyun royal family.
The seven Great Martial Venerable families of the Tianyun Kingdom were not to be underestimated.
As the name suggested, these seven great martial arts magnates all had one or more Martial Venerables at the Core Condensation realm presiding over them, possessing immense strength and deep foundations.
The descendants of these martial arts magnates also included many extraordinary geniuses, renowned throughout Tianyun.
These constituted the second tier of forces in the Tianyun Kingdom.
The third tier of forces were the Void Core families.
There were nearly a hundred of them.
Through accumulation over long periods, the strength and foundations of these families could not be underestimated.
Additionally, many powerful nations among the five-star martial arts kingdoms had strength comparable to these third-tier Void Core families, such as the Yaoyue Kingdom where Princess Xiyue hailed from, and the Dongwo Kingdom, with which Kou Wei had a familial connection.
Nations like Liuyun Kingdom, which were at the tail end, originally had no presence and had continuously missed several Martial King Battlefields.
If not for Ling Fan refining the heavens this time, breaking the blockade of the Upper Realm, and Xue Yi breaking through to the Giant Spirit realm, being sensed by the strong individuals of the Tianyun Kingdom, the Liuyun Kingdom would have continued to be absent.
The Martial King Battlefield.
It was jointly held by the four six-star martial arts kingdoms of the Tianshan Domain.
The four six-star martial arts kingdoms were Tianyun Kingdom, Tianyin Kingdom, Tianchuan Kingdom, and Tianqiu Kingdom.