"It's a dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python." Li Lin and Xiao Yu immediately retreated, facing the fifth-order early-stage beast, the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python, which had shrunk its body.
"Don't worry, boss, this dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python has already been subdued by me," Little dragon said proudly in Li Lin's mind.
"You subdued it?" Li Lin asked in surprise, looking at Little dragon.
"Yes, it has agreed to follow me," Little dragon confirmed, with a hint of pride in his little eyes.
"How did you subdue it?" Li Lin asked in surprise.
"It said that I have the aura of a Demon Emperor and asked me to take it out. Then, it would submit to me," Little dragon explained, his eyes moving.
"Aren't you afraid it's deceiving you?" Li Lin asked.
"Don't worry, boss. Demonic beasts are not like humans, who go back on their words. Once a demonic beast promises something, it will definitely do it. After submission, it will not betray. Later on, you can just bring it out in the space beast bag," Little dragon said.
"Ssss!" Little dragon raised his head, hissing softly, making a deep hissing sound from his throat, seemingly communicating with the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python.
"Having seen the Demon King's boss," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python suddenly spoke human language to Li Lin.
"The Demon King's boss," Li Lin frowned, finding the title rather unique.
"Do you truly submit?" Li Lin asked, looking at the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python in front of him.
"We demonic beasts keep our word, unlike humans. I have already submitted to the Demon King and will not betray, as long as you take me away from this cursed place," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said.
Li Lin was aware of the hierarchical system among demonic beasts, similar to the situation in the Misty Mountain Range, where a nine-headed demon python was the Demon King, commanding all the demonic beasts in the range. Strong demonic beasts with high bloodlines were revered as Demon Kings by other beasts.
"How long have you been here?" Li Lin asked.
"I can't remember clearly. This place has been sealed by humans, with no sun or moon, but I estimate that I have been here for three thousand years since I was born," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said.
"Three thousand years." Li Lin gasped in shock. This was not three hundred years, but three thousand.
"Three thousand years, how come you only have the strength of the early fifth-order?" After his surprise, Li Lin asked in confusion. A demonic beast of three thousand years should be terrifying, yet this dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python was only at the early fifth-order. Although its strength was decent, it was puzzling compared to three thousand years.
"Li Lin, the secret land here has been sealed. Demonic beasts cannot absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cultivate, so their cultivation speed is extremely slow, or even impossible," Cui Yu, unaware of Li Lin and Little dragon's conversation, was listening to the conversation between Li Lin and the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python.
"Exactly, this cursed place has no spiritual energy from heaven and earth, we can't cultivate, so progress is slow, but it also extends our lifespan. If it weren't for the holy fruit that emits energy every three years for us to cultivate, all the demonic beasts here would be unable to cultivate," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said.
"Holy fruit, are you talking about the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit?" Li Lin asked.
"Humans call it the Martial Spirit Holy Fruit," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said.
"How many demonic beasts are there in here, above the fifth order?" Li Lin asked the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python.
"Because we cannot cultivate, there are many demonic beasts here, at least tens of thousands. But due to slow cultivation, there are at most a hundred at the fourth-order level, and above the fifth order, besides me, there are three more. One is at the same early fifth-order level as me, one at the mid-fifth-order level, and another at the late fifth-order level," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python replied.
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"Three more," Li Lin slightly frowned, the other three, one at the early fifth-order level, one at the mid-fifth-order level, and one at the late fifth-order level, making four fifth-order level demonic beasts within this secret land.
Li Lin pondered for a moment, finding this normal. If there were too many fifth-order demonic beasts here, Yunyang Sect wouldn't send their top young disciples to this secret land to face death. Four fifth-order demonic beasts, although strong, but among the twenty people who came in, none were weak.
"However, there is also a Demon King here, unknown to humans. Humans only know about the existence of us four fifth-order demonic beasts, but they never know that there is a Demon King among us," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said after hesitating.
"Another Demon King?" Li Lin's eyebrows raised.
"Boss, I've seen that Demon King, a beautiful sister. So, she's the Demon King, and now she has given her position to me, wanting to meet you, boss," Little dragon's voice said again.
"Little dragon, what level is that Demon King?" Li Lin immediately asked. The Demon King in this secret land, being able to make fifth-order demonic beasts acknowledge it as the Demon King, must at least be at the sixth-order demonic beast level.
"It should be at the sixth-order level. That sister is very nice, saying she has something to discuss with you. It seems she knew you were here, so she asked us to wait here for you," Little dragon softly said.
Li Lin was momentarily stunned. He and Cui Yu were in the formation, not expecting that a demonic beast knew about them.
Li Lin hesitated. Facing a sixth-order demonic beast, he didn't know whether it had good or bad intentions.
"Let's go, take me to see," Li Lin said lightly. If this sixth-order demonic beast had malicious intentions, he feared he would be unable to escape, even if it was just a sixth-order early-stage beast, equivalent to a martial artist's second to third Martial Commander level.
This strength, within this secret land, which was the domain of demonic beasts, he simply could not escape. Since that demonic beast wanted to meet him, it was better to meet openly.
A Demon King unknown to Yunyang Sect, Li Lin was also curious. If the strong individuals of Yunyang Sect knew there was a sixth-order demonic beast here, they probably wouldn't hesitate to kill it if it couldn't be subdued, naturally not allowing their disciples to take too much risk here.
"The Demon King's boss, our previous Demon King wants to meet you, follow me," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said to Li Lin.
"Let's go," Li Lin said lightly.
"Li Lin, what Demon King, we..." Cui Yu's expression changed. She couldn't hear the conversation between Li Lin and Little dragon, naturally not knowing about the former Demon King's matter.
"It's okay, we'll just go and see," Li Lin smiled slightly, his eyes signaling to Cui Yu that it should be safe.
"The Demon King's boss, please follow me," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said, then turned and swam forward.
Although Cui Yu's eyes were filled with doubts, she still followed behind Li Lin.
Walking through the forest, Li Lin had to use his true qi to keep up with the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python. After passing through a dense forest, they arrived at a canyon.
The entrance to the canyon was not large, with giant rocks standing on both sides. These rocks were as tall as a thousand meters, seemingly chiseled as if by human hands into towering steles reaching the sky. Inside the canyon, there were various caves, peculiar rocks, and the sound of springs.
"Forbidden land." On the giant rocks, Li Lin saw the words "Forbidden Land" again, presumably left by strong individuals from Yunyang Sect. His eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"This place is a formation. Long ago, humans had come here, but they couldn't enter. The Demon King lives inside, so for countless years, no one has known about the Demon King's existence," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said, seeing Li Lin staring at the "Forbidden Land" inscription on the giant rock.
"I see." Li Lin thought to himself. It seemed that the Demon King was very familiar with this place, even where Yunyang Sect's strong individuals couldn't enter, but the Demon King could live here. There must be an ancient formation inside.
Li Lin then followed the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python into the canyon. The path inside was winding and serene. After walking for a while, they saw several cascading waterfalls and other beautiful sceneries.
The canyon was like a constantly changing landscape, majestic and deep, forming a natural and captivatingly beautiful painting. However, the sky above was still a gray haze.
Walking into the canyon, Li Lin could clearly feel the presence of many demonic beasts. Suddenly, several demonic beasts appeared in front of Li Lin.
"Fourth-order demonic beasts..."
On the canyon, several huge demonic beasts stood on the rocks on both sides, all at the fourth-order level, with a few reaching the late fourth-order level.
"Roar roar..."
On both sides of the canyon, more demonic beasts poked their heads out, third-order demonic beasts, and even second-order ones, in considerable numbers. This was practically a kingdom of demonic beasts.
"Ssss!" The dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python hissed softly, and the surrounding demonic beasts immediately quieted down.
"The Demon King's boss, follow me closely. You must not be careless. If you take a wrong step, you will be trapped by the formation. Even the previous Demon King won't be able to save you. The formations here are very powerful; many human strong individuals dared not enter," the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python said.
Li Lin knew the power of formations and naturally did not dare to act rashly. He followed behind the dual-headed hydro-pyro demon python, walking deeper into the canyon. After passing through, Li Lin saw an ancient palace.
At the end of the canyon, surrounded by mountains on three sides and a small lake, a palace rose from the ground, mysterious and quiet. From a distance, the palace seemed to float on the water.
The palace, surrounded by the lake, was covered in duckweed, green and clear. Together with the ancient aura emanating from within the palace, it made Li Lin feel as if he was standing in front of an ancient painting.