After the words sounded out, information regarding the magic poured it's way into Jian Yu's head. His eyes swam as he envisioned a tiger jump out of a man's body and eating it right after. Afterwards similar scenes of beasts eating their way into bodies from whence they came appeared right after the other. Apparently, the final product of the foundational magic was death to the body to give life to the beast.

This utterly shocked Jian Yu. He had assumed that his relation to the Divine Beast Temple would result in his good fortune but on reality, it seemed like a form of curse.

If Jian Yu doesn't eat any demonic beast within 3 days, he would be forced to hunt for them nearby. Once Jian Yu accumulates enough demonic qi, he will be able to start to nurture a demonic beast inside himself. If he doesn't consume any beast after a day of hunting, he would be forced to consume his own life force, eventually leading to death!

Either way, he dies. The only upside was that Jian Yu could lengthen the time before the demonic beast starts being nurtured. This horrible realisation hit Jian Yu hard before he immediately started thinking up any method he could use to survive.

And such, Jian Yu sat down atop a hill with a tiger's carcass to his side to ponder. It didn't take long for him to come up with a seemingly simple answer.

"If it's just hungry after it comes out, then I can just feed it other people right?"

Then he heaved a sigh of relief and instead, his eyes shone when he started imagining using it as his own trump card. If he was able to stay alive long enough while fighting off a group of cultivators he couldn't defeat, the beast inside him would be born and they will die instead!

Jian Yu laughed maliciously at the thought and got up to his two feet. He spent some time to proactively kill beasts in his surroundings. Afterwards, he headed back towards the mountain path, picking up his armor along the way.

This time however, instead of walking along the safe mountain path, Jian Yu decided that he would take a shorter but more dangerous alternative path to secure himself more food. This path way one that he knew of thanks to the small map that the old man had given him previously.

As such, Jian Yu veered off the mountain path at one point and entered a long, winding valley that eventually would lead him out of the mountains. The distance he would travel to exit the mountains would roughly be just another thousand kilometers, which would take Jian Yu about a week to cover given that he travelled at a fast pace constantly.

It seemed to be a normal valley with greenery all around and a small stream of water flowing through the middle. However, this unnamed valley wouldn't have been considered a dangerous area if it were really peaceful wouldn't it?

Despite deciding to go through the valley, Jian Yu didn't really know what dangers lied within the valley. However, he didn't really fear them as he knew that he was now within the outer reaches of the mountainous region which was occupied by the weaker demonic beasts. As to how weak either, Jian Yu didn't know either.

However, they would certainly be under the Elemental Pagoda stage for sure which boosted Jian Yu's confidence.

Time passed by as Jian Yu walked through the valley alone with only himself and the stream of water to talk to. Of course, demonic beasts were seen here and there, flying and dashing about. Without exception, every single one that even slightly noticed Jian Yu let out a cry and started to lunge at him. Most were at his level of strength or lower but as he stayed longer in the valley, the demonic beasts that came up to him got increasingly stronger.

"Strange, the time intervals between their attacks are getting shorter too..." he thought. "Either way, it seems like no problem. If they're too strong for me, I have my talismans."

Roughly half a month had passed by as Jian Yu leisurely made his way across half of the valley. If he wasn't honing his magical techniques against demonic beasts and eating them right after, he could be found whistling to himself or peacefully admiring the beauty of nature, or himself.

Being preoccupied like this was the only way he wouldn't grow bored as hell.

At this moment, over the hill to Jian Yu's left, a shirtless cultivator was meditating atop tree stump. If Jian Yu were here, he would definitely be shocked to find that the man was at the peak of qi condensation!

Suddenly, a mouse came up to him and let out a few soft squeaks. The man's eyes opened up at the end of the squeaks and murmured, "Another one dares to enter the valley. Seeing he's a rich one, let's kill him!"

The man got up from the tree stump and glided his way towards the valley. He didn't move his legs at all while moving. Instead, the ground water moving beneath him, a clear sign of his resonance with the Earth element.

Eventually, the man got up to the peak of the hill and naturally saw Jian Yu who was humming a random tune. However, Jian Yu's back was turned against him, allowing the man a clear shot at harming Jian Yu.

With a wave of his hand, he sent a handful of rocks flying towards Jian Yu's back which to his relief, only sent Jian Yu flying. The armor was what he was mainly after. From what he could tell, that armor could handle attacks from peak qi condensation cultivators like him without breaking.

Jian Yu who was unaware of the dire situation he was in, nearly spat out blood at the impact of the attack. He immediately turned around to see a shirtless man standing there looking pleased with himself. Indeed, shock filled his brain as he found himself face to face with a peak qi condensation cultivator.

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"This is bad," he thought. "Unless I use up a lot of my talismans, I won't be able to defeat this guy. What a bitch."

The man smiled at the dumbfounded and blank look on the armored Jian Yu's face. To his lack of surprise, another cultivator didn't expect to find a peak qi condensation cultivator here.

"Hand me all your belongings personally and I'll give you a quick death," he said. His very tone exuded a stench of arrogance and complacency.

However, Jian Yu didn't comply with his wishes neither did he take out his talismans to start wasting them on the man in front of him. Instead, he put on an extremely somber look and said slowly, "Do you know who I am?"

The man was bewildered with the attitude shown towards himself and was at a loss of words.

"I am the successor of the Blood Reaches Sect and it's top genius. I'm only returning from Acirema as there was a matter to be discussed with the Great Dragon Dynasty there."

Jian Yu thought up a background that he would be afraid of and showed it off to the man in front of him. To make sure he got the message, Jian Yu especially emphasized the two major powers mentioned and his status.

The man looked at Jian Yu wide-eyed and looked like he believed it. However, he soon smiled coldly and rebuked.

"Prove it."

The two words echoed through the silent valley and into Jian Yu's head. He had been expecting such a response before he flaunted his fake identity. He merely harrumped at the two words, and spread his arms wide open before releasing a demonic aura.

Recently, he had been stuffing himself everyday with the flesh of demonic beasts, hoping that he would be able to unleash his trump card soon. The only result thus far was his shockingly evil demonic aura which even caused him to shiver in fright. At one point of time, he stopped to consider whether or not this magic was a magic that was right for him to use.

"What it's used for will determine it's rightfulness," was the simple answer he came up with.

The shirtless man was soon covered in an instinctual cold sweat as feelings of dread rose up from within him. As if the demonic aura wasn't enough, Jian Yu's icy cold voice softly made it's way into his ear.

"Proof enough?"

He nodded slowly before backing off a step at a time. Once he reached a safe distance away, he hastily climbed up the hill. At the top, he looked back and saw Jian Yu standing upright with his head tilted upwards to stare blades right into his very heart.

Inside, Jian Yu applauded at his acting that had even succeeded in fooling and scaring off a peak qi condensation cultivator. One day, he would improve his acting to the point that he would be able to fool every the strongest of cultivators that he would win against them in a fight.

Seeing that he was now alone again, he continued walking forwards. In fact, he was considering getting a demonic beast as a companion. That way, he wouldn't be alone anymore.

Meanwhile, the shirtless man from before was nearly drenched in a cold sweat as he made his way back to the tree stump. Fear was still evident in his eyes but even more so, desire. Despite his clear advantage of personal strength, he had this nagging feeling that he couldn't win.

"Your status makes sure you're well guarded. However, there is going to be a stampede heading your way tomorrow from the minutes nearest to the valley. Once you use up all the cards in your hand to escape that, I'll come back and take what's yours!"

Then, he silently followed Jian Yu from the shadows with a cute mouse sitting on his shoulder, munching on what seemed to be a lizard's tail. To him, this wasn't that tedious of a task given there difference in personal strength.

As the man followed Jian Yu and watched him carry out his daily activities, he was speechless when he found out that Jian Yu ate raw demonic beast flesh regularly, especially when the evil aura he felt previously grew a bit stronger everytime he did. He was also getting annoyed at Jian Yu's constant humming that sounded out whenever he had nothing else to do.

A week and a half soon passed by and Jian Yu was busy searching on nearby areas for any demonic beasts that caught his eye. It would be best if the one he picked were to be similar to him. However, all the demonic beasts he found were not charming at all. Instead, they were usually ferocious or shy.

However, there was no need to rush. After all, what comes right after he exits the valley round be the Black Beast Forest. From the name, there would certainly be a beast that would catch his attention.

*Rumble*

All of a sudden, a soft rumble could be heard from behind him along with the loud thudding of a countless beasts' legs hitting the ground. Jian Yu's ears twitched and he immediately chose to run towards the hill to his right while simultaneously looking backwards. The ground suddenly shook with a much higher intensity than before and the water rippled at the earth's rumbling. Shockingly, a demonic beast horde was just about a hundred meters away from his location!

Somehow, he didn't notice the shaking of the earth beforehand which was a peculiar thing to happen. Considering his time spent in the mountains, he was definitely much more sensitive towards danger that was coming in his direction. Yet, he hadn't sensed this coming horde of demonic beasts. Why?

In any case, he shoved that thought to the back of his mind before quickly activating a talisman and tossing it at the demonic beast horde. Right after, he released his demonic aura as a warning to the beasts. Apparently, the demonic aura had the effect of inflicting an instinctual fear into other creatures. The effect strengthens or weakens when it is used against a stronger or weaker target respectively.

Although he activated it, Jian Yu didn't really expect it to work out. After all, he was using it to intimidate an entire horde of beasts. The best case scenario he was looking for was that the beasts would avoid him before continuing their stampede. Worst case, he would be forced to defend himself against the stampede until he got up the hill.

But then, the strangest thing happened. The beasts in front followed by all the ones behind them started to slow down abruptly at the appearance of the aura and slowly... knelt down!

The ones in front had stopped just a few inches away from Jian Yu and moved back a few paces before kneeling like the rest.

The sight rocked Jian Yu's head and his eyes were starting to roll backwards. This show of respect couldn't even be found in the Great sects and families of Acirema. Was this how it felt like to be king?

He let out a hearty laugh which lasted on for quite a while. At the same time, the shirtless man was hiding behind the hill, catching his breath.

He had used an exhausting magic which reduced the vibrations of the earth. Normally, it would be used when one was in the Elemental Pagoda stage. However, in his eagerness, he decided that he would take a risk and use it to ensure Jian Yu would be caught off guard. Due to using such a magic, he was inflicted with a backlash. Injuries flared up but he was satisfied. Indeed, Jian Yu was caught off guard but what followed directly after caused him to feel very unsettled.

"This guy's too mysterious. Is he actually a demon that reincarnated into the body of a child? Wait.. is he that Mo Zi?"

Recalling a name of one of the few talented Chosen in the Blood Reaches Sect whose skills mainly revolved around demonic beasts, he shuddered.

Without a moment of hesitation, he fled away, afraid that he would be noticed. What was left was the currently smug Jian Yu looking through the kneeling demonic beasts while chanting the same words regularly.

"Demonic beast companion, where are you?"