Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range

--- Chapter 29 ---

Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. 

People called this place the profound beasts' paradise. There are violent Nascent and Earth Profound beasts all over the mountains. There is even a rumor that three Sky Profound beasts dwell in the mountain range. 

Located in the Northwest area of the Blue Wind Empire, Ten Thousand Beasts has a somewhat warm climate. Tall tree forests and rocks everywhere are suitable to be habitats of profound beasts.

Although people didn't dare to step into the core areas of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range due to the rumor, its outskirts are suitable for independent practitioners to train and gain income from hunting some beasts.

Mercenary Groups usually stay near the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

Above the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, a great bird flapped its wings and hovered below the clouds. Four people are sitting on its back.

A purple-clothed youth with a carefree expression, enjoying the wind.

A charming young lady in a blue dress excitedly looking around.

A black-haired maid in a green robe covered her mouth because of air sickness.

And finally, a red-haired seductress in a red and white martial robe, wearing a veil to cover her beautiful face.

These people are Yu Long, Xia Qingyue, Lily, and Hong Guan.

After setting off from the Yu Clan, they used the Great Bird and traveled to the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. It took them a few hours, which is fast enough.

"Um, are you okay?" Xia Qingyue asked Lily as the maid's complexion didn't look good.

Lily shook her head, "My stomach hurts..." 

Hong Guan sighed and patted her forehead helplessly, "That's why Young Master told you to control profound strength properly." 

"In the first place, How did you get air sickness after reaching the 7th Level of Earth Profound Realm?"

"Uugh, It just feels bad today, okay..." Lily returned, feeling very wronged.

Yu Long grabbed Lily's hand and checked her condition, finding her [Grass Dragon Aspect] wasn't reacting well in this atmosphere. 

He never expected to discover aspects' weaknesses this way.

"This is..." Yu Long's eyebrow twitched because this was Lily's natural reaction on a long-distance flight. 

What are you? Grass-type Pokemon.

Weirdly, Lily didn't show such a reaction when they were flying from the Floating Cloud City back to the Drifting River City. Well, the distance at the time wasn't very long when they used flying beasts as transportation.

"Let's go down first." Yu Long patted the Great Bird. "Preferably, a place with sunlight and lush vegetation." 

The Great Bird is no different than a mindless puppet after Yume the Psychic Butterfly devoured its consciousness, so it followed Yu Long's order.

Landing on an open grassland, Yu Long scouted the area with [Insect King's Vision] and [Profound Sense]. 

"Safe." He commented casually.

Lily was the first to land and hug a handful of grass like her life depended on it. As weird as it sounds, touching grass makes her stronger. 

It also applies to any plants with strong vitality in general.

Hong Guan stretched her body and stepped off the Great Bird, using her heightened senses to check for rare things. 

Xia Qingyue stared at Hong Guan's alluring adult body and glanced back at herself. She mumbled, "I'm still in my early puberty." 

"I can still grow!" She was determined.

"Grow what?" Yu Long appeared behind her.

Xia Qingyue choked on air before answering, "Nothing..." 

She crouched down from the Great Bird and patted some small feathers away. Her black eyes observed the vast grassland surrounded by tall trees and lit up in excitement. 

The forest near the Floating Cloud City is nothing compared to this.

Not to mention, the profound energy is more rampant here. 

"Let's take a break." Yu Long commented, telling Yu Me to bring an 8th Level of Nascent Profound Beast here.

The butterfly followed her creator's order to pick a profound beast with her psychic force and placed it nearby. 

"Qingyue, before we enter the center of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range." Yu Long sat on a rock.

"I want to test your strength." 

"Test my strength?" Xia Qingyue tilted her head. 

Yu Long chuckled, "Yup, testing your strength."

"Don't worry, you will be fine 'as long as' you don't underestimate your enemy and observe its movement."

"Okay..." Xia Qingyue pursed her lips. "But who will I fight?" 

"Big Brother? Lily? Or perhaps." Her eyes trailed to Hong Guan.

Hong Guan gave her a side eye and returned, "I don't mind testing you, Young Lady Xia... But you might embarrass yourself." 

"Is that so?" Xia Qingyue responded with a smile.

'Woah, woah. Calm down, ladies.' Yu Long thought while sensing competitive electricity between Hong Guan and Xia Qingyue.

"Okay, stop." 

"Lily and Hong Guan won't be the one testing you." 

"Your opponent will be that fellow right there." Yu Long lifted his index finger and pointed it to the bushes.

Everyone moved their gazes in the direction Yu Long pointed and saw a profound beast charging out of the bushes, rushing toward them.

It was a wild bovine.

"Wild Strength Bovine..." Hong Guan recognized the profound beast immediately. 

"Nascent Profound Beast with pure strength and tough physique." 

"It can be considered the most common but resilient species in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, occupying grassland fields." 

"What are you waiting for? The beast is coming for you." The redhead warned nonchalantly.

"I know." Xia Qingyue clenched her little fist and walked forward. She could see the faint red lines inside the Wild Strength Bovine's body. 

With every step it took, the red lines became brighter and brighter.

"Art of Water..." Xia Qingyue recited her cultivation technique. 

She dashed to the grassland, creating water lines.

The Wild Strength Bovine huffed and charged at the moving Xia Qingyue with its head. 

Xia Qingyue evaded with a hair-thin difference and gently smacked her palm against the profound beast's stomach. "Tremor Palm." She smiled, adding her energy to the beast's body.

WAOOO!

The Wild Strength Bovine let out a painful cry. 

"Again..." Xia Qingyue launched a few more attacks and defeated the profound beast quickly.

After a while, the Wild Strength Bovine crashed to the ground and breathed heavily. 

Yu Long smiled and clapped his hands, "Good, you're better than I thought." 

"Now kill that profound beast..." 

"Eh?" Xia Qingyue froze on the spot after hearing that. She turned around and wanted to confirm something but saw Yu Long's serene golden eyes instead.

She took a deep breath and returned her gaze to the dying beast. 

"...How stupid am I?" 

"I was the one who wanted to learn from Big Brother Yu Long." 

"Why should I hesitate?" Xia Qingyue drew out a vibrating water blade with her finger. "Weakness only makes me miserable."

"Only the strong have the option to spare others. And I'm not strong enough." 

Staring at the profound beast's eyes, Xia Qingyue parted her mouth and said, "May you rest in peace..."

The Wild Strength Bovine closed its eyes and huffed its last breath.

Lily was amazed by Xia Qingyue's conviction. This young lady from Xia Manor is only inferior to her young master.

Meanwhile, Hong Guan's expression darkened. "Not bad," is all she had to comment on Xia Qingyue's performance.

'Heart of Snow Glazed Glass is surely amazing.' Yu Long thought while seeing a change in Xia Qingyue.

After killing the profound beast, Xia Qingyue's innate talent awakened a bit more and made her stronger. She might not be able to feel it, but it was different for Yu Long, who grasped profound patterns.

"Lily, pack that cow for us. We will have a barbeque later." Yu Long walked to Xia Qingyue.

Xia Qingyue was still digesting her action and sighed, "I'm still too weak." 

"No, you're doing great." Yu Long rubbed Xia Qingyue's head gently. "I'm proud of you." 

"Proud, hehe." Xia Qingyue giggled, feeling her mood recover.

"Really?" 

"Yes, you're better than Lily three years ago." Yu Long answered with a serious expression.

"Wait, why did I get compared out of nowhere?" Lily, who crouched down and slowly stored the profound beast in her spatial ring, was speechless.

"Hehe, no reason." Yu Long chuckled at her.

"Pfft..." Hong Guan giggled as well.

Lily puffed her cheeks, "Sister Guan, you're no better than me!" 

"You vomited-!" 

"Shuush! Shut your mouth." Hong Guan quickly closed Lily's mouth with her hand. "We don't talk about that here..." 

"Right?" The red-haired beauty's eyes radiated with darkness.

Lily's body trembled in unwillingness, "Yes." Wuu, wuu. Why bully me?

"Well, let's resume our journey." Yu Long patted Lily's shoulder. 

As they ventured deeper into the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, they sometimes stopped and fought profound beasts that looked tasty to barbeque. 

Even Xia Qingyue fought three more times, improving her battle sense even further.  Talking about motivation, all she needs is Yu Long's encouragement.

After an hour, they entered the center of the mountain range and discovered a small village surrounded by tall stone walls.

"Uh... Why is there a random village here?" Xia Qingyue asked what the ladies thought at the moment. She was bewildered.

Yu Long grinned, "About that..." 

"You see, this village is special." 

"Do you know why?" 

"Because a clan with Divine Beast's bloodline lives here." 

"Divine Beast!" Lily and Hong Guan glanced at each other. After all, they have altered the bloodline of Scarlet Dragon. And Scarlet Dragon was a descendant of Pure-Blooded True Dragon.

"Divine Beast..." This concept was new for Xia Qingyue.

"What kind of Divine Beast lives here?" 

Yu Long sensed the fiery presence deep in the village and replied, "One of the Three Supreme Fire Attribute Beasts." 

"Phoenix!"