Cultivation Begins From The Desert

High-tier cultivators in human society like to establish sects and clans, gathering others to serve and work for them.

High-tier demon beasts are no different.

The largest population of demon beasts on Rhino Horn Continent now consists of Wolf Demons, for a very simple reason: the Tier Five Demon Beast occupying that Tier Five Spirit Mountain has turned into a Tier Five Lower Grade Beast, the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf".

This "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" and the wolf demon pack it leads were originally subordinates of a Demon King within the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, holding a mountain there as their territory.

However, due to the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf"'s vicious habit of devouring the heart of a Tier Three Demon Beast every month, and its predilection for poaching the offspring and subordinates of other Tier Five Demon Beasts, it became disliked by others, who then banded together to resist and hunt it down.

With the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf"'s strength, it certainly didn't fear being hunted, and its vengeful nature meant it retaliated even more fiercely towards the demon beast that pursued it hardest, sometimes even targeting the Tier Four Demon Beast offspring of its foes.

After these incidents became frequent, the Tier Five Demon Beasts, unable to deal with the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf", united and appealed to the Demon King to suppress it.

Truth be told, at the level of the Demon King, they hardly cared about the lives of mere Tier Three Demon Beasts.

The "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf"'s monthly craving for a Tier Three Demon Beast heart was, in the eyes of the Demon King, merely a way for its kind to survive and evolve, hardly a grave misdeed. Didn't other Tier Five Demon Beasts occasionally hunt Tier Three Demon Beasts for sport as well?

But even the Demon King understood the danger of opposing the masses; if he couldn't address the concerns of the majority of Tier Five Demon Beasts, they could naturally switch allegiance to other Demon Kings, something not without precedent in the Broken Cloud Mountain Range.

Therefore, when the Demon King found that there was a vacant mega-oasis in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm without any demon beast inhabitants, he conveniently banished the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" and some of its kin there, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Should one day the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" manage to advance here into a Tier Five Top Grade Demon Beast, the Demon King might allow it to return to the Broken Cloud Mountain Range.

For the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf", being exiled from the food-rich Broken Cloud Mountain Range to the food-scarce Rhino Horn Continent naturally filled it with anger and frustration, although its fury couldn't risk being directed at the Demon King, leaving it to target the demon beasts it considered prey.

The herbivorous demon beasts on Rhino Horn Continent were mostly driven over by the wolf pack under the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" when they migrated.

All Tier Five Demon Beasts possess intelligence; the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf"'s was even more advanced than ordinary same-tier demon beasts, hence it knew that within the sand-laden Boundless Desert Sea, finding enough food for itself and its kin was challenging.

Thus, after learning about the conditions on Rhino Horn Continent from the Demon King, it conceived the plan of herding other herbivorous demon beasts for its own consumption.

This practice of herding food is something ordinary wolves know about; the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" merely expanded it significantly.

Currently, the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" resides on the Tier Five Spirit Mountain on Rhino Horn Continent, while the wolf demons scattered across the oasis are its underlings.

Initially, each month after migrating to Rhino Horn Continent, these wolf demons had to offer the heart of a Tier Three Demon Beast to the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" for consumption.

However, as the indigenous Tier Three Demon Beasts on Rhino Horn Continent were gradually exterminated, the wolf demons had no choice but to venture further into the surrounding desert sea in search of suitable prey to offer the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf".

This offering of prey became increasingly delayed, so much so that now, it's only ensured every half year that a Tier Three Demon Beast's heart is offered to the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf".

When the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle carried Zhouyang and his party into the skies of Rhino Horn Continent, they were quickly spotted by the wolf demons scattered throughout the oasis, who then used their unique wolf howls to alert the others about the external invasion.

Moreover, these wolf demons both howled to spread the news and began actively following the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle's silhouette, in stark contrast to the reaction of the rhino demon beasts the last time Zhouyang visited Rhino Horn Continent.

Of course, those demon wolves harboring any hope of catching up to the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle were merely indulging in wishful thinking.

The speed of the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle was so swift that just as the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" on the Tier Five Spirit Mountain heard its kin's warning, it had already arrived carrying Zhouyang and the others outside the Spirit Mountain.

Awwooo—

A howl filled with fierce cruelty suddenly erupted from the mountain.

Those on the eagle's back, including Zhouyang, saw a flash of green light in the sky, and instantly a Cyan-haired Giant Wolf, two to three dozen meters long, materialized.

This Cyan-haired Giant Wolf, nearly thirty meters in length, had a pair of blood-red eyes, and the fur on its chest and lower neck was as if stained with blood, appearing dark red.

Awwooo!

While Zhouyang and others scrutinized the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf opposite them, the Giant Wolf fixed its wolfish eyes on the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle they rode, emitting a howl brimming with rage.

Before being expelled from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, the "Sinister Heart Demon Wolf" and the Tier Five Top Grade Beast Golden-winged Thunder Eagle had both been subordinates under the same Demon King; it naturally knew how rare Golden-winged Thunder Eagles were in the mountain range and how protective the Tier Five Top Grade Golden-winged Thunder Eagle was.

Thus, realizing the intruder was a Golden-winged Thunder Eagle, it refrained from immediately attacking.

It might not fear other Tier Five Demon Beasts, but the Tier Five Top Grade Demon Beast Golden-winged Thunder Eagle, besides the Demon King, was the existence it feared most.

Even with its own madness and ferocity, it knew provoking the ancestor of the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle clan would certainly result in death.

But now, seeing the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle serving as a mount for a group of humans, it became furious.

The Demon Beasts of the Broken Cloud Mountain Range consider humans their mortal enemies, and for those humans who enslave Demon Beasts as mounts, they are to be killed on sight. Although the "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" has a bad reputation among Demon Beasts, when it comes to dealing with human cultivators, its stance aligns with all Demon Beasts.

Thus, while it roared and scolded the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle for disgracing Demon Beasts, it gathered its energy, ready to kill all the humans before it.

But just before it could act, Zhouyang already made a move.

A flash of black light appeared, and Xu Song's eerie ghost body manifested in the air, after which the enormous Giant Python Demon Corpse and the Bone Clone were released simultaneously.

"Go!"

A low shout came from Xu Song's mouth, and the Giant Python Demon Corpse hissed loudly, instantly surging with a layer of dark green corpse flame, flying towards the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf.

At the same time, the Bone Clone let out a cackling laughter, its figure moving and transforming into a white light, pouncing onto the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf.

"Everyone, make your move!"

Seeing Xu Song, who was leading the charge as the main force, already in action, Zhouyang immediately gave a low shout and released his magical artifacts to join the battlefield.

According to the previously agreed plan, the less powerful Xiao Ying, Zhou Guangxiang, the Eagle Lion Beast, and the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle would intercept the other Tier Four Wolf Demons outside, while Xu Song, Jiang Yuyan, and Zhouyang would jointly attack the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf.

The "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" had been expelled to the Rhino Horn Continent from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, bringing only two Tier Four Wolf Demons with it.

As for the other Tier Four Demon Beasts within its original territory's range, they were eager for this Killing Star to leave quickly, so they wouldn't follow it to the Boundless Desert Sea, a forsaken place.

At that moment, hearing Zhouyang's command, the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle immediately carried Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang towards the outskirts of the battlefield to intercept the supporting Wolf Demons, with the Eagle Lion Beast following closely, letting out a ferocious cry.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, Elder Xu will have the Bone Clone and Giant Python Demon Corpse desperately tangle with the Demon Wolf, and I will also timely use the Tier Four Puppet Beast for support, so your task is to attack with all your might, fully assisting Elder Xu in slaying the Demon Wolf!"

Once the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle departed with its passengers, Zhouyang, looking solemn, explained the situation to Jiang Yuyan.

At this point, nearly thirty years had passed, and Jiang Yuyan's face had aged significantly. Her body carried a sense of impending doom, clearly not having much time left to live.

Upon hearing Zhouyang's words, she glanced at Xu Song, shrouded in ghostly aura, silently nodded, and raspingly replied, "I understand, Fellow Daoist Zhou, please be cautious yourself. A Tier Five Demon Beast isn't that easy to kill, be wary of it detonating its demon pill in a desperate counterattack!"

With those words, she waved her hand, channeling the power of the "Outer Dao Golden Core" within her, summoning a golden mace and a golden flying sword, attacking the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf.

Back when Yang Wenxiong went to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm on Zhang Yunpeng's orders to shop at the Profound Sun Immortal Sect and inquire about Zhouyang, he returned with news of Zhouyang slaying Beast Taming Sect's Golden Core Stage cultivator Zhong Chuming.

Naturally, the fact that Zhouyang had a Golden Core Stage Ghost Cultivator in his company was also brought back.

Since discovering that Zhouyang was associated with a Golden Core Stage Ghost Cultivator, both Zhang Yunpeng and Jiang Yuyan harbored deep fear and apprehension towards Zhouyang, although they never mentioned it.

Whether it was Zhouyang's feat of surpassing levels to kill Golden Core Stage cultivator Zhong Chuming or making a Golden Core Stage Ghost Cultivator recognize him as their master, these were feats beyond their imagination; they couldn't comprehend how Zhouyang achieved such unbelievable acts.

This unknown made them internally concede to Zhouyang from the start, not daring to utter any harsh words.

For instance, when Zhouyang previously went to the Yellow Sand Sect to rent a Tier Four Top Grade Puppet Beast, a sect heirloom used to defend the sect, it was conventionally not loaned to outsiders, especially knowing Zhouyang intended to use the Puppet Beast against a Tier Five Demon Beast.

Yet, after explaining the significance of expanding the Rhino Horn Continent for the joint governance of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm between the Zhou family and the Yellow Sand Sect, Zhang Yunpeng still gritted his teeth and agreed to Zhouyang's request to rent a Tier Four Top Grade Puppet Beast.

Zhouyang had made it clear at the time: if you don't support the expansion of the Rhino Horn Continent and resource acquisition, the Zhou family will have to compete for resources with your Yellow Sand Sect in the existing territory.

How could the Yellow Sand Sect compete with the Zhou family, with a Golden Core Stage cultivator at its helm?

Jiang Yuyan initially harbored some doubt about the news from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, suspecting it might have been exaggerated, mistaking a formidable ghost entity for a Golden Core Stage Ghost Cultivator.

Or even if Zhouyang indeed had a Golden Core Stage Ghost Cultivator at his side, given the ghost cultivator's weaker combat strength than their peers of the same tier, she felt she shouldn't be too fearful.

But now, after witnessing the abilities of Xu Song's two demonic underlings, she felt immensely relieved not to have fallen out with Zhouyang.

Otherwise, with the strength Xu Song exhibited, he could completely overpower her, a "Fake Golden Core" cultivator.

"Perhaps we really can win today!"

This thought flashed through Jiang Yuyan's mind as she exerted all her strength to wield her magical artifacts in concert with Xu Song to attack the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf.