Chapter 4, The Beasts

The name of the beast he mentioned was incomprehensible, and Qin Xiaotian did not inquire further; he was merely curious.

Qin Xiaotian suddenly remembered something and said: "Master Ancestor, Xuanlong and the others are still in that cauldron... um, is it possible to let them out now?"

Hey! Who said there is only one? It's a whole group! Huh?

The octopus beast hovered obediently to one side, not only losing its previous arrogance but also appearing somewhat obsequious. This left Qin Xiaotian feeling incredulous, and he asked, "Hey, what kind of beast are you herding? Is it powerful? What do they eat? What are they called?"

The expression on the face of the Green Emperor turned pale, and he cast a disdainful glance at the other party, exerting an even more contemptuous mental pressure: "What kind of thing has emerged from nowhere? Seeking death!"

A powerful divine consciousness swept over once again, and this time the Qing Emperor and the others did not hold back, simultaneously unleashing an even stronger divine consciousness, pressing forward relentlessly.

Qin Xiaotian discovered that the Qing Emperor, this ancestral master, was quite domineering, while he himself was far from it. What he did not know was that upon arriving here, the Qing Emperor and others had the first intention of establishing their authority, regardless of whether the visitors were human or divine, whether they were celestial beasts or divine beasts, they would first teach them a lesson before anything else

The mythical beast resembled an octopus, with an enormous head and countless tentacles on its body. Qin Xiaotian thought to himself: "So this is an octopus, wow! Tentacles, come..."

The divine beast's body rapidly shrank, and it said pitifully: "I... I... this is my pasture... Wuwah!"

The celestial aunt began to calculate again. After a while, her divine consciousness fluctuated slightly: "I cannot deduce... This place is quite peculiar, as it seems to have a certain suppression effect on divine-level experts"

The core star region of the Illusory Star God Array is larger than the Milky Way, resembling a scorpion from a distance and a tiger's head up close. From the edge of the galaxy, it appears as a dense nebula, concealing unknown mysteries within. Even the formidable Azure Emperor does not dare to be careless.

Chi Ming blinked his eyes, his tongue licking the corner of his mouth, and he said with a hint of regret: "What a pity for this skin..." He knew that the Azure Emperor had temporarily spared this peculiar divine beast

Aoki does not strike just once, but rather continues to strike incessantly. After one strike, it immediately disappears, and another appears right above, with the divine beast's tentacles flailing and its large head shaking wildly. Surprisingly, despite such frenzied strikes, this fellow still manages to get killed.

The octopus-like divine beast, as if granted a reprieve, did not dare to linger for a moment, vanishing into the void at the fastest speed, its sole thought being to distance itself from these powerful beings

Li Qiang suggested, "It is better to let them stay inside the Beiyedan Ding for now and come out once we have a clearer understanding of the surrounding situation"

It is no wonder that the Qing Emperor and others acted decisively upon their arrival. Ever since entering the divine formation, they had no means to resist other than fleeing, which left them with a pent-up frustration. Had it not been for their cultivation over thousands of years and their sufficiently resilient will, they might have already collapsed. Little did they expect that upon entering this relatively safe place, they would encounter such a reckless divine beast; it would be against all reason not to strike.

Li Qiang stopped moving and said with a bitter smile: "I have crossed three shattered boundaries, and it feels very special. These fragments no longer possess the ability to constrain or regulate, yet I can still perceive their original power, even stronger than the original realm. This... gives me a very unpleasant feeling"

Qin Xiaotian shook his head and said: "It's nothing... just feeling a bit uneasy inside"

Qin Xiaotian's physique can be considered above average, yet in the eyes of these divine beasts, he resembles a small mouse beside an elephant. The gazes of the divine beasts swept over him without pausing for a moment; consuming someone like him holds no interest at all, as he wouldn't even fill their mouths. The divine beasts regarded him as if he were invisible, continuing to wander through the void.

A tentacle of the divine beast was touched by a bit of purple fire, which immediately turned to ashes. The purple fire spread upwards along the tentacle, and upon encountering heavenly fire, even immortals would have to retreat. This divine beast was slightly stronger than an ordinary immortal, but it could not control the spread of the purple fire. Its consciousness emitted waves of terror; this creature was somewhat wise, realizing the situation was dire, and immediately abandoned a tentacle.

Qin Xiaotian sensed something was amiss. This group of divine beasts was not formidable; they were still a considerable distance from ordinary immortals. The powerful divine consciousness just now definitely did not originate from them; there must be another powerful divine beast.

Before the divine beast could respond, a massive green tree emerged from the void above it and came crashing down with great force.

The panic of the divine beasts affected that divine thought, and even Qin Xiaotian sensed the strength within the divine thought, pondering: "Are these divine beasts his? Why are they so anxious?"

The Green Emperor nodded and said: "Not a human."

Li Qiang said, "We are here... it is feared that fighting will not solve the problem. What exactly is the core divine formation, no one knows. Let's clarify the situation first before proceeding."

About half an hour later, the divine beast flew back, obediently hovering in front of the Qing Emperor. It did not dare to escape, understanding that with the current strength of the Qing Emperor, even if it tried to flee, it would not succeed. It was better to return, as the chances of survival were much greater. Behind it followed ten lower-level divine beasts, all of which were the ones it had been herding.

Ah? Qin Xiaotian was greatly startled. Ever since he began following these super experts, he generally did not have to engage in combat himself. Excluding the previous journey, he did not expect that upon arriving at the core universe of the Divine Array, the Azure Emperor would assign him such a daunting task.

After a brief discussion among the group, the information obtained from the Octopus Divine Beast was limited and did not provide much reference for the journey. In the end, it was the Green Emperor who made the decision to continue advancing towards the center of the star domain

The heavenly aunt said: "Having strength but lacking intelligence"

Qin Xiaotian could not help but ask, "Are these broken realms all abandoned?" He recalled that he also intended to abandon the Heavenly Evolution.

In an instant, the group of divine beasts was thrown into chaos. When it is said that these divine beasts possess average strength, it is in comparison to figures like the Azure Emperor. This powerful divine consciousness swept over them, immediately causing their minds to become disordered. To attain the strength of a divine beast, one must possess considerable intelligence; upon contact with the divine consciousness, they can comprehend the formidable power of the other party

At this moment, the expression on the face of the Green Emperor suddenly changed, and immediately after, the Heavenly Aunt also said: "Not one! It is a group!"

Once linear teleportation is possible, there is no need to use Qin Xiaotian's Crystal Obsession Chain for travel, as anyone here possesses superior means of teleportation compared to him. This time, it is Tian Gu who will lead everyone in the teleportation.

Li Qiang hesitated for a moment and pondered, "If we delve a little deeper, what situation will your evolution present?" He was not very certain, but doubts had already arisen in his mind

Among several individuals, only Li Qiang, Qing Di, and Qin Xiao Tian possess a realm, yet their circumstances are distinctly different

Qin Xiaotian also received its divine consciousness

Without a word, Chi Ming vanished in an instant. Li Qiang's consciousness quickly spread out: "Let's go together!" He then also disappeared into the void, teleporting away

Chi Ming dismissively said: "With us joining forces, what is there to fear? Hehe, since their world has already been shattered, their power is limited, and we should be able to handle it."

Chi Ming grinned and said: "What else can we do? Of course, we should first seize the territory, and then find the local experts to understand the situation. Hehe! It might just lead to a great conflict; who knows if the folks here will welcome us outsiders"

Qin Xiaotian thought for a moment and realized that Xuanlong's strength was indeed quite good, but it still fell short compared to his master and those old monsters. He couldn't help but ask, "Master, what exactly are we here to do?"

The Azure Emperor waved his hand and said calmly, "Forget it, you may leave. We do not need your beast."

In space, sound cannot be transmitted, yet when Aoki pressed down on the tentacles of the divine beast, Qin Xiaotian seemed to hear a heavy meow, filled with astonishment. Those few thick tentacles were unexpectedly shattered in an instant, and Aoki took the opportunity to strike fiercely at that enormous head.

Li Qiang laughed and scolded, "What are you thinking? Damn it, your skin is quite good; let me peel it off... it will definitely be able to be refined into a divine artifact"

Chi Ming nodded and said: "Hmm, those little fellows are too weak; their presence would only cause trouble."

As the Aoki struck down, the divine beast realized that it was unable to evade the attack. In a state of panic, five or six tentacles suddenly descended from above, crossing over its head. The divine consciousness let out another roar, but it was accompanied by intense trembling.

Qin Xiaotian inhaled sharply, not expecting the divine beast to be so large, towering to the height of a skyscraper. Gradually, the illusion materialized, and the divine beast appeared.

Chi Ming nodded and said: "That's right, you have your master, your senior uncle, and your ancestral master. You don't need to step forward when there are matters to attend to"

The Octopus Divine Beast respectfully expressed its intention to offer ten of its self-raised beasts, but the Qing Emperor and others looked down upon such creatures. Although there are very few divine beasts in the world outside the divine formation, each variety is extraordinarily powerful. The divine beasts before them are simply not comparable, and even the Octopus Divine Beast itself falls short in many aspects. The only distinction is that the divine beasts here can emit powerful divine consciousness.

Qin Xiaotian was in a daze when Qingdi and the others arrived, and everyone was exceptionally surprised. Tiangu said, "This... should have been raised by someone, or perhaps it is grazing?"

Qin Xiaotian is not afraid of fighting; ever since he acquired the Crystal Addiction Chain, he has entered the ranks of god-level experts. However, with each use of the Crystal Addiction Chain, his body becomes increasingly reliant on the Evolutionary Process.

The Green Emperor nodded and said, "It is very fast." He glanced at Qin Xiaotian and smiled, "Xiaotian, you go deal with it."

Chi Ming wanted to say something, but held back. His gaze kept scanning the octopus divine beast, making that fellow quite uncomfortable

What this discovery signifies is clear to everyone, and it inevitably brings a heavy mood.

The divine beast, with a sense of trepidation, immediately flew away into the distance

The green wood struck the head of the divine beast, causing ripples of greenish light to emerge. As the head began to swell in lumps, covered in bumps, the onlookers couldn't help but marvel at the resilience of this creature's head, which was truly sturdy enough to withstand the impact of the green wood

The Heavenly Aunt said: "I do not know whether it is an active abandonment or a passive abandonment. The divine formation is sufficiently mysterious..."

Chi Ming patted Qin Xiaotian's head and laughed, "Hehe, you are not a child anymore, are you feeling uneasy? What is there to be uneasy about? Why think so much? With your master around, there is nothing to worry about."

The Azure Emperor felt relieved. When he and the Celestial Maiden and others united to scan with their divine consciousness, they did not pay attention to these celestial beasts and divine beasts, as they posed no threat to them. They were searching for experts of the same level. After venting his frustrations by smashing with the Azure Wood, the Azure Emperor's mood improved, and his expression became more relaxed.

Qin Xiaotian said: "Master, what skin is regrettable?"

Li Qiang acted swiftly; he pointed his hand towards the lower part of the divine beast, and a faint flame shot out. In the blink of an eye, an endless sea of flames ignited beneath the divine beast, which was the purple flame of heavenly fire

The Azure Emperor had no time to pay attention to the Crimson Brightness, and continuously cast several celestial spells. That piece of azure wood split into two, then into four, transforming into four pieces of azure wood, which came crashing down like the beating of a drum

In less than a few seconds, the divine beasts fled in all directions in a frenzy, each trailing a long streak of light from their tails, with colors varying from one another. In an instant, the entire void was filled with these vibrant light trails, creating an exceptionally beautiful scene

Qin Xiaotian said with a bitter smile: "The other party has issued a challenge, hehe, Master, they are quite formidable, actually daring to challenge you, an esteemed elder." The implication contained in that divine thought was very clear, it was a challenge

... ... the beast, which is not a combative divine beast, generally feeds on meteors in space. If other divine beasts accidentally enter this area, they will also be besieged, although such opportunities are rare ... ...

Qin Xiaotian fell silent for a moment and sighed: "Indeed, it is the evolution of heaven!"

Li Qiang suddenly realized: "The shattered boundary?" His expression changed instantly.

Chi Ming chuckled and said, "Don't look at me, this is an order from your boss's boss, hehe, go on."

Qin Xiaotian also smiled, saying that when it comes to fighting, they need not fear anyone, as they are all exceptionally skilled. He said, "Master, I will just follow along, hehe."

Chi Ming chuckled to himself, pondering: "Should I make a move? Hehe, this fellow has quite a nice skin..." A hint of greed flickered in his eyes, akin to seeing a sumptuous feast, his fingers itching to reach out.

Chi Ming chuckled and said, "The skin of this thing is quite thick, hehe, the force is still not enough!"

The fluctuations of divine thought are not language, yet they can clearly convey meaning. The Qing Emperor and others understood this fellow's intent, but they were merely annoyed by his tendency to bully the weak and fear the strong, as his divine thought buzzed incessantly like a fly

An overwhelming wave of furious divine thoughts swept in, gradually revealing a massive phantom

The divine thoughts of Master Boju were received by everyone, and all eyes turned to Qin Xiaotian. Li Qiang smiled and said, "Xiaotian, what’s wrong?"

Soon, everyone discovered a peculiar phenomenon

The esteemed master Boju remarked: "This place is not simple, it is advisable to be cautious."

What are you? The tone is filled with disdain.

Stepping forward along the crystalline chain, Qin Xiaotian suddenly vanished into the void

Chi Ming thought to himself: "What a pity! What a pity for this beautiful leather that I have never seen before... What a pity."

In the universe, regardless of the race, whether human or beast, the fundamental criterion is determined by strength, which is both extremely cruel and very simple. Weaker races have no choice but to either evade, perish, or surrender; there are no other options. Therefore, upon discovering the existence of beings significantly more powerful than themselves, the first thought of these divine beasts is to flee

It was not until Li Qiang took charge and led everyone to move that they understood what these barriers were. They turned out to be shattered realms, colorless and shapeless, scattered throughout the vast and boundless starry sky

Li Qiang smiled and said, "Let's go over and take a look together, hehe, this place is a bit strange, quite different from what I imagined"

As his thoughts swept across, he already had a clear understanding in his heart: there were a total of 27,461 divine beasts. Why would so many divine beasts gather together? Could it be a trap?

"The speed is truly remarkable!" Li Qiang exclaimed

Uh, not a person? Qin Xiaotian's face turned a bit red; everyone here, except for him, probably knows what is provoking.

The divine beast shrank its body to about one-third of its original size, yet it still appeared exceptionally large. Its tentacles flailed about wildly, and its bloated head was covered in large red lumps. Its consciousness continued to murmur in a wavering tone: "This has always been my pasture, everyone knows it, you cannot... take my pasture..."

Chi Ming could not help but laugh and said: "Hey! Are those divine beasts raised by you? Hehe, little one, you shouldn't be so arrogant from the start, have you suffered a setback?"

The Azure Emperor nodded and said, "Indeed, I cannot figure it out either. Hehe, I do not know how the core of the divine formation is formed. Since we have entered, we must understand it. Fortunately, we have been to the central hub and have seen the operation of the divine formation, so we should be able to grasp some of its changes." A hint of uncertainty was evident in his divine consciousness.

Chi Ming chuckled and said, "The fire is burning my backside! Oh, this fellow really has thick skin!"

Qin Xiaotian was quite surprised: "Could it be that this guy is also afraid?"

In just a few seconds, the divine beast could no longer withstand it and began to fall downwards

A green tree suddenly fell, striking him hard on the head. The Green Emperor's divine consciousness exclaimed: "What do you mean by your pasture?"

Qin Xiaotian gritted his teeth and said, "Since it is like this, I will try to break away from the Heavenly Evolution!"

The esteemed master turned his head back inadvertently, paused slightly, and asked with curiosity: "Little one, what are you thinking? You look as if your soul is not at peace..."

Qin Xiaotian increasingly felt uneasy, as if something was about to happen

Tian Gu smiled faintly, retracting her hand and stepping back a few meters. The few blue flowers spinning at her fingertips quietly vanished. With Qing Di and Li Qiang both taking action, she no longer needed to intervene.

When the moment arrived, he could not back down. He said, "Master, Uncle Master, Grandmaster, and Grandmistress, if I cannot win, you must definitely intervene!"

This individual's thoughts are somewhat disordered, yet the meaning is quite clear. Essentially, this space is its pasture, encompassing a star system and several asteroid belts. It is merely a relatively advanced herdsman, and on the fringes of the core divine formation, a small portion of the divine beasts it herds must be offered to even more powerful beings

Li Qiang directly initiated and inherited the original realm. Although he possesses the ability to control, he is not the creator of the original realm. In contrast, the Azure Emperor is different; he does not have the ability to control the Immortal Realm and is merely a powerful being within it. Nominally, he is the leader of the Immortal Realm, but in reality, he lacks the kind of control that Li Qiang possesses

The planets here are very densely packed, somewhat resembling the Celestial Realm and the Original Realm. The difference is that this place is much larger than both the Celestial Realm and the Original Realm. The most peculiar aspect is the crisscrossing invisible barriers. During her first major teleportation, the Heavenly Maiden collided with the barrier, but fortunately, her extraordinary strength allowed her to forcibly break through.

Chi Ming smiled and gave her a slap on the back: "Little brat, don't worry, I won't let you fall into danger. Go ahead and fight boldly, use all your strength, and take that guy down! We will officially announce... entering this universe!"

The divine consciousness of the Green Emperor fluctuated: "Where did you come from? What are you doing? Withdraw your divine form..." Four green wooden pillars suddenly halted above the head of that divine beast, ready to strike down at any moment if the answer was unsatisfactory

The Azure Emperor sighed inwardly, realizing that this creature was quite clever. If it were to resist, it would not be difficult to kill it, but its current attitude had dispelled his murderous intent. He asked, "What are you? Whose territory is this?" Although there was no murderous intent, the fluctuations of his divine consciousness were still quite unceremonious.

A wave of fluctuation spread, and the divine beast began to answer the questions of the Azure Emperor

After some investigation, everyone learned that this vast expanse of star territory is a space ranch, home to many formidable beings, especially the beast herders who tend to aggressive divine beasts

The Azure Emperor had a unique perspective. After pondering for a moment, he conveyed his thoughts: "None of us possess the ability to create a realm of our own. The presence of so many fragmented realms here indicates that the deities who once resided in this place were far more powerful than we are. Perhaps... we truly need to exercise greater caution."

Unable to go down, the green wood above is crashing down, and there are still a few people around who have not made a move. The ferocity of the divine beast gradually diminishes, and its divine consciousness emits a wavering plea for mercy, finally succumbing to fear

Qin Xiaotian not only has the ability to control the Heavenly Evolution, but is also gradually merging with it, becoming indistinguishable from one another. In this case, considering the current situation, the problem becomes serious.

Chi Ming pointed at the distant divine beast and said: "This fellow has good skin, able to withstand the attacks of your grandmaster. Hehe, if used to refine a magical artifact, it would surely be excellent. If you don't believe me, ask your uncle, he is a grandmaster of artifact refining."

A flash of green light flickered in the eyes of the Green Emperor as he gently inquired, "Is it the pressure from the Heavenly Evolution that you are feeling?"

With Chi Ming and Li Qiang present, it is impossible for them to stand by and watch Qin Xiaotian get into trouble

The Azure Emperor waved his hand, releasing a powerful divine thought: "Enough with the nonsense, gather your beast horde over here, I have questions for you. Remember! Do not play tricks!"

Qin Xiaotian emerged from the void, and upon looking around, he couldn't help but be taken aback, silently lamenting in his heart. This was not a single divine beast, but rather a vast multitude of divine beasts, densely packed and filling the void.

Chi Ming muttered: "I knew you were a soft-hearted person. Given your current state, of course, you have nothing to worry about... still so conservative, hum hum!"

The octopus deity was beaten to a pitiful state. He attempted to communicate through his divine consciousness, but the relentless strikes from Qingmu rendered his body rigid and his spirit trembled in fear. He wanted to escape but found himself unable to do so, realizing that he had provoked a formidable opponent.

Li Qiang also smiled and said, "Xiao Tian, with your strength, it should not be a big problem, hehe, even if you can't win, you can retreat, your speed is not inferior to that of your opponent"

Qin Xiaotian thought to himself: "Sigh, any one of you going out to face the enemy would be stronger than me..." However, having cultivated to his current level, he was not one to back down, and said: "Alright! I will go!"

The appearance of these mythical beasts is quite ordinary, yet in Qin Xiaotian's eyes, they seem somewhat strange. Beasts that grow in space are fundamentally different from those on the ground. They are large in size, covered in extremely thick scales, resembling turtles. Their bodies are spindle-shaped, with pointed heads and tails, and their limbs are robust—specifically, they possess six sturdy limbs, as there are two additional appendages on their chests.