Chapter 516 - 215: Celestial Demon Division
Northwest of the Yu Region, in the Yanran (Qiu Yue) Clan Land, Yann Wanyun trudged painfully through the wilderness despite his injuries, only to return to find ruins.
"Clan Chief!"
As Yann Wanyun stumbled in, cries erupted, followed by figures rushing toward him.
"Clan Chief."
Great Elder Yann Chixia staggered to Yann Wanyun, a dazed look on his face.
Yanran and Qiu Yue had formed an alliance, and though Yanran had absorbed Qiu Yue, many clanspeople were still in the fusion phase, leading to some being placed in nearby subsidiary clan lands.
This was how they avoided total annihilation.
"Gone, all gone."
Without Yann Chixia’s explanation, the entire clan land had been reduced to ruins; almost none of the clanspeople remained, with even their remains being taken.
Yann Wanyun staggered as he escaped from the great bird’s claws, unable to support himself any longer after his relentless journey back.
"Clan Chief!"
Yann Chixia frantically supported Yann Wanyun.
"Go, leave it all behind, retreat to Ji Land!"
"Leave immediately!"
Yanran had migrated from Ji Land, absorbing Qiu Yue Tribe, and forcefully established itself in northwest Yu through Yann Wanyun’s mid-stage Divine Treasure strength, swiftly gaining a foothold.
But now, with Yanran in such a dire state, staying might lead to a brutal siege.
"Send word ahead to Jishan, Blazing Flame, inform them..."
In this crisis, Yann Wanyun instinctively thought of the Blazing Flame Divisions, as he had no ties with the other Bo Divisions in Yongyi.
...
South of Yu Region, Bi Fang Bo Division.
Years after its closure, Bi Fang Bo Division was now temporarily managed by an aged Divine Treasure Realm Elder overseeing clan affairs.
Above the Earth Dragon Volcano in the clan land’s center, a Red Fire-colored Flying Ship hovered, piled with Source Stones forming a small mountain, numbering no fewer than 300,000 pieces.
It was accompanied by a Half-Spirit Half-Flesh Wild Beast, glowing with First-Layer Innate Spiritual Light, bearing six pairs of wings, its aura pure and blood energy surging.
Though not yet Tier Four, its blood energy rivaled Tier Four.
...
Celestial Demon Bo Division.
On a seemingly ordinary mountaintop platform, a figure stood, sharp and arresting in presence.
Cloaked in tiger skin, surrounded by sharp sword aura, he remained unharmed.
Before him lay a witch sword, appearing as if forged from copper, yet bound by tiger stripes.
Alongside this figure was a Tier Four White Spirit Deer, similarly bound by tiger skin.
Screech!
Under the night sky, shadows sliced through the heavens, disappearing in a flash over Celestial Demon Race Territory, leaving the mountaintop platform vacant save the witch sword.
"Gone?"
Lord Celestial Demon exhaled in relief, even as he failed to grasp how the shadow struck, despite his numerous encounters.
Too swift.
At such speed, unless possessing a powerful Divine Sense, even a match at the same realm would suffer greatly.
At this velocity, even his late-stage Divine Treasure self couldn’t muster a reaction, let alone withstand an attack crushing his skull.
Beside Lord Celestial Demon stood a tiger-headed elder, hair and beard white, leaning on a tiger-head walking stick.
"Ancestor, was it clear this time?"
The tiger-headed elder’s gaze was fixed, "Again, a Divine Treasure Peak, not the same as last time."
"Who exactly are they?"
Lord Celestial Demon felt powerless, unable to defeat them, watching helplessly as they took fecund blood energy-bearing Tier Fours with each appearance.
Thankfully, or he’d have long been captured.
They couldn’t be held back.
The mysterious great birds held formidable strength, either Divine Treasure Peak or late-stage Divine Treasure, with numbers beyond the lone one.
Yongyi was no longer the Yongshan of Marquis Yongshan’s era; no Tier Five had appeared in years, with having a Divine Treasure Peak Martial Artist alone marking the pinnacle of Yongyi Divisions.
The Celestial Demon Bo Division held the claim of Yongyi’s top Bo Division, thanks to its Divine Treasure Peak guardian alongside Tier Five tactics.
For generations, Celestial Demon’s ancestors had sought contact with these enigmatic black birds, but they remained aloof like high-placed Beast Shepherds, scarcely uttering a word.
Like craving roasted meat, clanspeople would capture a Wild Beast from their stock without consulting the beasts.
Why negotiate with beasts, when it’s your prerogative to choose and consume as you please?
When clanspeople captured tamed Wild Beasts, other beasts attempting to intervene were brushed aside.
Celestial Demon’s ancestors once tried stopping them, attempting several times; if not for holding onto Yongshan’s legacy and Witch Artifact, near annihilation was certain.
After enduring several beatings, unable to block or defeat them, the only choice was adaptation.
The tiger-headed elder leaned on his staff, his gaze fixed upon the vanished black bird, lost in thought.
Even as a Divine Treasure Peak himself, he felt unable to withstand long under the black bird’s talons.
"Beast Form Realm, a near impossible feat."
After a while, the tiger-headed elder introspected within his Divine Treasure, where a tiger pattern Beast Form lay amidst the blood sea, ephemeral, easily fragmented by a swirl of blood energy.
Not to mention tangible form, even maintaining a shadow proved elusive.
Hearing the ancestor’s lament, Lord Celestial Demon’s heart sank; even though he seized Witch Artifact and remnants of Techniques from Yongshan, ancestors remained stuck before Tier Five for thousands of years.