Two-Headed Hou

A single realm of difference meant an entirely different world. Past the wild ecstasy, Qin Sang considered the matter from every angle and concluded it was most likely due to the inherent nature of the Nine Nether Demonic Fire. The Nine Nether Demonic Fire could strike directly at the origin soul, which naturally made it effective against demon beasts. Paired with the Primordial Concentric Rings' ability to bind beasts, it was a match made in heaven. Had it been replaced with any other type of magic treasure, there likely wouldn't have been such a massive improvement. Qin Sang held the Primordial Concentric Rings up, turning them over and over in his hands. Their grade hadn't changed, yet their value could clearly no longer be measured by grade alone. Truly worthy of being a secret treasure of the Yuling Sect! Qin Sang marveled once more at how, through twists of fate and fortune, this magic treasure had blossomed with even more dazzling brilliance in his hands. Some demon beasts possessed ferocious bloodlines and immense divine abilities, holding their ground without yielding even against late Core Formation cultivators. If he could subdue such a beast, Qin Sang's strength would surge alongside it. Generally speaking, Core Formation cultivators had to cultivate bitterly for many years, often reaching late Core Formation before upgrading their life magic treasure to medium grade. Those who possessed medium-grade magic treasures in the early or mid stages were exceedingly rare. Among the treasures in Qin Sang's hands, the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman certainly qualified, and the Gold Glow Armor barely counted as one as well. With this, he already possessed four treasures comparable to medium-grade magic treasures! Of course, reality was not as simple as wishful thinking. To unleash the full might of the Primordial Concentric Rings, the prerequisite was finding and subduing a mid Demon Core stage demon beast. Subduing a demon beast was no easy feat. First, one had to defeat and capture it alive, waiting until it was extremely weak before having any chance to strike at its vulnerability. During the subjugation process, one had to constantly resist the beast's fierce defiance. The stronger the demon beast's power and willpower, the higher the chance of failure. Demon beasts with terrifying divine abilities were creatures Qin Sang could only avoid at present, to say nothing of subduing them. Moreover, the limitations of the Primordial Concentric Rings could not be overlooked. A demon beast subdued by force was controlled through a magic treasure. Unlike a beast that willingly acknowledged a master and followed out of its own devotion, its heart would never yield; it would constantly seek to break free from its shackles, and might even turn upon its master. Furthermore, controlling a beast via the Primordial Concentric Rings was distinct from Qin Sang's Flying Yakshas, which he had refined himself. What bound the demon beasts was the power of the magic treasure itself, not Qin Sang's soul imprint, so the jade Buddha would likely have little effect. Because of this, when commanding a beast in combat, he had to recall it whenever he felt his true essence running too low. He could not rely on them indefinitely, lest the beast turn on him. The stronger the demon beast, the more caution was required. Despite these limitations, the Primordial Concentric Rings had still brought Qin Sang an immense and pleasant surprise. With excitement surging in his chest, Qin Sang stowed the Yang Ring, darted out of the cave dwelling, picked a direction, and vanished into the depths of the azure sea. ... Time slipped by like flowing water. Years flew like a shuttle. In the blink of an eye, fifteen years had passed. It was the early hours before dawn. The starry sky had not yet receded, scattering flecks of starlight across the sea, while a veil of pale white had just begun to drape over the distant east. All things had yet to awaken. Across this expanse of the sea, apart from the whispering breeze and the gentle murmur of the waves, there was no other sound. It was exceedingly tranquil. The area was unusually vast and empty, with not an island in sight in any direction. Suddenly, a streak of cyan light hurtled from the west at astonishing speed. With a loud splash, the cyan light plunged headlong into the sea and vanished. The next moment, upon another stretch of water, a figure the size of a steed quietly surfaced from the deep. Under the starlight, its appearance could be faintly discerned. It was surprisingly a two-headed demon beast, with two heads growing from its shoulders. They resembled dogs or wolves, yet were countless times more imposing and ferocious. Even more peculiar was that in the center of the forehead on each head grew a vertical eye. Its true eyes were tightly shut; only the vertical eyes were open, an eerie cyan light flashing within their pupils from time to time. At this moment, both vertical pupils were filled with burning anxiety. At its flanks were two cyan wings, but a closer look revealed they were not physical flesh, but rather condensed from some strange, ethereal power. The demon beast possessed a slender, sleek physique, and combined with its twin wings, every movement was imbued with an innate grace. Unfortunately, it bore heavy wounds that severely hindered its agility. On its belly was a bloody, mangled wound bitten out by some unknown great demon, punctured by sharp fangs so deeply that its entrails were almost visible. Moreover, one of its front legs hung limp, already broken. Because of its injuries, its wings were unsteady, wobbling as it skimmed across the water. Surfacing, the demon beast glanced behind it and saw a white line cutting through the sea to the west, racing toward it. Panic seized its heart. It licked the wound on its belly, and both heads let out a low growl in unison. Then its figure blurred, splitting into three as it fled in three different directions. Before long, a loud churning sound echoed from the west. That white line turned out to be parted waves, and the creature cutting through the water was a ferocious shark. Upon the shark's back stood two figures: one was Qin Sang, and the other was a Flying Yaksha. Riding the shark forward, Qin Sang halted right where the demon beast had split into three. Sweeping his gaze across the water, he pointed toward one of the directions, and the Flying Yaksha immediately tore through the air in pursuit. Next, Qin Sang patted the shark's head, pointed in another direction, and commanded in a low voice, "Go after that one." The shark's tail whipped up abruptly, churning up a surge of waves, seemingly reluctant. Qin Sang gave a cold snort. With a slight flick of his intent, the phantom image of a ring suddenly appeared above the shark's head. The shark writhed in agony. After delivering the lesson, Qin Sang said coldly, "Blue Shark, if you help me capture that two-headed hou today, in consideration of the years you've spent by my side, I promise to grant you your freedom. Otherwise, you'll be my battle pet for the rest of your life!" Over ten years ago, Qin Sang had finished refining the Primordial Concentric Rings. At first, he had subdued a demon bird to satisfy his lingering obsession of 'riding a crane down to Jiangnan.' Afterward, he had chosen this blue shark, finding it exceptionally handy to use. The blue shark was an early Demon Core stage beast, proficient in water-attribute divine abilities and a tyrant of the sea. After being subdued by Qin Sang, though it had never truly yielded in spirit, it had nonetheless rendered many valuable services. Between master and beast, it could be considered a friendship forged through conflict. Had he not encountered this two-headed hou, Qin Sang would not have planned to replace the blue shark so soon. Qin Sang had roamed the Demon Sea for over a decade, stirring up winds and waves, always hoping to subdue a mid Demon Core stage great demon, yet his wishes had remained unfulfilled. Three days ago, by a stroke of fortune, he had crossed paths with this two-headed hou. The two-headed hou was named after the ancient divine beast, the hou, because its heads bore a resemblance to it, though it had no true connection to the legendary beast. This demon beast was adept at wind manipulation, and the wings on its flanks were wind wings. Not only did it boast exceptional evasion techniques, but it also possessed a shadow-splitting technique capable of confounding reality with illusion. This two-headed hou was at the mid Demon Core stage; once it split its shadows, even a late Core Formation expert would find it difficult to tell them apart on short notice. Originally, Qin Sang would never have dared to set his sights on it. However, the two-headed hou had somehow fought a fierce battle with another demon beast and suffered severe wounds. Qin Sang had trailed it for two full days before finally finding an opening to ambush it, aggravating its injuries and dealing a heavy blow to its strength, which hampered both its shadow-splitting ability and its evasion techniques. What followed was a pursuit that had lasted through the entire night.