Yet the trials and tempering of these past years had long matured his mind, and he quickly regained his composure.
With calm precision, he directed the demon beasts under his command to suppress and subdue the berserk Beast Taming Sect disciples.
"Hahaha! I've been sick of looking at them for years. Now we finally have a chance to pay them back fair and square!"
"High time we stretched our bones! Cooped up on this tiny hill all these years, I was about to suffocate!"
"Put some back into it, brothers! Don't let anyone look down on us!"
...
In an instant, the ten thousand demon beasts that had lain dormant within the Beast Taming Sect surged forth like dragons leaping from the ocean, casting a dark pall of clouds over the entire territory.
The terrifying demonic winds and murderous aura temporarily suppressed even the looming threat of the great catastrophe.
"Not good! The demon beasts are revolting!"
"I warned you all! Those not of our kind are bound to harbor treacherous thoughts! Without subduing them with the True Beast Taming Art, endless disaster was inevitable! Damn that Sect Master for refusing to listen!"
"We are doomed!"
Under the catastrophe where dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently, the Beast Taming Sect was already struggling to survive, and it was certainly no match for these demon beasts who had rested and built their strength for so many years.
In just three days, the sect was thoroughly brought under heel.
Though hands had perhaps been heavy in the process, with Xu Ke present, the demon beasts did not take any human cultivators' lives.
"Boss, what do we do next?" Chi Jiutou asked, a rather grave look on his face.
The catastrophe naturally had a certain impact on the demon beast community as well.
The ancestral heritage techniques within each beast tribe often numbered only one.
However, demon beast society maintained a strict hierarchy. For the moment, they could still hold the situation steady.
"To think Lord Di Yi's prophecy was true. Had I known, I should have left alongside him back then," You Xuanhuang sighed ruefully.
"As things stand, there are only two paths before us. First, defy the cosmic law that dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently. Second, if that proves impossible, we must adapt to how the world has changed," Xu Ke replied, steady and composed.
"Since dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently, everyone will simply cultivate different techniques! The Beast Taming Sect doesn't have enough..."
"Then we shall go borrow some from the surrounding sects," Xu Ke said, his expression turning chillingly stern.
Hearing this, the surrounding demon beasts froze in bewilderment for a moment, not grasping his meaning. But soon enough, realization struck, and they erupted in jubilation.
After all, plundering was the innate nature of demon beasts.
"Lord Profound Bird, must we truly do this?" In his heart, Xu Ke was not as resolute as he appeared on the surface. Hesitation still lingered; he could not quite let go.
"Do not succumb to misplaced mercy. When the great catastrophe descends, not even one in ten cultivators of Xuanhuang will survive. Since you are now the nominal leader of the Beast Taming Sect, you bear responsibility for their survival."
"Better that others die than us," Li Fan said, his tone utterly frigid.
A deathly silence followed.
After a long while, Xu Ke finally made up his mind. "I understand."
He lifted his head, his eyes burning with resolve.
Half a day later, at Xu Ke's command, the demon beast army swept across the surrounding lands like a gale snapping dead twigs.
They wiped out sects, plundering supplies and cultivation manuals.
Bypassing the truly powerful sects, they singled out only the easiest prey, striving for swift, decisive strikes.
Ten thousand demon beasts, united as one mind.
With the catastrophe where dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently erupting, they formed an unstoppable force.
In barely half a month, they obliterated over a hundred sects, large and small.
In past days, such a beast disaster would have long drawn the attention of the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao, inviting a joint encirclement by countless human cultivators.
Now, however, the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao could barely look after themselves. How could they spare the time to care about the affairs of other sects?
All the manuals the demon beasts plundered were handed over to Xu Ke.
Seeing that they had amassed a sufficient quantity, Xu Ke immediately ordered an end to the campaign.
After decisively executing several dozen demon beasts who had succumbed to bloodlust and defied orders, Xu Ke issued the command to retreat.
"Are we going to flee as well?"
"Retreat? Retreat where?"
The Beast Taming Sect cultivators and all the demon beasts were perplexed.
Only after Xu Ke explained did realization dawn upon them.
It turned out that Xu Ke had planned ahead; as early as their return from Nanming Sacred Beast Mountain years ago, he had dispatched scouts to search for a secluded pocket world where they could settle down.
"The catastrophe of the Xuanhuang Realm will likely endure for thousands of years without end. If we wish to preserve ourselves, we can only temporarily withdraw into a pocket world and slowly plot our resurgence," Xu Ke said with a heavy sigh.
During this period, everyone had witnessed the horrific tragedy of external sects tearing one another to pieces.
By comparison, the casualty rate within the Beast Taming Sect was remarkably low.
And all of this was entirely thanks to Xu Ke's foresight.
"I thought after Lord Di Sanmo mysteriously vanished, our future would hang in the balance. Who would have thought the Boss possesses divine foresight no lesser than Lord Di Sanmo's!"
"Nonsense! If not for that, why would Di Sanmo and Di Yi have handed the Beast Wheel over to the Boss so readily?"
"I told you long ago, follow the Boss, and you'll always have meat to eat!"
Xu Ke's maneuvers completely won over both human and beast, leaving no room for dissent.
Soon, under Xu Ke's direction, the entire population migrated toward the uncharted pocket world.
Just before departing the Xuanhuang Realm, Xu Ke and Li Fan cast one last look upon the world. "One day, we will return."
Then their figures slowly faded from the world.
At the same time, the scenery within the Fallen Immortal Realm froze in place.
The surrounding light abruptly vanished into pitch darkness.
*I wonder if this counts as passing Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang's trial?* Li Fan was not entirely certain in his heart.
Still, bringing humans and demon beast tribes together in harmony, and doing whatever it took to preserve the group's survival when disaster struck—these were the best solutions Li Fan could devise.
If he had not possessed prior experience from multiple attempts, he likely could not have thought of such an approach in a short time, no matter how much he pondered.
The trial illusion seemed to be evaluating Li Fan's deeds.
The wait was noticeably longer than in the first act.
Fortunately...
Wisps of white light suddenly pierced through the darkness.
After a dizzying spin, a new scene materialized once more!
Li Fan had successfully passed the trial and arrived at the third act: Heavenly Sword Sect Sword Refinement!
*What will the trial be this time?*
Li Fan had not experienced the Heavenly Sword Sect Sword Refinement scenario many times, so he lacked absolute confidence.
Even so, during his years at the Beast Taming Sect, he had made thorough preparations.
He quietly followed the established plotline, properly playing the role of the character he possessed.
Until the cultivator disguised by Mr. Bai came knocking to issue a challenge!
Not a single disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect proved to be a match for Mr. Bai.
While the crowd stood frozen in shock and dread, Li Fan stepped forward with head held high.
"I would gladly experience your brilliant moves, sir!" Li Fan said, clasping his hands.
"Would you care to judge my swordsmanship, sir?"
Li Fan spoke clearly, casually snapping off a tree branch from a nearby tree.
It was precisely what Mr. Bai had done moments before!
Such an action stirred an uproar among the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
And for the very first time, a look of genuine interest surfaced in Mr. Bai's eyes.
Chapter 1083