“The Taishang Primordial Scripture is a closely guarded secret of the Taishang Sect. How could Mr. Bai know it? Could it be that, like Chuanfa, he came knocking at their door and seized it by force? But that was something Chuanfa could only accomplish after defying the principles of Heaven and Earth and becoming a Longevity Heavenly Venerable. Mr. Bai is powerful, but he doesn't seem to have reached the Longevity realm yet, has he?”
More doubts instantly surged in Li Fan's mind.
In just that short span of time, Xu Ke had already dispersed his Beast Taming Art.
“Xiao Hei, look, it's so amazing! My cultivation base really is still inside my dantian!” Xu Ke shouted excitedly toward Li Fan.
Hearing Xu Ke's words, Li Fan did not feel the affection he had earlier. Instead, a flash of crimson streaked through his eyes, and a sudden surge of ferocity welled in his heart. Driven by instinct, he nearly ripped the noisy little creature before him to shreds.
Fortunately, what controlled this body now was not the Profound Bird itself, but Li Fan. Thus, after only a brief moment, he returned to normal.
Entirely unaware that he had just skirted the gates of the underworld, Xu Ke foolishly stepped closer, stroking and fussing over Li Fan's body. With immense concern, he asked, “Xiao Hei, what's wrong? The way you looked just now was terrifying!”
“You'd better stay away from me for now. Otherwise, I can't guarantee I'll be able to control myself and not attack you next time,” Li Fan warned, glaring at Xu Ke.
As if confirming Li Fan's words, roars of demonic beasts and anguished cries of cultivators began echoing one after another across the Beast Taming Sect.
“We beasts are inherently ferocious and regard humans as mere rations. Our true nature was simply suppressed and controlled by the Beast Taming Art before. Now that the restraint has suddenly vanished, beasts that have spent a long time with cultivators might manage, having developed some affection. But for those demonic beasts that ordinary disciples have only raised for a short while, once they regain their freedom, their first move will surely be to attack their former masters,” Li Fan said coldly.
As the disciples' screams rang out continuously, Xu Ke glanced outside. Seeming to catch sight of the bloody carnage, his face went somewhat pale. “This is too horrifying! Did the sect master and the elders really not foresee this beforehand?”
Then he put on a playful grin again and leaned in close. “Still, I'm so good to you, Xiao Hei. There shouldn't be any danger, right?”
Li Fan remained silent as he felt the baleful aura within his body, which had been suppressed for the moment but had not dissipated in the slightest and could flare up again at any time.
He seemed to understand why, historically, Xiao Hei and Xu Ke had ultimately parted ways.
Just as he had explained to Xu Ke, demonic beasts were brutal by nature, making it difficult for them to coexist peacefully with humans. Even if, at the beginning, they could rely on the bond nurtured through years of companionship to suppress that killing intent again and again,
over time, the killing intent would continuously build up until one day it could no longer be contained. Once it fully erupted, that supposed bond would likely be as fragile as paper.
Furthermore, the vast disparity in strength between demonic beasts and the cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect meant that if things went out of control, the cultivators would inevitably meet a gruesome death.
“Could this be the lingering obsession maintaining the Disaster of the Beast Taming Sect? Because the Heavenly Destiny Profound Bird Xiao Hei couldn't control its murderous impulses, it ultimately separated from its master, Xu Ke, never to see each other again?”
“If that is the case, perhaps there is a way to resolve this obsession this time,” a thought suddenly occurred to Li Fan.
Possessing the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Incantation, Li Fan's self-control was far beyond anything a demonic beast could muster. He was confident that even if the killing intent surged like towering, relentless waves, his resolve would stand like an indestructible dam, firmly keeping it in check.
With his thoughts turning, Li Fan did not answer Xu Ke's question directly.
Instead, he sneered and said, “Di Sanmo claims to be a beast of supreme wisdom. With him around, how could they not have anticipated this scene?”
“Then why—” Xu Ke's eyes widened in shock upon hearing that.
“The great tribulation has only just begun, and the Beast Taming Sect, one of the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao, is already preparing to flee. If word got out, what a tremendous blow that would be to the cultivators of the world. The other sects among the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao would likely never agree to this either, and would surely step forward to obstruct it.”
“Naturally, they have to offer an explanation to the cultivation world of the Xuanhuang Realm. What better pretext than claiming that because dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently, disciples slaughtered one another and the sect suffered catastrophic losses? After all, the bloody stench covering the ground cannot be faked.”
“It also happens to serve as cover for their evacuation into the pocket world,” Li Fan explained smoothly.
Xu Ke could not help shuddering. “The schemes of grown-ups are truly terrifying.”
Then he stared at Li Fan, his face filled with bewilderment. “Wait, Xiao Hei, when did you become so smart? Did you secretly eat some heavenly treasure recently? That shouldn't be possible—I've been watching you the whole time...”
Hearing Xu Ke's words, Li Fan could not help feeling another surge of savage killing intent welling up within. He gave him a sharp swipe of his claw, venting a fraction of it before slowly suppressing the rest.
The turmoil within the Beast Taming Sect lasted for a full three or four days.
Although a large number of lower-ranking disciples were killed or injured, the beasts that had lost control were quickly recaptured and locked away. The sect's core backbone—including the elite disciples and the elders—remained largely unaffected for the time being.
The plan to evacuate the Xuanhuang Realm proceeded in an orderly manner.
During this process, Li Fan also learned from the scraps of conversation among sect disciples another reason why the Beast Taming Sect was so desperate to withdraw:
to prevent frenzied retaliation from demonic beasts.
Demonic beasts and humanity might be two different races with mutual friction and competition for survival resources,
but between demonic beasts and the Beast Taming Sect, it was a feud that could only end in death.
Demonic beasts were inherently haughty, believing their status to be superior to mere humans. Yet the Beast Taming Sect had used despicable means to command and enslave them. To all demonic beasts, this was naturally a profound humiliation.
In the past, the Beast Taming Sect was situated in the heart of human territory, and the sect possessed many powerful demonic beasts captured and controlled by its cultivators.
Thus, even if any beasts wished to avenge this grudge, they generally lacked the strength to do so, and risked being captured alive as slaves themselves.
Now, however, times had changed. News of the descent of the tribulation where dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently would surely reach the demonic beasts soon. How could the vindictive beasts ever pass up such a heaven-sent opportunity? They would definitely come knocking at the door repeatedly.
Setting aside whether the Beast Taming Sect could withstand the beasts' revenge, once both sides truly clashed in slaughter, it was hard to say whose side the unrestrained beasts within the Beast Taming Sect would take.
To prevent such a dire scenario from unfolding, evacuating to a safe realm had become an urgent necessity.
“Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, hear this order! Only demonic beasts that pass the trial of the Ring of Shared Hearts may accompany the evacuation. If any fail...”
“Let them go free!”
Before long, a sect-wide announcement spread throughout the entire Beast Taming Sect.
Chapter 653