The grand carriage drawn by the nine Firecloud Crimsonflame Tigers continued forward. Before long, Gu Qingfeng saw a pack of demonic beasts!
That's right!
A pack.
There were over a dozen of them.
Each possessed a massive body, standing over ten meters tall. Their fur stood on end like black spiked scales, looking utterly terrifying. Their heads resembled a mix of jackal, wolf, tiger, and leopard, with crimson eyes and sharp fangs protruding from their mouths. Their limbs were thick and powerful, their feet like eagles' talons, their claws like hooks.
Seeing this pack of demonic beasts, Horse King's face turned ashen with terror. He felt his scalp go numb and stammered, "These are... these are Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts!"
Although this was Horse King's first time seeing Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts, he recognized them instantly. Over the years, he had heard far too many rumors about them—their appearance, size, habits, strength—all were deeply imprinted in his mind.
According to legend, the Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast was one of the most ferocious demonic beasts in the Flowing Sand Minor Secret Realm. Half of the Immortals who died tragically in the swamp lands were likely torn apart by them. These Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts not only possessed formidable physical bodies, but their claws were also incredibly sharp. Especially those fangs—rumored to be even more terrifying than innate flying swords. The horror of a single adult Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast was such that even a Five-Luminances Unity Great Nature Golden Immortal would have no choice but to flee.
The most direct and obvious feature to distinguish whether a Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast was adult was its size. It was said that once a Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast reached nine meters in height, it was considered adult. The thicker and blacker its spiked scales, the stronger its demonic aura, indicating greater power.
Every one of the Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts before them stood over ten meters tall. Clearly, these were not merely adult; they were beyond that. Moreover, the black spiked scales on their bodies were even blacker and thicker than those of ordinary adult Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts.
However, what puzzled Horse King was that he had heard Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts usually operated alone, each possessing its own exclusive territory. Anyone who trespassed—be it other demonic beasts, Immortals, or even their own kind—would be mercilessly slaughtered. This was their innate nature: particularly bloodthirsty and cruel, each reigning as king alone.
He had never heard of a pack of over a dozen Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts not only moving together but also seemingly besieging something.
Horse King followed their line of sight and discovered this pack of Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts was tearing at a formation. Inside the formation was a woman. She looked rather disheveled. Although the Immortal Armor on her body and the Immortal Weapon in her hand were intact, her face was deathly pale, and the glow of Immortal Power around her flickered weakly. Clearly, her Immortal Spirit was depleted; she was barely holding on, relying solely on the formation.
"Senior Martial Sister! Senior Martial Sister!..." Inside the grand carriage, the severely weakened Purple-Green Immortal cried out urgently upon seeing the woman struggling to maintain the formation. She wanted to charge over, but in her heavily injured state, let alone circulating Immortal Spirit, even lifting a hand was difficult.
"So this is your Senior Martial Sister?"
Gu Qingfeng still sat in his chair, unhurriedly sipping his wine.
"Please, I beg you, save my... Senior Martial Sister. Please, I beg you..." The Purple-Green Immortal neither knew Gu Qingfeng nor Horse King, nor did she understand their identities or backgrounds. Although Horse King was merely a One-Luminance Tai Bai Golden Immortal and Gu Qingfeng appeared to be just a mortal, seeing her Senior Martial Sister couldn't hold on much longer, the Purple-Green Immortal could no longer afford to care. At this moment, she could only plead with Gu Qingfeng and Horse King for help, like a desperate patient seeking any doctor.
Horse King swallowed hard.
He understood clearly that with his cultivation level, he'd likely be torn to shreds before even getting close. If anyone could save the Purple-Green Immortal's Senior Martial Sister, it could only be the Great Lord. Thus, he looked toward Gu Qingfeng.
Just then.
Perhaps because their arrival had attracted the attention of the pack of Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts, the over a dozen beasts that had been tearing at the formation all turned their heads. Pairs of green, glowing eyes fixed directly on them.
Horse King was so terrified he didn't dare even breathe. His body trembled uncontrollably.
After all, a single adult Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast was enough to shred a Five-Luminances Unity Great Nature Golden Immortal. And he was merely a measly One-Luminance Tai Bai Golden Immortal. Most terrifying of all, this wasn't one adult Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beast, but a pack of over a dozen.
If facing a Five-Luminances Unity Great Nature Golden Immortal—or even a Six-Luminance, Seven-Luminance, or a master of even higher cultivation—Horse King might feel fear and terror in his heart, but he definitely wouldn't be unable to stand steady.
Because Immortals were, after all, Immortals. They possessed human nature.
But these Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts were bloodthirsty, cruel demonic beasts! They had no trace of human nature, no concept of good and evil or morality. They wouldn't care who you were, what your status was, or what background you had. If they decided to tear you apart, they'd just do it. Even if your father was the Heavenly King himself, it wouldn't matter.
Compared to Horse King, the nine Firecloud Crimsonflame Tigers, having received Gu Qingfeng's bestowed Tiger's Courage and Tiger's Majesty, still bared their teeth, shook their heads, and emitted rumbling tiger roars in the face of the pack of Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts. They showed no fear of them whatsoever. Not only were they unafraid, their imposing aura even seemed to surpass that of the over a dozen Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts opposite them.
"Junior Martial Sister! Why have you come back! Hurry and leave! Don't worry about me!"
Inside the formation, the woman also cried out in concern upon seeing the Purple-Green Immortal in the grand carriage.
"Senior Martial Sister, I... I..." The severely weakened Purple-Green Immortal no longer had the strength to say more.
"Don't worry, lass. Your Junior Martial Sister is fine for now. As for you, come over here first."
Gu Qingfeng crooked a finger, gesturing for the woman inside the formation to come over.
Come over?
The woman inside the formation wondered if she had misheard.
Not only she doubted, but the Purple-Green Immortal did too. Even Horse King, who knew Gu Qingfeng was mysterious, bizarre, and unfathomably deep, also had his doubts.
After all, right beside that woman gathered over a dozen Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts. For now, she was temporarily safe under the formation's protection. But once she stepped out, she would undoubtedly be torn to shreds in an instant by this pack of Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts, leaving not even a trace behind.
In Horse King's mind, although the Great Lord was indeed unfathomably deep and possessed bizarre, extreme power—having once at the Tower of Stolen Gold paralyzed thousands of Immortals with a single shout, among them many Five-Luminances Unity Great Nature Golden Immortals—the problem was these over a dozen Bloodthirsty Black-Scale Demonic Beasts were far more terrifying than Five-Luminances Unity Great Nature Golden Immortals.
Otherwise, a Seven-Yao Great Sun Golden Immortal like the Purple-Green Immortal wouldn't have depleted her Immortal Spirit and suffered severe injuries, and her Senior Martial Sister wouldn't be hiding inside a formation, barely holding on.
Now, the Great Lord was telling the woman inside the formation to come out.
Did she dare?
The answer was definitely no.
Not only she, but even if it were Horse King himself barely holding on inside that formation right now, despite having witnessed Gu Qingfeng's mysterious and bizarre methods, he wouldn't have the courage to step out either.