Chapter 2007: Lingyun Mountain

Heaven, the temple.

In the dim hall illuminated by firelight, the tall figure appeared again.

"Master!"

The black-robed man knelt on the ground.

"What is it?" The tall figure's face was indistinct, his voice utterly devoid of emotion.

"At the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, Han Jianqiu passed the position of sect master to Zhang Xuan. Should we... continue?" the black-robed man said.

"Passing the position?" The tall figure snorted coldly. "A clever move, thinking this would make us hesitate? Don't bother. As long as he appears, seize him!"

"This..." The black-robed man hesitated. "Moving against a sect master, I fear... it might provoke backlash from everyone..."

Bang!

Before he could finish, the black-robed man was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, his face pale.

"Are you teaching me?" The tall figure narrowed his eyes.

"This subordinate wouldn't dare..." The black-robed man kowtowed repeatedly.

"Good that you wouldn't dare. I want him alive... If anything goes wrong, I'll skin you alive!" The tall figure waved a hand, his form fading again. With a "whoosh," he vanished from the spot.

The black-robed man struggled to his feet, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and hurriedly left the room.

...

In Wuhai City, Zhang Xuan, disguised as another person, strode into a trading company.

After leaving the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, using the flying ability of the Sword Intent, he arrived here in just over ten minutes. Thus, he was unaware of the news that Sect Master Han had made him the sect leader.

"Sir, what do you need?"

The receptionist smiled warmly.

"I'd like to rent a flying sacred beast."

Zhang Xuan glanced over calmly.

His disguised appearance was that of a thirty-something middle-aged man, fair-faced and beardless, with a slender build, exuding an air of indifference.

Although Lingyun Mountain was not too far from here—flying there would take no more than ten minutes—Wuhai City was his first step in evading the temple's surveillance. Flying directly there while carrying Sword Intent would surely attract attention.

Thus, the best approach was to rent a flying sacred beast.

Wuhai City was vast, with countless sacred beasts flying out every day, just like ordinary carriages. Even if they knew he was here, they wouldn't be able to track him!

"This way, please!" The receptionist nodded promptly.

The trading company not only sold various treasures but also offered sacred beast rentals and sales.

Following behind, they soon arrived at the area where flying sacred beasts were kept.

Before entering, he saw a large character: "Beast."

"Sir, where are you headed?" A young attendant came forward.

"Lingyun Mountain," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Ten Divine Coins."

The attendant nodded.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and ten Divine Coins landed in the attendant's palm.

After arriving in Wuhai City, he had quietly exchanged his Sword Pavilion coins.

The attendant's eyes lit up. He walked into the area where the flying sacred beasts were kept and soon led one out.

"Let's go."

Climbing onto the beast's back, he guided it straight toward Lingyun Mountain.

Zhang Xuan looked around and saw that hundreds of sacred beasts flew out of the town each day, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you a disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect?"

Sensing no danger, Zhang Xuan's eyes fell on the attendant again. On the attendant's chest was a badge, the same character "Beast" he had seen earlier.

With such an emblem and the ability to control flying sacred beasts, he was likely a disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.

"Yes, just an ordinary menial disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. I'm older now, with no future in cultivation, so I was sent here to earn some pocket money..." The attendant nodded.

Zhang Xuan continued, "Did you tame this sacred beast yourself?"

Every sect had countless menial disciples. Those who couldn't advance to inner disciples had to find their own way when they got older.

Disciples of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect specialized in taming and controlling beasts. Using that skill to transport cultivators who couldn't fly and earn a living was indeed the best path.

After all, even in business, one might not earn ten Divine Coins in a month.

A single round trip, taking no more than an hour, yielded that amount—quite a high reward.

"Of course not. How could someone of my strength tame such a powerful sacred beast... The Wuhai Trading Company bought it from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. I'm just a driver..." The attendant explained with a wry smile.

Like a bus driver—the vehicle belongs to the company, and he only has the right to drive it.

After a few more questions, he learned that the attendant was just an ordinary menial disciple with little knowledge of beast taming. Being able to control a sacred beast was already considered decent.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan said no more.

Both the Lingyun Sword Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect were behemoth sects, with tens of thousands of inner disciples, let alone menial ones.

Such a person indeed couldn't learn much.

"Sir, there are many fierce beasts on Lingyun Mountain. Where are you going? If it's too deep, I wouldn't dare take you there..."

As they became familiar, the attendant couldn't help saying.

"Are you familiar with Lingyun Mountain?"

Zhang Xuan looked at him curiously.

"I've been there a few times..." The attendant smiled bitterly. "It's a paradise for beasts, with sacred and immortal beasts roaming everywhere. I once went there hoping to tame one, but I nearly died inside. After that, I never went again."

As a driver, he naturally wished to own a sacred beast of his own, just like a driver wanting a car.

Unfortunately, his strength was too weak, and his beast-taming skills were barely learned... Succeeding was far too difficult!

"Since you're familiar, tell me about it. If it's useful, I can help you tame one..."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

"Help tame one?"

The attendant looked at him doubtfully. "Sir, are you... a core disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect?"

"No need to ask who I am..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Since I say so, I won't deceive you."

"Alright..." Seeing his certainty, the attendant paused and said, "Lingyun Mountain is called the Beast Mountain, and no one dares to cause trouble there, mainly because four immortal beasts at the Immortal Lord realm guard it!"

"Four Immortal Lords?"

"These four immortal beasts have all reached the peak of the Immortal Lord realm. The strongest is a flood dragon—a true flood dragon, not one with mere bloodline." The attendant said.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Back on the Master Teacher Continent, the Azure Dragon beasts they tamed had dragon bloodlines but were not true dragons. A flood dragon, though not a true dragon, could barely be considered a member of the dragon clan.

A true flood dragon's combat power would certainly far exceed that of ordinary immortal beasts.

"What about the others?"

"The second strongest is said to be a Nine-Headed Fire Phoenix Beast, with the blood of a fire phoenix! The third and fourth are a Seven-Tailed Saber-Toothed Tiger and a White-Eared Fox..."

The attendant paused and said, "Among these four immortal beasts, although the White-Eared Fox ranks last, even the flood dragon, ranked first, listens to her! The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect has tried several times to tame the flood dragon, but she always thwarted them, and they returned empty-handed!"

"White-Eared Fox?" Zhang Xuan nodded.