“The Supreme Primordial True Scripture is a secret art never passed down by the Supreme Sect. How could Mr. Bai possibly know it? Could it be that, just like the Immortal Ancestor, it was forcibly seized? But that’s something only Immortal Ancestor could do after defying the heavens and achieving the Longevity Immortal Heavenly Sovereign realm. Although Mister Bai is strong, he doesn’t seem to have reached the Longevity Immortal realm yet, right?”
A surge of doubt arose in Li Fan’s heart.
Meanwhile, within this brief moment, Xu Ke had already dissipated the energy of his own Beast Control Technique.
“Xiao Hei, look! This is amazing! My cultivation is really still within my dantian!” Xu Ke excitedly shouted toward Li Fan.
Hearing Xu Ke’s words, Li Fan no longer felt the same sense of closeness as before. Instead, a flash of blood-red flickered across his eyes, and a sudden surge of violent intent arose within him. Driven by instinct, he almost tore the noisy little creature before him into pieces.
Fortunately, the one controlling this body now was not the Black Bird itself but Li Fan. So, after just a brief moment, he regained his composure.
Xu Ke remained completely unaware that he had just brushed past death’s door. Instead, he foolishly rushed forward, patting and touching Li Fan in concern. “Xiao Hei, what’s wrong? You looked so scary just now!”
“It’s best if you stay away from me for now. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to hold back next time.” Li Fan cast a sidelong glance at Xu Ke, warning him.
As if to confirm Li Fan’s words, the Beast Control Sect was suddenly filled with the sounds of ferocious beast roars and the anguished screams of cultivators.
The disciples’ desperate screams continued to echo. Xu Ke glanced outside, seemingly catching sight of the bloody scene, and his face turned pale. “This is terrifying! How could the sect leader and the others not have foreseen this?”
Then, as if switching moods in an instant, he put on his usual playful grin and moved closer. “But I’ve always treated you well, Xiao Hei. I should be safe, right?”
Li Fan remained silent as he felt the violent energy within him—though temporarily suppressed, it hadn’t dissipated at all. At any moment, it could erupt again.
It was at this moment that he finally understood why, according to history, Xiao Hei would eventually part ways with Xu Ke.
Just as he had explained earlier, the nature of demonic beasts is inherently savage, making peaceful coexistence with humans difficult. Even if a bond forms through years of companionship, suppressing their killing instincts time and time again, those instincts will continue to accumulate.
One day, when they can no longer be restrained, that so-called bond will prove to be as fragile as paper.
Moreover, the vast power disparity between demonic beasts and the disciples of the Beast Control Sect meant that if such a loss of control occurred, the cultivators would be left with only one fate—death.
“Could this be the root of the Beast Control Sect’s Great Upheaval? Because the Heavenly Fate Black Bird, Xiao Hei, was unable to control his murderous instincts, he ultimately parted ways with his master Xu Ke, never to meet again?”
“If that’s the case, then perhaps this time, there is a way to resolve its obsession.” A thought suddenly surfaced in Li Fan’s mind.
With the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Mantra within him, Li Fan’s self-control far surpassed that of any demonic beast. He was confident that, no matter how violently the murderous intent surged like a raging tide, his willpower would remain an unbreakable dam, keeping it tightly sealed.
As his thoughts shifted, Li Fan chose not to answer Xu Ke’s question directly.
Instead, he sneered. “That Emperor Sanmo claims to be a beast of supreme wisdom. With him around, how could he not have considered this exact outcome?”
“Then still…” Upon hearing this, Xu Ke’s eyes widened in shock.
“The great calamity has just begun, and one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, the Beast Taming Sect, is already preparing to flee. If word of this spreads, what a devastating blow it would be to the cultivators of the world. The other sects among the Ten Great Immortal Sects will most likely not agree to such an act and will surely step forward to obstruct it.”
“Naturally, the cultivation world of the Xuanhuang Realm must be given an explanation. Since the dao technique cannot be cultivated together, disciples have turned against each other, and the sect has suffered heavy losses—what then? After all, the overwhelming stench of blood covering the ground is no illusion.”
“This also serves as a perfect cover for evacuating the small world,” Li Fan stated matter-of-factly.
Xu Ke involuntarily shivered. “My lord, your mind is truly terrifying.”
Then, he stared at Li Fan, his face full of doubt. “But… Xiao Hei, since when did you become so clever? Did you secretly consume some kind of rare heavenly treasure again? That shouldn’t be possible—I’ve been keeping an eye on you the entire time…”
Hearing Xu Ke’s words, a surge of violent killing intent arose within Li Fan. He ruthlessly swiped a claw at him to vent a little of his fury before slowly suppressing it.
The turmoil within the Beast Taming Sect lasted for three to four days.
Although many lower-level disciples were killed or injured, the rampaging spirit beasts were soon recaptured and imprisoned. Meanwhile, the core strength of the sect—including elite disciples and various elders—remained largely unaffected.
The plan to evacuate from the Xuanhuang Realm was proceeding in an orderly manner.
During this process, Li Fan also picked up snippets of conversation among the disciples, which revealed another pressing reason for the Beast Taming Sect’s desperate retreat—to prevent the spirit beasts from seeking vengeance.
If spirit beasts and humans were two distinct races competing for survival resources, then the relationship between the Beast Taming Sect and spirit beasts was one of absolute enmity, an irreconcilable conflict.
Spirit beasts were inherently proud, considering their status to be far above that of mere humans. Yet, the Beast Taming Sect had used despicable means to enslave and subjugate them—a disgraceful humiliation in the eyes of the spirit beasts.
In the past, the Beast Taming Sect was located deep within human territory, and many of the captured and controlled powerful spirit beasts remained within its ranks.
Thus, even if some spirit beasts harbored thoughts of revenge, they were largely powerless to act. On the contrary, they ran the risk of being captured and enslaved themselves.
But the present was no longer the past. With the arrival of the ‘dao cannot be cultivated together’ calamity, word would inevitably reach the spirit beasts before long. Known for their vengeful nature, the spirit beasts would never let such an opportunity slip by. They would undoubtedly come seeking retribution.
Leaving aside whether the Beast Taming Sect could withstand the onslaught of the vengeful spirit beasts—once the battle began in earnest, it was uncertain which side the sect’s own captured spirit beasts would ultimately take.
To prevent such a dreadful scenario from occurring, relocating to a safe haven had become an urgent priority.
“All disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, hear this—only spirit beasts that pass the trial of the [Heart-Linking Ring] shall be permitted to evacuate with us.
“Those who fail…”
“Shall be set free!”
Soon, this announcement spread throughout the entire Beast Taming Sect.
