Chapter Seventy-One: Entering the Beast Domain Once More

Ye Zihan glanced down at the tiny Mo You nestled in his arms, smiled, and said, “We're not heading to an ordinary place this time. Of course, we’ll go to the Abyssal Prison eventually, but since Yan Chen has brought it up, I'll heed my brother’s advice for now. Let’s go to the Beast Domain first.” Ye Zihan was always one to plan ahead. Their journey to the Abyssal Prison had a singular purpose: the resurrection of their two mentors. But before that could happen, they needed to make thorough preparations.

Mo You nodded her delicate dragon head and replied, “It’s up to you all. No matter what, those creatures in the Beast Domain will prostrate themselves before me, so I can guarantee your safety there.” As one of the three great demon clans, the Thousand Shadows Blood Phantom Dragon’s reputation was well-founded; Mo You’s words were not mere boast.

The Beast Domain was a realm ruled by monsters—werewolf tribes, countless other races, even some of the smallest animals had carved out their own territories. It was a place where the strong reigned supreme, and so, battles were a frequent occurrence.

Now, Ye Zihan and Yan Chen were making their way toward the heart of the Beast Domain. For them, entering the Beast Domain was a trivial matter, but the Abyssal Prison posed greater challenges. The human world and the Beast Domain lay on the same continent, while the Abyssal Prison was separated by the Demon Sea—a journey fraught with peril.

“For now, let’s visit Xuanwu Marsh. It’s close by, and not far from the human world either. We have nothing to worry about now—as long as we don’t encounter any supreme experts, there’s no need to be overly cautious,” Yan Chen suggested, pointing out a route for Ye Zihan. He had heard favorable things about Xuanwu Marsh; at the very least, it was one of the safer areas within the Beast Domain, which justified his choice.

Ye Zihan chuckled, clapping Yan Chen on the shoulder. “Wherever you wish to go, Yan Chen, we’ll go. We’re not in a rush. But we must set foot in the Abyssal Prison, for there may lie the forbidden arts I seek. I’m not counting on it, but even if we return in disappointment, I’ll have no regrets.” He spoke the truth—he faced all things with equanimity now.

With a clear goal, Ye Zihan’s passion was reignited. His current aim was to establish the Heaven-Defying Pavilion, to stand against the existence of the Hall of Illusions. His reason for venturing to the Abyssal Prison was simple: to seek the art of resurrection. That alone was enough to draw him into peril.

Were it not for such a weighty matter, Ye Zihan would not trouble himself with a trip to the Abyssal Prison; unless absolutely necessary, he considered it not worth the effort.

“Very well, then let’s see what the Beast Domain has to offer. I, Mo You, am curious to see if any powerful figures there are worthy of a match with me.” Mo You’s demeanor was that of a child, seeking amusement rather than anything profound.

Ye Zihan stroked the little dragon in his arms, then smiled and said, “Mo You, don’t go looking for trouble. In the Beast Domain, you must follow our lead—this is not a place where we can act recklessly.” He was keenly aware of the situation; he absolutely could not let Mo You cause chaos in the Beast Domain, lest they invite disaster.

The Beast Domain was not the human world—it was just as much a place where the weak were prey to the strong. For an audacious little dragon like Mo You, it was a dangerous place indeed, for who could tell when he might stir up trouble?

“Whoosh!”

Ye Zihan and Yan Chen departed the Great Ten-Thousand Mountains with all speed, heading straight for Xuanwu Marsh. This place marked the border between the Beast Domain and the human world—a relatively peaceful area, free from the constant strife found deeper within the Beast Domain. That was why Yan Chen had chosen Xuanwu Marsh.

On the way, Mo You burrowed into Ye Zihan’s arms and promptly fell asleep, forcing Ye Zihan and Yan Chen to continue their journey by flight. Even so, Mo You complained about the lengthy trek, only to settle for napping to pass the time.

Countless mountains flowed by beneath them as they flew. Their immediate goal was to explore the Beast Domain before considering a journey to the Abyssal Prison. Ye Zihan already possessed a map of the Abyssal Prison—though incomplete, it was already a significant asset for two outsiders like themselves.

Their trip to Qingshui Mountain and its outlying range had not been in vain. Although they had been sent there by the Task Guild, they no longer cared about the Guild’s business—the client had tried to deceive them and was now gone, so there was no need to file a report. The Task Guild would not trouble them further.

Soon, an enormous city came into view, surpassing even Ye Zihan’s expectations. Xuanwu City was even grander than any city in the human world. Even Yan Chen, who had visited before, was once again awed by its majestic scale.

The outer perimeter of Xuanwu City stretched for at least a hundred miles, and countless villages and towns dotted its surroundings. Compared to the city, however, these settlements seemed insignificant.

The prosperity of the Beast Domain took Ye Zihan by surprise, proving that the books he had read were not entirely accurate. Thanks to the rise of the beast clans, the Beast Domain was now nearly indistinguishable from the human world. This explained the frequent presence of human experts here, though there was no conflict between them and the beastfolk—harmony prevailed.

Yan Chen pointed toward Xuanwu City and said, “This is the closest point between the Beast Domain and the human world, and thus the most prosperous city here. But there are many experts about, so we must keep a low profile. Offending anyone here would bring trouble we couldn’t bear.” His caution was well-founded; the Beast Domain owed its name to its dominant beastfolk population.

Led by Yan Chen, Ye Zihan entered Xuanwu City. There were no guards at the gates, yet all merchants and cultivators abided by the city’s rules; anyone who broke them would be swiftly dealt with.

“Big Brother Ye Zihan, I never imagined Xuanwu City would be bigger than anywhere I’ve been before. I wonder if there’s any good food here?” Mo You, the glutton, perked up at the sight of the bustling city. To him, following Ye Zihan was all about seeking rare delicacies, especially those thousand-year-old treasures of heaven and earth.

Though Mo You had already reached the Four Symbols Realm, eating rare treasures would only make him stronger. His power was a result of his voracious appetite—he had pilfered from countless apothecaries in the human world, always leaving nothing behind, sometimes even bankrupting entire shops.

Ye Zihan knew Mo You’s habits well. He nodded, “A city this large is sure to have something for everyone. Let’s first find a place to stay and gather information about the Beast Domain.” He knew inns and brothels were the best places to hear news—wherever people came and went, especially experts, lodging was essential.

Yan Chen nodded. “Agreed. Follow me. We should settle in first, then search for those forbidden arts. But there really aren’t any such arts in the Beast Domain—we’ll have to check the Abyssal Prison eventually.” With that, Yan Chen led them away from the city gates. Though some people had the power of flight, even they chose to walk here.

Ye Zihan nodded and followed with Mo You in tow. Rest came first; only then could they seek the things they desired. Talent was what Ye Zihan needed most now. As for forbidden arts, those would have to be found in the Abyssal Prison, though he held little hope—it was not something one often encountered.

They saw many people with human bodies and beast heads—mostly half-beasts, including werewolves and tigerfolk, creatures with wolf or tiger heads and human torsos. But they also encountered half-beasts with human heads and beast bodies, which startled Ye Zihan despite his mental preparation. This was, after all, his first time seeing such beings in person.

Mo You, however, was quite taken with these half-beasts and even wanted to teach them a lesson. If Ye Zihan hadn’t stopped him, who knew what crazy antics Mo You might have attempted.

Soon, Yan Chen brought them to an inn bustling with patrons, built from ancient wood. Though not large or as grand as some others nearby, it exuded dignified charm—Ye Zihan found it quite to his liking.

“This will be our lodging for tonight. Let’s make do,” Yan Chen said, shooting a look at Mo You, who seemed less than satisfied with the inn.

“Why not go to one of those more luxurious places? Honestly, don’t you have any sincerity? How stingy,” Mo You muttered from Ye Zihan’s arms. Still, he dared not protest too much, for Yan Chen was Ye Zihan’s sworn brother, and Mo You was but his summoned beast—he had to mind his place.

The Thousand Shadows Blood Phantom Dragon was one of the three ancient demon beasts, and they were a proud race. Mo You was no exception—his arrogance was well deserved.

Yan Chen glanced at Mo You and smiled. “The grander inns are more like brothels. This one is quieter, so we’ll stay here.” He had to clarify, for Mo You’s idea of an inn was quite different from the reality—those places were little more than pleasure houses.

“I see. It seems I misjudged you. My apologies,” Mo You replied, bowing his little dragon head in apology—a gesture that, for him, sufficed.