Chapter 142: Frozen Domain

Two figures flashed rapidly through the dense forest. A foraging fierce beast seemed to sense something and raised its head. In the next instant, that raised expression became eternal.

"What a pity, yet another fierce beast without a beast-soul core."

The figure on the left glanced back at the beast's corpse and smiled faintly.

"No matter. What I obtained is far more precious than a beast-soul core." The figure on the right panted slightly, as maintaining a high speed through the forest for a prolonged period was also a burden for him.

These two figures were naturally Feng Chuxun and Shen Qingyun, having just concluded their comprehension.

"You still shouldn't push yourself. Those things will be enough for you to absorb for a long time." Shen Qingyun said.

"Mmm." Feng Chuxun nodded lightly. The insights into the Dao of the Sword from two peak emperors were enough to benefit him for a lifetime. At least, below the Emperor realm, very few things could aid him in the Dao of the Sword anymore.

Right now, they were on their way to find a Beast King. In such a vast forest, if there were only fierce beasts at the Spirit Phase realm, it would be impossible for it to be this peaceful. Battles would occur every day until a powerful ruler's strength was decided.

A regional Beast King governed the area of all fierce beasts within a dynasty, enabling them to contend with the human dynastic rulers. Beneath the Beast King were Beast Chieftains, with ranks as clearly defined as those in human society.

Shen Qingyun had bet on this very point; if they could find a beast-soul core of the Beast King level, this boring trial could finally come to an end.

"Chuxun, do you feel like the surrounding temperature has dropped a lot?"

Shen Qingyun gently breathed out a puff of air, watched the white vapor rise, and could not help asking.

"Yes." Feng Chuxun had sensed it long ago, but thinking it was just his imagination, he hadn't mentioned it.

"Let's catch a fierce beast later and ask. I won't show myself, just handle it as you see fit." Shen Qingyun said.

Feng Chuxun nodded.

Before long, they encountered a fierce beast. It was a large, pitch-black wolf with dark mane, looking rather roguish and entirely devoid of any serious demeanor. However, there seemed to be something glittering on its mane under the illumination of the light.

Shen Qingyun cast his gaze toward Feng Chuxun. Exchanging a glance with him, Shen Qingyun sought out an ancient tree, concealed himself among the branches and leaves, and restrained his aura until he looked as though he had truly vanished.

Feng Chuxun looked down at the large black wolf from the tree. This time was different from the past; he had to control his strength.

"Let's try intimidation," Feng Chuxun said in his heart. A surging sword intent poured forth, descending toward the large black wolf.

All of this happened in complete silence. The large black wolf remained completely oblivious to the fact that it was being targeted; it was currently lifting its right hind leg high, relieving itself beneath an ancient tree.

Having finished, the large black wolf felt immensely refreshed all over, when a sudden surge of vigilance arose in its heart, and its diamond-shaped pupils slightly contracted.

Before a howl could even escape its throat, vast sword intent poured down from above, thoroughly immobilizing the large black wolf. Shock and incomprehension surfaced within its gloomy green wolf pupils. Instinctively, the large black wolf sensed danger; the force binding it gave it a sensation as sharp as a sword, warning it that the slightest movement would instantly claim its life.

Feng Chuxun's figure drifted down from the tree like falling leaves, feeling a deep sense of wonder in his heart. He never imagined that sword intent, sharp enough to inflict harm, could be used in this manner. Had it not been for the Sword God Manual, he might never have known.

The large black wolf stared at the figure descending slowly, its gaze somewhat vacant. A human?

"I only want to ask you a few questions. Answer honestly, and I will spare your life." Feng Chuxun said.

The large black wolf: "..."

Knowing this, Feng Chuxun continued, "Don't think about playing tricks; you won't escape my grasp." With that, Feng Chuxun lifted the restriction.

Feeling that it could move freely once more, the large black wolf's gloomy green eyes rolled incessantly.

Seeing the large black wolf behave obediently, Feng Chuxun relaxed his vigilance a fraction. "What place is this?"

"This place is..." The large black wolf stared at Feng Chuxun, then suddenly spun around and bolted with all four legs flying.

"You've come all the way here and still ask what place this is? This lord won't accompany you. You think you can kill this lord? Go fool a newly born wolf cub with that! Stupid human, this lord isn't staying, goodbye!" Hearing the wind howling by its ears, the large black wolf ran with absolute glee.

As if anticipating such an outcome, Feng Chuxun unleashed his sword intent once more. The running large black wolf was bound in place yet again.

"Again?"

Having already discerned Feng Chuxun's cultivation realm—early Spirit Phase—the large black wolf felt greatly reassured. Its mid-Spirit Phase aura erupted fiercely, shattering the restraint.

"Huh?" Feng Chuxun found it rather incredible. No one had ever been able to break free when Shen Qingyun used intimidation, so how had a mere wolf broken free from his?

"Don't just stand there. My intimidation is enough to cause even a Saint to feel a trace of palpitations; it's completely normal for ordinary people not to be able to break free." Shen Qingyun's breezy voice drifted into Feng Chuxun's ears.

Feng Chuxun was instantly enlightened. Emperors, naturally, could not be compared.

Treading upon the wind, Feng Chuxun nimbly shuttled through the forest, continuously employing intimidation to bind the large black wolf along the way, thereby closing the distance between them.

"Is this ever going to end?"

Breaking free from the restraint once more, the large black wolf roared inwardly. In the next instant, Feng Chuxun's figure descended from the sky, appearing directly in front of the large black wolf.

Startled, the large black wolf hurriedly slammed on the brakes.

With both the Spirit Phase aura and sword intent manifesting simultaneously, Feng Chuxun wielded the Crimson Snow sword, its tip pointing far ahead at the large black wolf. "Still running?"

The large black wolf froze. Its front legs buckled and hit the ground, and it wailed aloud, "Big Brother, why are you chasing me relentlessly? This lord... oh no, I have an eighty-year-old wolf mother below, and a litter of milk-hungry wolf pups below that! Big Brother, you are so heroic and mighty, who else could you pick on?"

"To the west, there's an old wild boar! He's lived fifty years longer than me, late Spirit Phase. That's the kind of beast that suits your appetite!"

"Shut up!"

Feng Chuxun snapped. This black wolf talked way too much.

"Pfft."

Up in the tree, Shen Qingyun failed to hold back and chuckled. This wolf was somewhat interesting.

"I'll only ask you a few questions. Answer them and I'll let you go." Feng Chuxun said with a dark expression, terrified that if he stayed any longer, this wolf would utter something even more earth-shattering.

"Alright, alright, alright! Big Brother, go ahead and ask. I will definitely know everything and say nothing—bah... say everything without reservation!"

Suppressing the urge to give this wolf a severe beating, Feng Chuxun asked in a deep voice, "What place is this?"

"This is the Myriad Beast Spirit Valley," the large black wolf replied. "Though I've lived here for so many years, I've never even seen a thousand fierce beasts."

Feng Chuxun's face darkened. "Who asked you about that? I asked what place this is, and why the temperature is so low."

"Ah, Big Brother, you mean that." The large black wolf realized. "This is the territory of the Ice-Soaring Serpent King; it's completely normal for the temperature to be low. Look at my fur, there are even ice crystals on it."

"Ice-Soaring Serpent King? Who is that?"

"One of the two Beast Kings ruling the Myriad Beast Spirit Valley," the large black wolf answered honestly. "The Myriad Beast Spirit Valley is split right down the middle. To the south—which is where we're standing right now—is the territory of the Ice-Soaring Serpent King. To the north is a giant black bear, who is the confidant of His Majesty the Beast King."

"What realm is the Ice-Soaring Serpent King's cultivation at?" Feng Chuxun asked again.

The large black wolf replied, "The King-Marquis realm, though I don't know the specific level."

Without waiting for Feng Chuxun to continue questioning, the large black wolf proactively added, "The Ice-Soaring Serpent King is straight ahead, located inside a valley. We all call it the Frozen Domain; no fierce beast can normally survive inside there."

Feng Chuxun nodded. "Alright, you can leave now."

The large black wolf was stunned, asking in disbelief, "I can really leave?"

"What, you don't want to leave?" Feng Chuxun glanced at it sideways.

"No, no, no! I want to leave, I want to leave." The large black wolf picked itself up from the ground, kowtowed three times to Feng Chuxun, and then scurried off in a different direction.

"Hold on."

A calm voice rang out, causing the large black wolf to freeze for a moment. Ignoring it, the wolf continued on its way.

"I'm talking to you. I didn't give you permission to leave yet."

Clang!

A flash of sword light pierced the air, and a longsword suddenly materialized right in front of the large black wolf, stabbing straight into the ground and burying itself three inches deep. The blade flickered with a chilling light. Not daring to move an inch, the large black wolf stared fixedly at the sword, its four legs trembling uncontrollably.

"Almost, just a hair's breadth. Scared the life out of this wolf, almost pissed myself..." the large black wolf thought to itself with lingering fear.

Glaring angrily in the direction from which the voice came, the wolf watched as a figure slowly emerged. Upon recognizing the face, the wolf's pupils abruptly constricted. "It's you!"

Shen Qingyun smiled faintly. "It seems you recognize me as well."

The large black wolf nodded, then shook its head. "No, I don't know you. The Beast King gave an order that any fierce beast that sees you must immediately report back to it."

"So now you're going to report to the Beast King that you've found me, is that it?" Shen Qingyun's eyes narrowed, a captivating, chilling light flashing and vanishing instantly.

The large black wolf realized that Feng Chuxun had somehow arrived in front of it, pulling the longsword out of the ground.

The large black wolf understood immediately—they were in cahoots! They were definitely in cahoots! If it dared to nod and admit it, this sword would undoubtedly land on its body the very next second.

"No way, this lord is so handsome and hasn't even found a she-wolf yet, I can't die like this!"

Lowering its head, the large black wolf replaced it with a fawning smile the moment it looked back up. "How could that be? The Beast King's orders are just to be heard and forgotten. Whether the others report it or not, I certainly won't! I swear on my wolf's honor!"

"If the Beast King were to hear those words of yours, what do you suppose your fate would be?" Shen Qingyun's smile-yet-no-smile expression sent chills down the large black wolf's spine. In fact, the wolf could already vividly imagine the furious countenance of the Ice-Soaring Serpent King.

At that moment, Shen Qingyun continued with a smile, "How about I give you an idea instead? Come with us."

"Come with you?" The large black wolf wore a look of utter disdain. "Neither of you is stronger than me in cultivation, and you want me to tag along? My head isn't cracked open."

Unfazed, Shen Qingyun shrugged and said, "Is that so? What a pity then. Chuxun!"

Hearing this, Feng Chuxun raised the Crimson Snow sword.

Startled, the large black wolf quickly changed its tune. "Don't, don't, don't! I'll come with you, I'll come with you!"

Shen Qingyun smiled amicably. "Is that your honest thought? I'm not forcing you, you know."

The large black wolf nodded frantically. "My honest thought, entirely voluntary, nobody is forcing me." In its heart, the large black wolf was weeping tears of blood. What kind of people were these?

"Good." Shen Qingyun nodded, his hands beginning to form seals. A complex grey rune slowly materialized. "Do not resist, or you will die a very miserable death."

The grey rune descended upon the large black wolf's forehead and instantly sank into it. The large black wolf blinked its eyes; absolutely nothing had happened.

Filled with doubt, Feng Chuxun asked, "Boss, what was that?"

Shen Qingyun replied, "A Beast-Taming Seal. It can control fierce beasts, and I can pry into the thoughts of the controlled beast." As he spoke, Shen Qingyun's gaze intentionally or unintentionally glanced toward the large black wolf. This fellow...

Feng Chuxun was displeased. This wolf talked way too much nonsense; just tolerating it and refraining from killing it had already been immensely difficult, and now they were taking it along with them? Was this meant to drive him insane?

As if reading Feng Chuxun's mind, Shen Qingyun merely smiled and said to the large black wolf, "Follow me from now on, and I'll make you a regional Beast King."

The large black wolf's eyes lit up, a gloomy light flashing within them. "Really? Boss, you're my boss from now on! I will surely serve you through fire and water; if you tell me to go east, I'll never go west, and I'll do whatever you tell me to do!"

Feng Chuxun let out a deep sigh, casting a helpless look toward Shen Qingyun as if saying, *See?*

Acting as though he hadn't noticed, Shen Qingyun smiled and said, "Proving your loyalty with actions will suffice. However, if you talk this much nonsense again, we'll be having roasted wolf leg for dinner tonight."

The large black wolf immediately clamped its jaws shut. If it wasn't even allowed to speak, how was a wolf supposed to live?

Shen Qingyun looked at Feng Chuxun. *Look, wasn't that solved just like that?*