Chapter 394: Up Four Down Eight Northern Ground Demon Clan, First Arrival at Ancient Beast Ancestral God Mountain

This mountain was so tall its peak was hidden, rising immeasurably deep into the clouds. It stood unyielding, like a pillar supporting the heavens!

All four sides of the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain were like they had been carved by knives and chisels, presenting perfectly vertical faces. Though called a mountain, it was actually a square stone pillar.

Stone steps wound their way up the mountain, and at regular intervals, there were black stone platforms, shrouded in mist and light, appearing hazy and mysterious.

Giant beast heads were carved into all four vertical cliff faces—specifically, six-horned dragon heads!

Meeting the gaze of these stone carvings, one could even sense a hint of the ancient beast god's past divine power, causing hairs to stand on end and making it impossible to meet their gaze.

At the foot of the mountain stood an eighteen-story pagoda.

Lei Yao pointed to the pagoda and said, "That's the Heart Beast Pagoda, which manages all matters concerning the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain. It's run by highly respected elders of the Northern Demon Race.

"The Demon King banquet will be held on the Roc Clan's aerial platform. We'll follow Senior Hei and the others to get our bearings first, then bring you, Fellow Daoist, later."

Wang Yu nodded and replied, "That makes sense."

The demon race in the Northern Broken Boundary Mountain Range is known as the "Northern Demon Race," and those in the Southern Broken Boundary Mountain Range are the "Southern Demon Race." The two sides actually have no mutual contact.

They even harbor mutual animosity, stemming from a long-standing feud that could accurately be described as generations of enmity.

Therefore, when the Northern Demon Race elects its Holy Master and Nine Great Demon Kings, they actually have no authority over the Southern Demon Race. Once news of this Demon King banquet spreads, the South will surely follow suit.

In the conflict between Taihu and Scarlet Kite, crossing the Northern and Southern Broken Boundary Mountain Ranges is essential, making relations with the indigenous demon races quite important.

Offending them rashly could lead to unexpected and severe repercussions, resulting in significant losses.

Even just leaking intelligence or locations could cause immense trouble. Thus, both Taihu and Scarlet Kite are actively trying to win over the Northern and Southern Demon Races.

Otherwise, the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect would not tacitly allow its guardian flood dragon to do business with these "poor relatives," and would certainly not specifically instruct its fourth-tier alchemists to prioritize supplying spiritual elixirs for demons, no matter how busy they were.

As the saying goes, "He who takes gifts is beholden." This is how alliances are forged.

After the cat-themed flying carriage passed the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain, it flew northwest. Along the way, Wang Yu saw many other demon races, and Lei Yao helped introduce them to him.

"In the Northern Broken Boundary Mountain Range, there are mainly four demon races with stable Earth-grade bloodlines, each having more than ten transformation-stage Demon Kings.

"These are the Roc Clan, Thunder-scale Clan, Fire Crow Clan, and Medicinal-horn Deer Clan. They are widely recognized as the four clans most likely to contend for the position of Holy Master.

"Below these four clans are eight races where only those with exceptional bloodlines can achieve Earth-grade bloodlines: the Dragon Pythons, Flame Lions, Gigant Strength Ants, Demonic Trees, Vajra Apes, Shadow Mastiffs, Evil Dragon Spiders, and Mountain-Cleaving Beasts."

Among the names of the top four clans, only the Roc Clan sounded somewhat formidable; the others seemed rather weak. In contrast, the eight lower clans each sounded more impressive than the last.

There are ten positions in total for the Northern Holy Master and the Nine Demon Kings. Ninety-nine percent of these positions will come from these clans. Races like the Demon Cat Clan would rank even lower.

The Two-tailed Shadow Cat, a mid-fourth-tier being whom Wang Yu referred to as "Brother Hei," was the strongest expert of the Demon Cat Clan, roughly equivalent to a Nascent Soul Fourth Layer cultivator.

It barely stood on the fringes of the first-tier.

This Demon King banquet was hosted by the Roc Clan, who also had the strongest claim to the Northern Holy Master position. Wang Yu was puzzled that he hadn't heard of any God Transformation Demon Venerables in the North. Theoretically, they should exist, but they must be very well hidden.

With virtually no information on this matter, Wang Yu feigned ignorance and, uncharacteristically compliant, followed the group into the cloud passage.

Soon after.

A colossal structure, floating amidst a sea of clouds, appeared at the edge of their vision. It was ancient and elegant, resembling an amphitheater with its circular layout and gradually rising, outward-expanding tiered seating.

The central arena was now dotted with low tables, and everything was lavishly decorated, transforming a former battleground into a temporary open-air banquet hall.

The lowest-ranked spectators were third-tier demon beasts, capable of freely controlling their body size, making the scene resemble a zoo. There were also a considerable number of transformation-stage grand demons. A rough estimate put their number at no less than a hundred.

These were hundreds of Nascent Soul experts, far exceeding the number of Nascent Soul cultivators in the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect. Most were in the early stage and hailed from various races.

It was simply impossible for them to be completely united and work towards a common goal. Certain natural predator-prey relationships inherently prevented their unity.

Just as humans have regional and racial distinctions.

Internal strife is a classic, enduring element among various races.

Besides this, Wang Yu also saw many human Nascent Soul cultivators like himself, including people from Taihu and Scarlet Kite. He even detected an extremely familiar aura of the Yellow Springs—a late-stage Nascent Soul grand cultivator from the Yellow Springs Temple!

Most likely, this person was here to support the competition for the Nine Kings. Wang Yu didn't recognize them, but they were chatting with a transformation-stage grand demon from the Evil Dragon Spider Clan. Noticing Wang Yu's prolonged gaze, the person turned and nodded to him as a greeting.

Wang Yu felt a bit awkward. He quickly averted his gaze, surprised by the grand cultivator's sharp perception. The person's demeanor was somewhat strange, and their presence at the Northern Demon Race's Demon King banquet was also quite unusual.

Half of the chaos in Fengzhou was caused by the Yellow Springs Temple.

He couldn't help but recall his previous conjectures about the Yellow Springs Temple. If the Ice Prison Realm was considered a prison, then releasing ancient demons would be akin to instigating prisoners to revolt, which would likely lead to them being suppressed by the wardens. This path had repeatedly proven ineffective. Currently, only the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect was still attempting it.

Wang Yu speculated that the Yellow Springs Temple's method was to destroy the entire Ice Prison Realm. They had previously interfered with spiritual energy, with the Dead Silence Desert being ironclad proof. There were still no signs of them stopping, and it was unclear what new methods they had found, but they were pursuing two parallel approaches, with the lineage of Elder Kṣitigarbha being primarily responsible.

Traces of the Yellow Springs Temple could be found active throughout this realm, as if searching for something. They had also assisted the Joyful Harmony Demonic Sect in releasing their Lust Demon Ancestor.

The Inverse Spirit Blood Sect's solution was even stranger. Based on intelligence and ancient historical secrets recorded on black steles, Wang Yu felt they aimed to steal the power of the "prisoners," or perhaps to kill the "wardens," or even to become the "wardens" themselves!

Among the Five Demonic Sects, he had minimal contact with the Nether Mountain Sect, and its objectives remained unclear. However, the ultimate goals and plans of the other four sects were all aimed at breaking free from their cages!

On this point, everyone's goal was consistent, and God Transformation Venerables were the most dedicated to it.

The presence of the Yellow Springs grand cultivator here indeed made Wang Yu ponder. After a moment's consideration, he decided not to engage, letting the matter drop.

Once the cat-themed flying carriage came to a stop, Wang Yu followed the black-and-white couple to the Roc Clan's functional institution. There, he received a guest version of a temporary pass, allowing him free movement within the area.

This ensured he wouldn't encounter any unnecessary trouble.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, the banquet phase of the Demon King feast alone will last at least two months. There will also be duels among these hundred-plus transformation-stage grand demons. I will notify you when the treasure exchange session begins."

"Alright," Wang Yu replied. He had no objection, as this had been agreed upon long ago.

"Oh, and please inform me in advance before the battle for the Holy Master begins."

"No problem."

Having concluded his talk with Brother Hei, Wang Yu looked at Lei Yao, who was staring blankly at the venue. He cleared his throat to get her attention, then spoke, "Miss Lei, your help on this trip has been invaluable. Shall we go to the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain now?"

"—Yes!"

After helping Wang Yu establish connections and secure his climbing qualifications, she would leave alone to continue pursuing her long-held ambitions in the Fengzhou territory.

Upon returning near the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain, Lei Yao suddenly spoke.

"Fellow Daoist, does your promise to help me still stand?"

"Of course," Wang Yu replied. Although he had some doubts, he said nothing more and readily agreed. This attitude was the source of his reputation as "Young Master of Honesty and Integrity"! Lei Yao had been nothing but helpful to him during this time.

He would help where he could. A small return favor was nothing to mention.

"After the Demon King banquet concludes and you achieve success in climbing the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain, could you come find me here?" She handed him a sachet containing a fragrant spiritual jade, with the location recorded on it.

This request was rather peculiar. While Wang Yu nodded in agreement, he still offered a pre-emptive caution: "Miss Lei, while this matter may not be difficult to accomplish, I will not attempt anything futile or reckless."

"I know. You will understand how to help when the time comes."

"Alright!" With that, both landed in unison before the open gates of the Heart Beast Pagoda, just outside the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain. Inside, it was quiet.

Lei Yao looked around, then called out loudly into the pagoda, "Junior Lei Yao respectfully requests an audience with Third Master!"

At that moment, a lively quarrel erupted inside the pagoda.

"Lei Yao? A cultivator from Lei Huo Temple?" "She called out to 'Third Master,' who is Third Master?" "I'm the third child in my family, so she must be calling me, right?" "Get out of here, you damn crow! This is my fourth brother's junior!"

After a moment of commotion, a tall, stout old man with a white beard and gray hair emerged from the shadows. He had long limbs, a dark complexion, and a streak of black feathers near his temples by his ears. A black, trident-like pattern marked his brow.

It was immediately clear he was an avian demon. His features didn't reveal much information, and he didn't seem to belong to either the top four or bottom eight clans. He was likely a mutated individual from some lineage.

As Wang Yu observed the elder, the elder was also observing him.

"Little Lei Yao, is this the one you mentioned earlier who wants to challenge the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain?"

"Yes, Third Master. Fourth Master asked me to convey his regards."

The elder waved his hand dismissively. "I know my fourth brother's character; you don't need to speak for him. How is he doing?"

Hearing this, Lei Yao seemed to struggle for words. After a long pause, she finally found the right phrase: "Surrounded by wives and concubines…"

"—Indeed!" Third Master exclaimed, his interest piqued. "Has he sired any offspring?"

"Yes, one of them resembles you greatly, but chose the path of a savage beast. Its size is too immense for me to bring it this time."

"No matter, no matter, as long as he has descendants."

After the pleasantries, Third Master turned to Wang Yu and asked, "Young man, have you learned about the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain?"

"Miss Lei has told me everything I need to know. I understand the basic situation."

"Very well." Without delay, the elder straightforwardly produced a True Spirit contract. It contained terms for sharing inheritances, while all other gains would belong solely to Wang Yu.

On the large contract paper, there were only a few lines of characters.

After confirming there were no issues, Wang Yu signed it and received another token. The elder explained, "This token ensures that when you reach those platforms, you can rest for a period. Even if you leave midway, as long as it's not due to a failed challenge, you can re-enter directly from your last platform and continue climbing."

In other words, the platforms amidst the winding stone steps of the mountain path served as save points, making the situation quite clear.

Even if he climbed halfway and then left to attend the treasure exchange, as long as he departed from a platform, he could resume from that exact point next time.

"Each person has three challenge attempts. Remember, you absolutely cannot leave the mountain path's stone steps, not even by using flight spells to escape the steps' confines." Wang Yu interpreted this to mean he could move up and down, but not sideways. Because the stone steps of the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain were less than a meter wide, they were extremely narrow. If he encountered "enemies" on the path, his combat space would be severely limited, most likely forcing him to endure direct assaults.

The elder gave a couple of brief instructions, then paid no further attention to Wang Yu. Perhaps he didn't hold much hope; over the years, most attainable inheritances had already been claimed. Even a vast ocean of knowledge couldn't withstand the power of time. What remained were the most supreme types, which could only be obtained by reaching the summit. A few more words of advice or a few less would make little difference.

He might as well spend the time chatting more with Lei Yao.

These old figures, at a minimum, were mid-fourth-tier cultivators. They had experienced too much during their long lives, and to have even one or two companions who would stay with them until the very end was already a stroke of luck.

After the initial greetings and inquiries, various strange questions followed, primarily concerning the elder's fourth brother, who apparently served as a guardian spirit beast and gatekeeper at Lei Huo Temple.

Seeing the two engrossed in conversation, Wang Yu walked alone towards the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain. At the entrance stood a red-pillared archway with a blue base and gold embroidered characters, which read: "Stairs of Longevity!" "What arrogance," he muttered to himself.

Wang Yu stepped inside. Although he had mentally prepared himself, the moment his foot touched the first stone step, it felt as if a heavy hammer struck his heart, delivering a soul-shattering blow. It was a remarkably rare spiritual attack. Had it not been for his mastery of the Mind Dao in the Void-Self realm, Wang Yu would have been stunned for a long time before recovering. Now… he simply adjusted his breathing.

He then decisively stepped onto the second stone stair. This time, he felt an immense pressure descend, as if trying to pin him to the ground. This force was similar to gravity, yet subtly different; it affected his entire body, and even his internal organs felt the compression. Despite this, Wang Yu easily withstood it.

As he stepped onto the third stair, his body was suddenly engulfed in flames. The raging fire seemed intent on incinerating his physical form, but its power was slightly insufficient. It could obstruct Core Formation cultivators, but definitely not Nascent Soul cultivators.

The entrance to the Ancient Beast Ancestor God Mountain was on the east side. Ascending this face required one thousand and eighty steps, leading to the first resting platform. Continuing onward, one would then encounter the mountain path on the north side, also with one thousand and eighty steps. The path then turned west, then south, spiraling upwards. Due to the mountain's nearly cubic structure, each turn brought another resting platform.

Wang Yu's remarkably swift ascent immediately drew the attention of the old men within the Heart Beast Pagoda.