Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!

Hei's Abyss Sword Tao greatly mitigated the slaughter by the Sacred Soldiers, and the Elder had also blocked their follow-up move...

However, the Sacred Soldiers were still reviving, and it wouldn't be long before they fully recovered.

At this moment, Chen Pingping made a terrifying decision. With a shout, he actually summoned the towering and majestic Sword Mountain.

Good heavens!

Spreading out from here, it stretched for several miles. Although it hadn't fully awakened yet, it was, after all, a powerful Sacred Soldier.

Under Chen Pingping's control, Sword Mountain slashed down.

The members of the Ancient Races were dumbstruck: "????"

Seems familiar!

Darn it... wasn't that Sword Mountain from the Fire Tribe's territory?

The Human Clan cultivator before them had actually brought out Sword Mountain.

AHHH!

Several powerful beings collapsed on the spot.

After Sword Mountain's emergence, it suppressed the resurgence of the Sacred Soldiers. The Elder rushed skyward, his mighty fist intent bursting forth densely. Before they could recover from their shock, he heavily injured them one by one.

"Damn it! How could this happen?"

"The revival of the Sacred Soldiers has been terminated."

"Who the hell is he?"

"Damn it! I will not accept this..."

The interruption of the revival process was fatal. Their earlier efforts came to naught. Not only that, but they also suffered a terrible backlash. Their insides churned chaotically, and their Divine Souls spasmed, leaving them with no strength left for battle.

The leading man in white, gritting his teeth, said, "Retreat."

WHOOSH WHOOSH!

Chen Pingping heaved a sigh of relief, returning Sword Mountain to his Divine Sense. His face suddenly paled, and he gasped for breath.

The consumption was immense.

Even though the sea of his Divine Sense was vast and boundless, it couldn't withstand such consumption.

Peace was restored within the Boundary Monument area.

The Elder walked over in a few steps and, without any wasted words, waved his hand. A ray of light shot straight into the Heaven Domain.

Immediately after, the sky-obscuring Devouring Sky Beast rushed over from afar.

Chen Pingping: "????"

So huge!

The Elder spoke, "Since you have pulled out the sword from my body, I should honor my promise. From this day forth, this Devouring Sky Beast is yours."

COUGH COUGH!

Chen Pingping's eyes darted around. "Elder, can it become smaller?"

"Yes!" the Elder nodded.

No sooner had his words fallen than the sky-obscuring Devouring Sky Beast immediately shrank, transforming into a Spiritual Beast the size of a head, fluffy, like a ball.

Very cute.

But Chen Pingping had seen its true form and didn't find it cute at all; rather, he feared it would suddenly reveal its true body and scare the cultivators of the Heaven Martial Continent.

"From today forward, you follow him," the Elder said.

SQUEAK?

The Devouring Sky Beast showed its dissatisfaction, looking at Chen Pingping with its soybean-sized eyes, an apparently disdainful expression on its face.

The Elder continued, "I have fallen and will not live much longer. There's no need for you to stand guard here. Follow him and leave the Wasteland to start a new life."

The Devouring Sky Beast immediately became sorrowful.

"Don't be sad," the Elder said, looking at it. "You survived that era and experienced life and death. You, more than anyone, should understand the meaning of parting. I may have already died, but I... might still come out alive from that world. Do you understand?"

That world!

This phrase caught Chen Pingping's attention.

The Devouring Sky Beast seemed to understand something. It spoke no more, only gazing at the Elder's figure with reluctance. Finally... it approached Chen Pingping.

SQUEAK!

Its tiny head nuzzled against Chen Pingping's body, incredibly adorable, as if telling the Elder, Don't worry, I will follow him.

The Elder seemed relieved. He let out a sigh, nodded, and said, "Live well. In the days without me, you are not allowed to cause trouble. You must be good; you must be obedient..."

SQUEAK! SQUEAK!

The Devouring Sky Beast nodded.

"So..." He looked towards Chen Pingping. "The seal in the Boundary Monument region isn't one that can be broken merely by wishing it. With their current strength, it's impossible, even if they revive the Sacred Soldiers. You can rest assured about that. However, the coffin outside does need to be dealt with, and the flow from the ruptured passage must be stopped."

"Elder, are you going to intervene?" Chen Pingping asked.

"No, it is you who will take action," he said with a grave expression. "What lies hidden in the depths of the Boundary Monument is far more than just that ancient battlefield; this place is of immense significance. If you can take that step, you will learn the truth."

Chen Pingping's face darkened.

Dealing with a coffin wasn't much of an issue.

The problem was, with so many powerful figures from the Wilderness tribe eyeing him covetously, if he wasn't careful and exposed himself, he figured he wouldn't get out of here alive.

Moreover, he wasn't keen on meddling in others' affairs.

System prompt: You have successfully tamed the Devouring Sky Beast. Reward: fifty years of cultivation, ten sixth-grade Spirit Pills, Spiritual Medicine, and raw materials for one King Tao Divine Weapon.

System prompt: Devouring Sky Beast growth +1. Reward: ten years of cultivation, Perfection in the realm of Fist Technique.

Wowzers!

Chen Pingping's eyes lit up.

Over the years, he had received plenty of rewards for life skills and had the foundation for Sword Dao, but this was the first time he'd received Perfection in the realm of Fist Technique.

After receiving the reward, he instantly had an epiphany. His understanding of the Six Tao Reincarnation Fist reached a new level.

But... the growth of the Devouring Sky Beast?

Hadn't this creature lived for many years? Why was there still such a thing as growth?

He couldn't make heads or tails of it, so he asked, "Does the Devouring Sky Beast still need to grow?"

"Of course!" the Elder said. "Its life structure differs from most life forms. It possesses an incredibly long lifespan, but... its growth rate is also very slow."

"How slow?"

"It is said... it was born during the Mythical Era, several million years ago—perhaps even longer. Its greatest advantage is its incredibly protracted longevity. This, however, is also its disadvantage, as it means its growth rate is extremely slow."

Take the Human Clan, for example. An ordinary person's cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death spans about eighty years. Thus, one is considered middle-aged in their thirties and only fully grown in their twenties.

If the Devouring Sky Beast has a lifespan of tens of millions of years, then... a few million years, for it, would still be its infancy.

The Elder said, "When the Devouring Sky Beast slumbers, it experiences no growth. Its life enters a state of stasis. So, you'll just have to raise it slowly! By the time you die of old age, it will still be around to give you a send-off."

Slumber meant its lifespan was frozen.

The only way for it to grow was through massive consumption.

Chen Pingping: "..."

So, the Devouring Sky Beast's role is healing, right?

SIGH. Chen Pingping said, "I understand, Elder."

"You are not like ordinary cultivators. Perhaps one day, we will meet again," he said.

"Where?"

"In a place beyond your imagination."

"Elder? What is your name?" Chen Pingping asked.

"Dugu."

Those were his last two words.

If Guang Xiaoyu were here and heard these two words, she would have been shocked.

High above the Nine Heavens, there exists a formidable family. Although this family has never produced an Emperor Realm powerhouse, it is feared by all Great Emperors.

Dugu, the Great Iron Sword.