Chapter 565

Chapter 565: Primordial Beast

"Younger brother Ye Li is a peerless genius; how could we ever be your match?"

A genius from the dragon clan laughed heartily and said, "Moreover, we entered the Dao Clan’s ancestral land to explore it, not to fight to the death with others."

"Dear friends, you can linger and enjoy yourselves; we’ll take our leave first."

That was a Bi’an, a top-level powerhouse and a peak genius, who upon seeing Ye Li swiftly subdue Yue Xun and Junior Brother Chen, was utterly terrified to the core.

"Ancestor, I’m afraid I won’t be able to fulfill your wish," Bi’an thought to himself.

If he dared to attack Ye Li, it was unclear who would end up teaching whom a lesson.

The crowd departed one after another.

Ye Li’s eyes were full of disappointment.

He hadn’t even had enough enjoyment yet when they all slipped away one by one.

He mobilized his magic power, collected the Dao Sovereign treasures of Yue Xun and Junior Brother Chen into his possession, and said to Li Ruoyu and the other, "Shall we go in and take a look?"

"The Dao Clan’s ancestral land ought to have plenty of valuable things."

Ye Li’s gaze burned intensely.

"Brother Li, are the techniques you cultivate taught personally by the Master?" Li Ruoyu asked.

Ye Li looked at him with a faint, knowing smile.

"I didn’t mean anything else by it."

Li Ruoyu said, "Just now, observing your combat, I saw your power shift capriciously, in a profound and wondrous way; under heaven, only Heaven’s Secret Pavilion could possess such splendid techniques."

"No big deal."

Ye Li said lightly.

The three of them ventured deeper into the ancestral land.

In the surrounding world, mountains hung upside down, rivers wove between mountain ranges, and a thick, rolling mist surged powerfully; within the indistinct haze, an immense suppression force could be sensed.

Roar!

Deep within the ancestral land, beast roars echoed incessantly, one after another.

Before long, Ye Li could no longer see the figures of the others; when he released his Divine Sense, it was compressed into a tiny range, making pathfinding impossible.

"This mist is entirely condensed from Primordial Qi," Dao Sovereign Qingyuan exclaimed in surprise, as she attempted to operate her techniques and absorb it.

"The purity level of Primordial Qi here, compared to the outside world, is likely dozens of times greater."

Hearing this, Li Ruoyu also absorbed Primordial Qi from the ancestral land and began refining it.

A wisp of Primordial Qi, refined into his dantian, instantly replenished his depleted magic power.

"Indeed, it is so," Li Ruoyu expressed in amazement.

Ye Li said, "The Dao Clan’s ancestral land is the origin of Primordial Qi, the source of the world’s Primordial Qi; naturally, the Qi here is far richer."

As he walked, he also absorbed Primordial Qi.

Boom!

Suddenly.

A loud bang came from ahead, accompanied by shouts and beast roars, seeming like someone was fighting; qi rippled up and down in the air like waves.

The three immediately headed toward the sound.

After a moment, they saw Dao Sovereigns from the Immortal Palace of All Laws lineage, in groups of three, besieging a Primordial beast.

That Primordial beast had a shifting form, its body like mist, constantly changing, as if it were made of a mass of qi, but its strength was immense. Even three Five Tribulations Dao Sovereigns couldn’t subdue it quickly.

"Someone is coming."

The three Dao Sovereigns noticed Ye Li and the others arriving and immediately looked over.

"So it’s Senior Brother Ye."

A blue-robed Dao Sovereign clasped his hands and said, "This Primordial beast was found by us by chance, born from the Dao Clan’s ancestral land. We are trying to capture it to uncover its mysteries."

"Daoist friend, don’t worry. I will not fight you for it."

Ye Xu said with a laugh.

The blue-robed Dao Sovereign looked embarrassed.

Indeed, he was afraid Ye Li would intervene to seize it, so he spoke first to assert ownership.

Roar!

The Primordial beast roared, strands of qi dancing like dragons. Alone, it battered the three Five Tribulations Dao Sovereigns back step by step. Its qi seemed endless, and it only fought more fiercely.

"Senior Brother, this monster is so troublesome."

One complained bitterly.

"Daoist friends, if you can’t subdue it, then hand it over to me," Ye Li said.

"It’s just a single Primordial beast; why trouble Senior Brother Ye?"

Clang!

The blue-robed Dao Sovereign pointed two fingers like a sword. A mysterious light rose from his Purple Palace; as he aimed at the Primordial beast with his finger, the mysterious light shot out like awe-inspiring sword light.

Swish!

Where the mysterious light swept past, qi was swallowed. In an instant, it slashed into the Primordial beast’s body like a sword.

Boom!

The power of the swallowing path erupted, nearly sucking the Primordial beast dry.

Ye Li’s gaze moved slightly.

His gaze was sharp as a torch; as the mysterious light struck into the beast’s body, he saw a thumb-sized Primordial Dan. All of the Primordial beast’s power came from that Dan.

Roar!

The Primordial beast roared, the Primordial Dan emitted brilliant divine light. Qi poured in from all directions, and the growing tide of qi engulfed the blue-robed Dao Sovereign, nearly bursting him apart.

"Can’t swallow anymore," the blue-robed Dao Sovereign exclaimed in distress.

His magic power and the Primordial beast’s qi were completely mismatched.

Thud!

The blue-robed Dao Sovereign’s physical body exploded, his Great Dao World shattered, and his divine power crumbled without being attacked.

Ye Xu wore an odd expression.

This scene vividly resembled the folly of biting off more than one can chew.

"Junior brothers, you three are too weak. Don’t waste time," Ye Li stated.

The blue-robed Dao Sovereign frowned, displeased. "I’ve notified our senior brothers. They are already on their way."

"Brother Li, no need to argue with him. Just take it by force."

Li Ruoyu urged.

"They’re here,"

Ye Li announced.

"Who?"

Li Ruoyu started, alarmed. "Those from the Immortal Palace of All Laws?"

"Primordial beasts."

Ye Li gave a slight, grim smile.

ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!

The moment his words fell, the void trembled violently. Primordial beasts, mist-like and fluid, surged from the dense fog itself. Their cultivation levels neared the Five Tribulations Dao Sovereign realm, yet their primordial qi was thick as chaos, making them incredibly tenacious.

At a glance, there were a full twelve of them.

"Junior brothers, deal with them slowly," Ye Li declared. With a sweep of his sleeve, he enveloped Li Ruoyu and Dao Sovereign Qingyuan, transforming into a wisp of mist that fled deep into the ever-present fog.

"Run!"

Faced with the horde of Primordial beasts, the blue-robed Dao Sovereign’s pupils shrank to pinpricks as he fled at full speed.

"Senior brothers, save me!"

But one hadn’t been fast enough.

He screamed for rescue.

However, the blue-robed Dao Sovereign and the other didn’t glance back as they escaped.

The screams gradually faded.

The Primordial beasts charged past. The fallen Dao Sovereign’s body appeared intact, yet every ounce of his magical power had been utterly drained away. Without magical power to sustain it, his physical form, his primordial spirit, and his Great Dao World rapidly desiccated, leading to his unnatural death.

One quarter of an hour later.

Ye Li and his two companions reappeared.

They had never truly left.

"The manner of death is too bizarre," Li Ruoyu murmured, deeply shocked.

This man died because his magical power was drained completely. Yet, any ordinary Dao Sovereign, even if his Great Dao World, physical vitality, and magical power were utterly destroyed, could survive as long as his primordial spirit remained intact. It was extraordinarily difficult to kill him outright.

"These Primordial beasts are truly horrifying,"

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan added, a chill running down his spine.

"His vital qi was sucked dry," Ye Li stated.

"Ordinarily, we call magical power and spiritual energy ‘vital qi’. But true vital qi is composed of that ‘Qi’ which forms part of the Essence-Qi-Spirit trinity. Without that fundamental Qi, it is impossible to sustain the physical body."

"Essence, Qi, Spirit – all three are indispensable."

"Deprived of the vital Qi, his life force naturally failed."

"That makes sense."

Li Ruoyu seemed to grasp this insight.

"Let’s catch one for observation."

Ye Li chuckled lightly. "Follow me."

With a mere thought, he vanished alongside Li Ruoyu and Dao Sovereign Qingyuan, reappearing silently atop an inverted mountain peak where two Primordial beasts were resting.

"Brother Li… maybe let’s not…" Li Ruoyu voiced his trepidation, his heart quailing.

The Primordial beasts’ combat prowess was formidable.

Could Ye Li handle two at once?

Li Ruoyu seriously doubted it.

"Don’t be cowardly."

Ye Li insisted. "Haven’t you thought of procuring a Primordial Dan to examine? To uncover the true mystery behind these beasts?"

Li Ruoyu’s face reflected profound bitterness.

Of course he wanted to know, but his strength simply wasn’t sufficient.

"Follow my plan."

Ye Li commanded. "You two lure away one beast. I’ll slay the other as quickly as possible, then immediately come to aid you."

"You bear the legacy of the Great Celestial Lord of Creation. You won’t die."

"Move!"