Chapter 113: The Lord of Azure

As time passed, the various major clans of the Kunlun Secret Realm began to hear about or even encounter practitioners from Earth. Upon learning of the vast world beyond their borders, the leaders of these clans were no longer able to remain composed. All the powerful figures within the Kunlun Secret Realm faced a singular, harrowing problem: their path forward had been severed.

The Kunlun Secret Realm lacked the presence of the Dao; cultivation paths hit a hard ceiling at the Tenth-Rank Martial Emperor, with no further way to ascend. However, the arrival of Earth’s practitioners offered a glimmer of hope to these masters who had reached the end of their journey.

Yang Fan was currently walking along the same path he had taken when he first arrived. He was back on the plains where he had once been hunted by exotic beasts, flanked by two Eighth-Rank Venerables dispatched by Kun Sha to provide an escort. Under the oppressive aura of these two experts, no exotic beast dared to stir up trouble. Throughout the journey, the two Venerables did not utter a single word to Yang Fan, and Yang Fan, lost in his own thoughts, remained silent as well.

He had initially assumed that Kun Sha would send at least half of their group back to Earth, but to his surprise, he was the only one being sent home. In Kun Sha’s eyes, Yang Fan possessed innate talents and was attuned to the laws of the universe; his status in the outside world would naturally be higher than the others, allowing him more influence. Furthermore, this was a gesture of goodwill from Kun Sha—by sending away the one he considered the most gifted, he was signaling that he harbored no malicious intent.

As they traveled, Yang Fan pondered how he would explain things once he returned. He reflected on everything that had occurred since he entered the Kunlun Secret Realm. After much thought, he realized that apart from the Kunpeng tribe, he only knew of the existence of eighty-nine other clans and a single forbidden zone. Beyond that, there seemed to be little else to report.

As they continued, Yang Fan decided to stop overthinking. Looking out over the vast plains, he asked, "Sirs, why do we not fly?"

Kun Lie glanced at him and replied, "This is the Azure Sky Plain, the territory of exotic beasts. There is a Tenth-Rank beast here known as the Azure Sky Eagle. On these plains, no one is permitted to fly, save for masters like our clan leader."

"An Azure Sky Eagle? A Tenth-Rank beast exists here?" Yang Fan was astonished. In his understanding, the growth of an exotic beast required vast amounts of time; the duration needed to reach the Tenth Rank was immense. On Earth, cultivation academies frequently issued missions to clear out forests precisely to prevent such beasts from maturing. "Sirs, the growth of a Tenth-Rank beast requires a great deal of time, so how could we ever let them grow to that level?" Yang Fan asked.

Kun Lie looked at him with confusion. "Are you saying that in your world, there are no powerful exotic beasts?"

Yang Fan nodded. "In our world, we conduct periodic purges of exotic beasts to prevent them from becoming a threat."

Kun Lie was deeply shaken by this. It seemed the clan leader was right; the outside world was incredibly powerful, to the point where even exotic beasts could be purged on a schedule. His attitude toward Yang Fan became even more amicable as he explained, "Your world is truly formidable if you can purge beasts so systematically. Here, while we have teams and duties to manage the beasts, we lack enough powerful experts, and the beasts are simply too numerous. We cannot eradicate them entirely. Moreover, many beasts live in packs; they protect their own from generation to generation. When a beast with great talent and fast cultivation potential is born, it is always surrounded by powerful protectors, sometimes even the strongest of its kind. For these reasons, we cannot clear them out. Over the years, our strongest experts and these powerful beasts have reached a tacit understanding: we do not trespass on their domains, and these powerful beasts do not harass our territories."

Yang Fan felt a bit awkward; it seemed he had inadvertently elevated Earth’s standing once again. He truly hadn't meant to boast. After all, it hadn't been long since the resurgence of spiritual energy on Earth. Humans had begun cultivating first, and the beasts were only just beginning to evolve. Without the protection of powerful elders, it was easy for humans to sweep them away. Yang Fan simply nodded, feeling too embarrassed to say anything more.

The three of them continued walking across the Azure Sky Plain. Suddenly, Kun Lie and Kun Wu unleashed a terrifying aura, casting a protective blanket over Yang Fan. Yang Fan felt as if a mountain had crashed down upon him; the pressure left him unable to move, and a mouthful of blood sprayed from his throat. Kun Lie and Kun Wu stepped forward, shielding him as if facing a mortal threat.

In the distant sky, a flash of cyan light flickered. In an instant, a gargantuan eagle hovered above the three men. Yang Fan looked up in shock; the massive creature was at least fifty meters wide. It was the largest exotic beast he had ever seen, and certainly the strongest. Whether on Earth or in the ruins, the beasts he had encountered and killed had never been this powerful. Earth’s beasts had long been purged, and in the ruins, humans generally avoided the beasts' territories, not wanting to provoke them while the Dark Realm remained a looming threat.

Kun Lie took another step forward, slightly tempering his aura. "Respected Master of the Azure Sky, we are disciples of the Kunpeng tribe. By order of our leader, we ask that you grant us safe passage..."

The Azure Sky Eagle circled in mid-air, its hawk-like eyes gleaming. The Kunpeng tribe? The eagle remembered having seen their leader once—a formidable man. The Azure Sky Eagle let out a long, piercing cry.

The air vibrated, and a voice resonated in the ears of Yang Fan and the others: "The Azure Sky Plain is my domain! You humans have repeatedly slaughtered my subordinates within my borders. Today, I care for no one’s face—you shall all die!"

At these words, the expressions of Kun Lie and Kun Wu shifted. They spoke in haste, "Respected Master of the Azure Sky, we have never ignored your majesty, nor have we slaughtered the divine beasts within your domain. Why do you say such things? For the sake of our leader, we beg you to spare us!"

Kun Lie no longer cared about delivering Yang Fan back to Earth; he only cared about survival. A Tenth-Rank Azure Sky Eagle was not an opponent he and Kun Wu could handle. The gap in power was simply too vast.

The Azure Sky Eagle shrieked, ignoring their pleas. Its sharp eyes burned with rage. Under normal circumstances, it might have spared them out of respect for that formidable man, but lately, large numbers of humans had been entering its plains, and countless beasts had been slaughtered—including its own offspring. Even the most talented descendant of the current Azure Sky Eagle generation had been gravely wounded, returning to their ancestral grounds at death's door. Had it not been for the eagle's timely intervention, the line of the Azure Sky Eagle might have faced a generational collapse.

For the beasts living in this world, the greatest fear was the loss of their succession. Once the most talented descendants died out, the entire clan could perish. Having saved the young eagle, it had charged out of its ancestral grounds to patrol the plains. It was determined to show everyone that the descendants of the Azure Sky Eagle were not to be touched.