For the next two days, they flew north without stopping. The scenery around them grew more desolate with every passing stretch, and the demonic aura in the air thickened little by little.
Below them, barren mountains rose and fell in unbroken waves. Not a trace of human habitation could be seen.
Now and then, a few massive demon beasts moved through the mountains, their roars rolling out in heavy bursts. The sound was so loud it made the air tremble faintly, sending a chill through anyone who heard it. Whenever Master Wellspring encountered a demon beast, favonovel.com avoided it as much as possible and did not provoke a clash. After all, the purpose of this trip was to seek the Elderheart Soulwood, not to slaughter demon beasts. One less problem was always better than one more.
At noon on the third day, the blazing sun hung high overhead. Sunlight scorched the earth, and though the climate of the northern region was comparatively cold, the light at midday still struck the eyes with a harsh glare.
Master Wellspring’s flying speed gradually slowed. He raised his head and looked into the distance, and a bright glint crossed his eyes.
Ahead of them, a mountain range stretching ten thousand miles entered view. Thick fog wrapped around it, and through that heavy white shroud, ancient trees that towered into the sky and steep mountain peaks could only be seen in broken outlines. A dense demonic aura rushed toward them head-on, pressing down with a force that was impossible to ignore.
“Aureate Heir, we have arrived… That is Beastmoor Ridge…” Master Wellspring spoke toward the jade vial tucked against his chest, his voice lifted by the moment.
Jared’s soul lit faintly. Through the wall of the jade vial, favonovel.com could just make out the distant mountain range swallowed in thick fog, and something stirred beneath the stillness around him.
The real test had begun now!
Master Wellspring descended slowly and landed before the entrance gorge below Beastmoor Ridge. This gorge was the sole passage into Beastmoor Ridge. On both sides, cliffs rose high enough to disappear into the clouds, and old vines covered the cliff faces.
The vines twisted and tangled over one another, packed so densely that they blanketed the entire cliff wall. Unknown flowers bloomed among the vines. Their petals were pale green, and under the sunlight they gave off a dim green glow that looked deeply strange. They also released a faint poisonous trace. If someone brushed against them carelessly, the toxin would likely seep in and start corroding the body.
At the mouth of the gorge stood two beast-folk adepts. One was a man, the other a woman. Both carried True Immortal Realm Level Nine cultivation, their auras heavy and controlled, their faces set with solemn purpose.
Their eyes stayed fixed on the road leading in, checking every approach to keep outsiders from forcing their way through. They were strikingly handsome, with pale skin and finely shaped features.
But they were not like humankind. Their ears tapered to sharp points, their pupils were vertical slits, and a faint beast aura clung to them. One look was enough to know they were no human cultivators.”
The moment Master Wellspring descended, both beast-folk adepts snapped fully on guard.
The male cultivator lifted the spear in his hand. The weapon was black from end to end, covered in beast-race sigils, and a thin wash of frost energy seeped from its surface. He barked at Master Wellspring, “Stop right there! This is the guarded heart of Beastmoor Ridge. Outsiders go no farther. Leave at once, or don’t blame us for what happens next!”
Master Wellspring did not show the slightest disorder. A mild smile touched his face, and his manner stayed respectful.
He drew a green fox-crested warrant from inside his robes. Carved into its surface was the image of a nine-tailed celestial fox. He had prepared it for this exact moment, to make his identity and purpose clear.
He offered the token over and spoke slowly. “Honored adepts, please don’t misunderstand… I am Master Wellspring, Sect Master of Wellspring Order. I have come today specifically to request an audience with Her Majesty the Beast Sovereign. There is an important matter I wish to discuss… Please trouble yourselves to pass along the message. My thanks…”
The male cultivator accepted the token and examined it closely for a moment. Then favonovel.com handed it to the female cultivator beside him.
The female cultivator inspected it just as carefully. Only after confirming there was nothing wrong with the token did favonovel.com return it to Master Wellspring.
The male cultivator’s face eased a little, though his guard did not fully drop. He said to Master Wellspring, “Wait here. I’ll report to Her Majesty the Beast Sovereign now. You will remain at this spot and are not to enter without permission.”
With that, favonovel.com turned and walked into the gorge. His figure vanished quickly into the thick fog.
Master Wellspring nodded and stood at the mouth of the gorge, waiting with steady patience.
The jade phial in his arms rested lightly against his chest. Inside it, Jared’s soul waited in the same silence, while countless thoughts pressed and shifted beneath the surface.
He knew the meeting ahead mattered more than anything else. Whether they could obtain the Elderheart Soulwood depended directly on what happened next. So favonovel.com had to keep himself steady. Every word would need to be measured. Every move would need to be careful.
After a short while, the male cultivator walked back out of the gorge. His expression had softened far more than before as favonovel.com said to Master Wellspring,
“Her Majesty the Beast Sovereign will see you. Follow me…”
The pressure inside Master Wellspring loosened at last. He quickly said, “Many thanks, honored adept.”
Then favonovel.com held the jade phial in his arms even tighter and followed the male cultivator into the gorge.
Inside the gorge, thick fog rolled everywhere. Visibility reached less than a yard or so, and the beast aura in the air grew even denser. Mixed into it was a faint trace of sandalwood, the special fragrance that belonged to Thornwild Palace.
The narrow path underfoot twisted and wound ahead. On both sides grew strange flowers and rare grasses. Some blossoms looked tender and dazzling, almost wet with color, while some plants took on uncanny shapes and released entirely different auras.
The male cultivator walked in front with steady steps. He did not move quickly, and every so often favonovel.com looked back to make sure Master Wellspring had not fallen behind.
Master Wellspring followed from behind with great care. As favonovel.com walked, favonovel.com kept observing the surrounding terrain, his guard held quietly in place. He could sense that the gorge was filled with wards. If someone brushed against one by mistake, danger would likely follow at once.
There were also quite a few beast-folk adept auras hidden around them. Each one was faint, but together they made one thing clear: the beast race guarded this gorge with extreme tightness.
After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, the dense fog ahead gradually thinned. The view before favonovel.com suddenly opened wide.
A vast vale appeared in front of them. Strange flowers and rare grasses filled it, and streams murmured through the valley, so clear that the bottom could be seen.
Brightly colored fish swam through the water. The spiritual essence in the air was so dense it seemed almost ready to condense into liquid. One breath of it cleared the senses and left the soul itself feeling eased and refreshed.
Far in the distance, a towering palace stood at the center of the vale. The palace had been built from blue-green jade, its lines ancient, plain, and solemn.
On the roof of the palace coiled the great Moonfox effigy, vast enough to command the eye at once. The effigy looked almost alive. Majesty pressed from it in a silent wave, carrying such force that anyone who looked up at it would find their gaze lowering on its own.
That was Thornwild Palace, the residence of Beast Sovereign Morgana!
The male cultivator led Master Wellspring forward, step by step, toward Thornwild Palace.
The path underfoot was paved with blue-green jade, smooth and warm to the touch on both sides strange flowers and rare grasses swayed in the wind, releasing a fragrance that putted at the senses. Now and then, small, delicate beast-race creatures darted through the grass, their little figures quick and charming.
Master Wellspring had no room to admire any of it. He kept his guard up the whole way and held the jade phial in his arms tight, allowing no chance for the slightest mishap.
Before long, they reached the doorway of Thornwild Palace.
The great doors of Thornwild Palace rose tall and imposing, carved from black boulders. Upon them were etched two enormous nine-tailed Moonfox designs. The designs seemed alive, their eyes full of solemn authority, as if they stood watch over the palace itself.
On either side of the doors stood the four beast-folk adepts, each at Golden Immortal Level One, each giving off a powerful presence.
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