Managing to learn the first and second level of the Spatial Shift Technique after only a few hours, Xuan Hao ultimately ended up hitting a wall when trying to learn the third level involving long distance teleportation. Even with his current understanding of the Dao of Space, it was far too difficult to even learn the most basic parts of the third level within a short span of time, let alone learning it in a few days and using the long distance teleportation to escape from the mist covered mountain range like he had first wanted to do.
At this point in time, it was obvious that he would have to look for another way out if he wanted to escape any time soon.
Boom! Boom!
Not to mention, the fighting of the powerful demon beasts that had begun a few hours earlier, had already started getting dangerously close to his current location. Meaning that even if he wanted to continue practicing the third level of the Spatial Shift Technique, he still had to stop and look for a safer place to practice first.
"Huh?"
As he looked back in the direction of the empty void where the demon beasts had already begun their chaotic fight for control over the empty void and the spatial energy leaking out from it, Xuan Hao who had already decided to put learning the Spatial Shift Technique on hold for now, was shocked to discover that something large was heading in his direction. Even worse, it did not seem like it was a weaker demon beast that had decided to escape from the chaotic fight between the powerful demon beasts-
ROOOOAR!
ROOAR!
Instead, it looked very much like the two powerful demon beasts at the Peak of the Soul Ascension Realm that he had seen before leaving the empty void, both rolling through the forest floor as they destroyed anything in their path. Even the tall trees standing hundreds of meters tall did not seem to put up any resistance against these demon beasts, as they were directly toppled over before being reduced to nothing more than a few broken pieces of wood.
Even worse, these two powerful demon beasts fully absorbed on killing each other, just so happened to be on direct collision course with the two massive trees he had been practicing beneath for the past few hours… Or in more simple terms, the two demon beasts were heading directly towards him at a speed that made it hard to escape unnoticed… And to make matters even worse than they already were, the large turtle demon beast was forced on to its back by the other demon beast as it was trying its best to attack the less underbelly of the turtle.
Whoosh~
As a result, the giant turtle shell turned into a massive sled that further increased the speed at which the two demon beasts were approaching him, their speed almost making it look like they were teleporting towards him in a similar way as when he was using the Drifting Cloud Steps!
Swish-!
Utilizing his qi to execute a short distance teleportation as the turtle shaped sled with a giant demon beast on top of it was about to hit, Xuan Hao barely managed to avoid getting hit-
ROOAR!
But this did not go unnoticed by the demon beast currently on top of the turtle demon beast, as it jumped off the turtle in the direction he had teleported before opening its massive mouth filled with several rows of razor-sharp teeth in an attempt to swallow him alive.
The reason for this violent attack filled with killing intent was rather simple, to prevent Xuan Hao from sneak attacking it while it was busy fighting with the turtle demon beast. After all, the demon beast was not dumb and understood just how precious its body was to other demon beasts!
Even if it was a demon beast in the Fourth Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm, like it had perceived Xuan Hao to be, consuming its body would allow it to breakthrough to the Fifth Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm without any side effects!
This was also the main reason why demon beasts often hunted each other. Even outside the mystic realm, demon beasts would much rather fight with each other over humans, as the qi contained in the body of a human was far less than that of a demon beast that spent all of its energy and time strengthening its body.
The only exception to this were demonic cultivators who similarly focused on strengthening their bodies. In the eyes of demon beasts, these demonic cultivators were just as tempting to consume as their fellow demon beasts.
Of course, consuming the body of a demonic cultivator came with its own difficulties for these demon beasts, as they would still have to deal with the negative effects of the powerful yin qi contained inside the bodies of the demonic cultivator. Not that they had any idea about what yin qi was nor the negative effects it might have on them, as all they would see was a powerful body filled with energy ripe for consumption…
In the end, if they ended up consuming enough bodies of demonic cultivators, they might end up transforming into a yin beast, a powerful demon beast that resembled the demon beast version of a demonic cultivator. The only clear difference being the fact that yin beasts were far rarer than demonic cultivators, with even the weakest yin beast having at least reached the Domain Lord Realm. Weaker than that and the yin qi would end up killing them instead of turning them into yin beasts…
Chomp~!
As the mouth of the demon beast closed around him without giving him any chance to avoid, Xuan Hao was not the least bit worried-
Ching~
Using his sword and dao domain to stop the teeth from biting into him before finding himself safe and sound inside the mouth of the demon beast.
I might have overestimated the intelligence of this demon beast…
Floating above the massive tongue of the demon beast, Xuan Hao had no idea what to say after being swallowed alive by the demon beast. Even if the demon beast had underestimated his strength earlier when swallowing him, it should at the very least have done its best to spit him out after discovering that he was still alive.
FWOOSH-!
Knowing that it would only be a matter of time before the three- two brain cells left in the head of this demon beast put two and two together and figured out it would be bad to have someone still alive inside its mouth, Xuan Hao directly used the Dao of Fire to conjure forth a massive ball of fire that he pushed down the throat of the demon beast that had been bold enough to swallow him alive. Even if this would be far from enough to kill a Peak Soul Ascension Realm demon beast, it would at the very least be seriously injured.
ROOOOAR!
Realizing what was happening the moment it felt something starting to burn it up from the inside, the demon beast used all of its strength to mobilize its massive tongue to push Xuan Hao back outside its body.
"Hmph! Don't think it will be that easy to get rid of me after swallowing me!"
Of course, Xuan Hao didn't intend to just allow himself to get pushed out, as he used his sword to forcefully cut into the massive tongue of the demon beast trying its best to push him out-
Swish~
PTSH-!
In the end, the demon beast only barely managed to push him back out of its mouth at the cost of its tongue becoming a forked tongue that would have a hard time recovering back to its original shape in the future due to the remnant scar left behind by the combined power of the Sword Dao and Dao of Fire.
ROOOOOOOOOOAR-!
Feeling the pain of having its tongue cut in half and a terrifying flame starting to burn its body up from the inside, the demon beast let out a terrifying roar filled with both agony and a bone deep hatred towards Xuan Hao who had caused it to go through this intense pain.
"Hm… Maybe now is a good time to run away?" Feeling the bone deep hatred and overwhelming killing intent directed towards him at this moment, Xuan Hao could not help muttering this to himself as he looked towards the demon beast whose mouth he had just escaped with a somewhat helpless expression on his face.
Even after the damage he had done to it, this demon beast at the Peak of the Soul Ascension Realm did not show any signs of weakening. The body of a demon beast at the Peak of the Soul Ascension Realm was truly terrifying…
Swish~!
Knowing that staying around would only end up with said demon beast attacking him, Xuan Hao didn't waste a second before turning around to try and escape.