Wei Huan's calm demeanor allowed everyone watching to relax. Although they didn't understand why Moji had attacked, it was clearly not a sign of rebellion. Seeing the Boss's expression, it was evident that Moji remained entirely trustworthy.
"Holy crap, that was fierce."
"That's more than just 'fierce.' One strike to pierce the sky? What was he thinking?"
"The Boss always worries we lack heavy-assault power. With Moji, do we even need anything else?"
"Speaking of which, I actually miss the days of sieging cities with Moji."
The tension evaporated, and the warriors chatted idly as if they weren't about to head into battle. However, as the Kobold Walkers moved into position with their characteristic grins, the casual atmosphere vanished. The soldiers immediately entered combat mode and jumped into the Kobolds' mouths.
A second later, they materialized directly inside the Dark Beast Lord's city.
The intensity of the battle escalated instantly. The "Dharma Images" of the Dark Beast Royals appeared—there were actually five Royals in this small city! However, the warriors of a year ago didn't fear these Royals, let alone the current team, all of whom had made massive strides through cultivation in the Beast World.
They didn't need the "Big Three" to move, nor did they need undead assistance. A single person could easily hold their own against a Dark Beast Royal in its Dharma state. Some warriors suddenly expanded into thousand-meter giants; others erupted in flames, streaking through the sky; some summoned falling meteors with a gesture, while others harvested the souls of massive swaths of Dark Beasts with a casual wave of the hand.
Humanity was now incredibly strong. Since discovering the blessed lands of the Beast World, the human race had jumped off the track pre-arranged by the Challenge World, achieving a higher level of evolution. This was like an advanced civilization crushing a lower one. The Dark Beast world's level was already lower than humanity's; now that even their power intensity was inferior, the five Royals were blown apart before the backup teams even had a chance to strike.
The battle ended with clinical efficiency. From Wei Huan's appearance to the death of the five Royals, only ten minutes had passed. The territory that had stalled Moji for three months collapsed instantly.
The lightning strike also spared a large number of ordinary Dark Beasts. Without the Royals to control them, they were like balloons whose strings had been cut—lost and standing dazed, unsure of what to do. Moji, familiar with the process, took over the entire population. As the number of beasts under its control grew, its strength slowly increased.
Wei Huan finally understood why Moji had become so powerful. Perhaps the Royals had a different way of gaining strength, or perhaps Moji was unique, but its power rose in tandem with the size of its "herd." Its individual strength had long surpassed that of a Dark Beast Royal; it had only been stalled before because the Royals had joined forces.
As Moji took control of the new beasts, Wei Huan entered its divine soul to view its memories. Moji's memory was undefended and pure. Its experiences and its simple thoughts revealed absolute loyalty from start to finish. There was no resentment, fear, or confusion—only the lonely desolation of fighting a solitary war in an alien world after being separated from the undead army. It was, in a way, quite pitiful.
---
While waiting for Moji to finish the takeover, Mu Zhong led the team to scour the territory for resources. Wei Huan called Moji onto Dot Mom's back to observe it closely.
As its level increased, its physical size had actually decreased. Originally the size of a normal horse, it had shrunk by another third. Adult Schumas were usually over seven meters long; Moji now looked like a foal compared to its kin. However, though small, its aura was immense, and its appearance had become increasingly "cute"—its three chubby little heads looked almost like toddlers. With its three heads and six arms, it bore a striking resemblance to the legendary Nezha.
Moji approached and prostrated itself submissively at Wei Huan's feet, its three faces filled with dependence. Wei Huan knelt and patted its heads and cheeks. He usually viewed the undead as tools and rarely invested emotion in them, but a few elites—Moji being the favorite—received special treatment.
Moji let out a purring sound, leaning its faces into Wei Huan's palm. Wei Huan, who had only intended a quick pat, ended up stroking the creature for a long while. Then, he opened his hand to reveal three beast souls: a Grade 7 Pegasus, a Grade 6 Rainbow Deer, and a Grade 6 Three-Headed Flood Dragon. These were powerful souls Wei Huan had specifically saved for Moji's evolution. To avoid genetic collapse, he only allowed Moji to choose one.
Moji looked at the Pegasus first but quickly shifted its gaze to the Three-Headed Flood Dragon. After a long struggle of indecision, it finally took the Rainbow Deer.
Wei Huan said nothing, simply stowing the others and letting Moji consume the deer. In human legends, the Rainbow Deer was an auspicious beast; in the Beast World, they were incredibly rare. Wei Huan had recognized its unique traits and decided to save it for Moji. The choice was perfect. While the dragon or pegasus would have made it a better warrior, the Rainbow Deer—with its ability to stabilize and expand the "Sea of Divine Soul"—was the best choice for a commander ruling billions.
Once the evolution was complete, Moji had a pair of fluffy deer antlers on each of its three heads. Its aura became gentler, and its faces more spirited and adorable.
"Why the Rainbow Deer?" Xu Qingqiang asked after watching for a while.
"Its ability is Governance," Wei Huan said.
Xu Qingqiang pointed at the antlers. "So he got six more antennas?"
Wei Huan laughed. "Perhaps."
Xu Qingqiang was charmed by the sight of fluffy antlers on a toddler-like head and reached out to pet it. Moji, who disliked being touched by anyone but its master, bared its teeth. Even though they had fought together, it wasn't affectionate toward him.
Wei Huan decided Moji had to stay behind. Only 12 Royals had died so far, leaving 263 Royals and one Dark Beast King. The task of wiping out the race was far from over. Wei Huan's time was limited, and the Royals were scattered; he needed to spend his remaining time exploring the world's secrets. Moji would be his proxy for conquest.
---
With the Rainbow Deer's soul, Moji's capacity for control expanded. A typical Dark Beast Royal could control 20 billion beasts at most before their "mental network" hit a limit. Moji was already ruling over 3 billion with ease and could handle many times more.
"To the Twin Pillars of Heaven?" Mu Zhong asked as they prepared to depart.
Wei Huan nodded.
"We have 24 days to explore the secrets of this world," Mu Zhong said. "What do you think the secret is?"
Wei Huan shook his head and looked at the floating cube on Mu Zhong's shoulder—the 'Heart of Steel'. "This guy won't speak until he sees the 'rabbit.' But if we reach that mountain, I think he'll give us a hint."
They traveled through the night. By the next afternoon, they encountered another Dark Beast Royal territory. They killed the Royal quickly, but the bottleneck was storage. Their spatial warehouses were full. Mu Zhong had to spend hours reorganizing to free up a single one, leaving many non-essential resources behind.
"We didn't bring enough warehouses," the men grumbled. "It's painful to leave stuff behind."
"Mark the locations of anything else we see," Mu Zhong said from his portable workshop on Dot Mom's back. "I'm crafting more, but it takes time."
---
Wei Huan entered his profession temple to cultivate. His "Great Tomb" world now contained 88 tombs, including one High-tier Primal Tomb where his elite undead lived, nourished by the souls of the powerful beasts he had slain. He wasn't a senseless slaughterer; he only took what he needed for his growth, refusing to let his desires run wild.
When he emerged, the wind had picked up. Violent gales bent the surrounding mountains like jagged tusks. Wei Huan observed the protection shield; unlike last time, Dot Mom's shield was steady. He looked toward the mountain that pierced the clouds.
"We're almost there," Xu Qingqiang said, walking up with Brother Hammer. "In less than thirty minutes, we'll hit the limit of where we reached last time."
"It won't even take thirty minutes," Mu Zhong added, stepping out of the workshop. "We're moving much faster now. Ten minutes, tops."
Mu Zhong looked at the setting sun. "Maybe we should rest for the night. I'm worried about changes after dark."
"We didn't stay the night last time?" Xu Qingqiang asked.
"No, we left before dark."
Wei Huan looked at the unwavering shield and their un-diminished speed. "We explore. Just be careful."
He summoned two Pseudo-God undead to scout: Sister Crow (the Nether Phoenix) and the Demon Eye Lord. Sister Crow's void-traveling was hampered by the "Gale of the Void," and the mental-type Demon Eye Lord struggled against the physical pressure of the wind.
Wei Huan followed at the maximum summoning distance atop Dot Mom. Gradually, they passed their previous limit. The endless mountain loomed so close it felt like they could touch it.
Wei Huan stared at a specific point in the distance, his gaze unmoving for a long time.