Chapter 117: Entering Dragon God Mountain

The Sibu-xiang, a legendary beast from the dawn of the primordial era, possesses a body resembling a composite of four distinct animals. Hence, it is known as the "Four-Unlike."

According to folklore, it once served as the mount for Jiang Ziya. In the Investiture of the Gods, Jiang Ziya was frequently seen riding it, leading later generations to honor it as the "Sacred Steed." It was a spirit beast from the beginning of the world, serving under the sages.

At this moment, the Sibu-xiang was shaking its head, looking puzzled as it heard its name called. The wild beasts surrounding it froze in their tracks.

"Sibu-xiang!" Fang You descended from the air, gripping a copper-coin sword, his gaze piercing. "You are a celestial beast, once the mount of Jiang Ziya. How dare you gather a horde of wild monsters here to cause chaos? What say you for your crimes?"

The Sibu-xiang shook its head frantically, looking thoroughly aggrieved.

Fang You pressed on, his tone becoming more aggressive. "Are you not going to take these mountain spirits and monsters and leave? Have you forgotten who stands before you?"

The Sibu-xiang focused its gaze. Before it stood a figure shimmering with a golden aura, hiding the visage of Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, within the mortal frame. It immediately became deeply respectful.

"Are you not going to lead these base creatures away? Do you wish for me to draw my sword against you?" Fang You’s eyes glinted with a hint of ferocity, his voice dripping with menace.

Realizing this was the will of Erlang Shen, the Sibu-xiang had no choice but to depart, taking the other mountain spirits and monsters with it.

Only after the Sibu-xiang had left did Fang You exhale deeply.

In truth, Fang You had been gambling. The divine soul of Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, resided within his body, and the Sibu-xiang, an ancient spirit beast, had to show respect to Erlang Shen even if it didn't care for him. He had used the soul of Erlang Shen to impersonate a celestial general, issuing orders to fool the beast and its followers. Had he failed, and been forced to fight such a massive horde, even if the Sibu-xiang hadn't intervened, the other beasts would have torn them all to shreds.

"Sir!" Bai Ling cried out in relief, rushing over to embrace Fang You. "I thought something terrible had happened to you!"

"Ahem, miss, please restrain yourself," Fang You coughed awkwardly. Things were different now; he had Zhang Shengnan, and he needed to maintain a proper distance from other women to be responsible to her.

"We haven't seen each other for days, and you've become so distant. Is it because of the girl you saw the other day?" Bai Ling stepped back, pretending to be indifferent.

The thorns blocking their path parted as the mountain spirits retreated, clearing a way for Fang You, Bai Ling, Er Goutui, Daobazi, and Xiao Douzi.

"I never expected the guardian of this land to be the Sibu-xiang. But it’s for the best; as an ancient spirit beast, it understands human nature, which is why I was able to bluff it," Fang You said coolly.

"Now that our chief is dead, there are only three of us grave robbers left. We were truly offensive earlier, but if you are still willing to lead us into the depths of Dragon God Mountain, our clan will be eternally grateful," said Daobazi. He looked at the fallen Gao Zhangyi; although there was sorrow, the grave robbers lived lives governed by fate, and they had long since made peace with death.

Bai Ling turned to Fang You. "If you do not wish to take this risk, I will not force you." After experiencing so many dangers and nearly costing Fang You his life, she instinctively sought his opinion.

Fang You looked toward the mountain pass, pondered for a moment, and said, "We’ve come this far, so we might as well see it through. Besides, my father gave his word to your ancestors, and I must fulfill it."

With that, Fang You stepped forward, passing through the thorns and heading straight into the heart of Dragon God Mountain. Bai Ling and the three remaining grave robbers followed.

The path was rugged, and the terrain treacherous. From time to time, strange noises echoed through the silence, sounding particularly chilling.

Suddenly, a strange sound erupted from behind the group. Er Goutui felt a chill on his neck and started to turn around.

In the next second, his body was crushed, splattering like raw meat across the ground.

"A ghost!" Xiao Douzi screamed, collapsing in terror. In that split second, he had seen a pitch-black figure flash past.

"What is it?" Daobazi grabbed Xiao Douzi by his collar and pulled him close.

"Master Fang!" Bai Ling drew her black blade, scanning the surroundings.

Fang You was also shocked. Looking at the remains of Er Goutui, he realized the attack had been incredibly swift and powerful. Could it be some kind of demon?

As the group stood in terror, a loud thud shook the ground ahead as a black coffin fell from above. It was forged of pure steel, pitch-black and engraved with eerie, supernatural patterns.

Fang You gasped in horror. "Could it be a Hou?"

The Hou is the pinnacle of the undead. Legend has it that if a person dies with a lingering breath of resentment in their throat, they become a Jiangshi. They start as Purple Jiangshi, their bodies turning purple and immortal, capable of hopping. By feeding on blood and absorbing moonlight, they become Black or White Jiangshi, with much greater strength.

Further evolution leads to the Green Jiangshi, which hops at extreme speeds and possesses potent corpse poison. If left unchecked, they sprout hair and become Hairy Jiangshi, gaining sentience and human-like consciousness. With more cultivation, they become Flying Jiangshi, no different from monsters, capable of flight.

If they survive the heavenly lightning, they become Flying Yakshas, capable of traversing heaven and earth, invincible and unstoppable. A millennium of cultivation transforms them into a Drought Demon (Hanba). Wherever a Drought Demon appears, the land burns for a thousand miles; even gods struggle to subdue them.

Ten thousand years of cultivation turns a demon into a Hou. At this stage, they are no longer mere undead, but divine beasts. Ancient myths state that "one Hou can fight three dragons and two serpents." It means this creature can rival dragons and slaughter serpents; even heavenly soldiers cannot withstand it.

In the primordial era, the Yinglong, Qilin, Phoenix, and Hou were known as the Four Heavenly Beasts. They were not governed by heaven or earth, bound by no laws, and existed beyond the three realms—beyond the reach of all order.

Looking at the humanoid corpse before him and recalling the display of power, Fang You felt a cold dread. Had that blow landed on him, he would have been reduced to pulp just like Er Goutui.