Chapter 495 - 427: Tiger Blocking the Path, Peak of Spiritual Vein Opening, Instant Kill

And so, in the Primitive Ancient Forest, Xiong Batian became Jiang Qiu’s mount. He now carried Jiang Qiu as they shuttled through the woods, appearing as nothing more than a black shadow streaking past the undergrowth at incredible speed.

Xiong Batian was indeed incredibly fast. He had, after all, inherited the bloodline of a giant wolf, granting him its speed and keen senses. But his body was massive compared to Jiang Qiu, who now looked like a tiny speck nestled in the fur on his neck.

Jiang Qiu was simply too small; he could only cling to the fur on Xiong Batian’s neck to keep his balance. Even so, the ride was jarring and incredibly bumpy.

It was an undeniably wild ride. Jiang Qiu felt that if his grip loosened for even a moment, he would be sent flying. His feet dangled in the air for almost the entire time.

Xiong Batian’s speed was simply astonishing.

Passing leaves brushed against Jiang Qiu’s face, causing only a slight itch. But for an ordinary being who had completed the Opening of their Spirit Veins, that same brush would have felt like a faint sting.

This was Xiong Batian’s speed, and he wasn’t even running all-out. If he were to truly sprint, completely unrestrained, his speed would be even greater—beyond imagination.

But since they were still in the Primitive Ancient Forest, he couldn’t run without restraint. That was the only reason Jiang Qiu could still hold onto his fur; otherwise, he would have been thrown off.

The creatures they passed only felt a whirlwind approaching from a distance, followed by a black shadow roaring past. Then, the figure was gone, as if they had just seen a ghost.

"What in the world was that? It felt so powerful, but it vanished in a flash!"

"Was that the giant wolf? He’s incredibly fast, but it didn’t quite look like him. You can at least see the giant wolf’s back when he runs, but this creature... you couldn’t even get a clear look at its silhouette."

"Maybe your eyesight is just bad. I actually saw it. It looked like a bear, and there was a small cub riding on its neck!"

"What? A bear? What kind of bear can run that fast? That’s unbelievable!"

"It wasn’t just a bear. That bear’s aura was beyond our comprehension. I got the feeling it has the potential to become the Dominator of this region. It’s incredibly strong—it must have already gone through its Opening of Spirit Veins!"

"Holy shit, a Great Demon that’s gone through its Opening of Spirit Veins! If it’s that powerful, who would dare ride on its neck?"

"I don’t know either. When it passed by, I was so scared I thought I was going to be Food. I felt like it could’ve crushed me with a single swipe of its paw. Thankfully, I wasn’t its target."

"Let’s be real, what kind of creature was that riding on its neck? To be able to command a Great Demon that has gone through its Opening of Spirit Veins... that’s some serious power!"

"Actually, I have a feeling that the creature riding the bear is the truly terrifying one. I only caught a distant glimpse, but my heart pounded in fear. It was like I’d just spied on a powerful existence that transcends the First Celestial Realm!"

"Transcends the First Celestial Realm? What nonsense are you spouting? How could an existence beyond the First Celestial Realm possibly let themselves be seen by us of the Demon Race? They’re basically gods! Stop exaggerating, you ignorant fool..."

As Jiang Qiu rode past on Xiong Batian, he captured the attention of countless creatures, leaving a strange legend in his wake.

A mysterious being with an aura that terrified all living things, riding a Great Demon that had gone through its Opening of Spirit Veins, his own power immeasurable.

Jiang Qiu was unconcerned with such legends, as he had no idea what others were saying about him. They had already left the territory where Xiong Batian used to live and entered the domain of another Great Demon who had completed its Opening of Spirit Veins.

The journey was actually very fast. Although the territories were vast, Xiong Batian was just too efficient, and so they arrived in the blink of an eye.

The lord of this place was a Tiger that had gone through his Opening of Spirit Veins. His aura was even stronger than that of the giant wolf. Barring any surprises, he was the most likely candidate to become the Dominator of this entire region.

Blocked by the Tiger, Xiong Batian was naturally unable to pass and was forced to a halt. "My lord, what should we do?"

Although Xiong Batian had just completed his Opening of Spirit Veins and his aura had transformed dramatically, he was still no match for a Great Demon like this—one that had grown strong by fighting and killing on its own. Thus, he could only turn to Jiang Qiu for guidance.

Besides, his current strength was nothing to boast about. His main purpose was to serve as Jiang Qiu’s mount, so when it came to fighting, he was truly at a loss.

Of course, if Jiang Qiu were to order him to fight, he would do so without hesitation—even if it meant sacrificing his life.

"A Tiger that’s gone through its Opening of Spirit Veins," Jiang Qiu said, his expression calm as he sized up the beast blocking their path. "Are you the master of this territory?"

The creature’s strength surpassed the giant wolf’s. The Heaven and Earth Spirit Charm it absorbed was extremely well-regulated; it had clearly established its power. Every breath it took seemed to brew storm clouds.

’Impressive,’ Jiang Qiu thought. ’Of course, only when compared to the dead giant wolf. Compared to me? I could kill it with a single slap.’