"Don't ask too much about this. You will know when the time comes." Han Yutang asked mysteriously.

"Oh." The henchman responded subconsciously, and that extremely ominous premonition once again surged into his heart. He always felt that there would be no good results if he went against Mu Hanyan.

…

The mountain was surrounded by a group of mountains and did not look high. However, when Mu Hanyan and others began to climb, they found that the entire mountain was shrouded in restrictions. The restrictions were filled with the unique pressure of powerful beasts and even the breath of divine beasts, so that the cultivation of Mu Hanyan and others was greatly suppressed.

Climbing up the steep, rugged rocky terrain, Mu Hanyan and the others had to use both their hands and feet, unable to even utilize 20% of their cultivation. Even though kendo practitioners cultivated both internal and external physiques, their fitness far surpassed that of ordinary people, they were still exhausted and sweating all the way down.

However, no one complained at all. The existence of this restriction, the pressure from the powerful beasts, and the breath of the divine beasts all proved that this mountain was unusual. They were almost certain that the powerful beasts that had disappeared were gathered here.

After immense effort, Mu Hanyan and the others finally reached the summit. In the center of the peak lay a sunken basin, and in its very center lay a clear pond. The pond wasn't large, only about three meters in circumference, but it was crystal clear, azure blue, as pure as the most beautiful gemstone. Streams of the purest power of heaven and earth slowly emanated from it, imbued with a mysterious rhythm. Under that rhythm, the entire heaven and earth seemed to be connected through this clear pool.

There is no doubt that this is the Beast Soul Pool that Tan Taixuan mentioned.

At this time, thousands of exotic beasts gathered around the Beast Soul Pool. The ones on the outermost edge had a cultivation level equivalent to that of a seventh-level swordsman. The further inward they went, the stronger they became.

A white-haired old man in gray clothes stood in the center of the pool. Surrounded by powerful beasts prostrating themselves on the ground, a human cultivator stood in the center of the pool. This looked extremely strange.

Mu Hanyan and the others looked at each other, all puzzled.

However, as the old man raised his head and let out a vast beast roar, everyone suddenly realized that this was not a human cultivator, but a strange beast in human form.

Although there are some exotic beasts in this world that are gifted and can learn human language early on despite not being very strong, such as the Ang Ang that Ye Lanxuan gave to Mu Hanyan, generally speaking, to transform into a human form, one must have extremely high cultivation. Even the top exotic beasts in the depths of the Longyan Mountains do not have this ability.

In her past and present lives, apart from the terrifying underworld beast Xu Ming in Beining Pass, this was the first time Mu Hanyan had seen a strange beast in human form. Of course, the former was not actually a strange beast, but a underworld beast.

Just how powerful was this strange beast that had transformed into an old man? Mu Hanyan and the others couldn't see through his true strength, but one thing was certain: it was definitely not inferior to a Sword Saint, and it was likely much stronger than an ordinary Sword Saint.

Just when Mu Hanyan and others were secretly surprised, the old man suddenly turned his head.

Mu Hanyan and others felt a sudden shock in their hearts at the same time: Oh no, we’ve been discovered!

Although they already knew that the strange beasts in the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm were gentle in nature, they still instinctively felt awe towards this powerful beast. Based on their previous experience in the Longyan Mountains, their first reaction was to run.

However, before they could move, the old man spoke again.

"You are disciples of the Holy Court, right? I understand your purpose. Finding the Beast Soul Pool left by our ancestors is a rare opportunity. Come on over. Once we complete the Ancestral Soul Ceremony, we'll let you choose a suitable sword pet to take home," the old man said. His voice was deep and mellow, yet held an irresistible authority. Fortunately, there was no hostility in it.

Everyone was overjoyed to hear this. From what the old man meant, as long as they finished the ancestral soul sacrifice, they could directly choose a suitable sword pet. They wouldn't even have to learn the beast taming techniques they had learned in the past few days. This kind of good thing was something they couldn't even dream of.

They were not worried that the old man had any ill intentions. With his strength, if he really had ill intentions, he would not need to play any tricks. He could just reveal his true form and slap them. Few people present would have survived.

Besides, the path of cultivation is inherently risky. If you keep looking back and forth and worrying about this and that, you will miss countless opportunities. It is better to just stay at home and not bother practicing.

Soon, the group came down along the mountain wall, but the Beast Soul Pool was surrounded by strange beasts, so they did not get too close.

Those strange beasts knelt on the ground, looking extremely pious, just like some human believers, which was a bit funny. Of course, Mu Hanyan and others would definitely not laugh at this time.

The old man turned his head and let out a series of slightly hoarse humming sounds, which were obscure and difficult to understand, like chanting.

"Divine language!" Mu Hanyan recognized it immediately. His chanting was somewhat similar to the language used in the divine beast contract of the Aolai divine beast. It was the divine language that had long been lost.

As he chanted, the blue mirror-like pool water began to ripple, and a mist rose up and appeared in front of him.

All the strange beasts around him also hummed along with him, and the mist gradually condensed. Finally, it formed a little raindrop-like water droplet, emitting colorful colors and floating above the water surface.

The old man let out a long roar towards the sky, and his figure gradually became illusory. A shadow of a beast with a dragon head, an ox body, and a snake tail gradually emerged. It was majestic and powerful, but also extremely old, with cloudy and lifeless eyes, as if it had reached the end of its life.

There was no doubt that this was the old man's true form. What surprised Mu Hanyan and the others was that, with their limited knowledge, they couldn't even tell what kind of strange beast this was.

Looking closely, it seems a bit like the legendary Qilin mythical beast, but it is also quite different in many ways.

The strange beast, whose true form was restored by the old man, opened its mouth, looking like a whale swallowing the sea. The drop of water suddenly became full of rays of light. As the old man moved, the rays of light gathered together and were sucked into his mouth like spring water, and his body began to undergo mysterious changes.

The old body, which was originally exhausted, was gradually filled with vitality, and the turbid eyes gradually regained clarity. Even the majestic figure became much lighter, with a faint sense of elegance and transcendence.

Obviously, this is the meridian cutting and marrow cleansing, but it is different from the commonly said meridian cutting and marrow cleansing. The old beast in front of him not only has his physique changed, but his lifespan has also been extended again.

You should know that whether it is humans or strange beasts, their lifespans are limited. Only by repeatedly improving their cultivation and breaking through their own limits can their lifespans be extended. It is difficult to achieve such a wonderful effect by simply cutting meridians and washing marrow.