The trees parted, patches of grass bled into a clearing of flat, stony ground.
Beyond was a tall wall of earth and dark rock, infested with roots that hung downwards.
This was another marked location for the inheritance Edifice was seeking.
Standing in the clearing, Edifice looked around before searching the area through Immersion.
She picked up on nothing substantial
"This place is another failure..."
Saying so, she prepared the caravan to turn around and depart for another place.
...
Next was a lake river stemming from a tall waterfall.
There were various spouts, but the largest was four meters wide.
Looking up, Edifice saw the jagged terrain where the waterfall fell from.
Stepping forward, she checked with Immersion.
There was nothing behind the waterfall or any of the smaller spouts.
No cave or similar entrance could be found, either.
Jumping to the level of the waterfall's lip, she saw nothing, nor sensed anything substantial.
'Another false location... Hmm.'
Landing, she turned the caravan around again.
She left for the next spot.
...
"So far, there has been no indication of the inheritance at any spot we've searched."
"How did you come about finding these marked locations?"
"Friends back at our home, Settlement compiled a map of these marked locations based on research and practical investigations."
Selene pointed at a few spots that were long since crossed.
"Sister told me she had already searched these areas before meeting me."
"I'm guessing that where this inheritance wasn't found previously allowed them to deduce the areas where it could or couldn't be."
"Luckily, most of them seem to be near where we are now."
Looking over the map, there were still seven locations nearby.
It had already been two hours, and they'd only checked two spots.
Dawn couldn't stay for too long; she had to return to the Settlement by tonight's end.
This caravan is arriving at the third location in a few minutes. Dawn could only stay for the next two thereafter before leaving.
Suddenly, a heavy pressure fell upon them.
The carriages creaked under the weight, and the beasts pulling them groaned.
Edifice noticed their frightened expressions. She waved her hand to the caravan behind her.
"Stop here!"
"What's going on?"
Selene spoke through her strained throat, the pressure pushing down on her airways.
Dawn huddled close to Selene; her very presence seemed to relieve the pressure.
Unfortunately, the other Cultivators were not spared by this crushing force.
The whole caravan came to a stop, but the pressure continued to intensify.
'Could it be an enemy attack...?'
'No, I would have noticed them by now.'
'Could it be...?'
At that thought, Edifice leapt from her position and held her weapon, a clean blade with a dark lustre.
"Dawn!"
"I'll be there soon!"
Edifice readied herself as the pressure felt terrifyingly heavy.
Pushing off the ground and striking at an unbelievable speed, Edifice shot forward and collided with something in the distance.
Air rippled, and a beast was revealed as it was knocked back.
Its figure was sickening.
A beastial body of a tiger with a dragon's tail. Its fur lifted in spiky tufts, scales coated its neck that ended with a human head.
Dishevelled hair spilt like a curtain, hiding most of its face. Underneath was a wide eye staring with malice.
'What a horrifying beast...'
The horrific beast staggered after rolling on the ground.
Its body lifted to the height of the trees and was twice as thick as the carriages.
Despite being knocked over thirty meters away, it spun around and swept with its tail.
Edifice had no choice but to intercept the attack, otherwise it would destroy the leading carriage with Selene and Dawn.
Dao Art -- Four-Layered Protection!
The first defends the mind, but the second defends the body.
Like thick armour, Qi solidified, resembling the armour of a fierce warrior.
Colliding with the tail, the armour cracked under the impact, but Edifice remained still.
She could feel the pressure lightening as the beast seemed to withdraw.
Dawn also appeared at this time, prompting Edifice to look back at the caravan.
"How is Selene? Is everyone okay?"
"Yes, Selene is using some sort of defensive Dao Art to sustain herself. Among the caravan, nobody seems seriously injured."
"I see. Did you catch a glimpse of that beast just now?"
"Yes... What a cruel birth..."
Looking towards where the beast was, Edifice searched through Immersion.
It was lingering nearby, not approaching, but not retreating either.
"It hasn't left, remaining on the road ahead."
"We should confront it, I'm confident that us two could defeat it. The marked location is also down this path."
"No. Look deeper into it."
Edifice paused, promptly listening to Dawn's advice and pushing her Immersion further.
She inspected the beast through Immersion.
Pressure was felt from its dominating presence; it couldn't be an ordinary Beast King, or even a Mystical Beast King.
'A Spirit...? No... a Beast Emperor?'
'That would explain its battle strength and pressure, but what is...!'
'Four Qi Cores?!'
Edifice was shocked; she had never seen this before.
"If it were a typical Mystical Beast King, it would have a Qi Conglomerate, but this beast seems to wield the three Qi Cores of Cultivation, and an additional fourth!"
She pondered for a moment longer before sharing her thoughts with Dawn.
"The beast's head resembled a human's head. Do you think that abomination is the amalgam of a human and various beasts?"
"That may be the case, that would also explain how it has at least three self-sustaining Qi Cores, but I can't explain the fourth..."
"I deduced it be have at least Third Foundation battle strength, but with those four cores, and the presence of Dao Arts assimilated into them..."
"It could be greater..."
"..."
"Who the hell made this thing?"
Edifice sighed as she kept an eye on the beast's movements through Immersion.
It was undoubtedly a human creation, but she wanted to doubt that thought at the cruelty of such a creation.
Regardless, it harboured malice towards her caravan, but it didn't seem to be too aggressive as to hunt them down.
'Could it be territorial...?'
'Maybe... it is guarding something?'