Shen walked out of the inheritance with his head held high. When he left, his view was greeted by the vast desert and few runic like buildings around him.
'I can finally leave this cursed desert' Shen wanted to leave this dessert that he had been travelling around for a month. It was such a tedious task for him and he was happy to finally leave it.
However, his biggest reason for leaving was because the desert had creatures far too strong for him to handle now.
Currently, Shen was only in the strong body realm as a cultivator and a tier 1 mage. His previous might have all turned to dust. Right now, Shen was an ant to the vast and dangerous world.
"Where is the inheritor?" A voice sounded on his right.
Shen looked over 'Shit! My senses dulled to this extent? I didn't even notice him'
The one who asked Shen a question had the body of a lion with the head of a goat. It was the same rank 5 beast they encountered on a previous floor, Terasu.
"Dead" Shen looked coldly at Terasu, he didn't want to show that he had weakened.
"Why? Did he die cultivating the art?" Terasu asked indifferently.
'Hm… what to answer…' Shen wanted to get out of this situation alive since Terasu could just tap him and he'd die.
"I killed him." In the end, Shen was honest. He guessed Terasu knew about the demonic art as much as he did, or even more.
"I see." Terasu's eyes glowed red.
'Is he scanning me?'
After a few seconds, Terasu spoke again "You cultivated the demonic overlord path. It must have been painful"
Shen nodded, it was the worst pain he had ever felt in his two lives.
"Do you not care that Dane died?" Shen asked the beast a question this time as it did not look at him with hostility but more curiosity.
"I am a guardian of the inheritance ground. My previous master placed me there to wait for an inheritor. However, thousands of years had passed and the place I was meant to be guarding became a prison. If you killed the inheritor a few thousand years ago, I would have instantly killed you. Now, I don't care, you have cultivated the demonic art meaning you carry my masters will now." Terasu answered, his voice was quite emotional compared to his usual indifference.
Shen sighed in relief, his life was in no danger "What will you do now?"
Terasu went silent for a few seconds "I don't know…"
'Hm?'
"Why?" Shen was curious and wanted to pry.
"After being imprisoned for so long, I don't know what to do with this freedom. My master's will was to follow and help the inheritor but he is dead."
"Well, why don't you follow me then?" Shen gave a smirk as he looked at Terasu.
Terasu tilted his head "Follow you?"
Shen nodded "Like you said, I am cultivating the demonic overlord path now, so I carry your master's will. Wouldn't that mean you should help me?"
"That makes sense, but…"
"Listen Terasu, I am much more capable than Dane would have ever been. You saw him for yourself, would he have actually amounted to much with such an opportunity? I can bring you to higher realms than Dane could have ever done! Don't you want to break your realm and experience the power of a tier 6 or even 7 beast? With me, you have the chance to become a heavenly beast."
Shen gave an entire speech to Terasu to rope him in because with his current strength, having a tier 5 beast as a companion is a golden opportunity that he can't afford to let go.
Tarasu listened to Shen in silence, but if one looked closely, they would see a sparkle in his eyes filled with temptation as Shen's confident words about advancing him to a higher power.
Every single beast in the world, even the most prideful and stubborn, would want the opportunity to ascend higher from their current realm and stand on top of the food chain.
Once Shen finished his sales pitch, Terasu immediately nodded "Okay, I will follow you."
Next, Terasu cut his paw, showing some blood, and extended it to Shen.
Shen bit down his thumb, blood dripping down, and placed it on Terasu's paw.
Next, Shen resited an incantation and Tarsu did the same, a red string formed between the two, attaching their cores.
"Contract successful." Tarasu commented.
"So what are you abilities?" Since Shen had a companion beast now, he wanted to take the time and learn everything about it.
"I am a shapeshifter. I can morph into items and living organisms. However, I don't gain their strength and I can't morph into something stronger than me. The simpler the target of my shifting, the quicker I can do it." Terasu summarized his general abilities.
'Shape-shifting huh…'
Shen brought out his crimson which had damages all over with scratch marks and pieces broken off like the tip.
Currently, his sword was completely useless in battle.
"Can you turn into this weapon?" Shen asked, as Terasu's eyes glowed red.
"Yes, it's quite simple." Terasu touched the sword and then his lion body and goat's head melted into a pool of bodily fluid.
Next, the liquid attached itself to Shen's other hand as it changed colours until it was red. Once it changed its colour, the liquid extended out of Shen's hand and formed a red crimson blade, looking exactly like his original but with no damage.
This entire process only took a matter of minutes and when the blade was formed, Shen felt really impressed.
It was nearly an identical replica of his sword, with the only difference being there was an eye on the blade's guard.
"Not bad." Shen dropped his old sword and started swinging Terasu.
'It feels stronger, probably because he is a tier 5 beast.' Shen concluded.
"Hey, what are those buildings?"
The eye on his blade glowed red as Terasu spoke "They are gateways to pocket dimension. Each building takes you to an enclosed area with powerful creatures but it's very rewarding."
"However, I suggest you come back when you've grown stronger."
Shen nodded, he already felt he wasn't strong enough as a tier 4 cultivator so no way he would when he is a tier 1.
"Alright, let's go."
Shen walked away from the buildings and inheritance ground.
"I sense your greed for power. Why?"
While Shen was walking, Terasu asked him a question as now that the two are linked, they had a rough idea of each other's emotions.
However, When Terasu asked, heavy, murderous intent swallowed their surroundings and with them being at the epicentre, even Terasu felt suffocated as he trembled.
'Its so strong! I, a tier 5 beast, find his murderous intent to be too much! Just how many had he killed!' Terasu thought as he tried to get a hold of himself.
Finally, Shen opened his mouth.
"To kill my father."