Chapter 2016: Can’t Even Compare To A Beast

Although the Giant Ape King had received Shang Xia’s promise, in truth, its intelligence, already no weaker than that of ordinary men, made it feel uneasy.

It might not have known the saying about being cautious of those of other races, but it understood the principle well enough. Naturally, it was doubtful whether Shang Xia would truly keep his word.

After news spread through Essence Luxuriant World that Shang Xia had created a high-level movement inheritance and left its imprints in the outer void, the Giant Ape King, despite not being very enthusiastic about the Essence Luxuriant World’s affairs in the past, pushed the Spirit Frost World to send a group of promising rank five beasts together with several rank six beast kings across the chaotic streams into the void around the Essence Luxuriant World.

Though the beast kings of the Spirit Frost World did not believe Shang Xia’s movement art would work for their kind, the Giant Ape King mainly wished to take the opportunity to meet Shang Xia openly.

Unexpectedly, after entering the space around the Essence Luxuriant World, although the group of beasts caused much tension, the process went smoothly without misunderstandings. But when they truly came into contact with the imprints of the Big Dipper Star Shift Steps left by Shang Xia, several high-ranked beasts seemed to have triggered their bloodline inheritances. They began, in their own unique way, to move through the void along the imprints.

When the Big Dipper Star Shift Steps was first revealed, cultivators in the Martial Dipper Realm from the Essence Luxuriant World and their auxiliary Spirit Worlds flocked endlessly to attempt to comprehend it.

Yet the proportion of those who actually managed to learn anything was extremely low, not even one in a hundred.

And even those lucky enough to comprehend it rarely managed to learn the entire inheritance.

The Big Dipper Star Shift Steps had 81 steps in total, but over 60 percent of those who succeeded stopped at the first nine.

Even so, those nine steps were not to be underestimated. Anyone who mastered them would greatly improve their speed and escape ability.

Of the remainder, three-quarters were stuck before the 36th step. In fact, most had only reached the tens or twenties.

Still, those who managed 36 steps gained a profound understanding of void and space, especially in traversing the void with ease.

Beyond that, at 49 steps, the footwork formed its first minor cycle. Those who reached it could synchronize their inner qi with the movement art, increasing inner qi circulation and cultivation efficiency, thereby accelerating their advancement.

Almost all who had hope of reaching 49 steps had already done so, and they were mostly True Immortals.

But beyond 49 steps, only a single person had the potential to complete the full 81 steps. She was Shang Xia’s sole direct disciple, Hai Yuanyuan.

It was said that the first time she followed Shang Xia’s footsteps, she immediately took 64 steps, stunning everyone present.

No one knew how far she had progressed since then, but everyone believed it was only a matter of time before she mastered all 81.

The Big Dipper Star Shift Steps was powerful, but extremely difficult to comprehend. It soon became common knowledge across the Essence Luxuriant World and the Spirit Worlds.

Before the imprints in the void completely faded, the Giant Ape King led three rank six beast kings and 12 rank five beasts from the Spirit Frost World over to attempt to comprehend its mysteries.

At first, high-level cultivators of the Essence Luxuriant World and the other Spirit Worlds scoffed at their attempt. The footwork had been created by Sage Shang, clearly tailored for human cultivators. Beasts, with bodies and cultivation paths so different, could hardly benefit.

Even the high-level beasts of the Spirit Frost World themselves had little hope, or else they would not have come so late.

Still, their arrival and their presence which were hardly seen outside their world, drew many spectators.

Then, when the first rank five beast, a giant serpent, tried following the void imprints, a strange resonance happened. Starlight from the void was drawn toward it, merging with the serpent as it weaved through the void, combining the movement inheritance with its movement arts.

Though serpents had no feet, its movements while slithering around were no different from the void imprints left by Shang Xia in the void.

It was a strange, profound harmony. It was a resonance that came from their origins.

One step, two steps... nine steps.

The serpent completed the first threshold of the inheritance. Its massive body still flickered through the void imprints.

10... 11... 16... 24... Finally, exhausted, it fell short of the 36th step.

Even so, the beasts of the Spirit Frost World had already amazed all present.

News spread quickly, drawing more and more to watch. Even high-level cultivators from the other Spirit Worlds came to look.

Yet after the serpent, the next two rank five beasts failed to resonate with the void imprints, which made many cultivators secretly sigh in relief.

"If the beasts of the Spirit Frost World outdid us humans at mastering Sage Shang’s movement art, we will truly be a laughingstock."

But they had little time to relax before the fourth beast, a rank five bird, stepped forward. Though it took longer to sense the imprints, just as it was about to give up, a strange resonance happened.

That meant it too had the right and ability to inherit Shang Xia’s Big Dipper Star Shift Steps.

Though its affinity with the technique was low, it managed only seven steps before falling out of the strange state. However... That placed it among the majority of human cultivators who had tried.

"Hey... Don’t tell me we humans can’t even match those the beasts of the Spirit Frost World?!” A cultivator from the surrounding voice muttered, voicing what many others secretly thought.