Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

"I will not kill you."

The red-backed giant wolf was taken aback.

Chu Zhou said, "Black Tiger King, lock it up in the Soul Locking Valley of Black Dragon Mountain. I will investigate the origin of the black stone before making any further decisions."

Black Tiger King bowed his head respectfully and said, "Your subordinate obeys."

The Black Tiger Guard dragged away the Red-backed Giant Wolf, and all the surrounding beasts fell silent. Chu Zhou did not kill the wolf directly just because it was tainted by the Black Tide.

However, no creature carrying pollution will be allowed to enter Black Dragon Lake; this is the rule of Black Dragon Lake.

Outside Heilong Lake.

In a dense forest dozens of kilometers away.

More than ten figures were hidden behind the rock wall.

They were all wearing specially made psionic cloaks, the inside of which was coated with gray powder to conceal the senses of the alien beasts.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sinister face.

He held a silver-black spirit net in his hand.

The spirit net is covered with runes that suppress the spiritual energy of alien beasts.

The man stared at the distant pack of snow wolves, his voice low: "See that wolf cub? It has a crescent moon mark between its brows; its ice bloodline is at least level six."

"If we catch it and sell it to the Beast Taming Merchants Association in Southeast Asia, we can exchange it for three sets of seventh-grade spiritual materials."

One of his subordinates hesitated and said, "Master Gu, this is the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone. The Azure Lotus Lord just killed the Overturning Sea Flood Dragon King. Are we really going to make a move in his forbidden zone?"

Gu Ting sneered: "He's busy preaching to all the beasts, he has no time to worry about the outside world. Besides, we won't go into Black Dragon Lake, we'll just catch one beast and leave."

"The Ninth Bureau is also outside; they can't just watch the alien beasts kill people."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the pack of snow wolves.

A wolf cub is lying next to its mother.

The icy blue moon pattern between its brows was even brighter than that of the Snowfield Wolf King.

Gu Ting was unaware that the shadow beneath his feet was gradually distorting.

The outer perimeter of the snow wolf pack.

A silver-black spiritual net suddenly fell from between the tree canopy.

hum!

The spirit net trapped several snow wolves.

Just as the wolf cub was about to run away, a long, black nail suddenly shot out.

puff!

A long nail pierced its shoulder.

The wolf cub let out a mournful howl.

The Snowfield Wolf King suddenly stood up.

The icy blue spiritual pressure swept through the mountains and forests like a blizzard.

"Humans!"

Gu Ting grabbed the spirit net and turned to flee.

More than ten members of the Spirit Hunters behind him simultaneously detonated smoke bombs.

A gray mist permeated the air.

The snow wolf pack was suppressed by the spirit network, and their spiritual energy could not be used for a time.

The Snowfield Wolf King roared and pounced forward, but a psionic cannon suddenly shot from the distant mountains and forests, blasting the ground in front of it.

The explosion kicked up a large amount of mud.

Taking advantage of the situation, Gu Ting led the wolf cub and fled towards the outskirts of Black Dragon Mountain.

This scene was clearly seen by the Black Tiger King's Shadow Patrol, and a chilling killing intent surfaced in the Black Tiger King's tiger eyes.

"court death."

It stepped into the shadows and vanished instantly.

Deep in the mountains and forests.

Gu Ting held the wolf cub, his face showing excitement.

"Quickly, once we're out of these mountains, no one can stop us!"

He had barely finished speaking.

The mountain road ahead suddenly darkened, and the shadows of the entire dense forest converged at their feet.

Gu Ting's expression changed drastically: "Stop!"

hum!

A gigantic phantom of a black tiger emerged from the darkness.

The Black Tiger King stood atop the giant tree, its massive body blocking out the moonlight, looking down at the members of the Spirit Hunter Guild below.

"Within a hundred miles of Black Dragon Lake, who gave you permission to harm my guest?"

Gu Ting gritted his teeth: "It's just a beast. What's the point of capturing it? Black Tiger King, do you really dare to kill us? The Ninth Bureau is just outside the mountains!"

The Black Tiger King did not answer; it simply raised its paw, and dozens of dark figures pounced out from the forest.

Just as the members of the Spirit Hunters were about to retaliate, the shadows beneath their feet transformed into chains, binding their legs.

"what!"

Screams rang out one after another.

Three fourth-tier awakened beings were dragged into the ground by the shadowy figure, leaving only a pool of blood behind.

Gu Ting roared, unleashing his full sixth-tier early-stage spiritual energy. The Soul-Locking Nail in his hand glowed with dark light and shot towards the Black Tiger King's brow.

Just as the Soul-Locking Nail flew out.

The ground cracked.

A single, bluish-silver root broke through the soil.

Snapped!

The Soul-Locking Nail was entangled by the roots.

The roots tightened, and the long, black nails crumbled inch by inch.

Gu Ting looked up.

Not far away, the shadow of a blue-silver lotus appeared above the mountain forest.

The sound of the lake seemed to travel hundreds of miles through mountains and rivers, echoing in everyone's ears.

Chu Zhou looked at Gu Ting.

"Human, you have harmed my beast destined for the Dao and stolen the spirit of my mountains and rivers. Who gave you the audacity?"

Gu Ting's face was deathly pale, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "Lord of the Azure Lotus, we are merely Awakened Ones. Hunting alien beasts is simply a human custom!"

Chu Zhou's lotus leaves swayed gently: "Human rules have no place over my Black Dragon Lake. I have never killed anyone without cause."

"But since you have stepped into the forbidden zone, you should abide by the rules of the forbidden zone and not harm my beast."

"die."

boom!

The green silver roots pierced through Gu Ting's chest.

Gu Ting's spiritual core exploded.

Before he could even scream, he was dragged into the depths of Black Dragon Mountain by the roots.

The remaining members of the Spirit Hunter Guild frantically begged for mercy.

Chu Zhou did not give them another chance.

The Black Tiger King roared.

The Black Tiger Guards pounced out of the shadows.

A moment later, the forest returned to silence, leaving only the shattered spirit net and a few pieces of bloodstained spirit energy equipment scattered on the ground.

The Snowfield Wolf King arrived with his pack.

It saw the wolf cub being carefully placed on the ground, and the wound on its shoulder from the Soul-Locking Nail was healing in the lotus light.

The Snowfield Wolf King remained silent for a long time.

Then, it lowered its head towards Chu Zhou's direction: "Northern Wolf Pack, Lord Xie Qinglian."

Chu Zhou said, "No need to thank me. Since you've come to Black Dragon Lake, you're a guest. And not just anyone can touch my guests."

The Snowfield Wolf King whispered, "If one day the Lord of the Azure Lotus needs the wolves of the Northern Frontier, the wolves are willing to brave the wind and snow for the Lord of the Azure Lotus."

Outside Heilong Mountain.

The surveillance equipment of the Lingnan branch of the Ninth Bureau recorded this scene in its entirety.

Inside the temporary command vehicle, everyone fell silent.

A young team member couldn't help but ask, "Lord of the Azure Lotus, did you really kill them all?"

Zhou Zhenshan watched the screen as Gu Ting and the others trespassed into the restricted area, hunting down strange beasts and using Soul-Locking Nails and psionic artillery.

From any perspective, there is absolutely no room for explanation.

"Verify their identities."

Zhou Zhenshan said, "All of the Hunter's Guild's strongholds have been destroyed. Also, issue a warning to the entire country."

"The Black Dragon Lake is a 500-mile restricted area. No one may enter without permission, hunt exotic beasts that have traveled the path, or damage the spiritual veins of the mountains and rivers."

Wang Jun nodded: "Understood."

Zhou Zhenshan looked at the distant mountains: "The Lord of the Azure Lotus abides by its rules, and the Dragon Kingdom should also abide by its own rules."

Images of the Spirit Hunters' destruction quickly spread online.

Public opinion exploded immediately.

Someone exclaimed in fear, "The Lord of the Azure Lotus has killed someone! Who will dare to approach Lingnan now?"

Another person said, "The restricted area marker is right there, yet they still went to catch young animals. Who's to blame if they die?"

"They even dare to steal sixth-tier beast cubs. Who knows how many beasts these people have killed in the past?"

"The Lord of the Azure Lotus did not attack humans from beginning to end; it was the Spirit Hunters who crossed the line first."

Many others, however, are concerned with something else.

Chu Zhou did not kill a single beast today.

Instead, they were a few awakened humans who, despite knowing the rules of the forbidden zone, still wanted to treat the alien beasts as commodities.

Heilonghu's stance is crystal clear.

It does not seek to befriend humans.

It does not accept anyone's condescending control. It will not offend people unless they offend it, but anyone who dares to offend it, whether human or beast, will be killed.

On Heilong Lake.

Chu Zhou returned to the lakeside platform.

Nearly ten thousand strange beasts stared at the nine-leafed green lotus, and there was not a sound in the mountains and forests.

The Ironback Bear King stood up.

It looked at Chu Zhou and said in a deep voice, "I originally thought that you were trying to tame the beasts so that they wouldn't eat people. But now it seems that I was wrong."

Chu Zhou said, "I don't tame beasts for anyone. I'm just telling you that exotic beasts can guard the mountains, cultivate, and coexist peacefully with humans."

"But it is by no means anyone's slave, nor anyone's food. Who would want to step on the head of a strange beast, use it to refine pills, extract its core, draw its blood, or refine its soul?"

"I will crush whoever comes my way."

boom!

The black gold imperial seal fell.

The entire Black Dragon Lake was filled with spiritual energy.

Chu Zhou's voice echoed throughout Black Dragon Mountain: "From this day forward, the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone shall establish three ironclad rules."

"Firstly, the beasts in the restricted area are not allowed to cross the boundary and eat people without cause."

Secondly, humans are not allowed to enter restricted areas or hunt lawful beasts.

"Thirdly, the Black Tide is the mortal enemy of all spirits. Whoever uses the Black Tide to cultivate will become a mortal enemy of Black Dragon Lake."

"If you can hold on, stay; if you can't, get out."

The Green-backed Ape King was the first to stand up. It clasped its fists together and said in a deep voice, "Qinling Green-backed Ape, I am willing to keep this promise."

The Snowfield Wolf King lowered his head: "The Northern Wolf Pack is willing to uphold this covenant."

The Azure-Scaled Python King coiled its body: "In the Python Valley of Yunnan, I am willing to keep this promise."

The Ironback Bear King raised its giant paw and pressed it heavily onto the floating island: "Sichuan Bear Ridge, we are willing to keep this promise."

Lord Baishan and King Heihu walked up to Chu Zhou at the same time.

One left and one right.

The White Tiger exudes a murderous aura as imposing as a mountain.

The shadow of the black tiger was as dark as night.

"White Tiger Ridge, we are willing to obey our master's orders!"

"Black Tiger Ridge, we are willing to obey our master's orders!"

The next moment, outside Black Dragon Lake, nearly ten thousand strange beasts simultaneously crouched down.

The roar of the beast echoed throughout the mountains of Lingnan.

"I vow to keep the promise made to Qinglian!"

"I vow to keep the promise made to Qinglian!"

"I vow to keep the promise made to Qinglian!"

Boom!

The aura of all beasts converges.

Above Heilong Lake, a huge black and gold lotus pattern slowly emerged.

Chu Zhou felt the response from the surrounding mountains and forests, and the lotus leaves swayed gently.

Night fell.

The spiritual light of the Myriad Beasts Platform has not yet dissipated.

The Ironback Bear King sat alone on the outermost floating island and suddenly spoke: "Lord of the Azure Lotus."

Chu Zhou looked at it, and the Iron-Backed Bear King remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice: "Before I came to Lingnan, I heard a voice in an ancient underground cave in Sichuan."

"He said that when the fourth spiritual tide descends, all the strange beasts that refuse to submit to the Lord of the Abyss will become sacrifices. The voice was very weak. The remnant of the black tide on my shoulder was brought out from that ancient cave."