"Calm down. Patience," Xiao Feng said, placing a hand on Zi Yan's shoulder before she could spring forward.
Her eyes were fixed on the three Blood Origin Fruits, gleaming like crimson gems beneath the sunlight. It was clear she was already imagining herself plucking them from the tree.
"Don't act rashly," Xiao Feng warned. "That valley is the Scarlet Kirin King's lair. A treasure of this level would never be left unprotected. There are almost certainly defensive measures in place."
Zi Yan reluctantly stopped, though her gaze never left the fruits.
Xiao Feng continued in a low, serious voice.
"It would be nearly impossible to take those fruits right now without alerting both beasts. And I'm fairly certain none of us want to be chased by two enraged rank-six magical beasts."
Zi Yan's shoulders slumped.
"That... would be unpleasant."
"Unpleasant?" Xiao Yi Xian said with a laugh. "That would be suicidal."
Even the Snow Demon Ape gave a solemn grunt, as if strongly agreeing.
Xiao Feng nodded.
"Exactly. We wait. Only when both sides are severely weakened will we have a real opportunity. Until then, we do nothing."
Those words were enough to cool Zi Yan's enthusiasm.
She folded her arms and huffed.
"Fine. I'll wait."
"Good choice," Xiao Feng said with a smile.
He knew all too well how dangerous the situation was. Even one ordinary rank-six magical beast was a terrifying opponent. Facing two at once—especially beasts as powerful as these—would be disastrous.
Unless he resorted to his most extreme trump cards, escape would be uncertain.
And using such a priceless resource for just a few Blood Origin Fruits would be a terrible bargain.
"Let's move back," Xiao Feng said. "The Scarlet Kirin King is likely still monitoring its nest, even while fighting. The longer we stay close, the greater the chance of being discovered."
Zi Yan nodded immediately.
Even she knew when caution was necessary.
The group quietly withdrew and relocated to a concealed hilltop overlooking the battlefield from a safe distance.
From there, they could observe everything without risking exposure.
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.
Yet the battle showed no signs of ending.
If anything, it had only grown more violent.
The Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King and the Twin-Winged Scarlet Kirin King had long since abandoned all restraint. Their clash was no longer about intimidation or territory—it had become a true fight to the death.
Each strike carried murderous intent.
Each roar shook the heavens.
The surrounding landscape had been utterly devastated. Forests were flattened, cliffs shattered, and the earth itself was torn apart.
"It seems neither intends to retreat," Xiao Yi Xian said quietly.
"They can't," Xiao Feng replied. "At this point, only one will leave alive."
Zi Yan grinned.
"Perfect."
Then, suddenly—
"ROAR!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the battlefield.
The Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King's eyes turned blood-red. Its already enormous body swelled even larger, muscles bulging as dark earth-attributed energy surged wildly around it.
Its aura skyrocketed.
"It's entering a berserk state," Xiao Feng said, his eyes narrowing.
The Snow Demon Ape growled softly, clearly recognizing the phenomenon.
Like many powerful bear-type magical beasts, the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King possessed a natural berserk ability. Once activated, its strength, speed, and ferocity increased dramatically.
But such power came at a price.
After the berserk state ended, the backlash would be severe.
It was the ultimate all-or-nothing gamble.
"Now the real battle begins," Xiao Feng said.
The effect was immediate.
The previous stalemate shattered.
Empowered by its berserk transformation, the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King began overwhelming the Scarlet Kirin King.
Massive claws struck with devastating force.
The Scarlet Kirin King attempted to use its superior speed to evade, but its weakened condition from recent childbirth was becoming increasingly apparent.
It could no longer maintain its usual agility.
The berserk bear relentlessly pursued it.
Soon, the battle descended into pure savagery.
They crashed into one another again and again, each attack drawing blood.
Deep wounds tore across their bodies.
Scales shattered.
Fur was ripped away.
Blood soaked the battlefield.
Even from their distant vantage point, the intensity was breathtaking.
Xiao Yi Xian watched with a mixture of awe and concern.
"Magical beasts truly fight without reservation."
"That's why they're so dangerous," Xiao Feng replied.
Fifteen more minutes passed.
By now, both kings were covered in horrific injuries. There was hardly an unmarked patch of flesh left on either body.
Their auras had weakened considerably.
Then, at last, the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King's berserk aura began to fade.
Its power receded like a falling tide.
"It's ending," Xiao Feng said.
The Scarlet Kirin King sensed it as well.
Its blazing eyes lit up with renewed hope.
If it could survive just a little longer, victory would be within reach.
But the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King clearly understood this too.
Its expression twisted with madness and determination.
"ROAR!"
It threw back its head and opened its massive jaws.
All the Dou Qi remaining within its battered body surged toward its mouth, condensing into an intensely compressed sphere of earthy-yellow energy.
The air itself trembled.
A terrifying aura of destruction spread outward.
Xiao Feng's expression changed instantly.
"That attack..."
Even he could feel the danger.
The Scarlet Kirin King's pupils contracted sharply.
It knew instinctively that this was a life-ending strike.
Without hesitation, it burned its remaining energy, forcing its speed to the absolute limit.
Then—
"BOOM!"
A beam of devastating earth energy erupted from the bear's mouth, tearing through the battlefield like a divine spear.
The explosion that followed was deafening.
The Scarlet Kirin King was hurled backward like a meteor, crashing through dozens of trees before slamming violently into the ground.
Dust and debris filled the air.
When the smoke finally cleared, the extent of the damage became visible.
A horrifying wound had been blasted through the Scarlet Kirin King's abdomen. The bloody hole was nearly as wide as a barrel, exposing shattered flesh and bone.
Crimson blood poured onto the scorched earth.
Its aura plummeted instantly.
Though still alive, it had clearly lost almost all ability to continue fighting.
Only the extraordinary vitality of a rank-six magical beast kept it alive.
As for the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King—
After unleashing that final attack, its massive body collapsed.
Its life force rapidly faded.
That last strike had consumed everything.
Its remaining Dou Qi.
Its vitality.
Its very life.
It had chosen to gamble everything on a single decisive blow.
And it had succeeded.
The battlefield fell silent.
One beast lay dying.
The other was barely able to move.
A perfect case of mutual destruction.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Zi Yan's eyes lit up with excitement.
"This is it!"
Xiao Yi Xian smiled faintly, though her gaze remained cautious.
"The opportunity we've been waiting for."
Even the Snow Demon Ape straightened, sensing the importance of the moment.
Xiao Feng's eyes gleamed.
In contrast to the carnage here, the faces of Xiao femg and the other, who witnessed it all, were filled with wild joy.
The scene before them was simply as perfect as it could possibly be.
Instantly, Xiao Feng and his companions no longer concealed themselves. The Dou Qi Wings on Xiao Feng's back unfurled in an instant, while Xiao Yi Xian floated gracefully beside him. Zi Yan leaped forward excitedly, and the Snow Demon Ape followed closely behind. In a flash, the group descended above the battlefield—more precisely, directly before the heavily wounded Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King.
"What!? There are actually humans here!?"
Upon seeing Xiao Feng, Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, and the Snow Demon Ape appear, the incredibly weak Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King—lying in a vast pool of blood—underwent a drastic change in expression. Its voice was filled with anger, shock, and despair.
Clearly, it had never expected a third party to be lurking nearby.
In the past, even if it were not at its peak, it would not have spared a second glance for a group like this. But now, everything was different. Never mind Xiao Feng and his companions—even an ordinary Dou Ling, or perhaps even a Great Dou Master, could potentially end its life in its current state.
At this moment, it was truly meat on the chopping block.
Its life and death were entirely in the hands of others.
How could it not feel despair?
"Xiao Feng, what are you waiting for?" Zi Yan urged impatiently, her eyes sparkling. "Just do it! Delays only invite trouble!"
After all, this was a genuine peak rank-six magical beast. Who knew what final trump cards it might still possess?
"No rush," Xiao Feng said calmly.
As he sized up the Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King, a thoughtful glint flashed across his eyes.
This was no ordinary magical beast.
It was a peak rank-six existence, equivalent to a peak Dou Huang powerhouse. Furthermore, due to its powerful bloodline and magical beast physique, its combat strength in its prime far surpassed that of an average human expert at the same realm.
Below the Dou Zong level, there were very few who could truly threaten it.
If he could subdue such a beast, it would become an invaluable ally.
Xiao Feng had considered obtaining a magical beast companion before. However, rank-five beasts no longer interested him. Their strength, while respectable, would not be enough to truly assist him in the challenges ahead.
But this Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King...
That was an entirely different matter.
"Human," the Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King said warily, its enormous eyes fixed on Xiao Feng. "What do you want?"
It could sense that Xiao Feng's intentions were far from simple.
Xiao Feng stepped forward, his expression calm but commanding.
"Submit to me. Acknowledge me as your master, and you may live."
"What!?"
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King's eyes widened with fury.
"Submit? To you? A mere Dou Wang dares to ask this king to become your servant? Preposterous! Even if I die, I will never agree!"
Its roar echoed across the battlefield.
Xiao Feng was completely unsurprised by the reaction.
Instead, he merely smiled faintly.
"That is unfortunate," he said. "I simply feel sorry for your cub. Without your protection, I wonder how long it will survive. Perhaps it will become prey for other magical beasts... or worse."
"You—!"
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King's expression changed instantly.
It had not expected Xiao Feng to know about its offspring.
The mention of its cub struck directly at its greatest weakness.
Without its protection, the young Scarlet Qilin would have little chance of survival in the unforgiving Magical Beast Mountain Range.
"I will give you one final choice," Xiao Feng said, his voice turning cold.
"Submit—or die."
He paused before continuing.
"If you submit, both you and your cub will receive a share of the Blood Origin Fruits. In fact, once my skills improve, I can refine them into medicinal pills. Their effects would far exceed consuming the fruits directly."
"Neither you nor your child would lose anything."
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King froze.
"Blood Origin Fruits..."
Then its eyes narrowed.
"Wait... you're an alchemist?"
Xiao Feng smiled.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly."
"My name is Xiao Feng, Student of the Alchemy Department of Canaan Academy's Inner Academy."
"I am fourteen years old."
"I am currently a sixth-rank alchemist."
"Given enough time, reaching the seventh rank is merely a matter of course. In the future, even the eighth rank is not beyond my reach."
He extended his hand.
A strand of jade-red Heavenly Flame rose into the air, dancing like a living spirit. Under his precise control, it transformed into dragons, phoenixes, swords, and countless intricate forms.
At the same time, his vast soul strength spread outward like an invisible ocean.
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King's eyes widened in shock.
"What terrifying soul power..."
"And such flawless control over flame..."
There was no longer the slightest doubt in its heart.
This young man was not merely an alchemist—he was a monstrous genius among alchemists.
A fourteen-year-old sixth-rank alchemist.
Such talent was almost unheard of.
For a magical beast with an exceptionally long lifespan, waiting a decade or two was nothing.
But in exchange, it could gain the support of a future seventh-rank—or perhaps even eighth-rank—alchemist.
That was an opportunity beyond measure.
Xiao Feng folded his arms.
"Now, make your choice."
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King fell silent.
Its gaze shifted toward the hidden cave where its cub lay.
Then it looked at Xiao Feng once more.
Finally, it lowered its proud head.
"I agree."
It opened its soul willingly.
Without hesitation, Xiao Feng formed a soul seal and gently imprinted it upon the Scarlet Qilin King's soul, completing the master-servant contract.
The moment the contract was established, Xiao Feng felt a powerful connection form between them.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Subduing a peak rank-six magical beast was no small achievement.
Immediately afterward, he retrieved several high-grade healing pills from his storage ring and handed them over.
"These will stabilize your injuries."
The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King consumed them without hesitation. Although they were far from enough to fully heal such severe wounds, they were more than sufficient to restore its mobility and prevent its condition from worsening.
As the Scarlet Qilin King refined the medicinal power, Xiao Feng turned toward his companions.
"Zi Yan, Xiao Yi Xian, let's collect our spoils."
Zi Yan grinned brightly.
"Finally!"
The Snow Demon Ape pounded its chest excitedly.
Together, Xiao Feng, Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, and the Snow Demon Ape walked toward the enormous corpse of the Earthshatter Tyrant Bear King, ready to harvest the valuable materials from this peak rank-six magical beast.
This battle had ended exactly as they had hoped.
And their rewards would be immense.