DOOM!!!
The moment Tianyu Xing looked ahead, true fear seized him.
For the first time in his life, something primal screamed inside his chest.
Run.
If he stayed even a second longer, he would die.
"W–what… is that thing?" Tianyu muttered, staggering backwards.
Before him stood a horned creature cloaked in black scales. Its eyes burned crimson, and thick, corrupted Qi coiled around its massive body like living smoke.
Its jaws were wide, and in one hand, it held Bou Fēng dangling helplessly in the air.
"Mmm… It's been so long since I last ate," the beast rumbled, its voice deep and distorted.
"And this time… a thousand pigs have delivered themselves to me, how nice."
"Curse those Shaolin toasts to think reduced me to this state."
It dropped Bou Fēng into its mouth.
Crunch!!!
Blood exploded outward as the creature chewed casually.
Tianyu's stomach twisted. The beast's gaze slowly shifted. Mo Fang stood frozen, paralysed by terror.
"Mmm… this one lacked flavour," the creature mused.
"I wonder if you'll taste any better."
"Stay away, stay away!" Mo Fang screamed, scrambling backwards on his hands.
He threw his blades, but they bounced off the creature's body, hitting the ground with a dull clank.
"Useless."
The creature seized his leg effortlessly, lifting him screaming into the air, then dropped him into its jaws.
Crunch! Crunch!
Mo Fang's wails echoed briefly, then stopped.
…
Silence.
The beast chewed lazily, as if mildly disappointed.
"Puhhh… how bland," it sneered.
"Humans have grown so mediocre."
It licked its lips.
"To think you once pushed my Demonic Sect to the brink of destruction and now you possess only traces of that power."
Its eyes narrowed.
"This brat's Wind God Root is so diluted… but I suppose it will suffice."
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Bones shifted.
Flesh twisted.
The creature roared as its body began to change.
"RAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Its form shrank and reshaped, black scales melting into pale white skin, horns retracting as its body refined itself moments later, and Mo Fang's appearance stood where the monster had been.
Taller.
Sharper.
Eyes cold, pulsing with demonic energy.
The creature flexed its fingers, testing the body.
"…This will do for now."
"Mmm… I felt eyes watching me."
The new Mo Fang leapt to the place where Tianyu Xing had been hiding, only to find nothing.
Tianyu was already gone.
Using his movement technique, he fled at full speed, pushing his body to its limits.
"Tch… the rat escaped," the demonic Mo Fang muttered, his lips curling.
"It must've been the one fighting this body before I awakened."
His eyes glinted coldly.
"No matter. Running only delays the inevitable."
He turned west.
"I'll find you all soon enough."
Elsewhere…. In else.
Tianyu Xing was still running, his breath ragged as a cave came into view along the side of the mountain.
"What the hell was that thing …" Tianyu thought, finally slowing.
"I searched for weaknesses but found none, it was just standing there with no attack stance, it was just oozing danger."
His jaw tightened.
"Just what is this place? It's just one monster after another…"
Voices.
Chatter echoed ahead.
"F*cken, damn it," Tianyu cursed quietly.
"Do I ever get a chance to rest?"
He immediately suppressed most of the Qi he had spread earlier and slipped behind a massive boulder, hiding his presence completely.
"I can't afford another fight right now. I used too much Qi"
From his vantage point, he watched.
"Zhou Lung," someone pleaded, "I'll give you three Spirit Peaches if you let me join your group!"
More voices followed offers of treasures, pills, and herbs, all just for a chance to stand beside Zhou Lung.
"So that's how it is,"
"He's practically a magnet for fortune."
Tianyu closed his eyes, circulating his Qi and refining the herbs he had eaten earlier.
A faint frost shimmered around him, mixed with subtle heat and flowing wind.
"…Whoa."
His eyes snapped open.
"Using wind, ice, and fire together makes refining so much easier."
The medicinal essence was separated smoothly, pure and potent, flooding through his body.
Tianyu exhaled slowly as his strength returned.
"This place is dangerous," he thought. He continued and kept watch, the groups grew larger as more people gathered, even those who had no intention of joining were here now.
"Oh… is that Shéyǎn? I thought it would take longer before I saw him again. He still hasn't met up with Momo. I should g—"
From a distance, Ye Xing arrived at the gathering as well.
Tianyu leapt down from his vantage point and walked toward the group.
"You—"
"You—"
"Tianyu…"
"Tianyu Xing…"
Four people called out at the same time: Shéyǎn, Ye Xing, Zhou Lung, and Huǒ Yànhuā.
"Hey, psst—who is that? Is he some famous genius?" someone whispered.
"Mmm… not really. He was considered the weakest, but now I'm not so sure. Just the fact that he's survived until now makes me think otherwise."
"The weakest ha…!?"
"You're still alive, huh? When I saw them take you and not see you when they were raising us, I thought you were done for," Huǒ Yànhuā walked toward Tianyu Xing.
"Yeah… It's surprising seeing you here as well."
"Thank you so much for your help last time, but why didn't you tell me you were Tianyu?" Huǒ Yànhuā launched herself at Tianyu, hugging him.
As their bodies met, Tianyu felt his Qi resonate with her, and his body felt warm.
"Whoa," Tianyu staggered backwards, confusion riddled all over his face.
"Ha? So, have you already met the requirement of hunting the beast?" Yànhuā glanced at Tianyu's back palm.
"What's with you all of a sudden? You have gotten bold, haven't you?" Tianyu's voice was a whisper.
"Who's that acting all high and mighty with princess Huǒ Yànhuā?" murmurs spread among the men.
"Damn… what's up with these guys? I can feel their gazes from here, some are even leaking killing intent," Tianyu thought.
"It was nice seeing you again," Tianyu said, moving away from Huǒ Yànhuā.
"Where are you going?" Her eyes widened as she grabbed Tianyu's hand.
"Are you trying to get me killed by your fans…?" Tianyu said, pulling his hand free.
"What are you afraid of?" Her voice softened, almost pleading.
"A cultivator should fear nothing; are you not a man?" she whispered.
Tianyu's face flushed as he quickly moved away.
"Kukuku… how cute, seeing him so flustered," Huǒ Yànhuā thought as she watched Tianyu walk away.