Meeting an "Old Friend"

Jiang Donghua slowly straightened up. Blood dripped from the short blade onto the ground with soft pattering sounds.

His cold gaze swept over the several Demonic Beasts emerging from the dense forest.

The Ironback Grey Wolf, its fur like steel needles and fangs gleaming coldly, had led its pack to surround him three times. Yet after he killed seven Grey Wolves in return, it had fled.

The Shadow Demon Leopard, black from head to toe and moving like a ghost, excelled at sneak attacks. It had nearly succeeded once while he was fighting another Demonic Beast.

The Red-Eyed Giant Ape, with bulging arm muscles and boundless strength, could smash boulders with a single punch. It had once joined forces with the Earth Quake Bear, forcing Jiang Donghua to temporarily avoid their edge.

These creatures were all long-standing overlords of this region, each possessing the strength of a peak Fighter!

Over the past month or so, they had joined forces more than once to kill Jiang Donghua, yet he had always escaped with the ghostly movement technique of Cloud-Chasing Steps.

And now, as they stared at the Earth Quake Bear's corpse on the ground, a trace of human-like shock appeared in their beastly eyes!

How many days had it even been?!

During the last siege, this human had been forced into a miserable retreat by them. He could only rely on Cloud-Chasing Steps to maneuver and had not dared face them head-on at all!

But now, he had actually killed the Earth Quake Bear alone?!

"Why? Surprised?"

A cold smile curled across Jiang Donghua's lips. The longsword spun once in his palm, glinting with chilling light.

"Roar—!"

The Ironback Grey Wolf let out a low growl. A flicker of apprehension passed through its wolf eyes, only to be swiftly replaced by ferocity.

As the king of the wolf pack, it would never tolerate provocation from its prey!

The Shadow Demon Leopard lowered its body, its jet-black fur nearly blending into the shadows as it prepared to launch a fatal strike at any moment.

The Red-Eyed Giant Ape pounded its chest and released a thunderous roar. But this time, there was less arrogance in its cry and more caution.

"Heh, it seems you still haven't recognized reality."

A fierce gleam flashed in Jiang Donghua's eyes as Dou Qi erupted from within him!

"Boom—!"

The aura of a Seven-Star Battle Master burst forth without reservation. Yet unlike before, his Dou Qi now faintly carried a scorching Fire attribute fluctuation!

The tempering of the Azure Spirit Body Tempering Grass had further strengthened his body and made the circulation of his Dou Qi even smoother!

"Today, none of you are leaving!"

Before his words had faded, Jiang Donghua's figure vanished abruptly!

Cloud-Chasing Steps: Afterimage!

"Whoosh—!"

He was faster than before. An afterimage remained where he had stood, while his true body appeared behind the Red-Eyed Giant Ape like a ghost!

Blazing Palm: Burst!

His right palm glowed red like heated iron. Scorching Dou Qi compressed to the limit as he viciously struck the giant ape's back!

"Bang—!"

"Awoo—!"

The Red-Eyed Giant Ape cried out in pain. The fur on its back instantly charred black as its massive body staggered forward!

"Roar!"

Seeing this, the Ironback Grey Wolf immediately pounced, its fangs aiming straight for Jiang Donghua's throat!

Jiang Donghua sneered, ducked low, and thrust his short blade upward like a venomous snake!

"Splat!"

The blade pierced precisely through the Wolf King's lower jaw, spraying blood everywhere!

"Awooo—!"

The Wolf King retreated wildly in pain, but how could Jiang Donghua let it go?

"Trying to run?"

Dou Qi burst beneath his feet as he chased after it like lightning. With a backhand strike, he unleashed another Blazing Palm directly at the Wolf King's waist and abdomen!

"Boom—!"

The Wolf King was sent flying by the palm strike. It crashed through several large trees before finally stopping, blood spilling from its mouth. It had clearly suffered internal injuries!

"Whoosh—!"

The Shadow Demon Leopard finally seized its chance. It sprang from the shadows, its claws digging straight toward Jiang Donghua's back!

"I've been waiting for you!"

Without even turning around, Jiang Donghua hurled the longsword in his left hand backward!

"Sshk—!"

The short blade flashed like lightning through the Demon Leopard's front paw, pinning it to the ground!

"Roar—!"

The Demon Leopard howled miserably and struggled to free itself, but Jiang Donghua had already turned and closed in. Flames rose again from his right palm!

"Die!"

"Boom—!"

The Blazing Palm slammed heavily onto the Demon Leopard's head. Scorching Dou Qi exploded in an instant, blood pouring from its seven orifices as it died on the spot!

In just a few breaths, three peak Fighter Demonic Beasts—

One was injured, one crippled, and one dead!

The Ironback Grey Wolf struggled to rise, and fear finally surfaced in its beastly eyes.

The Red-Eyed Giant Ape clutched its charred back and panted heavily, no longer daring to advance.

They finally understood that this human was no longer prey they could hunt!

"Now you know fear?"

Jiang Donghua shook the blood from his hand, his gaze icy.

"Too bad. It's too late."

He slowly raised his hand as Dou Qi gathered once more.

"Roar—!"

Suddenly, an earth-shaking roar came from deep within the dense forest. The soundwaves rolled like thunder, shaking leaves from the trees!

Jiang Donghua paused, his brows knitting slightly.

That sound?

It was even more terrifying than the Earth Quake Bear!

Upon hearing the roar, the Ironback Grey Wolf and the Red-Eyed Giant Ape seemed to receive a pardon. Without looking back, they fled into the depths of the forest!

Jiang Donghua only found the roar somewhat familiar, but naturally, his priority now was to chase down those two pieces of trash.

Jiang Donghua flicked the blood from his sword, his eyes as cold as ice.

At his feet, the Ironback Grey Wolf's head had been chopped in half, brain matter and blood smeared across the ground.

Beside it, the Red-Eyed Giant Ape's chest had been burned open by Blazing Palm, leaving a charred hole that still smoked.

"Useless trash, wasting my time!"

He cursed and kicked the Wolf King's corpse aside.

Three peak Fighter Demonic Beasts, yet not one of them had dropped a single beast core!

These beasts had once relied on their numbers to try to surround and kill him time and again.

And now, they had all become souls beneath his blade.

From the distant forest, that roar continued to roll over like muffled thunder, making the leaves rustle loudly.

Jiang Donghua narrowed his eyes, his ears twitching.

"This sound is a little familiar?"

He thought about it but could not remember what Demonic Beast it belonged to.

But it did not matter.

Whatever it was, he would kill it first and talk later!

"Not like I have anything better to do."

He bared his teeth in a grim smile. Dou Qi exploded beneath his feet, and he shot toward the source of the sound like an arrow!

Moving like lightning, Jiang Donghua raced across the branches. Then, a familiar foul stench suddenly reached his nose—damp, rotten, and mixed with a faint scent of blood.

Blackwater Mysterious Snake!

His pupils contracted slightly. He halted atop the branch of a giant tree and swept a cold gaze downward.

Below lay a small pool, its water black as ink and its surface glimmering with an eerie dim light.

Beside the pool, a large black-scaled snake as thick as a massive tree was coiled up. Its tongue flicked in and out, and its vertical pupils were icy. It was unmistakably the Blackwater Mysterious Snake that had escaped from his side earlier!

It possessed the strength of a Two-Star or Three-Star Dou Shi, and with its terrifying venom, even a Dou Ling expert would not dare easily fight it within the pool!

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Donghua's lips.

"Heh, so it's you, you stinking snake."

But soon, his gaze landed on the other side of the pool.

There, another enormous Crocodile-type Demonic Beast was crouching!

Its entire body was dark green, its scales as hard as iron, and its fangs gleamed menacingly. Its four limbs were as thick as pillars, and a single sweep of its tail could leave a deep crack in stone!

An Eight-Star Dou Shi!

Jiang Donghua narrowed his eyes.

"Interesting. A tiny pool like this actually drew a creature of this level?"

The Blackwater Mysterious Snake had clearly noticed the crocodile Demonic Beast as well. Its body tensed slightly, cold killing intent flickering in its snake eyes.

Meanwhile, the crocodile Demonic Beast slowly raised its head. Its blood-red eyes fixed tightly on the Blackwater Mysterious Snake as a deep growl rumbled from its throat.

The two ferocious beasts were locked in a standoff!

Jiang Donghua stood with his arms folded, amusement flashing through his eyes.

"It seems there's something good that both of these creatures have set their sights on?"

His gaze swept across the pool. Suddenly, he noticed a faint dim-blue glow flickering in its deepest waters.

A Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure?

Jiang Donghua's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly calmed down.

"Heh, when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits."

With a cold laugh, he quietly concealed himself within the tree shadows and waited for the best moment to strike.

Since he was here, none of them were getting away!