Soul Beast? Divine Beast?

Nan Li and Dan Hong sat back to back on a rock, waiting for the flower to bloom.

The epiphyllum bud swelled, like a dark crimson palace lantern beneath the night sky.

Before long, the bud split open a tiny gap, and a refreshing, intoxicating fragrance drifted out. Though it was fire-attributed, the Dragon Bone Torch Epiphyllum's scent was not overpowering, instead carrying a serene air beneath the stars.

This epiphyllum was precious. It bloomed only once every sixty years, and for just a quarter of an hour—fifteen minutes. Nan Li watched from the side as the Dragon Bone Torch Epiphyllum used up a third of that time merely going from budding to fully blooming.

Beneath its dark crimson outer petals lay layer upon layer of snow-white petals.

"When the petals absorb the nutrients accumulated over sixty years and turn fiery red, that will be when its medicinal potency is at its peak!" Dan Hong did not dare relax in the slightest, staring unblinkingly at the blooming epiphyllum.

Starting from the petals nearest the pistil, a cluster of scarlet light gradually rippled from the center outward. With every ripple, the petals deepened in color.

However, Nan Li was destined not to witness the epiphyllum's entire blooming process.

With a boom, the rock split apart. A massive cave appeared in the rock wall of the eastern pit, and a gigantic beast nearly ten feet tall roared as it poked its head out.

The earth-shaking sound nearly knocked Nan Li off the rock. She instantly activated Martial Soul Possession, crimson Wings spreading behind her. She asked Dan Hong, "How much longer?"

"This... it has to turn completely red at the very least."

Nan Li glanced over. The epiphyllum was only forty percent red.

Nan Li estimated that the Soul Beast opposite them had at least ten thousand years of cultivation. She drew two Golden Feathers and leaped into the air. "Hurry!"

As she spoke, the giant beast fully emerged into Nan Li's sight. Its back was covered in red fur, its tail resembled a round fan, and it was at least twenty feet long!

The beast stood more than three meters tall and measured six or seven meters in length. Nan Li was barely as large as its head!

"What is that thing? Some kind of bizarre golden-maned lion?" Nan Li had lived for two hundred thousand years, yet she had never seen such a strange Soul Beast.

Jiang E Li probed it with her soul power from within the Sea of Consciousness, then jolted upright in shock!

The beast had antlers like a deer, a head like a camel, ears like a cat, eyes like shrimp, a mouth like a donkey, a mane like a lion, a neck like a snake, a belly like a mirage clam, scales like a carp, foreclaws like an eagle's, and hind claws like a tiger's.

"Could this be the Divine Beast from Zhonghua Family legends—the Wang Tian Hou?!"

According to legend, Hou Beasts resembled giant dogs and fed on humans.

Jiang E Li looked at the red giant beast opposite them, her heart pounding as she hurriedly warned, "This thing looks very much like a Divine Beast from Blue Star mythology, called a Hou. Legend says that one Hou can fight three dragons and two flood dragons. It is incredibly powerful and must not be underestimated!"

"A Divine Beast, a Hou?" Nan Li gripped her weapons tightly as the flames on her Wings surged higher.

The giant beast shook itself and snorted. Two streams of searing white air blasted from its nostrils, and sparks seemed to flash when they struck the rocks.

Nan Li flew into the air and observed the Hou Beast's entire body from above at an angle. The red fur on its forehead extended all the way down its spine, while its body and limbs were covered in scales. Flames even burned at the tips of the fur on its head and tail.

The giant beast had clearly come for the Dragon Bone Torch Epiphyllum, but now its attention was wholly focused on Nan Li.

Whether it was truly a Soul Beast or a Divine Beast, Nan Li, who possessed Vermilion Bird bloodline, was an immense tonic to it. An excited growl rumbled in the Hou Beast's throat as its claws scraped against the rocky ground with harsh scraping sounds.

Nan Li made a sharp turn in midair, and two Golden Feathers sliced through the air toward the Hou Beast's eyes. She followed close behind, Soul Rings circling her body. Her Third Soul Ring suddenly lit up, and a Golden Sheen covered her crimson Wings as the feathers hardened into Sturdy Armor.

Activating the "Golden Feather Armor" soul skill did not affect Nan Li's speed. She swiftly charged toward the Hou Beast, clearly intending to deny it any chance to approach the rock.

"Roar—" The Hou Beast slammed its forepaw heavily against the ground and bellowed in fury.

The powerful shockwave sent the Golden Feathers flying back, only for Nan Li to catch them again. Rather than defend, she flew upward with all her strength.

The higher she flew, the less resistance there was from the wind blowing toward the rocks, while the upward current grew stronger. Nan Li borrowed that force to rise, and after reaching a suitable height, folded her Wings around herself and dove like a meteor!

Dan Hong cast a glance eastward. Ancient records from the Holy Land flashed through her mind, and the instant inspiration struck, she inwardly cried out in alarm.

"First Soul Skill, Weave Fire." How could Dan Hong allow Nan Li to face such a massive monster alone? She used her First Soul Skill to weave a cage of fire around the Dragon Bone Torch Epiphyllum, then spread her Wings and flew toward the Hou Beast.

Bang—

The golden-red meteor formed by Nan Li collided with the Hou Beast's enormous head. The Hou merely lowered its head slightly. Not only was it uninjured, it even looked ready to toss Nan Li aside.

"Second Soul Skill—"

Flames ignited from Dan Hong's Wings and instantly enveloped her entire body. Her Wings expanded to more than twice their original size in the fire, making her look even more like a firebird.

She was extremely close to the Flame Feather Sparrow's true form.

"Fire Feather Flame!" Flames surged from Dan Hong like a cascading torrent, pouncing upon the Hou Beast!

Seeing that this attack could not harm the Hou Beast, Nan Li immediately changed tactics and sprang upward.

With the downward pressure from Nan Li suddenly gone, the Hou Beast involuntarily raised its head, exposing its neck and chest to Dan Hong. The incoming flames struck it head-on.

The Fire Hou scratched its chin with eagle-like foreclaws, shook its body without caring whether the flames had gone out, then roared and lunged forward!

The Hou Beast's foreclaws had barely left the ground when Nan Li crashed down on the Fire Hou's head again, driving the Golden Feathers in her hands viciously toward the giant beast's eyes!

Sensing the fierce wind stirred up by Nan Li's arms, the Fire Hou half-closed its eyelids. The Golden Feathers stabbed into the Hou Beast's upper eyelids.

The Soul Tools on Nan Li's arms flashed brightly again. Red Soul Power flowed around her wrists as she tried to pierce the Fire Hou's eyes.

This action utterly enraged the Fire Hou. Its hind legs kicked fiercely, launching its body upward. It deftly flipped in midair and threw the human from atop its head.

Caught off guard, Nan Li was flung away and was about to be crushed beneath the Hou Beast!

With the speed boost from the Second Soul Skill, "Fire Feather Flame," Dan Hong barely caught Nan Li just before the giant beast slammed down. The two of them skimmed past the ground by the narrowest of margins.

The Hou Beast's enormous body collided with the sandstone ground, sending shattered rocks flying and sparks spraying everywhere!

Though the Fire Hou's body was enormous, its agility was not hindered in the slightest. The collision with the ground seemed to do it no harm at all. It rolled over, righted itself, and pounced into the air again!

Wisps of red smoke drifted from its open maw as the Hou Beast's sharp teeth snapped viciously at Nan Li and Dan Hong!

The Soul Tools flashed again. Nan Li used all her strength to push Dan Hong upward while planting a foot on the Hou Beast's fangs and retreating to one side.

However, she was still one step too slow.

The beast's jaws snapped shut with a heavy crack, clamping down on one of Nan Li's Wings!

This Wang Tian Hou... descriptions vary across different sources. Here, it resembles a large lion with horns on its head and scales covering its body—a red golden-maned Hou, perhaps? Just imagine it however you like.