Boom!
With just one step, the entire earth trembled and cracked apart.
The surrounding trees crashed to the ground, snapped in two.
His enormous palm was terrifying.
Kolan felt no fear, only excitement.
He gripped his greatsword and began battling the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape.
He discovered that the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape was even stronger than he was. Its body was incredibly tough, and as a lightning-aspected magical beast, it was also exceptionally fast and agile.
"Human, your name is Kolan, right? Why is your body so strong?" the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape growled.
"Heru, you talk too much. Beat me first, then we'll talk!" Kolan shouted.
"Once I defeat you, death is your only option!" the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape roared furiously.
A bolt of lightning shot from its mouth and hurtled toward Kolan.
The lightning was far too fast for Kolan to dodge. He could only endure the strike head-on.
The lightning coursed through him, leaving him tingling all over.
Kolan was secretly astonished. His body was strong enough to withstand the bolt, but if another Saint-level fighter had taken that hit, death would likely have been the only outcome.
After all, the bodies of other Saint-level fighters couldn't withstand the lightning's destructive force. It would tear them apart.
What was even more incredible was that the lightning contained a trace of mental attack.
No wonder the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape was so powerful and notorious.
"Die!" Kolan fought the Purple-Eyed Golden Ape with his sword.
Fighting the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape was completely different from his earlier battle against a Saint-level Undead Lifeform.
The Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape was far stronger. Its hide was thick and its flesh tough, and its defenses were astonishing. The Saint-level Bone Dragon, on the other hand, had little more than its dragon bones.
Pressure!
Yes, Kolan felt the pressure!
This Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape was no weaker than the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor that had stirred up a beast tide in the North Sea.
But Kolan felt no fear and didn't retreat. He was only excited!
Being at a disadvantage wasn't frightening. Retreating in fear was.
The Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape roared furiously again and again. It was clearly winning, yet the human called Kolan had an exceptionally tough body and astonishing recovery. His stamina seemed endless, and even after fighting for a full day and night, he showed no sign of fatigue.
The ape had clearly struck him, but his injuries healed in no time.
Was he really human? Or was he a magical beast that had taken human form early?
The battle lasted three days and three nights. The Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape collapsed to the ground and growled in frustration. "Kolan, you're not as strong as I am. You only beat me through some strange trick. I, Heru, refuse to accept this!"
After three days and three nights of fighting, the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape had exhausted its strength and lost to Kolan.
As for Kolan, though his clothes were in tatters and his eyes showed some fatigue, it was clear he could still keep fighting.
That was Kolan's advantage: he could draw life force from the surrounding plants and trees to replenish himself. The restorative power of Life Magic was terrifying.
It was also clear that Kolan was much stronger now than he had been when he fought the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor.
"Heru, since you refuse to accept it, I'll come back in a few days and spar with you again," Kolan said, choosing not to kill the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape.
It was a rare opponent. He had fought with all his strength and worn the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape down by relying on his own advantages.
It didn't feel like a fair victory.
But he couldn't bring himself to kill the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape.
Kolan took to the air and flew away.
The Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape growled under its breath. "Next time, I, Heru, will tear you apart and make your body my food!"
The Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape's eyes burned with fury. It had actually lost to a human who was weaker than it was. The humiliation was unbearable.
In its rage, the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape killed a Level Seven Magical Beast, a leopard, and swallowed it whole.
After a hearty meal, it began to recover.
After three days and three nights of battle, it had also suffered serious injuries.
But Saint-level magical beasts had astonishing regenerative abilities. As long as their wounds weren't fatal, they could recover completely in just a few days.
Twenty miles away, at a lake, Kolan flew down from the air and plunged into the water.
A Level 9 Great Water Python lived there. When it saw Kolan flying toward it, it fled at once.
Level Nine Magical Beasts were no less intelligent than humans. It knew that a human capable of flying through the air had to be a Saint-level fighter. If it didn't flee immediately, would it let this human Saint-level fighter kill it?
Kolan glanced at the great water python and smiled faintly, making no move to attack it.
Saint-level fighters had their pride. Unless magical beasts attacked or provoked him, he wouldn't slaughter them without reason.
Of course, a beast tide was another matter.
And when he wanted to barbecue, steam, or braise something and savor a good meal, that was different too.
Kolan tore off his shredded clothes, then used a piece of the fabric to wipe himself down.
During those three days and three nights of battle, the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape's sharp claws had scratched him in many places. Yet now, his body didn't have a single scar.
After taking a good bath, he swam for a while.
Then Kolan floated on the lake, completely relaxed.
He simply let himself drift there.
Kolan half-closed his eyes, the battle from the past three days and nights flickering through his mind.
Combat wasn't just about fighting. He needed to reflect on it, too.
"Death..." Kolan murmured.
Several times, he had even sensed the presence of death, as if in the next instant the Saint-level Purple-Eyed Golden Ape would tear him apart.
Summoning two Saint-level Bone Dragons out of thin air, Kolan entered a state of cultivation.
The Four Rules, unlike the Seven Elemental Laws, had no clear boundaries that could be divided into individual Mysteries.
Cultivating the Four Rules depended entirely on comprehending the Laws of the World for oneself.
Either you understood them, or you didn't!
Far fewer people cultivated the Four Rules than the Seven Elemental Laws.
This was clear from the distribution of Saint-level fighters across the continent.
One could count the Saint-level fighters who cultivated the Life Law on one hand. Apart from Kolan, the other three were all direct disciples of the High Priest.
As for Saint-level fighters who cultivated the Death Rules, Kolan knew of only one: himself!
That was right. He was the only Saint-level Necromancer on the entire Yulan Continent!
And now, he had finally come into contact with the Death Rules and formed his own understanding of them.
There was no denying it: combat was indeed the fastest path to cultivation.
Between life and death lay great terror—and great opportunity!
Kolan's powerful soul also helped him comprehend the Death Rules.
As Kolan studied the Death Rules, the aura of death in the area grew much stronger, causing many magical beasts to avoid the place from far away.
Some high-level flying magical beasts sensed the aura of the Saint-level Bone Dragons from afar and fled.
For Saint-level fighters, the Magical Beast Mountain Range was still a very safe place.
As long as they weren't foolishly reckless, they only needed to avoid the aura of Saint-level magical beasts to stay safe. As for other high-level magical beasts, even the strongest Level Nine Magical Beasts could be killed by a Saint-level fighter.
That was the difference in strength brought about by the gap in rank.
Before you continue