Tyrannosaurus Rex

After the joy of breaking through to become a seventh-rank mage, Lin Tian did not slack off in the slightest. Instead, he threw himself even more wholeheartedly into cultivation. In the years that followed, with Laun's attentive company, Lin Tian frequently shuttled between the perilous peaks and valleys of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, like an untiring explorer, constantly challenging his own limits.

After a long period of training, Lin Tian was now an eighth-rank mage and an eighth-rank peak warrior. At fourteen years old, through years of cultivation, he had not only improved his ranks but also greatly enhanced his combat strength through constant tempering in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. With his dual eighth-rank strength, he had already slain many ordinary ninth-rank magic beasts. This time, he came prepared to challenge a ninth-rank peak magic beast.

That day, Lin Tian once again stepped into the depths of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. The air was thick with a stifling and dangerous aura, as if heralding a thrilling battle to come.

"Roar—!" A deafening roar came from the valley ahead, shaking the very ground. Lin Tian's eyes sharpened instantly. He knew this was his target—a ninth-rank peak Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex was as massive as a mountain, dozens of zhang in length. Its body was covered in a thick layer of black scales that gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the sunlight. Its head was enormous and ferocious, with two sharp fangs protruding from the corners of its mouth like gleaming blades. A pair of blood-red giant eyes burned with savage flames, fixed dead on Lin Tian as if declaring territorial sovereignty.

Lin Tian took a deep breath, gripping his long spear tightly. Dou Qi erupted instantly, sweeping outward like an invisible storm centered on him. "Come on!" His voice was firm and powerful, echoing through the valley like a great bell.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex attacked first. Its massive body charged at Lin Tian like an out-of-control war chariot. The ground cracked under its stomps, kicking up clouds of dust. Lin Tian's figure flickered, dodging the first charge with ghostly agility. At the same time, he twisted his spear, unleashing "Flame Spear." The spear tip burst into blazing flames, stabbing toward the Tyrannosaurus Rex's flank with searing heat. However, the beast's scales were incredibly hard; the spear left only a shallow scratch.

"As expected of a ninth-rank peak Tyrannosaurus Rex—its defense is astonishing!" Lin Tian marveled inwardly, but he showed no sign of retreat. He quickly leaped backward to create distance, chanting under his breath: "Rain of Fire Meteors!" As the incantation finished, dozens of huge burning meteors appeared in the sky, trailing long tails of fire, crashing down like falling stars toward the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex raised its head and roared, unleashing a powerful surge of magic from its body to form a Magic Shield, trying to block the Rain of Fire Meteors. The meteors collided with the shield, erupting in dazzling light and a tremendous boom. For a moment, the valley was filled with blazing fire and rolling smoke. As the smoke thinned slightly, Lin Tian was surprised to find that although the Tyrannosaurus Rex had been hit by the Rain of Fire Meteors, its powerful physique meant it had only suffered minor injuries.

"It seems ordinary attacks aren't very effective against it." Lin Tian frowned, quickly pondering a countermeasure. Just then, the Tyrannosaurus Rex attacked again. It opened its gaping maw and spewed a scorching Dragon Flame, a torrent of fire rushing toward Lin Tian like a massive flood. Lin Tian's expression changed, and he quickly cast "Repelling Fire Ring," releasing a ring of blazing flames centered on himself to try to block the Dragon Flame. But the Tyrannosaurus Rex's Dragon Flame was too powerful; the Repelling Fire Ring shattered under the impact. The residual force of the Dragon Flame swept Lin Tian, sending him flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Cough, cough..." Lin Tian struggled to his feet, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He knew that to defeat the Tyrannosaurus Rex, he had to win by surprise. He quickly downed several magic potions, recovering some mana, and continued to grapple with the beast. Lin Tian spotted a flaw. His spear, whistling through the air, pierced into the Tyrannosaurus Rex's body following a reinforced Fire Arrow. "Explode!" With Lin Tian's sharp shout, a Fire Meteor shot from the spear tip and detonated inside the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The beast let out a pained roar, its massive body trembling violently. It staggered forward a few steps before finally crashing to the ground. Lin Tian looked at the fallen Tyrannosaurus Rex, breathing heavily. He downed several more magic potions to calm the surging Dou Qi and mana within him. His body was covered in wounds, blood staining his clothes, but his eyes shone with the light of victory. After briefly treating his injuries, he stepped forward to retrieve the ninth-rank magic core from the Tyrannosaurus Rex, then carefully collected valuable items like dragon blood from the beast.

At that moment, Laun descended from the sky, his face filled with disbelief. He exclaimed in amazement, "You actually killed a ninth-rank Tyrannosaurus Rex! When you told me a few days ago that you wanted to fight a ninth-rank peak magic beast, I was truly taken aback. You see, in the world of magic beasts, although ranks are divided, the gap between ninth-rank and ninth-rank can be as vast as heaven and earth due to differences in bloodline. Some magic beasts break through to ninth-rank on their own, and they usually reach their limit at that level. But beasts like the Tyrannosaurus Rex are born with powerful bloodlines; they reach ninth-rank upon adulthood and have a great chance of advancing to Saint Domain magic beasts. When they first enter ninth-rank, they can already defeat ninth-rank peak warriors who haven't comprehended the power of heaven and earth, relying on their terrifying physiques. That you could slay it shows your strength has reached the peak level below the Saint Domain. Remember, your mage and warrior ranks haven't even reached ninth-rank yet. If you break through to ninth-rank, you might actually be able to fight those Saint Domain experts who haven't yet comprehended the laws!"

Lin Tian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, "Teacher, in these years under your guidance and company, I've experienced countless battles in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Each life-and-death trial has given me a deeper understanding and control of my own strength. I also wanted to use this battle to test the results of my cultivation over these years."

Laun nodded with satisfaction and said, "Slaying the Tyrannosaurus Rex has proven that your combat strength ranks among the very best below the Saint Domain. In this Magic Beast Mountain Range, ordinary magic beasts can no longer pose a real threat to you. The only ones that can continue to temper you are Saint Domain magic beasts. But you must understand: even the weakest Saint Domain magic beast, relying solely on its physical strength, can match a Saint Domain human who hasn't comprehended the laws. Before you reach Saint Domain strength, do not rashly challenge them, or you may fall into an irredeemable situation. Let's go back. Next, you need to settle and consolidate this hard-won achievement."

Lin Tian nodded solemnly. He knew Laun was absolutely right. This battle against the Tyrannosaurus Rex, while boosting his confidence, also made him clearly realize that on the path to power, every step must be taken with caution. He carefully stored the Tyrannosaurus Rex's magic core and collected items, then left the Magic Beast Mountain Range—a place full of challenges and opportunities—together with Laun.

On the way back, Lin Tian had already begun planning his next stage of cultivation. He knew that ahead lay higher peaks to climb and stronger enemies to challenge. And he, carrying his thirst for power and his persistence for his dreams, would continue to forge ahead on this thorny path.

ps: Two more chapters coming later.