Half a Year Later

Half a year later, deep in the Dark Mountain Range, within a shadowy forest.

A pale green figure slipped soundlessly past a towering tree draped in vines, racing through the woods without a sound.

After traveling for half a quarter of an hour, the figure stopped, revealing a young face already marked by hardship. It was Xu Yuan, who had vanished long ago.

He wore close-fitting leather armor, crudely made from some demon beast's hide and dyed dark green. Terrible claw marks and patches corroded by blood covered it, but every one had been carefully mended.

His half-length black hair was casually tied behind his head with a beast tendon, a few loose strands falling across his forehead. Beneath them were eyes as still as deep pools, with a sharpness hidden in their depths.

Compared with when he had fled Ghost Wail Market half a year ago, he looked far more hardened. His presence was completely restrained, as though he had become one with this perilous ancient forest.

Only the Baleful Intent that occasionally slipped out—born of his powerful life force and countless battles—reminded any human or demon who sensed it how terrifying he truly was.

Standing on a branch, Xu Yuan peered through the layered leaves and fixed his gaze on a huge beast in a clearing below.

It was a Steel Bone Mountain Ape, roughly ten feet tall and shaped like a giant ape. Blue-gray skin covered its body, and its bulging muscles made it look like a walking iron tower.

Its forearms were especially fearsome: the bones had warped and jutted outward into two blades.

This troublesome demon beast surpassed a human at Qi Refining Perfected and was renowned for its defense and brute strength. Now it was hunched over a deer-shaped demon beast it had just