One Step Ahead

At this moment, Su Heng had already refined the Snake Emperor's Mysterious Flame into an Origin Fire Seed.

Given enough time, Su Heng would be able to wield this Profound Flame freely and use it as he pleased.

The Snake Emperor's Mysterious Flame could be used for alchemy or transformed into tangible flames for battle.

Watching Su Heng refine its Profound Flame with its own eyes, the Xuanjia Snake Emperor was horrified and could not help but become wary of this young man before it.

After all, although the Xuanjia Snake Emperor had not tampered with the Origin Profound Flame, it was still its possession.

If it wished, it could have detonated the Profound Flame while Su Heng was refining it, reducing him to ashes.

However, Su Heng's caution had exceeded its expectations. He had merely taken a tiny wisp of flame to refine, then nurtured the Fire Seed within his own body.

The energy contained in that wisp was far too weak. Even if it exploded, Su Heng would only be seriously injured.

Since the Xuanjia Snake Emperor could not kill him in a single blow, it would not make a move.

Its fear of Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils happened to restrain its actions.

Su Heng had anticipated this, which was why he had dared to refine the Profound Flame openly and secure it for himself.

Once the refinement was complete, Su Heng slowly rose to his feet. Eagerly, he snapped the fingers of his right hand. Black flames appeared, dancing at his fingertips and swaying with a mesmerizing glow.

"Thank you for your assistance, Snake Emperor. This junior will take his leave now."

Su Heng picked up Qing Lin and held her in his arms. The exertion from earlier had exhausted her to the point of nearly losing consciousness.

Even so, Qing Lin had forced herself to stay awake. While Su Heng refined the Profound Flame, she had kept a watchful eye fixed on the Xuanjia Snake Emperor, preventing it from making the slightest suspicious move.

"Baby, you worked hard today. Big Brother will reward you properly tonight!"

Su Heng deliberately spoke loudly and slowed his steps. Qing Lin cooperatively wrapped her arms around him, occasionally narrowing her eyes at the Xuanjia Snake Emperor.

The Magical Beast made no move. Its body trembled continuously with fury, yet it restrained its raging anger. It neither left nor stepped forward to pursue them.

"Little Gold! Let's go!"

Su Heng summoned the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake, leaped onto its back, and gradually vanished from the Xuanjia Snake Emperor's sight.

Once Su Heng and the others had completely departed, the Xuanjia Snake Emperor suddenly erupted, throwing back its head and unleashing a savage roar filled with violent killing intent.

The terrifying energy contained within that roar shook heaven and earth. The surrounding mountains trembled under the force, rocks flew everywhere, and several towering peaks cracked apart with a resounding crash.

"Go after them! Kill them! Tear them to pieces! I will chew up their bones! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The Xuanjia Snake Emperor's scarlet eyes widened like blazing suns in the sky as flames of wrath burst forth.

More than a thousand Magical Beasts across the mountains received their emperor's command and immediately charged after Su Heng like mad creatures.

Meanwhile, Su Heng was racing through the wilderness at breakneck speed, fighting for his life!

Qing Lin had already fallen into a deep sleep in his arms. The immense expenditure earlier had drained her strength completely.

After receiving Su Heng's gesture confirming that it was safe, Qing Lin had closed her eyes and passed out.

"Leave the rest to Brother Su Heng. When you wake up, we can go home."

Those were the last words Qing Lin heard before losing consciousness. She closed her eyes peacefully, because she knew Su Heng would never deceive her.

Having swallowed a Windstride Pill, the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake darted through the dense forest like a brown bolt of lightning, heading toward the escape point Su Heng had arranged in advance.

Several minutes later, the group arrived at the designated escape location.

Following the marks he had left behind, Su Heng quickly pushed the canoe he had prepared beforehand into the river.

"A little slower than estimated, but it won't matter much. The pursuers aren't here yet!"

Su Heng swept his gaze around. Deafening footsteps were already rumbling behind him, and dust surged into the sky at his back, but they had ultimately been one step too late.

"Little Gold, protect Qing Lin!"

After fastening the safety straps, two people and one snake embarked on an extreme rafting journey. In the rushing current, the canoe sped downstream at incredible speed.

Large numbers of Magical Beasts rushed along both riverbanks in pursuit. Yet no matter how wildly they ran or roared, the little boat before them remained seemingly within reach, yet impossibly far away.

Su Heng turned to look at the hundreds of Magical Beasts chasing after him. Everything was exactly as he had expected.

Not a single one among them was a snake-type Magical Beast.

Those outside one's kind are sure to have different intentions. The Xuanjia Snake Emperor was a tyrant who would even devour Fourth-Order fire-element Magical Beasts.

Therefore, its subordinates had to consist primarily of snake-type Magical Beasts. Among the high-ranking Magical Beasts, there could not possibly be other races.

The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils restrained all snake-type Magical Beasts. The Xuanjia Snake Emperor would certainly not send snake-type Magical Beasts after Su Heng, while the remaining beast races under its command possessed no high-ranking Magical Beasts.

That was why Su Heng had dared to brazenly humiliate the Xuanjia Snake Emperor!

At this moment, every Magical Beast chasing Su Heng was only Second Rank or Third Rank. At their speed, they could not catch Su Heng as he drifted downstream in the canoe.

Su Heng had calculated this before coming here by using the Rock-Scaled Snake. The trees he had randomly chopped down and thrown into the river before had also been meant to test the speed of floating logs!

After passing several sharp bends, the river's current began to slow. Seeing Su Heng's speed decrease, the Magical Beasts behind him let out excited roars. But before they could celebrate, a tremendous boom sent them to their graves underground.

Beyond the sharp bend, the river widened and the current slowed. The canoe's speed fell with the changing conditions, giving the Magical Beasts a chance to catch Su Heng.

To avoid being caught, preparations had to be made in advance.

Over the past three days, Su Heng had set spike traps along both sides of the slower river stretches. The Magical Beasts' soft underbellies came into intimate contact with the spikes, and they promptly went to meet their ancestors.

As for the Magical Beasts that had not fallen into the traps, the instant deaths of their companions made them hesitate briefly.

Before those Magical Beasts could adjust their speed, the pursuers behind them crashed straight into them.

For a time, screams and collisions echoed endlessly along both sides of the river. Su Heng guided the canoe onward with ease, under no pressure at all.

"Little Gold, thanks for your help this time. Without you, I really couldn't have finished such a huge trap project. Once we get out, I'll grill rabbit meat for you every day!"

Among all Magical Beasts, earth-element Magical Beasts were probably the best at digging holes. This was especially true when the earth-element Magical Beast was a snake, making its efficiency even more astonishing.

Upon hearing about rabbit meat, the Rock-Scaled Snake immediately wagged its rattle happily, like a husky waiting to be fed.

Seeing how impatient it was, Su Heng simply took out the leftover rabbit meat from yesterday from his Storage Ring and tossed it to Little Gold.

With a movement of its mouth, the large chunk of rabbit meat was swallowed and got lodged in its throat. It had forcibly transformed from a rattlesnake into a cobra.

The group continued onward as the river gradually narrowed and the current became swift once again. The Magical Beasts pursuing them madly behind slowly vanished from sight.

Soon, the canoe reached the fork in the river they had encountered earlier.

The river split in two, meaning Su Heng had to make a choice: flee toward First-Line Heaven or toward the broad mountain hollow.

"Little Gold, take them to the place we practiced at before. There's grilled rabbit meat I prepared for you there. Once you finish eating, immediately burrow underground and come meet us!"

The simplest way to communicate with Magical Beasts was feeding them. Telling them an escape plan was less reliable than telling them that a juicy piece of rabbit meat had been buried somewhere.

Little Gold nodded frantically, its body swaying nonstop as though that huge, delicious piece of rabbit meat were right before its eyes, making it unable to wait another moment.

Su Heng stuffed two Beast-Repelling Garments into the gaps between the Rock-Scaled Snake's scales, then gestured for it to leave.

The Rock-Scaled Snake sprang onto the riverbank and sped along the river on the right without looking back, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Su Heng moored the canoe by the shore, took out scent-concealing medicinal powder from his Storage Ring, and carefully applied it to himself and Qing Lin.

Only after confirming that the powder had completely concealed both their scents did Su Heng carry the sleeping Qing Lin on his back and sprint along the left side of the river.

Although there were traces of Magical Beast activity along the way, without any scent to follow, the Magical Beasts naturally could not find Su Heng and Qing Lin's precise location. They passed through a sea of beasts without a hair being touched.

Su Heng raced onward. More than an hour later, towering rocks gradually appeared at the edge of his vision.

Within the rocks was a narrow crack, so thin it was nearly nonexistent, with faint light shining through it. Beyond this lay the path to survival.

First-Line Heaven was so narrow that only two people could pass through side by side. Any Third Rank Magical Beast was too large to fit through it. It seemed like an exit from the Magic Beast Mountains that existed specifically for humans.

Since I cannot pursue you once you leave the Magic Beast Mountains, then I will seal the exit before you leave. What will you do then?

Upon learning that Su Heng had escaped by boat, the Xuanjia Snake Emperor immediately ordered the Magical Beasts to circle around First-Line Heaven and intercept him at its exit.

At the exit of First-Line Heaven, five Third Rank Bloodfang Wolves that had arrived ahead of time had completely blocked the way.

Su Heng had traveled far to get here, while the Bloodfang Wolves waited in comfort. It seemed that everything was already over.

Although Bloodfang Wolves were merely Third Rank Magical Beasts, they lived in packs and had hunted cooperatively from childhood to adulthood. Their coordination was flawless and their bond unbreakable.

Even a Fourth-Order Magical Beast facing these five Bloodfang Wolves would only end up being torn apart and eaten.

Looking at their dark-red fur, as though it had been soaked in blood, Su Heng suddenly had a thought. If he skinned them, he should be able to sell their pelts for a good price.

However, the most valuable part of a Bloodfang Wolf was still its sharp fangs, more than a foot long and gleaming with a bloodlike, blinding light.

Bloodfang Wolf-Fang Daggers were weapons even Dou Lings were happy to use. A fine pair could sell for two hundred thousand gold coins.

There were five Bloodfang Wolves before him. With some luck, that meant one million gold coins.

Before he had even won the lottery, Su Heng was already thinking about how to spend the money!

"First, I'll visit the Mittel Auction House and see whether they have any High-Profound Tier fire-element cultivation techniques!"

"Then I'll get a High-Profound Tier fire-control Dou Technique, followed by a Fifth Rank medicine cauldron!"

"Hmm... You lot probably aren't worth that much, but I'll thank you in advance for your contribution. After all, your deaths will still have some value!"

In the face of Bloodfang Wolves, any carelessness would exact a painful price. Su Heng alone was the exception!

He had no intention of underestimating them. What he had was absolute confidence. He was not looking at five Bloodfang Wolves, but five Magical Beast corpses.

"Gentlemen! Time to hit the road!"

Su Heng charged forward. Black Dou Qi spread from his dantian and enveloped his entire body. Empowered by the Profound Flame, his Dou Qi had transformed from crimson to black.

He slammed one palm onto the ground, and scorching black flames surged toward the five Bloodfang Wolves.

In the Bloodfang Wolves' eyes, this attack was not worth mentioning!

The five moved as one, dodging at the same instant. They leaped into the air and pounced viciously at Su Heng.

BOOM!!

A thunderous explosion erupted behind the Bloodfang Wolves. Flying rocks scattered like blossoms from a celestial maiden, forming a barrage that shot toward the wolves in midair.

Suspended in the air, they had nowhere to brace themselves and nowhere to dodge. The five Bloodfang Wolves were struck hard by the stone barrage and let out miserable screams.

Su Heng crouched low, shielding Qing Lin with his body as he proudly admired his handiwork.

One saltpeter, two sulfur, three charcoal. Add a little sugar, and Big Ivan!

The unique terrain of First-Line Heaven made it like a natural cannon.

Su Heng had predicted that the Xuanjia Snake Emperor would block the exit, so he had buried his homemade Big Ivan in First-Line Heaven in advance. Explosives were practically useless against the powerful experts of the Dou Qi Continent.

However, not everyone on the Dou Qi Continent was powerful. With enough explosives, severely injuring a Da Dou Shi or a Third Rank Magical Beast at close range was still reliable.

The five Bloodfang Wolves were battered bloody by the high-speed stones while airborne and collapsed to the ground in agony.

Seizing the chance, Su Heng sprang up, picked up Qing Lin, and rushed toward the exit.

The Bloodfang Wolves truly deserved to be called Third Rank Magical Beasts. Even after being struck at close range by the blast wave and flying stones, they still managed to stand.

Though covered in blood, the explosion had not inflicted fatal injuries. They still had strength left to pursue him.

However, that instant reversal between attack and defense was enough for Su Heng to escape alive.

Watching Su Heng slip into First-Line Heaven, the Bloodfang Wolves let out unwilling roars. They crazily slammed against the mountain walls, trying to squeeze into First-Line Heaven and tear this hateful human apart.

Su Heng watched leisurely and smugly as the Bloodfang Wolves became stuck in the rocky crevice.

They looked horrifying now. Blood mixed with their foul stench, and their already crimson fur became even brighter and bloodier after being stained with fresh blood.

"By my calculations, it should be here by now. If you don't run, then stay here today and become corpses!"

The moment his words fell, a rumbling sound rose in the distance, followed by a faint tremor that drew closer and closer.

Before First-Line Heaven, a "rocky hill" burst from the ground!

Before the five Bloodfang Wolves could react, a rocky "long whip" had already swept toward them.

Boulders collided with flesh, bursting into a cloud of blood. In the blink of an eye, three heavily wounded Bloodfang Wolves had become puddles of gore.

Su Heng stood before them, the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake behind them. The Bloodfang Wolves caught in the middle were wiped out in an instant.

In contrast, the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake that had emerged from underground was full of vigor and overflowing with Dou Qi, showing none of the fatigue of a long journey.

"The last Windstride Pill, combined with the Qi-Replenishing Pill, seems to have worked perfectly!"

Su Heng had buried Nightmare Rabbit meat not far from the mountain hollow's exit. Inside it, he had placed a Third-grade Windstride Pill and a Third-grade Qi-Replenishing Pill. Once Little Gold found the meat and swallowed it in one bite, it naturally swallowed the pills as well.

To prevent other Magical Beasts from accidentally digging up the Nightmare Rabbit meat, Su Heng had deliberately buried it in front of Little Gold and scattered scent-concealing medicinal powder over it.

In other words, no Magical Beast aside from Little Gold knew where the rabbit meat was. If another Magical Beast could still dig it up under those circumstances, Su Heng could only bow to heaven in respect.

With the Windstride Pill's enhancement, even while burrowing underground, the earth-element Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake could move extremely fast and had more than enough time to meet up with Su Heng.

If the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake arrived in time, then the Magical Beasts blocking the entrance would undoubtedly die.

If it failed to arrive in time, Su Heng could still escape safely. The only difference would be the possible loss of several Third Rank Magic Cores and some materials that could be sold for money.

Fortunately, the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake had arrived, and it had come at exactly the right time!