Emerging from Seclusion, Magic Beasts Attack

"Boom..."

Xiao Yan smashed apart the rocks he had used to seal the cave entrance with the Heavenly Fire Eternal Ancient Ruler. A strand of warm sunlight fell upon him, while a gentle breeze carried the faint fragrance of flowers and grass. The fresh air made Xiao Yan unable to resist taking several deep breaths. Everything was so wonderful.

Out of habit, Xiao Yan spread his soul power into the surroundings. There were trees, flowers, grass, and...

Xiao Yan almost immediately ran toward the inner forest. Three-Thousand Lightning Movement left a string of afterimages behind him.

"Roar..."

Behind Xiao Yan was a massive tiger over ten meters long. The "King" character on its forehead was exceptionally conspicuous, and its yellow-and-white stripes made it appear supremely regal. It stared in the direction Xiao Yan had fled, its eyes brimming with ferocity. It had long since decided that Xiao Yan would be its breakfast.

Cursing his terrible luck, Xiao Yan had no choice but to leave. The last time they had killed the Magic Crystal Beast, it had taken all five of them working together to barely bring it down. Now, sensing that this tiger was far stronger than himself, Xiao Yan could only choose to flee.

Man and tiger launched a chase through the forest. Several times, Xiao Yan had nearly become the tiger's meal. He was utterly unfamiliar with the forest, and it was filled with all manner of Magic Beasts. He also had to avoid regions inhabited by high-level Magic Beasts, leaving him thoroughly bedraggled along the way.

The tiger, meanwhile, grew increasingly irritated. Letting such a tiny human live beneath its very nose for so long was simply a disgrace. Along the way, it had been struck three times by Xiao Yan's Yellow Springs Heavenly Wrath. If Magic Beasts did not possess naturally powerful bodies, Xiao Yan would nearly have shaken it off. Its strength was at the peak of the Emperor Spirit Realm, only a step away from the Emperor King Realm. The best way to increase its strength was to hunt human experts.

Yet Xiao Yan dared toy with it like this. How could it endure that?

After dodging another attack from the tiger, Xiao Yan's expression grew darker and darker. His battle qi replenishment was nowhere near enough to keep up with his expenditure, especially his soul power. After repeatedly using soul battle skills, his soul power was nearly exhausted as well. Yet the tiger following close behind him seemed to have gone mad, determined not to rest until one of them died.

Just as Xiao Yan was in a wretched state, a woman watched the scene with great interest.

"Waiting this long wasn't a waste after all. The moment I woke up, I got to see such a good show. Still, Xiao Yan's methods of escape are truly impressive. Was he chased down every day in the past?" Ning Jing muttered to herself. For some reason, she had suddenly become interested in Xiao Yan's past.

"Still, with only this much strength, you're not worthy of an immortal-grade battle skill," Ning Jing said.

Left with no other choice, Xiao Yan stopped and prepared to truly face the tiger.

Xiao Yan knew that, in his current condition, even fleeing would have no effect. He might as well fight the Magic Beast to the death.

The Heavenly Fire Eternal Ancient Ruler displayed its beautiful side after being infused with Heavenly Fire. It was no longer dull and lusterless as before. The appearance of the Heavenly Fire raised Xiao Yan's imposing aura by several degrees. Xiao Yan stared fixedly at the tiger, intending to strike first.

The fierce tiger seemed to sense the power of Xiao Yan's Heavenly Fire as well. The eerie glow radiating from that enormous ruler made its heart pound. Yet retreating at this point would make it seem far too incompetent. Where would a king's dignity be?

When the tiger hesitated, Xiao Yan launched his attack. Three-Thousand Lightning Movement activated, leaving an illusory shadow behind where he had stood. Xiao Yan appeared directly above the fierce tiger and swung at its eyes. Eyes were among the most vulnerable parts of a Magic Beast. Magic Beasts possessed weaker soul power, so once they could no longer see, they were no different from blind creatures.

As long as Xiao Yan successfully blinded it, he would win this battle. But how could a peak Emperor Spirit Realm Magic Beast be dealt with so easily? Though it was distracted for an instant, it reacted before the enormous ruler could descend.

It merely took a step forward, and Xiao Yan's attack landed upon its massive body. The high temperature of the Heavenly Fire instantly burned a large hole through the fierce tiger's thick, dense fur. However, it did not cause any substantial injury. The fierce tiger shook its body, and its long tail swept toward Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan had no time to dodge and was sent flying more than ten meters away, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

There had already been an enormous gap between Xiao Yan and the fierce tiger in strength, and Magic Beasts also possessed robust physiques. After only one exchange, Xiao Yan was defeated. This was simply not a battle on the same level.

Without a second thought, Xiao Yan swallowed a Qi-Replenishing Pill. Spreading his wings, he flew straight into the distance. Although he knew his chances of escaping were nearly zero, Xiao Yan still wanted to make one final attempt.

Naturally, the fierce tiger would not let this opportunity pass. It opened its blood-filled maw, revealing two rows of bloodstained teeth as it sought to swallow Xiao Yan whole.

The fierce tiger shot forward like an arrow. But at that moment, an immensely powerful aura emerged from Xiao Yan's direction. It was only an aura, yet it made all four of its limbs go weak, as though death would claim it the next instant.

"Get lost!" A voice filled with fury rang inside its mind. It turned and fled back almost without hesitation, moving countless times faster than when it had been chasing Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan only saw the fierce tiger suddenly leave for some unknown reason. Yet rather than relaxing his guard, this made him pay even closer attention to everything around him. He spread what little soul power remained outward, but there were no powerful Magic Beasts nearby.

Behind a large tree, Ning Jing's lips curled into a mocking smile. Being able to watch such a splendid performance from Xiao Yan had truly made this trip worthwhile. Since she did not have much time to leave the merchant association anyway, she might as well see just how many surprises this Xiao Yan could bring her. In the Beast Zone, with her strength, there were basically no Magic Beasts capable of threatening them. If things truly came to it, she did not mind acting personally.

If Xiao Yan knew that Ning Jing intended to watch him be tormented by Magic Beasts while she stood to the side enjoying the show, he would definitely curse, A woman's heart is the most poisonous.

A life like this began. Xiao Yan started being hunted by all kinds of Magic Beasts throughout the Beast Zone, and several times, he nearly ended up being swallowed alive.

After several months, Xiao Yan's strength and soul power had not increased, but his experience and ability to adapt had improved considerably. That made him feel somewhat better.