Rumble—!
As Zhang Qilan stepped onto the Arena, its level surface, once built of massive black stones, began to shift violently under the Eight Trigrams Five Elements Grand Formation.
The Qian Position belonged to Metal and governed slaughter.
Black stone slabs rolled and shattered. In the blink of an eye, a layer of dark gold metal with a cold, hard sheen covered the Arena.
And that was not all. Spear-sharp metal spikes erupted at random along its edges, forming a deadly forest of metal.
The air filled with the keen force of Metal, like invisible blades that scraped painfully across the skin.
Fighting on an Arena whose terrain had been transformed by a Formation would test both sides' reserves and their ability to adapt on the spot.
Zhang Qilan stood at the center of the metal Arena. He did not draw the Dharma Sword on his back. Instead, he tucked his hands lazily into the sleeves of his Daoist Robe and looked up at the Fierce Beast descendant he had challenged.
It was an enormous, strange Monster shaped like a rhinoceros, with the savage head of a crocodile.
Heavy, earthen-yellow scales covered its body like Granite. Its four legs were thick, and every step sent a dull hum through the ground.
"Roar!"
The Monster let out a deafening bellow. Its crimson eyes fixed on Zhang Qilan, and two visible streams of air blasted from its broad nostrils.
It could sense an unpleasant aura of thunder coming from this seemingly frail human Daoist.
"Come on, big guy."
A roguish grin tugged at Zhang Qilan's lips. He crooked a finger at the Monster. "Let this Daoist see what you've got."
"You're courting death."
The Monster spoke in human language. Its massive body showed no trace of clumsiness as it charged toward Zhang