The old Suanni was unquestionably a true primordial remnant, with a bloodline purity of forty percent. Every hair and every scale on its body shimmered with golden radiance.
It resembled a golden lion, six meters long and over four meters tall at the shoulder. A pair of golden dragon horns rose from its head, as though cast from divine metal, dazzling to behold. Golden dragon scales covered its forehead, exuding a noble pressure that filled every creature present with awe.
Before it fell, it had been the king of this ancient primeval forest, reigning supreme over the region.
Even after it had fallen, the radiance it naturally emitted still dyed the surrounding rocks and leaves a pale gold.
"Don't rush. Let them fight. Don't do anything rash."
Xiao Tian hurriedly warned the Green-Scaled Eagle.
Thanks to Xiao Tian's earlier warning and timely rescue, which had kept the Blood Sable's claws from wounding her, the Green-Scaled Eagle had begun to accept him. Hearing his warning, she circled in the sky, in no hurry to join the fighting below.
The battle below was savage from the very beginning. For these mutant savage beasts, every attack was meant to take a life. One Leopard Hou had mainly silver fur marked with black patches, an unusual pattern of leopard spots that nonetheless possessed an artistic beauty.
Yet it was ferocious beyond measure, ten meters long and over eight meters tall at the shoulder. Lightning-like markings along its back blazed with silver light, forming a sword of light that pierced straight through a gigantic White Jade Rhinoceros's chest in an instant. Inside the enormous hole, its shattered heart still struggled and twitched.
This was an attack inclined toward the metal element, incomparably sharp, capable of piercing anything.
Xiao Tian had clearly seen a shield of light flare around the gigantic White Jade Rhinoceros, yet it had still been pierced through with overwhelming force.
In mere moments, this place became a scene of bloody carnage once again. Some enormous savage beasts had already thrown caution to the wind, trying to sink their teeth into the Suanni and forcibly tear away some flesh to eat.
But the other mutant savage beasts would not allow it. They guarded against one another and attacked each other. In that brief span, three of the nine powerful mutants that had just appeared had already fallen.
"It's about time. Auntie Green-Scaled Eagle, fly a little higher right now. Let's hide in that cloud over there."
At that moment, Xiao Tian spoke solemnly.
The Green-Scaled Eagle also sensed danger instinctively. With a beat of her wings, she swiftly climbed over a thousand meters.
"Roar!"
An earth-shattering ape's howl rang out. In an instant, the towering mountains and crisscrossing ravines all around trembled with a humming rumble, and leaves showered down from the towering trees. It was as though hundreds of miles had been enveloped in an icy pressure in a single moment, while a terrifying aura swept over the land.
The forest went from the chaos of savage slaughter to a deathly silence, every creature mute as a cicada in winter, in just an instant. All the fierce birds and ferocious beasts lay prostrate on the ground, too terrified to move.
Many poisonous insects and small beasts were frightened to death on the spot.
Xiao Tian, Shi Hao, and Auntie Green-Scaled Eagle hid among the clouds, their eyes gleaming as they watched the Blood Sable, the purple-gold serpent, and the silver crocodile. Those creatures were trembling and shuddering too, pressed against the ground, not daring to move.
A black, demonic shadow flew through the sky like a bolt of black lightning, appearing above the area in an instant. That overwhelming ferocity was emanating from its body.
It was merely a fierce ape standing two meters sixty tall. Compared with most of the fierce birds and gigantic beasts, it was small, but without question, it was a king capable of dominating a region just like the Suanni.
The black demonic ape had thick, dense fur, each hair nearly twenty centimeters long. Glossy and pitch-black, it looked as dark as the flames of hell, striking terror into the soul.
A pair of black, fleshy wings extended from its back like a bat's, covered in scales that gleamed with an eerie black light. Its mighty ape's head also bore a pair of black horns, thick and savage, resembling the horns of an old ram.
"See that? Even Inscription Realm fierce beasts were too scared to come, and a big one came straight here instead. An Array Formation Realm Demon Ape-that's definitely King-Sealing-level combat strength."
Xiao Tian sighed in amazement.
"How terrifying. Good thing we got away fast. Now the Suanni's true blood and precious bone won't be ours."
Little One spoke with a dejected sigh.
"Not necessarily. Have you heard the story of how the fisherman profits when the snipe and the clam fight?
"You definitely haven't. Since we have nothing else to do anyway, I'll tell you."
Perfectly composed, Xiao Tian began telling Shi Hao a story. Little One was only three and a half, and someone was already filling his head with bad ideas!
"Moo!"
Just as the Demon Ape was about to lay hands on the Suanni, a furious bellow like that of a primordial reckless bull rang out. Through the forest, a carpet of scarlet flames spread like a great road. Wherever it passed, trees and rocks instantly evaporated, turning to ash. A gigantic scarlet bull came bathed in fire, using Divine Fire Escape, swift as lightning. This colossal creature was some thirty meters long and twenty-five meters tall at the shoulder. Scarlet flames burned beneath all four hooves, as though it were flying upon the outer tongues of fire.
Another terrifying king-level primordial mutant had arrived: the Li Fire Demon Bull.
How could the Demon Ape allow the Li Fire Demon Bull to compete for its food at a time like this? It instantly became a bolt of black lightning and charged. The two collided, shaking the earth and mountains. In the end, even the mountain behind them where the Suanni had made its home shattered. For hundreds of miles around, rocks hurtled through the air, ancient trees broke apart, and the earth split open, its cracks resembling savage black pythons running rampant.
Whoosh!
Just then, golden light burst through the dust-filled sky, and the real show began. The old Suanni knew its life was nearly over, but it refused to let its flesh become a windfall for its two mortal enemies after it died.
Thus, it had chosen to feign death to lure the Li Fire Demon Bull and the Demon Ape over. The instant they fought, it struck without warning. With thunderous force, it tore off one of the Demon Ape's arms and forcibly snapped off one of the Li Fire Demon Bull's horns, skin and flesh attached.
Clearly, the old Suanni had originally intended to rip open the Demon Ape's chest and crush the Li Fire Demon Bull's skull. But its two mortal enemies had kept their vital points out of reach, leaving it no choice but to settle for less.
The great battle continued. Every clash employed the simplest, most direct killing arts, stripped back to their essence. For hundreds of miles around, seas of fire surged skyward, demonic mist billowed, and lightning filled the air. They struck so quickly that even Xiao Tian could not see everything clearly.
All he could tell was that, within a short time, the Demon Ape and the Li Fire Demon Bull suffered grievous injuries and fled deep into the primeval wilderness, surely seeking places to recover.
Once the battle ended, the old Suanni let out one final furious roar, proclaiming its kingly might. Its peerless ferocity surpassed even that of the Demon Ape and the Li Fire Demon Bull. Throughout the fight, it had held the upper hand, fighting two opponents alone without sustaining any injuries.
Then its once-dazzling golden eyes gradually dimmed, and golden cracks appeared across its body. In the end, it did not even have time to destroy its precious bone. The blazing light around it vanished, and it fell to the ground with a thunderous crash, dead of old age.
That was why lifespan was the most terrifying thing of all. No matter how invincible and peerless you had been in life, once your years ran out, you immediately kicked the bucket.
"To think the old Suanni really wasn't dead. Looks like it wanted to kill the Demon Ape and the Li Fire Demon Bull. Too bad it failed."
Shi Hao could not help exclaiming in his childish, milky voice.
"You fool, you're still standing there marveling? Hurry up and grab all the good stuff!"
Xiao Tian looked at Shi Hao in exasperation, frustrated that iron would not turn into steel.
"Right, right, right! Auntie Green-Scaled Eagle, hurry down!"
Shi Hao had just watched a great battle and still had not snapped out of it. Xiao Tian's reminder immediately brought him back to his senses, and he spoke.
The Green-Scaled Eagle wanted to say that her body felt a little weak. The auras those three king-level primordial remnants had given off were simply too terrifying. Hadn't they seen those mutant savage beasts caught like fish in a ravaged pond? They had not dared move even as they died, frightened so badly their souls had all but fled their bodies.
(End of chapter)
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