The blazing sun seemed to have burned away the clouds in the sky. Only a few scattered clouds drifted on the horizon. Here, the sky looked as if it had been washed by a heavy rain, like a bright mirror.
Looking down, one is astonished to discover that beneath this sky, the dense forests gradually recede, revealing a vast lake nestled among the mountains below. This lake stretches for miles, its surface calm and pristine. The deep waters are like a mirror, reflecting each other on clear days. If one only looks at the lake and the sky above, for a moment, one is disoriented, unable to distinguish which is the sky and which is the lake, unable to understand it at all.
At that moment, on the distant horizon, above the vast forest, a hurricane, as large as Hai Xiao, suddenly swept rapidly toward them.
The hurricane swept across the sky, and its residual force transformed the forest into a towering wave of trees, surging and rushing towards the lake as the hurricane swept through.
Upon closer inspection, at the very forefront of the hurricane, at the very front of the storm resembling an aircraft carrier, a man in a black robe carrying a giant ruler was hurtling towards them, his head piercing the storm.
In a short while, the man in black robes stood directly above the lake. From between them, Xiao Yan's figure was reflected in both the sky and the mirror-like lake.
Looking at the calm, still lake below, Xiao Yan slowly climbed the handle of the ruler with his fair hand. The feeling he got here was somewhat different.
"Hey, you damn bull demon, you actually dare to play mind games with me? This big guy's strength isn't just that of Eight-Star Half-Emperor!"
Xiao Yan squinted, muttering curses under his breath at the Heaven-Supporting Bull Magical Beast from before, but a blazing flame shot forth from Xiao Yan pupils.
Although the creature in the water was quite strong, Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength revealed its strength: Early Nine-Star Half-Emperor. Moreover, its Xiao Yan Dou Qi still appeared unstable, suggesting it had only recently broken through to the Nine-Star realm. This was just right for Xiao Yan.
"Hehe, this is really a great gift for me!"
With a chuckle, Xiao Yan suddenly pulled out the Heavy Xuan Ruler with a powerful jerk, creating a hissing sound as it cut through the air. The once calm lake surface below began to ripple with tiny waves.
The spreading ripples completely shattered the lake's original tranquility.
"Hmph! Human! You've entered my territory and drawn your weapon—are you provoking me?!"
Suddenly, a sound like thunder came from beneath the lake. At the same time, the ripples on the lake surface began to surge. With several explosive booms, thick columns of water shot into the sky from the lake surface. Then, a huge cone-shaped horn burst out from the lake water, followed by the enormous body of the monster.
The monster's body was nearly half-exposed above the water's surface. Its entire body resembled a giant snake, with a thick layer of solid, enormous scales covering its back. However, its belly was different, with shallow grooves extending into the water, making it look like a whale. Most peculiarly, a long, sharp horn grew from the top of the snake's head.
"Oh? One-Horned Whale Serpent, hey, I didn't expect to encounter such an ancient species here."
Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. The One-Horned Whale Serpent in front of him was quite unexpected.
The One-Horned Whale Serpent, as a snake-type magical beast, was originally an unknown creature, but because of its single horn, this rather special race has gradually gained some recognition among snake-type magical beasts.
Of course, besides its unicorn horn, the One-Horned Whale Serpent also possesses the ancient bloodline of snake-type magical beasts. Although not much, it is enough to give them a kind of intimidating presence when facing other snake-type magical beasts, much like the special nature of Zi Yan among the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.
Logically speaking, this One-Horned Whale Serpent should have been wiped out from the snake race thousands of years ago due to its unique characteristics. It's unexpected that Xiao Yan would encounter it today. It's hard to say whether it's good luck or something else.
"Hmph! Now that you know my identity, get out of my sight! I've just broken through and don't want to go on a killing spree. If you don't want to die, get out of here! Otherwise, I'll devour you today! I'll refine you and use you as nourishment to solidify my strength!"
The One-Horned Whale Serpent's huge, aquamarine eyes stared at Xiao Yan. Although its words were fierce, it could always sense a danger emanating from the human before it. This made the usually cautious snake feel a sense of apprehension towards Xiao Yan.
"Hehe, why are you in such a hurry to send me away? I only know of the name 'One-Horned Whale Serpent' from ancient books. As for its true strength, I have never had the chance to witness it. But now that I have, I cannot leave so easily. Therefore, I would like to invite you to spar with me!"
Seemingly sensing the other party's apprehension, Xiao Yan curled his lips into a mocking smile. Coupled with his tone, this made the One-Horned Whale Serpent even more wary. It immediately let out a cold snort and growled:
"I've already said I don't want to fight today, so get out of here! I'm going into seclusion!"
As he spoke, the One-Horned Whale Serpent, which had been staring at Xiao Yan, unconsciously looked away, seemingly trying to conceal the strange feeling in its heart.
Unexpectedly, this One-Horned Whale Serpent was so timid. Xiao Yan was speechless for a moment, then frowned and looked at the One-Horned Whale Serpent with some impatience, saying:
"Enough with the nonsense, I'm here today to challenge you. You're supposed to be a Nine-Star Half-Emperor, how come you don't even dare to fight a Five-Star Half-Emperor like me?"
"Tch, so what if I'm Nine-Star Half-Emperor? You, a five-star Half-Emperor, challenge a Nine-Star Half-Emperor like me to a fight? If you're not stupid, then you must have that level of strength. I'd be an idiot to fight you."
As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, the One-Horned Whale Serpent blurted out a series of shameless words, leaving Xiao Yan feeling helpless. The words he had prepared were shut down by the impeccable words of the big guy in front of him.
After coughing violently a few times, Xiao Yan Xiao Yan hurriedly tried to think of a solution, but in the end, he realized that he was completely helpless against the huge guy in front of him.
Xiao Yan had no doubt that if he made a move now, this guy would hide at the bottom of the lake without hesitation and would never come out again. At that time, Xiao Yan would probably not be able to provoke him.
With a slight pout, Xiao Yan sighed helplessly. After a moment's thought, he smiled wryly to himself:
"Sigh... looks like we'll have to resort to the old methods again..."
"Ahem, how about this? I'll make a bet with you. I'll wager a Emperor Grade Pill. If you can catch me, I'll give you the pill."
After coughing twice, Xiao Yan realized that what he had said was a bit strange. He never expected that there would actually be people in this world who would pay to be beaten up!