The moment he saw Xiezhi, Zhu Yan understood everything.
Zhu Yan knew his judgment of Ji Yuan had not been wrong. Ji Yuan truly was an immortal of this era, but undoubtedly the most extraordinarily gifted Celestial Being among them.
The reason Ji Yuan could grasp Zhu Yan's threads, paint that false sky and moon, and face him with such confidence was all because of Xiezhi.
Whether Xiezhi had made use of Ji Yuan or cooperated with him for mutual benefit, with Xiezhi there, Ji Yuan naturally knew much more. Though Xiezhi could not possibly understand Zhu Yan's level as clearly as Zhu Yan himself, much less qualify as a Chess Player, it was still an Ancient Divine Beast and should have found it very easy to cooperate with Ji Yuan.
This was simply a matter of who came first. Xiezhi had met Ji Yuan before him and could influence Ji Yuan's decisions more!
In the instant Xiezhi pounced, countless thoughts flashed through Zhu Yan's mind, and in the next moment, he threw back his head and roared.
"Ji Yuan—I am more worthy than Xiezhi..."
"Roar—Zhu Yan, you talk far too much. Die!"
Xiezhi opened its huge maw, its terrifying sharp teeth and fangs biting toward Zhu Yan. When facing Ji Yuan, even at the brink of despair, Zhu Yan had never been afraid. That stemmed from his nature, from the lofty mentality of one who stood above others—the mentality of an elder facing a junior.
But facing Xiezhi, Zhu Yan, knowing the state he was in, began to panic. How could his current physique withstand Xiezhi's tearing and biting? Instinctively, he gathered the Demonic Energy within him into both arms and struck straight at Xiezhi.
"Boom..."
The punch shook the heavens, yet it was as though it had