In the tranquil forest, a small stream flowed down from a distant peak, resembling a tiny galaxy, embellishing the lush mountains. The serene atmosphere made the surroundings of the stream seem peaceful and tranquil.
“Boom!”
However, the silence did not last long. A massive black shadow suddenly shot out from the forest, landing with a resounding crash. It scraped a long trail on the gravel ground around the stream before coming to a slow stop. The ferocious and menacing beast, exuding a fierce aura, struggled a few times before finally succumbing to death. A large charred mark was visible on its abdomen.
The sudden disturbance startled the nearby beasts, especially upon seeing the fallen creature. Those with a bit of intellect quickly retreated. After all, any being—whether human or beast—that could defeat the most powerful Earth Magic Bear in the area was undeniably a formidable force.
As the beasts retreated, faint footsteps could be heard in the forest. Moments later, a lean human figure slowly emerged.
The figure paused at the edge of the forest, gazing up at the glaring sun in the sky. Then, he looked down at the fallen beast, shook his head, and muttered, “Why can’t you just guard your territory? Why do you have to work as a spy for that stupid wolf?”
The sunlight illuminated the familiar, energetic face of the young man. He was none other than Xiao Yan, who had chosen to cross this mountain range on foot. Up to now, he had been traversing these mountains for ten days. During this time, many rash beasts had met their end at his hands. The blood of these beasts had drenched him, and he now emanated a faint, fierce, and bloody aura. His eyes had grown sharper, giving him a bestial and dangerous appearance. The vast and dense forest seemed to be an excellent place for training.
This mountain range housed many powerful beasts, not only ones that rivaled Human Realm experts but also high-level beasts. In one instance, Xiao Yan had encountered a rare medicinal herb, leading to a battle with a Level 7 beast, equivalent to a Human Emperor expert. The Earth Magic Bear he had killed was a scout sent by the Mountain Lord, the Grey Wolf King.
The Grey Wolf King’s strength, measured by human standards, should be at the level of a two-star Human Sovereign. Combined with his extremely agile movements and the acute instincts of a wild beast, he could rival even a three-star Human Sovereign. Such an opponent would have been difficult for Xiao Yan to handle in the past, but with his current nine-star Human Realm strength, along with the Three Profound Heavenfire Transformations and the mystical effects of the Alien Flame, even the Grey Wolf King would struggle to defeat him. Over the past four days, they had clashed twice, but Xiao Yan always managed to escape smoothly, using his strong soul power to avoid the Grey Wolf King’s pursuit. This forced the Grey Wolf King to drive the other beasts in the mountain range to search for Xiao Yan.
Of course, if Xiao Yan wanted to kill the Grey Wolf King, he could simply use the Earth Fiend Puppet, but he chose not to. An opponent of this level was exactly what he needed. Compared to Shen Yun and the three elders of the Wind-Thunder North Hall, whose strengths were far beyond his, he had to rely on other means to compete. But now, facing the Grey Wolf King, he could depend solely on his own strength, making it the perfect training. Thus, he had no intention of using his trump card to end it quickly.
“I wonder if he’s still jumping around, not having found me in two or three days,” Xiao Yan chuckled, his figure darting over to the fallen Earth Magic Bear. He took out a dagger, plunged it into the beast’s body, and extracted a yellow core. A Level 6 beast core might be useful for alchemy in the future.
Approaching the stream, Xiao Yan washed the core, storing it in his storage ring. Looking at his slightly bedraggled reflection in the water, he shook his head in resignation. Weeks of rough living had made him almost comparable to a savage.
“Though I’ve become more proficient with the Lightning Body, I still haven’t managed to successfully condense a clone. This damned Lightning Phantom Body is really not easy to master…” The green flame in his hand flickered, vaporizing the water droplets. Xiao Yan frowned, muttering.
“There are still more than twenty days until the energy tide in the Sky Vision Mountains begins. At my speed, I should be able to leave this mountain range in about ten days. Then, I will fly straight to the Sky Vision Mountains. As for whether I can condense a clone in the remaining time, that depends on fate…”
Sighing, Xiao Yan stood up. Just as he was about to turn away, his brows twitched. He looked towards the distant sky, where a large group of black figures was approaching, exuding a fierce aura.
“This time, they came quickly…”
Seeing this, Xiao Yan chuckled and stopped. He crossed his arms and watched the approaching black figures with a smile.
“Boy, give me the Wujia Fruit, or I’ll cut off your flesh and eat it!” Before the black figures arrived, a roar echoed, causing the beasts in the forest to tremble in fear.
As the black figures approached, it turned out to be a large flying beast. Its massive wings spread, creating a loud wind howl, forcing the forest below to bend. On top of the beast was a bare-chested, scar-covered man standing proudly, his red eyes glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan by the stream.
Behind the man were numerous sizable beasts, each one seemingly no less formidable. It seemed he had brought all his capable subordinates with him.
“Why does a mountain lord like you need to chase me so hard for a Wujia Fruit? Isn’t that beneath your dignity?” Xiao Yan grinned at the bare-chested man, who was the Grey Wolf King, the mountain lord. Extremely powerful and rumored to have transformed into human form through his own strength, which was quite rare. When beasts transform, it’s like a high-grade pill appearing, attracting a thunder tribulation. If they withstand it, they can transform; if not, they might be struck dead by lightning.
Of course, if he had a Transformation Pill, he could skip the dangerous process, but the Grey Wolf King clearly didn’t have access to such high-grade pills, as they were one of the rarest in the beast world.
“Shut your mouth!” The Grey Wolf King roared, leaping down from the flying beast. He landed like a giant tower, the force making the nearby stream explode, sending water splashing everywhere.
“Give it to me, or I’ll tear you apart today!” The Grey Wolf King’s eyes glowed red as he stared at Xiao Yan. He stomped the ground, cracks spreading under his feet. With a swift movement, he rushed to Xiao Yan, his claws like blades, slashing at Xiao Yan’s throat, leaving faint black marks in the air.
Xiao Yan laughed and moved back, creating three afterimages effortlessly, dodging the attack. Lately, he had been practicing the Lightning Phantom Body, engraving it into his reflexes. Each evasion was a seamless transition to the Lightning Body at its maximum.
“You little scoundrel, is running all you can do?” The Grey Wolf King roared, frustrated. Despite his superior strength, Xiao Yan was as slippery as a loach, and his movements were too unpredictable to catch.
Seeing the enraged Grey Wolf King, Xiao Yan smiled. Just as he was about to speak, his eyes sharpened, and he turned to one of the lingering afterimages.
One of the three afterimages remained, maintaining its position. Xiao Yan could sense a surge of soul power from it.
“Success…?”
Xiao Yan stared, dumbfounded, at the persistent afterimage. He hadn’t intentionally controlled it, but somehow, he had mysteriously condensed a clone.
After a moment, Xiao Yan snapped out of his daze, his eyes filled with joy. He waved his hand, and the afterimage turned into an invisible light point, entering his forehead. It was just a seed of a clone, but the hardest step was complete. With further refinement, the thousand phantom bodies could be easily condensed!
“Haha, thanks a lot. In return for your help, I’ll let you continue as the mountain lord.”
Xiao Yan laughed at the Grey Wolf King, shaking his shoulders. Brilliant bone wings spread out.
Seeing Xiao Yan about to escape, the Grey Wolf King roared. As he stepped forward, he suddenly froze, his eyes fixed on the crystal wings on Xiao Yan’s back. After a moment, he screamed in shock, “Heavenly Phoenix Wings?!”
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