C21 Encountered the Binary Beast

The usual stillness of the dense forest was shattered by a frantic chase, punctuated by the constant swish of movement through the underbrush.

Following the annihilation of one squad, the remaining teams were on edge. Groups of three stood back-to-back, their Essence pooling in preparation. Fear flickered in the eyes of most, with only a few maintaining composure.

The swift demise of the Zhang guards raised a pressing question: how long could their own team last in such an encounter? And even if they managed to engage the assailant, could all three emerge unscathed?

Amidst the guards' tense search, Ye Xiao launched a swift attack before retreating further into the forest's depths. He finally paused tens of miles in, in a somewhat concealed spot, to replenish his vitality.

The brief bout of carnage had drained Ye Xiao of his energy and Essence, as taxing as any prolonged battle. With the recent elimination of a group, the others would surely be on high alert. It was an opportune moment for rest.

Seated cross-legged, Ye Xiao drew in the heaven and earth Origin Energy from around him. The woods were eerily silent, devoid of even the faintest insect chirp. Despite delving dozens of miles into the forest and encountering not a single wild beast, Ye Xiao, absorbed in his recovery, failed to recognize this anomaly.

As Ye Xiao concentrated on restoring his vitality, a sudden gust of wind struck from behind.

Startled, Ye Xiao had no time to look back. He propelled his body to the side in an instant, grabbing the broken sword beside him and thrusting it downward.

A shadow, charged with formidable energy, whisked past where Ye Xiao had just been.

Landing, Ye Xiao spun around, sword at the ready, and faced his challenger.

A majestic golden-horned wolf stood nearby, its gaze locked on Ye Xiao. The beast, nearly two meters in length and towering over a meter tall, had eyes that sparkled with a hint of intelligence. Its golden horn radiated a trace of Essence, which wrapped around the horn, casting a soft white glow.

Ye Xiao gasped in surprise upon witnessing the creature before him; it was unmistakably a binary beast.

Despite the considerable size of the dense forest bordering the city, the likelihood of an Origin Beast emerging was relatively low. Yet, this golden giant wolf had somehow managed to evolve into a binary beast.

A binary beast was on par with a human Yuan Master, and the gap between them was vast. Primers channeled their cultivated vitality through the body's meridians, requiring premeditation for every move, which inevitably led to energy depletion. In contrast, a Yuan Master's hallmark was the creation of Elemental Beads within the body.

Located at the Dantian, these Elemental Beads formed from the body's collective vital energy, allowing for swift and effortless circulation of Qi that responded instantly to the heart's intent.

The combat prowess of a Yuan Master far surpassed that of a Primer, with a single first-level Yuan Master easily overpowering two or three ninth-level Primers.

Although a binary beast could not master Origin Skills, the presence of a Yuan nucleus within their bodies significantly boosted their fighting capabilities.

On high alert, Ye Xiao clung to a sliver of hope. "Wolf brother, I hope you overlook me..."

However, the golden giant wolf had no intention of sparing Ye Xiao. Having recently ascended to binary beast status, it had scared off all other creatures with its presence, forcing it to travel great distances for prey. Now faced with an unsuspecting target, the wolf was not about to let this meal slip away.

The golden giant wolf clearly didn't consider Ye Xiao a threat. It gave him a disdainful once-over before lunging at him with ferocity.

Caught off guard by the wolf's sudden move, Ye Xiao, fully on guard, managed to sidestep and counter with a sword strike.

Surprisingly, the wolf was slightly quicker than Ye Xiao. Though it reacted swiftly, it couldn't completely avoid the slash of Ye Xiao's blade.

Ye Xiao aimed his broken sword at the wolf's golden horn, but as he did, the horn's glow intensified, and a slender beam of light—a Light pillar—fired towards the damaged sword.

Ye Xiao winced as a sharp pain shot through his wrist. Glancing down, he saw trickles of fresh blood seeping from the base of his palm. The giant wolf landed with a thud, turned, and cast a disdainful look back at Ye Xiao.

The battle resumed between man and beast. Despite Ye Xiao's relentless defense and his use of the surrounding trees for cover, his body soon bore numerous gashes. The broken sword in his hand had managed to inflict several wounds on the massive wolf, yet the beast's imposing presence remained undiminished. Ye Xiao was lucky the wolf seemed more interested in toying with its prey than delivering a swift end; otherwise, he would have stood no chance of resistance.

"Qian Yuan Sword, Qian Yuan Sword, come out now!" Ye Xiao's thoughts raced with urgency, his inner voice shouting in desperation.

"What do you want, kid? Ah... damn... is this a binary beast?" The Sword Spirit of the Qian Yuan Sword, often dormant due to its seal, only stirred from its slumber when Ye Xiao called out in his mind.

"Boy, are you trying to commit suicide? Even with the formidable Qianyuan Spell, you're just a fledgling Elemental. How dare you challenge a binary beast on par with a Yuan Master?"

Ye Xiao was torn between amusement and frustration at the Sword Spirit's rambling. He quickly briefed it, "Enough, enough, think of something fast, or we'll both be wolf chow soon."

"Of course, there's a way..." The Qian Yuan Sword replied in a languid drawl.

"What is it? Tell me!" Ye Xiao pressed, struggling to fend off the giant wolf's relentless assault.

"Run..."

"Damn..."

Ye Xiao's mind went blank at the Qian Yuan Sword's advice. Caught off guard, he braced for the wolf's charge. The beast's horn, charged with potent vitality, struck Ye Xiao with crushing force.

A wave of agony surged through him as he tumbled to the ground in disarray, coughing up blood.

Shaking his head to clear the dizziness, Ye Xiao knew he couldn't keep up the fight. Summoning the last of his vitality, he dashed into the dense underbrush and made a break for it, fleeing into the forest.

The giant wolf was in no rush, its pace naturally swifter than Ye Xiao's, especially now that Ye Xiao was riddled with injuries, making him even slower. The wolf maintained a steady distance, occasionally inflicting new wounds upon him.

Ye Xiao, with no time to discern any direction, could only flee with all his might. He was aware that his demise was imminent once his spirit energy was depleted, but Ye Chen was out of options. His only recourse was to cling to the hope of a miracle.

For how long Ye Xiao had been running, or the distance he had covered, he had no idea. His body's energy had long been exhausted, leaving him running on sheer physical willpower. Then, suddenly, he stumbled and collapsed. Before, Ye Xiao had managed to keep going, biting back the pain and pushing forward with sheer willpower. But after this fall, he found himself unable to rise again.