C17 Fire Serpent

"Boom!"

A thunderous noise erupted, and a colossal figure charged directly at Chu Feng.

In that instant, Chu Feng's immediate instinct was to retreat swiftly!

Executing the Cloudwalk footwork, Chu Feng had moved several hundred meters back before he suddenly noticed a massive creature evaluating him near the carcass of the wild bull.

A Fire Serpent!

Only at this moment did Chu Feng get a clear view of the creature that had burst forth.

This Fire Serpent stretched over thirty meters in length, its entire body a brilliant red, reminiscent of blazing flames.

The serpent coiled there, its blood-red eyes fixed intently on Chu Feng, its forked tongue flickering in and out as if gauging his strength.

Chu Feng's rapid retreat had not gone unnoticed; the Fire Serpent could tell that the human before it was no ordinary opponent.

"Fire Serpent? At the third level of Mystic Ascension?"

The sight of the Fire Serpent compelled Chu Feng to grip his longsword even tighter, his face etched with concentration.

Chu Feng had used the wild bull's corpse as bait, expecting to attract some lower-level War Beasts. To his surprise, a Fire Serpent at the third level of Mystic Ascension had taken an interest in the bull's remains.

It was akin to using a trinket to entice a child, only to draw the attention of an adult.

Chu Feng remained motionless, meticulously observing the Fire Serpent before him, while the serpent, with its tongue darting and eyes locked on Chu Feng, did the same.

Beasts, much like humans, have the potential to become War Beasts, albeit at a higher frequency than humans becoming warriors. Possessing the intelligence that comes with reaching the Mystic Ascension realm, the Fire Serpent refrained from consuming the wild bull.

The serpent understood that devouring the bull would leave it vulnerable, and should Chu Feng choose to strike at that moment, the Fire Serpent's life could very well be forfeit.

"Fortune favors the bold!"

After a tense standoff, Chu Feng let out a thunderous roar. Simultaneously, he engaged his Cloudwalk footwork to its fullest, longsword in hand, and charged at the Fire Serpent with incredible speed.

As Chu Feng sprang into action, the Fire Serpent reacted with a roar of its own. Opening its gaping maw, it lunged ferociously at Chu Feng.

Chu Feng nimbly dodged the Fire Serpent's assault. Without a word, he closed in and thrust his longsword viciously at the creature's body.

"Ding!"

A crisp sound echoed. The longsword in Chu Feng's hand failed to penetrate the Fire Serpent's body, not even making it past the scales!

Missing his mark, Chu Feng attempted another stab, only to be met with a massive force barreling towards him. The Fire Serpent's colossal tail swept towards Chu Feng with the force of a landslide.

Chu Feng acted swiftly, dodging to avoid the brunt of the blow.

War Beasts may lack the skills and weapons of a warrior, but they possess advantages unknown to humans: formidable physical strength and massive power.

Both Chu Feng and the Fire Serpent were at the Mystic Ascension realm, yet a hit from the Fire Serpent's tail could cripple Chu Feng, given his current corporeal state, if not outright kill him.

"Boom!"

The Fire Serpent's tail missed Chu Feng but struck a large boulder nearby, shattering it into a cloud of dust and debris.

"I refuse to believe I can't defeat you!"

Chu Feng's all-out strike had been ineffective. He activated his Cloudwalk footwork again, charging at the Fire Serpent with renewed speed.

The Fire Serpent roared and swung its massive tail at Chu Feng, but to its frustration, Chu Feng evaded the attack just in time.

Chu Feng pressed on, moving even closer to the beast.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

A series of metallic clashes rang out as Chu Feng relentlessly swung his longsword, unleashing a barrage of strikes against the Fire Serpent's body. Despite his efforts, Chu Feng felt a sense of futility; aside from leaving scratches on the scales, he hadn't inflicted the slightest injury on the Fire Serpent.

At that moment, the Fire Serpent's massive tail came sweeping toward Chu Feng once again. With no other option, Chu Feng had to evade.

"Roar!"

The Fire Serpent let out an enraged roar upon seeing Chu Feng dodge its attack.

Chu Feng's level of cultivation was inferior to that of the Fire Serpent, yet it was unable to harm him. Instead, with each attack, Chu Feng would retaliate with a flurry of slashes, much to the Fire Serpent's frustration.

Chu Feng, facing the Fire Serpent, covered his nose and wrinkled his brow.

The Fire Serpent was certainly not quiet.

It seemed he had thoroughly provoked it.

Despite his attacks seeming futile, Chu Feng launched another assault.

After effortlessly sidestepping the Fire Serpent's tail once more, Chu Feng's longsword came down hard on the Fire Serpent.

Tempest's Blade!

Upon executing the skill, the longsword in Chu Feng's hand began to buzz. Simultaneously, a faint purple hue enveloped the blade, resembling lightning as it coiled around the longsword.

Thunder Sword!

A thunder attribute rune had been embedded into Chu Feng's longsword by a forger. With the infusion of Shadow Power, the rune sprang into action.

"Hah!"

Chu Feng bellowed as he swung his longsword fiercely at the Fire Serpent's waist. Instantly, a streak of purple light surged toward the Fire Serpent.

"Roar…!"

The Fire Serpent's roar was laced with a hint of pain this time.

Just as he thought!

Chu Feng's activation of the rune was effective, and he unleashed a barrage of slashes upon the Fire Serpent. A series of purple Shadow Power blasts followed, striking the Fire Serpent.

The Shadow Power made contact with the Fire Serpent's body, eliciting a series of agonized screams.

What infuriated the Fire Serpent even more was the excruciating pain Chu Feng inflicted upon it, while it was powerless to retaliate.

With the Cloudwalk footwork, Chu Feng's agility was unmatched, rendering the Fire Serpent's attacks ineffective, like ripples on water, leaving no trace.

Instead, the Fire Serpent found itself expending a great deal of energy.

"Boom!"

Another thunderous noise echoed as the Fire Serpent's tail brutally struck a large tree, splitting it cleanly in two.

"Now is the time!"

Seizing the moment before the Fire Serpent's tail attack could land, Chu Feng let out a thunderous yell. In the same breath, his longsword thrust viciously into the Fire Serpent's head.

"Roar!"

A terrible scream echoed as blood poured from the Fire Serpent's eye.

"Just as I thought, the eyes are the weak spot!"

Chu Feng bellowed and charged at the Fire Serpent with lightning speed.

The Fire Serpent, upon seeing the longsword in Chu Feng's grasp, let out a sky-piercing roar and, in one swift movement, bolted towards the underbrush.

"Think you can escape?"

Chu Feng, recognizing the tactic, promptly lifted his sword and gave chase.

"Roar!"

Four hours later, in the midst of a vast clearing, the Fire Serpent lay coiled, unleashing a furious roar at Chu Feng.

"Where have I ended up?"

Chu Feng, coming to an abrupt halt, surveyed his surroundings with a moment of confusion. He had been so focused on pursuing the Fire Serpent that he hadn't realized it had led him to this place.

He was deep within the Aethelwood!

"No, I must finish you off now!"

Chu Feng sensed that something was amiss. He had heard tales of a fifth level Dream-Seeking Tyrant Beast lurking in the deepest parts of the Aethelwood. An encounter with it would spell certain doom!

Not even considering the Dream-Seeking level, he had yet to conquer the third level Mystic Ascension Fire Serpent. If he let this drag on, Chu Feng feared the night would bring endless nightmares.

"Tempest's Blade!"

With a mighty roar, Chu Feng hoisted the longsword high, and suddenly, a multitude of sword shadows materialized alongside the blade.

The force of the Tempest's Blade!

Chu Feng had been reluctant to deploy this technique, as it was a once-per-day, life-saving skill he wouldn't use unless absolutely necessary. But now, Chu Feng had no choice but to unleash it.