C18 Tyrant Beast

As the sword force was unleashed, it radiated with dazzling brilliance. The Fire Serpent, upon witnessing this display, remained motionless.

"Ha!" Chu Feng bellowed, channeling every ounce of his Shadow Power and delivering a ferocious sweep towards the Fire Serpent's location. In an instant, the sky was filled with hundreds of longswords hurtling towards the Fire Serpent with a piercing howl!

The swords sang through the heavens, and before even touching the ground, their force was overwhelming.

"Roar!" In that moment, the Fire Serpent seemed to snap out of its daze. Facing the barrage of longswords, it let out a mournful roar that echoed with a tinge of sorrow.

"Boom!" A thunderous explosion followed, kicking up clouds of dust and scattering stones, obscuring the Fire Serpent's fate from view.

"Cough, cough!" Witnessing the aftermath, Chu Feng coughed violently and slumped to the ground. The exertion of his sword force had drained him of all his Shadow Power.

Now, Chu Feng was utterly drained and powerless. Should a War Beast appear at this moment, even one of Initial Transcendent level, it could spell the end for him.

Seizing the opportunity while the dust still hung in the air, Chu Feng quickly began the Sutra of Enlightenment. This technique, passed down by his master in a former life, was designed to accelerate the absorption of spiritual energy and replenish his strength.

Chu Feng was not about to foolishly check on the Fire Serpent while in such a weakened state. If it had survived his onslaught, the outcome would be dire.

As the dust settled, Chu Feng felt a slight return of his Shadow Power.

"This...!!!" He stared at the scene before him, at a loss for words. The Fire Serpent had not perished!

Despite his all-out attack and the onslaught of the Tempest's Blade, the Fire Serpent had survived!

And to his astonishment, a middle-aged man now stood beside the Fire Serpent. The man's torso was bare, his chest muscles hinting at explosive strength. His expression was one of cold indifference, and his purple hair added an air of peculiarity to his appearance.

"You... Who are you?" Chu Feng inquired, subtly tightening his grip on the longsword he held.

"Why did you kill it?" The man seemed not to hear Chu Feng's question, glancing at the Fire Serpent beside him before asking slowly.

Chu Feng was struck by curiosity as the Fire Serpent lay motionless next to the man, seemingly very docile. This revelation shocked him deeply. Due to various reasons, humans and War Beasts were natural enemies, with the exception of the Totem Clan. Never had there been such a harmonious existence between humans and War Beasts.

At this moment, the man before him had managed to make the Fire Serpent submissive, which could only mean one thing. Chu Feng dared not continue that line of thought. He preferred to believe otherwise.

"Why did you kill him?" The man, noticing Chu Feng's astonished gaze, narrowed his eyes and posed the question calmly.

The man's voice was icy, sending shivers down Chu Feng's spine as if he were in a frigid cavern. "I need to enhance my cultivation."

"Why kill it if not to improve your cultivation?" The man scolded upon hearing Chu Feng's response.

Suddenly, Chu Feng felt an overwhelming force pressing down upon him, making it difficult to breathe. "You... If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Tyrant Beast!"

Chu Feng managed to speak, despite the immense pressure. No sooner had he spoken than the oppressive force vanished. "What did you say?" Chu Feng looked up to see the man's eyes fixed intently on him, asking slowly.

"It's rumored that within the Aethelwood, there's a fifth-level Dream-Seeking Tyrant Beast that even the Duke of Ralens wouldn't dare provoke. I'm guessing you're that Tyrant Beast from the Aethelwood, aren't you?" Chu Feng asked, his eyes slightly narrowed.

This was the very reality Chu Feng had hoped to avoid. He had come face to face with a Dream-Seeking War Beast! Such a creature could easily take his life with a mere flick of its finger. Unexpectedly, by pursuing the Fire Serpent, Chu Feng had stumbled into the domain of a Tyrant Beast.

"Oh? And what makes you think that? I am clearly human."

The man glanced at Chu Feng with interest as he caressed the Fire Serpent. "Humans and War Beasts are like oil and water, never mixing. Nowadays, only the Totem Clan can peacefully coexist with War Beasts. No other human can command War Beasts as you do. In the Totem Clan, War Beasts are treated as equals, certainly not as subservient as this Fire Serpent. Therefore, there's only one explanation—you must be the Tyrant Beast."

Chu Feng spoke calmly.

A Tyrant Beast is a War Beast from the Dream-Seeking Realm, a title bestowed upon those who have ascended from the World-Illuminating Realm. Legend has it that once a War Beast crosses into the Dream-Seeking Realm, it can transform into a human.

A War Beast that has taken human form is no longer just a beast; it joins the ranks of the enlightened.

"Hmm, you're quite knowledgeable. Now tell me, how should I punish you for trespassing into my territory with the intent to kill my kin?"

No sooner had the middle-aged man finished speaking than a thunderous roar echoed, and a colossal Stone Ape, towering over sixty feet tall, materialized where the man had stood!

"Stone Ape!" Chu Feng whispered to himself.

Before he could even process the situation, Chu Feng saw the Stone Ape's massive palm hurtling towards him.

He was paralyzed, unable to move. An unknown force had gripped him firmly—Chu Feng was certain it was the might of the Tyrant Beast.

"To slaughter my kin is an unforgivable sin!"

The Stone Ape's voice boomed like thunder, leaving Chu Feng reeling. Despite knowing he couldn't just await his fate, his strength was futile against the Dream-Seeking Tyrant Beast.

The giant palm swept toward him with ferocious intent.

Chu Feng mustered all his strength in an attempt to break free, but his efforts were in vain.

"Ahh!!!" he screamed as the overwhelming force bore down on him, even before the palm made contact. Blood streamed from all his orifices, and the sight was truly horrific.

Upon seeing Chu Feng's current state, the Fire Serpent was visibly thrilled. Its forked tongue flicked in and out, and it fixed one eye intently on Chu Feng.

In that moment, a burst of golden light erupted from within Chu Feng. The light hovered above his head, radiating a blinding brilliance.

"The Rune of Power!"

Chu Feng recognized the object above him as the Rune of Power and let out a loud cry. Though he was unsure why the Rune had appeared so suddenly, he had no time to ponder it. Without hesitation, Chu Feng began reciting the incantation associated with the Rune.

As he chanted, Chu Feng felt a sudden release throughout his body.

He crashed to the ground with a thud. To his surprise, the Stone Ape that had been attacking him was now staring at him in astonishment.

"You... You..."

The Stone Ape struggled to find words.

Observing the creature's reaction, Chu Feng was convinced of the Rune of Power's efficacy and quickened his incantation.

"Boom!"

At that instant, a massive object barreled toward Chu Feng, landing heavily beside him.

"What...!"

Chu Feng was astounded by the sudden appearance of the object next to him.

Lying motionless beside him was the corpse of a Fire Serpent—the very one he had been pursuing.

"!!!"

What shocked Chu Feng even more was the disappearance of the Tyrant Beast that had been near the Fire Serpent.

"Could it have been the Tyrant Beast that killed the Fire Serpent?" Chu Feng mused after some time.

Yet, Chu Feng was at a loss as to why the Tyrant Beast would kill the Fire Serpent without cause.

Soon after, he watched as the Rune of Power in the sky transformed into a stream of golden light and swiftly entered his body.

"Could it be the Rune of Power?"

Staring at the Fire Serpent's corpse beside him, Chu Feng was deep in thought.