Chapter 41: A Thoroughly Enjoyable Experience

Ling Dehai and his daughter, along with the others, had been rescued and were currently running toward the mountain gate, their faces etched with panic.

"It’s Brother Qin!" Ling Fei exclaimed with delight upon seeing Qin Liang.

She had been saved by Qin Liang multiple times during her various ordeals, and this time he had even rescued the entire Sulfur Fire Mercenary Group. Feeling an immense sense of gratitude, an inexplicable emotion began to stir within her, and her heart fluttered.

"Brother Qin, run! The Lion-Tiger Beast has awakened!" Ling Dehai didn't even have time to offer his thanks before urgently warning him.

"The time has come, after all."

Feng Yi hurriedly stepped in front of Qin Liang, shouting to the other brothers, "Get the others out of here first! I’ll stay behind to cover the retreat."

The members of the Sulfur Fire Mercenary Group quickly fled toward the mountain gate. At the same time, the earth began to quake and a roar shook the heavens. A five-meter-tall Lion-Tiger Beast appeared before them, charging forward at high speed on its four powerful hooves, smashing through houses in its path.

"Xiao Liang, step back."

After saying this, Feng Yi charged forward with his long saber, his entire body glowing with a cyan-black spiritual radiance. As he focused his intent, the radiance surged into his blade, augmenting his sword energy, and he struck out with all his might.

*Swish!*

A blade of light cut through the air, striking toward the massive beast like a blinding flash of lightning in the night sky.

The Lion-Tiger Beast erupted in a frenzy, slamming its front hooves into the ground, causing the earth to crack. A terrifying shockwave swept outward, instantly shattering the formidable blade of light, and the beast continued its charge.

"Brother Feng..."

The other brothers were horrified, and Qin Liang felt a secret chill; the Lion-Tiger Beast had actually achieved seven stages of Spirit Refinement.

Its entire body was wreathed in dark light, and its claws flashed with a cold, metallic glint. It struck repeatedly, shattering the sword energy Feng Yi had unleashed, and in an instant, it was upon him, its massive hooves descending to trample him.

"Azure Wolf Frenzy!"

Qin Liang let out a low growl, activating his Berserk Beast Body. His strength surged, and he rushed forward, wielding his sword embryo. His previous use of the Three-Unity Fist had nearly drained him, and although he had recovered slightly after taking a pill, he could no longer use that technique. However, he still had other means to fight.

*Swish! Swish!*

In an instant, Qin Liang slashed out twice, his blades landing on the beast's front hooves.

The collision of terrifying power erupted in a brilliant display of light. The beast’s spiritual radiance splattered like an exploding meteor. After blocking the beast's strike, Qin Liang was sent flying, crashing into a courtyard wall and leaving deep cracks.

"Xiao Liang..."

Feng Yi was devastated, and then he grew furious. "You beast, I’ll kill you or die trying!"

He lunged forward, engaging the Lion-Tiger Beast in a fierce battle. Blade flashes flickered incessantly as the two collided repeatedly in the open ground.

Despite the massive difference in their physical forms, their strength was evenly matched, and no clear victor emerged in the short term.

Qin Liang’s physique was quite resilient, especially while using the Berserk Beast Body. Although he had been sent flying, causing his blood to churn and forcing him to cough up a mouthful of blood, he was not seriously injured. He quickly swallowed a medicinal pill to stabilize his condition.

"In the same rank, demonic beasts are truly stronger than humans," Qin Liang mused to himself. Even at the same seven stages of Spirit Refinement, the Lion-Tiger Beast was far more formidable than Meng Xiangyu.

"Brother Feng, use this!" Qin Liang shouted, tossing the Yuan-weapon sword embryo in his hand.

Feng Yi’s eyes brightened; he grabbed the weapon, infused it with his spiritual radiance, and swung it with all his might.

The sword light collided with the beast’s front hoof, leaving a bright red streak of blood. However, to Qin Liang’s surprise, the hoof was not severed, and Feng Yi was equally stunned. He was also at the seventh stage of Spirit Refinement and, wielding a Yuan-weapon, had expected to succeed in one strike, but things had not gone as planned.

"This beast... it has practiced some kind of protective demonic art."

The thought had barely crossed Feng Yi’s mind when the Lion-Tiger Beast attacked again. He was sent flying by a hoof, coughing up a mouthful of blood. In his desperation, Feng Yi also swallowed a pill and charged back into the fray.

"Don't get cocky, you beast!"

The other brothers had delivered the members of the Sulfur Fire Mercenary Group to safety and had returned with Ling Dehai. They were all at the sixth stage of Spirit Refinement. Over twenty men surrounded the Lion-Tiger Beast, determined to slay it on the spot.

Qin Liang, only at the fifth stage of Spirit Refinement, looked at the scene, his desire for strength reaching its peak. He wanted to be someone who could protect others; he did not want to stand by and watch.

"Strength..." he murmured. His gaze became increasingly firm, his aura surged, and his fighting spirit soared.

With a sudden push from his legs, he shot out like a black lightning bolt, his fists clenched. At the same time, his spiritual perception expanded wildly, monitoring every change in the battlefield.

The Lion-Tiger Beast was simply too strong. Even with Feng Yi and the others working together, they could not kill it; instead, they were pushed back by its demonic power, each of them coughing up blood or suffering injuries.

Just then, a dark shadow suddenly charged into the battlefield, racing toward the five-meter-tall giant.

"Xiao Liang..."

"Brother Qin..."

Feng Yi, Ling Dehai, and the others were shocked, but they were unable to recover in time to intervene, and they felt deep concern for Qin Liang.

However, the scene that followed left the twenty-plus men completely stunned.

Qin Liang reached the Lion-Tiger Beast and began to throw punches wildly, engaging in close-quarters combat with the beast without showing a shred of fear.

The brief collision caused the Lion-Tiger Beast to discard its contempt. Its pupils contracted as it moved rapidly to respond, surprised that this human’s aura was actually on par with its own.

It swung its claws frantically, colliding repeatedly with Qin Liang’s small fists.

In just a few breaths, they had traded many blows, whipping up a storm in the clearing and causing spiritual radiance to scatter endlessly.

"Exhilarating!"

Qin Liang shouted, feeling a sense of deep satisfaction. The feeling of being filled with the courage to fight without regard for life, charging forward relentlessly, was truly comfortable. A hearty and fierce battle was unavoidable.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Qin Liang continued to charge. He felt as if he had grasped the true meaning of the "Berserk Beast Body."

What is a berserk battle? It is fighting with madness. Only by placing oneself in the midst of madness and elevating one's fighting spirit to the extreme can one unleash a beast-like, savage power that is unbreakable.

The collision of over seven thousand pounds of force shook the earth. In the Black Tiger Gang’s headquarters, houses collapsed, leaving a scene of ruins. They fought from the courtyard to the main hall, then to the mountains behind, destroying a mountain peak. Wherever they passed, grass and trees were turned to dust, and boulders tumbled down, scaring away flocks of birds. The battle was exceptionally intense.

"This..."

Feng Yi and the others stood in the original clearing, staring blankly, their hearts filled with complex shock.

The combat power Qin Liang displayed was simply not what a fifth-stage Spirit Refinement practitioner should be capable of. Everyone had the illusion that what was fighting now was not a man and a beast, but two ferocious demonic beasts.

"Brother Qin is even more fierce than before," Ling Dehai sighed in admiration.

These men at the sixth and seventh stages of Spirit Refinement felt a sense of helplessness, realizing they no longer had the qualifications to participate in the battle.

Although the two sides were evenly matched and neither had gained the upper hand, it was undeniable that after Qin Liang pushed his Berserk Beast Body to the limit, his combat power had increased significantly.

Each of his punches carried a violent, hidden force that surged into the beast’s body, constantly disrupting its ability to mobilize its spiritual radiance. The combination of internal and external strikes began to make the Lion-Tiger Beast panic.

"Sword, come!"

Seizing the right moment, Qin Liang shouted.

Feng Yi snapped out of his trance and hurriedly tossed the Yuan-weapon sword embryo to Qin Liang, his heart pounding with extreme tension, hoping Qin Liang would finally slay the monster.

Seeing the Lion-Tiger Beast about to burn its essence blood for a final stand, Qin Liang immediately swung the sword embryo frantically, interrupting the beast's process, for he had set his sights on that essence blood and was determined to obtain it.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

The sword embryo slashed repeatedly. The spiritual radiance inside the Lion-Tiger Beast was thrown into chaos by the hidden force, and it was at the end of its rope. Finally, its protective demonic art was broken, its head was sent flying, and the sword embryo pierced through its chest.

"Essence blood..."

Qin Liang had just started to walk over to collect the blood when his energy was completely exhausted, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.