Chapter Forty: Battle

Yi Tian followed behind the other five, keeping pace as if strolling leisurely through a courtyard. Yet, less than three miles behind him, a silver-blooded ancient beast, as massive as a small mountain, was relentlessly closing in.

If things continued this way, they would inevitably be overtaken by the silver-blooded beast. Should Yi Tian unleash his Feather Flight technique at full strength, he could traverse sixty or seventy yards in a single stride, quickly outpacing the beast. However, the rest of the Samsara Squad would not be so fortunate. They simply could not outrun the silver-blooded ancient beast; it was clear that, faced with a low-tier savage beast possessing royal blood, they would be crushed and slaughtered without the slightest chance to resist.

Even though this particular silver-blooded ancient beast was only classified as low-tier, its royal bloodline made its strength extraordinary. Ancient texts recorded that low-tier beasts with royal bloodlines could even defeat or kill mid-tier beasts. There was no doubt—the beast before them possessed the power of a mid-tier savage beast.

A mid-tier savage beast was strong enough to split mountains and shatter stone, matched only by those of human tier strength. In the land surrounding Black Dragon City, such beasts were nearly invincible.

In the next moment, resolve flashed across Yi Tian’s eyes. He stopped in his tracks.

Yi Feng, Yi Shan, and the others, who had been running desperately, noticed and halted as well.

“Hurry up and go! Don’t waste time!” Yi Tian urged them sharply.

“If there’s a battle to be fought, we fight together! How could the Samsara Squad leave our captain behind while we flee?” Yi Li declared, his face resolute.

Yi Shan, Yi Kuang, and the others were equally determined to stay, their fighting spirit igniting as they prepared to face the silver-blooded ancient beast in a life-or-death struggle.

Though Yi Tian was gratified by their loyalty, this was not the moment for sentiment. He spoke in a deep voice, “Don’t be foolish. Leave now. I’ll hold it off. Without you slowing me down, I can escape at any time.”

His words made them realize this was the best possible way to survive. They understood that if they stayed, they would only hinder Yi Tian, unable to help and likely to impede his efforts.

Without another word, they turned and resumed their desperate sprint.

Yet, each of them felt a profound change within—a fierce desire to grow stronger began to take root. They did not want to face such situations again, powerless and unable to help.

While they spoke, the silver-blooded beast had already closed to within a few hundred yards of Yi Tian. For a creature of its immense size, this distance was negligible—almost as if it were already upon him.

Yi Tian now stood upon the earth, facing the oncoming beast. In his hand was the Dragon’s Cry Bow, the Demon-Breaking Arrow nocked, its tip trained upon the creature’s massive form.

Closer, ever closer!

Calmly, Yi Tian watched as the silver-blooded ancient beast sped toward him. He did not attack immediately; the distance was still too great, and his strike would be weakened. The beast’s body was so large that he had no concern about missing his mark. What mattered was inflicting a crippling wound.

Yi Tian scrutinized the charging beast—the dark silver scales covering its body, especially its head, where the scales were hardest, with natural patterns that hinted at formidable defense.

He recalled a brief passage from the ancient texts about this species: the silver-blooded ancient beast possessed an extraordinary bloodline, a royal tier famed across the realm, much like the dragon clan’s lineage, found among many savage and spiritual beasts. Any beast awakened to this royal bloodline had astonishing defensive capabilities, ranking among the best of their kind.

In an instant, information about the silver-blooded beast surfaced in Yi Tian’s mind. Its defenses were so strong that even his Demon-Breaking Arrow might not pierce its scales, and even if it did, the arrow would lose much of its force.

Given this, Yi Tian aimed at the beast’s eyes.

Thunder roared—a terrifying sonic boom erupted, like divine thunder from the heavens.

In the next moment, a dazzling beam of energy shot forth from the Dragon’s Cry Bow, crossing a hundred yards in a heartbeat and burying itself in the head of the silver-blooded ancient beast, which was charging toward Yi Tian and his companions.

The beast had been wildly chasing the group, exhilarated. Its bloodline told it that humans were a wondrous species: weak, but prolific, and their flesh held irresistible allure for savage beasts like itself. Moreover, human emotions—love, hate, obsession, resentment—when pushed to the extreme, could even touch the Dao.

For savage beasts, the power unleashed by human emotions was something to be feared, yet their flesh and feelings could enhance a beast’s potential, foster intelligence, and increase strength.

Thus, savage beasts had always seen humans as food for their own evolution.

This time, a beast tide was about to erupt. The silver-blooded ancient beast had arrived early at the outskirts of the Fulong Mountains. When the tide broke, it would be among the first to storm into human lands, feasting on flesh and savoring the cries of despair.

This was a rare opportunity! It knew that deep within the Fulong Mountains, a mid-tier savage beast was about to break through, and this tide was meant to allow it to devour vast numbers of humans and ascend to the high-tier. Otherwise, such an event might not occur for centuries.

Though centuries meant little to such long-lived beasts, there were only a handful of chances in a lifetime.

As the beast pondered these thoughts, it suddenly saw a brilliant beam of light shooting toward it from Yi Tian, so swift it seemed to teleport. A surge of extreme danger arose within it.

But it was already too late.

With a thunderous crash, the arrow tore through the air and plunged into its left eye, leaving only a small shaft protruding, quivering violently.

A deafening roar burst from the beast, a torrent of force sweeping the surroundings, rocks tumbling, leaves shredded from the trees.

Blood gushed from its wounded eye in thick streams, staining the earth a deep crimson.

The beast was enraged beyond measure. To be wounded in the left eye by a human—a mere food source—was an unbearable humiliation. Its powerful life force could not regenerate the lost eye; for a creature with royal blood, this was an intolerable agony.

In the next instant, it shoved its legs against the ground.

The earth below was gouged out, forming a pit more than a dozen yards wide as the beast leapt like a mountain, crashing down upon Yi Tian.

If Yi Tian were struck by its massive body, despite his physical prowess, he would be utterly destroyed—reduced to pulp beneath the ancient beast.

Yi Tian moved in a flash, his form shooting away like lightning.

In a split second, he appeared sixty yards away, narrowly escaping the beast’s crushing attack.

For the silver-blooded ancient beast, its greatest strength lay in its defense—nearly invincible.

But as Yi Tian regained his footing, a giant claw, five yards across, descended from above, slamming down at him.

Yi Tian evaded again with Feather Flight, the area around him shattered by the blow, deep claw marks gouged over a dozen yards.

The beast’s enormous claws struck again and again, while Yi Tian’s small figure seemed like a grasshopper, dodging nimbly.

Fortunately, Yi Tian’s mastery of Feather Flight was unmatched, allowing him to evade repeatedly beneath the barrage of claws.

Having drawn the beast’s attention, Yi Tian immediately sprinted in another direction.