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The colossal form of the Unicorn Eagle King loomed over the darkened plains of U Yuan Continent, its hundred-mile wings casting shadows that swallowed the night. The air quaked as its thunderous voice reverberated, shaking the heavens and earth.
"Lowly human!" it roared. "Forcing me to unleash my True Form you can die proud!"
The sheer majesty of its True Form drew the attention of countless high-tier beasts lurking in the shadows. Their divine senses buzzed, eager to witness the spectacle.
"My heavens!" one beast gasped. "Is that the Unicorn Eagle King's True Form?"
"It hasn't revealed it in nearly a century!" another exclaimed.
"Even in that earth-shaking battle with the human woman days ago, it didn't show this form!" a third added.
"This'll be a show!" a fourth chuckled.
The Unicorn Eagle King's grandeur sparked a frenzy among the onlookers, their divine senses locked onto the battlefield, hungry for free entertainment.
Lan An, unfazed by the beast's monstrous size, scoffed. "Big body, but what's it good for?"
His figure blurred as he activated Phantom Wanderer Steps, the White Horse Battle Robe billowing in the wind. In a flash, he reappeared above the Unicorn Eagle King's head, unleashing a Great Hong Kick with earth-shattering force.
"Dream on!" the beast snarled.
Despite its massive frame, the Unicorn Eagle King moved with uncanny agility. Its ten-zhang wings rode the wind, dodging Lan An's kick with a swift twist of its body.
"Oh?" Lan An let out a surprised grunt.
Kim Nhi's voice echoed in his mind, calm but firm. "A beast's true strength lies in its True Form, Young Master. The human guise only aids cultivation. Don't underestimate it!"
"Got it," Lan An replied, his silver eyes glinting with focus. Pierce Weakness activated, scanning the beast's soaring form for vulnerabilities.
"Die!" The Unicorn Eagle King didn't give him time to think, charging with wind-tearing speed, its diamond claws gleaming like giant pincers.
ROAR
A earth-shaking bellow rang out. The mountain-like Earth Bear materialized in the sky, facing the incoming claws. It roared in fury, its massive arms seizing the claws, gripping them tightly.
"An ant shaking a tree!" the Unicorn Eagle King sneered.
Its wings flapped harder, forcing the Earth Bear to stagger back. Unable to withstand the pressure, the bear let out an unwilling roar and dissipated into the air.
"Foolish resistance!" The beast laughed triumphantly.
WHOOSH
Its laughter cut short as a wave of danger surged. Unnoticed, Lan An had drawn a radiant longbow, shimmering like a galaxy the North Star Bow. A flaming arrow, wreathed in searing heat, tore through the night, the faint glow of the Big Dipper constellation shimmering behind him. Where the arrow passed, space warped violently.
"Too late!" The Unicorn Eagle King's reaction lagged. The blazing arrow pierced one of its wings, striking a wound left from its battle with Ji Ya.
"ARRGH!" it howled.
Purple flames erupted, incinerating a swath of feathers. The beast writhed in agony as the fire spread.
"Damn you! Wind Lance Storm!" Gritting through the pain, the Unicorn Eagle King summoned a torrent of Wind-Element energy, forming a massive vortex that swept toward its burning wing.
The tactic worked—the purple flames were gradually extinguished. Though not a Body Cultivator, the beast's Sixth-Order physique was formidable, preventing the Alien Fire from reaching its innards. Still, the external damage was severe, draining a third of its strength.
"Heaven-Grade treasure? And that's Alien Fire? Damn it!" The Unicorn Eagle King's eyes darkened, glaring at Lan An. It hadn't expected this human to wield both a Heaven-Grade weapon and Alien Fire. A mere Earth-Grade bow couldn't have pierced its wing, and while it had no use for Alien Fire as a non-Fire beast, it knew its devastating power.
From the shadows, the onlookers buzzed with excitement.
"Alien Fire? This human has Alien Fire!" one beast exclaimed.
"Pity I'm not a Fire-Element beast," another sighed.
"You're not, but I am! I'll take it at all costs!" a Fire-Element beast growled.
"Did you notice? He's only a Nascent Soul cultivator, yet his combat power is terrifying!" a fourth observed.
"Even the top geniuses of U Yuan Continent rarely achieve this!" another agreed.
"A Heaven-Grade bow? I'm interested!" a beast mused.
"Whoever he is, trespassing on U Yuan Continent means death!" a final voice declared.
The hidden beasts' whispers grew heated, some coveting Lan An's treasures, others eager to crush a human genius. U Yuan Continent, a beast-dominated realm, was ever at odds with human lands, and none wanted a prodigy like Lan An to rise.
WHOOSH
Another flaming arrow shot from the North Star Bow.
"Think you'll hit me again?" The Unicorn Eagle King sneered, its terrifying speed dodging the shot.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH
Three more arrows followed, but the beast evaded them all.
"Wounded or not, a Sixth-Order beast isn't easy prey," Lan An muttered, his face serious.
His figure blurred, vanishing with Speed Shift. Another flaming arrow fired. He shifted again, firing from a new angle. After three consecutive Speed Shifts and shots from different directions, one arrow grazed the beast, scorching a patch of its thick hide.
"Damn you! What kind of ghostly movement?" The Unicorn Eagle King roared in pain.
Its wounds worsened, massive drops of blood falling, its combat strength dropping further.
"He's grown this strong?" Ji Ya murmured, clutching Little Lion, her eyes complex pride, joy, and a spark of competitive spirit.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH
Three more arrows fired, but Lan An paused, needing time for his Four Cauldrons to restore Spirit Energy. His strategy was clear: exhaust the Unicorn Eagle King, whittling it down.
"I can't keep this up!" The beast realized Lan An's plan, dodging the arrows with effort. It resolved to shift from defense to offense.
"Raging Wind Dance!"
With a bellow, the Unicorn Eagle King spun in the air, its feathers shooting out like razor-sharp blades, blanketing the sky toward Lan An. Escape was impossible.
"Eight Trigrams Revolving Palm!"
The beast's plan worked Lan An stowed the North Star Bow, spinning rapidly. Palm seals radiated, shielding him from the feather barrage. After a grueling clash, the attack ceased. The Unicorn Eagle King panted, blood dripping, burns from the Alien Fire sapping its strength.
Gritting its teeth, it swallowed its pride, intent on retreating. Not out of fear, but necessity it couldn't defeat Lan An now. It would heal, then seek revenge.
"Khaha, Senior Unicorn! Let us assist you!" Two voices cackled from afar, halting its escape.
Two fiery-haired youths appeared, nearly identical, their bodies covered in thick fur, hopping restlessly. They rode fire clouds, their movements erratic, exuding a wild aura—Fire Monkeys of the Monkey Clan.
"Monkey Clan twins?" The Unicorn Eagle King's voice was low.
The Monkey Clan was a renowned force on U Yuan Continent, known for agile bodies, formidable strength, and human-like weapon use. These twins, prodigies of the Fire Monkey branch, were nearly a century old, both Fifth-Order Mid-Stage beasts, famed across the land.
"What's the condition?" the beast asked warily. As a rogue beast, it couldn't afford to provoke the Monkey Clan's vast influence, with branches like Stone Monkeys, Gold Monkeys, and Water Monkeys.
"I'm interested in that human's bow," one monkey said, licking its lips greedily, eyeing Lan An. This was Hou Jun, a bow enthusiast who coveted the North Star Bow. Renowned for archery, he'd once felled four Fifth-Order beasts in a single battle.
The Unicorn Eagle King nodded, unsurprised. Hou Jun's obsession with bows was legendary.
"I want his Alien Fire," the other monkey said, equally greedy. This was Hou Xiu, Hou Jun's younger brother, a Fire-Element beast craving the Alien Fire.
"No problem!" The Unicorn Eagle King growled. "Help me kill him, and the bow and fire are yours!"
Normally, relying on juniors would be humiliating, but hatred for Lan An and Ji Ya burned too fiercely. If it meant their deaths, any price was worth paying. Besides, it had no use for the bow or fire.
The Monkey twins, cunning, knew they couldn't defeat Lan An alone. Teaming with the Unicorn Eagle King was their best shot.
"Looks like trouble's brewing," Lan An said, moving to Ji Ya's side. "Hide in my Spatial Treasure to avoid getting caught in the crossfire."
He sensed a major battle looming and feared for her safety.
"U Yuan Continent is beast territory. Be careful!" Ji Ya warned, worry in her eyes.
"So this is U Yuan Continent? Got it. Rest and heal," Lan An said, smiling as he brushed her disheveled hair.
"If anything happens to you, my sister and I will follow," she whispered, biting her lip.
Lan An's heart warmed, though he teased, "Relax! Don't trust me?"
Before she could reply, he swiftly stored her in the Spirit Boundary Pearl.
ROAR
Little Lion roared in fury, purple lightning crackling around it, glaring at the monkeys.
"What beast is this?" The twins eyed Little Lion warily.
"Ignore it! Kill its master first!" The Unicorn Eagle King sneered, diving at Lan An with blinding speed.
"I'll take point, Brother, cover me!" Hou Xiu said to Hou Jun, pulling a sharp trident from his ear—a Mid Earth-Grade treasure, the Blazing Trident.
"Leave it to me!" Hou Jun grinned, producing a fiery bow, his eyes locked on Lan An like a hunter sizing up prey.
"Little Lion, our first real fight! Let's make it epic!" Lan An laughed boldly, leaping onto Little Lion's back, stroking its soft fur with a heroic grin.
The North Star Bow reappeared in his hands.
ROAR
Little Lion howled, its cry shaking the heavens. Lightning illuminated the sky, making nearby beasts pale.
"What beast is this? Never seen it before!"
"And it's a human's mount?"
"Serving a human shames all beasts! Kill it!"
"Those Monkey twins are quick!"
"What can we do? I'm not a Fire-Element beast; killing him gains me nothing."
"Let's watch the show!"
"Haha, three against one? Even with six arms, he's dead!"
"Show him the price of trespassing on U Yuan Continent!"
The hidden beasts buzzed, certain of Lan An's doom. Some, even Sixth-Order, stayed out, seeing no profit in his death.
"Die!" The Unicorn Eagle King swooped, claws aiming for Lan An and Little Lion.
"Take a Monkey strike!" Hou Xiu appeared behind, slamming his trident at Lan An's head.
CRACK
BOOM
As the attacks closed in, a bolt of lightning struck. Little Lion, carrying Lan An, vanished. The moment they reappeared, a fiery arrow tore through the air—Hou Jun's shot.
"Annoying!" Lan An muttered, forming a Fire Spirit Pellet in his palm and hurling it at the arrow.
SIZZLE
The pellet incinerated the arrow.
"Hmph, not bad!" Hou Jun sneered, nocking another.
"Take him out first!" Lan An ordered Little Lion.
ROAR
Little Lion roared, its eyes blazing at Hou Jun. Black clouds gathered above him, lightning crashing down mercilessly.
"Not good!" Hou Jun yelped, transforming into a streak of fire to dodge.
BOOM
The lightning missed, cratering the ground. Lan An raised the North Star Bow, the Big Dipper constellation glowing behind him. A flaming arrow shot, targeting the approaching Unicorn Eagle King.
"Damn it! Help me!" The beast roared, fearing another Alien Fire hit would cripple it.
"Leave it to me!" Hou Xiu appeared, his Blazing Trident smashing the arrow.
"ARRGH!" he screamed, his arm fur burned off, though he blocked the shot.
WHOOSH
Another arrow flew Hou Jun's counterattack.
"Such pests!" Lan An sneered, stowing the North Star Bow.
His hands moved, channeling energy. Within his dantian, three Great Cauldrons hummed, merging three types of Spirit Energy between his palms. Little Lion, understanding, darted like lightning, dodging most attacks to buy Lan An time.
"Lowly human! Die!" The Unicorn Eagle King, matching Little Lion's speed, closed in, its massive form a blur.
Lan An didn't dodge. Instead, he grinned eerily, meeting the beast's gaze.
"Oh? So you've chosen death."
He raised his hands, unleashing a palm strike at the charging beast. Harmory Palm erupted, a beam of destruction tearing through the air, collapsing space itself.