It was a gruff voice, thick with fury.
Beneath its potent aura, the earth shuddered and violent winds whipped up in all directions.
Hearing the sound, Lu Yuan turned his head.
Not far away, standing proudly among the trees, was a colossal brown bear dozens of meters tall.
Its eyes were bloodshot, and every strand of fur across its body stood rigid like steel needles.
Its mere presence exuded suffocating pressure. Paired with a frame like a looming mountain, anyone before it would seem insignificant.
It was a mutated beast king in the Shackle Realm—and an exceedingly rare one, capable of speaking human tongue.
Lu Yuan knew that any beast capable of human speech had either reached an astonishing level of power or possessed an extraordinary bloodline.
Such beings were destined to be anything but ordinary.
Not only could they speak human language, but they could also reason like humans.
The beast king before him had clearly been drawn here by the recent battle. Seeing the Tiger-Leopard King dead and Lu Yuan feasting on its flesh, it had instantly pieced together what had happened.
At this moment, its eyes burned with wrath and radiated dense murderous intent. Rings of halo-like energy rippled from its body, reducing everything they touched to powder—a special ability unique to this beast king, much like the flames wielded by the Tiger-Leopard King.
"It can talk?"
Lu Yuan's eyes lit up the moment he saw the beast king.
He had just been thinking about finding a guide to save time, and now one had delivered itself right to his doorstep.
Talk about good fortune.
Seeing no response from Lu Yuan after its outburst, the Brown Bear King's face twisted into an eerily human sneer of cruelty and arrogance.
As a beast king, it had encountered humans before, and without exception, every single one had trembled so violently in its presence that they couldn't even speak before being slaughtered and devoured.
In the Brown Bear King's eyes, this human might be somewhat stronger, but so what? The Tiger-Leopard King had been of its own kind, and now it lay dead. This human had to pay the price.
Yet moments later, astonishment flashed across the bear's eyes.
Lu Yuan had actually taken the initiative to attack.
"Roar!"
It bellowed. As one of the top three beast kings in this entire region, having someone dare defy it was the ultimate disgrace.
Without hesitation, it brought down its front paws, wrapped in layered halos of light, crashing downward like collapsing mountains.
This blow carried every ounce of its strength. In terms of sheer destructive power, it could level a hundred-story skyscraper in a human city.
Yet Lu Yuan showed no sign of retreating.
He simply clenched his right fist and punched straight up at the descending paws.
"Courting death!"
Fierce cruelty surged in the Brown Bear King's eyes. In a pure contest of strength, this tiny human couldn't possibly withstand it.
Yet the instant the two collided, the bear's expression warped. It felt a terrifying, majestic force surge into its paw—a sensation like slamming into a primordial mountain.
Rumble!
A deafening explosion rang out.
A storm whipped through the wilderness, pulverizing vegetation into debris. Unable to bear the force, the earth fractured inch by inch, sending soil and stone flying into the air.
In the next instant, the Brown Bear King's colossal hundred-meter frame was hurled backward through the air, crashing to the ground and triggering a localized earthquake.
"Not bad. Decent strength. Good enough to loosen my muscles," Lu Yuan said with an amused smile.
Bending his knees, he leapt high into the air like a celestial deity descending from the sky.
*Not good!*
The Brown Bear King was terrified.
It could sense the boundless physical power harbored within this human. If that stomp landed, shattered bones would be the least of its concerns—it could die on the spot.
*Where did this monster come from? This isn't human at all!*
Scrambling in panic, the Brown Bear King rolled a hundred meters away.
Boom!
Lu Yuan descended like a falling meteorite with a thunderous roar. The force was so terrifying that the earth ruptured, heaved upward, and collapsed into a crater.
Without pausing, he pursued the Brown Bear King like a bolt of lightning, appearing above its head in an instant before swinging a palm downward.
Bang!
Dizzy and disoriented, the Brown Bear King crashed to the ground once more. It struggled to rise, but found itself entirely pinned.
Lu Yuan was standing directly on its chest with his arms folded, blood vitality surging within him like roaring waves.
Behind him, an eleven-tiered blood-colored stupa slowly materialized.
Total suppression!
Another indisputable, overwhelming crush.
"I'll give you a chance to stay alive for now," Lu Yuan said placidly. "I need to find a mutated beast with exceptional flight speed. It cannot be weaker than you."
If a creature was to serve as his mount, it had to meet certain standards; otherwise, it would be utterly useless.
"Why should I listen to a mere human?" the Brown Bear King roared, pounding its limbs against the earth and shaking the surrounding forest. Yet no matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't stand up, as though pinned beneath the weight of the entire Qinling Mountains.
"You don't have a choice," Lu Yuan smiled, applying a fraction more pressure through his foot.
Crack.
The crisp sound of snapping bone echoed.
It was near its heart. Any further, and the Brown Bear King would be dead.
It had only broken five genetic shackles, falling far behind him. At present, if Lu Yuan went all out, he could rival even those in the Golden Body Realm!
"I agree! I agree! Let's talk this out!" Sensing the mortal danger, it surrendered immediately. Its basin-sized eyes were flooded with terror. It couldn't fathom where this tiny human drew such monstrous power.
Its bones were as tough as alloy, yet this man had cracked them with effortless ease.
It was terrifying.
"I know of a fellow beast—a raptor with an incredibly potent bloodline. It's about a thousand li to the north."
Thoroughly frightened, the Brown Bear King blurted out the information, having long forgotten any notion of avenging its fallen kin.
"That's a bit far. In that case, you'll serve as my mount for the time being," Lu Yuan mused.
"I am a dignified beast king—"
Crack.
Another bone fractured.
"—and a dignified beast king ought to serve as your mount!" the Brown Bear King hastily corrected itself, not daring to object.
And so, Lu Yuan stood upon the beast king's head.
As for the Brown Bear King, it dutifully became his mount, bounding north across the terrain. Fast yet steady, it moved carefully to avoid displeasing Lu Yuan.
It hadn't lied about ranking among the top three in this region; all along the path, other mutated beasts retreated in terror, not daring to approach.
***
While Lu Yuan set off in search of a mount, back in the conference room of Zhendan Academy, the projector was detailing the ninth mutated beast king.
The dossier identified it as the Brown Bear King, possessing pinnacle strength and physical resilience. Capable of dismantling a skyscraper in short order, it was deemed ill-suited for direct engagement and exceptionally difficult to kill. If encountered, multiple missiles and overwhelming firepower would be required to suppress it.
Watching this, Dean Zheng and the others remained somber and quiet.
It was too daunting. This crisis facing Chang'an was likely the greatest since the global changes began.
"There is also a tenth beast, said to be a massive white python known as the White King. We have little detailed data on it, but it is the strongest beast king in that region. This beast tide was very likely initiated by it, and the other nine kings all yield to its authority."
Commander-in-Chief Xu of the Defense Army spoke, delivering his final summary: "The catastrophe before us may well be unprecedented. Yet we have no alternative. The population within Chang'an is swelling by the day. If the city falls, countless lives will be lost. No matter how grim the odds, we must hold the line, even at the cost of our lives."
His message was simple: in the future, Huaxia might only have five super cities left, serving as the final bastions protecting its people. If they failed, it would be a catastrophic blow to Huaxia.
"Understood." The attendees stood one after another, their expressions grave.
Indeed, this beast tide would be a devastating disaster for Chang'an, but they had nowhere left to retreat. Their only choice was to endure. If they could successfully repel the tide, it would serve as a powerful shot in the arm for everyone. In the future, countless similar clashes would arise; mutated beasts and humans were naturally opposed.
Unless an almighty figure appeared who could single-handedly turn the tide.
Regrettably, no such human seemed to exist.
Under Commander-in-Chief Xu's orders, all Awakened within the city were mobilized. Requests for external reinforcements were dispatched, missile launch sites were established, and defensive fortifications were constructed with every resource available.
With what little time remained, they had to prepare everything within their power.
The meeting adjourned, and most participants moved swiftly to carry out their duties. Everyone knew that an epic battle would erupt in the near future.
Dean Zheng remained seated, staring at the screen. Recalling the disappearance of the Tiger-Leopard King, he spoke up: "Commander-in-Chief Xu, I still don't understand how the Tiger-Leopard King vanished so abruptly. Could it be dead?"
"It is a beast king; the odds of that are vanishingly small. More likely, our sensors malfunctioned and failed to track it," Commander-in-Chief Xu replied. How could a beast king die so suddenly? He assumed it was an equipment error, given the technology was newly developed and prone to discrepancies.
"Is that so?" Dean Zheng remarked with a hint of regret. If the Tiger-Leopard King were truly dead, it would be great news for them. But just as Xu had said, the probability was minuscule.
"There is one more matter I withheld earlier," Commander-in-Chief Xu continued, his tone turning heavy as he shared a secret. He hadn't brought it up during the meeting to avoid placing further pressure on the others, but given his close friendship with Dean Zheng, he saw no reason to keep it from him. "Not long ago, we detected an unusual life force in Qinling. It doesn't belong to the ten kings, but it is equally formidable. If it joins the fray, our situation will become even more perilous."
"If necessary, we must deploy thermonuclear weapons," Dean Zheng said with absolute gravity. Ten beast kings were already terrifying enough; with another joining them alongside a massive beast tide, Chang'an would be unable to hold.
"Indeed. I already broached the matter with high command before the meeting," Commander-in-Chief Xu sighed. Then an idea crossed his mind. "By the way, did that Mr. Lu truly leave? If he's still around, he would be a powerful asset."
"He left two days ago. And even if he stayed, the strength of one man is simply too limited to alter the overall situation."
As he said this, Dean Zheng suddenly recalled that when Lu Yuan departed, he had headed north as well.
*He couldn't have gone into Qinling, could he?*
*No, that's impossible. That place is far too dangerous—a forbidden zone for humanity.*
***
Deep within the Qinling Mountains, a colossal brown bear bounded across the terrain.
Galloping on all fours, it left deep craters with every step. Towering ancient trees were shattered into splinters wherever it charged, unable to impede its stride.
Upon its head, Lu Yuan stood quietly, his expression tranquil.
Having a mount truly made a difference. While its speed couldn't match his own full sprint, it offered unmatched comfort and saved his stamina. This only deepened his desire to secure a flying mount.
"It's just ahead; we'll arrive soon," the Brown Bear King said cautiously. "That raptor has a foul temper, though. Perhaps I shouldn't go any closer?"
Lu Yuan gave no answer, silently refusing the request.
*Humiliation! An utter disgrace!*
*Once we arrive, I'll join forces with that golden-feathered peng to surround and kill you! A mere human dares treat this king as a mount!* the Brown Bear King roared inwardly, burning with murderous intent.
In truth, agreeing to guide him was partly to preserve its own life and partly to ambush Lu Yuan alongside the other beast. Humans were the sworn enemies of mutated beasts; the moment they met, bloodshed was inevitable. The Brown Bear King believed this plan was sound.
So what if the human was strong? With one beast on the ground and one in the sky, no matter what tricks he possessed, he would meet his end.
Clinging to this scheme, the Brown Bear King pressed forward and soon emerged onto a barren, rocky landscape.
The ground was strewn with jagged boulders and overgrown with wild weeds, devoid of trees.
In the distance stood an enormous boulder, atop which rested a massive nest roughly a hundred meters in diameter. Within it surged terrifying wisps of aura shooting straight toward the heavens. Though the occupant had yet to reveal itself, the aura alone attested to its astonishing might.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan's eyes brightened.
"Golden-feathered peng!"
Right at that moment, the Brown Bear King suddenly bellowed, "A human has invaded our territory and dares try to take you as his mount! Join old Bear to surround and slay him!"
With that, it bucked violently, dislodging Lu Yuan from its head.
Clapping its front paws together and channeling all its power into the blow, it slammed them straight toward the crown of Lu Yuan's head.
*Clang—*
A crisp sword chime rang out.
The Daluo sword core appeared in Lu Yuan's grip, sweeping lightly toward the Brown Bear King's throat.
*Slash!*
In a single instant, sword light erupted, carrying a wisp of the sword intent from One Sword of Heaven and Earth.
The Brown Bear King's massive head soared into the air as torrents of blood sprayed out. Its headless corpse collapsed to the ground, twitching violently before all signs of life vanished.
A generation's beast king was dead just like that.
Its severed head still bore an expression of disbelief, as though unable to fathom how vast the gap between them truly was.
Lu Yuan didn't even bother looking back.
He had known all along that the beast harbored treacherous intentions and had stayed on guard. The creature had simply underestimated his power.
A so-called beast king was nothing more than a single sword strike to him.
Keeping his eyes fixed on the colossal nest, Lu Yuan felt the immense presence surging forth from within.
"Who dares? What human dares think of taking me as his mount?!"
A furious shout erupted.
Simultaneously, a golden raptor emerged and landed not far from Lu Yuan. It was a magnificent peng.
Its frame was immense, its pupils gleaming gold, and its outstretched wings spanned dozens of meters across.
Every single feather on its body resembled a divine golden sword, distinctly defined and glowing with a resplendent, dreamlike radiance. The aura it exuded surpassed that of the Brown Bear King by an insurmountable margin.
This difference did not merely stem from raw cultivation; it emanated from the deepest recesses of its bloodline, supreme and peerless.
Indeed, it was the sheer supremacy of that bloodline.
Even Lu Yuan was taken aback; it was the first time he had witnessed something so formidable.
"Could this be... the legendary Golden-Winged Great Peng of myth?" He was genuinely astonished, momentarily rooted to the spot.
Originally, he had only intended to find a sufficiently powerful raptor among the regional beast kings.
He had never imagined encountering a Golden-Winged Great Peng King.
In ancient myth and legend, these were divine beings capable of battling True Dragons!
To think one would appear in the Qinling Mountains.
*Why didn't I ever hear of this in my past life?*
Thoughts raced through Lu Yuan's mind, and his eyes grew brighter by the second.
A Golden-Winged Great Peng?
With such a peerless bloodline, it could grow alongside him, and its unmatched speed made it the undisputed, perfect choice for a mount!
Chapter 63