Chapter 26

In a place more than twenty miles away from the edge of the Fierce Beast Mountain Range, Lin Xi was engaged in a fierce battle with a Rampant Manbear.

The Rampant Manbear is a fifth-stage tough-skinned beast, named for its ability to walk upright like a human. In the fringe area of the Fierce Beast Mountain Range, it is almost invincible.

The Rampant Manbear is incredibly strong, comparable to a sixth-stage beast. However, its speed is lacking, so it is still classified as a fifth-stage beast. To some extent, it can be considered a quasi-sixth-stage beast.

Lin Xi had tried several times to kill this Rampant Manbear, but without success. The Rampant Manbear's fur is tough and thick, providing strong resistance to attacks. Lin Xi's strength was hardly enough to injure it.

Moreover, if the Rampant Manbear is engaged in a prolonged battle, it will enter a frenzied state. Its eyes turn blood-red, and it adopts a desperate fighting stance. Its attacks are both fast and fierce. Every time this happens, Lin Xi is forced to retreat quickly.

However, now, things are different. Lin Xi can now control this beast.

"Shatter the Stone!"

"Green Dragon Emerges from Water!"

"Great Sage Splits the Sky!"

...

Lin Xi's attacks were like a storm, and he was using this beast to hone his martial skills.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking came from the Rampant Manbear's body. Each of Lin Xi's strikes carried the force of an internal martial technique, penetrating its thick fur and breaking its bones.

The Rampant Manbear's eyes were still blood-red, but they now showed fear. The human before it was not something it could contend with. After this battle, most of its bones were broken.

"Roar! ——"

The Rampant Manbear suddenly roared. This beast, which had never known fear, began to run. Under Lin Xi's god-like attacks, it finally felt afraid.

"Hmph! You only think of running now? Do you think you can escape?"

Lin Xi's eyes flickered, and he took three steps in two, using a "Swallow Skimming Water" technique to catch up. He spread his right hand and slapped down hard:

"Heavenly King Suppresses the Tower!"

Crack!

The Rampant Manbear, which had run several dozen feet, let out a惨叫, its skull shattered completely, and its bones and skin were driven into its chest. It swayed and then fell with a loud thud.

The Rampant Manbear, though incredibly strong, was never a fast beast. Once it started to run, it was a dead end.

Lin Xi flipped the Rampant Manbear over, took out a dagger, and immediately began to dissect it. Just as he started, a sound reached his ears.

"Hmm, someone?"

Lin Xi's ears twitched; he sensed someone approaching.

"It seems the Rampant Manbear's roar attracted them."

Lin Xi frowned. He did not want to meet these people, especially when he had just obtained a treasure.

In the Fierce Beast Mountain Range, there are many disciples from various sects. When they meet, they often fight over wealth, and killing for treasure is not uncommon. Lin Xi was not afraid, but he did not want to cause unnecessary trouble.

Lin Xi sped up and, after a moment, found a beast core in the Rampant Manbear's stomach. The core was crystal clear, about the size of a fist, like a pearl.

However, it was different from what Lin Xi had expected. The core was a light green, emitting a green glow.

The Rampant Manbear was only a fifth-stage tough-skinned beast, but the core he extracted was equivalent to a sixth-stage beast core!

"This is a Rampant Manbear that is about to evolve!"

Lin Xi was overjoyed. This was an unexpected gain.

If the Rampant Manbear evolved, it would become a Rampant Wind Bear, with a much larger body and increased strength, and its speed would be incredibly fast. Among sixth-stage beasts, it would be at the peak.

Its skin is extremely thick, with an extremely high resistance to attacks. It is a fierce opponent that would dare to fight even a seventh-stage beast. Such a beast, when encountered by a sixth-stage martial artist, would always be avoided, as no one wants to tangle with it.

The core of such a beast is extremely valuable, and Lin Xi did not expect his luck to be so good.

"It should be here!..."

A voice came from the forest, far away.

The speed at which they approached far exceeded Lin Xi's expectations. Clearly, they were all experts.

"Too fast!"

Lin Xi heard the voice, took the beast core, and prepared to leave.

However, Lin Xi's speed was fast, but the others were even faster. The sound of his departure also alarmed them, and they quickly rushed over.

"Someone!"

With low exclamations, powerful auras rapidly approached. The area around the Rampant Manbear, within a hundred feet, was sparsely wooded and flat. Unless Lin Xi could run several hundred feet in one go, he would not escape their sight.

"Too late!"

Lin Xi's heart sank as he heard the rapidly approaching sounds. Their speed was much faster than his. Given their speed, it was certain that there were sixth-stage experts among them.

Experts at the sixth-stage can run as fast as a galloping horse. Although Lin Xi's strength had increased, his speed had not. In terms of escape, he could not match the sixth-stage experts.

"Stop right there, in front of us!"

With a roar, a powerful aura surged from behind, locking onto Lin Xi. Then, the trees rustled, and many figures emerged from the forest.

"The Sun Sect is hunting here. If you try to escape, it will be considered an act of defiance against the Sun Sect, and we will destroy your sect, leaving no grass to grow!"

A cold voice came from behind, filled with naked threats.

"The Sun Sect?!"

Lin Xi's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly stopped. The Fierce Beast Mountain Range was vast, and he did not expect to run into the Sun Sect. Almost instinctively, he thought of the Sun Sect's Holy Maiden.

Lin Xi did not care about the Sun Sect's threats. On Wulei Mountain, he only cared about his aunt, Lin Ruyun. People like Meng Jun and Wei Boping, he wished they would die.

For six years, his martial arts had been neglected, and everyone in the sect, from the elders to the kitchen disciples, treated him poorly. To expect Lin Xi to have deep feelings for the sect was out of the question. But the Wulei Sect was founded by his ancestors, and if not necessary, he did not want to cause unnecessary trouble, especially with the Sun Sect.

"Hmm? Everyone, look who I've encountered. Hehe, isn't this the great genius of the Wulei Sect, Lin Xi? Why are you in such a hurry to leave when you see an old friend?"

Suddenly, a sarcastic and mocking voice came from the forest. With this voice, eight Sun Sect disciples carried a young man out.

This young man wore a purple-gold crown and a brocade dragon robe, looking extremely wealthy. However, his face was cold, and his lips were thin, giving off a sense of femininity.

He sat on a reclining chair made of gold, adorned with pearls and jade, and nine carved golden dragons spiraled around it, extremely luxurious.

At that moment, the young man, as if discovering a new continent, stood on the chair, looking down at Lin Xi with a superior gaze, his face full of mockery.

Lin Xi's body trembled, and he stopped.

"Right, let me introduce him to everyone. This is the 'former' great genius, the young master of the Wulei Sect, who reached the Body Tempering stage at the age of eleven, with martial arts that were said to progress at an incredible pace, unmatched in the world! Oh, I forgot to ask, what level is our young master Lin now? —— the Transportation stage, or still the Body Tempering stage?"

When he said "former," the young man emphasized it, the meaning clear.

"Ha ha ha."

Everyone understood and burst into laughter.

"Third Prince!"

Lin Xi turned around, his eyes flashing, staring at the young man.

This young man, who mocked Lin Xi, was known as the Third Prince, the third son of the Sun Sect's leader. Due to his mother, he was extremely favored by the Sun Sect's leader.

The Third Prince was spoiled and quick to take offense, with a strong sense of jealousy. He was one of the people Lin Xi least wanted to see.

Their "friendship" began when Lin Xi reached the Body Tempering stage at the age of eleven.

At that time, the Wulei Sect's leader, Lin Xiong, was overjoyed and held a grand banquet to invite members of the sect. The Third Prince of the Sun Sect was among the guests, but he was not there to congratulate; he was there to cause trouble.

In front of all the guests, the Third Prince spoke sharply, sarcastically, and mockingly, making the atmosphere very unpleasant. However, the Sun Sect was deeply rooted and powerful, so the Wulei Sect could only endure in silence.

At that time, Lin Xi was young and did not know to be cautious, almost leading to a fight. That was when their "grudge" was formed.

Six years later, everyone had changed, but the Third Prince's sarcastic and mocking behavior remained the same. Lin Xi almost immediately recognized this childhood "friend."

"Chiyan Bow, six years have passed, and you haven't changed at all. You're still as venomous and mean as ever."

Lin Xi said calmly.

Chiyan Bow's face immediately darkened:

"Lin Xi, you, a waste, dare to come to the Fierce Beast Mountain Range. I heard your martial arts have been neglected for six years, and you're still at the Body Tempering stage. How can you, who was once called a genius, and whose father held a grand banquet, be like this? I said it then, your small Wulei Sect has no geniuses. How dare you put on airs and invite members of the sect? I was right, wasn't I?"

"Chiyan Bow, I have no intention of纠缠 with you. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way!"

Lin Xi's face was dark, and he said coldly.

Lin Xi had no intention of engaging in a verbal battle with Chiyan Bow. He came here to train, not to argue. Moreover, Chiyan Bow's impression of him was still from the past, which was to his advantage.

"Wait!"

At that moment, the sixth-stage expert beside Chiyan Bow suddenly shouted at Lin Xi, then quickly walked to Chiyan Bow's side and whispered a few words in his ear.

"What did you say? No one else around! He killed that Rampant Manbear!"

Chiyan Bow exclaimed in disbelief.

He originally thought that the Rampant Manbear nearby was killed by another elder of the Wulei Sect. He never expected that the one who killed it was Lin Xi, whom he considered a waste and was now mocking.

The Rampant Manbear is the strongest beast below the sixth-stage, and tough-skinned stage experts can only run from it. Only the sixth-stage expert beside him could deal with it!

Even though Chiyan Bow had the identity of the Sun Sect's young master, he could not defeat a Rampant Manbear.

Chiyan Bow's expression became uncertain, and he looked at Lin Xi again. A strong sense of jealousy suddenly rose in his heart.

Chiyan Bow was the young master of the Sun Sect, while Lin Xi was the young master of a small sect. Their statuses were vastly different. But Lin Xi's martial arts were actually higher than his.

This made Chiyan Bow extremely uncomfortable, as if a billionaire had been stepped on by a beggar.

"Wait."

Chiyan Bow suddenly pointed at Lin Xi from a distance, his face showing a fierce and cruel expression:

"Lin Xi, hand over the beast core on your body! This Rampant Manbear is in the Sun Sect's hunting area, so it belongs to us. You have taken what belongs to the Sun Sect. I order you to hand over all the herbs and beast cores on your body!"

Chiyan Bow spoke in a commanding tone, not allowing any defiance.

"What did you say? This Rampant Manbear is yours?"

Lin Xi suddenly turned around, looking at the group from the Sun Sect, his eyes cold. Although he did not want to conflict with the Sun Sect, he would not back down when faced with a challenge.

He could see that Chiyan Bow was determined to find trouble with him. Today's matter was bound to end in a confrontation.

<a href="