The Mammoth Colossus

The Wildwood Ancient Forest grew increasingly perilous with every mile ventured deeper. Towering mountains blanketed in dense greenery loomed in the distance, while blue-eyed eagles circled the skies, their piercing gazes scanning the ground for prey.

Twenty miles into the forest, Xiao Yi reappeared from the front.

"Brother Xiao!" Shi Lei called out in delight. "I'm glad you're safe."

"You actually survived?" Shi Qian muttered in surprise before falling silent.

For a brief moment, Xiao Yi sensed something subtle in the air—it seemed his rapid actions in the vanguard had stirred suspicion among Shi Lei's group. However, none of them had directed their doubts at him specifically.

Gazing ahead, they saw an ancient mountain, towering hundreds of feet into the sky, its ink-black surface exuding an unsettling aura. Dense trees shrouded the slopes, blocking out most of the sunlight. From within the forested depths came the occasional, chilling howls of unseen beasts.

"Stay sharp," Shi Lei warned, his expression solemn. "This is the Dark Mountain. Though I didn't detect any mid-tier wild beasts when I passed through earlier, I'm certain this mountain is anything but ordinary. Our clan's ancient records mention this place—our ancestors believed something was hidden here and warned future generations not to linger."

Shi Yuan nodded. "The elders' records wouldn't be wrong. We should proceed carefully. Once we're over the mountain, Xiao Yi, you can scout ahead again."

For now, Xiao Yi refrained from moving ahead alone. The six of them quickened their pace, keeping their surroundings under constant watch as they stepped into the borders of Dark Mountain.

Half a cup of tea's time later, four shadowy figures emerged at the spot where Xiao Yi's group had previously stood. Cold laughter echoed through the air.

The Darkwood Ancient Forest

Gnarled, thousand-year-old trees twisted together like writhing serpents, their colossal branches blotting out the sky. Jet-black trunks, dark green leaves, and an eternal shroud of gloom—this was a land untouched by sunlight. Deep, bottomless quagmires lurked beneath thick roots, while venomous spiders the size of human heads, scorpions no larger than a fingernail, and serpents as thick as water barrels coiled among the branches. Their onyx-like eyes glinted ominously in the dim light.

Yet none of these obstacles could hinder Xiao Yi's group. Both Shi Yuan and Li Yue were formidable warriors in their own right—every arrow from Li Yue's Purple Mist Bow carried nearly thirty juns of force. No wild beast that harbored hostility could come within thirty paces of them before being felled by her deadly accuracy.

The corpses of slain wild beasts were left behind. To be cautious, none of them attempted to refine the blood essence from their prey—not even Xiao Yi. A subtle but persistent unease gnawed at him, as if something in Dark Mountain was watching them, waiting. Though he had grown stronger, his cultivation remained insufficient to navigate the unpredictable dangers of the boundless Wildwood Ancient Forest.

Fortunately, the journey remained uneventful. In less than half an hour, they reached the mountain's peak.

At the summit, the trees thinned, revealing glimpses of the sky above. A full moon hung high, its golden glow spilling over the landscape like flowing silk. The light bathed a massive, protruding boulder, its surface an ominous shade of blue-black.

The peak, however, was anything but peaceful. As the mountain wind howled through the gaps in the sparse branches, it wailed like restless ghosts.

Yet Shi Lei paid no attention to the eerie sound—his eyes were locked onto the colossal rock, nearly four to five zhang tall.

"Something's wrong," he muttered, his voice tense. "This rock wasn't here a month ago!"

Xiao Yi's blood surged restlessly. For reasons unknown, he felt an unsettling agitation toward this monolithic stone, noticing its abnormality even before Shi Lei did.

"Wait," Shi Qian suddenly barked.

"The moonlight—it's being absorbed!"

The blue-black monolith was covered in deep, irregular ridges, resembling the bark of an ancient tree. Thin wisps of moonlight trickled into its crevices, gradually darkening its already shadowy hue.

A sudden realization flickered in Shi Yuan's eyes, his expression turning grave. In a hushed voice, he warned, "Everyone, stay alert. This is a mid-tier wild beast! Not only does it devour flesh and blood essence, but it can also use the faint solar essence within moonlight to temper its body."

A mid-tier wild beast?!

Even Yun Shan, usually straightforward and unshaken, paled at the words. A mid-tier wild beast possessed power comparable to a human squad leader—and the strongest among them could even rival the threshold of a centurion. With their formidable physique alone, such creatures were difficult to overcome, even with advanced combat techniques. The only effective method against them was archery, but unless one had a sufficiently high mastery of the art, even arrows would struggle to inflict damage.

At that moment, the mountain peak quaked. Loose stones tumbled down, rattling across the narrow fifty-zhang summit. The monolithic stone began to rise from the earth, an immense force surging forth like a mountain awakening.

A suffocating pressure spread across the peak. Apart from Shi Yuan and Shi Qian, even Li Yue's face turned pale—this was a force that oppressed the mind and spirit itself. The very ground trembled as pebbles lifted into the air, only to crumble into dust.

Within mere moments, the colossal entity revealed its true form—

A five-zhang-tall giant elephant.

Its blue-black hide was like tempered steel, its powerful trunk resembling an iron whip of the same dark hue. Twin tusks, curved like a crescent moon, gleamed with an icy glint. The beast's cold, menacing eyes glowed eerily in the dim light as its feral aura engulfed the peak.

"This is a Mammoth Colossus," Shi Qian's voice was low and grim. "One of the strongest among mid-tier wild beasts. Their strength is boundless, and they prefer to lurk atop mountain peaks, tempering their hides in the celestial winds."

His gaze sharpened as he assessed the beast. "But this one is still young. A fully grown Mammoth Colossus reaches ten zhang in height, and even without reaching high-tier, their raw power can approach a full hundred juns. This is their natural physique. Even in its juvenile stage, this one likely possesses at least forty juns of strength."

In the world of wild beasts, some creatures were born with innate gifts—even if they hadn't advanced in realm, their sheer physical prowess far exceeded their tier.

Could the Dark Mountain be a breeding ground for Mammoth Colossi?

In Shi Lei's understanding, mid-tier wild beasts were rare within a hundred-mile radius of their tribe. Only deep within the untamed wilderness did such creatures begin to appear frequently. Yet, they had barely ventured thirty miles—why was such a terrifying entity here?

There was no time for further thought. The Mammoth Colossus was a ferocious predator—if they hesitated, all of them could die here.

Shi Yuan's expression hardened. The blue-iron blade on his back slid free from its sheath, and an invisible force surged around him. It was as if countless blades of wind formed at his side, resisting the Mammoth Colossus' oppressive might.

His intervention granted Li Yue and the others a brief moment of respite. However, compared to the beast's mature and overwhelming force, Shi Yuan's newly comprehended intent was still crude—its volume weaker by comparison. Within just a few breaths, he had already fallen into disadvantage.

"Brother Shi Yuan, I'll assist you!"

Shi Qian stepped forward. His aura surged, interweaving with Shi Yuan's force. This was an intent of thunderous winds, carrying his unyielding spirit—immediately alleviating half of Shi Yuan's burden.

But the difference in raw power was too great. Without sufficient tempering, even a powerful intent would quickly dissipate in direct confrontation. Shi Qian's face turned pale under the immense strain.

"The magnitude of one's spirit determines their strength. A powerful will leads to greater mental force, and vice versa. However, strength itself can also refine the vessel of one's mind, making the spirit more condensed."

Xiao Yi's sharp gaze flickered with understanding.

"Shi Qian, though he has honed an intermediate-level battle intent, lacks the physical strength to reinforce it. His force is powerful, but lacks cohesion. The Mammoth Colossus, in contrast, may not have greater willpower, but its force is incomparably refined, making it far superior in direct confrontation."

In that moment—

Li Yue released her arrow.

The Purple Mist Bow hummed as a violet arrow emerged, its tip pulsating with three feet of razor-sharp energy.

The arrow tore through the air like a streak of purple lightning—

A shockwave followed in its wake, unleashing a whirlwind that howled across the mountaintop.

The Mammoth Colossus lashed out with its massive trunk like an iron whip, slicing through the air with a howling gust. The violet arrow-light shattered upon impact, scattering into a myriad of razor-sharp fragments that hurtled toward Shi Yuan and Shi Qian like deadly shrapnel.

"Windstorm Blade—First Form: Storm Rises!"

With a roaring battle cry, Shi Yuan's blue-iron saber flashed from its sheath. A pale azure arc erupted forth, its motion as fluid as swirling mist yet as violent as a raging storm. The blade's tempestuous force collided head-on with the oncoming fragments, instantly reducing them to dust.

But the Mammoth Colossus did not falter.

Letting out a deafening bellow, it swept its massive trunk sideways. The sheer force behind the movement was enough to crush boulders into powder. A faint black radiance flickered across its trunk, meeting Shi Yuan's blue-iron saber head-on.

The impact rang out like clashing steel, sending a shower of sparks flying in all directions. The immense power behind the blow sent Shi Yuan soaring backward. His hands numbed instantly, his arms nearly losing all feeling from the force of the collision.

Yet in that brief exchange, he caught a glimpse of something—a faint black glow lingering around the beast's trunk. Though faint, it was undeniable.

Shi Yuan's eyes widened in shock.

"No! This is 'Elephant Force'—this Mammoth Colossus carries the bloodline of a One-Star Wild Beast!"

What?!

Li Yue and the others gasped in alarm. They had all heard whispers of Elephant Force—a power unique to the Elephant Bloodline Beasts. Normally, wild beasts could only awaken their innate bloodline abilities after condensing their first Wild Star, much like how the human race cultivated Battle Qi.

But this Mammoth Colossus was clearly still in its juvenile stage.

There was only one explanation—one of its parents must have already condensed a Wild Star, allowing it to inherit a trace of Elephant Force through its bloodline.

A wild beast that had condensed a Wild Star was a terrifying existence—far beyond the realm of ordinary high-tier wild beasts. Even the weakest One-Star Wild Beast possessed power comparable to a fully mastered Blood Refining Warrior. If such a creature appeared in the Bloodstone Tribe, only the chieftain, Shi Zhixuan, could possibly stand against it.

"RUN!"

Shi Yuan did not hesitate. He bellowed the command.

This juvenile Mammoth Colossus was already too strong. With its overwhelming physical power and even a trace of Elephant Force, it was an exceptionally dangerous foe—even among mid-tier wild beasts.

With his freshly attained Squad Leader-level strength, he was no match for it. Even if they fought together, the entire team would suffer grievous casualties—if not total annihilation.

Without hesitation, the six of them turned and sprinted toward the opposite side of Dark Mountain.

If they could just cross the ridge and reach the Ancient Wilderness Forest, the dense vegetation would slow the Mammoth Colossus down—no matter how fast it was, it wouldn't be able to keep up with them in the thick undergrowth.

The Mammoth Colossus trumpeted furiously, its voice echoing through the mountains like the roar of an earthquake.

Its pillar-like legs, thicker than a millstone, thundered against the ground. Each step sent tremors rippling through the earth, dislodging countless boulders that tumbled down the mountainside in an avalanche of destruction.