Chapter 32: Night in the Mystical Beast Forest

Chapter 32: Night in the Mystical Beast Forest

The night stretched endlessly over the Mystical Beast Forest, its darkness thick like an ink-stained curtain. Towering trees stood like silent sentinels, their dense foliage swaying with the whispers of the wind. A heavy mist curled around the roots, slithering through the undergrowth like ghostly tendrils. Every now and then, the rustling of leaves or the distant howl of a beast would break the eerie silence, a constant reminder that this was not a place for the weak.

Xiao Chen, Xiao Rongyu, and Mistshadow moved deeper into the forest, their figures blending into the shadows. Xiao Rongyu gripped the hilt of her red-glowing sword tightly, her amber eyes scanning the bushes with unwavering vigilance. The attack from the Midnight Python earlier had left a lasting impression. This place was teeming with dangers, and she wouldn't allow herself to be caught off guard again.

Mistshadow padded silently beside Xiao Chen, its silver fur shimmering under the faint moonlight. The wind wolf's ears twitched, its keen senses tracking the hidden dangers lurking in the shadows.

"Heh, why are you so tense, Rong? Relax," Xiao Chen chuckled, his voice carrying an air of indifference. "Night in the Mystical Beast Forest is fun."

Xiao Rongyu shot him a glare. "Brother Chen, this isn't the time for your aloofness! Nights in this forest are dangerous. We need to find a safe camping spot before we get ambushed by something beyond our control."

Xiao Chen smirked but nodded. "You're right. Finding a good spot is important, but before that..." His voice trailed off, and then his lips curled into a knowing grin. "Rong, to the right. A Savage Black Panther has its eyes on you."

Xiao Rongyu stiffened, her muscles tensing as she instinctively adjusted her stance. "What? Where?" Her eyes darted to the right, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement.

Xiao Chen let out a light chuckle. "Relax. It's a coward, lurking in ambush. If it realizes you've spotted it, it'll flee. It's only a mid-grade three beast, nothing to worry about."

Xiao Rongyu gritted her teeth. "Is this a joke to you?!" she snapped, her voice carrying across the silent forest.

Mistshadow froze.

Xiao Chen's smirk disappeared instantly. His expression darkened, his body going rigid. His sharp eyes flickered with caution.

"This is bad," he muttered.

Xiao Rongyu felt a chill creep up her spine. "What is it?" she asked, her voice unconsciously lowering.

Xiao Chen turned to her, his gaze sharp. "Your voice echoed too far… We've been noticed. There are six peak-grade three beasts heading our way."

Xiao Rongyu's grip on her sword tightened. "What do we do?" She raised her blade, preparing for battle.

A wild grin spread across Xiao Chen's face. His blood surged with excitement.

"We fight."

---

A rattling sound echoed through the forest, faint at first, like dry leaves rustling in the wind. But soon, it grew louder, more distinct—a chorus of guttural growls and deep, menacing breaths. The bushes trembled, branches swaying as unseen figures prowled through the shadows. Twigs snapped under the weight of something large, and the scent of blood and beastly musk thickened in the air. The presence of predators was undeniable.

Xiao Rongyu's grip tightened on her sword. Her amber eyes flickered toward Xiao Chen, who stood calmly with a grin playing on his lips.

"Aren't you going to take out your weapon?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Xiao Chen chuckled, his expression turning serious. "Trust me, I'm not underestimating the situation... but I don't see the need for a weapon just yet."

As he spoke, his hands moved in a fluid motion, as if dancing through the air. From the tip of his right index finger, radiant light elemental energy gathered, forming a sharp, streaking arc of brilliance. At the same time, his left hand pulsed with dark energy, weaving into an ominous, jagged streak of shadow.

Yin-Yang… Law of Light and Darkness!

Xiao Chen's eyes gleamed with a fierce, almost savage light. His gaze snapped to a tree behind Xiao Rongyu. Without hesitation, he bent his right arm into an arc, and a blinding crescent of light slashed through the air.

From the shadows of the tree, a Black Panther with blood-red eyes flinched in terror. It had been lying in wait, ready to pounce, but as the arc of light manifested before its eyes, an instinctive dread overtook it. The beast turned to flee—

Too late.

The sharp arc of light whizzed through the air and sliced through the panther's body from the rear, cleaving it in two in the most brutal way imaginable. Its severed form hit the forest floor with a sickening thud, blood pooling beneath it.

Xiao Chen snorted, his aura shifting, turning colder and more domineering. "One pawn removed," he said. "Now let's wait for the real players to arrive."

He tilted his head slightly, just enough to catch a glimpse of Xiao Rongyu's expression.

Her eyes were wide with admiration. "So… this is the power of laws," she murmured, almost breathless. A faint shimmer of awe danced in her gaze. "It's beautiful…"

Even within the entire Xiao Family Estate, not a single person had comprehended the Laws of Elements. It was an untouchable domain, a power reserved for the legends of ancient history. How did he achieve this? She bit her lip, recalling the Enlightenment he had experienced. Was that the key?

Xiao Chen interrupted her thoughts. "Rong, be ready." He raised his left hand, spreading his fingers. "Five minutes. They'll be here."

And sure enough—

ROOOOOOAAAAR!

A chilling symphony of furious growls and guttural roars erupted from the depths of the forest. The ground trembled beneath their feet. The beasts were coming.

Xiao Rongyu inhaled sharply, her battle instincts flaring. She tightened her grip on her sword, releasing her fire elemental iQ into the blade. In response, the weapon ignited in a fierce red glow, transforming into a sword of flames.

Mistshadow let out a low, rumbling growl. The silver-furred wind wolf's muscles tensed, and its retractable claws extended with a sharp Shing! sound. Its golden eyes burned with primal ferocity.

Xiao Chen, standing at the heart of it all, exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his pupils gleamed with a bloodthirsty light.

The streaks of elemental energy in his hands twisted and expanded—

The light streak transformed into a brilliant, radiant spear, its sharp edge pulsing with an ethereal, holy radiance.

The dark streak morphed into a towering, shadowy scythe, its obsidian-black blade seething with a deadly aura of decay and destruction.

Xiao Chen smirked. "Here they come."

A thunderous boom shook the earth. The ground quaked as a towering shadow surged forth from the underbrush. A six-foot Armored Gorilla crashed into the clearing, its steel-like fur glinting under the moonlight. The sheer force of its landing sent fissures spiderwebbing through the ground, sending loose stones tumbling. It pounded its chest, releasing a deafening roar that made the very air tremble.

But the gorilla was only the beginning.

A low, guttural growl rolled through the darkness, thick with menace. From the left, a hulking mass of muscle emerged, its dark silhouette blending into the night—a Black Bear, its broad frame exuding sheer brute force. Each step it took sent ripples through the ground, its beady crimson eyes locked onto Xiao Chen with savage intent. Its nostrils flared, releasing hot, heavy breaths as its claws raked the dirt, itching for blood.

To the right, a shadow streaked past with eerie silence—a Crimson Leopard. Its sleek body rippled with power, the faint glow of its ember-like fur making it look as if it had walked straight out of a wildfire. Its burning golden eyes locked onto Xiao Rongyu, its movements fluid, each step calculated, lethal. The air shimmered around it, waves of heat distorting the space near its paws.

Suddenly, the underbrush exploded as a Bloodthirsty Boar tore through the foliage, its hooves leaving deep imprints in the earth. Its grotesquely curved tusks gleamed under the moonlight, each sharpened to a deadly point. Steam rose from its flared nostrils, and its thick, battle-hardened hide looked as if it could shrug off blades and flames alike. It scraped at the earth aggressively, as if daring its prey to make the first move.

A chilling snarl echoed through the clearing. From the tallest rock, a white fured beast emerged—a Silver-Toothed Tiger. Its sleek, moonlit coat shimmered, its massive frame moving with an almost unnatural grace. But what drew the eye most were its fangs—long, gleaming like polished daggers, built to rip flesh from bone in an instant. It licked its chops, its muscles coiling like springs, ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness.

A piercing howl rang out, sending a ripple of unease through the air. From the shadows, moving like a specter, a Moon Wolf prowled forward. Its fur, a shade between ghostly grey and midnight black, rippled under the dim light. Its icy blue eyes locked onto Mistshadow with a chilling hunger, its lips curled back in a predatory grin. It didn't wait—with a snarl, it lunged, claws slashing toward Mistshadow's throat.

The night had become a battlefield.

Xiao Rongyu's grip on her flaming sword tightened. Her heartbeat pounded like a war drum, her body already moving on instinct as she charged toward the Crimson Leopard.

Mistshadow had no choice—the Moon Wolf struck first, forcing the wind wolf into immediate combat. Snarls filled the air as silver claws clashed against fangs, both creatures blurs of motion as they tore into each other.

And Xiao Chen?

Four beasts stood before him.

The Armored Gorilla let out another bone-rattling roar, raising its iron-hard fists high.

The Black Bear exhaled slow and deep, flexing its claws, prepared to rip him apart.

The Bloodthirsty Boar slammed its hooves against the ground, a savage glint in its bloodshot eyes.

The Silver-Toothed Tiger merely stared, watching… waiting… as if measuring Xiao Chen's worth before deciding whether to strike.

Yet Xiao Chen did not falter.

He exhaled, a deadly smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Light spear in one hand. Dark scythe in the other.

"Not bad," he murmured, his aura surging like a violent storm.

Then, without hesitation—he charged.