Meanwhile, in the central region of the Barren State, five towering mountains floated in mid-air, with waterfalls cascading down from above, converging into a vast lake.
The lake water was clear, and sunlight shining on its surface refracted into a myriad of colorful rays, with rainbows arching across half the sky above it.
At the edge of the giant lake, a group of demon beasts sat discussing the Dao, each exuding a powerful aura.
Directly in front of them, two demon beasts were locked in battle, their roars shaking the heavens, their bodies glowing with radiant light, and their spells and divine abilities appearing endlessly.
The two battling demon beasts were a white tiger with wings on its back and a Double-headed Lion.
The two sides continuously clashed in the void, exchanging blows with spells and physical attacks.
“The White Tiger clan truly lives up to its reputation as a favored child of heaven and earth; relying solely on speed and strength, it can suppress the long-renowned Double-headed Lion. It seems the fifth rank on the Barren State’s Heaven’s Chosen List is about to change.”
“You can’t say that yet. The Double-headed Lion hasn’t used its innate divine ability. We’ll only know who’s stronger once they both unleash their innate divine abilities.”
Among the onlookers, several demon beasts had auras no weaker than the battling White Tiger and Double-headed Lion.
There was a Five-colored Peacock, a Black Flood Dragon with horns on its head, a Golden Roc whose body was entirely golden, a Black Ox radiating dense demonic energy, and a Giant Ape with two horns on its head… Behind them, there were also dozens of other demon beasts of various shapes, all looking extraordinary.
Just as the numerous demon beasts were fully engrossed, four figures appeared on the grassland, walking towards them with an arrogant swagger.
Fang Yuan held a toothpick, picking out remnants of demon beast meat from between his teeth, while Qin Hao and Zhang Ziqiang also walked with a swaying gait, just like him.
Sun Yiyi was relatively more normal, her eyelids drooping, looking as if she had no interest in anything.
Perched on her shoulder was a palm-sized Young Monkey, engrossed in nibbling on a spirit fruit.
When the four appeared at the edge of the battle, the White Tiger and the Double-headed Lion were at the most intense part of their fight.
“Garlic bird, garlic bird, it’s not easy for anyone, you can’t beat it.”
The two sides were already considering whether to use their innate divine abilities to fight to the death, but upon hearing this sentence, as if stimulated by something, they unleashed their innate divine abilities without hesitation.
Instantly, demonic energy surged, the heavens and earth changed, gusts of hurricanes descended from the sky, and the ground trembled.
“Splendid, absolutely splendid!” The four, enjoying the spectacle, clapped vigorously.
At this point, the other group of beasts finally reacted, turning their gazes towards the four.
“Human cultivators?!” A demon beast exclaimed in surprise.
“There really are human cultivators who ran all the way to the central region of the Barren State. Are they tired of living?”
“Capture them! I just happen to need a servant.”
“I sense the aura of my kin on them! Damned humans, how dare you devour the flesh and blood of my race!”
Dozens of demon beasts simultaneously flew up, charging rapidly towards Fang Yuan and his companions.
The White Tiger and the Double-headed Lion, who were in mid-air, had now stopped, their gazes fixed on Fang Yuan and his companions below.
“A bunch of trash, daring to attack your grandpa! All of you, get captured!”
Fang Yuan met them head-on, fighting alone against the dozens of demon beasts.
These demon beasts were all at the late-stage Golden Core realm, with three of them having just entered the peak Golden Core realm.
As soon as the two sides clashed, blood and qi surged, and they engaged in a pure power confrontation.
Bang, bang—
One demon beast after another crashed into the ground, the grass exploding, and dust flying everywhere.
“What powerful physical bodies.” The Five-colored Peacock exclaimed in admiration.
“This person should be a Heaven’s Chosen from the human race. I’ll go and have a bout with him.”
The Giant Ape slowly stood up, bending its legs.
Bang, the ground exploded, and roars echoed through the air.
“I’ll play with you!”
Qin Hao shot into the sky, his right arm muscles bulging, veins snaking across his skin, and a fierce wind swirling around his fist.
Bang—
The two sides clashed with a single punch in the void.
Rumble—
Space trembled, ripples spread out from the center of their fists, and some rocks shattered into dust.
Bang, bang—
The two sides exchanged several more punches, their strength surprisingly evenly matched.
The Giant Ape roared to the sky, pounding its chest with both fists, its body suddenly swelling to thirty feet. Between the two horns on its head, wisps of black lightning crackled.
The Demonic Ape clan was known for its strength, yet its opponent’s power was on par with its own—this was an insult!
“What are you roaring about? Do you think you’re strong just because you transformed?”
Qin Hao charged again, all his strength converging into his right leg, with a searing flame attached to it.
Bang—
His entire right leg slammed into the giant fist.
Space could not withstand this terrifying pressure, emitting cracking sounds.
The shockwave swept across the grassland, flattening the tall grass, and sending rocks flying, all swirling into the sky.
Qin Hao retreated several meters, while the Demonic Ape was sent flying by the aftershock, black blood dripping from its fist.
“What a powerful human Heaven’s Chosen! His strength can actually suppress the Demonic Ape clan.”
“I’m even starting to doubt if he’s a human cultivator, or the descendant of an ancient great demon from the Barren State.”
“Could this person be the strongest Heaven’s Chosen of the human race?”
The demon beasts exclaimed in admiration, their gazes fixed intently on Qin Hao and Fang Yuan.
“Running wild and domineering in my Barren State, do you really think my Barren State has no Heaven’s Chosen?!”
The Double-headed Lion’s body glowed with golden light, its fur transforming into golden armor, and its body stood upright, instantly turning into a golden-haired youth.
“Oh, he’s a bit handsome.”
Fang Yuan kicked away the last demon beast, his eyes filled with surprise.
At the same time, the White Tiger also transformed into a white-haired youth, radiating a sharp aura, and without a word, charged towards Fang Yuan.
The battlefield instantly split into two.
Qin Hao faced the Double-headed Lion, while Fang Yuan confronted the White Tiger.
Afterimages of them were everywhere in the void, and shockwaves surged one after another.
One of the stone mountains floating in mid-air was directly shattered by the four, and countless giant rocks plunged into the lakebed.
The waterfall reversed, exploding in the air, falling like a torrential downpour.
The White Tiger was primarily focused on killing, its law power transforming into dense wind blades, each move driving the surrounding wind blades.
Fang Yuan, on the other hand, manifested his fist intent; with every punch he threw, a tiger’s roar could be heard.
The White Tiger lineage, passed down to this day, had long since thinned its bloodline.
The White Tiger before him was the one with the purest bloodline in its clan, and it had awakened the White Tiger clan’s innate divine ability: Roar of the Sky Breaker.
He saw it retreat two steps, dodging Fang Yuan’s attack, and a phantom image of a White Tiger appeared behind it.
The White Tiger stepped on the void, its mouth open, and the surrounding law power rippled, all converging into the mouth of the White Tiger phantom.
Fang Yuan’s expression changed, and he unhesitatingly unleashed the Dharma Idol Heaven and Earth.
A demonic shadow descended, enveloping his body.
“Roar—”
A tiger’s roar, imbued with the Dao of slaughter, echoed, shaking the nine heavens.
The sound waves transformed into golden blades, pulverizing rocks and shattering the void.
The demonic shadow drew its blade to protect itself, clashing with the dense golden blades.
No one dared to approach this battlefield; the group of demon beasts watching were all forced back by the aftershocks.
A fierce storm swept across the grassland, reducing all the tall grass to ashes, and pulverizing sand and stones into dust.
Fang Yuan’s soul trembled, his blood boiled, and a fear arose from the depths of his heart—a suppression from his bloodline.
A ferocious look appeared on his face as he dispelled the fear in his heart, controlling the demonic shadow to surge forward.
“Submit to me!”
Fang Yuan roared, raising his blade to the sky.
Boom—
Black flames attached to the blade, and the demonic shadow stood in the void, taking a step forward.
The demonic blade spanned half the sky, cutting down with immense force.
As the blade struck, the heavens and earth turned pitch black, and the golden blades were instantly swallowed by the darkness.
