Chapter 776: Ferocious Beast of the Void Refining

Yan Buji cautiously threaded through the depths of the Dinglong Mountains, each step taken with extreme care. As he went deeper, the surrounding demon beasts' auras grew stronger, some even making his heart race. He knew these beasts far surpassed his strength; a moment's carelessness could plunge him into an inescapable doom.

"These demon beasts' strength... probably already reached the Void Refining or even He Dao Realm." Yan Buji silently warned himself, not daring to be the slightest careless.

He continued along a relatively safe route, trying to avoid direct clashes with those powerful demon beasts. Yet as he went deeper, the raging wind's influence grew stronger; even at dawn or dusk, its power made him feel doubled pressure.

"It seems the deeper into the mountains, the stronger the raging wind's influence." Yan Buji silently pondered, "Could the source of the raging wind be at the mountains' deepest point?"

Thinking this, a flicker of doubt crossed Yan Buji's eyes, but he soon pressed on. He knew that if he could find the raging wind's source, he might completely resolve the problem—and perhaps gain a great opportunity.

Yet he also knew that venturing deep into the mountains carried enormous risk; those powerful demon beasts could spot him at any moment, and the raging wind would sap his combat strength. Once in danger, he might not even have a chance to flee.

"Fortune favors the bold; having come this far, I cannot return empty-handed." Yan Buji took a deep breath and resolved to press on.

Over the next few days, Yan Buji carefully avoided several powerful demon beasts, gradually approaching the mountains' core region. As he went deeper, the scenery changed: the once-lush forest thinned, replaced by barren hills and exposed rock. The air reeked of a violent aura, as if heaven and earth were restless.

"The aura here... is too strange." Yan Buji sensed the shift, silently on guard.

As he continued forward, a low, deep roar suddenly came from ahead. The sound brimmed with brutality and savagery, like a demon from hell. Yan Buji's heart tightened; he immediately concealed his form and crept cautiously toward the source.

When he rounded a massive boulder, the sight before him made him suck in a cold breath.

Before him on a clearing lay a huge demon beast, prone on the ground, exuding a terrifying aura. It resembled a tiger but was several times larger than an ordinary tiger, its body covered in black scales, a pair of massive wings sprouting from its back, the wings bristling with sharp bone spurs. Its eyes were scarlet, and it continually spat black flames, like a demon from hell.

"This is... a peak Void Refining demon beast!" Yan Buji's heart jolted; he held his breath, daring not to make a sound.

He knew such a beast was beyond his ability to oppose; even with his full strength, he could hardly wound it. Moreover, under the raging wind's influence, his combat power had been weakened to the extreme.

Yet as he prepared to retreat quietly, the beast suddenly lifted its head, its scarlet eyes locking onto his direction.

"Oh no, I've been spotted!" Yan Buji's heart sank; he instantly employed his movement technique and darted backward.

Yet the beast's speed far exceeded his expectations, and it was remarkably agile. With a beat of its wings, it turned into a black blur, lunging at Yan Buji; the surrounding space continually trembled, as if an extremely strong spatial suppression force were at work!

"Damn it!"

Yan Buji felt the terrifying aura behind him, his heart leapt in alarm, and he immediately drove his Immortal Essence to its limit, fleeing at top speed. Yet the beast's speed was truly too fast; in the blink of an eye it had closed to his rear.

"Damn it!" Yan Buji gritted his teeth, knowing escape was impossible; he could only fight to the death.

He suddenly turned, sacrificing the Net-Weaving Needle, forcibly activating it at the cost of consuming his Cosmic Dao Mark, tearing a temporary rift in the surrounding space and instantly teleporting away!

"Boom!"

Only a deafening "Boom—" rang out, like heavenly thunder crashing, earsplitting! The beast's razor-sharp claws slammed hard into a towering ancient tree so tall it took dozens of people to encircle its trunk. Instantly, a blinding light burst forth, like a sudden sun rising from nowhere, its terrifying energy wave sweeping outward with overwhelming force.

Accompanying this heaven‑shattering, earth‑destroying impact, the ground within a hundred‑li radius of the towering ancient tree ignited like a powder keg, erupting in a cataclysmic explosion. Countless clods of earth and stone shot skyward like a volcanic eruption, blocking out the sun; the whole scene resembled the apocalypse. Moreover, the once‑solid earth was blasted into a bottomless pit hundreds of zhang wide, its interior roiling with smoke and flying embers, a sight to dread.

As this heart‑pounding scene unfolded, Yan Buji, who had long sensed the approaching danger, decisively invoked his Instant Movement Technique to evade the terrible disaster. Yet despite his swift reaction, the terrifying impact force from the beast's single strike was so immense that even while airborne he could clearly feel an unparalleled mighty surge rushing toward him.

Yan Buji felt like a tiny boat in a raging storm, utterly unable to keep his balance. Under that tremendous force, his body was tossed about in midair, swaying on the verge of collapse. In the end he could not withstand the violent force's onslaught, hurtling straight like a meteor into a massive rock not far away.

With a muffled "Thud!" Yan Buji slammed hard into the extremely hard rock. Shrapnel flew, smoke and dust filled the air, his body sank deep into the stone, leaving a man‑sized hollow. At that moment time seemed to freeze; all around lay dead silence…

"Pfft!" Yan Buji spat a mouthful of blood, feeling as if every bone in his body were about to fall apart.

The beast let out a low roar, charging at Yan Buji with extreme speed, its scarlet eyes brimming with killing intent.

Yan Buji struggled to his feet, a flash of resolve in his eyes. He knew there was no retreat; he could only fight to the death.

Yet as he prepared to strike again, a strange power suddenly spread from all directions, giving Yan Buji a sense of familiarity and carrying an ancient, mysterious aura.

"This is... the Law of the Way of the Universe?" Yan Buji's heart jumped, then his eyes flashed with shock.

Suddenly, the sunlight that had bathed the open clearing vanished, plunging everything into darkness.

A towering figure that blotted out the sky covered the heavens; Yan Buji stared up in shock.

Seeing this, the beast halted its steps, its scarlet eyes flashing with a hint of wariness. It gave a low growl, then turned and fled swiftly, vanishing into the forest in an instant.