"I, the Lava Beast King, obey only the orders of the great Shennong! I have no obligation to grant anything to humans descended from Nuwa!" The Lava Beast King didn't even glance at Liu Mengli as he let out a deafening roar, his massive, fiery claws slashing down toward her.
"Mengli, watch out!"
Seeing the Lava Beast King attack Liu Mengli, Han Lingsha shouted in alarm. At the same time, Murong Ziying, Yun Tianhe, and Daniel all sprang into action. Murong Ziying moved instantly, appearing in front of Liu Mengli with his sword raised to block the beast's claws. Meanwhile, Daniel and Yun Tianhe drew their bows, unleashing arrows that streaked like icy beams through the searing air. The Lava Beast King let out an anguished howl as its massive body erupted in flames, the raging fire forcing everyone to retreat dozens of meters.
"Yun Tianhe still has no real combat experience," Daniel thought as he glanced at Yun Tianhe, shaking his head internally. Yun Tianhe had undoubtedly grown stronger since leaving the mountains, but his approach to fighting remained naive. He used the same tactics on the Lava Beast King that he would on wild boars and black bears, aiming for the beast's chest.
Unfortunately, the arrow didn't pierce the beast's tough hide and only bounced off. The Lava Beast King's scream of pain wasn't due to Yun Tianhe's strike but rather Daniel's. Daniel had targeted the beast's left eye, his arrow penetrating its eyelid and severely damaging the eyeball. The beast had sensed the danger at the last moment, instinctively closing its eye and channeling a surge of spiritual energy to protect itself. Otherwise, Daniel's shot might have pierced through to its brain, killing it outright.
As a guardian of Shennong's domain, the Lava Beast King was undoubtedly powerful. But its massive size left it vulnerable during certain moments, like when it had overextended to attack Liu Mengli. If Yun Tianhe had aimed for its other eye instead of its chest, they might have blinded it entirely in one coordinated attack.
The beastly races created by Shennong were strong in physical power and innate abilities but significantly lacked intelligence. This fundamental weakness was why they eventually retreated to the Demon Realm after failing to compete with other races.
"If I collect this creature's blood, I might be able to create a Mythical Beast-Type Devil Fruit," Daniel mused as he observed the Lava Beast King.
Many beastly races possessed natural elemental abilities—manipulating wind, fire, lightning, and more. In some worlds, these might be considered "bloodline limits," but here in the world of Chinese Paladin, they were known as innate divine abilities.
"Lingsha, you three should retreat for now," Murong Ziying called out as he formed a protective stance, keeping his eyes locked on the now-enraged Lava Beast King. The growing flames around the beast suggested its power was only increasing.
Han Lingsha, Liu Mengli, and Chu Bihen didn't argue. Recognizing the danger, they moved away to a safer distance, with Han Lingsha occasionally glancing back in worry.
Murong Ziying wasted no time. He chanted a spell and summoned dozens of sword shadows, sending them flying toward the beast. Yun Tianhe, not one to lag behind, readied another arrow and fired alongside Murong Ziying.
But this time, their attacks had no effect. The raging flames around the Lava Beast King acted as a shield, nullifying both the sword shadows and Yun Tianhe's arrow.
"Damned descendants of Nuwa, I'll turn you all to ashes!"
The Lava Beast King's fury reached its peak. Its body glowed with fiery energy, and the surrounding flames surged outward like a tidal wave. At the same time, molten lava erupted from the ground, spewing into the air and raining down like a deadly inferno.
"Tianhe, Daniel, get behind me!" Murong Ziying shouted as he formed a defensive barrier. His left hand traced complex seals in the air, summoning five spinning sword shadows that began to orbit them, creating a protective dome against the onslaught of flames and lava.
"Is this the Five Spirits Converging Sect technique?" Daniel thought as he watched Murong Ziying's precise control over the barrier.
Yun Tianhe, seething with anger, knocked another arrow onto his bowstring. But this time, he didn't rely on his spiritual energy to create an arrow. Instead, he nocked the Wangshu Sword, the icy blue weapon glowing ominously in his hands.
"Let him use it," Daniel thought as he watched Yun Tianhe's actions. While he could have stepped in to stop him, he decided against it. The Lava Beast King was no ordinary foe. Even Murong Ziying, with all his skill, might struggle to bring it down. The Wangshu Sword, with its powerful yin energy, was the perfect counter to the beast's fiery nature.
Yun Tianhe loosed the Wangshu Sword like an arrow. The blade shot forward in a brilliant blue arc, parting the fiery waves as it sliced through the beast's defenses. The sword struck true, piercing the Lava Beast King's chest and freezing the wound instantly.
The beast let out a final, pained roar before collapsing. The flames surrounding it began to die down, leaving only its massive, lifeless body behind.
"So the wound was completely frozen… I underestimated the Wangshu Sword's power," Daniel noted as he examined the beast's body. Despite the Lava Beast King's formidable strength—far greater than that of the fox spirit they'd faced earlier—it had stood no chance against the Wangshu Sword.
"That's the strongest wild beast I've ever seen!" Yun Tianhe exclaimed as he walked around the fallen creature, marveling at its size and power.
"It's not a wild beast; it's a spirit beast," Daniel corrected internally. But instead of explaining further, he decided to let Yun Tianhe's curiosity fade naturally. Explaining one question would only lead to more, and he didn't have the energy for a lecture.
"Han Lingsha, are you okay?" Liu Mengli's worried voice rang out, pulling everyone's attention.
They turned to see Han Lingsha pale and trembling, her head resting weakly on Liu Mengli's shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy… it must be the heat," Han Lingsha said with a faint smile, trying to reassure them.
"This place is too hot. Let's return to the Moonshade Realm for now," Chu Bihen suggested, her eyes darting nervously toward the Blazing Flame Stone Yun Tianhe carried. She clearly had her own agenda, but her concern for Han Lingsha seemed genuine enough.
"Good idea," Yun Tianhe agreed without hesitation.
The group hurried back to the Moonshade Realm, with Yun Tianhe carrying Han Lingsha in his arms. The usually headstrong Han Lingsha blushed faintly, embarrassed but too weak to protest.
Meanwhile, Daniel lagged behind, taking advantage of the others' distraction to collect the Lava Beast King's corpse. He carefully stored it in a dimensional space, his mind already racing with possibilities for what could be created from its remains.
Back in the Moonshade Realm, Han Lingsha's condition improved significantly, the frigid air alleviating her discomfort.
"You succeeded, didn't you?" Chu Hanjing greeted them with a soft sigh, her gaze lingering on Chu Bihen's triumphant expression.
"Yes, sister. Even though you refused to help me, I succeeded in the end. I'm destined to ascend to immortality, while you… you'll disappear," Chu Bihen declared coldly, her eyes flashing with disdain.
"What do you mean by that?" Han Lingsha asked, her confusion evident. But Chu Bihen ignored her, focusing solely on her sister.
"I begged you for so long, but you kept the Blazing Flame Stone hidden from me. I know why—you're jealous! You didn't want me to become an immortal!"
Chu Hanjing closed her eyes briefly, her expression calm despite her sister's accusations. "If you overheard what our master said, then you should know. Only someone with a pure heart can merge with the Blazing Flame Stone and ascend. If you act out of selfishness, it will only cause the Soloro Tree to bear fruit again, and you will perish," she said quietly.
"Selfish? I only want to leave this cursed place. How is that selfish? If anyone's selfish, it's you. Why haven't you used the Blazing Flame Stone to ascend yourself?"
"Is that what you've always thought of me?" Chu Hanjing whispered, turning away from her sister.
Daniel watched the sisters' argument silently. While he disliked Chu Bihen's attitude, he couldn't help but feel pity for Chu Hanjing.
"Wouldn't it be possible for both sisters to ascend together? They're from the same Soloro Fruit, essentially one being. Couldn't they count as a single entity?" he suggested aloud, breaking the tense silence.
Both sisters froze, startled by the idea.
"Together?" Chu Hanjing murmured, her eyes lighting up with a glimmer of hope.
"Ridiculous! If that were possible, our master would have told us. I'm not risking my chance of ascension on a gamble," Chu Bihen snapped dismissively, clutching the Blazing Flame Stone tightly.
Daniel sighed, realizing his words had fallen on deaf ears. "In the end, she'll destroy herself and her sister along with her," he thought grimly.
True to his prediction, Chu Bihen's attempt to merge with the Blazing Flame Stone ended in disaster. As her body began to radiate overwhelming energy, it became clear she was losing control.
With a final scream of "Sister!" Chu Bihen's body exploded, unleashing a fiery shockwave that tore through the Moonshade Realm, reducing it to ruins.
"I knew this day would come," Chu Hanjing said softly, tears streaming down her face. Her body began to fade as well, her connection to her sister dragging her into oblivion.
The Soloro Tree bore its final fruit—a single glowing orb resting atop its charred branches.
"Why… why does it have to end like this?" Han Lingsha whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
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