Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1451 - 785: Monsters Appear, Nine-Headed Dragon Revealed (Part 2)

Suddenly, a fierce tiger's roar erupted from the distance, quaking the entire sky, as a brilliant golden glow burst forth in reply.

Startled by the thunderous noise, the Phoenix beat its wings in haste and rose high into the air. Abruptly, a vast expanse of Fire Cloud materialized from nothing, wrapping around it in firm protection.

Even before the tiger's roar fully subsided, a streak of white radiance hurtled over from the horizon at astonishing velocity, smashing through hordes of bones en route without slowing down in the least.

Within moments, the white light drew close and took form as a colossal White Tiger, as huge as an elephant, its body gleaming with regal platinum hues.

Upon manifesting, the White Tiger fixed its gaze on the Fire Cloud above with blazing fury, letting out a wrathful bellow: "Phoenix, you slew my consort. Today, I shall claim your life to avenge her spirit."

Hearing this, the enormous black bear rushed to intervene with urgency: "Tiger King, hold back! The Reincarnation Gate is on the verge of opening. Priorities first, priorities!"

As it spoke, the black bear bounded in front of the White Tiger, offering repeated bows.

"Black Bear, move out of my way. Or else, you'll die by my claws too!" The White Tiger King shot a glare filled with killing intent, growling in fierce warning.

"You must not fight! If you two destroy each other, wouldn't that waste two great powers for nothing? We still need to surround the Holy Beast Corpse Spirit soon. Lacking either of you would doom the effort!"

The huge black bear urged with sincere worry, "Should we fail once more this round, it won't just be me in trouble; I doubt even you, Tiger King, would survive until the gate opens next time. Tiger King, think it over carefully!"

After hearing this, the White Tiger King narrowed its eyes, its surge of murderous rage easing back a touch.

Out of nowhere, a chilly voice rang out from above: "I'm right here—if you wish to strike, then hurry up."

How irritating!

At those words, the black bear's face twisted in frustration, silently damning the Phoenix for its lack of gratitude.

This remark acted like fuel on flames, stoking the White Tiger King's anger anew.

"Very well, very well—let you feel the might of the White Tiger Seven Kills Scripture—"

But before the White Tiger King could complete its threat, a startling shift unfolded!

In that very instant, the Six-toothed White Elephant's corpse burst apart from the inside, hurling chunks of flesh and blood in all directions.

A shadowy figure bolted from its remains like a bolt of lightning, reshaping in the air into a pitch-black Nine-clawed Octopus about the size of a calf.

Right after emerging, the octopus unleashed a thick cloud of dark vapor, which swiftly blanketed an area spanning dozens of miles.

The vicinity sank into pitch blackness in a flash, as though night had fallen abruptly.

Not much later, the gloom lifted just as quickly, and brightness flooded back into view.

By then, the White Tiger King had withdrawn under the Dragon Whale's skull, watching the dark octopus hovering in the sky with caution, issuing deep, rumbling growls.

At the same time, the giant bear stood next to the White Tiger King, clutching its chest with paws shimmering in black glow, seemingly on guard against any sudden assault.

The octopus creature, lashing its tentacles about, let out a mocking chuckle: "Heh heh, I was enjoying my meal quite nicely until your racket disturbed me from outside. So...irritating!"

The giant bear, showing clear signs of dread, whispered despite itself: "Lady Zhang... Now that you've arrived, why hide yourself? Are you scheming to strike at one of us from ambush?"

"Heh heh, Little Bear, you're as ugly as ever, yet your imagination runs wild. Expecting me to act? Who do you imagine yourself to be?" The Octopus Lady swooped down, extending a few tentacles to jab derisively at the giant bear's snout.

The giant bear retreated a pace, flashing an uneasy grin: "That's not what I meant. It's merely...merely..."

Witnessing this, the White Tiger King snorted out two jets of platinum light from its nostrils, scoffing: "Hmph, Lady Zhang, when did you start mingling with the Thief Phoenix?"

"Heh heh, my company is no concern of yours!" The Octopus Monster fired back without a hint of deference to the White Tiger King.

Though slighted, the White Tiger King held its temper, tensing its frame even tighter.

Just then, the Octopus Monster noticed Zhao Sheng close by, as if spotting an intriguing curiosity.

It zipped toward Zhao Sheng in a blink, giving him a quick once-over before slyly giggling: "Little monkey, you catch my eye. Feeling famished? Plenty of food lies below."

Though starving, Zhao Sheng politely clasped his hands and declined: "I'm not hungry!"

In the Beast Path, wariness ruled supreme; one could never tell what deadly snares lurked in food that seemed so readily available.

The Octopus Monster's hue deepened to inky blackness upon hearing him, letting out a low chuckle: "Heh heh, back in my realm, meals tower above all else, and extending an invitation to dine demands proper manners: 'gentle, respectful, frugal, and humble,' with 'humble' being key. For instance, as I invite you now—even to a stranger—I must say: care for a taste? No matter if they partake or refuse, the offer stands, or it's rude otherwise. Little monkey, how about a bite?"

With those words, a massive elephant leg rose from underneath, its size dwarfing more than half of Zhao Sheng's frame.

Zhao Sheng eyed the elephant leg so near at hand, gradually reaching out to grasp it in his arms.

"Thank you!"

"Heh heh, no thanks needed—devour it fast!" The Octopus Monster displayed unusual eagerness, prodding him insistently.

"Raw meat isn't to my taste. Roasting it would be preferable," Zhao Sheng replied, his suspicions mounting about the creature's ill intent, seizing on the excuse to stall.

The Octopus Monster shot back at once: "Cooked works just as well! Phoenix, employ your Glazed Fire to cook it for him."

Before the command fully landed, a crimson beam dropped from the heavens onto the elephant leg, igniting it in roaring flames.

Shortly after, the leg began to char and sizzle, releasing a tantalizing, otherworldly aroma.

Observing this, Zhao Sheng stood up gradually and moved toward the elephant leg.

Right then, the Octopus Monster, Phoenix, White Tiger King, and giant bear all locked their stares in unison, as if anticipating Zhao Sheng's initial chomp into the flesh.

At that precise moment, a heavy thump resounded from the ground nearby, tearing open a deep, endless chasm in an instant, shattering the focused attention of everyone present.

The following instant, a huge gray rat with cunning, tiny eyes leaped from the hole, quaking visibly under the piercing glares of the surrounding beasts.

The massive black bear, with its vast connections, recognized the intruder at once as a familiar face: "Cluck cluck, you haven't lost your mind after all, Thief Rat."

"Xiong the Third, I'd sooner go insane than you!" The gray rat snapped back without delay.

That said, it quickly nodded to the rest: "Tiger Boss, Phoenix, and Lady Zhang—it's been ages!"

The White Tiger King huffed coldly, puffing white light from its nose.

The Phoenix softly flapped its wings, sending sparks flying in abundance.

The Octopus Monster twirled its tentacles, executing a series of intricate gestures.

The gray rat's eyes darted about, eventually settling on Zhao Sheng standing nearby.

"Ah, a fresh face. Wonder how tough they are—perhaps I should probe a bit?"

The giant bear bared its teeth in a smile: "No need; I've already gauged them—they're formidable!"

"Then I'm at ease," the gray rat affirmed with a nod, its whiskers quivering as it blurted in alarm: "Trouble—a party's already located the Holy Beast Corpse Spirit and engaged in battle."

Blessed with exceptional hearing, the gray rat could detect sounds across ten thousand miles.

Thus, its declaration carried unquestionable weight among the beasts.

"What? Thief Rat, guide us there at once. We can't let them seize the upper hand," the White Tiger King bellowed, setting aside its feud with the Phoenix in a heartbeat.

Requiring no further prompt, the gray rat had already dashed westward at breakneck speed, swift as a thunderbolt.

The Phoenix morphed into a Fire Cloud, trailing right behind.

The Octopus Monster rapidly dissolved into a swirling black fog, pursuing beneath the Fire Cloud.

The giant bear and White Tiger King, lagging a tad, pursued doggedly some five or six miles in the rear.

Seeing the beasts charge ahead, Zhao Sheng felt a wave of relief wash over him, then pushed off the earth with power, vaulting a thousand yards at a time, bounding swiftly toward the western clash.

...

Hastening onward, the bones scattered along the path loomed ever larger and more imposing, with crimson glows illuminating the terrain and driving back the oppressive gloom.

Before long, the ground turned into a vast crimson ocean, the bones resembling endless jagged outcrops strewn about.

Roar, roar, roar!

In the distant horizon ahead, a titanic form towered toward the heavens, its nine massive skeletal dragon heads twisting through the Void, seizing the attention of all who beheld it.

Before long, the ground turned into a vast crimson ocean, the bones resembling endless jagged outcrops,