Chapter 304 - Nine Heavens True Fire Beast

When Zhang Yuanteng saw Long Chen unscathed, he sighed in relief and said, “Long Chen, I jinxed it! I had only mentioned the immortal beast stampede in passing, and it actually happened. But don’t worry, we can head to the protected area now.”

Long Chen did not head directly towards the Advanced Zone, because he wanted to see Zhang Yuanteng. This was a very rare friend to him. After guaranteeing his safety, Long Chen shook his head and said, “I won’t. I need to leave because I have some matters to attend to. Brother Zhang, if you see me as a brother, don’t ask me any questions. I know my limits. This is extremely important to me, so I hope you won’t intervene. Goodbye!”

Then Long Chen did not elaborate and ran past Zhang Yuanteng, soon disappearing from sight. Zhang Yuanteng was startled by what he had said, because he seemed to be very determined. Before he could think of a way to advise against it, Long Chen had already run off.

Since he had no choice, Zhang Yuanteng went towards the protected area despite being worried. The immortal beast stampede was approaching and they were surrounded by deafening beast roars, so no one would notice Long Chen missing.

This was the boundary between Areas Seventeen and Eighteen, so the people of both areas had gathered here. When Long Chen and Zhang Yuanteng were speaking, a teenager being escorted by a group of Immortal Guards had spotted them from far away. Hatred flashed in his eyes when he identified Long Chen.

“Isn’t that teenager Long Chen, the guy who out did me in front of the Sword Devil? And that former Counter Essence soldier too! Damn it!”

When he thought about how Long Chen had stolen what was supposed to be his, jealousy and hatred rose within him. Since Long Chen had run off and disappeared, Zhang Yuanteng was hurrying towards the protected area.

You may be fast, but... this Counter Essence soldier is related to him. I hate him!

Watching Zhang Yuanteng leave, Song Yuefeng sneered and followed.

I’ll kill one more as an appetizer. Long Chen will definitely go to the protected area, so that will be my main course,

thought Song Yuefeng with relish.

***

Long Chen struck and killed another Category Three Earth-tier Cloud Canine. He looked around and saw that the thick and heavy mist had already covered the entire Counter Essence Realm. Using the Soul Swallowing Gaze, he could see many immortal beast souls approaching. There were cultivators who could not run in time fighting them.

Immortal beast stampedes were destructive events where immortal beasts from the Advanced or Intermediate Zones entered the Intermediate or Elementary Zones. The Immortal Guards from the Elementary and Intermediate Zones were no match for them at all, so they could only hide and save their strength. As long as the Advanced Zones’ Immortal Guards came to help, they would be able to suppress the stampede.

Long Chen had already passed the protected area and he soon entered the Intermediate Zone directly. There, he found that the spiritual Qi was much thicker and that the herbs were higher in level.

The Intermediate Zone was mostly occupied by guards between the Fourth and Sixth River Stages. Categories Four to Six Earth-tier beasts were common here. He would’ve run the risk of running straight into a beast or a man if he had not cultivated the third stage of the Soul Swallowing Gaze, which would’ve been a tragedy.

With the help of his Soul Swallowing Gaze, he stayed far away from beasts and cultivators. There were many Category Three Earth-tier Cloud Canines here. Avoiding high-level beasts, he killed them and hurried on quickly, at the same time using Blood Transmutation to increase his strength.

What’s going on? I’ve been using Blood Transmutation more frequently; I think it’s making me feel a little dizzy. The killing intent in me is also very intense ...

Long Chen noted the sensation of being poisoned every time he used Blood Transmutation. Although his strength was increasing and he felt more energetic, there was an icy, murderous energy in his chest that was growing gradually.

However, this was a time when Long Chen needed strength the most. Ling Xi’s life depended on him, so he dared not slack off despite all the violence and killing intent occupying his mind.

He continued traveling through the Intermediate Zone.

Only the extremely important herbs were being guarded. Yellow and Black-tier herbs were abundant in the Counter Essence Realm and would grow back if they were lost, so they did not matter.

However, every Immortal Guard was talented at their job, and if the casualties were too high, they would have to recruit more. It was difficult to recruit large numbers of trustworthy cultivators.

That was why protecting the Immortal Guards was of utmost importance during every stampede.

During this time, Long Chen saw many intermediate-Earth tier spiritual herbs, but they had not ripened. Even if he plucked them, they would be useless, so he merely looked.

The immortal beasts had conquered almost the entire Intermediate and Elementary Zones. If didn’t have the Soul Swallowing Gaze, Long Chen’s journey would not have been so simple. He had seen Categories Six and Seven immortal beasts along the way, which would bring him massive improvement in cultivation, but only if he could kill them.

However, killing a Category Six Earth-tier was currently a faraway dream to him.

By now, the hunting of immortal beasts by the more powerful Immortal Guards had officially begun. Long Chen secretly snuck around them, taking secluded paths, and quickly approached the Advanced Zone. Although there were no clear boundaries between the Advanced and Intermediate Zones, Long Chen could make a guess based on the changes in spiritual Qi and herbs in his surroundings.

“This place is quiet, like there are no threats from immortal beasts. Why is that?” Long Chen walked through a vast field and realized that there were few beasts here. There was a scent in the air that made him feel suffocated.

He had a bad feeling and quickly observed the souls in his surroundings using the Soul Swallowing Gaze. But there didn’t seem to be anything, not even an ant.

There was not a single animal within a five-hundred-meter radius.

“What’s going on? Is this the Advanced Zone?” Long Chen looked in all directions.

That was when his Soul Swallowing Gaze caught a ripple so powerful that even his soul trembled, and it was quickly approaching. Long Chen looked up and, to his terror, there was a huge beast floating in the sky above!

This gigantic beast was burning with red flames. It had a large pair of wings like those of a bat, but they looked much scarier and were filled with great power. The beast had the body of a lion with fangs and long, sharp claws. Its eyes were burning with flames. When it gazed coldly at Long Chen, the suffocating pressure made Long Chen felt like he had seen a deity!

Forget about fighting—the huge, intimidating aura had almost forced him to his knees!

“Nine Heavens True Fire Beast ...” Long Chen remembered this immortal beast’s name clearly. After Xiaolang had received the Sun Devouring Wolf’s body, Long Chen had tried hard to find fire elemental treasures for him. He got to know about demonic cores from demonic beasts and learned that within the Earth-tier, the most powerful fire beast was the Nine Heavens True Fire Beast. Long Chen initially thought the Cangyang Kingdom would not have beasts of that level, so he never imagined that there would be one here.

Nine Heavens True Fire Beast, Category Nine, Earth-tier!

A beast of this scale could kill Long Chen with a sneeze!

Long Chen now knew why there were no other life forms in this area. It was the beast’s territory.

Since it was a Category Nine Earth-tier beast, its sensing abilities far exceeded Long Chen’s Soul Swallowing Gaze. Before he noticed it, it had long noticed him.

All the nerves in his body tightened.

How could I get so unlucky? If it really wants to kill me, I won’t be able to defend myself at all ...

Long Chen paled. Ling Xi and Xiaolang were waiting at Yuqing Palace! If he died here, what would happen to them?

Without Long Chen, Ling Xi would not have a future. This put a huge weight on his shoulders. This was the responsibility of a man!

Long Chen realized that due to his impatience for the Nine Heavens Immortal Fruit, he had been too reckless. He had trespassed on the Nine Heavens True Fire Beast’s territory, and it was all his fault ...

The only thing that brought him relief was that after the beast noticed him, it did not attack immediately but rather looked at him, a bit puzzled.

Flames came out of its nostrils as it breathed.

What does it want?

Long Chen dared not look up, so he could only guess.

Then, as if it had lost all patience, it flew around Long Chen in circles several times, then it let out a furious roar.

The thunder-like roar that came out of its gigantic body made the ground tremble. Long Chen knew that the beast was about to attack and activated his Dragon Soul Transformation. Then, he shot off at maximum speed towards where he came from!

He didn’t have the luxury of being worried about being discovered by someone in the Intermediate Zone!

When he used the Dragon Soul Transformation, the Nine Heavens True Fire Beast froze for a moment, stopping midair. Taking advantage of that sliver of time, Long Chen widened the distance between them by a hundred meters!

Maybe it sensed my Inherited Blood Essence? And the Dragon Soul Transformation? No, I don’t think it sensed them. It must have noticed something it feared in my body, or it would have rushed over to kill me instantly,

he thought as he fled.

The Dragon Soul Transformation had only stopped the beast for a slight moment. With a flap of its fleshy wings, it arrived behind Long Chen and let out a furious roar. Angry flames shot out at him!

The beast was gigantic. The flames it spat were a sea of fire to Long Chen. He was about to be swallowed by fire ...