"Young Master, run! I can’t hold on for much longer!” Meanwhile, Gou Gui’s roar thundered from outside the cave.

There’s still a chance!

A glimmer of hope was rekindled in Gou Xuxing’s heart. He immediately cast aside all other thoughts and frantically fled. As for the little Single-Horned Beast, he did not dare to even think about it.

Even if he managed to catch it, he would end up being targeted by the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King and would most certainly suffer a terrible fate before he could escape the mountain.

Thud!

However, the moment Gou Xuxing reached the cave entrance, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his mind-sea that caused his vision to darken as he stumbled and fell.

"God Devourer Insects!"

Gou Xuxing was furious. In his mind-sea, his Primordial Spirit was covered in a layer of mysterious armor as it defended against the attacks from a grain-sized God Devourer Insect.

"It must be that scumbag's doing!"

Gou Xuxing was so enraged that you could almost see steam rising from his head. A mighty Thousand Killer class, elite, young-generation expert like him had not only suffered repeated setbacks but was also now being taken advantage of during a moment of weakness. How could he possibly tolerate this?

In fact, it would have been disastrous if he didn’t possess a secret treasure that protected his Primordial Spirit.

"You’d better pray I don’t catch you!"

With a deep breath, Gou Xuxing staggered to his feet and continued to flee.

After being obstructed, the God Devourer Insect had decisively withdrawn from his body and disappeared, which only proved that the terrifying bug was being controlled by someone.

However, Gou Xuxing could care less about such things at the moment. Just as he finally managed to leave the cave, he sensed an incomparably frightening power descend from the sky. Golden lightning poured down like a torrential rainstorm, filled with a world-destroying aura.

It sent chills through his body and made his hands and feet turn cold.

I’m finished.

He was ultimately a single step short...

"Young Master, go!"

A loud roar sounded in his ear. At this critical juncture, Gou Gui abruptly appeared in front of Gou Xuxing to block the attack.

Gou Xuxing was overjoyed, feeling as if a lifeline had been thrown to him amidst a desperate situation as he hurriedly fled.

Gou Gui’s miserable screams rang out behind him.

The entire sky was filled with endless horrifying golden lightning from the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King's enraged assault.

Despite resisting with all of his might, Gou Gui was struck until smoke could be seen rising from his head, and his skin was scorched until it cracked open. He trembled like a shaking sieve as he repeatedly coughed blood.

It was simply miserable.

The faint smell of burning flesh wafted from his body as if he had been cooked by lightning.

However, Gou Gui was, after all, a true Life Death King expert. Despite being covered in blood and sustaining grave injuries, he continued to resist with all of his power, stubbornly refusing to be killed.

By this juncture, Gou Xuxing had already rendezvoused with the other Black Nightmare Sky Dog Clan experts and escaped together.

However, his expression looked terrible. His eyes bulged from their sockets as he howled at the sky in rage, frustration, and resentment.

He knew that all of this was a trap prepared by the enemy who had sought to destroy them using the power of the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King!

They had been so clueless earlier, thinking that they had discovered an unrivaled opportunity, and foolishly jumped straight into the trap...

Gou Xuxing almost wanted to slap himself. What kind of crappy luck was this? Why were they so unlucky?

Soon after, he suddenly stiffened as he felt a terrifying ice-cold will sweep toward him.

His howl had drawn the attention of the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast, causing it to reach out with its spirit senses.

A chill shot up from the bottom of his feet, causing him to curse inwardly at his unluckiness as alarm, fear, and frustration flooded him. Why was the Beast King showing hostility just because he vented a little? To make it worse, he didn’t dare to resist and could only meekly look away. It was a horrible feeling that nearly made him go crazy.

“Quick, run!"

In the distance, Gou Gui’s injuries had finally grown too severe, causing him to reach his limit. In a panic, he hurriedly fled as well.

"Go!"

Gou Xuxing's heart shivered in fear as he suppressed his anger and frustration and ran away with the others.

ROAR!

Absolutely furious, the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast’s roar boomed across the land and sky like thunder. Blinding golden rays shot from its body, illuminating the surroundings.

However, it ultimately didn’t give chase. After releasing its rage, it rushed into the cave, clearly worried about the small Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast’s safety.

Dust filled the air as peace returned.

However, the vicinity of the nameless mountain was now scarred by massive destruction and huge crevices.

The mountains, forests, underbrush...had all been destroyed during the battle, leaving a bare land that was still smoking.

It had undoubtedly been a terrifying battle where the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King had been the biggest menace. With its absurdly monstrous strength, it had forcefully suppressed a Black Nightmare Sky Dog Clan King expert.

If not for its concern over the little Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast’s safety, it was likely that Lin Xun, Gou Xuxing, and others would have all died there!

Lin Xun inwardly sighed. He was currently hiding behind a small clump of raised earth a dozen miles from the nameless mountain while concealing his body with Suanni Qi.

He wasn’t afraid of being discovered by the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King because he could evade the attacks of a King expert using the Grand Universe Ark.

It was something that had already been proven in the Spirit Burial Sea.

Lin Xun’s only regret was that despite stirring up such a huge commotion, he had failed to annihilate all of those Black Dog scum.

However, he was content with such an outcome. At the very least, they had lost nearly half of their elite forces, two Half-Step King experts, and even a King expert had been gravely injured. It was definitely a heavy blow.

"It's a pity about the Golden Essence Jade Liquid..."

Lin Xun ultimately decided to leave after some deliberation, knowing that there was no longer any chance to obtain the Golden Essence Jade Liquid.

In fact, he strongly suspected that he would be immediately bombarded by an even more terrifying attack from the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King the moment he approached.

After all, he had taught that little Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast quite a harsh lesson at the pool deep in that cave.

Although it was a youngling, it was still a descendant of a King stage existence!

If it was known that he had not only spanked the little beast but also held it by the tail and given it a brutal shake to make it spit out the Gold Essence Jade Liquid, the Single-Horned Golden-Eyed Beast King would definitely go crazy with rage.

……

"Wait a minute!"

After flying for about a hundred miles, Lin Xun suddenly realized something that caused him to stop and contemplate.

"In the earlier battle, the King expert of those black mongrels suffered serious injuries. This is the best time to kill that old dog and it would be far too regretful to miss such a golden opportunity..."

Lin Xun's black eyes gleamed in thought. He knew that the other party would not forget him and would certainly go after him the moment they could.

Although Lin Xun wasn’t afraid, he knew that being targeted by them would eventually create unforeseen risk and danger.

Instead of having to go through all that, wouldn’t it be better to solve the problem once and for all?

"I could try to kill him with the No-Nonsense Bow and the Biluo Arrow, but the backlash from the bow and arrow would likely grow increasingly serious..."

Lin Xun slightly hesitated but ultimately made his decision. "Bah! Worst comes to worst, I can seal the bow and arrow, suppress it with the wonder-gold dao light in the Nameless Pagoda, and never use it again unless it’s a life or death situation...”

Whoosh!

He swiftly returned along his original path as he searched for traces of Gou Xuxing and others to discover their whereabouts.

There was no time to waste!

Lin Xun knew he would lose the chance to kill the Black Nightmare Sky Dog Clan King expert once he recovered.

As for Xia Xiaochong...

It would be safest to leave her inside the Nameless Pagoda. Those dogs’ noses were too sharp, and it would be inconvenient to move with her.

Lin Xun decided that it would be best to release her after he arrived at the Azure Hill Mountain of the Perched Phoenix Province.

……

"How humiliating!"

On a barren peak, the cold wind howled while an ashen-faced Gou Xuxing gnashed his teeth so hard they nearly broke.

The casualties count had finally been completed. On the nameless mountain, they had lost two Half-Step Kings and thirty-seven elite clansmen.

It was a disastrous loss that felt like a knife stabbing his heart!

The clansmen that followed him were part of his power base, and every death was a considerable loss to him.

Especially the two Half-Step Kings, Gou Shan and Gou Hai. They were protectors that the clan had specially assigned to him, which was a special privilege the other clansmen did not have.

However...

They were all dead now!

Gou Xuxing already knew that even if the operation was successful, he would be subjected to countless criticisms, questions, and ridicule when he returned!

It would not only affect his reputation in the clan but also might even lose him the support of the elders, causing him to lose power and status!

The more he thought about it, the more Gou Xuxing’s hatred grew and the uglier his expression became, turning so stormy that it was as if rain would start pouring at any moment.

Nearby, Gou Dong and other experts kept silent out of fear while also feeling extremely angry, sullen, and frustrated. After all, when had the Black Nightmare Sky Dog Clan ever suffered such a big loss?

"Young Master, did you manage to get a clear look of the target?"

An elderly voice suddenly rang out. However, it sounded a little weak and breathless. it was none other than Gou Gui, who had sustained severe injuries.

He was currently recovering from his injuries using the Golden Essence Jade Liquid given to him by Gou Xuxing. Hence, he wasn’t worried about any residual effects.

However, it would still take him some time to fully recover.

He estimated that he would need at least three days for his injuries to heal, which was already accounting for the Golden Essence Jade Liquid and many other elixirs he had consumed. Without them, his recovery would take far longer.

"He..."

Gou Xuxing carefully sifted through his memories. After a long time, he frowned and said, "I recall seeing that it was a youngster and not a Half-Step King as we had anticipated..."

Intimidating green light suddenly burst from his eyes as he said, "Right, I might not have been able to discern his age, but I could smell from his aura that he isn’t a Half-Step King. In fact, he isn’t even at the Cyclic Derivation stage, but instead at the Heaven Ascension stage!"

"However...his aura was far more powerful than the average Heaven Ascension expert. His blood and qi burned like a mighty sun, and his vital energy was vigorous like a burning furnace. If I’m not wrong, he should be a supreme-tier expert of the younger generation!"

It would be interesting to know what Lin Xun would think if he knew that Guo Xuxing had figured out his cultivation through smell alone...

Everyone was dumbfounded. Who would have thought that the opponent who caused them such terrible losses would turn out to be a Heaven Ascension youngster?!