Jasmine stared at the sleeping shadow fox in front of her, separated by the thin layer of energy from the imprisonment array. She still wasn't really sure if he was totally reliable. For one, he liked to sleep even more than her! She was bored out of her mind and she cursed him silently for getting her hopes up and then ignoring her.
Chen Wentian did want keep Jasmine company but he had to limit the energy expenditure of the shadow soul. If he could return to his main body then it wouldn't be an issue but since he was isolated in this underground prison, he had to sleep so he would have enough power to break the array when the time came. It didn't help that those assholes in Rich River Province were still playing a cat and mouse game with each other. He was now sure that they were all waiting for the Comet Lynx to break through. He felt sorry for Jasmine who had to trust his words and wait inside the prison.
Time passed slowly until... on the tenth day since the operation started, Chen Wentian suddenly opened his eyes and flew up to the array and began working to unlock it.
Jasmine was startled awake, "What is it?"
"It's starting!"
---
Chen Wentian, in Rich River Province, silently watched as He Xinghan shot into the air and flew towards the mountain on the morning of the tenth day. For the past two days, the Comet Lynx had hidden itself away and not come out to hunt at night. It probably had enough food and on the final push towards immortality.
Chen Wentian commanded his men and the scouts to tighten their guard and be alert for anything. There was nothing for him personally to do on the mountain as it was a battle between immortals. He didn't have long to wait as he felt a familiar pulse of spiritual energy that was filled with mysterious power.
The breakthrough to immortality was a special event that aligned heaven and earth. Nobody knew why the immortal realms existed, only that it opened the door to a new world. The concentration of spiritual energy shot up to incomprehensible levels and the whole mountain shook, his own spiritual sea even started to stir from so far away. It was like the sky had suddenly opened up and heavenly energy from the vast beyond rained down in a massive torrent.
After a few seconds, the intense spiritual energy vanished as quickly as it came. He knew it was finally time. If Qu Shen still didn't show up soon, he would pack up and go home.
---
He Xinghan was filled with excitement as he locked onto the location of the downpour of heavenly spiritual energy. He was soon able to detect a brand-new immortal aura that no doubt belonged to the Comet Lynx that just broke through. He would strike while it was still recovering. There was no chance it could escape his grasp; he was absolutely confident!
He had dreamed about how much of a cultivation boost he could get from consuming the comet lynx. He would savor every moment as he ate its meat and drank its blood. He only hoped it would allow him to defeat Chen Wentian. From their brief exchange in the restaurant, he found himself significantly weaker and this fact drove him crazy.
He Xinghan silently approached the cave where the comet lynx was. As he got to the entrance of the cave, the beast finally sensed him but it was too late. He had already blocked the only exit and there was nowhere for it to run.
"Come here, little kitty." He Xinghan muttered as he transformed into a half lion beast man.
The beast was about half his size and had thick tan fur that hung down from its body. It tensed up, ready to fight, its muscles like steel cables, filled with power. The lynx hissed at him and disappeared from view in a blur of speed. It was trying to confuse him and escape!
He Xinghan was shocked by its speed that surpassed his expectations and was glad he had gotten to the cave before it left. Otherwise, he wasn't sure he could catch up to it on open ground. Although his eyes could not see it, he could still track it through his spiritual sense. Just as the lynx was about to make it past, He Xinghan extended a burly arm and slammed against its body.
Boom!
The lynx was blasted back into the ground and it rolled a few times before getting back to its feet. It wobbled slightly, still stunned from the hit.
"Not fast enough." He Xinghan muttered and charged in to continue his assault.
The lynx was still an immortal and it wasn't done with merely one blow. It dodged He Xinghan's next few strikes on pure speed and instinct and began its counterattack. Wind energy was imbued within its claws which whirled around like a maelstrom. The cave soon filled with deadly sharpness and He Xinghan was pressed back almost to the cave entrance.
"Ahhggg!" He Xinghan grunted in pain as he carelessly took a claw strike to his chest. It left three bloody scratches but failed cause too much damage due to his armored lion fur.
"Rowww!" The lynx screamed in frustration and attacked once again.
He Xinghan didn't want to play around with the beast any longer and responded with his most fearsome move. "Lion's Might!"
He Xinghan's aura became golden and took on the aspect of a giant phantom lion. Punches from a pair of giant lion paws rained down on the comet lynx like a hail storm. They blasted away the lynx's claw strikes and soon landed on its body. Within the close quarters of the cave, it had nowhere to run and it was overwhelmed. It was fighting by instinct while He Xinghan was using a secret art developed over hundreds of years. The difference was clear and eventually the lynx fell in a pool of blood; its body broken.
He Xinghan made sure to break all four of its limbs before he picked up the limp body by the neck and studied its battered face. A pair of eyes filled with pure hatred and rage stared at him. He Xinghan stared back mockingly before knocking it out with a final blow to the head.
Even within the immortal realms, not all humans and creatures were equal in terms of combat power. The comet lynx was not good at close quarters combat in addition to the fact that it hadn't gotten used to its immortal strength yet. If it had faced, He Xinghan a month later an open field, it would have been a completely different story. But, the law of the jungle was simply ruthless and it did not wait for anyone.
He Xinghan carried the beast on his shoulders and walked out of the cave. He looked all around to see if anyone else was around. He even used his spiritual sense to the maximum but there was no one around. He felt safe enough to return to the city but he had barely taken two steps down the mountain when a massive pair of talons flashed across his eyes, almost wrapping completely around his head. He instalty activated his protective item and prayed for his life.
Clang!!
"Ahhhhh!"
The talons crashed into a massive dull grey shield that appeared out of thin air. His head was saved but he was still blown back three hundred meters by the impact. He got up from the ground amid grey metallic splinters of his broken shield and looked up only to see the massive crimson eagle dive towards him once again. It was way faster than the comet lynx and he had nothing to defend himself this time...
But, at the last moment a familiar golden aura encircled him and this forced the eagle veer off and back into the air.
"Father!" He Xinghan cried out in relief at He Zicheng who appeared at his side with a grim face.
He Zicheng looked up at the soaring eagle in the sky and called out, "Qu Shen! Are you finally severing our bond of brotherhood?"