Deciding to run to the right, he avoided the territories of the monkeys and the frost-scaled basilisk behind him and to his left. As he ventured into uncharted areas, he quickly withdrew his canine weapon back to the side of his body, which was held by his ripped pocket.
*CRASH*
"WHAT?!? Is it really going to chase after me?" he mumbled under his rapid breath.
Looking back, Tang Lin could see trees collapsing from its reckless pursuit.
'My only chance is to use that devouring power of the crimson essence, but I haven't figured out how to activate or use it. THINK! What was something that happened every time before I used it?' he reflected.
'Was it almost dying every time? No way or that would really suck', he bitterly thought.
Recalling his memories, certain scenes and words popped into his mind.
***
Back when he was fighting that giant serpent.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" yelled Tang Lin decisively.
***
Also, back when he was fighting the spirit wolves.
"Some, someone save me…" he wheezed as his eyes dulled.
***
'It can't be? Is it my urge to survive? Is that the activation condition?' Tang Lin realised, but it was too risky for him to try it out now.
He continued to run away, when he discovered clashing sounds ahead of him. This was the first time he had met someone in the mysterious realm since he entered. When he got closer to the other party, he could see who it was now. It was the boy he had previously seen back at the Tianshan mountains who had maroon hair. The boy was fighting a shadow jaguar, while the girl he was with before was nowhere to be seen within the darkness.
"HELP!" Tang Lin shouted aloud before tripping over something.
"Ugh", he groaned as he got up.
"Eh? Who are you?" he asked as he lifted his upper body up, only to find that he was sitting on top of someone.
"BROTHER! Help me! There's a pervert on me", she shrieked.
It was the girl next to the maroon haired boy from before, who was sitting on a rock, swaying her legs up and down. The pair had previously been separated at the start of the trial, but luckily found each other quickly before encountering the shadow jaguar. She was waiting for him to finish, when she heard a voice, but in the darkness they couldn't see her and accidentally fell over her. This is what led to this situation occurring.
"Shen Yin! Are you okay?" shouted Shen Long, the boy fighting the shadow jaguar.
"HMPH!" he huffed as he fended off the shadow jaguar's attack.
After blocking its claws, his massive muscles started to grow as his veins bulged from his arms to his neck.
With one strike, Shen Long crushed the shadow jaguar's skull before it had another chance to retaliate.
"YOU! Back away from her now!" he yelled at Tang Lin as the energy and points from killing the shadow jaguar were absorbed into his body.
"Okay, okay! But I really don't think this is a good time to be arguing" Tang Lin warned as he lifted both of his arms in the air, while getting up and stepping away from Shen Yin.
*GROWL*
The shadow of the frost-scaled basilisk enshrouded all of their figures.
"ARE YOU CRAZY? Why would you bring that monster to us?" Shen Long complained.
"What are you doing Shen Yin? GET OUT OF THERE", he screamed as he ran to her, but he was too far away.
Unable to hear anything, Shen Yin seemed to be completely petrified by its deadly gaze. She couldn't move a muscle and felt her whole body fall limp.
Unfortunately, the basilisk was targeting Tang Lin and Shen Yin was simply collateral damage, since he was still right next to her.
'FUCK! It's now or never. Crimson essence you better work this time!' Tang Lin thought as adrenaline started circulating throughout his body again.
Up close, the frost-scaled basilisk's intimidating body was like a divine mountain that was unsurmountable.
*HISS*
The frost-scaled basilisk shot towards Tang Lin as he reached out for his canine weapon.
*Pat, pat*
"Where is my weapon?" he mumbled as he looked around.
Next to Shen Yin, he could see his canine weapon, which must've fallen out when he fell over.
'Oh shit…' Tang Lin thought as he looked back at the frost-scaled basilisk preparing to devour them as it froze everything in its path.
At that moment, his body started burning up again as everything slowed down.
"I can't die; at least not like this. I promised…" he muttered, reminiscing his mother's last words as he ran towards it to get away from Shen Yin.
"I PROMISED HER THAT I WOULD LIVE!" Tang Lin roared, taking on the basilisk's assault and barely diverting it from hitting Shen Yin.
Just like when he first fought the giant serpent, crimson energy started overrunning his body, but this time it was even more intense. Now, the heat could be felt by not only himself, but also his surroundings.
*Boom*
The frost-scaled basilisk crashed into Tang Lin as he barely avoided getting eaten. His hands held its upper jaw open, while his legs pushed down the lower jaw. Despite this, the frost-scaled continued its charge, pushing Tang Lin against all the incoming trees and rocks and leaving a path of ruin behind.
Shen Long and Shen Yin watched as Tang Lin's crimson energy started to form ethereal wings that set the night alight in a blazing light.
Using both of his arms, Tang Lin pierced both of the frost-scaled basilisk's eyes.
"For my future and survival, you will die for me!" he whispered to the basilisk as a mysterious and domineering pressure was emitted from his body.
*Crush, growl*
Tang Lin crushed the frost-scaled basilisk's brain as a sphere of light appeared once again. At the same time, its jaw had finally managed to snap shut as it butchered his lower body. They roared into the night as both the azure and crimson energies let out their last glimmer of light.
One side had completely glaciated the jungle, while the other side had absolutely incinerated it.