Zuigao rose from his seat within the cave, emerging into the open air, only to be faced with sudden, swirling gusts of air sweeping around him. Over time, he had grown accustomed to life amidst the forest's foliage, even mastering the art of creating decoys from multiple robes to blend in during ambushes. He had also encountered numerous encounters with Night Wolves, a 1st stage medium-level beast that would occasionally attack him, only to be thwarted by his quick reflexes and clever tactics. Despite having higher cultivation levels than these beasts, he knew better than to underestimate their raw strength, especially when it came to powerful beasts like lions and tigers. He was aware that despite his higher cultivation level, he could not physically compete against such beasts through mere brute force.
Earlier, it had been explained that beasts inherently possessed stronger bodies compared to humans. Only a select few skilled in the art of body refining could possess the strength required to combat these beasts with their physical prowess. Zuigao had encountered his fair share of strange beasts during his stay in this world. One notable experience involved a peculiar battle between a 1st stage high-level beast called the White Wolf and a 1st stage medium-level beast known as the Mirror Peacock.
The Mirror Peacock, belonging to the Mirror Path, possessed otherworldly colors and shimmering surfaces, leaving ordinary peacocks in its wake. The Mirror path was quite formidable and could be incredibly lethal when used correctly thanks to its reflective properties and sharp cutting. It would even blend seamlessly with the Illusion path and Thread path, creating bewildering mazes designed to slow and confuse anyone foolish enough to underestimate its potential.
With a heightened awareness of the hidden dangers of this world, Zuigao quickly got up from his seat in the cave and stepped out into the open. His ears detected the swirling whispers of the wind, a gentle reminder of the ever-present forces of nature. Over time, he had become acclimated to life amidst the forest's verdant foliage. He had even crafted a makeshift bush made of numerous robes, designed to blend in and provide camouflage during ambushes.
Zuigao left his place with steady steps and headed in a straight direction. As he moved through the dense jungle, he spotted a pack of ordinary Rhinoceroses grazing on the grass and leaves, seemingly gathering together with their companions. In a swift and stealthy manner, Zuigao crept closer and hurled a pebble accurately toward one of the Rhinos' knees, catching its attention. With a quick lunge, the rhino charged in his direction, but Zuigao deftly dodged its charge and delivered a powerful punch to its head, breaking its bones on impact.
Later, the area was covered in blood, bones, and organs, creating an overwhelming and revolting scent. Thunder began rolling across the sky, accompanied by strong winds that furiously swept past the scene. Despite going slightly overboard, Zuigao remained indifferent and moved on to his next target.
Up ahead, he spotted a cave nestled amidst the dense wilderness. Old, dried animal bones scattered across its entrance. In the distance, a Giant-Clawed Lion emerged, its jaws filled with the remains of its previous feast. The beast let out a long, lazy yawn as it lazily retreated into the cave.
The blowing wind had initially settled, but suddenly it roared back with renewed force, whipping around furiously. The purple lightning, a brilliant hue, kept streaking across the sky, casting fleeting flashes of illumination on the dark clouds. These brief illuminations revealed fleeting glimpses of a shadowy figure, moving amidst the shadows cast by the trees and thick bushes nearby, carefully blending in. The observer, concealed in the shadows, carried a secret that remained unseen, tucked away in the hidden corners of the forest.
The feeble light of the waning sun struggled to illuminate the lands, offering only faint aid. Zuigao, clutching his sword tightly, leaped over a broad expanse, swiftly reaching the peripheral edge of the cave. Within minutes, he reemerged, his body covered in blood, but with a determined look in his eyes. As if taking advantage of the poor visibility, he muttered to himself, "Not seeing too well, but can take advantage of that." Swiftly, Zuigao stepped forward, firmly stepping into the dense jungle. In a matter of moments, he found himself a few tens of meters away from the cave entrance.
He entered the cave, and after several tens of minutes within, he reemerged. Blood covered his body, but his determined expression remained unshaken. The rain began to lessen, bringing a glimmer of hope for better visibility. Without wasting any time, he pressed forward, setting his course in a straight direction. His ears caught the trembling sound of stomping footsteps, and soon a massive elephant, four times the size of a normal elephant, came into view. Its azure-hued skin was tough, marked by massive, curved tusks with pointed ends, and its every step caused the earth to shake.
Zuigao recognized the severity of the situation and swiftly drew water from his leather water flask, replenishing his energy reserves. With a steely resolve, he armed himself with two rocks, aiming at the elephant's right eye. Despite the great size of the creature, humans had a natural knack for throwing objects to great heights. With a precise throw, the rocks were aimed at the elephant's right eye, causing it immense agony. The pain from the sharp rocks and the irritation of the dust particles caused the elephant to become enraged, enraged, and filled with anger.
The creature, a colossal elephant of a 1st stage high-level beast, was known as the War Elephant. Zuigao gazed upon the titan's towering form, and chills ran down his spine as anticipation built up. Though only faint traces of light were barely visible, the terrifying presence of the imposing creature filled the air. As he focused his gaze upon the titanic beast, Zuigao stood up, his intentions clear - he would not back down from this formidable opponent and, filled with determination, held his ground.
The elephant's right eye, colored a deep crimson, had visible red veins that formed around its dark pupils. Despite the agonizing pain, the beast struggled to open its eyes and released a powerful roar filled with fury. It burst into a rampage, stomping the ground and breaking the branches of the surrounding trees with its strength, its anger evident.
In response, Zuigao swiftly moved out of its way, delivering a few shallow slices to its legs as he dodged its charge. The aftermath of the rampage left in its wake was astonishing. The shattered trees and broken pieces of earth sprawled out as if torn by a colossal fist.
The mighty elephant finally came to a halt and turned towards Zuigao, its titanic body sending waves of air roaring around him. The pressure in the air grew substantially, and the atmosphere tensed as the situation became increasingly dire.
Zuigao's mind began racing for a solution, and in a split-second moment of inspiration, he formulated a risky yet potentially effective plan. Taking advantage of the beast's towering size, he hatched an idea that was dangerous but could potentially provide a decisive edge.
He had now found himself atop the colossal titan, swiftly stabbing a dagger into its skin before swiftly lying down, securing his grip with all his might. As the pain set in, the elephant began thrashing chaotically, its powerful body moving in chaotic patterns in desperation to dislodge the human.
Despite the fierce struggle, the young man persisted, swiftly cutting through the thick, dense skin of the titan's head and exposing the delicate soft tissues underneath. The mighty beast's enormous muscles began to involuntarily spasm, adding to the overall confusion and disorientation in its head.
Within moments, Zuiga, with great determination, had managed to cut his way through the dense, tough tissue surrounding the head of the elephant. However, his sword, designed for slicing and stabbing, failed to make a dent in the dense, thick bone. Nevertheless, Zuigao was determined to find a way through, and he pushed further and deeper into the soft tissue.
With each passing moment, he moved deeper into the soft tissue. Finally, his fingers had reached the base of the hard skull. He was desperate to find a way past the impenetrable bone, so he concentrated all his energy and began to strike the skull in a furious frenzy of sharp, precise blows.
But the thick bone proved too much to break, and he had spent considerable time getting to this point. He needed to think of another way.
Because of this, he slashed and ripped the elephant from within. A considerable time had passed.
As the tension eased and the adrenaline began to fade, Zuigao found himself taking a moment to catch his breath. The intense experience had left him drenched in blood and gasping for air. He watched as the colossal titan elephant ran away, still in shock and awe at the outcome of the battle.
Despite the unexpected outcome, he couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph for surviving the encounter. With a determined expression, he picked up his dagger and used his sword as support, slowly making his way back to his cave. Over the following days, he explored various parts of the forest, gradually becoming a feared predator for all other creatures in the area. As he lay on the soft grass, his eyes suddenly snapped open, his vision obscured by a milky white glow. His body absorbed the flowing Qi, nourishing his being and bringing him to the 8th realm, the realm beyond mortal body. He now turned his attention to his next goal: acquiring fighting experience against a 1st-stage high-level beast, the Night Wolf.
With a determined glint in his eyes, Zuigo set his sight on a dangerous journey ahead of him to find the den of the powerful High-level beast, the Night Wolf.