"It's in front of me, but sadly, I can't attack," Lie Hua muttered, biting her lips as she stared at the giant beast. "With all the other beasts around it, it will be very difficult to kill the giant beast without being disturbed. These low-level beasts would also pose a significant threat if they attacked me in large numbers."
After leaving the Combat Pagoda, she had been searching for the 5th-level Qi Training Realm beast, and she finally found it three hours ago. But because it was surrounded by so many beasts, she couldn't attack carelessly.
She had been waiting for the beast to leave the area so she could hunt it; however, there had been no movement. It had been lying on the ground lazily the whole time since Lie Hua first saw it.
'Only five hours left. If I can't kill this beast and get its core, there's a chance I might not rank first in the assessment,' Lie Hua thought, her face showing a depressed expression.
She understood that prior to the Combat Pagoda, her points were likely higher than Li Yun's, but now, things were uncertain. Li Yun had successfully reached the fourth floor while she had not, which meant he would have received substantial rewards that could have caused his points to skyrocket.
Whether or not his points had surpassed hers in the combat assessment remained unclear, but the possibility weighed heavily on her mind.
Determined to secure her lead, she set her sights on killing the lone 5th-level Qi Training Realm beast—the only creature capable of granting her the edge she needed to definitively surpass Li Yun.
However, there was one problem: the giant beast had not budged from its resting zone. Without it moving away from the plain region, her chances of striking it down with all the other beasts around seemed slim to none, making her goal feel increasingly unattainable.
"I can only wait," Lie Hua sighed from the top of a tree, intending to wait for another hour. If the beast didn't move by then, she would have to go and kill the 4th-level Qi Training Realm beasts and lower ones to accumulate points, hoping her total would surpass Li Yun's.
"Huh?" She suddenly sensed movement and turned her attention toward the giant beast.
"What happened?"
Lie Hua's eyes widened in astonishment as she watched the giant beast, which had been peacefully slumbering, suddenly awaken and rise to its full, formidable height. Not only did the giant beast stir, but the surrounding beasts also exhibited unusual behavior, their heads snapping in unison toward a specific direction.
"ROAR!"
A deep, resonant roar erupted from the giant beast, a sound so powerful it sent ripples of unease through the ranks of lesser beasts. They trembled at the force of its roar, instinctively shrinking back and returning to their previous activities, though with heightened alertness.
After its imposing display, the giant beast let out a softer, yet equally commanding, roar before it charged off, heading purposefully in a particular direction.
Lie Hua, watching the whole situation, was slightly shocked. All the beasts in this plain had been quiet, doing their own things, but suddenly they became active, as did the giant beast that had been sleeping the whole time.
"Anyway, the giant beast has left its region, and the other beasts didn't follow. It's a good opportunity to kill it," Lie Hua muttered as she followed the giant beast.
Although the earlier situation seemed strange, she didn't have the time to dwell on it, nor did it matter to her. What mattered was killing the giant beast.
"It's too fast!"
After following it through the forest for some time, Lie Hua realized she couldn't catch up with it, even after using her movement techniques.
"It will have to stop somewhere."
She muttered under her breath as she continued to follow the beast through the forest.
"Roar!"
Whenever the giant beast saw other beasts heading in the same direction, it would roar at them, causing them to flee in fear.
Lie Hua noticed this but couldn't figure out the exact reason behind it.
"Owoooo!"
Suddenly, a small pack of wind wolves surrounded the giant monster. The wolves, five in total, were at the 4th level of the Qi Training Realm.
"Roar!"
The giant beast roared in anger, seeing some beasts blocking its path, and red lightning around its body began to surge wildly.
"Owoooo!"
The wolves growled back at the giant beast, seemingly confident in their numbers.
"ROAR!"
The giant beast roared furiously and charged toward the wolves. Its huge body, crackling with red lightning, increased its already fast speed even further.
The wolves were caught off guard by the sudden attack and the beast's speed. They couldn't react in time.
The giant beast reached them quickly, piercing one of the wolves with its horn, sending its body flying into a tree.
"Owoo!"
The remaining wolves became enraged and hurled wind blades toward the giant beast.
However, the wind blades were immediately scattered upon hitting the giant beast's body. Its thick skin didn't sustain a scratch. But that didn't mean it wasn't angered.
"ROAR!"
It roared again, even more enraged, and dashed toward the wolves like a bolt of red lightning, impaling another wolf with its horn, killing it instantly.
Another wave of wind blades struck the giant beast, but they shattered upon impact.
The beast swiftly appeared before yet another wolf, ramming it into a tree. The wolf didn't move after that.
With three of their packmates slain, the remaining two wolves were left quaking in terror. Their growls were now pitiful, almost pleading, as they cowered before the mighty beast.
"Roar!"
The giant beast, showing no mercy, charged at them both, ramming them into a tree.
"Owoo!"
One of the wolves let out a fearful cry, but the giant beast didn't stop and impaled them both with its horn, killing them.
It then continued moving in the direction it had been heading.
Lie Hua followed closely, not letting the giant beast out of her sight.