If that's the case, what kind of primordial beast could be lurking beneath Sheep's Horn Mountain?
Kent's thoughts raced, and he couldn't help but connect the Red Fire Ore veins to this situation. Could there be a fire-based creature sleeping or cultivating down there, disturbed by Long Buyu's actions, and now releasing its fury?
As he got closer, Kent noticed that the Kylin under Long Buyu's control seemed visibly agitated. It was angry and struggling… but there was no sign of fear at all.
Kent felt a chill run down his spine. Could the terrifying entity beneath Sheep's Horn Mountain be connected to this Kylin? Perhaps its parent?
The Kylin was also a fire-based creature. Kent began to wonder if Long Buyu's purpose in coming to the Mowling Secret Realm wasn't just exploration, but something else. Could he be here to help the Kylin cultivate with the overwhelming fire energy from the Red Fire Ore? Or perhaps there was something else in the Red Fire Ore that Long Buyu sought.
At that moment, the red light from Sheep's Horn Mountain flashed again, this time expanding even further.
Then, the ground trembled violently beneath their feet, as if the earth was about to split open. Kent froze, staring at the ground in horror. Cracks appeared and quickly spread. Within ten seconds, some of them were as wide as a doorframe.
"This... this is extremely dangerous." Kent couldn't put his feelings into words. His only thought now was to get out of here quickly because something truly terrifying was about to emerge from beneath the earth.
Unable to resist, Kent glanced down. About a hundred meters below, he could see a red glow—likely the Red Fire Ore veins.
"Master, it's escaping," White Earth, the Mountain Spike Beast, said, sensing the situation in the sky and linking its thoughts to Kent.
Kent looked up just in time to see Long Buyu forcing the Kylin to fly away. The Kylin seemed to struggle, but because of their contract, it had no choice but to obey. If it resisted too much, Long Buyu could destroy its soul with a thought.
Of course, Long Buyu wouldn't kill his own beast unless absolutely necessary. After all, he had invested countless hours into it and had emotional ties. The Kylin was also his greatest asset.
"Damn it." Seeing Long Buyu escape voluntarily, Kent realized there was no reason for him to stay. He wasn't arrogant enough to think he could handle whatever was coming. Though his system was powerful, his growth needed time. Kent's current abilities were impressive, but nowhere near enough to confront those powerful enough to shake the earth.
Kent cursed and turned to flee. Huang Jintian, seeing this, had no choice but to follow. Although he hadn't thought as deeply as Kent, he quickly realized something was wrong.
It was no joke—the ground was cracking. If this wasn't an earthquake, it could only mean one thing: a terrifying creature was about to break through the surface. A being strong enough to make the earth tremble would be a challenge for even the most powerful human warriors. As for them? They might want to head back to their cities and eat a few more meals first.
The three of them fled for their lives, but the time they had was running out. After running about ten miles, Kent felt a sudden jolt. A massive rumbling sound echoed behind them.
He couldn't resist looking back. What he saw left him stunned—a gigantic Kylin, its body as large as a hundred-meter-tall building, flying into the sky. Its entire body was engulfed in flames, and as its hooves struck the ground, they sent shockwaves through the air.
"This… even if it's not a divine beast, it must be a top-tier sacred beast." Kent snapped out of his shock, but there was no time to scan the Kylin's attributes. He immediately resumed running.
The Kylin, however, didn't pay any attention to Kent or Huang Jintian. Its eyes were fixed solely on Long Buyu.
"Little thief, dare to steal my offspring and disturb my cultivation? You deserve to die a thousand deaths!" the Kylin roared, its voice echoing with a power so immense it made Kent's heart tremble.
"If the Kylin notices me, there's no escaping now. The only option is to hide underground," Kent thought quickly.
He stopped dead in his tracks and ordered White Earth to dig a hole for them to hide in. His gaze remained fixed on the sky, watching as the Kylin swiftly caught up to Long Buyu. However, the Kylin didn't act recklessly. It seemed to be cautious, as if it were hesitant to make a move.
Long Buyu, although clearly anxious, kept his composure. He remained calm, holding the Kylin firmly in place and shouted, "Honorable one, greetings. My name is Long Buyu. Given the situation now, I believe you understand what needs to be done?"
"Little thief, are you trying to threaten me?" the Kylin responded coldly.
"There's no need to put it so harshly, but that's indeed the case. I only have this one way out. If you insist on killing me, feel free. However, no strike will be faster than thought. With just a thought, the contract's power will destroy it. So, I suggest you think carefully if there is another way for us to communicate," Long Buyu replied, calm and composed.
Upon hearing this, Kent finally understood. When he had asked Long Buyu about the Kylin's origins, the refusal to answer now made sense. Kent had never anticipated that the Kylin had been obtained from the Mowling Secret Realm.
"It makes sense now," Kent thought. "Long Buyu's strength is at least on par with those who explore four-star realms, since creatures from three-star realms pose no threat to him. After all, the Kylin is a Heavenly Tier beast, a level 47 tamer beast, incredibly powerful."
Kent's mind clicked, understanding many things at once. It wasn't hard to put these pieces together once the key information was connected.
Long Buyu had deliberately chosen the three-star Mowling Secret Realm. He had received a special opportunity and had risen to prominence. Once people caught wind of his whereabouts, they would be watching him. So, Long Buyu had to be cautious.
After he found the Kylin egg in Sheep's Horn Mountain, Long Buyu didn't return. He didn't want others to know the secret of this place. When he gained more power, he still feared being followed.
Thus, he had used his identity as an inspector and the excuse of exploring a three-star realm to come to Mowling Secret Realm.
As for Ye Qiugao and Huang Jintian, perhaps Ye Qiugao's arrival here was by chance, since he hadn't been spotted yet.
But Huang Jintian, it seemed, had gotten wind of Long Buyu's movements before departing. He had used the same excuse to come to the Mowling Secret Realm and had been secretly tracking Ye Qiugao.
However, Huang Jintian lost track of Ye Qiugao near Sheep's Horn Mountain.
When Kent appeared, Huang Jintian was surprised, thinking that Kent might have the same intentions as him, trying to deal with Long Buyu. This led to Huang Jintian's attitude towards Kent changing swiftly, becoming more cold and hostile.