Chapter 533: Chapter 338: The Most Dangerous Opponent
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Yan Xiaobao felt that his senses were sharper than usual. There was a small hum emanating from within his body, a sound that only Yan Xiaobao and Lan Feng could hear. This hum was new, yet it was very gentle. So gentle that Yan Xiaobao’s every move seemed to be gentle as well.
When he felt the internal hum, his movement speed swiftly increased. Even though he had already moved somewhat before while focusing on being quiet, after the hum started, it was as if his body could no longer make any noise.
Closer and closer, Yan Xiaobao could see Li. It was a young male with strength comparable to an expert at Duke University. Its eyes were red, its fur golden, and its fangs and claws were as sharp as could be. Battling this beast required Yan Xiaobao’s complete focus. Although he had previously fought against Duke Level beasts, this Li before him was undoubtedly the most dangerous opponent he could face alone.
When earlier that day a beast had been successfully captured, Li stood in the shadows, relaxed. The remains of that beast were still beside Li, with blood still adorning its mouth.
Seeing this, a smile appeared on Yan Xiaobao’s face as he stepped forward, shooting towards Li. A cloud of dust arose, finally accompanied by the sound of snapping branches. The previously relaxed Li finally opened its eyes, warily watching Yan Xiaobao, who was charging forward with a dagger in hand.
Its agility and speed were surprising, as it immediately stood on its legs and let out a swift shriek, with its terrifying claws slashing through the air where Yan Xiaobao had been moments earlier.
Fortunately, Yan Xiaobao was as swift as a cat, managing to use Velocity Flow to help evade. The claws flickered in the air, releasing waves of energy that sent a chill down Yan Xiaobao’s spine. Even if he defended himself with spiritual energy, it was unlikely he could protect himself from the sharp claws ahead.
The man and Li stood facing each other, eyes locked, and since Hui Yue was certain the claws were too sharp, he decided it was impossible to fight in close combat. He tapped his hand, storing the black blood in his storage stone, and then blue and yellow flames appeared above his hand. The lynx swiftly retreated, as if it could sense the danger contained within the blue and yellow flames. Both flames emitted intense energy, energy that promised to consume the lives of anyone it touched until only ashes remained.
Seeing how the lynx retreated, Yan Xiaobao immediately understood that the beast before him was more than just a beast. It was not a creature living purely by instinct; instead, it was a beast with intelligence equal to that of humans, with its cat-like knowledge.
Seeing this, Yan Xiaobao became more vigilant, as he held two flames, one in each hand. Then he tossed them into the air, and they began swirling behind his body. Smaller fireballs started to form and rotate around Yan Xiaobao’s body. As time passed, more fireballs were created, and Li retreated further. Watching Yan Xiaobao, Li mocked him before turning to leave, however, Yan Xiaobao refused to let it go so easily, hurling fireballs more powerful than usual at Li. It moved as fast as light, rapidly forming a ring of flames around them to prevent Li’s escape. It trapped both man and beast inside, with no escape until one or the other was killed.
Seeing that the lynx no longer tried to escape, instead choosing to fight. It turned around, its eyes gleaming in the flames, its fur standing on end, its mouth opening with a cold sneer. The lynx deemed long-distance combat unwise, as Yan Xiaobao’s fireballs were best suited for ranged combat. Li decided on close combat, but whenever it charged forward, Yan Xiaobao would dodge to the side or back. Yan Xiaobao exerted every effort not to get too close, understanding that Li’s claws must not touch him.
Each time the large Li charged forward, Yan Xiaobao felt a chill, with cold sweat on his forehead. The lynx was intelligent, much larger than Yan Xiaobao himself, and its attack speed was so rapid that Yan Xiaobao had to use Velocity Flow to hold it back, avoiding the sharp claws that triggered waves of energy.
Neither the beast nor Yan Xiaobao held an advantage. The lynx was incredibly swift when dodging the Fire Orbs. The spinning orbs caused the fire circle’s intensity to surge. Nearby trees began to ignite, yet the flames did not touch the lynx’s fur so long as the claws did not make contact.
Seeing they had nowhere to go, both human and beast were merely wasting their energy, Yan Xiaobao retreated all the way to the fiery ring surrounding them. As he did so, he retracted the two flames currently resting behind him, a savage smile appearing on his face.
Yan Xiaobao had long decided to fight alone, without relying on Lan Feng or the nine mysterious powers within his body. He panted heavily before pulling out the dagger again from the storage stone.
Initially, his plan was to use his flames, including the Blue Flame and the merged Earth and Metal Flame, to his advantage from a distance. Unfortunately, although these flames should have been able to contend with the beast, they offered no help due to the beast’s incredible speed. Now watching, Yan Xiaobao realized how fortunate he was to have preemptively trapped the beast within the flame circle.