Xuan Yuanxun, Rong Guang, and Shangguan Yulin fixed their gaze, only to realize that the demonic beast blocking their path was a demonic bull with purple eyes.
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull!
The three exchanged glances, a bitter smile appearing on their lips simultaneously.
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull, originally classified among divine beasts, possessed combat power comparable to dragons and phoenixes, making it one of the most troublesome demonic beasts.
It was considered troublesome not only due to its immense strength and lightning-fast movements, but also because it wielded the extremely rare Lightning Spirit Power and the Law of Lightning.
Furthermore, its purple eyes could cleave and disrupt space-time, creating illusions.
This was also the origin of the saying, "Better to fight a dragon or a phoenix than a purple-eyed bull."
"Moo~"
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull roared, pawing the ground with its front hooves and lowering its horns, charging towards Xuan Yuanche and the other two.
Its speed was comparable to lightning, and it took only the blink of an eye from its roar to reach the spot where the three had been standing.
"Scatter!" Xuan Yuanxun cried out.
Simultaneously, he leaped up, channeling spirit energy beneath his feet, hovering in the air with his head pressed against the tunnel ceiling.
Rong Guang and Shangguan Yulin, aware of the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull's formidable power, would not have confronted it head-on even without Xuan Yuanxun's warning.
The two tacitly moved aside from the center, one to the left and the other to the right, darting away.
Their speed was not slow, but their reaction time was a beat slower than Xuan Yuanxun's.
Consequently, a wisp of their robes was torn off by the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull's horns.
How close!
The two looked at their torn robes, their hearts still pounding with lingering fear.
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull, having missed its target, abruptly halted its charge, its hooves leaving four skid marks on the ground.
Then, it rapidly turned, pawed the ground again with its front hooves, and aimed its horns at Shangguan Yulin on the right.
"What the hell! What did I ever do to you?"
Shangguan Yulin cursed under his breath, channeling spirit energy beneath his feet. Mimicking Xuan Yuanxun, he levitated, his head pressed tightly against the tunnel ceiling.
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull's momentum was so great that its horns embedded themselves into the tunnel wall, creating two holes.
"My goodness, so violent!"
Shangguan Yulin patted his rapidly beating heart, speaking with lingering apprehension.
The tunnels here were reinforced with the primal power of ancient blood demons, capable of withstanding the residual shockwaves of battles at the Half-Step Divine Lord level.
This was why Xuan Yuanxun's battle with the Earth Demonic Ape and Shangguan Yulin's with the Iron-Backed Thousand-Legged Centipede had only caused the tunnels to shake but not be damaged.
Yet, the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull, with just its horns, had punched two holes in the tunnel wall, demonstrating its incredible combat prowess.
With Xuan Yuanxun and Shangguan Yulin suspended in the air, only Rong Guang remained on the ground, leaning against the left tunnel wall.
Two consecutive missed attacks, coupled with its naturally short temper, made the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull instantly displeased.
It arched its back, and with a mighty heave, yanked its horns out of the tunnel wall.
Then, using the momentum of its retreat, it spun deftly, its horns now aimed at Rong Guang, charging forward again.
The entire sequence was executed flawlessly, with no hint of hesitation or awkwardness.
Rong Guang had anticipated this scenario the moment he saw Shangguan Yulin levitate.
Already prepared, he had learned from Xuan Yuanxun and Shangguan Yulin's actions and ascended into the air as soon as the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull began its charge.
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull's brute force, once unleashed, was difficult to control, and unable to brake in time, its horns once again slammed into the left tunnel wall.
As expected, two more holes were gouged into the left tunnel wall.
"This is too brutal!" Rong Guang also exclaimed with apprehension.
Xuan Yuanxun, watching the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull struggle to pull out its horns, furrowed his brow unconsciously.
"We're in big trouble!"
He said this as he glanced towards the depths of the tunnel.
Then, his knitted brow relaxed, and a smile curved his lips as he murmured, "Perhaps it's good that we're in more trouble; they will have less."
Shangguan Yulin and Rong Guang were utterly bewildered by his contradictory statements and his smile.
To be able to smile in the face of grave danger, only Xuan Yuanxun could manage such a feat.
"Ninth Uncle, what are you talking about?" Shangguan Yulin asked, confused.
Rong Guang also inquired, "Ninth Uncle, this Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull is extremely difficult to deal with, and yet you can still smile?"
Xuan Yuanxun withdrew his gaze and suppressed his smile. "Trouble or not, difficult or not, we only have one path!"
"What path?"
Shangguan Yulin and Rong Guang asked in unison.
Xuan Yuanxun's sharp gaze fell upon the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull, which had just pulled out its horns and was glaring at them with fierce eyes. He uttered a single, resolute word: "Fight!"
As he spoke, the Overlord Spear was already in his hand.
Surging spirit energy pulsed on the Overlord Spear, and dense law power intertwined around its tip.
The word "fight" exuded youthful vigor!
The word "fight" overflowed with heroism!
The word "fight" was invigorating!
Rong Guang blinked, then laughed heartily, "Ninth Uncle is right, let's fight!"
Shangguan Yulin, witnessing their heroic spirits, found himself swept up in their emotions.
"Fight then! If we can't even defeat this beast, how can we protect Azure Star and overcome the tribulation of the apocalypse?"
"Indeed!"
Xuan Yuanxun and Rong Guang echoed.
"Moo~~"
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull seemed provoked by the trio's imposing aura, letting out an indignant roar.
"What are you roaring about! I'm still looking for a mount, and that's you!"
Shangguan Yulin shouted, and his Vermilion Bird Feather Fan enlarged, held in his hand.
"Better to fight a dragon or a phoenix than a purple-eyed bull! I want to see today what capabilities this brute bull has to be compared with dragons and phoenixes!"
As Rong Guang's words fell, the Poisonous Tree also grew to be as tall as a person, hovering before him.
"Moo~~"
The Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull roared again, and a beam of light instantly flashed on its two horns.
"Crack crack crack!"
The tunnel was immediately engulfed in lightning, encircling Xuan Yuanxun, Rong Guang, and Shangguan Yulin.
"Damn it! Lightning power!"
The three, having been suspended in the air with their heads close to the tunnel ceiling, could not evade it and were instantly struck by the lightning.
Their hair stood on end, their handsome faces turned black, and black smoke billowed from their mouths and nostrils.
Their bodies went numb, and their spirit energy circulation was affected.
Deprived of the support of spirit energy, the three plummeted to the ground like dumplings.
Fortunately, the tunnel had blocked the external lightning, so the lightning power unleashed by the Purple-Eyed Demonic Bull originated solely from itself and did not inflict significant harm on the trio.