As Lin Yichen stepped into the Forest of Annihilation, the familiar dense woods came into view before him.
"I didn't expect to be back here so soon..."
Lin Yichen muttered to himself as he looked around. This was not his first time here; as one of the leading figures of his generation at Hushi High School, he naturally ventured into the Forest of Annihilation from time to time for practical training.
In his previous visits, however, he had only dabbled around the very outer edges. This time, his destination was the absolute depths of the Forest of Annihilation.
With a brief internal sigh, Lin Yichen stopped lingering, and his figure vanished from the spot once more.
***
Deep within the Forest of Annihilation at this very moment...
"Master, these are all the prey captured today."
Inside a dark, gloomy cave, a massive eagle tossed a dozen tightly bound Human race Martial Artists onto the ground. It then groveled submissively on the floor, speaking respectfully to a figure sitting cross-legged in the depths of the cave.
Witnessing this scene, the dozen captured Martial Artists felt an incredible wave of shock wash over their already despairing eyes.
For this humble eagle was none other than the overlord of the Forest of Annihilation—the Death Silence Thunder Eagle.
As a Grandmaster Stage Death Silence Thunder Eagle, it was actually acting so deferential toward a mysterious creature, even addressing it as master. It was unimaginable just how powerful this entity must be.
If such an existence were to attack Hushi, Hushi would likely be turned into a living hell...
At this thought, the dozen Martial Artists felt even deeper despair. This time, they despaired not for their own impending deaths, but for the fate of Hushi as a whole.
"Hmph, well done. But it's not enough; I need more food."
Just as the Death Silence Thunder Eagle finished speaking, the figure sitting cross-legged in the depths slowly raised its head as it spoke, and the dozen captives finally laid eyes on the true appearance of this monster.
Its entire body was covered in pitch-black skin, paired with a pair of blood-red eyes and a row of horns atop its head. It looked terrifying, just like a Demon crawled straight out of hell.
Hearing this, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle immediately groveled on the ground and said:
"Yes, Master! However, the Human race Martial Artists seem to have noticed something recently. Their defenses have tightened, and the once-ubiquitous Human race Martial Artists have become much scarcer. If this continues, I'm afraid the Human race Great Grandmasters might take action, and then—"
The Demon-like existence cast a chilling gaze from its blood-red eyes down upon the groveling Death Silence Thunder Eagle.
Everyone present felt a suffocating pressure descend upon them.
"That is something for you to consider, not me."
At these words, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle's massive body trembled slightly as it hurriedly replied:
"Yes, Master!"
Just as the Death Silence Thunder Eagle thought it was going to be dismissed empty-handed once again,
that hoarse, hellish Demon's voice echoed out anew:
"Very well. Although you are somewhat useless, you still count as a useful tool. Step forward; consider this a reward for your recent service."
Hearing this, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle excitedly scrambled toward the Demon, dropping to its knees right in front of it.
Then, a ball of pitch-black Qi materialized in the Demon's palm and was driven straight into the Death Silence Thunder Eagle's body.
As it finished this, a flash of weakness briefly crossed the Demon's blood-red eyes, but it quickly recovered, looking as good as new.
With the black Qi entering its body, the aura surging around the Death Silence Thunder Eagle began to violently escalate.
Grandmaster Peak.
Great Grandmaster Early-Stage.
Great Grandmaster Mid-Stage.
It broke through three consecutive stages in one go, crossing the formidable chasm from Grandmaster to Great Grandmaster.
Feeling the Great Grandmaster Mid-Stage power surging within it—a strength vastly superior to its previous Grandmaster Late-Stage self—the Death Silence Thunder Eagle felt terrifyingly powerful.
Yet the moment it looked up and caught the Demon's chilling gaze, it was frightened into lowering its massive head once more.
"Little Eagle thanks Master for the reward! This subordinate overstepped earlier, and begs Master for punishment!"
Hearing this, the Demon merely waved its hand impatiently and said:
"Scram. Remember to bring back more food next time, and the stronger their strength, the better."
The Death Silence Thunder Eagle immediately replied:
"Yes, Master!"
With that, it retreated toward the cave entrance.
Watching the departing figure of the Death Silence Thunder Eagle, a flash of viciousness crossed the Demon's eyes, and it turned its gaze back to the dozen Human race Martial Artists who had long since fainted from fright.
With a wave of its hand, an unfathomable force lifted all of them and delivered them straight to the Demon. Looking at the fresh food before it, the Demon immediately opened its mouth, revealing rows of dense, sharp fangs.
Just as it was about to sink its teeth into one of them—
"BOOM!!!"
The Death Silence Thunder Eagle, which should have been leaving, was sent flying backward as if struck by some immense force.
Just as it was about to crash into the Demon, the Demon finally reacted, irritably swatting the massive body aside with a casual backhand.
"Pfft! Cough, cough, cough! Mas..., Master, be careful, there are..., there are Human experts outside."
Mortally wounded, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle looked at the Demon on the verge of death, and with those final words, its head drooped as it passed out cold on the ground.
Hearing this, the Demon immediately turned its blood-red eyes toward the cave entrance, its expression gradually turning grave. Its sixth sense was screaming that there was a presence outside capable of threatening its very life.
Before it could properly prepare, two streaks of flowing light suddenly shot toward the Demon from the cave entrance. Looking closely, they were two exquisitely crafted, miniature flying daggers.
!!!
Though they were merely two tiny flying daggers, the Demon felt a fatal threat emanating from them.
"Move! Move dammit!!!"
As the flying daggers hurtled toward it, the Demon despaired to find that it simply could not move.
*If you don't push yourself, you never know how strong you are*—this adage applied to any living creature. Summoning every scrap of strength in its body, the Demon tried with all its might.
Finally!!!
Its smallest finger twitched ever so slightly.
And then... there was no then. It was directly pierced through its fatal vital point by the two flying daggers, the vitality in its eyes draining away at terrifying speed. Until its final moment, it finally saw the one who had killed it.
That bright, fresh-faced countenance belonged to none other than Lin Yichen, who had headed straight for the depths the moment he entered the Forest of Annihilation.
Three minutes ago...
Though it was his first time here, Lin Yichen was a Rank 7 Spiritual Psionicist, meaning everything within a radius of a hundred miles could not escape his psychic detection. He quickly locked onto the location of this Demon.
When he appeared at the cave entrance, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle happened to be coming out. Still basking in the euphoria of its breakthrough to Great Grandmaster, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle instantly noticed Lin Yichen.
Seeing such a youthful face, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle was momentarily stunned before surging with wild joy.
To be able to reach the depths of the Forest of Annihilation at such a young age meant this opponent was undoubtedly a prodigy of the Human race. If it presented such a prodigy to its master as food, it would surely reap even greater rewards.
By then, let alone a Great Grandmaster, even a Martial Venerable, or even a Martial King!! Wasn't that within reach?!
Just as the Death Silence Thunder Eagle was daydreaming about monumental wealth falling into its lap, Lin Yichen—standing right opposite—looked at the drooling, grinning eagle with a hint of puzzlement.
"This guy is the overlord of the Forest of Annihilation? Looking this idiotic? Even if it's cured, it'll probably still drool."
While Lin Yichen was deep in confusion, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle snapped back to reality, then stared at Lin Yichen with an overflow of greed in its eyes.
"Hu—"
Before it could even finish a single syllable, the Death Silence Thunder Eagle was blasted flying by a force so overwhelming it filled the eagle with despair.