Dull thunder rolled across the sky, and lightning flashed like silver snakes, instantly tearing apart the gloomy night curtain. Zhang Zhi's heart raced, feeling as though it might leap right out of his throat. He looked up at the lightning-lit sky, his heart filled with worry and doubt.
"What on earth is going on?" Lin Wan'er grasped Zhang Zhi's arm tightly, her voice trembling. Her beautiful eyes were filled with terror; those normally lively eyes were now consumed by fear, and her delicate frame shook uncontrollably, like a sapling quivering in a fierce gale.
Zhang Zhi took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and put on a calm facade as he said, "Wan'er, don't be afraid. Let's assess the situation first." His gaze was resolute, striving to convey a sense of security to Lin Wan'er, though his own heart was fluttering with anxiety.
At that moment, the middle-aged man wore a grave expression, his brow deeply furrowed as he told the others behind him, "Everyone stay on guard. I'm afraid something bad is about to happen." His voice was steady and powerful, revealing a composure born of hard-fought battles.
The young man who had earlier mocked Zhang Zhi and the others had also wiped away his disdainful expression, turning entirely serious, his eyes betraying tension and unease.
Zhang Zhi could not help asking, "Senior, do you know something?" His tone carried urgency and expectation, hoping to glean some useful information from the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man glanced at him and slowly said, "This area has always been peaceful. The sudden appearance of such celestial phenomena is far from ordinary. It could be that a powerful beast has emerged, or perhaps some other unknown danger." His voice was low, laden with deep concern.
Just then, a gale whipped up, sending sand and stones flying. The surrounding trees were bent wildly out of shape, their branches straining in agony while their leaves rustled and groaned in torment. The fierce wind howled, whipping up the dust from the ground into mini tornadoes that made it impossible to keep one's eyes open.
"Not good! Everyone back to back, form a circle!" the middle-aged man shouted, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse against the howling wind.
The group moved swiftly, pressing close together to form a defensive formation. Zhang Zhi and Lin Wan'er joined them, Lin Wan'er's hand gripping the hem of Zhang Zhi's robe tightly as her body trembled slightly.
Terrified, Lin Wan'er said, "Zhang Zhi, I'm so scared." Her voice carried a hint of weeping, as if she would burst into tears the next second.
Zhang Zhi comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Wan'er. I'm here." His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his gaze remained fixed firmly on the surroundings, ready to respond to any sudden situation at a moment's notice.
Suddenly, a low roar echoed from the distance. The sound seemed to come from the nether-realms, brimming with fury and feral rage, making one's hair stand on end.
"What is that sound?" someone asked in panic, their voice trembling with fright.
The middle-aged man's expression grew even uglier as he said, "I'm afraid it's a formidable beast. None of you must let your guard down." A flash of resolute determination crossed his eyes as he gripped the long saber in his hand tightly.
As the roar drew closer, a powerful oppressive force washed over them. Zhang Zhi felt his breathing become difficult, as though an invisible giant hand were tightly choking his throat.
"Prepare for battle!" the middle-aged man roared, his voice filled with strength and courage.
At that moment, a massive black figure appeared before everyone. The beast was colossal, resembling a small mountain, its body covered in hard scales that flashed with a cold, metallic luster. Its eyes were like burning fireballs, radiating a ferocious aura that made one dare not meet its gaze.
"Good heavens, what kind of monster is this!" someone exclaimed, their voice filled with despair and terror.
Zhang Zhi was also shocked by the beast's enormous size, but he quickly recovered his wits and shouted, "Don't be afraid, everyone! Attack together!" His voice was filled with courage and determination as he charged forward at the beast first.
The others unleashed their respective skills one after another. The long saber in the middle-aged man's hand flashed with a dazzling radiance as he leaped forward to slash at the beast, the blade cutting an arc through the air with fierce momentum. The young man formed hand seals, chanting incantations as a stream of fire burst from his hands, rushing toward the beast like a dragon of flame.
Zhang Zhi was not to be outdone; he executed the sword technique he had practiced painstakingly for years, sword shadows flashing like scattered stars as he thrust toward the beast. Lin Wan'er stood anxiously to the side, cheering everyone on, her voice sounding somewhat weak amid the howling wind.
The beast roared angrily, swinging its massive claws and kicking up a gust of wind. Its claws were like sharp blades, easily tearing through the air. With a sweep of its tail, several people were batted away, crashing heavily onto the ground and spewing mouthfuls of blood.
"This fellow is too powerful!" Zhang Zhi cursed inwardly, but he did not retreat; instead, he attacked the beast with even greater ferocity.
After a fierce battle, everyone had sustained varying degrees of injury. Their clothes were tattered beyond recognition, soaked through with blood that completely masked their original colors. That startling crimson seemed to tell the tale of a cruel and brutal combat. Everyone's faces were covered in sweat and dirt, mixed with blood seeping from their wounds, making them look utterly wretched.
As for the beast, it seemed thoroughly enraged, its eyes turning even redder as if burning with endless fury. Its attacks grew increasingly savage, and every sweep of its massive claws carried a sharp whistling wind and fatal menace. Its movements possessed a Thunderous Might, with a force so immense it seemed capable of tearing the void apart. When its claws came down, the ground was gouged into deep pits with shattering stones flying everywhere. Its thick, powerful tail swept across like a giant iron club, carrying an overwhelming, unstoppable momentum that left the group with nowhere to hide. Each attack was accompanied by its angry roars, the sonic waves vibrating through the air and chilling everyone to the bone. The group could only grit their teeth and resist with all their might, yet still found it hard to completely evade the storm-like onslaught. Everyone was injured, their clothes stained red with blood, their faces caked in sweat and dirt. Yet because they refused to fall, the beast seemed even more provoked, its attacks growing ever more lethal.
Just as everyone felt despair and was on the point of giving up resistance, Lin Wan'er suddenly widened her eyes and shouted excitedly, "Look! Everyone look, the beast's belly seems to be its weakness! Every time it attacks, the muscles on its belly contract and tense noticeably, and its defensive movements are also relatively sluggish. Not only that, its eyes don't seem to be fully defended when it attacks; just now, whenever our attacks got close, it would subconsciously blink and turn its head to dodge. And what's more, there are no hard scales covering around its anus—the skin there is relatively soft, and every time it turns around, that spot is exposed completely unprotected!" Her voice turned shrill with excitement, ringing out with extraordinary clarity in the suffocatingly tense atmosphere. Following the direction Lin Wan'er pointed, the others felt a tiny flame of hope reignited in their hearts, as though seeing a ray of dawn in the darkness.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of hope flashed in Zhang Zhi's eyes, and disregarding his own safety, he charged straight toward the beast's belly.
Just as he was about to pierce the beast's abdomen, the beast suddenly opened its maw and spewed a cloud of black mist. The smoke spread rapidly, instantly engulfing Zhang Zhi and causing him to vanish from sight.
"Zhang Zhi!" Lin Wan'er cried out loudly, her voice laden with worry and terror.
The others were stunned as well, at a loss for what to do for a moment.
What on earth happened within that mist? Was Zhang Zhi dead or alive? Would the beast be defeated? Everything was shrouded in suspense, keeping everyone's hearts tightly gripped with anxiety.