CHAPTER 123: THE ANCIENT GUARDIAN

The deeper Li Tian ventured, the denser the air grew. The forest no longer felt alive—it was oppressive, suffocating, like the breath of some slumbering beast pressing down on him. His steps were soundless, yet every movement seemed to echo, bouncing back from the endless trees.

The corpses he had left behind were long forgotten. Here, the soil itself bled a faint red glow, veins of corrupted qi pulsing through the roots beneath his feet.

[Warning: A high-tier entity is approaching. Estimated Rank: Core Formation – Late Stage.]

Li Tian’s lips curved into a grin. "Finally, something worth my time."

The ground shook. Branches snapped like brittle bones. From the darkness, a colossal figure emerged—an ancient beast, half tiger, half serpent, its scales gleaming like molten bronze, its eyes burning with primal intelligence.

The Serpent-Tiger Guardian of the Ancient Forest.

Its roar shook the heavens, sending waves of qi crashing through the trees. Dozens of lesser beasts scattered in terror, unwilling to stand in the monster’s presence.

Li Tian raised his head, utterly calm. "So you’re the gatekeeper here."

The Guardian lunged, its serpent-tail whipping through the air with the force of a mountain collapsing. Li Tian blurred, using Shadow Serpent Step

, vanishing from its strike. The ground exploded where he had just stood, soil and stone erupting skyward.

He reappeared behind the beast, palm glowing with golden qi. "Heavenly Dragon Palm!"

His strike landed against the beast’s scales with a deafening boom. Sparks flew, the beast roared—but it barely staggered. Its body was too massive, its qi too condensed.

Li Tian laughed, exhilarated. "Good. That’s how it should be."

The serpent-tail whipped again, faster than before. This time, lightning flared at his fingertips—Lightning Burst Technique. He met the tail with a crackling fist, the shockwave tearing apart nearby trees.

The beast howled in fury, slamming its massive paw down to crush him. But Li Tian’s shadows surged, wrapping around his body—Shadow Affinity. He slipped into the beast’s own shadow, vanishing from sight.

The Serpent-Tiger roared in confusion, whipping its head around.

From its blind spot, Li Tian emerged, leaping onto its back. His qi surged, fusing fire, lightning, and shadow into a single devastating strike. "Let’s see if you can withstand this—Devouring Storm Palm!"

The impact cracked through its scales, blasting a hole into its side. Blood the color of burning gold sprayed across the battlefield, sizzling as it touched the earth.

The Guardian thrashed, its tail smashing Li Tian off its back. He crashed into a tree, splinters tearing his robe. Blood trickled from his lip, but his grin never faltered.

[Health: Minor Damage Sustained. Recommendation: Engage with caution.]

"Caution?" Li Tian wiped the blood with his thumb and smirked. "I’ll take its head instead."

The Guardian unleashed a storm of qi, its serpent half glowing with poisonous mist, its tiger half blazing with fire. The entire forest quaked as its aura flared, suffocating, primal, merciless.

Li Tian’s own aura burst outward in response, a storm of lightning, shadow, and dragon-like qi intertwining.

The clash shook the Ancient Forest to its roots.

Beast and man became blurs of fury, their battle a symphony of destruction. Every strike carved craters into the ground, every clash of qi tore through the air like thunder.

Hours seemed to pass in seconds until finally—the beast faltered. Its wounds were too deep, its scales too cracked, its breath too ragged.

Li Tian stood before it, his chest rising and falling, shadows flickering around his body like living flames. He lifted his hand, golden qi swirling into a final strike.

"Fall."

His palm descended.

The Serpent-Tiger Guardian roared one last time before collapsing, its massive body shaking the earth. Silence followed—absolute silence.

[Boss Defeated. Reward Generated.][New Technique Acquired: Beast King’s Dominance.][Passive Effect: All beasts of lower cultivation will instinctively submit to your presence.]

Li Tian looked at his blood-stained hand, his grin widening. "Now this... this is useful."

The forest itself seemed to bow as countless lesser beasts emerged from the shadows, not to attack, but to lower their heads before him.

Li Tian stepped forward, eyes gleaming with unrestrained ambition. "The Ancient Forest is mine now."