Chapter 526: Chapter 335 Burying Xie Lan_2
After some time, Yan Xiaobao remained on the open space, observing the people around him. He nodded firmly and began moving eastward, staying within the mountain range. He was searching for a place that would allow him to cross over—away from the dangerous areas within the Divine Domain and into the safe and familiar region known as the Sun Kingdom.
The scenery surrounding Yan Xiaobao was filled with breathtaking forests—untouched and pristine. The forest was teeming with plants of all shapes and sizes. It was a long time before Yan Xiaobao encountered the first magical beast as he wandered through the forest.
The beast he encountered was not a high-ranked one. Instead, it was an Iron Blood Bat that resided in treetops, high above the young white-haired man, who found it impossible to reach.
As Yan Xiaobao ventured deeper into the forest, he began to realize that the scarcity of magical beasts wasn’t because they weren’t present—it was due to the vastness of the forest, which made the beasts few and far between. Some of them lived in small packs, while others roamed alone. A few high-ranked beasts required Yan Xiaobao to tread carefully, whereas others were weaker. Yan Xiaobao could defeat these and enjoy a meal made from their meat.
One day, as he continued traversing the forest on a different path, Yan Xiaobao was astonished to discover that no matter how far he walked, he couldn’t seem to cross the mountain range. It was almost as if he were trapped in the valley—a gorge that stretched endlessly toward the Central Palace, preventing anyone from entering or leaving unless they possessed the ability to fly.
The gorge where Yan Xiaobao was currently stranded seemed to stretch on forever. The forest filled the gorge and extended into its deepest recesses. On the ground, Yan Xiaobao began to feel that the only way to escape this perilous region was by passing through the Central Palace—the same palace his friend had originally fled.
The journey through the tunnel system had been smooth and direct. All the caves and pathways had seemingly been carved for humans to traverse. However, in this forest, progressing forward was no longer a simple task. He had to push through every bush and find faint animal trails to use for travel, resting no longer than a few hours at a time.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, Yan Xiaobao encountered more magical beasts along the way. Each beast possessed distinct levels of strength, as though the forest itself had no defined inner or outer regions. Every beast species seemed to claim its own territory.
Some beasts were engaged in battles for new territories, and the sounds of combat occasionally echoed through the forest. Yet none of the beasts seemed willing to confront Yan Xiaobao, for the white-haired youth was no longer suppressing his Holy-level aura.
It was only under circumstances when the young man needed to hunt or sharpen his skills that he would suppress his aura.
Initially, Yan Xiaobao’s journey through the forest was hurried. He was determined to cross the forest quickly. However, as one day turned into another, he was no longer in a rush. Eventually, he began to spend hours each day cultivating. The deeper he ventured into the forest, the stronger his connection to nature grew. His bond with the earth became ever more intimate.
Yan Xiaobao also spent time cultivating his elemental affinity with fire and metal. Although he barely utilized Metal Element, he still wished to refine every affinity he possessed and eventually merge the three elements together.
As the journey stretched across greater distances, the elemental affinity within his body accumulated more and more. With his travel pace slowing, his strength continued to rise steadily.
After three months of travel, Yan Xiaobao reached the eighth star of the Master level. Over the past year and three months of traveling alone, his cultivation speed had accelerated significantly. At last, the young man arrived at a massive valley within the forest—a clearing with a small village situated by a stream Yan Xiaobao had been following.
Yan Xiaobao stood within the forest, gazing down at the valley below, suddenly uncertain whether to avoid the village altogether. Yet, before he could finish contemplating, a voice shattered the silence—a child’s voice.
"Mama, Mama! A strange beast has appeared!" A little girl’s voice echoed throughout the valley, and in an instant, the tranquil village bustled with activity.
The adults rushed out from their homes, gazing at the creatures, and Xu Yue was immediately taken aback.
The adults were all half-human, half-animal. Each one appeared to represent a certain level of transformation—a mix of Beastman traits and human characteristics, with some leaning more toward beastly features and others displaying more humanlike traits.
When they saw Yan Xiaobao, they gathered together, watching him warily. Yan Xiaobao also observed them intently, focusing on their appearances.
One woman bore a striking resemblance to Lan Feng. Apart from her entire body being covered in thin feathers, she appeared almost human. Her Phoenix-like feathers were sky blue, while this woman’s feathers were more brownish and natural in color.
The wolf Yan Xiaobao saw resembled his own form when red fog took over, except this beast was gray. It stood on its hind legs, its hands eerily human-like, yet tipped with sharp claws instead of nails. Its wolf-like face sported a nose and piercing eyes.
The other beasts displayed various tails and patches of fur resembling different animals. The children seemed to exhibit more beastly qualities than human ones, leaving Yan Xiaobao shocked as he looked upon them.
Just as they were alarmed upon seeing Yan Xiaobao, the white-haired man grew equally cautious upon spotting the Beastmen. He immediately allowed Lan Feng to release his repressed aura—a radiant, instant burst that shook every beast within the valley.