This ferocious beast was the same one Zhou Yan had encountered before.
This beast was more savage than others, highly aggressive, and once it set its sights on you, there was no hope of survival.
This beast was larger than others, but they were not humans. Instead, they were fierce birds with sharp claws and mouths lined with incredibly sharp fangs.
The beast's eyes were bloodshot, its sharp teeth like blades, glinting menacingly under the sunlight. Its gaze swept over Zhou Yan, as if contemplating where to begin its meal. The aura it exuded made Zhou Yan's skin crawl.
This sense of danger made Zhou Yan dare not delay any longer. His figure instantly vanished, and he fled in another direction.
"Hmph!"
Seeing Zhou Yan disappear, the beast let out a dismissive snort, and then its own form vanished.
This area was vast. Zhou Yan followed the remembered route, pressing forward.
After traveling a considerable distance, Zhou Yan finally found a safe place to rest.
There were many dilapidated wooden huts in this place, and Zhou Yan hid within one.
Inside the hut, Zhou Yan sat cross-legged on the ground, tending to his injuries. During his recuperation, a grave expression was etched on his face.
Earlier, when he fought that giant, he had learned of the giant's strength. It was at the peak of the Innate realm, while he was only in the early stage of the Innate realm. In terms of raw power, he was still a step behind, a gap that could prove fatal.
Therefore, he had to thoroughly nurse his injuries and strive to recover his peak condition as soon as possible, then face the giant again.
However, even while recuperating, Zhou Yan's mind remained on high alert. After all, the giant was too powerful, and he could not afford the slightest carelessness, lest he be easily killed by it.
Zhou Yan closed his eyes, continuously absorbing the vital energy of heaven and earth, slowly mending his body.
His body had reached saturation. His injuries required time to heal.
Thus, during his recuperation, three to four days passed without Zhou Yan realizing it. For these days, Zhou Yan focused solely on healing his injuries, experiencing no anomalies.
But on the sixth day, Zhou Yan suddenly opened his eyes.
His brow furrowed as he suddenly sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching. This aura belonged to the ferocious beast that had been chasing him.
Zhou Yan dared not delay and quickly stood up.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a furious roar echoed, and an immense pressure descended upon him.
This pressure was even more terrifying than that of the previous beasts, causing Zhou Yan's body to tremble involuntarily.
It was a monstrous beast of colossal size, hundreds of meters long, covered in thick scales that shimmered with a cold metallic luster.
A ferocious beast!
The information flashed through Zhou Yan's mind.
His head felt dizzy, and he found it difficult to breathe.
A look of horror spread across his face.
"What in the world is happening? I didn't experience this when I encountered that giant earlier, and he wasn't a ferocious beast."
This time, Zhou Yan's eyes were filled with shock and confusion.
Although he didn't understand why he had suddenly transformed, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. His mind was in chaos.
At this very moment, the ferocious beast lunged at him, its sharp claws raking towards Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan wanted to dodge, but he couldn't evade the beast's attack. By the time the beast reached him, his body was immobile, and he could only watch helplessly as its claws landed on his neck.
*Squelch!*
Zhou Yan's neck was severed by half.
Zhou Yan's body crashed to the ground heavily. He stared with wide, unwilling eyes.
He couldn't comprehend how he, a mere early-stage Innate realm cultivator, had been killed by this beast, whose strength was at least equivalent to a fifth-level Houtian realm martial artist, in a single strike.
"Could it be that I was injured when I clashed with that giant earlier?"
An absurd thought flickered through Zhou Yan's mind.
Just then, the giant appeared beside Zhou Yan. A bloodthirsty glint flickered in its eyes, and its low voice, filled with boundless rage, declared, "Damn human, I will devour you!"
This giant was the ferocious beast itself. As soon as it appeared, it launched a frenzied assault on Zhou Yan. Although Zhou Yan's cultivation was inferior to the beast's, his physical resilience was something the beast lacked. Furthermore, after cultivating the "Devouring Stars" technique, his physical defense had surpassed ordinary steel. While the beast's claws were sharp, they couldn't pierce Zhou Yan's skin. In turn, Zhou Yan's fists repeatedly struck the beast's tough hide, emitting dull thuds.
Under the beast's relentless onslaught, Zhou Yan sustained numerous wounds.
However, these were superficial injuries that posed no threat to his life.
Despite Zhou Yan's furious counterattacks, his heart was filled with astonishment.
"Such physical defense is truly formidable. If it were my own body, I wouldn't be able to achieve this."
"Moreover, this beast is indeed powerful. My strength is less than a tenth of its. If I cannot defeat it in a short period, my fate will be a swift and easy kill. This beast is no simple creature, truly extraordinary!"
Zhou Yan sighed inwardly, his wariness growing.
He knew his current strength was no match for the giant before him. His only recourse was the black saber in his hand, and he needed to quickly recover from his injuries.
Zhou Yan's body flickered, constantly evading direct confrontation with the giant as he moved deeper into the forest.
At this moment, the giant clearly realized Zhou Yan's intention to flee. It let out a furious roar, leaped into the air, and pursued him rapidly.
In that instant, Zhou Yan felt as if he were in a furnace. His clothes turned to ash.
And Zhou Yan's skin was instantly scorched.
The beast's strength was indeed far superior to Zhou Yan's.